Tuesday, 13 September 2016 14:39
Paramount's Mamma Mia! About As Fun As it Gets
Written by Ken Payne
The plot is simple enough. Donna Sheridan raises her daughter Sophie now twenty-years-old, on a Greek island where she runs a small island resort. Sophie, about to get married, wants to be walked down the aisle by her father. Problem is, she doesn’t know who her father is. A bit…
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Theatre in Review
It’s the beginning of a puppet-laden season in theatre this fall. Victory Gardens will be performing Hand to God, the story of a boy whose hand puppet is possessed by the devil, and later in the season, Writers Theatre will produce The Hunter and the Bear, their latest collaboration with…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 12 September 2016 23:16
Standout performances, but Naperville is missing something
Written by Bill Esler
Naperville may be worth seeing just for its portrayal of T.C., a newly installed Caribou Coffee shop manager. When customers repeatedly ask after Nick, his popular predecessor, he replies by the book, “Nick no longer works here.” We soon see that T.C. is desperate to succeed in his new job,…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 05 September 2016 22:11
Amour offers a Precious Opportunity to See a Jewel of a Show
Written by Bill Esler
Amour, playing at the Atheneaum, is a jewel box of a show. This lighthearted musical (technically a comic opera) is profoundly entertaining, without needing to be profound. It is just plain fun. With nearly no spoken dialog, the nine cast members sing their hearts out for 90 minutes. The music,…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Thursday, 01 September 2016 21:46
"How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" Succeeds on Stage
Written by Ken Payne
Wouldn’t it be great if we were given a simply written book to tell us how to succeed in whatever it is we wanted to pursue so long as its easy steps were followed? Supposing we were unqualified and the book taught us how to beat the system in ten…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Kinky Boots has now come through Chicago a few times and I am glad I finally had a chance to see this musical, being so hyped everything. With lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, I was curious to see how her music would translate to live theater. Based on a true story,…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Friday, 26 August 2016 20:57
A Mother's Perspective on the Lives of Her Kennedys in "Rose"
Written by Ken Payne
Chicago actress Linda Reiter plays Rose Kennedy, matriarch of the Kennedy family in the play "Rose" by Laurence Leamer, with both strength and delicacy. I have seen Linda Reiter around town in many great productions but this is truly her finest and fullest role, deserving of a Jeff Award (the…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Thursday, 18 August 2016 13:37
Simon Slater Thoroughly Engrossing in "Bloodshot"
Written by Ken Payne
From the moment British television star Simon Slater appeared in the lighting to the side of the stage and began to describe in gritty detail the three most common ways to commit suicide, it became apparent this one-man murder mystery thriller was going to be one helluva ride. Gripping from…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Sunday, 14 August 2016 17:08
Dance Back in Time and Meet the Divine Miss M! Bette, Live at the Continental Baths
Written by Kimberly Katz
I thoroughly enjoyed this Hell in a Handbag Production starring the divine Caitlin Jackson, as the “Divine Miss M”, Bette Midler. The show takes us to the early days of Midler's career playing for gay audiences at the Continental baths for two years before her album, The Divine Miss M…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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Tuesday, 09 August 2016 18:13
Jackie Wilson Story: Singer’s Greatest Hits Tops the Charts for Black Ensemble Theater
Written by Bill Esler
Singer Jackie Wilson was one of America’s great pop songwriters and vocalists. A vibrant production of The Jackie Wilson Story at the Black Ensemble shows, tells, and sings his story in a celebration that shakes the rafters. This version of The Jackie Wilson Story is even more exciting as an…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Friday, 12 August 2016 12:30
André De Shields’ Confessions of a P.I.M.P. returns to Victory Gardens Theater
Written by Buzz News Chicago
Dennis Začek and Grippo Stage Co., Inc., will present Confessions of a P.I.M.P., written and performed by André De Shields, and directed by Samuel G. Roberson and Dennis Začek. The cast also includes Kimberly Lawson and Donica Lynn. Confessions of a P.I.M.P. runs August 26, 27 at 8pm and August…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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Sunday, 31 July 2016 13:37
Extry, Extry, Read All About It!! “Newsies” is in Chicago!!
Written by Michelle Reidy
Inspired by the Newsboy Strike of 1899, “Newsies” uses the power of dance and song to tell the story of a group of teenagers and children who stand up to the powerful men running the newspapers of New York City, defending the rights of children workers everywhere. Jack Kelly is…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Saturday, 30 July 2016 01:08
A Towering Historic Figure Comes Down to Earth in Lively Douglass
Written by Bill Esler
Douglass is striking from the moment the stage lights go on at Theater Wit. De’Lon Grant commands the stage as the escaped slave, Frederick Douglass – who in his time was a towering intellect among abolitionists, and who remains a powerful influence on public discourse even today. Playwright Thomas Klingenstein…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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