On April 9th, 1947, a meeting took place that would change sports and society forever. Branch Rickey, the General Manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, is about to break the color barrier by calling up Jackie Robinson, who would be the Major League’s first black player and he is looking for…
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Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 17 January 2012 12:28
“Come Fly Away”, Romance Gets It’s Sexy Back
Written by Kimberly Katz
I was completely under the spell of this dazzling, tribute to romance and the magical vocal stylings of Frank Sinatra by Twyla Tharp in “Come Fly Away”, performed at the Bank of America Theatre. Twyla Tharp’s 15 amazing dancers bring to life the stories of four couples falling in and…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 16 January 2012 15:29
A Poppy, Rappy Slice of Life "In the Heights"
Written by Zach Zimmerman
In the Heights, winner of the 2008 Tony for Best Musical, follows three generations in the primarily Puerto Rican neighborhood of Washington Heights as they deal with issues of class, race, and assimilation. It’s also really good. Penned by musician and lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda (who played the bodega-owner/narrator in the…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Thursday, 29 December 2011 17:51
"The Addams Family" Musical: A Snappy Book with Dead Songs
Written by Zach Zimmerman
Dunanana. Snap. Snap. Dunanana. Snap. Snap. Dunanana. Dunanana. Dunanana. Snap. Snap. The opening theme to the popular television series The Addams Family christens the overture of the new musical The Addams Family, playing this week at the Cadillac Palace in Broadway in Chicago. After a pre-Broadway tryout in chicago with…
Published in
Theatre in Review
The Greeks, who gave us theatre and big, fat weddings, have always been a rich source of inspiration for contemporary culture makers. From James Joyce’s Ulysses to Disney’s Hercules, the iconic gods and legends of ancient Greece have been re-imagined, rebutted, and redone by painters, philosophers, and playwrights. Penelope, a…
Published in
Theatre in Review
The Joffrey Ballet production of The Nutcracker ran for its 25th season this year in Chicago's Auditorium Theatre. Having once seen The Nutcracker ballet as a child, I was delighted to have the opportunity to see this performance once again as an adult; and it certainly was a treat. The…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Wednesday, 07 December 2011 18:00
Cruel to be Kind; Lisa Lampanelli is the Don Rickles of Our Generation
Kimberly Katz
Lisa Lampanelli really killed it from beginning to end during her sold out comedy concert at The Venue in Hammond, Indiana’s Horseshoe Casino. As she began her usual rant hitting on every race, sexual orientation, religion and minority group, she mentioned that the Hammond casino crowd of 3000 was “cute,…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 05 December 2011 17:09
"It's A Wonderful Life" at Biograph Theater as Warming and Fun as a Cup of Hot Cocoa
Written by Ken Payne
Most people have never been audience to a radio show, let alone a radio show set in the 1940s. Well, here’s your chance. Set in 1944 as a live broadcast at Chicago’s legendary Biograph Theater, spectators are able to capture an enjoyable and entertaining glimpse of yesteryear. American Blues Theater's…
Published in
Theatre in Review
After a 12 year run at Bailiwick Repertory, The Christmas Schooner sails again in a wonderfully revamped form at The Mercury Theater. The Christmas Schooner relates the true story of German immigrants who risked their lives on the freezing waters of wintry Lake Michigan to bring Christmas trees to Chicago…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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Wednesday, 30 November 2011 22:38
Matchmaker, matchmaker, made a great match; ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ wows in Chicago
Written by Kendall Royzen
I have heard about ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ my whole life and don’t know why I waited so long to see this musical. I remember bits and pieces from seeing it as a child, but probably couldn’t begin to appreciate how true-to-life the play really is. ‘Fiddler on the Roof’…
Published in
Theatre in Review
BAH HUMBUG! Ebenezer Scrooge's famous line from Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." It's a story all too familiar to most of us and (I hope) we all still remember it from our childhood; I know I do. It's one of the most memorable Christmas tales ever told and I was particularly pleased to…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Thursday, 03 November 2011 18:24
Two Kids in the Hall Equals Twice the Laughs!
Written by Kimberly Katz
Comedians Scott Thompson and Kevin MacDonald Live at Mayne Stage in Chicago I really enjoyed the dueling comedy sets by “Kids in The Hall” cast members, Scott Thompson and Kevin MacDonald. There is a certain type of ripple effect laughter that really great comics can get out of an audience…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Sunday, 27 November 2011 18:54
Rock ‘N’ Roll and Right ‘N’ Wrong in “Memphis”
Written by Zach Zimmerman
Jukebox musicals have become as common as dancebreaks in the past decade. Popular songs of yesteryear are strung together with a loose story to create a Broadway show that feels more like a scrapbook of memories than something memorable in its own right. Given this musical landscape, it’s a rare…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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'Blue' Holds Mirror to Race in America
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Written by Kimberly KatzI thoroughly enjoyed Drury Lane's enchanting stage production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid from start to finish. While few are overly familiar with Hans Christian Andersen’s original, darker tale of ill-fated romance, the Disney animated film and this stage adaptation,…
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