Wednesday, 12 February 2025 13:10
Delightful ‘Circus Quixote’ Marks Lookingglass Triumphant Return to Water Tower
Written by Bill Esler
“Don Quixote of La Mancha” is considered the oldest European novel, but it gets a fresh and exciting new treatment in “Circus Quixote." This is Lookingglass Theatre’s inaugural reopening after a year off while it retooled its much loved Water Tower Pumping Station location at Michigan and Pearson in Chicago.…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Saturday, 15 February 2025 00:43
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical - How a nice Jewish girl from Brooklyn gave us the songs that defined a generation
Written by Kimberly Katz
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical is a captivating tribute to the extraordinary journey of Carole King, tracing her path from a teenage songwriter to an iconic solo artist. The production delves into her personal and professional evolution, highlighting the creation of timeless classics like "It Might As Well Rain Until…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
- Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
- Beautiful
- Carole King
- Drury Lane
- Samantha Gershman
- Alex Benoit
- Alexandra Palkovic
- Andrew MacNaughton
- Rebekah Ward
- Michael Lawrence Brown
- Jane Lanier
- Gerry McIntyre
- Carolyn Brady
- Alana Lovely
- Maxwell J DeTogne
- Lydia Burke
- Ryan Michael Armstrong
- THe Monkees
- The Shirelles
- The Righteous Brothers
Monday, 10 February 2025 10:04
Court Theatre’s "A Raisin in the Sun": Bold Choices, Timeless Struggles
Written by Wesley David
Like the dream deferred in Langston Hughes' poem that inspired its title, Court Theatre's latest production of "A Raisin in the Sun" simmers, sags, and occasionally explodes with raw intensity. Director Gabrielle Randel-Bent's contemporary vision crackles with urgency, even as it wrestles with the delicate balance between modern resonance and…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 10 February 2025 10:53
Review: 'Fool for Love' at Steppenwolf Theatre
Written by John Accrocco
Love is often jokingly referred to as a socially acceptable form of insanity, but in Sam Shepard’s ‘Fool for Love’ – social acceptability is an afterthought. Steppenwolf is especially known for their revivals of Shepard’s plays, and under Jeremy Herrin’s direction, their revival of ‘Fool for Love’ is as good…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Thursday, 06 February 2025 12:55
Northlight Theatre’s production of 'The Heart Sellers' is Charming and Heartfelt
Written by Lauren Katz
It’s still fairly early in the evening. At this point, the turkey is in the oven, and Jane and Luna are each a couple sips into their bottle of wine. Conversation is nervous. The two women still do not know each other too well, and while Luna is ready with…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 04 February 2025 00:15
'Mr. Parker' at Open Space Arts: A Thoroughly Outstanding Theatrical Journey
Sarz Maxwell
Open Space Arts presents a premiere performance of Michael McKeever’s MR PARKER. Like everything I’ve seen at Open Space Arts (OSA), the acting was superlative: kudos to Andrew Kain Miller (Terry), Riley Capp (Justin), and Mary Ann Bowman (Cassie)! and their maneuverability in the confined space displayed expert blocking by…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 03 February 2025 20:51
Baldwin Vs. Buckley: How Have We Changed in 60 Years?
Written by Bill Esler
Some 60 years ago black intellectual and littérateur James Baldwin met with the leading conservative spokesman and author of his day, William F. Buckley, Jr., to debate what seemed a startling proposition in 1965: “Is the American Dream at the Expense of the American Negro?” Held at the University of Cambridge…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Sunday, 02 February 2025 00:26
Petal-powered Feud: When Shrubs and Sass Collide in Buffalo Theatre Ensemble's 'Native Gardens'
Written by Kimberly Katz
Buffalo Theatre Ensemble’s latest offering, Native Gardens by Karen Zacarias, is a riotous comedy that delves into the quirky world of suburban gardening and neighborly tiffs. The plot blossoms around two neighboring couples in Washington D.C. On one side, there's Pablo, a high-powered lawyer from Chile with a wealthy background,…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 27 January 2025 14:08
Steep Theatre’s A Slow Air is Thought-Provoking and Intimate
Written by Lauren Katz
It’s Athol’s turn to speak. The lights have come up on his side of the stage and Morna fades into the dark background. Athol is sharing details about his nephew, Josh’s, visit. In this particular memory, Athol and Josh are having lunch at a pub. The conversation remains surface-level at…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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Sunday, 26 January 2025 12:48
Avaaz: A Powerful and Personal Tribute to a Mother’s Journey
Written by Betsy Schmitt
One of the things I have always enjoyed and admired most about Chicago Shakespeare Theatre is their willingness to bring fresh ways to experience Shakespeare’s classic works as well as bringing new works and voices to the stage. Avaaz, which opened on Jan. 24, is no exception. And we are…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Thursday, 23 January 2025 11:30
Fat Ham at Goodman Theatre: Bold, Hilarious, and Heartfelt
Written by Wesley David
James Ijames' Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Fat Ham, bursts onto the Goodman Theatre stage in a vibrant, deeply resonant co-production with Definition Theatre. Directed with an expert hand by Definition Theatre's Artistic Director Tyrone Phillips, this contemporary reinvention of Hamlet dazzles with humor, heart, and a profound exploration of identity, toxic…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 21 January 2025 12:39
Review: Porchlight Music Theatre's 'Fun Home' at Ruth Page Center for the Arts
Written by John Accrocco
Before Alison Bechdel became famously associated with her “Bechdel Test” for evaluating fiction by how women are portrayed, she published the now classic graphic novel ‘Fun Home’. Through meticulously created panels, Bechdel explores her splintered relationship with her father who died shortly after she came out to him. Renowned composer…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 20 January 2025 16:15
Dual Delights: A Spellbinding Journey with Jekyll And Hyde In Concert
Written by Kimberly Katz
Brightside Theatre's latest production, Jekyll And Hyde In Concert is a truly mesmerizing experience. And if you are a Chicago resident like myself, this theatrical performance is well worth the not-so-long trek to the burbs. The musicians and the impressive array of talented singers delivered a performance that seized my…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
- JEKYLL AND HYDE IN CONCERT
- Brightside Theatre
- Robert Louis Stevenson
- Gerald Kelel
- Rachel Carreras
- Julie Ann Kornak
- Stan Austin
- Molly Bremer
- Sean Rhead
- Brightside Theatre’s Concert Series
- Jeffrey Cass
- Naperville
- Frank Wildhorn
- Steve Cuden
- Leslie Bricusse
- De Haddad
- Phil Videckis
- North Central College
- Madden Theatre
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A WONDROUS SOUND - Orchestra and Chorus of the Chicago Lyric Opera is a wondrous compilation of the best of the best!
Written by Sarz MaxwellThe repertoire for this fabulous program - A WONDROUS SOUND, showcasing the full force of Lyric’s amazing orchestra and chorus, was developed in collaboration between Lyric Conductor Enrique Mazzola and Chorus Director Michael Black. The orchestra started it off with… -
Stellar Performances in “Prayer for the French Republic”
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A Night to Remember Aboard Marriott Theatre’s Titanic
Written by CJ BurroughsAs a lifelong aficionado of the ill-fated ocean liner RMS Titanic, I’ve always gravitated toward any experience that would leave me feeling immersed in that famous moment of an era that nobody any of us knows anymore is alive to…
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