Displaying items by tag: Musical theatre

The Auditorium (Chicago's landmark stage at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive) presents Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical direct from London's West End. Featuring the timeless music of Jim Steinman and Meat Loaf, this electrifying production is full of rock 'n' roll favorites. The one night only presentation is Thursday, April 9, 2026 at 7:30 PM at The Auditorium, 50 E Ia B Wells Dr. Tickets go on sale on Friday, January 30 at 9:00 AM and will be available at auditoriumtheatre.org or by calling The Auditorium's Ticket Service Center at 312.341.2300.

Featuring some of the most iconic rock songs ever recorded, Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical boasts an epic world class cast of singers, dancers, actors, accompanied by a dynamic eight-piece rock band. As the Lost boys and girls flee into the tunnels below the city from its ruler Falco, his teenage daughter Raven locks eyes with fearless leader of the Lost, the immortal Strat, and the immensity of their love-at-first-sight-obsessions threaten to destroy both of their families.

Bat Out Of Hell became one of the best-selling albums in history, selling over 68 million copies worldwide. 16 years after the release of the original album, Steinman scored again with Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell, which contained the massive hit I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That). For the stage musical, the legendary and award-winning Jim Steinman incorporated iconic songs from the Bat Out of Hell albums, including You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth, Bat Out of Hell, I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That), It's All Coming Back to Me, and Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad, as well as the previously unreleased song What Part of My Body Hurts the Most.

Bat Out Of Hell - The Musical has book, music and lyrics by Jim Steinman, direction by Jay Scheib, with musical supervision and additional arrangements by Michael Reed, additional choreography by Xena Gusthart, set and costume design by Jon Bausor, original wig designs by Linda McKnight, video design by Finn Ross, lighting design by Patrick Woodroffe, sound design by Gareth Owen, orchestrations by Steve Sidwell, original casting by David Grindrod CDG, North American Tour Casting by Kinlore Casting – Kate Lumpkin, CSA, Associate Director Alli Coyne, and General Management by Evan Bernardin Productions – Jenna Lazar. Bat Out of Hell – The Musical won the UK'S Radio 2 Audience Award for Best Musical at the Evening Standard Awards and was nominated for 8 LONDON WhatsOnStage Awards, including Best New Musical. Loved by audiences and critics alike, it garnered 5 stars from the UK's The Independent, Daily Mirror, Daily Express, Manchester Evening News, Metro, while the New York Times called it 'extravagant, absurd, compulsively hummable." Bat Out Of Hell -The Musical has played limited seasons at Manchester Opera House, London Coliseum, London's Dominion Theatre, Toronto's CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre and New York City Center with successful runs in Canada, Germany, a residency in Las Vegas and the international tour which took the show to the UK, Ireland, Germany, Australia and New Zealand.

The Canadian and US dates of Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical, are produced by Emmy and Tony Award winner Michael Cohl, CEO of S2BN Entertainment and the former Chairman of Live Nation, Tony Smith & David Sonenberg with executive producers Glenn Orsher and Julian Stoneman. For more information about the show, visit BatOutOfHellMusical.com.

About The Auditorium

The Auditorium, located at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive in Chicago, is an Illinois not-for-profit organization committed to presenting the finest in international, cultural, community, and educational programming to all of Chicago and beyond as The Theatre for the People. The organization also is committed to the continued restoration and preservation of this National Historic Landmark that originally opened in 1889. The Auditorium's 2025-26 performance season features a dynamic mix of cultural events from ballet to rock and roll and everything in between. For more information on The Auditorium and a complete listing of events at The Auditorium please visit AuditoriumTheatre.org.

CHICAGO THE MUSICAL is BACK IN TOWN and is still the one musical with everything that makes Broadway shimmy-shake: a universal tale of fame, fortune, and all that jazz, with one show stopping song after another and the most astonishing dancing you’ve ever seen.

With a legendary book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, CHICAGO is the #1 longest-running American musical in Broadway history -- and it shows no sign of ever slowing down!

There’s never been a better time to experience CHICAGO, Broadway’s razzle-dazzle smash. This triumphant hit musical is the recipient of 6 Tony Awards®, 2 Olivier Awards, a Grammy®, and thousands of standing ovations. You’ve got to come see why the name on everyone’s lips is still…CHICAGO.

