Review: Dana H. at Goodman Theatre Is an Intense, Emotional Experience
Walking into Dana H., all I knew was that the lead actor, Deirdre O’Connell, was lip-syncing. Little did I know I was going to see one of the most intense, emotional […]
Review: A Perfectly Polite Bit of British History in The King’s Speech at Chicago Shakes
Downton Abbey, the acclaimed British drama series that ran for several seasons on PBS here in the States, returned this weekend. The story, this time on the big screen, brought […]
Review: Despite Potential, Be Here Now Never Manages to Spark Inspiration
There’s a thoughtful core to Deborah Zoe Laufer’s Be Here Now, the story of a bitter, cynical woman afflicted with headaches and seizures that leave her seeing the world as one […]
Review: Words of Wisdom Shine in Victory Gardens’ Tiny Beautiful Things
If you need an actor to carry your show on her shoulders, might I recommend the talents of one Janet Ulrich Brooks? Last year, she dominated Timeline Theatre’s Master Class as opera […]
Review: West Coast’s Teatro ZinZanni Pitches Its Circus Tent in the Loop
The dinner theater revue known as Teatro ZinZanni got its start more than 20 years ago in Seattle, where it launched as a self-described “Moulin Rouge meets Cirque du Soleil,” and […]
Review: The Drag Seed Is a Campy, Delightful World Premiere From Hell in a Handbag
“I’ve seen better acting in a Hallmark Original Christmas movie,” one character says to another—and in the world of Hell in a Handbag’s wickedly funny new play The Drag Seed, […]
Review: True West, a True Time Capsule at Steppenwolf Theatre
The play that launched Chicago’s lauded ensemble returns to the substantially larger stage for the first time since 1982. Sam Shepard’s True West propelled the Highland Park High School and […]
Review: Windy City Playhouse Forces the Experience at The Recommendation
Last year, Windy City Playhouse launched a bona-fide hit with Southern Gothic, the immersive theater experience set in the early 1960s where audiences were “invited” to a birthday party among friends, […]
Review: Goodman’s The Music Man Proves A Classic Story With Timeless Songs
The Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical this year went to Daniel Fish’s stripped-down, timely interpretation of Oklahoma!, a Rodgers & Hammerstein classic that first opened on Broadway […]
Review: Jonah Ray and a Killer Lineup of Local Comedians Serve Up Unique and Hilarious Show at Lincoln Lodge
It’s already been established that fezzes are cool. In Chicago, though, it’s doubly true, as anyone who frequents The Lincoln Lodge should well know. The alt comedy playground, now located […]
Review: Falsettos Is Plenty of Fun, Proves Timeless Testament to Love, Family
The mile-a-minute lyrics, the ever-changing building-block scenery and the cliché-heavy characters of Falsettos give the impression at first glance that William Finn’s two-act musical is a screwball sex comedy about who […]
Review: Jackalope Theatre’s Life On Paper Asks What a Life Is Worth
If you were asked to put a dollar value on a human life, what you would say? You might say that it’s not something that you can quantify, that you […]