It was in July of 2024 when I got as close as I ever could to observing Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert debate the merits of cinematic works in person. Staged at Chicago’s intimate Bughouse Theater, Katlin Schneider’s play, “Siskel/Ebert,” featured Stephan Winchell and Zack Mast as the iconic critic duo, and there was no question in my mind that the actors’ performances deserved two very enthusiastic thumbs way up. Winchell was spot-on and very funny as Siskel, while Mast captured Ebert’s look, mannerisms and cadence so impeccably, it was downright eerie.

The episode they lovingly and ingeniously reenacted was from June of 1987, where the sparring colleagues famously argued about “Full Metal Jacket” and “Benji the Hunted,” complete with hysterical recreations of the selected movie clips. Siskel’s widow, Marlene Iglitzen, was in attendance, and the show got her seal of approval. From that moment on, I was determined to have Roger’s widow, Chaz Ebert—see the show as well.

Last November, my wish was finally granted when Winchell and Mast reprised their roles in a new show held at the Chicago Cultural Center in honor of “Siskel & Ebert”’s fiftieth anniversary. As soon as Mast turned toward the audience, his resemblance to Roger was so uncanny that it caused Chaz to exclaim, “Oh my god!” Later in the show, when the actors had an animated argument onstage in character, it was so evocative of the critics’ unmatched banter that it garnered applause from the crowd.

For over a decade, I have assisted Chaz and her team in hunting down the original broadcast cassettes of various “Siskel & Ebert” segments to play before a particular screening at Ebertfest, which never fail to bring down the house. For this last installment of the festival at Roger’s alma mater in Champaign, I can’t think of a better way to honor the memory of its founder than by having these two Windy City actors bring their exuberant labor of love to the Virginia’s stage.

Their portrayal transcends mere imitation in how they channel the essence of these complicated men, who were both adversaries and eventually friends. Everything from their posture, attitude and verbal tics to their nonverbal behavior occurring on as well as off-camera will make you feel as if you were transported back nearly four decades to WBBM-TV studio on Chicago’s North Side, where Siskel and Ebert first argued over Stanley Kubrick, Pizza the Hutt and whether the sight of a little dog running was indeed boring.

So sit back, don’t change that channel, and enjoy this rare treat as the balcony reopens one more time…