Friday, 20 April 2018 12:18
Rainn Wilson one of the many reasons to see Steppenwolf's "The Doppelganger"
Written by Ken Payne
Steppenwolf Theatre’s latest production is going to generate much buzz – quickly - and with good reason. In fact, it’s already been extended through June 2nd. Playwright Matthew-Lee Erlbach’s The Doppelganger (an international farce) is a riotous comedy that doesn’t skip a beat, boasting a cast that is as good…
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Theatre in Review
Saturday, 21 April 2018 00:20
Lettie Pairs Great Cast With Strong Writing for a Story of our Time
Written by Bill Esler
Lettie, by Boo Killebrew and directed by Chay Yew, is a very finely crafted work, an artfully produced show with sensitive performances that gradually unveil the complicated personalities on stage. When we meet Lettie, she is in the visitors lounge area of a halfway house somewhere in Chicago, transitioning from…
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Theatre in Review
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Friday, 20 April 2018 10:07
Two is better than one: il Pigmalione + Rita at The Studebaker Theater
Written by Kendall Royzen
In so many aspects of life, two is better than one. The Studebaker Theater knows all about this principle and brought together two operas in the space of one evening: il Pigmalione + Rita. A double bill of Italian composter Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti’s first work and one of his…
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Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 17 April 2018 17:20
"Our Great Tchaikovsky" is an intimate, haunting study of the beloved Russian composer
Written by Vika Lvova
The immensely talented Hershey Felder’s new solo act, Our Great Tchaikovsky, is the latest in a series of plays about world’s greatest composers and musicians, including Gershwin, Chopin, Beethoven, Bernstein, et al. that span nearly two decades. Directed by Trevor Hay and written by Hershey Felder, the play is being…
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Theatre in Review
Sunday, 15 April 2018 23:49
É strano, Art comes to life in Chicago Opera Theater’s sunny Amalfi Coast vacation. “Il Pigmalione” and “Rita”
Written by William and Margaret Swain
If you’re weary of Chicago’s delayed Spring, do yourself a favor and take a warming break with the sunny pairing of two rarely heard one act operas by Gaetano Donizetti as presented this chilly Saturday evening at the Studebaker Theater by Chicago Opera Theater. “Il Pigmalione” was Donizetti’s first opera,…
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Theatre in Review
Saturday, 14 April 2018 17:41
United We Stand! Firebrand's "9 to 5 the Musical"
Written by Sara Hassan
Many of us know the story. Three women who work in an office and seek revenge on an abusive male boss. Who can forget Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda as they made a united stand for women in the now classic film “9 to 5”. Our women heroes…
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Theatre in Review
Sunday, 15 April 2018 00:11
Drury Lane's "South Pacific" a fun, romantic adventure
Written by Kimberly Katz
“South Pacific” is a timeless Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical full of wonderful romance and social commentary about racism that is important for young and old to experience today and I was thoroughly impressed with Drury Lane’s warm, happy, romantic interpretation of the classic show. It is the latest of shows…
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Theatre in Review
Sunday, 08 April 2018 18:26
A Tony Award classic returns - "The Diary of Anne Frank" at Playhouse Theatre at College of DuPage
Written by Ron Reis
“The Diary of Anne Frank” is a familiar story to many people. While two Jewish families are hiding out from the Nazis in Holland during World War II, the story centers around the diary of a young girl, Anne Frank, belonging to one of one of those families. Such circumstances…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 09 April 2018 00:59
Hell in a Handbag's "L'imitation of Life" a laughing matter
Written by Ken Payne
In 1959 director Douglas Sirk left his mark on Hollywood in the making of his final film, Imitation of Life, which was based on the Fannie Hurst novel of the same name. The film starred Lana Turner in the lead role and dealt with several topics that still loom large…
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Theatre in Review
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Thursday, 05 April 2018 22:38
Smashing Writing is Why Really Smart People Will Want Tickets for This Play
Written by Bill Esler
Lydia R. Diamond deserves most of the credit for the many wondrous theatrical moments in her play, Smart People. But without the spectacularly able cast and the razor’s edge pacing set by director Hallie Gordon, you would not be able to enjoy her excellent script. Smart People covers all the…
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Theatre in Review
Wednesday, 04 April 2018 18:20
Review: The Rosenkranz Mysteries: Physician Magician at The Royal George Theatre Cabaret
Written by Earl Cochran
Seated in the venue before the show, I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. With a title like, The Rosenkranz Mysteries: Physician Magician, my first thought was of a murder mystery. The set, designed to mimic a well-appointed study or office, didn’t give any real clues. Enter our host for…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Wednesday, 04 April 2018 21:17
Review: 'The Gentleman Caller' at Raven Theatre
Written by John Accrocco
They say you should never meet your heroes. That may be the case in Philip Dawkins' new play 'The Gentleman Caller' at Raven Theatre. Dawkins', a popular local playwright, was commissioned to write this play about the strange friendship between Tennessee Williams and William Inge. This is Cody Estle's first…
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Theatre in Review
Monday, 02 April 2018 22:44
Review: How I Learned to Drive at The Artistic Home
Written by John Accrocco
Never has there been a more relevant time for Paula Vogel’s 1998 Pulitzer Prize winner ‘How I Learned to Drive’. By now, it’s considered a modern classic and has certainly made Vogel a hot playwright ever since. The fact that this play is now twenty years old and is arguably…
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Theatre in Review
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