Apollo Theater’s Going Bacharach Brings Burt Bacharach’s Timeless Songbook to Chicago With Powerhouse Vocals and Sharp New Arrangements
CHICAGO, IL — CHICAGO, IL — Going Bacharach: The Songs of an Icon arrives at the Apollo Theater as a polished, old-school revue that treats Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s catalog like the treasure chest it is. The Off-Broadway hit has moved to Lincoln Park with much of its original creative team and cast intact.
The result is an evening that leans into craft over gimmicks. From the opening overture to the final notes, the production gives Bacharach’s famously tricky melodies room to breathe, while a compact band and three vocalists keep the focus on the songs fans know by heart.
A sleek cabaret frame built around Bacharach’s songbook
The production’s look splits the difference between a lounge act and a classic showbiz night, with set design that nods to both Vegas gloss and Art Deco style. Behind the singers sits a Chicago-based quartet, while Adrian Galante anchors the room on piano and clarinet.
Galante is more than accompanist here. As co-creator, music director, arranger, orchestrator, and emcee-like guide, he keeps the revue moving and gives the evening its musical identity. His playing helps the material feel intimate without losing the sweep that made Bacharach’s songs so distinctive.
Three vocalists give the familiar standards fresh emotional shape
The cast is built around singer-actors who know how to interpret a lyric instead of just blasting through it. John Pagano, who toured as Bacharach’s lead vocalist for years, brings an assured veteran’s touch to material such as “A House Is Not a Home.”
Eben K. Logan settles in after a brief rehearsal window and earns strong responses with “Anyone Who Had a Heart,” while Ava Locknar emerges as a standout with a mix of comic timing, striking stage presence, and a powerful voice. Her take on “Alfie,” supported by Galante’s clarinet, is described as a high point of the night.
A few weak spots aside, the revue mostly lets the songs do the heavy lifting
The revue is not without rough edges. Some of the banter lands awkwardly, and one attempt to rewrite lyrics for a modern audience is presented as unnecessary and weaker than the original. But those missteps are minor next to the evening’s best idea: letting Bacharach’s songs carry their own emotional weight.
That approach pays off in arrangements that add playful touches to numbers like “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?” and “The Look of Love,” even if a few versions are hard to separate from especially iconic recordings. Overall, the show comes across as a warm, entertaining two-hour tribute for audiences eager to hear the catalog performed with care.
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