Friday, 05 June 2026 21:41
Poetry in Motion: Joffrey's Eugene Onegin enraptures at the Lyric Opera
Written by Kendall Royzen
There’s something magical about stories. Stories have the power to transcend time, reaching across the centuries to share their thoughts, ideas, and emotions. Tales of heartbreak, anguish, squandered youth, and missed chances written in the 1800s have a way of resonating with us in the modern age, the profound emotions…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Definition Theatre's Amplify New Play Program exists to elevate emerging voices, and Netta Walker's keerah certainly arrives with ambition. Loosely inspired by the mythological lovers Orpheus and Eurydice, the play explores race, identity, love, and memory through the relationship between Ciara and Cormac. While the production benefits from strong performances…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 01 June 2026 05:20
'The Last Word' - A Cocktail of Comedy, Mystery, and Heart
Written by Wesley David
Some theatrical experiences ask you to sit back and watch. "The Last Word" invites you to pull up a chair, have a cocktail, and tumble headfirst into a delightfully strange fever dream about life, death, friendship, and a very famous green liqueur. Its title refers both to a classic cocktail…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Sunday, 24 May 2026 14:07
Whammy, Indeed: Koechner’s Stand‑Up Evolves at The Den
Written by Ken Payne
David Koechner stormed into The Den Theatre’s Mainstage this weekend with the kind of unruly, big‑hearted presence that instantly reminded audiences why he had been a comedy fixture for more than two decades. People knew him as the blustering Champ Kind from Anchorman, the delightfully inappropriate Todd Packer on The…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Spaceman, presented by [producingbody], touches down at The Edge Off-Broadway with a quiet, unnerving force, pulling audiences into the fragile headspace of an astronaut drifting far from home and even farther from certainty. Under Eric Slater’s beautifully calibrated direction, playwright Leegrid Stevens’ one‑woman odyssey becomes less a sci‑fi spectacle than…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
- SPACEMAN
- [producingbody]
- The Edge OffBroadway
- Leegrid Stevens
- Eric Slater
- Ashley Neal
- Allyce Torres
- Taylor Dalton
- Angela Joy Baldasare
- Garrett Bell
- scifi
- space adventure
- interstellar
- psychological drama
- Mars travel
- spacecraft
- Amy Carpenter
- chicago theatre
- live theatre
- on stage
- Chicago events
- Chicago plays
- Now playing
- outer space
- astronaut
Friday, 22 May 2026 11:49
Inside a Real ‘Fire House’ You Are Immersed in Phantasmic Lives of Firefighters
Written by Bill Esler
Set in Chicago’s oldest fire station (now Firehouse Art Studio) the immersive play "Fire House” is only loosely tethered to a realistic portrayal of what fire fighters do. What it conveys is an impressionistic vision of the experience that fire fighters may undergo. Produced by Chicago Shpatz, an experimental theater company…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
Thursday, 21 May 2026 12:58
Spamalot Is Every Monty Python Fan’s Dream Come to Life
Written by Angelo Campos
Spamalot rides into the Windy City courtesy of Broadway In Chicago, inviting theatergoers to join King Arthur’s quest now through May 31 at the CIBC Theatre. Fans of Monty Python and the Holy Grail - the 1975 cult classic - will find plenty to adore in this musical, which, as…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
- Spamalot
- CIBC Theatre
- Monty Python
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail
- King Arthu
- John Du Prez
- Eric Idle
- Major Attaway
- Amanda Robles
- Always Look on the Bright Side of Life
- Sean Bell
- Broadway in Chicago
- Josh Rhodes
- on stage
- live theatre
- chicago theatre
- Chicago events
- Chicago plays
- Musical theatre
- comedy theatre
- comedy
- hilarious
Monday, 18 May 2026 13:34
A Red Orchid’s The Targeted Builds a Case for Compassion
Written by John Accrocco
If you’ve ever worked in an urban coffee shop, chances are you’ve encountered at least one ultra-paranoid kook who believes the government is spying on them. Often they’re filling out long journals or manifestos. Or perhaps that one crazy uncle we all seem to have who believes in way too…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Saturday, 16 May 2026 11:02
No Dialog, Yet Strongly Affecting, Trap Door's 'Le Bal' Is Like Nothing You've Seen
Written by Bill Esler
Can you have a play run 90 minutes with no dialog? Indubitably, as Trap Door Theatre demonstrates with its new production, “Le Bal.” Adapted to the stage by Stephen Buescher, it is inspired by a 1983 French film of the same title. Of the absence of dialog, one Trap Door…
Published in
Theatre in Review
More...
