Saturday, 11 November 2023 13:18
As Journalist Wrestles With Fact and Truth, 'Lifespan of a Fact' Skips the Emotion of a Tragic Story
Written by Susan Lieberman
Based on a book by two authors and giving playwriting credit to three authors, "The Lifespan of a Fact" speaks in a notably singular voice. Now in its Chicago premiere at TimeLine Theatre, the play takes a celebrated freelance writer, his editor at an esteemed magazine, and a newbie factchecker…
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Theatre in Review
Friday, 10 November 2023 13:59
Beautiful: Revisiting the Brilliance of Carole King Once Again
Written by CJ Burroughs
There are two moments I love most when I’ve seen productions of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. First, the audience usually contains a fair number of people who grew up with Ms. King’s songs as the soundtrack to their younger years. And when those songs start being performed during the…
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Theatre in Review
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Thursday, 09 November 2023 12:58
Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, BEETLEJUICE! The hit movie comes to life on Auditorium Theatre’s Stage
Written by CJ Burroughs
For so many children of the ‘80s, the revisiting and repurposing of our childhoods’ intellectual and emotional property is comforting. Maybe I’m more cynical, but so many of pop culture’s attempts to cash in on my nostalgia don’t do much for me. And so, when Tim Burton’s beloved tale of…
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Theatre in Review
Wednesday, 08 November 2023 08:47
Yellow Rose Theatre on Fulton a Great Venue Though ‘Justicia’ Needs Some Work
Written by Bill Esler
The Yellow Rose Theatre is one of Chicago’s newer venues, having launched in 2020 during Covid, with a company that demonstrates a passion for their work. Located at The Vault, an entertainment space at 607 W. Fulton, it is just a couple blocks east of the trendy Fulton Market District,…
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Theatre in Review
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Monday, 06 November 2023 16:34
Review: 'POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive' at Steppenwolf Theatre
Written by John Accrocco
We all have tough days at work, but when your job is in the Oval Office, a bad day at work could be trouble for the entire country. In Steppenwolf’s regional premiere of ‘POTUS or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive’ by Selina Fillinger,…
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Theatre in Review
Sunday, 05 November 2023 12:32
Review: The Artistic Home Ensemble takes on Jen Silverman's 'Witch' at The Den Theatre
Written by John Accrocco
The witch is back, Jen Silverman’s ‘Witch’ that is. Since first being commissioned by Writer’s Theatre back in 2018, Jen Silverman’s take on Jacobean theatre has become a somewhat popular selection for regional theaters. The Artistic Home Ensemble brings this play back to Chicago in a revival directed by Devon…
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Theatre in Review
Friday, 03 November 2023 10:20
'The Night of the Hunter' not a feel-good play, but it is a very good one
Sarz Maxwell
"The Night of the Hunter" is not a feel-good play, but it is a very good one, exceedingly well performed and produced. Playing at City Lit Theatre through December 3 it was adapted for the stage by Shawna Tucker from the novel of the same name by Davis Grubb. It…
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Theatre in Review
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Thursday, 02 November 2023 20:04
The Magic Parlour is an absolute tour de force of mind-bending entertainment
Written by Wesley David
“Put someone inside of a box and cut them in half, people think it’s magic. They think it’s a special box. But, tear up a dollar and restore it right under their nose, or look into their mind and read their thoughts, or make something magical happen in their very…
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Theatre in Review
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Thursday, 02 November 2023 14:33
Review: Stephen Sondheim's 'Company' at Cadillac Palace Theatre
Written by Anne Rakowiecki
Phone rings, door chimes, in comes Company! The new, gender-swapped revival, that is. Known more for his fully scored, more epic musicals like Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods, Stephen Sondheim packs a big punch in this unconventional little musical about the dichotomy between single and married life — and…
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Theatre in Review
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Monday, 30 October 2023 11:25
'Brigadoon' Is a Feel-Good Musical Escape from a Post-pandemic, Pre-Election, Peri-MAGA Year
Sarz Maxwell
I doubt anyone would contest the appeal of a feel-good musical for the post-pandemic, pre-election, peri-MAGA year of 2023, and "Brigadoon" is just that: a feel-good show with overtones of fantasy and romance. The story has two NYC businessmen wandering astray on a hunting trip in Scotland and happening upon…
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Theatre in Review
Monday, 30 October 2023 11:11
‘Tale of the Allergist's Wife’ Is Laugh-Out-Loud Funny
Written by Bill Esler
Laugh-out-loud funny, “The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife” from an award-winning script by Robert Busch, is an entertaining domestic comedy in the vein of Neil Simon, very Jewish New York humor. MadKap Productions, which has moved to the Skokie Theatre with this show, has given it a top-notch treatment, with…
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Theatre in Review
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Sunday, 22 October 2023 20:59
Musical ‘Young Frankenstein’ on Stage Is Funny as Mel Brooks’ Original Film
Written by Bill Esler
“Young Frankenstein,” a live stage musical version of Mel Brooks hysterical 1974 comedy film, is an absolute hoot in its new production at Chicago’s intimate Mercury Theatre on Southport. WIth priceless comic bits, great costumes, dancing, and singing that is notably excellent, “Young Frankenstein” is underpinned by a bullet-proof script…
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Theatre in Review
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Sunday, 15 October 2023 11:31
Review: 'The Zoo Story' at Gwydion Theatre Company
Written by John Accrocco
It’s hard to imagine a time in which Edward Albee was considered an “emerging” playwright, but his first play, ‘The Zoo Story’ failed to impress New York producers in 1958. Of course, the play has since gone on to become a classic and is currently being revived by new-to-Chicago Gwydion…
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Theatre in Review
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