The 2025-26 touring cast of CHICAGO features Ellie Roddy in her return to the cellblock as Roxie Hart, Claire Marshall making her debut as Velma Kelly along with Max Cervantes as Billy Flynn, Marc Christopher as Amos Hart, Illeana “illy” Kirven returning as Matron “Mama” Morton and J. Clanton as Mary Sunshine.

The cast also includes Tim Canali, Genevieve Hall, Jared Houde, Jaiden Jones, Amy Knips, Lacey Kohn, Helena Laing, Michael Mottram, Chandler James Pettus, Jake Siffert, Anna Speer, Nick Traficante, and returning cast members Terryn Cuozzo, Josh England, Serena Kozusko, Ryan McInnes and Angelliz M. Rosado Ramos. 

CHICAGO is the winner of six 1997 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Cast Recording.   
  
This tour will be directed by David Hyslop with choreography by Gregory Butler based on the original direction by Tony Award winner Walter Bobbie and original choreography by Tony Award winner Ann Reinking. CHICAGO features scenic design by Tony Award winner John Lee Beatty, costume design by Tony Award winner William Ivey Long, lighting design by Tony Award winner Ken Billington, sound design by Scott Lehrer, Supervising Music Director Robert Billig and casting by ARC.

The CHICAGO band will be led by Music Director and Conductor Andy Chen, Associate Conductor Chase Anderson and will include Erik Wakar, Jason Whitmore, Heather Kriesel, Matt TenBroek, Jordan Webb, Amanda Bateman, Landon Gaddis, Troy Bashor, Garrett Sullivan and Aaron Kan.

The stage management team is led by Sofia Rose Itskovich and Elspeth Bustard. The company management team is led by Marc Ciemiewicz and Jess Fernando. 

Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, CHICAGO is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who maliciously murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today’s tabloids.

It’s no surprise that CHICAGO has wowed audiences from Mexico City to Moscow, from Sao Paulo to South Africa. The show has been seen in 36 different countries and seen by 33 million people worldwide and now it’s coming to your town!

Whether you're looking for your first Broadway musical, whether you've seen the Academy Award®-winning film and want to experience the show live on stage or whether you've seen it before and want to recapture the magic, CHICAGO always delivers!

CHICAGO is a production not to be missed. And all the reviewers agree.

TIME Magazine calls it “A Triumph,” Newsweek raves “Smashing” and Entertainment Weekly sums it up by calling CHICAGO “Broadway’s Most Electrifying Show.”

Come on, babe! Head to CHICAGO! We’re hotter than ever.

Connect with us on social:
https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoOnTour

https://www.tiktok.com/@chicagotour

https://www.instagram.com/ChicagoOnTour/

For more CHICAGO information: www.ChicagoOnTour.com


PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesday, May 5 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 6 – 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 7 – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, May 8 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 9 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 10 – 1:00 p.m.

TICKET INFORMATION (As of February 19, based on availability and subject to change)
Individual tickets for CHICAGO THE MUSICAL will go on sale Friday, February 20 and range from $40.00 - $115.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. Ticket price listed is when purchased in person at the box office. Additional fees apply for online purchases. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

ABOUT THE AUDITORIUM
The Auditorium, located at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive in Chicago, is an Illinois not-for-profit organization committed to presenting the finest in international, cultural, community, and educational programming to all of Chicago and beyond as The Theatre for the People. The organization is also committed to the continued restoration and preservation of this National Historic Landmark that originally opened in 1889. For more information on The Auditorium please visit AuditoriumTheatre.org.

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 26 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, The Auditorium, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place.
 

For more information and tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
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There’s an old adage that says something along the lines of “don’t judge a book by its cover.” The same wisdom can most certainly be applied to playbills. More often than not the title of a musical describes exactly what the theatre piece will be about; Hamilton is about Alexander Hamilton, Annie is about an orphan girl named Annie, Wicked is about, you guessed it, a wicked witch. Following this same logic you think I’d have known what Godspell would be about prior to seeing the show. But I, ironically, judged incorrectly and found myself judged. Having heard the name in musical theatre circles and knowing it was a Broadway darling for years, I was genuinely surprised to find that Godspell was not some spooky musical about casting spells or witchcraft and wizardry but a musical based upon the gospel according to St. Matthew. Boy did I judge that book by its cover.

