Sunday, 14 June 2026 15:55
PlayMakers Laboratory Celebrates That's Weird, Grandma's 25th Birthday August 23 – September 6, 2026
Written by Buzz Center Stage
Join the fun this summer as PlayMakers Laboratory (PML) celebrates a major milestone at That's Weird, Grandma's 25th Birthday, marking a quarter century of the company's long-running original sketch comedy show. Directed by Program Director Brandon Cloyd, the family-friendly comedy extravaganza will play five performances only August 23 – September 6, 2026 at the Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in…
Published in
Upcoming Theatre
Thursday, 18 June 2026 13:24
Nunsense, Not Quite Immaculate - But Blessed With a Strong Cast
Written by Angelo Campos
Following its recent winter production of Sister Act, Drury Lane Theatre returns to the convent with Nunsense, a light-hearted musical comedy which, as the title implies, is a lot of nonsense. The premise is funny, albeit morbid. After an unfortunate mishap, 52 members of the Little Sisters of Hoboken die…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Wednesday, 17 June 2026 15:15
Cedric the Entertainer brings laughter, life lessons to Aurora’s Paramount Theatre, one-night-only, Saturday, August 8
Written by Buzz Center Stage
You know him from “The Neighborhood,” “The Last O.G.,” “The Proud Family” and much more. Don’t miss your chance to catch Cedric the Entertainer live on tour, one-night-only, in his only Chicago-area stop, Saturday, August 8 at 8 p.m. at Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. Tickets…
Published in
Upcoming Theatre
Tuesday, 16 June 2026 15:49
Northlight Theatre to celebrate its new home in Evanston with a Grand Opening Gala "Celebrating our Past, Building our Future" Saturday, August 15, 2026
Written by Buzz Center Stage
Northlight Theatre's Board of Directors proudly presents Northlight Theatre's Grand Opening Gala, "Celebrating our Past, Building our Future," marking the culmination of the company's 50th Anniversary Season and the beginning of a new era in Evanston. The Grand Opening benefit event will be held on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at Northlight Theatre, 1012 Church Street in Evanston,…
Published in
Theatre Buzz
Tuesday, 16 June 2026 15:41
A Red Orchid Theatre Announces Remount of Hit Production BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA September 10 – October 4, 2026
Written by Buzz Center Stage
A Red Orchid Theatre is thrilled to announce a remount of its critically-acclaimed, father-daughter drama Birds of North America, returning for a limited engagement September 10 – October 4, 2026 at 1531 N. Wells St. in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood. Written by Anna Ouyang Moench and directed by Artistic Director Kirsten Fitzgerald*, the remount will feature the full original cast…
Published in
Upcoming Theatre
Monday, 15 June 2026 23:10
Funny, Incisive 'Southern Rapture' Skewers All Parties in 'Angels in America' Fracas
Written by Bill Esler
“Southern Rapture” quickly elicits loud guffaws from the audience, a heartening circumstancve, as it means playwright Eric Coble’s script is doing its job. Billed as a satire, it recounts the tumultuous week in real life leading up to the 1996 opening night of Tony Kushner's celebrated AIDS play, “Angels in…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 15 June 2026 13:48
Where Identity Slides: Steppenwolf’s Mesmerizing Catch as Catch Can
Written by Ken Payne
Mia Chung’s Catch as Catch Can, which premiered with Page 73 in New York in 2018, arrives at Steppenwolf Theatre - one of Chicago’s most dynamic and daring artistic institutions - with a production that immediately embraces the play’s slippery, shape-shifting nature. Chung’s script thrives on emotional volatility and fractured…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
- CATCH AS CATCH CAN
- Steppenwolf Theatre
- Gary Cole
- Audrey Francis
- Tim Hopper
- Glenn Davis
- Mia Chung
- Amy Morton
- chicago theatre reviews
- Andrew Boyce
- Yuki Nakase Link
- chicago theatre
- Chicago events
- Chicago stage
- live theatre
- on stage
- Theatre Ensemble Work
- psychological drama
- Multirole Acting
- theatre community
Saturday, 13 June 2026 14:25
Factory Theater’s Two Out of Three Falls is a Theatrical Event
Written by Lauren Katz
Those familiar with the Factory Theater space might feel themselves do a double take upon entering the theater for Two Out of Three Falls. Scenic Designer Manuel Ortiz completely transforms the space. The three-quarter thrust stage that has been there for years is gone – replaced by a wrestling ring…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Saturday, 13 June 2026 22:43
Bargatze’s Big Dumb Eyes Tour Lands in Rosemont With Subtle Force
Written by Ken Payne
Nate Bargatze’s Big Dumb Eyes tour made its stop at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont with the steady, understated presence that has become central to his appeal. Bargatze continues to draw humor from the small missteps and everyday confusions that shape his storytelling, easing the audience into his rhythm rather…
Published in
Theatre in Review
More...
