Sunday, 01 May 2016 11:02
The King and I Continues the American Musical Tradition at Lyric Opera
Written by Michelle Reidy
In 2013, The Lyric Opera of Chicago made a commitment to produce five Rogers and Hammerstein musicals and on Saturday night, they opened The King and I – the fourth show of the five – directed by Lee Blakeley in his Lyric Opera directorial debut. The King and I tells…
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Theatre in Review
Monday, 02 May 2016 20:13
Swimming To Stay Afloat: Rivendell Theatre's Dry Land
Written by Bill Esler
"Punch me," is the first line of dialog in Dry Land, and those two words sum up the effect of this play - gut wrenching and, in a climactic scene, hard to watch. If you are looking for lighter fare, move on; but you will not find much better than…
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Theatre in Review
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Saturday, 30 April 2016 15:25
Connected: A Most Unusual Night Around the Campfire
Written by Michelle Reidy
The image of sitting around a campfire under the stars brings to mind nights connecting with friends and family, sharing stories about the past and imagining what the future may hold. Connected, by Collaboraction, plays on this theme transporting the audience from campfire to campfire throughout history and into the…
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Theatre in Review
Monday, 25 April 2016 10:36
Review: Shattered Globe's "In the Heat of the Night
Written by John Accrocco
Police brutality is nothing new. Having it broadcast on national news sources, however, is. The deep South in the 1960's wasn't a fun place to be if you were anything but a Christian Caucasian. Shattered Globe Theatre concludes its twenty-fifth season with Matt Pelfrey's adaptation of John Ball's best-selling novel…
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Theatre in Review
Thursday, 21 April 2016 19:56
Tain’t No Question About It: Bullets Over Broadway is a Crowd Pleaser!
Written by Michelle Reidy
Bullets Over Broadway, written by Woody Allen, tells the story of a struggling playwright who finally gets his big break when a producer sees the value of his art and agrees to produce the show. The catch is, they need money and the only source of money is from Mob…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Thursday, 21 April 2016 19:46
Mariott Theatre's "Evita" A Passionate Work of Art
Written by Ken Payne
Possibly one of the best productions of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Evita” that has graced the Chicago area is currently playing through June 5th at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire. Powerful, rich in musical and vocal performance and brilliantly choreographed, we are treated to a Tony caliber cast,…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 19 April 2016 12:02
Porchlight Theatre's "Dreamgirls" A True Delight
Written by John Accrocco
While not explicitly a biography about The Supremes, "Dreamgirls" is awfully close. It's a Quincy Jones-flavored musical about the road to fame, and the pitfalls of show business. Porchlight Theatre concludes its season with a rarely produced modern classic. Choreographed and directed by Brenda Didier, with musical direction by Doug…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 11 April 2016 12:09
No Dusting Off Needed for "Hazel: A Musical Maid in America"
Written by Ken Payne
Who remembers the 1960s TV show “Hazel”? It may not be as easily recollected as such classics as “The Dick Van Dyke Show”, “The Andy Griffith Show” or “I Love Lucy”, but for those who loved 1960s sitcoms back in the day or have been introduced to them thanks to…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 11 April 2016 09:45
Mary Page Marlowe: a Life Pieced Together with Stagecraft Magic
Written by Bill Esler
How much do we reveal about ourselves to others? In a masterful new Steppenwolf production, title character Mary Page Marlowe gives the short answer: Only what we know. It may sound like an unpromising premise, but in recounting the life of ostensibly ordinary Mary Page Marlowe, a CPA from Dayton,…
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Theatre in Review
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There is an expectation when one sees a play that they will be taken on a journey. Audiences want to get lost in a story line, lose all sense of time enjoy the escapism. When an audience is reminded that they are watching a play, however, and that play goes…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Friday, 01 April 2016 22:38
"Fooling Buddha" is a Fantastically Entertaining and Thoughtfully Funny Show - No Fooling!
Written by Kimberly Katz
I've never been much of a magic fan. I'm always nervous for the magician just in case his trick doesn't work. But in Fooling Buddha, David Kovac seemingly does the impossible. Not only are his magic tricks top notch, he actually made me an unafraid appreciator of magic shows AND…
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Theatre in Review
Thursday, 31 March 2016 17:09
Review: Kill Floor at American Theater Company
Written by John Accrocco
Some people can only see what's right in front of them. Abe Koogler explores this theme in his play "Kill Floor" making its Midwestern debut at American Theater Company. The slaughterhouse is a setting once familiarized by Upton Sinclair in his novel "The Jungle." Koogler is updating this disturbing classic…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Friday, 25 March 2016 11:23
A Picture Worth a Thousand Notes: 35MM A Musical Exhibition
Written by Michelle Reidy
Imagine walking through an art gallery, where each piece of art brings up different emotions and makes you think of a different story. Now let each story come to life through intensely raw and emotional songs and you get 35MM A Musical Exhibition, playing at the Circle Theatre through April…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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