I remember a couple years ago feeling rather guilty sitting in a theater seat at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago in March of 2023 and watching “The Book of Mormon” on the Wednesday of Holy Week, just days before Easter.
Last week, I spent my Holy Thursday in a theater seat at Drury Lane Theatre Oak Brook ready for the regional stage premiere of “The Da Vinci Code,” based on the popular conspiracy and mystery novel by Dan Brown. Yet again, I was prepared for my own Catholic guilt given the layers and lore associated with the story as it relates to the Roman Catholic faith.
What I saw during the almost three hours was a work dazzling yet dark, defiant while delivered with imagination, clever device and a heavy dose of entertaining symbolism laced with some history.
I never once felt an urge for a return to my church confessional for another round of penance before Easter.
Drury Lane Theatre’s “The Da Vinci Code,” adapted by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel, and directed by Elizabeth Margolius, is a thrill-ride rollercoaster with religious waves emphasizing every scene.
While it was a blockbuster hit with book sales for author Brown when it published in 2003, it was never one of the selections highlighted by Oprah Winfrey’s book club. The 2006 movie adaptation starring Tom Hanks was also a box office success.
I have neither read the novel nor seen the film.
My introduction to quirky Professor Robert Langdon, as played by Chicago theatre favorite Jeff Parker and his cryptologist sidekick Sophie Neveu, played so equally wonderful by Vaneh Assadourian, came after the curtain rose at Drury Lane’s stage premiere. The deservedly long run for this production continues through June 1 at Drury Lane Theatre.
“It’s a provocative play,” as it is described by Drury Lane’s Managing Director Wendy Stark Prey, who thought it was the perfect work to kick-off Drury Lane’s 2025-2026 season.
Drury Lane uses a mostly stark stage to immerse the audience into a world of shadows in the Vatican catacombs, marble and gold adorned altars and jet-setting adventures across the London and Paris landscapes.
Video effects and minimal costuming and few props are needed to transport the audience along on this dark adventure following a path of grisly murders and the hope of historical biblical treasures.
The rest of the cast of “The Da Vinci Code” includes Bradley Armacost as Sir Leigh Teabing, an incredible actor who was last seen a year ago on the Theatre at the Center stage in Munster portraying C.S. Lewis in Provision Theatre’s one-man show. He is joined by Jennifer Cudahy slipping in and out of the identities of a museum docent to a church volunteer, along with John Drea sharing dual roles of Rémy and Philip with Ray Frewen as Jaques Saunière, Anthony Irons as Bezu Fache, Shane Kenyon as Silas, Janice O’Neill as nun Sister Sandrine, and then later as the identity of Marie and Leslie Ann Sheppard as Collet.
Tickets range from $85-$165 at 630-530-8300 and drurylanetheatre.com.
The rest of the season follows with “Always…Patsy Cline” (June 11 – Aug. 3); “Dial M for Murder” (Sept. 3 -Oct. 26); “Sister Act” (Nov. 12-Jan. 11, 2026) and “On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan” (Jan. 28 – March 22, 2026).
Founded by Anthony DeSantis more than 70 years ago, until his passing at age 93 in 2006, Drury Lane Theatre remains a family-run organization under the leadership of President Kyle DeSantis, grandson of the late founder. To date, the theatre has staged more than 2,000 productions and has been nominated for more than 360 Joseph Jefferson Awards.
Philip Potempa is a journalist, published author and radio show host on WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at PhilPotempa@gmail.com.
