Saturday, 10 January 2026 13:21
Echoes in the Opera House: BrightSide's 'Phantom' A Concert Triumph
Written by Kimberly Katz
As a lifelong Phantom of the Opera devotee in every form it takes, I was genuinely delighted to see BrightSide Theatre tackling Phantom in Concert. As the title promises, this version reimagines Gaston Leroux’s classic novel as a sweeping musical experience. With actors reading from scripts accompanied by a full…
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Theatre in Review
Monday, 15 December 2025 11:24
Review: Couch Penny Ensemble's 'Everybody' at Greenhouse Theater Center
Written by Maddie Burroughs
A quick disclaimer for this review: Couch Penny Ensemble's Everybody, by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, is written with a caveat for anyone who dares to perform it. At the start of each performance, the actors are randomly assigned their roles by lottery, creating 120 possible cast combinations. In other words, the Everybody I…
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Theatre in Review
Monday, 15 December 2025 11:14
Review: Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol at Studebaker Theater
Written by Maddie Burroughs
As someone who is ever the cynic about telling the same old stories every year under the guise of tradition, A Christmas Carol rarely draws me in. Manual Cinema’s latest production, however, takes a Christmas classic and makes it new again. Told through the eyes of a narrator who shares…
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Theatre in Review
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Monday, 08 December 2025 12:14
Outrageous, Heartfelt, and Hilarious: Jinkx & DeLa’s Holiday Magic Lands in Chicago
Written by Maddie Burroughs
Now in its eighth year, global drag icons and RuPaul’s Drag Race stars BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon are back on tour with The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show – a hilarious, unhinged, and queer production that pushes the boundaries of the holiday spectacle. The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show has touched…
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Theatre in Review
Monday, 08 December 2025 13:42
Bah Humbug, Here We Go Again! Charles Dickens Begrudgingly Performs “A Christmas Carol” Again at Theater Wit
Written by Ken Payne
At Theater Wit, a Jeff Award–winning solo performance reimagines Charles Dickens with both comic absurdity and aching humanity. The great author, improbably alive more than two centuries after his birth, finds himself trapped in a ritual that has long outlived him: the annual retelling of A Christmas Carol. Since 1853,…
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Theatre in Review
Saturday, 06 December 2025 13:47
Buffalo Theatre Ensemble’s Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley Charms with Holiday Spirit
Written by Lauren Katz
“Is this what it’s like to have sisters?” I know I personally fall into the category of Jane Austen fans who have been following adaptations and spinoffs of Pride and Prejudice for eons. What happened to the Bennett sisters after the famous events of the classic tale? Did Elizabeth and…
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Theatre in Review
Saturday, 06 December 2025 11:10
Let Down Your Hair and Your Guard: Rapornzel surprises and splits side at Hoover-Leppen Theatre
Written by Kendall Royzen
When the sun plays peek-a-boo and a pre-winter chill settles over Chicagoland, locals inevitably look for ways to warm their hearts as well as their fingers and toes. It’s during this time of year that locals venture indoors and when the Chicago theatre scene offers respite from the bitter cold.…
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Theatre in Review
Thursday, 04 December 2025 11:34
Elf the Musical: A Candy-Coated Tale of Family and Faith
Written by Ken Payne
Christmas cheer is here. Or rather... CHRISTMAS CHEER IS HERE!!! Based on the 2003 blockbuster hit movie Elf with Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel, Elf the Musical is a glittering holiday stage confection that mixes slapstick comedy, heartfelt family drama, and a score full of catchy tunes like “Nobody Cares…
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Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 02 December 2025 00:23
Tinsel and Tantrums: Handbag's 'The Real Housewives of the North Pole'
Written by Ken Payne
I’ll admit it—I’ve never watched an episode of The Real Housewives. So, heading into Hell in a Handbag’s latest holiday production inspired by the series, I braced myself for a barrage of references that might slip past me. Turns out, I caught the vibe almost instantly—and once I did, the…
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Theatre in Review
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Wednesday, 26 November 2025 16:59
Review: Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Much Ado About Nothing
Sarz Maxwell
"The course of true love never did run smooth." No, wait, that’s from A Midsummer Night's Dream "I do desire we may be better strangers." Mmmm … closer, but this one’s As You Like It " Many a good hanging prevents a bad marriage". A worthy sentiment, but it appeared in…
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Theatre in Review
Sunday, 30 November 2025 16:42
Season’s Joy Shines Bright at American Blues Theater with ‘It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!'
Written by Kimberly Katz
Under the deft direction of American Blues Theater’s Executive Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, Frank Capra’s beloved holiday classic It’s a Wonderful Life is reborn as a charming 1940s radio broadcast. With vintage microphones, live foley effects, and a versatile ensemble shifting seamlessly between characters, the production becomes more than a…
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Theatre in Review
Sunday, 30 November 2025 16:01
Snowfall on Stage: Paramount’s White Christmas Sparkles with Holiday Magic
Written by Kimberly Katz
Paramount Theatre’s White Christmas unfolds like a living snow globe - bursting with holiday sparkle, sweeping dance numbers, and the timeless melodies of Irving Berlin. From the first notes to the final snowfall, the production wraps audiences in a nostalgic embrace, blending old-fashioned charm with Broadway-sized spectacle. Each scene glitters…
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Theatre in Review
Sunday, 30 November 2025 11:24
A Ghost of Christmas Past? A Christmas Carol at Metropolis Performing Arts Center
Written by Kendall Royzen
The holiday season in Chicagoland brings with it many things: snowstorms, festive markets, twinkling lights, and cozy traditions that warm the soul on bitterly cold evenings. Holiday traditions also abound in the Chicago theatre scene with familiar favorites, comforting stories, and guilty pleasures easy to come by. If 2025 has…
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Theatre in Review
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