Godspell is a musical based on the Gospel of Matthew, which tells the story of Jesus through a modern-day group of non-Biblical characters symbolizing his "disciples" who enact his parables through song, dance, and comedy. This production of Godspell finds a fractured and disconnected community gathered at a local coffee shop discovering the transformative power of forgiveness and embracing radical love.

Like any theatrical experience patrons must have a willing suspension of disbelief. There is a burden to check all preconceived biases at the door and allow themselves to be immersed into another world for a few short hours. That’s where the magic of theatre resides, with oneself. For the first act of Godspell, I regrettably did not suspend my disbelief. I found myself resistant to the words, given they were word for word from the Gospel of Matthew. Bearing in mind I had not researched the play nor even studied the synopsis, merely checking off the show from my musical theatre bucket list, I went into the theatre not knowing anything about this play. Two songs in and I found myself not in a cushioned theatre seat but in a hardbacked pew, wondering how everyone around me was smiling and laughing while I sat questioning what was going on and pointing out hypocrisies and double-standards. Godspell is nearly word-for-word the gospels and include infectious pop and rock songs like “Day by Day,” “Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord,” “O Bless the Lord My Soul” that one might hear in any new age church. I felt myself rejecting the play, the words that were being said, the songs that were being sung, even wondering how so many people in the audience knew the play word-for-word, bar-for-bar. Surely this is just propaganda? Surely this is some kind of joke. But then it hit me. I’m being critical in the worst way. I’m judging this book by its cover. I allowed my preconceived biases to blind me of the possibility of a great show. I quickly cast away my disbelief.

Godspell was phenomenal. Debuting in 1970 with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, the musical has been a consistent success, even becoming a major motion picture staring Victor Garber as Jesus. Music Theater Works’ version, directed by Matthew Silar, choreographed by Amanda Hope and music directed by Justin Kono, modernizes the play in a way that is not pandering or patronizing. Rather it weaves the play’s central theme and message with real people, quick witted humor, exceptional improv, and genuine love and care. While the context of the play can be preachy and heavy handed, as the Bible tends to be, this production is surprisingly light thanks to local Chicago talent like Jacob Simon as John the Baptist, Tafadzwa Diener, Dani Pike, and Ben Woods as the café community members. The intentional care and lightness the cast bring to their performances make you forget you’re listening to preachy gospel. You’re not being preached to, rather, you’re following skeptical and reluctant patrons find meaning in the words spoken at the open mic night by Jesus himself, exceptionally played by Eldon Warner-Soriano, and experiencing the lessons through clever and well-timed improv. Coupled with the talented cast, Silar’s version of Godspell strips away the heavy handedness, allowing the cast of characters to be their goofy-sometimes-awkward-yet-no-less-hilarious selves while still delivering impactful messages about loving your neighbor and forgiving others as you would want to be forgiven. It’s clear the cast and crew checked any preconceived biases at the door when staging this musical. Were one to have no prior knowledge of the Bible, the gospels, or religion itself, they’d find themselves immersed in a world of good words and teachings of love and acceptance one could find in dozens of books from Harry Potter to The Song of Achilles.

In today’s political and cultural climate, Godspell is a risky choice to put on. It was easy to allow that thin magical line between the real world and theatre to blur. It was easy to bring the real world with me when I ventured into the theatre. It was even easier to be stubborn and reject something simply because I don’t like how some people interpret, use, or weaponize the gospels. Personally, I think those very same people would do well to suspend their biases and see Godspell and be reminded about the true meaning and purpose of the very book they preach about. That being said, I think putting on Godspell in today’s political and cultural climate is not only important, it’s essential. The content of the play and Silar’s beautiful production will no doubt being necessary dialogue and spark conversation and ask audience members to reflect on the play vs. their defined ideals. Godspell is just a story of a man, told through the eyes of another man, and performed by exceptionally talented individuals. Or is it something more? Was this play preachy or did it have some real-life lessons and messages to take away? Do I reject the play or do I reject how others interpret the context behind the play? Am I being critical or skeptical? Hypocritical even? Hell, soon we’ll all be flocking to theatres to see a cinematic production about a wicked witch and will probably have very little issue suspending our disbelief as we watch a witch flying on a magical broomstick with her army of flying monkeys. So I implore everyone to keep that same energy when viewing this production of Godspell. At the end of the day, it’s just a show, and gods know we can all use a bit more magic in our lives, even if it limited to the theatre.

