Your Chicago Curated Weekend: 2/29 and Beyond
I’m not even going to try and predict what the weather will be like this weekend after the hectic start we had! Regardless, whether we’re facing freezing temps or nearly […]
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: In the Rousing, Sweeping Dune: Part Two, a World Becomes Real and a Young Man Confronts His Fate With Ferocity
As is often the case with origin stories, there’s a great deal of world building and character establishment that has to play out before we can even get to the […]
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: Wartime Documentary Kiss the Future Centers Artists in Sarajevo Alongside U2
For the last couple of weeks, members of the band U2 and others connected to the documentary Kiss the Future (including producers Matt Damon and Ben Affleck) have been doing […]
Review: Italy’s Harrowing Io Capitano Earns Its Place Among This Year’s International Feature Oscar Nominees
Although it’s one of this year’s five Oscar-nominated Best International Feature Films, Italy’s Io Capitano is the last of the five to finally be released in theaters stateside, and now […]
Review: Hilary Swank Elevates Ordinary Angels From Hallmark Fare to Something of a Sweet, True Story
Based on a true story (I’m guessing with more than a few embellishments), Ordinary Angels is the story of Sharon Steves (Hilary Swank), an alcoholic hairdresser living in small-town Kentucky, […]
Review: In Drive-Away Dolls, Ethan Coen Maps a Road Movie with Plenty of Sex and Laughs Along the Way
At least for now, the Coen Brothers as a filmmaking unit, are no more. Three years ago, Joel Coen adapted Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Macbeth, and now brother Ethan counters […]
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: Howl Is a Tight Turn-Based Strategy With a Melancholy Atmosphere
2023 was packed full of great video games, so it makes sense if you missed a few. I know I did–I’m still playing catch-up. That means I missed some great […]