Tuesday, 06 September 2022 10:58
Babes in Blades 'Richard III' at The Edge Theater Very Highly Recommended
Sarz Maxwell
RICHARD III tells the story of Richard of Gloucester, Shakespeare’s cruelest yet most compelling protagonist. Richard III was the last king of the House of York. He was the last English king to die in battle, at the last battle of the Wars of the Roses, marking the end of the Middle Ages…
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Theatre in Review
Thursday, 01 September 2022 15:16
GIRLFRIEND at the PRIDEARTS THEATRE “IN A WORD: SWEET”
Sarz Maxwell
Sweet is the best word for GIRLFRIEND for several reasons. First, it showcases the songs of Matthew Sweet, and the book is by Todd Almond, to get another flavor in the mix. ‘Sweet’ also describes the era that GIRLFRIEND is set in – 1990’s: pre-9/11; before cell phones and PDAs;…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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With MY BROTHER LANGSTON, Black Ensemble Theatre continues its 2022 Season of Excellence: The Season of Healings. This third of four world premiere musicals showcase the power of music to heal. Jackie Taylor, BET’s Founder & CEO, says: “… through these outstanding plays, the spirit of the music, the hope…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Sunday, 14 August 2022 13:10
CAMPAIGNS, INC: the Origin of Fake News, circa 1934 at TimeLine Theatre
Sarz Maxwell
Smear tactics are nothing new in politics; Octavian became Emperor of Rome by distributing coins printed with negative slogans against Mark Anthony. The printing press provided a more easily reproduceable vehicle for misinformation, with the written material later reinforced by manipulated (long before Photoshop!) photographs. And now, of course, we…
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Theatre in Review
Midsommer Flight is a not-for-profit company that believes ‘Shared Joy and Flights of Fancy’ are for everyone, and that ‘BIPOC, LGBTQ, disabled, gender-diverse and body-diverse people are integral to our community.’ They are therefore the perfect troupe for A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, and last night was a midsummer night to…
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Theatre in Review
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Saturday, 23 July 2022 10:31
Review: 'Priscilla Queen of the Desert' at Mercury Theater
Written by CJ Burroughs
Arriving at the quaint Mercury Theater—a century-old nickelodeon turned comfy neighborhood cabaret—for Priscilla Queen of the Desert, the excitement of the other theatergoers coming and going, outside near the Music Box Theater and inside the Mercury’s cabaret room sipping their drinks, hinted at the show I was about to see.…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 25 July 2022 10:23
'The Kramer Project' at Center on Halsted - Highly Recommended
Sarz Maxwell
When George W Bush won his second term in November 2004 Larry Kramer delivered the watershed speech The Tragedy of Today’s Gays, a speech that was “the most difficult I’ve ever had to give”. Director David Zak worked with Kramer adapting the speech for theatrical performance, continuing after Kramer’s death…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Saturday, 23 July 2022 18:02
'Jesus Christ Superstar' at Cadillac Palace and Jenna Rubaii's Magnificent Mary
Written by Ken Payne
I doubt I’m alone when I say that Jesus Christ Superstar is one of the greatest musical productions of all time. It’s easy to love. It has all the elements that make a potent stage experience from marvelous music to compelling leads to an engaging storyline to explosive dance numbers.…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Sunday, 17 July 2022 10:34
There’s No Place Like Marriott Theatre’s 'Wizard of Oz'
Written by CJ Burroughs
You’ve got to give Marriott Theatre credit for always swinging for the fences. Just this past year, I’ve seen them put on The Sound of Music and West Side Story, two shows that any audience will know as well as the cast. But that’s because these beloved shows are beloved…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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Sunday, 17 July 2022 10:27
American Blues swings for the 'Fences' and hits a home run
Written by Wesley David
I’ve often said despite the larger houses producing August Wilson plays, they tend to work better in intimate spaces. After all, Mr. Wilsons’ inspiration came from intimate settings. He would write in bars, cafes, restaurants, and other places where his characters would be right in his face. He would often…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 11 July 2022 16:31
Review: 'The Playboy of the Western World' at City Lit Theater
Written by John Accrocco
Sometimes a play or a piece of music has such an effect on audiences that they can’t control themselves. Just as the premiere of Stravinky’s ‘Rite of Spring’ caused a stampede among patrons, John Millington Synge’s ‘The Playboy of the Western World’ incited a riot in its 1907 Dublin debut.…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 05 July 2022 18:19
Sit up, pay attention: 'Marie Antoinette and the Magical Negroes'
Written by Wesley David
Let me begin by saying, this was one helluva 90 minutes in Chicago theatre. We enter the theatre to the sound of a combination of Jazz, trap music and hip-hop. There is a sign reading “This is not history”. On stage, the set, a French street with boarded up storefronts…
Published in
Theatre in Review
You know what they say: The only cure for homosexuality is to issue him a Screen Actor’s Guild card. Tommy on Top takes this old saw a step further: Tommy Miller (Ryan Cason), closeted Hollywood hunk, has been nominated for an Oscar. Super-swish boyfriend George (Patrick Gosney) and vodka-swigging sister…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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A Lovely Night; Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella revives magic at Marriott Theatre
Written by Kendall RoyzenIn 1997, Disney came out with the most magnificent adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella that has ever been made. With talent like Brandy, Whitney Houston, Bernadette Peters, Jason Alexander, and Paolo Montalban, the rendition of the classic fairytale lives… -
Throbbin’ Wood, complete with Merry Men? Count me in!
Written by Sarz MaxwellWhat the hell is pantomime anyway? Will I be reviewing a game of Charades? Google to the rescue! But I searched in vain for a definition: pan·to·mime [ˈpan(t)əˌmīm] a play or entertainment in which performers express themselves mutely by gestures.… -
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Steep Theatre Back Early 2025 with A Slow Air
Written by Buzz Center StageSteep Theatre will kick off the new year with the Chicago Premiere of David Harrower's A Slow Air, directed by Steep Ensemble Member Robin Witt. Witt was at the helm for Steep's recent critically-acclaimed production of Samuel D. Hunter's A Case for…
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