Orlandersmith in action. Photo by Eric Y. Exit.The fall theater season, for me at least, has begun with a quiet burst of genius. With Stoop Stories, writer and performer Dael Orlandersmith has produced one of those rare theater evenings that enrapture you effortlessly before disappearing into the night. It's something that only a great one-woman (or one-man) show can do. You find yourself in disbelief before curtain, wondering how one person will captivate you for over an hour with nothing but a little background music, a simple and unchanging set, and her own words. And then the show starts, and you're completely absorbed.

In fact, Orlandersmith's show, which is about different characters she knew (or  knew of) during her childhood in Harlem, seemed over in a moment, and that wasn't the only magic it contained. Against all odds, this series of characters and stories of despair, addiction, and poverty left me feeling geniunely happy and uplifted. The only possible reason for this is the ultimate real-world outcome of all this hardship: it created a strong, colorful genius in Orlandersmith, who was able to free herself from a life of stagnation without losing a sentimentality for the place that birthed her.

Stoop Stories kicks off the Goodman's season for their smaller Owen Theater. In a few weeks, I'll be seeing Animal Crackers in their main Albert Theater, and I can only imagine that it will be a vastly different kind of entertaining. I am thrilled to be able to see the productions in both theaters this year, as the Owen typically showcases small gems and local premieres. If the other shows offer the same quiet, unique counterpoint to the Goodman's shiny mainstage spectacle, it will be a very lovely season indeed. Stoop Stories runs through October 11.

If you're interested in seeing shows at the Goodman, but aren't rolling in dough, the Owen offers another treat: balcony tickets start at just $15.00