Every once in a while I think about how lucky I am to live in the Chicagoland. A short drive or train ride away from the third largest US city that boasts more theatres than New York City. On any given night, during any season, one can find multiple theatre options to explore: immersive theatre, comedy, dramas, neighborhood gems, experimental plays, Broadway testers, classics and fan favorites, and never before seen world premiere plays. There is no shortage of good theatre in Chicago. This past weekend I was fortunate enough to see a world premiere of a play that captures the intelligence, wit, humor, and heart of a famous meeting of the minds. Wells And Welles envisions a conversation between two of the most celebrated and notable men in history, Orson Welles and H.G. Wells.

In 1940, the 25-year-old Orson Welles, previously known as a stage and radio actor, had achieved widespread fame for his 1938 radio play adaptation of the novel The War of The Worlds. The show was produced without the participation or even the permission of the novel’s author H.G. Wells, a slight which much angered the novelist. When Wells and Welles happened to be staying in the same San Antonio hotel while on separate lecture tours in October 1940, Welles had an opportunity to meet with Welles and make peace with him.

The world premiere play Wells and Welles by Chicago playwright Amy Crider images what might have been said in a private meeting between the 75-year-novelist, historian, and futurist. The dialogue is sharp and witty, capturing the heart and soul of 1940s US slang and transatlantic accents and gentlemanly British mannerisms and turns-of-phrases. The minimal set offers no distraction for the audience’s eye, relying solely on the delivery and pacing of the actors. Performed by two incredible Chicago actors who look like they embody the famous authors and creators, Pete Blatchford as H.G. Wells and Gerrit Wilford as Orson Welles effortlessly assume their roles, engaging in smart, witty, and sharp theoretical and practical conversations on ownership, creation of legacies and art, science and magic, and what is truly at the heart of every man. Crider does a superb job weaving fact with fiction to envision what these two astounding figures in the humanities would have discussed on the rainy evening in San Antonio. Blatchford and Wilford are so convincing as the famous Wells and Welles that in a moment where real audio is used from the 1940 interview, it takes a moment to register that it is the real broadcast and not reenacted for the play. It's that touch of magic that raises goosebumps on your arm and truly add to the wonderment of the production. 4

It's not every play where two actors can captivate an audience for 90 minutes and make it feel like it wasn’t long enough. It’s also not every day you can see a world premiere of a play that will no doubt be picked up by theatre companies across the country. It is well worth your time to see Wells And Welles and experience this world premiere production. In a time where the real war of the worlds could be happening any day now and radio is now what we stream, don’t miss your chance to see this incredible play.

Wells And Welles runs through August 11^th at Lucid Theater Company at 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue on the second floor of the historic Edgewater Presbyterian Church. Tickets are available at www.eventbrite.com.

100 days of summer. The unofficial Chicago holiday season between Memorial Day and Labor Day is a local challenge to get out and experience all the city has to offer from 1:20 games at Wrigley to concerts on Northerly Island, festivals, fairs, and everything in between. I can think of no better way to savor these fleeting days than spending an evening with Savor After Hours.

Savor After Hours is a decadent and artistic showcase of dance pairing beautifully choreographed numbers akin to a delicious glass of wine.Created, written, and directed by Mark Swanhart, Savor After Hours features a cast of exceptionally talented dancers, led by former dancing with the stars dancers, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, his wife, Jenna Johnson-Chmerkovski, and his brother, Maksim Chmerkovski. Artem Chigvintsev, Daniella Karagach, Pasha Pashkov, Allie Meizner, Jack Moore, Jalen Forward, Kayli Johnston, Kenidee Allen and Olivia Cava round out the intimate ensemble dance crew, and invite you to sit and savor the art of dance in the intimate Broadway playhouse. Like a good glass of wine they help you forget about the noise and bustling of Michigan Avenue only steps away.

