Some people may jokingly say Riverdance is just a batch of lads and lasses looking like they have ants in their pants. But, such lips should be zipped, considering it takes a lot of heart, soul and skill for individuals to be able to master the obviously complex forms…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 13 March 2012 21:15
Story doesn't move as well as the cheerleaders in "Bring It On: The Musical"
Written by Zach Zimmerman
The 2000 teen comedy "Bring It On" is a cult classic. The 2012 musical of the same name likely won't be. Borrowing the title and not much else, "Bring It On" relies on a formulaic, fairly conventional plot peppered with high-flying acrobatic cheerleading routines. It's…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Thursday, 08 March 2012 07:45
The Price Is Right; Arthur Miller’s The Price at Raven Theater
Written by Kendall Royzen
What price would you put on family? On every single object your family owned? What price would you put on memories? On jealousy, envy, bitterness? These are only some of the questions an audience will reflect on about after they see The Price at Raven Theater. The Price, a play…
Published in
Theatre in Review
In a hip, New York City loft (the kind where a bike hangs from the ceiling, a French press sits in the kitchen, and Mac laptops are scattered everywhere), Sarah hobbles in. Her left leg is wrapped in a brace, she uses a crutch to get around, and when the…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Maybe I'm just a faggot, but "Hit the Wall" is damn good. In the intimate Steppenwolf Garage with an ensemble of only 8, the chaos and havoc of the Stonewall Inn riots is powerfully recreated by Chicago storefront The Inconvenience. At its climax, high-energy and expertly choreographed…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 31 January 2012 17:07
A digital, moral warning in “dark play, or stories for boys”
Written by Zach Zimmerman
A thin, pale boy sits in his boxers at the foot of a small, twin bed when you enter the third floor of the Flat Irons Building. He’ll be the narrator and key figure in the 90-minute story of technology, morality, and obsession. It’s a frightening tale of internet…
Published in
Theatre in Review
On April 9th, 1947, a meeting took place that would change sports and society forever. Branch Rickey, the General Manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, is about to break the color barrier by calling up Jackie Robinson, who would be the Major League’s first black player and he is looking for…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 17 January 2012 12:28
“Come Fly Away”, Romance Gets It’s Sexy Back
Written by Kimberly Katz
I was completely under the spell of this dazzling, tribute to romance and the magical vocal stylings of Frank Sinatra by Twyla Tharp in “Come Fly Away”, performed at the Bank of America Theatre. Twyla Tharp’s 15 amazing dancers bring to life the stories of four couples falling in and…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 16 January 2012 15:29
A Poppy, Rappy Slice of Life "In the Heights"
Written by Zach Zimmerman
In the Heights, winner of the 2008 Tony for Best Musical, follows three generations in the primarily Puerto Rican neighborhood of Washington Heights as they deal with issues of class, race, and assimilation. It’s also really good. Penned by musician and lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda (who played the bodega-owner/narrator in the…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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Thursday, 29 December 2011 17:51
"The Addams Family" Musical: A Snappy Book with Dead Songs
Written by Zach Zimmerman
Dunanana. Snap. Snap. Dunanana. Snap. Snap. Dunanana. Dunanana. Dunanana. Snap. Snap. The opening theme to the popular television series The Addams Family christens the overture of the new musical The Addams Family, playing this week at the Cadillac Palace in Broadway in Chicago. After a pre-Broadway tryout in chicago with…
Published in
Theatre in Review
The Greeks, who gave us theatre and big, fat weddings, have always been a rich source of inspiration for contemporary culture makers. From James Joyce’s Ulysses to Disney’s Hercules, the iconic gods and legends of ancient Greece have been re-imagined, rebutted, and redone by painters, philosophers, and playwrights. Penelope, a…
Published in
Theatre in Review
The Joffrey Ballet production of The Nutcracker ran for its 25th season this year in Chicago's Auditorium Theatre. Having once seen The Nutcracker ballet as a child, I was delighted to have the opportunity to see this performance once again as an adult; and it certainly was a treat. The…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Wednesday, 07 December 2011 18:00
Cruel to be Kind; Lisa Lampanelli is the Don Rickles of Our Generation
Kimberly Katz
Lisa Lampanelli really killed it from beginning to end during her sold out comedy concert at The Venue in Hammond, Indiana’s Horseshoe Casino. As she began her usual rant hitting on every race, sexual orientation, religion and minority group, she mentioned that the Hammond casino crowd of 3000 was “cute,…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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