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Elizabeth McGovern’s ‘Ava: The Secret Conversations’ Runs in Chicago Through Oct. 12 After Strong Reviews

McGovern’s adaptation distills Ava Gardner’s taped interviews into a probing study of fame, aging and who controls a life story.

Overview

  • The 85–90 minute two-hander is at the Studebaker Theater in the Fine Arts Building, with tickets listed from $49.50 to $129.50.
  • Chicago Tribune’s Chris Jones awards 3.5 stars, praising McGovern’s performance and the show’s focus on late-life perspective.
  • Aaron Costa Ganis plays Peter Evans as well as multiple men from Gardner’s past, under the direction of Moritz von Stuelpnagel.
  • The script draws from Gardner’s 1988–1990 conversations with Evans, whose book based on those tapes was published in 2013 after his death.
  • Following earlier runs in London, Los Angeles and New York, the touring production is slated to head next to Toronto.