The show is like a well-choreographed wine tasting, there is something for everyone. Those seeking bold flavors, there are spicy Latin tango sequences filled with passion and romance. For those with a sweet tooth, there are delicate contemporary dances with achingly long lines that pull taut on your heartstrings. From intimate tangos, quick hitting jives, sensual merengues, and cute and playful two steps, your eyes will feast and your blood will be pumping as you move from pairing to pairing, savoring each delectable dance and coupling. With beautifully choreographed routines coupled with exceptional lighting and incredible music, Savor After Hours goes down as smooth as summer wine.

100 days of summer are fast moving, so take a break from the heat to savor this delicetable show. Savor After Hours runs through Aug. 18 at the Broadway Playhouse, 175 E. Chestnut St. Tickets are available at www.broadwayinchicago.com.

There is something timeless and lasting about 1920s and 1930s jazz. The lively tunes and sultry tempos defined an era and resonates throughout every aspect of our culture from movies and cinema, music and radio, and to literature and theatre. I jumped at the opportunity to revisit the art-deco, jazz-fueled era to see The Fats Waller Musical Show, Ain’t Misbehavin.’

The incomparable Drury Lane in Oakbrook transports us back to the 1930s to celebrate the music of Grammy Hall of Fame American jazz pianist Thomas “Fats” Waller and the vibrant spirit of the Harlem Renaissance. Set in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood in 1939 Ain’t Misbehavin’: The Fates Waller Musical Show is a non-stop party, featuring over 30 numbers with including “Honeysuckle Rose,” “The Joint is Jumping,” and “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love,” and of course “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” With a live pianist, a four-piece brass band, and an incredible cast of talented singers and dancers, you’ll lose yourself in the irresistible rhythms and soulful melodies that defined an era of musical brilliance. From sultry ballads to upbeat swing numbers, come to Ain’t Misbehavin’ for an evening of unparalleled entertainment where you’ll find yourself swaying and humming along to the enduring melodies from the legendary Fats Waller.

Coming into the play I was expecting one of two things. The first that this was going to be about the life of Fats Waller in the same way Tina Turner: The Musical or Beautiful: The Carol King Musical is. As the show started with the cast engaging the audience in the same style speakeasies and clubs allowed in the 1920s and 30s, I started to think the show was more like Choir of Man, more of a journey or a snapshot in time. But Ain’t Misbehavin’ takes a different approach entirely, one that this author hopes to see more theatre like it. Ain’t Misbehavin’ is an auditory and visual time capsule come to life. What it lacks in a narrative, it makes up for in pure enjoyment of the soulful music that defined an era and paved the way for modern jazz.  Director E. Faye Butler, a native Chicagoan and Southside resident surrounded by the beauty of the architecture and music of the Bronzeville neighborhood, says it best, “I wanted to bring a bit of history through the music of Fats Waller to the Drury Lane audience. Although Fats’ music was primarily written and performed in New York City during the Harlem Renaissance period, that same spirit and music was happening right here in Bronzeville at clubs where Fats performed, such as Club DeLisa, The Cabin Inn, The Regal Theatre, or The Palm Tavern. This was Chicago at its finest in 1939.”

With the exceptional talents of Sharriese Y. Hamilton, James T. Lane, Alanna Lovely, Alexis J. Roston, and Lorenzo Rush Jr., coupled with the music prowess of the Drury Lane Orchestra led by the incomparable William Foster McDaniel, this ensemble will have you jumping out of your seat and dancing in the aisles (or at least feel the urge to).

We’re brought into a world many people might not have experienced or heard about in every day experiences. To truly appreciate this piece you must not approach this show like others you have seen. It’s not a narrative. There is no great story arch. The actors and actresses need your engagement and enthusiasm (respectfully) and want you to interact with them when they signal you to. This is a club after all. Aren’t we all here to have a good time and listen to some incredible music? This is a show celebrating Fats Waller as much as it is celebrating incredible music that will stay with you long after the air raid sirens have gone off and we must once again be on our best behavior as we venture back to our lives. But for a short while, a brief moment in time, we can escape to 1939 Bronzeville where misbehaving is highly encouraged (respectfully).

