Friday, 23 September 2016 18:21
Thrones: The Musical Parody - A Hilarious Ride That Never Slows Down
Written by Ken Payne
After a successful summer preview run, "Thrones: The Musical Parody" has returned to Apollo Theater for Fall performances. Though the production might not have the staying power as did "Million Dollar Quartet", a show originally scheduled for a two-week run that was renewed for several years, "Thrones" is a solid…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 20 September 2016 18:15
"Life Sucks" or Does it? Aaron Posner's Funny Play is Performed to Perfection at Lookingglass Theatre
Written by Kimberly Katz
As soon as you enter the beautiful set that designer Brian Sidney Bembridge, has created for “Life Sucks", you are tip-toeing through what feels like a real forest of delicately lit white birch trees in the light of early evening in Autumn. The action then proceeds mostly on the front…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Wednesday, 21 September 2016 11:27
The New Colony Announces 2017 Season - Four World Premieres by Chicago Playwrights!
Written by Buzz News Chicago
The New Colony is pleased to announce its full 2017 Season, featuring four world premiere productions by four Chicago playwrights. The season kicks off this winter with ensemble member Sean Kelly’s fantasy adventure PSYCHONAUT LIBRARIANS, directed by Krissy Vanderwarker. In the spring, TNC presents Connor McNamara’s political thriller SCAPEGOAT; OR…
Published in
Theatre in Review
From its frenetic opening to its poetic end, The Hypocrites' You on the Moors Now is a rip-roaring, hilarious adventure. The play, written by Jaclyn Backhaus, features four of classic literature’s all-time favorite heroines: Jo March, from Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women”, Elizabeth (Lizzy) Bennett from Jane Austen’s “Pride and…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Well-to-do friends clashing over hidden resentments and jealousies while dining is a common scenario in the contemporary American theatre. Donald Margulies won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2000 for Dinner with Friends, which focused on romantic entanglements, and Ayad Akhtar won in 2013 for Disgraced, which also addressed issues…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Before the colonial history of New York City was hip hop-ified by outrageously talented Broadway composer/writer/actor Lin-Manuel Miranda, a small portion of the city had its own hip hop story to tell. In the Heights, which premiered on Broadway in 2008 and subsequently won the Tony for Best Musical (among…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Wednesday, 14 September 2016 13:38
Helldrivers of Daytona, Just Funny and Sexy Enough to Stay in the Race
Written by Kimberly Katz
Helldrivers of Daytona, currently running at the Royal George Theatre, is a fun idea. It is a musical that seems to mostly spoof Elvis’ Viva Las Vegas, a story of a talented race car driver who needs to scrape up enough cash to get his car into the big race.…
Published in
Theatre in Review
In a Sam Shepard play, rarely are things what they seem. His 1980 play "True West" is no exception. Under the direction of James Yost, Shattered Globe Theatre tackles this modern classic. "True West" is often considered part of a family saga by Shepard that includes his 1979 Pulitzer Prize…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 13 September 2016 14:39
Paramount's Mamma Mia! About As Fun As it Gets
Written by Ken Payne
The plot is simple enough. Donna Sheridan raises her daughter Sophie now twenty-years-old, on a Greek island where she runs a small island resort. Sophie, about to get married, wants to be walked down the aisle by her father. Problem is, she doesn’t know who her father is. A bit…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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It’s the beginning of a puppet-laden season in theatre this fall. Victory Gardens will be performing Hand to God, the story of a boy whose hand puppet is possessed by the devil, and later in the season, Writers Theatre will produce The Hunter and the Bear, their latest collaboration with…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 12 September 2016 23:16
Standout performances, but Naperville is missing something
Written by Bill Esler
Naperville may be worth seeing just for its portrayal of T.C., a newly installed Caribou Coffee shop manager. When customers repeatedly ask after Nick, his popular predecessor, he replies by the book, “Nick no longer works here.” We soon see that T.C. is desperate to succeed in his new job,…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 05 September 2016 22:11
Amour offers a Precious Opportunity to See a Jewel of a Show
Written by Bill Esler
Amour, playing at the Atheneaum, is a jewel box of a show. This lighthearted musical (technically a comic opera) is profoundly entertaining, without needing to be profound. It is just plain fun. With nearly no spoken dialog, the nine cast members sing their hearts out for 90 minutes. The music,…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Thursday, 01 September 2016 21:46
"How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" Succeeds on Stage
Written by Ken Payne
Wouldn’t it be great if we were given a simply written book to tell us how to succeed in whatever it is we wanted to pursue so long as its easy steps were followed? Supposing we were unqualified and the book taught us how to beat the system in ten…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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The Title Says it All in Conspirators Remarkable ‘Chicago Cop Macbeth’
Written by Bill EslerIt was a dark and stormy night as I motored to The Conspirators “Chicago Cop Macbeth,” with a fog of dust giving the streets an eerie feel. As the lights came up at the Otherworld Theater, the storm continued, the… -
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