Tuesday, 03 March 2015 00:00
Theatre at the Center's On Golden Pond Warms Up Chicago Winter
Written by Ken Payne
Kicking off their 25th anniversary season, Theatre at the Center makes a strong impression by presenting Ernest Thompson’s touching classic On Golden Pond. This 1979 Tony-Award winning play was later adapted for the big screen where it starred Henry Fonda, Jane Fonda and Katharine Hepburn and won an Oscar. On…
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Theatre in Review
Five years ago, anonymous graffiti artists caused quite the hubub at the Modern Wing of the Chicago Art Institute when they "bombed" a major wall of the wing. Their message was clear: THIS is modern art. While a clever, powerful statement, and seemingly jabbing at the art that resides within…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Friday, 27 February 2015 00:00
Endgame at Den Theatre: Misery Loves Company - and Laughs
Written by Ken Payne
As Samuel Beckett once stated, "Nothing is funnier than unhappiness, I grant you that. ... Yes, yes, it's the most comical thing in the world. And we laugh, we laugh, with a will, in the beginning. But it's always the same thing. Yes, it's like the funny story we have…
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Theatre in Review
American Theatre Company and veteran TV writer Marco Ramirez collaborate to bring this boxing drama to life. Loosely inspired by the real life of Jack Johnson, 'The Royale' tells the story of a young African American heavyweight champ, Jay Jackson, and his rise to fame for usurping a title from…
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Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 24 February 2015 00:00
Redletter Raises Smart Questions About News Coverage
Written by Ken Payne
Redletter is the latest creation by the Neo-Futurists, this piece written by ensemble member Lisa Buscani and directed by Jen Ellison. As Buscani puts it, “Everyone’s bemoaning about the ‘death of news’. But the news will never die, not as long as humans do newsworthy things.” That’s true…to a point…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Thursday, 19 February 2015 00:00
Marie Antoinette Projects Compassion for the “Killer Queen”
Written by Kimberly Katz
Marie Antoinette by David Adjmi opens with a spectacular video presentation of the massive gardens and castle of Versailles along with a full on catwalk style fashion show by the queen, her girlfriends and the rest of the royal cast. I loved the staging of this show by a six…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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Tuesday, 17 February 2015 00:00
Review - The Trial of Moses Fleetwood Walker at Black Ensemble Theater
Written by Ken Payne
Though Jackie Robinson is heralded as the first African-American baseball player to participate in the Major Leagues, more than a half of century earlier Moses Fleetwood Walker challenged the color barriers by integrating the game of professional baseball in the year 1884 when the Toledo Blue Stocking were admitted into…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Sunday, 15 February 2015 00:00
FYI - First Date, The Musical Comedy, is both Funny and Informative!
Written by Kimberly Katz
I really enjoyed this funny little musical comedy about the ups and downs of mastering your first date with someone special. Aaron and Casey have been set up in a blind date by mutual friends. Aaron is a slightly nerdy Jewish boy in a steady finance job while Casey is…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 16 February 2015 00:00
Review: Game of Thongs! A Game of Thrones Burlesque
Written by Anne Rakowiecki
Game of Thrones, breasts, and booty: if you're an admirer of any of these three -- scratch that, four -- things, then you are well-suited to play the Game of Thongs. A burlesque revue of the wildly popular HBO show and book series by George R. R. Martin, Game…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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Lauren Yee's new play at Victory Gardens Theatre is a refreshing addition to the modern canon of American playwriting, in the ilk of Sarah Ruhl and Noah Haidle. 'Samsara' was developed by Victory Garden's annual Ignition festival, a contest seeking minority voices. Yee takes a meta-theatrical look at the…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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Get ready for men dressed lavishly in drag, big laughs and plenty of high-flying dance action. Kicking off their 40th season in fabulous fashion, Marriott Theatre presents the smash hit musical La Cage aux Folles, a comedy that can be as touching as it is glamorous. In this musical that…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 02 February 2015 00:00
Laughter on the 23rd Floor - A Smorgasbord for These Fine Character Actors!
Written by Kimberly Katz
Well, you just can’t go wrong with Neil Simon, one of the greatest Jewish playwrights of all time and a solid grouping of well trained Chicago character actors like the cast assembled at First Folio Theatre in Oakbrook. “Laughter” is based on Sid Caesar’s beloved “Your Show of Shows” where…
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Theatre in Review
White Guy on the Bus is a powerful and very well-acted drama that asks several questions about modern day racism. In this highly provocative piece by Bruce Graham, we are met with race issues and opinions based on life’s experiences coming from both sides of the fence. We see how…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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