Friday, 13 December 2019 00:27
An Unforgettable Evening With Nat King Cole's Music
Written by Bill Esler
Who doesn’t like Nat King Cole? A band pianist who achieved mega-stardom in the late 1940s and 1950s, Cole’s pitch-true tenor was inflected by a nasal reverb, and that slight rasp that individualized him, making his voice on recordings still fresh, and endlessly interesting. Because of his immense talent, Cole…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
Sunday, 08 December 2019 14:00
'Twelfth Night' at the Lincoln Park Conservatory is the perfect winter escape
Written by Vika Lvova
For the fifth year in the row, the beautiful Lincoln Park Conservatory has become temporary home to Midsommer Flight’s annual production of Shakespeare comedy ‘Twelfth Night’. Admittedly, this was the main draw for me, as I love visiting the tantalizingly lush greenhouse space during Chicago’s colder months/ most of the…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Saturday, 07 December 2019 13:35
‘The Tall Boy’ underscores the harsh realities of refugee children
Written by Michaelle Bradford
Veteran actress Tandy Cronyn, the daughter of legendary actors Hugh Cronyn and Jessica Tandy, helms ‘The Tall Boy’, in a solo performance. The award-winning play centered around the matron of an orphanage and three young boys, all convincingly played by Cronyn, is a meticulous look at what happens to child…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Wednesday, 11 December 2019 13:53
Stupendous! Ring in the holidays with 'White Christmas' at Cadillac Palace
Written by Ken Payne
You know it’s that time of the season when Chicago gets blitzed by one holiday production after another. And, while many of them are well done and thoroughly entertaining, there are just a few that really stand out each year. This year, one of them is ‘Irving Berlin’s White Christmas’…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Saturday, 07 December 2019 14:26
Get ready for some unique holiday fun! 'The Buttcracker: A Nutcracker Burlesque' at Den Theatre
Written by Mariah Sulaiman
The usual holiday tales that bring us together around the winter season fill us with joy but there has also been a not-so-usual tradition in Chicago that brings a titillating thrill to the holiday season! Who needs the Nutcracker Ballet, when you can have the Buttcracker Burlesque (#buttstuff)! The fantastical…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Sunday, 08 December 2019 14:05
Steven Strafford exceptional in Goodman's 'The Santaland Diaries'
Written by Ken Payne
A non-traditional story about Christmas might just be becoming a tradition at Goodman Theatre. No. I’m not talking about Goodman’s masterpiece production of ‘A Christmas Carol’. For its second year in a row comes David Sedaris’ satirical, hysterical AND anything but conventional (see what I did there?) story of a…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 10 December 2019 00:53
Offbeat, Grim: How People Cling to Power, Except When Faced With 'The White Plague'
Written by Bill Esler
As Chicago stages turn to Dickens and Tchaikovsky, you can find darker but equally fun fare in Trap Door Theatre’s high-flying production, The White Plague. This imaginative, high-energy show brings us the black-gowned denizens of a futuristic nation in the throes of a plague, with rising fascism and an imminent…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
Many of us already know the story of the spirited, loveable orphan girl who is saved from an abusive orphanage after a billionaire takes a liking to her and decides to adopt her. Daddy Warbucks is that billionaire, Miss Hannigan is the abusive, alcoholic who runs the orphanage and the…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 03 December 2019 12:13
Handbag's 'The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes - Holiday Edition, Vol 2' Celebrates the Wonder of Enduring Friendship!
Written by Kimberly Katz
There are certain theatrical events that I look forward to attending each season and Hell in a Handbag's Holiday shows are always at the top of my list. ‘The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes – The Holiday Edition, Vol 2’ should be on the top of everyone’s list. When I'm…
Published in
Theatre in Review
More...
Tuesday, 26 November 2019 12:47
Paramount's 'Beauty and the Beast' an enchanting, fun-filled adventure
Written by Ken Payne
Disney’s 1991 Award-winning musical Beauty and the Beast was an instant hit. Its songs were memorable, and its story considered one of Disney’s best. With music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice and Howard Ashman, a live musical took the Broadway stage in 1994 that successfully ran for…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Thursday, 28 November 2019 12:48
Engaging Story in Fine Production of 1912 ‘Rutherford and Son’
Written by Bill Esler
Rutherford and Son tells the story of an early 20th century glass making factory in northern England. It’s run by rough a tumble owner, Rutherford – played convincingly and powerfully by Steppenwolf’s Francis Guinan. Under his thumb are hundreds of workers, who he treats as recalcitrant peasants; and his three…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
Wednesday, 20 November 2019 13:54
Theatre at the Center's 'White Christmas' rings in the holidays with great dance and romance!
Written by Kimberly Katz
I am from Miami, Florida and after moving to Chicago there was a time when I genuinely looked forward to the first snow of the year. I’d also wish for snowfall each year to bring us a white Christmas here in Chicago and this lovely production of ‘White Christmas’ at…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 25 November 2019 13:00
Review: 'A Christmas Carol' at Goodman Theatre
Written by John Accrocco
What can be said about a show that's been running every Christmas in Chicago for forty-one years? Other than it must be pretty good if it continues to play to sold out audiences year after year. There have been theatre versions of 'A Christmas Carol' nearly as long as the…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Register
Login
Latest Articles
-
A Night to Remember Aboard Marriott Theatre’s Titanic
Written by CJ BurroughsAs a lifelong aficionado of the ill-fated ocean liner RMS Titanic, I’ve always gravitated toward any experience that would leave me feeling immersed in that famous moment of an era that nobody any of us knows anymore is alive to… -
Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces casting for the NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE of a new musical from the producers of SIX - 42 Balloons
Written by Buzz Center StageChicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces today the cast of the North American premiere of the new musical 42 Balloons. From the multi-award-winning producers Kevin McCollum (Oh, Mary!, Rent), Andy Barnes and Wendy Barnes (SIX), and Sonia Friedman Productions (Merrily We Roll Along), 42 Balloons is an '80s-inspired musical based on the unbelievable true story… -
Pegasus Theatre Chicago announces cast for its revival of Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery
Written by Buzz Center StagePegasus Theatre Chicago and Director ILesa Duncan proudly announce the casting for the revival of playwright Shay Youngblood's Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery, which follows "Daughter", who returns home to eulogize the last of the women who raised her in 1960s Georgia. Shakin' the Mess Outta…
-
Steppenwolf Theatre Announces LookOut's Summer 2025 Season
Written by Buzz Center StageSteppenwolf's LookOut Series is pleased to announce its action-packed summer lineup of comedy, magic, storytelling, drag and more! The Summer 2025 Season includes captivating solo works from some of Chicago's most accomplished storytellers; showcases of comedy, theatre and puppetry artists; and a…
Does your theatre company want to connect with Buzz Center Stage or would you like to reach out and say "hello"? Message us through facebook or shoot us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
*This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Buzz Center Stage. Buzz Center Stage is a non-profit, volunteer-based platform that enables, and encourages, staff members to post their own honest thoughts on a particular production.