Sunday, 17 May 2026 00:30
Rocky in Concert Delivers a Knockout Night Despite Technical Stumbles
Written by Ken Payne
Marking Rocky’s 50th anniversary, Rocky in Concert arrived at the Auditorium Theatre in a highly anticipated Auditorium Philms presentation featuring the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra performing Bill Conti’s score live. The setup is simple but effective: the film plays above the stage while the Philharmonic brings new clarity and presence to…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
- Rocky in Concert
- Rocky Balboa
- Rocky
- Chicago Philharmonic
- Auditorium Theatre
- Boxing
- Oscar Winner
- classic film
- Auditorium Philms
- Sylvester Stallone
- Carl Weathers
- Burgess Meredith
- Talia Shire
- orchestra
- orchestra with film
- movies
- live orchestra
- Bill Conti
- James Olmstead
- Chicago events
- things to do in chicago
Friday, 15 May 2026 13:34
A New Home, A Necessary Warning: Timeline’s Enemy Lands Hard
Written by John Accrocco
Timeline Theatre unveils their chic, new Uptown home with its inaugural production–Henrik Ibsen’s ever-relevant “An Enemy of the People”. A streamlined text by acclaimed playwright Amy Herzog cuts right to the bone in this fast-paced version straight from Broadway. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Timeline chose to open…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
- Timeline Theatre
- An Enemy of the People
- Maren Robinson
- Will Allan
- Behzad Dabu
- Campbell Krausen
- Amy Herzog
- Ron OJ Parson
- John Culbert
- on stage
- live theatre
- Chicago plays
- Chicago events
- Now playing
- henrik ibsen
- TimeLine Uptown
- Chi Theatre
- Uptown Chicago
- Public Health Crisis
- Political Drama
- Civic Responsibility
Friday, 15 May 2026 20:31
C'est Drôle: Tartuffe, or, The Charlatan brings classic humor to Wrigleyville theatre
Written by Kendall Royzen
While many of my classmates were signing up for Spanish classes, I thought it would be terribly useful to sign up for French. French? In Southern California? What good would that possibly do? A degree and several trips to French-speaking countries later, and I’m proud to say French is not…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 12 May 2026 14:47
Everybody Got a Secret: York Walker’s Covenant Haunts The Goodman
Written by Wesley David
The Goodman Theatre’s Covenant announces York Walker as a playwright ascending rapidly into the highest tier of American theater. This is not simply an impressive new work; it is the kind of play that reminds audiences why live theater remains uniquely capable of unsettling the spirit. Walker has written something…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Register
Login
Latest Articles
-
Poetry in Motion: Joffrey's Eugene Onegin enraptures at the Lyric Opera
Written by Kendall RoyzenThere’s something magical about stories. Stories have the power to transcend time, reaching across the centuries to share their thoughts, ideas, and emotions. Tales of heartbreak, anguish, squandered youth, and missed chances written in the 1800s have a way of… -
Collaboraction Theatre announces June shows and events in its new House of Belonging in Humboldt Park
Written by Buzz Center StageNow fully activated, Collaboraction Theatre Company’s new House of Belonging in the Kimball Arts Center, 1757 N. Kimball Ave in Humboldt Park, is a sleek, 4,000-square foot space featuring a new 99-seat flexible studio theater and a 50-seat cabaret with… -
Redtwist Theatre presents Anatomy of A Suicide August 12-30
Written by Buzz Center StageProduced in partnership with JunkHeart, The Metal Shop Performance Lab is proud to announce the cast and creative team for Anatomy of a Suicide, August 12 - 30, at Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Chicago, written by Alice Birch and directed by Alex Mallory. Previews are Wednesday, Aug. 12 and Thursday,…
-
Juneteenth Prelude: Celebrating Freedom and Black Expression, an evening of entertainment and community
Written by Buzz Center StageBlack Ensemble Theater Founder and Executive Director Jackie Taylor proudly announces Black Ensemble's Juneteenth Prelude: Celebrating Freedom and Black Expression, as part of the series Another Night @ BET. This celebratory evening, curated by Bernard Lilly, Jr., engages the Black Ensemble community with performances from BE…
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.