Godspell is presented by Music Theater Works and is sponsored by the Whirled Peas Foundation and presented in partnership with Curt’s Café. It is playing now through November 16^th at The North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie (9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie). Tickets are now on sale from $19.50 to $106 with tickets for guests 25 years old and younger available at half-price at MusicTheaterWorks.com or by calling the Music Theater Works box office at the North Shore Center, 847.673.6300.

In 1997, Disney came out with the most magnificent adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella that has ever been made. With talent like Brandy, Whitney Houston, Bernadette Peters, Jason Alexander, and Paolo Montalban, the rendition of the classic fairytale lives rent free in the minds of most millennials and their parents who endured countless rewatches of the film on The Disney Channel. With the resurgence and fascination of all things 90s, the musical will no doubt be a successful streaming event. The 1997 film managed to do something previous adaptations of the fairytale could not. It captured pure magic. The charm, the wonder, the beauty and enchantment, it was all perfect. Twenty-seven years later, that same charm and enchantment can be found at Marriott Theatre as they perform Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella celebrates the timeless enchantment of the magical fairy tale. It tells the story of a young woman named Cinderella, mistreated by her cruel stepmother and stepsisters, who dreams of a better life and is granted a magical night at a royal ball by her Fairy Godmother, where she falls in love with the Prince, ultimately escaping her harsh reality and finding happiness through a glass slipper left behind at the ball. The classic story of Cinderella at Marriott Theatre follows her quest to attend the Prince’s Ball with a twist of originality, charm and elegance. With a magical, minimalist 360-degree stage, the musical transports a new generation to a miraculous kingdom of dreams-come-true. With great warmth and more than a touch of hilarity, this enthralling fairy tale still warms the hearts of children and adults alike.

Though Cinderella’s story has been told thousands of times over in every conceivable style, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella has something special. The musical was originally written for television with music by Richard Rodgers and a book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It aired in 1957 with the incomparable Julie Andrews playing the title role. The broadcast was viewed by more than 100 million people, the 1997 adaptation boasted an impressive 60 million. While Marriott Theatre cannot accommodate those numbers, the show continues to entertain sold out crowds. Princes and princesses of all ages gather at the Lincolnshire homestead to hear familiar numbers such as Impossible/It’s Possible, Ten Minutes Ago, and A Lovely Night. Jaeda Lavonne absolutely dazzles as Cinderella, accompanied by a remarkably talented cast to include Marriott darlings Lillian Castillo as the Fairy Godmother and Lorezno Rush Jr. as the King.

Marriott Theatre rounds out their season with this enchanting production, reviving the magic and charm of the musical just in time for the holiday season. Be sure to take your princes and princesses to see it before the stroke of midnight and the end of 2024. Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella is now playing at The Marriott Theatre (10 Marriott Dr, Lincolnshire) through December 29, 2024, a finer night you know you’ll never see. Tickets are available at www.marriotttheatre.com. 

Growing up our radio dial was tuned to one channel, K-Earth 101. In Southern California that station was the oldies, the classics, belting out hits from the 1950s and 60s; Sam Cooke, Buddy Hall, Mel Carter, Peggy Lee, The Ronettes, and so many more artists’ melodies and lyrics that are permanently tattooed on my brain. That music knowledge didn’t particularly help during middle school dances where 13 years olds grinded to The Bad Touch by The Bloodhound Gang but it did provide a solid foundation for an eclectic music playlist I continue to grow and curate today. Thanks to modern music apps we can now not only know the song but who sang it, and more astonishingly who wrote the music and lyrics. It is fascinating to find your favorite artists often wrote and composed songs for other artists, or your favorite songs are written by the same composer or produced by the same producer. It’s another level to musical appreciation that gets to the very heart and soul of the music. Music afficiandos loving to discover the artists behind the music will simply love Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, now playing at The Paramount Theatre. 