The Tony-Award Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Fates Waller Musical Show revue is directed by E. Faye Butler and runs through Aug 18^th, 2024, at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. Tickets are available at www.drurylanetheatre.com.

The running joke in my family is that we’ll go to the opening of an envelope if it were being opened at a theatre in Chicago. Whatever the show, the restaurant, the experience, we’re in. The third largest metropolitan in the United States boasts never before seen shows, touring productions, and home-grown arts that rival the best. While choices are plentiful, money is not. When choosing said envelope, one must be judicious, using word of mouth, reviews across different platforms, or influencers to determine if the juice is worth the squeeze. When deciding whether or not to recommend CLUE: A Walking Mystery experience here in Chicago, I’ll use the following exchange from the cult classic 1985 film of the same name to describe the experience:

Mr. Green: Now there's one thing I don't understand.
Professor Plum: *One* thing?

CLUE: A Walking Mystery is an interactive, IRL game of the beloved board game. In this version, the murder was never solved, the mansion sold, and the furniture from all nine rooms has been auctioned off and scattered throughout a specified area. Players must find the furniture found at local businesses and solve puzzles within them to figure out who did where and with what.

The experience begins in the lower level of Block 37 mall in the heart of Chicago on State Street. An actor “immerses” you into the Clue world, helping you launch the first “room” at a real working business (in this case Magnolia bakery) and then you’re on your own to navigate the busy streets and locate the clues at other working businesses such as department stores, Chicago landmarks like Palmer House, bars, and restaurants. If you’re able to find the venues that pose as the mansion rooms in this city experience, you then need to dodge and weave through patrons, staff, and shoppers. There is an excessive amount of material to consume at each location and groups are often bumping into each other at the artifacts to explore.

The experience and website boasts itself as an immersive experience, but its difficult to immerse yourself in Clue when you are also having to navigate one of the most highly trafficked areas in the city; you will play Frogger navigating bike lanes, dodging commuters and buses, you’ll play Guess Who with city street names and a simplistic 2-dimensional map, and you’ll play Hide and Seek with the objects or game “artifacts” you are trying to find. Clue is a complex game in and of itself that requires the player to keep rapt attention, look at all the clues and also have the ability to talk and play off the other players. There was no immersion in this experience, the interaction based on how much you are willing to give to it as it is a great deal of work. There is a companion application which you will 100% for more descriptive directions to the venues spanning several city blocks in a 1.5-mile radius of Block 37, hints to locate the physical “clues” to explore within the venues, or just skip the stop entirely as the app provides the clue and details should you simply get fed up, frustrated, or quit. While it also says it’s a go-at-your-own-pace, that pace better be within the 90-minute window to meet the butler at an obscure location along the Chicago river.

This experience was akin to an urban walking tour without any interesting Chicago history or facts. It is confusing and convoluted and if you have questions you are on your own. Have questions along the way? So? Figure it out. Have requests to repeat the directions? Should have listened the first time. CLUE: A Walking Mystery lacks the charm and true immersion that other pop-up experiences like the Ice Cream Museum, an escape room, or even a history walking tour offers for roughly the same price point. Though we started off rocky, we tried to make the experience worthwhile. But try as we might, we could find nothing endearing about this offering.

And to make a long story short (Too late!) This experience is confusing, frustrating, and not just very fun or entertaining. While it’s a great idea in theory, the execution relies on the love of a board game or the cult classic. In short, it doesn’t really have a clue…

CLUE: A Walking Mystery experience runs through September 15th. Tickets are available for purchase at cluewalkingexperience.com/Chicago.   

