Wednesday, 26 March 2014 09:54
Magic Carpet Ride: Houston Ballet's "Aladdin" brings magic to the stage at Auditorium Theater
Written by Kendall Royzen
The Houston Ballet might not have shown us the world (shining, shimmering, splendid), but they did present the city of Chicago with an incredible production of “Aladdin” filled with the same sorcery, riches, splendor, magic, love, and romance as we’ve come to expect from the heartwarming tale of an impoverished…
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Theatre in Review
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Sunday, 16 March 2014 19:00
John Mahoney and Penny Slusher Create Stage Magic in Chapatti
Written by Ken Payne
In Christian O’Reilly’s Chapatti, what you get are two superb performances by two very gifted actors in John Mahoney and Penny Slusher. Directed by Artistic Director BJ Jones, Chapatti is the dark and often humorous story about the importance of companionship. Taking place in Dublin, Ireland, we meet Dan and…
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Theatre in Review
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Thursday, 13 March 2014 21:22
Nothing But A Good Time - Rock of Ages at Bank of America Theatre
Written by Ken Payne
What’s better than a love story? Answer - A love story that takes place on the Los Angeles strip in the mid to late 1980’s during the height of hair band pandemonium. But what makes it even better is that Rock of Ages is a hilarious ode to such an…
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Theatre in Review
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Thursday, 13 March 2014 10:57
More Fun Than a Milton Bradley Game: Barrel of Monkeys performs "That's Weird, Grandma: Behind the [Monkey] Music"
Written by Kendall Royzen
What's more fun than a Barrel of Monkeys? Milton Bradley has asked this question for decades and now a Chicago-based arts education theater ensemble, aptly named “Barrel of Monkeys,” begs the same question of their audiences. After seeing their newest performance of “That’s Weird Grandma: Behind the [Monkey] Music,” I…
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Theatre in Review
Sunday, 09 March 2014 19:00
Russian Transport - Defining Success, and Our Capacity for the Terrible
Brad Wiley
Russian Transport, currently running at Steppenwolf through May 11th, is, in playwright Erika Sheffer’s words, a story of “good people in bad circumstances doing terrible things.” Inspired by her own family of first and second-generation Soviet immigrants, and directed by fellow Eastern-European immigrant Yasen Peyankov, Sheffer’s story is an extremely…
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Theatre in Review
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Tuesday, 04 March 2014 18:00
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Delights and Inspires Chicago Audiences Time and Time Again
Written by Kimberly Katz
What an honor and delight to see Alvin Ailey’s American Dance Theater return to the historic Auditorium Theater during its 125 Anniversary year with our First Lady, Mrs. Michelle Obama serving as Honorary Chair for the 2014-2015 season! Chicago is not only the groundbreaking company’s home; the Auditorium Theater is…
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Theatre in Review
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For Johnny Cash fans, Ring of Fire – The Music of Johnny Cash is a must. But even if you are not the biggest Johnny cash fan in the world, Ring of Fire is still a rockin’ good time. Currently playing at Theatre at the Center in Muster Indiana (a…
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Theatre in Review
Friday, 24 January 2014 18:00
Young Frankenstein the Musical At Drury Lane A Fitting Ode to Mel Brooks
Written by Ken Payne
Deemed by the American Film Institute as “one of the funniest movies of all time”, Young Frankenstein was bound to hit the live stage at some point. Finally, in 2007, creator Mel Brooks adapted his 1974 film for stage where, after a premier run in Seattle, the show hit Broadway…
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Theatre in Review
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Sunday, 18 December 2016 18:00
Davis and Travis Shine Brightly In The Phantom of the Opera
Written by Ken Payne
Throughout the last century, The Phantom of the Opera has taken on many forms. Originally written by Gaston Leroux and published in early 20th century France the Phantom soon found its’ way onto the silver screen right here in the U S of A with Rupert Julian’s silent film depiction.…
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Theatre in Review
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Taking yet another beloved movie of yesterday and transforming it into a big stage production, Ghost the Musical is certainly different than most. Though the storyline is captivating, as most know, it’s the show’s jaw-dropping special effects that really grab one’s attention. Plenty of illusions and jumbo screen visuals are…
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Theatre in Review
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It’s the holiday season once again and that means an abundance of Christmas themed shows have once again sprouted throughout the Chicago area. With plenty of quality shows to choose from “The People’s A Christmas Wish” at Quest Theatre should not be overlooked – and it is completely free! Donations…
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Theatre in Review
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Friday, 06 December 2013 17:07
The Christmas Schooner Sets Sail for the Holiday Season
Written by Ken Payne
In fine holiday tradition The Christmas Schooner has once again set sail, this time for its third year at Mercury Theater after a twelve year run at Baliwick. Inspired by the 1912 shipwreck of “The Christmas Tree ship” in Lake Michigan, manned by Captain Rouse Simmons, The Christmas Schooner is…
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Theatre in Review
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Monday, 18 November 2013 18:00
Appropriate is Heart-Breaking, but not yet Ground-Breaking
Written by Zach Zimmerman
As the snow starts to fall, Chicago audiences take refuge in heated theatres and family-friendly performances that warm them with holiday cheer. But if someone stumbled upon Victory Gardens this winter, perhaps expecting "It's a Wonderful Life," they'd quickly realize they were taking in something very different: a close examination…
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Theatre in Review
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