Even dying of cancer, the character played by Marilyn Weiher of Downers Grove could find humor in her situation.

In the Theatre of Western Springs’ recent play, “Wit,” the production uses dark humor. A play, movie or similar work about a serious subject that can still include genuinely funny bits is another matter. It is a difficult thing for a writer to pull off, and even then, it won’t come through for audiences without the right actress.

For this TWS offering, Weiher was definitely the right actress. She had at least 95 percent of the lines, went as far as shaving her head for authenticity’s sake in playing a cancer patient, and actually both elicited laughs and wrung tears from her audiences. She was superb. She gave the kind of performance that had viewers calling their friends the next day to tell them about it.

Alas, this production of Margaret Edson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play ended its two-week run the last weekend in April, but theater-goers will surely have a chance to see Weiher in other productions in the area in the future. She has been active in TWS, Grove Players and Vortex of LaGrange Park in the past and likely will continue to be.
Weiher and husband Dave’s daughter, Jackie Siwek, had a small role in “Wit.” Their sons, Chris and Eric, are thespians as well.

In fact, Eric Weiher was taking college classes in Australia for a bit and landed the lead in a student production of “The Taming of the Shrew.” It is a BBC one-act adaptation which has been further adapted to allow his character to have been born in Australia but raised in Chicago. The change was made to account for his accent.

In other news...

Grove Players recently presented a very nice production of “Over the Tavern” with wonderful performances by the entire cast.

The Downers Grove Choral Society closed out its official season with an “American Retrospective, A Journey in Song Through the Life of Our Nation.” This concert included an original piece of music. Local composer Timothy J. Bowlby impressively set some text by Emily Dickinson and Emma Lazarus to music.

The lovely sound of the choral society comprised the bulk of the program, but the chamber choir from Herrick Middle School, under the direction of Justin Sisul and accompanied by Connie Lyda, was an outstanding addition to the concert.

The wonderful performers included: Dawn Alexander, Sami Barry, Sarah Batchu, Claire Cates, Caitlin Doak, Becca Furstenau, Laura Green, Jessica Grimmer, Hannah Henson, Molly Kettlehut, Becca Kulik, Ellen Kussmann, Jen Luby, Jenna Niemi, Allison Proffitt, Shannon Pyburn, Vanessa Schuller, Melanie Self and Cora Webster.