When you reach the top, there's only one place for you to go, and that's down. Neil Giuntoli's play Hizzoner tells the story of Richard J. Daley - Chicago's longest-serving mayor, and the last of the big city bosses.
Set during the 1960s and 70s, Hizzoner is an unflinching and intimate portrait of the vulnerable man behind the power machine. Yet, as Daley struggles to keep control over Chicago, audiences are reminded that few men "could inspire more love, or more hate".
This gripping bio-drama presents a central figure of passion and paradox: a family man who hurt and saved his city, a benign Democrat who issued a shoot-to-kill order. Featuring a stellar supporting cast, Hizzoner is a fascinating exploration of the price we pay for power – and a must-see for anybody interested in Chicago’s turbulent history.
Hizzoner premiered in Chicago in March 2006, with playwright Neil Giuntioli taking the role of Daley. The show was subsequently nominated for a Jeff Award for Excellence in Chicago Theatre ('Best New Work').