We all can do with a little more magic in our lives. Myths and Gods, magic and fantasy, these are the foundations of the stories we’re drawn to. They have a way of pulling us in, making us believe, and letting us escape the world around us, even if it is for only a few short hours. Magic can be found all over Chicago, take it from any die-hard Cubs fan; though it may not happen often, when we see magic, it stays with us. A little bit of that same magic is alive and well on the North Shore as the Skokie Theatre takes on The Lightning Thief: a Percy Jackson Musical.

The Lightning Thief: a Percy Jackson Musical is based on the popular novel of the same name by Rick Riodan. The musical follows Percy Jackson, a 12-year-old boy who newly discovers that he is a demigod and goes on a quest to find Zeus' missing lightning bolt and prevent a war between the Greek gods. With the musical’s book written by Joe Tracz and music by Rob Rokicki, this production has something for people of all ages. The musical first premiered on Broadway in 2014 with a rewrite and expansion run in 2017 though it hasn’t been widely performed in Chicagoland and it’s a shame. The musical is funny, witty, and simply magical.

Skokie Theatre only added to the charm of The Lightning Thief, the intimate vintage theatre lending itself to the production. Do not be deceived. This was no local community or high school production. The talent that brought this mythical story to life could grace any musical stage in Chicago and hold their own. Chicagoans will no doubt know the name P-Jay Adams who portrayed Percy Jackson, their pitch and vocal prowess a slice of magic in plot-moving musical numbers like “The Day I Got Expelled,” “The Campfire Song,” and “Killer Quest!” Adams led the plucky, youthful, and inclusive ensemble cast from the East coast to Los Angeles where the underworld resides. Delivering witty one-liners, embodying the characters of Gods and their angsty half-blood children, The Lightning Thief ensemble cast brought the mystical story to life and made us believe in the magic of the theatre.

While a Chicago theatre goer might not put Skokie or the North Shore on the map by comparison to so many powerhouses within the city, there is some kind of nostalgic magic at Skokie Theatre. Given the opportunity, Adams and many members of the ensemble cast could easily step onto any Broadway in Chicago stage. If given the production budget of a show like Death Becomes Her, The Lightning Thief: A Percy Jackson Musical would have the potential to make a spectacular run in Chicago.

The Lightning Thief: a Percy Jackson Musical is now playing on select dates at the Skokie Theatre located at 7924 Lincoln Ave in Skokie, IL through July 28th. Tickets are now available for purchase here. Lightning might not strike twice so don’t miss your chance to add a little magic to your evening and mock The Gods with your favorite demi-godlike hero.

When we think of summertime in Chicago, we probably wouldn’t associate it an existential play set in a small Russian town filled with woe and dread and longing. That style of play would fit better with the dark winter days. But like a required literature course in high school, or a classic novel from another century we had to read, it’s often later that we realize why we took that course, why we read that book Like Chicago itself, with its long dark winters, there is a beautiful tapestry of people with thriving, complex lives, with dreams and desires sometimes unrealized or just out of reach. That is at the theme at the heart of Anton Chekhov’s classic Three Sisters, now playing at Invictus Theatre for a limited time.

Anton Chekhov was a Russian playwright and short-story writer. Chekhov is often referred to as one of the three seminal figures in the birth of early modernism in the theatre. Chekhov was a physician by profession. "Medicine is my lawful wife," he once said, "and literature is my mistress." The playwright penned Three Sisters in 1900 and the four-part play was first performed in 1901. This seminal classic chronicles three and a half years in the falling fortunes of the four children of a recently deceased Colonel in the Russian army, notably three sisters: Olga (played by Maria Stephens), Masha (played by Katherine Schwartz), and Irina (played by Ellie Duffey). They have been living in a small town in Russia for the past 11 years and yearn to return to the excitement of Moscow. Their dreary provincial life is enlivened only by the arrival of the Imperial Army. The sisters' dreams of a new life are crushed when their brother marries a woman they consider ill-bred and mortgages the house.

