Sunday, 28 July 2019 22:35
What Evil Lurks Below The Darkened Landscape of Manchester’s Pomona?
Written by Bill Esler
Pomona at Steep Theatre is among the most exhilarating productions I have seen this year. Directed by Robin Witt, who selected this imaginative script by British playwright Alistair McDowall, the play follows a familiar theme in British crime dramas: the disappearance of working girls, spirited away in this case from…
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Theatre in Review
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As the Chicago premiere of Dave Malloy’s Ghost Quartet was set to start, a cast member walked across the stage, stopping to thank us for attending before adding, “See you on the other side,” in the spookiest voice and with the spookiest face, setting the stage for more than an…
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Theatre in Review
Thursday, 25 July 2019 15:39
Strange Brew in Magically Noir 'Strange Heart Beating'
Written by Bill Esler
After seeing Strange Heart Beating, I felt the less said about this show, which is a murder mystery at its heart- the better. Its characters struck me as unrealistic, the dialog veers to wooden at many points, and the story is outlandish and complex. Yet in describing its storyline to…
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Theatre in Review
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If anyone can be trusted to pay tribute to the late Sam Shepard’s work, it’s Steppenwolf. While they didn’t necessarily originate Shepard’s now classic play, their 1982 production certainly had something to do with the play’s legacy. In fact, Steppenwolf owes a lot of their respected standing in the international…
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Theatre in Review
Let me apologize for gushing (and being late with this review), but Brian Parry’s performance as King Lear at Redtwist Theater is nothing short of astounding. One of the finest Shakespeare performances I have ever seen, Parry brings goosebumps and rushes from his first few lines. He acts the role…
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Tuesday, 16 July 2019 12:31
'Darling Grenadine' A Romantic New Musical Theater Piece about Overcoming Addiction to Find True Love
Written by Kimberly Katz
‘Darling Grenadine’ is a completely original musical with music, lyrics and book all written by the extremely gifted Daniel Zaitchick. I'm often talking about how many musicals are derived from other sources and about how I long for a wholly original play to come out that can stand up to…
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Theatre in Review
Sunday, 14 July 2019 22:13
Seeing How Birthright Connections Control Our Fate in 'The Recommendation'
Written by Bill Esler
The Recommendation, which opened July 11 at Windy City Playhouse, tells a compelling story of two lifelong buddies who clash violently when their adult lives and values go in different directions than during their student days. Yet they remain friends. The play, which premiered in New York in 2013, is…
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Theatre in Review
Saturday, 13 July 2019 17:00
Mary Zimmerman’s The Music Man Is a Delight Made for Chicago Audiences
Written by Bill Esler
The Music Man is beautifully produced at Goodman Theater. It generated so much pre-show buzz that the run was extended twice before the curtain came down on opening night. No wonder. With great choreography (Denis Jones), wonderfully detailed period costumes (Ana Kuzmanic), and an orchestra directed by Jermaine Hill, it…
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Theatre in Review
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Saturday, 13 July 2019 17:00
Mary Zimmerman’s The Music Man Is a Delight Made for Chicago Audiences
Written by Bill Esler
The Music Man is beautifully produced at Goodman Theater. It generated so much pre-show buzz that the run was extended twice before the curtain came down on opening night. No wonder. With great choreography (Denis Jones), wonderfully detailed period costumes (Ana Kuzmanic), and an orchestra directed by Jermaine Hill, it…
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Theatre in Review
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Saturday, 13 July 2019 13:44
Murder, Intrigue and a Shitload of Laughs in Handbag's 'The Drag Seed'
Written by Ken Payne
In 1956 a psychological horror-thriller film hit the big screens across America that undoubtedly shocked audiences nationwide. The film, The Bad Seed, was based on William March’s 1954 novel of the same name and also hit the stage that same year. In a time when UFOs and alien invasions caused…
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Theatre in Review
Sunday, 07 July 2019 22:21
Hitler’s Tasters Tells of 15 German Girls Ready to Lay Down Their Lives for Their Fuhrer
Written by Bill Esler
It’s no secret Hitler feared he would be killed, by political assassins, rivals or enemy troops. He spent much of the war seeking security underground at The Wolf’s Lair, his heavily fortified command center 400 miles east of Berlin, while directing action on the Eastern front. One of his fears…
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Theatre in Review
Saturday, 06 July 2019 13:42
Suppressed by the Nazis, ‘The Flower of Hawaii’ Blossoms at Folks Operetta
Written by Bill Esler
The Flower of Hawaii (originally Die Blume von Hawaii) is a 1931 operetta by Hungarian composer Paul Abraham. Working in Berlin, Abraham was popular for his light operatic works, the type that live in the niche between grand opera and our classic Broadway musicals. In recent years, operettas seem to have been…
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Theatre in Review
Saturday, 29 June 2019 00:44
Something Clean: Terrific Performances, Great Chemistry Make It Something Wonderful
Written by Bill Esler
Something Clean, directed by Lauren Shouse, gives us a compelling story, very well acted, and with that touch of magic that comes from a great chemistry in the performers. The script (by Selina Fillinger) is notable for the way it depicts real human beings who develop and change in the…
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Theatre in Review
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