Preview: Ink & Outrage of the 18th Century and Present Day Winks at Driehaus Museum
Influence, I would like to say, has finally met its demise as we all tire of the internet’s ability to force our brains to conform. We finally are striving full […]
Review: Broadway in Chicago’s Water For Elephants Brings Wonder with Puppetry and Acrobatics
Broadway in Chicago’s touring production of Water for Elephants is a remarkable example of how a beloved novel can be transformed to the stage while retaining its heart and spectacle. Through […]
Interview: Actor Tony Hale on Toy Story 5, Flailing in the Voiceover Booth and Physical Comedy Learned on Sitcom Sets
Thanks to a couple key roles on two of the most consistently funny TV series in history, Tony Hale has established himself as a comedic genius. After doing smaller roles […]
Review: Gin Blossoms Are “On It” at Rivers Casino
After nearly four decades of touring, it’s no surprise that the Gin Blossoms are pretty damn good at what they do. Lead singer Robin Wilson estimates that they’ve performed in […]
Review: Olivia Wilde Returns to the Director’s Chair for The Invite, a Cringe-y yet Still Captivating Chamber Piece
The opening credits of The Invite, Olivia Wilde’s latest directing effort, acknowledge that the film is based on Cesc Gay’s 2020 dark comedy Sentimental (or “The People Upstairs”). That original […]
Review: Pixar Does It Again with Toy Story 5, Bringing the Franchise into the Digital Age
If the folks at Pixar can keep making Toy Story movies that are as great as all five have been so far, then I’m willing to believe there is hope […]
Review: Lookingglass Theatre’s Untitled Vampire Play Amuses and Charms
We all know that classic moment in a romantic comedy when a partner meets the parents for the first time. There are often nerves all around. What if the parents […]
Review: From Musicmaker to Baker, Chicago to Nashville—Susannah Felts’ Novel The Come Apart Tells the Story
The Spinning Birds is a Chicago indie rock band, with a front-woman singer and songwriter. Susannah Felts’ new novel, The Come Apart, starts with the story of the band’s sophomore […]
Review: Willem de Kooning’s Rich Canon Explored in Art Institute’s Drawing Exhibit
Dutch-American artist Willem de Kooning (1904-1997) and his evolution as an important Abstract Impressionist and producer of a dynamic, seven-decade-long body of work is chronicled in the riveting new Art […]
Review: Family Legacies Run Deep in Steppenwolf’s Catch as Catch Can
Steppenwolf Theatre ends its 50th anniversary season with a production that reflects the company’s core identity. Ensemble member Amy Morton directs Mia Chung’s Catch as Catch Can with trademark attention […]
Review: Writers Theatre Stages Stoppard’s Final Great Work, Leopoldstadt, a Story of 20th Century Tragedy—and His Own Past
Tom Stoppard’s last grand masterpiece, Leopoldstadt, gets a dynamic staging at Writers Theatre, featuring an all-Chicago cast of some of our finest actors, directed by Carey Perloff. The play concerns […]
Review: Theo’s Small‑Scale Damn Yankees Boasts a Big‑Hearted Spirit
If you’re looking for a little baseball‑themed entertainment this summer, you could skip the Friendly Confines or Sox Park (currently its tenants are in FIRST PLACE in the AL Central?!) […]