Like the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock, the eventuality of a courtship in Netflix’s One Day, like a Bears dynasty, the three sisters within the play long for something more than their lives. Throughout the first act they long to work, to contribute to society if only to fight the boredom a privileged life affords them. In the second act, they loathe work and long for a life of elegance and ease. Throughout the play they and others put Moscow on a pedestal, often whispering the name with reverence, like a prayer, as though the city would hold the promise to their happiness, the end to their misery. Juxtaposed against minor characters who are happy and contented, the stark contrast forces the audience to determine if the protagonists are justified in their woes or drowning in their self-made misery.

Chekhov’s Three Sisters has a timeless staying power that still resonates in the modern world and is a perfect existential piece to juxtapose against the beautiful Chicago summer evenings. Invictus Theatre Company took on the lofty goal of putting on the production as the first run in its new home at The Windy City Playhouse in Irving Park. Paul Schmidt’s translation and condensation of the four-part play into two acts highlights all the key points and themes. Set against an intimate and enchanting set by Kevin Rolfs, Director Charles Askenaizer transports us to the small Russian town filled with existential woe, philosophical debates on life and love, and bridges the centuries with this timeless classic.

As summer kicks off in Chicagoland, don’t pine for an evening out or promise yourself you’ll see this play one day. Seize your Moscow and see Three Sisters. Three Sisters is playing in a limited run at Invictus Theatre at The Windy City Playhouse at 3014 W Irving Park Rd through July 14th. Tickets are available at www.invictustheatreco.com. ваше здоровье.

It’s often quoted in reviews that we are unworthy of such beauty or splendor the arts and humanities afford us. The turn of phrase elicits images of Wayne and Garth of Wayne’s World bowing at the feet of Alice Cooper, or a dashing Bridgerton man dropping to a knee at the feet of a lithe debutante to profess his unworthiness of her affections. But in a world that increasingly takes more and more from us, we mere mortals, I challenge that we are worthy. We are worthy of beauty, of art, of the humanities. We are worthy to see the amalgamation of when talented artists bring a work of fiction to a stage, to hear clever prose intermingled with catchy musical numbers, and be visually wowed and transported out of our reality, if only for a few short hours. We are worthy of magic. And magic is precisely what Cadillac Palace Theatre is granting us in Death Becomes Her, the musical, now playing through June 2nd.

(l to r): Megan Hilty (Madeline Ashton), Jennifer Simard (Helen Sharp)

Death Becomes Her, hailed as musical comedy revitalized, is a new musical adaptation based on the 1992 Universal Pictures movie of the same name. When a novelist loses her man to a movie star and former friend, she winds up in a psychiatric hospital. Years later, she returns home to confront the now-married couple, looking radiant. Her ex-husband's new wife wants to know her secret and discovers that she has been taking a mysterious, magical potion which grants eternal life to the person who drinks it. The actress follows suit but discovers that immortality has a price in this supernatural, dark comedy. Producer and writer Marco Pennette transformed the play for the theater, which is directed and choreographed by Tony-nominated Christopher Gattelli. Tony Award nominees Jennifer Simard and Megan Hilty take the lead roles as Helen Sharp and Madeline Ashton, the former friends competing for the same man’s affection and finding a solution that is simply to die for. Renowned stage actor Christopher Sieber and millennial’s goddess Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child round out the cast as Dr. Ernest Menville and Viola Van Horn (que thunder and lightning). It’s a dark comedy essential to add to any playbill collection.

