Last night in Chicago, Andrew Pepoy brought Mark and Stephanie Heike, artist Scott (argh! didn't catch his last name), and me to the Chicago Tap Theatre's opening performance of "The Hourglass in the Stop-Time Chronicles."

The show will be on June 28 and 29 and July 5, 6, 11-13, and 18-20 at the Athenaeum Theatre, Studio 3, 2936 N. Southport in Chicago.

Co-written by Andrew, "The Hourglass and the Poisoned Pen" is a unique (and I seldom use that term) blend of comic-book-style plotline and professional tap performance. (It's also unique in that the performers look for audience input and evolve the performance in the next night's show.) The event ranged from the merely entertaining to the heart-thumpingly exciting. I'd never seen anything like it, and the show will also appear later this year at the New York Musical Theatre Festival. Check it all out at www.chicagotaptheatre.com. (One "set" is even a comics shop.)