Review: Animated Fable Orion and the Dark Gets the Charlie Kaufman Treatment
Whenever a writer you admire decides to tackle a story (in this case, an animated film) aimed at younger people, the fear is always that they will dumb things down […]
Review: Spy Actioner Argylle Gets Bogged Down in Unnecessary Layers of Plot and a General Lack of Espionage
Director Matthew Vaughn is capable of some pretty incredible work (Kick-Ass, the first Kingsman movie, X-Men: First Class) and he’s amassed a fun collection of regular actors who support his […]
Review: Three Little Birds Is a Poignant Series About Acclimation, Prejudice, and Overcoming It
It could be argued that the best period pieces are the ones that feel relevant at any point in time. It’s one thing to make art that replicates the past. […]
Review: Puzzle Design Exhibit Encourages Playfulness and Exploration at Design Museum
SOLVE: Puzzle Design Exhibit at the Design Museum of Chicago offers a bevy of viewable and interactive puzzles and puzzling games. The exhibit, which may appear to be of modest size […]
Review: Red Orchid’s In Quietness Presents a Puzzling Story About Marriage and Conservative Religion
In Quietness at A Red Orchid Theatre asks a lot of its audience, especially an urban liberal (most likely) audience. The play pits feminism against fundamentalist religion. It asks us to believe […]
Review: Complexions Contemporary Ballet Expands the Horizons of Dance with Star Dust: From Bach to Bowie
Complexions Contemporary Ballet emerged in 1994 as the creation of two Alvin Ailey alumni Desmond Richardson and Dwight Rhoden. They moved the parameters around ballet with their careers and then […]
Review: Odets’ Waiting for Lefty by Gwydion Theatre Still Packs a Punch in Contemporary America
Playwright Clifford Odets set Waiting for Lefty in 1935, but this one-act classic play about unions has echoes of life in America today. Unions’ battle against big business was illustrated […]
Northlight Theatre’s Selling Kabul Is Full of Suspense and Gut-Wrenching Intrigue
Lights come up on a live broadcast. On the television on the far corner of the small apartment, we witness President Barack Obama announcing that American troops would withdraw from […]
Dozens of Published Books, One Writing Nonprofit: StoryStudio Chicago
This week StoryStudio Chicago kicked off its third annual Pub Crawl, a month-long online publishing intensive, or program, of classes and panels demystifying the publishing world.
Preview: The Strokes, Beach Bunny, & NNAMDÏ Will Perform at Credit Union 1 Arena in Support of Kina Collins
It’s been two years since The Strokes first gave their support to Illinois 7th Congressional district candidate Kina Collins. The legendary rock group performed a fantastic set at a sold-out […]
Review: Goodman Theatre’s Highway Patrol Is a Thought-Provoking Story About Online Friendship
“The truth is, I needed to know I could love someone.” That’s all so many of us want—to love and to feel loved. That can look a number of different […]
Winter Museum Update 2024
It’s a new year (relatively! It’s only February!) and while not everyone does the resolution thing, it’s never a bad idea to spend more time learning. Here in Chicago we […]