Christopher Sieber (Ernest Menville)

Few Broadway shows, let alone any play, have had such an illustrious reception in Chicago. The gays, the theys, girlies young and old, allies and kings all donned their best summer theatre attire to attend last night’s performance, all dutifully in their seats the moment the play started with a literal CRASH of magenta-hued thunder. Lightning struck and we were all worthy to be transported to the magical world of New York City to follow the story of best frenemies Madeline Ashton and Helen Sharp. For the entire run time of 2 hours and 30 minutes (with a 15-minute intermission), Chicagoans were treated to an artistic cornucopia for the senses. The live orchestra playing catchy tunes, lavish scene and stage designs, alluring and dramatic costume designs, the illusion and fight sequencing, the lighting, the makeup, the sound, the dancing and musical arrangements, the orchestration, every single solitary artistic element left the audience spellbound and awestruck. Brought to life with the incredible talents of the four main cast members, supported by an inclusive, talented, and drop-dead gorgeous ensemble cast, Death Becomes Her is sure to be a powerhouse on the Broadway circuit for decades to come.

The cast of Death Becomes Her

In addition to the production quality and value delivered, what makes this adaptation so flawless is the story itself. The elegant-gothic motifs in Death Becomes Her are timeless and hold up in 2024 just as well as it did in 1992; beautiful women feeling the pressure of unrealistic societal beauty standards and attempting to defy the natural order of aging, friends as fierce rivals and competitors, love triangles, and the desire to remain as we are, to stop time. While Death Becomes Her might not be able to defy gravity, it does stop time for a blissfully fun three hours. And that is pretty damn magical.

Balanced with witty banter, clever one-liners, raunchy humor, and exceptionally timed comedic delivery, Death Becomes Her is exactly the realistic escapism we need in our chaotic world and one we are all supremely worthy to behold. The musical comedy is now playing at The Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W Randolph St, Chicago) through June 2nd. Get your tickets today before they magically disappear.

It’s often said that in the workplace you should refrain from talking about politics and religion; too personal, too easy to offend someone. Throughout my working years the only topic of conversation that has caused controversy is that around children; Do you have any? Are you trying for one? You’re having another? Well why don’t you want a kid? They’re the best thing. They’re the worst thing. In my experience, there is no topic more invasive or sensitive topic to bring up in the workplace than pregnancy and childbirth. Oscar Wilde once said that ‘Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.’ While there is no greater culturally universal experience than pregnancy and childbirth, the way we approach these conversations has changed and should continue to change. In the artistic medium of Theatre, BABY the musical, now playing at the Citadel Theatre, neither helps to change these conversations nor helps us view our lives in a different way.

BABY the musical follows three couples on a university campus deal with the painful, rewarding and agonizingly funny consequences of the universal experience of pregnancy and upcoming parenthood. There are the college students, Danny and Lizzie (played by Ben Ballmer and Madison Jaffe-Richter), in their junior year of college barely at the beginning of their adult lives facing an unplanned pregnancy; Pam and Nick (played by Katie Engler and Mark Yacullo) the thirty-somethings, having trouble conceiving but determined to try, Alan and Arlene (played by Joe Lehman and Julie Bayer) and the middle-aged parents, looking forward to seeing their last child graduate from college when a night of unexpected passion lands them back where they started.

Originally written and premiering on Broadway in 1983, BABY was updated in 2004. Twenty years later, the play needs another revision if not retired entirely. While pregnancy and birthing is an integral part of life and universal across all cultures, this musical performing in 2024 is as dated as Hello, Dolly or The Music Man; time capsules of a bygone era that simply doesn’t resonate with audiences today as they did in the eras they premiered. The musical is predictable, filled with overplayed tropes and stereotypical cliches, but the musical is really a love letter to pregnancy which for many is not possible and not a walk in the park. There are incredible plays that look at pregnancy, birthing, and parenthood through satirical, dramatic, or humorous lenses. BABY the musical’s only lens is that pregnancy is wonderful and everyone should do it regardless of the circumstances they find themselves in, broke college student, infertility troubles, unhappy older couple, everyone should want a baby. This type of art doesn’t reflect life as it’s viewed today.

