Review: Momix Does a Trippy Remix of Lewis Carroll’s Alice
Lewis Carroll’s tales of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass were a staple of my childhood. We read the unsanitized versions and Grimm’s most grim before I saw […]
Review: At Goodman Theatre, The Penelopiad Reveals What Happened at Home While Odysseus Was on That Odyssey
You may have read Homer’s The Odyssey in high school or college. It’s the story of Odysseus, a great hero, his adventures and of course, his journey, or odyssey. But did you […]
Review: Joffrey Academy’s Winning Works Presents Fresh Work With Classic Twists
The 14th annual Winning Works is an evening of fresh work and twists on classic techniques that will thrill dance audiences in the coming performances. The Joffrey Academy of Dance’s […]
Review: Theatre Above the Law Examines the Power of Belief With End Days
We live inn interesting times. Contrary to popular belief, that is not derived from a Chinese saying but from an American politician. In any case, it is a good basis […]
Review: Broadway in Chicago Brings Well-Crafted, Hilarious Fun in Mrs. Doubtfire
Once in a while, a theater production comes along that does better on tour than it does on Broadway. Mrs. Doubtfire, by the songwriting team of Wayne and Karey Kirkpatrick […]
Review: Pride Arts Stages Shakespeare’s R & J, the Classic Romance, With a New Kind of Magic
Four young women actors, dressed in today’s version of a parochial school uniform (of this, more later) mime a school day, beginning with their confessions. “Bless me, Father, for I have […]
Review: At American Blues, The Reclamation of Madison Hemings Tells the Story of Two of Jefferson’s Enslaved Laborers, One of Them His Son
Two middle-aged Black men, both formerly enslaved, visit Monticello the year after the Civil War ends. They’re not there as tourists to explore the majesty of Thomas Jefferson’s estate or […]
Review: Magic From Paris to Chicago—Extraordinaire With Alexandra Duvivier at Rhapsody Theater
The Rhapsody Theater in Rogers Park is perfect for a magical night. It is beautifully redesigned with intimate tables and Art Deco flair. In this space, Alexandra Duvivier is performing […]
Review: Hubbard Street Dance Chicago Puts Some Heat in Winter With Of Hope
The Hubbard Street mission is to awaken the human spirit through contemporary dance. That is a lofty mission in the contemporary world but I think that they have succeeded with […]
Review: Goodman Theatre’s Matchbox Magic Flute Is a Tiny Enchantment
Great works of art come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes, they are vast and sweeping, like the Sistine Chapel or Anna Karenina; and sometimes they are tiny, like a […]
Review: Invictus Theatre Delivers a Living History Lesson in Topdog/Underdog
The way we are taught American history is a scratch-the-surface deal that requires us to keep digging. Playwright Suzan Lori-Parks is a master excavator of history and reveals it in […]
Review: Young People’s Theatre Tells Compelling New Version of The Diary of Anne Frank
The story of Anne Frank is a familiar one. The expressive teenager, who was sequestered with her family in WWII Amsterdam to protect them from Nazi capture, has been famous […]