Saturday, 13 June 2026 20:12
BrightSide’s intimate staging of The Producers shines with Broadway-sized power
Written by Kimberly Katz
BrightSide Theatre’s The Producers storms into Meiley Swallow Hall with the kind of swagger only Mel Brooks can inspire: brash, brazen, and blissfully unconcerned with good taste. From the moment the lights rise, the show charges ahead with a manic momentum that feels both affectionately old school and sharply self-aware.…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
- Brightside Theatre
- the producers
- mel brooks
- Meiley Swallow Hall
- Scott Kelley
- Michael Metcalf
- Amelia Tam
- Mary Grace Martens
- Jeffrey Cass
- Cheryl Newman
- Michael John Lynch
- Myles Mattsey
- John B Boss
- musical comedy
- live theatre
- on stage
- chicago theatre
- Naperville THeatre
- Chicago events
- broadway musical
- comedy
- Phil Videkis
- Ariel Mozes
- tap dance
- dance numbers
- Musical theatre
Wednesday, 10 June 2026 16:19
HAMLET and THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST - Chicago Parks - Through August 15th
Written by Buzz Center Stage
For the first time in company history, Oak Park Festival Theatre presents two productions in repertory: William Shakespeare's HAMLET and Oscar Wilde's THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST. Though separated by centuries and radically different in tone, both plays explore questions of identity, performance, truth, and societal expectation. Presented on alternating evenings throughout the…
Published in
Now Playing
Monday, 08 June 2026 12:49
Guest’s New Andy Warhol Play A Study in Primo Theater
Written by Mitchell Oldham
When Terry Guest left Atlanta and arrived in Chicago ten years or so ago, a bracing reality check caused the young actor to make a bold pivot. Three years of auditions and zero bites on the acting front, he turned himself into a playwright and used a deceased uncle as…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Sunday, 07 June 2026 14:37
Intimate and Unflinching: The Last Five Years at Oil Lamp Theater
Written by Angelo Campos
When Jason Robert Brown’s The Last Five Years premiered at Chicago’s Northlight Theatre in 2001, it flipped the traditional rom-com musical blueprint on its head. Off came the rose-colored glasses, and what was presented was an intimate, searing, and structurally unique take on the modern relationship, inspired by Brown’s own…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Register
Login
Latest Articles
-
Kokandy Productions Presents SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE - August 13 – November 1, 2026 at The Chopin Theatre
Written by Buzz Center StageFollowing its critically acclaimed productions of Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods, Kokandy Productions once again celebrates the great Stephen Sondheim with a revival of his stunning masterpiece Sunday in the Park with George, playing August 13 – November 1, 2026 in the intimate Chopin Downstairs Studio, 1543 W. Division St.… -
Steppenwolf Theatre Names Stage Manager Laura D. Glenn Newest Ensemble Member
Written by Buzz Center StageSteppenwolf Theatre Company Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis are thrilled to welcome veteran Production Stage Manager Laura D. Glenn into the company's world-renowned ensemble. Glenn, whose journey with Steppenwolf began as a summer intern in 1988, has worked on more than 100 Steppenwolf productions over…
-
The Lizard y El Sol Returns to Chicago Parks Through August 9th
Written by Buzz Center StageThe whole family can enjoy The Lizard y El Sol, returning by popular demand to 12 public spaces citywide this summer. Co-Directors Jamal Howard (Splish Splash: A Day on the Lake) and Raquel Torre (BOOK UP!) again take the reins of this beloved "Theater for…
-
Chicago Tap Theatre Founder, Mark Yonally, Receives HOOFER AWARD from AMERICAN TAP DANCE FOUNDATION
Written by Buzz Center StageChicago Tap Theatre (CTT) is proud to announce its Founder and Artistic Director Mark Yonally has been selected by the Preservation Committee for the American Tap Dance Foundation to receive the 2026 Hoofer Award. Yonally will accept the honor at the Tap City Awards, Friday, Sept. 11 at…
Does your theatre company want to connect with Buzz Center Stage or would you like to reach out and say "hello"? Message us through facebook or shoot us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
*This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Buzz Center Stage. Buzz Center Stage is a non-profit, volunteer-based platform that enables, and encourages, staff members to post their own honest thoughts on a particular production.