Citadel Theatre’s ensemble cast performed beautifully with the material they had to work with. The trouble is not in their musical talents or acting abilities, the trouble with BABY is it simply is outdated and can’t stand on a modern stage. The way we as a society approach pregnancy nowadays has changed. More modern musicals such as Mom! The Musical or MotherFreakingHood! approach the same conversation in a way that resonates with audiences today, steering away from tropes to tell real, raw, stories of the pitfalls, trials, and highs of pregnancy. Even with an update in 2004, it’s been 20 years since it’s been revised and 40 since it was created. Watching the play, despite the exceptional cast, staging, and direction at Citadel, it simply felt tired and outdated, and at times downright cringy. Life can be cringe but art shouldn’t be.

BABY the musical is now playing at the Citadel Theatre (300 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest) through Sunday May 19, 2024. Tickets are available on the company’s website at www.citadeltheatre.org.

Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name. Sometimes you want to be surrounded by people to experience the intimacy of being in public. Lately the types of places where someone could venture to for either experience are dwindling in numbers. It's the loss of third places, a place that is neither your home nor your workplace, but a location to go and experience community. Covid has changed many things but one endearing and lasting desire is for a third place to go for a friendly chat, a drink, or simply to be with people and listen to an incredible soundtrack with original and unique renditions of your favorite songs. There is no better show in Chicago that captures the beauty of the humanities and the need to preserve third spaces more than The Choir of Man, now playing at the Apollo Theatre.

Welcome to The Jungle, we've got fun and heart! The Choir of Man is an uplifting celebration of community and friendship where everyone is welcome. Set in the best pub in the world, a cast of nine (extra)ordinary guys combine hair raising harmonies, foot stomping singalongs, world class tap dance, and poetic meditations on the power of community. Featuring pop, classic rock, folk melodies, and pub anthems from artists such as Adele, Paul Simon, Katy Perry, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Luther Vandross and more, The Choir of Man is 90 minutes of feel good entertainment that has something for everyone and is unlike anything else in Chicago.

If Pitch Perfect, Coyote Ugly, and School of Rock had a baby, it still wouldn’t be as fun,genuine, or entertaining as The Choir of Man; it’s a party, it’s a concert, it’s an immersive experience, it’s your neighborhood bar filled with exceptionally talented sings, musicians, and performers. From the moment you walk into the Apollo Theatre you feel welcomed as an old friend, invited to sit and stay for a yarn, to sing, to dance, to party. Like any good evening at the bar, there isn’t a particular storyline or climactic plot. Instead, the ensemble cast share their stories with you and reflect on community and commradery in a post-Covid world where third places are becoming more and more scarce. The performances have an improvisational element to it that plays off and responds to the vibes of the audience, including pulling willing participants onto stage to be serenaded to. The song arrangements include beautiful renditions of favorite songs that challenge the way you view and hear the songs; like “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover,” performed by Shane McDaid accompanied by George Knappe whose tap dancing sequence adds a poetic rhythm and heartbeat to the number; “Some Nights” performed by Benji Lord and the ensemble cast that would rival The Bellas Cups song; or a sad, bittersweet arrangement of Chandelier that gave me goosebumps. Though unlike a good night out at the pub, the cast encourage photos and short videos, asking only that the audience share the good ones. The level of familiarity and inclusiveness The Choir of Man sets is a love letter to community, to friends, to family, and to those third spaces that allow us to come together to sing, dance, tell stories, or simply just be together. 

The Choir of Man was made for a city like Chicago, capturing the bittersweetness of a bygone era. With beautiful and original song arrangements, a welcoming and immersive atmosphere, and a captivating and engaging ensemble cast, this show will sure to be top your 2024 favorites list. Like the fleetingness of a Chicago Spring, The Choir of Man is only here in town for a short engagement. So grab a pint, sit for a spell, and at closing time remember you don't have to go home but you can't stay there. 

The Choir of Man is now playing through May 26th, 2024 at the Apollo Theater at 2550 N Lincoln Ave, grab a pint and your tickets before closing time.

*Extended to July 14th!