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical tells the story of Carole King, played by Tiffany Topol, and her musical journey and career. Starting out in Brookly we meet a 16-year-old aspiring songwriter in Carolee and journey through her early career composing music at 1650 Broadway for music publisher Donnie Kirshner, played by Ian Paul Custer. When she meets her future husband and lyricist Gerry Goffin, played by C.J. Blaine Eldred, we follow their early marriage and burgeoning careers as they team up to write some of the most iconic and lasting melodies and lyrics from huge 1960s artists like The Drifters and The Shirelles. Carole King’s career was filled with playful rivalries, endearing classics and emotional heartbreak but through it all she managed to see the beauty around her and become an era defining musician and artist and go on to become one of the most successful singer, songwriter and musicians in popular music history. 

First premiering in 2013, this modern musical is unlike any that you have ever seen. Synopsis and summaries about the play and captured in reviews are, in my humble opinion, purposely vague. The beauty of this musical is that it doesn’t have any original numbers nor does it sing-tell the story. Instead the writer Douglas McGrath uses King’s life story along with the music she wrote to show us her life, not tell us. He cleverly teases the music out, not immediately revealing the song, but having King or Goffin's characters slowly unveil the song to us. More satisfying than an unboxing video, the moment the first lyrics are sung or the melody tinkled on the piano keys, there is a collective and satisfying flutter of your heart, a spark in your brain at the recollection of the familiar song. It is made only more incredible as mini concerts within the play are performed by an incredible ensemble cast; The Righteous Brothers, performed by Luke Nowakowski, Matt Thinnes, The Shirelles performed by Marta Bady, Lydia Burke, Ariana Burks, Shelbi Voss, The Drifters, performed by Averis I. Anderson, Corey Barrow, Jared David Michael Grant, Calvin Scott Roberts, the incredibly talented ensemble cast embody the musical legends and perform just as they would have in the 1960s, fully immersing you into the heart and soul of King’s craft and talent. There is also a deep appreciation and respect for Carole King and how much influence she truly had on an entire generation of music, not counting her residual influence throughout her career with other artists. The satisfying, gratifying, and inspiring aspects of King’s life and influence is slowly unveiled to you as the audience and at times you’ll hardly be able to stay seated you’ll want to sing and dance along with the cast. The story telling is superb. It’s a love letter not only to King’s contribution to music but her rivals as well, Cythnia Weil and Barry Mann, played by Rebecca Hurd and Christopher Kale Jones respectively, and the music they all wrote that defined an era. You’ve never seen anything quite like Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. 

Going into this show I did not research Carole King's life story nor her songbook collection. I wanted to go in blind, knowing of the singer-songwriter but not being able to name many of her songs from memory. I had many people tell me what the musical was about and provide a brief summary of what it was about. All of their words failed to truly capture the magic and beauty of this show. I’m afraid my review will also fail to articulate and capture the true essence of the story. This Musical is like a song I must share with you but like a good song you cannot appreciate it until you hear it for yourself, experience it for yourself. If you see one show this summer, take a drive and enjoy the charming city of Aurora. Paramount Theatre is a gorgeous hidden gem nestled within the walkable and charming downtown community. It’s a perfect date night opportunity complete with theatre and live concerts mixed in. Theatre lovers will love the storytelling of the musical and music lovers will rejoice at the familiar melodies, only needing to resist singing along with the timeless classics. One fine day you’re gonna want to check off this musical from your list, don’t miss your chance to do so in 2024.

 Beautiful: The Carole King Musical is now playing at The Paramount Theatre in Aurora, Illinois and runs through June 16^th. Tickets are available at www.paramountaurora.com.

It’s often said that in the workplace you should refrain from talking about politics and religion; too personal, too easy to offend someone. Throughout my working years the only topic of conversation that has caused controversy is that around children; Do you have any? Are you trying for one? You’re having another? Well why don’t you want a kid? They’re the best thing. They’re the worst thing. In my experience, there is no topic more invasive or sensitive topic to bring up in the workplace than pregnancy and childbirth. Oscar Wilde once said that ‘Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.’ While there is no greater culturally universal experience than pregnancy and childbirth, the way we approach these conversations has changed and should continue to change. In the artistic medium of Theatre, BABY the musical, now playing at the Citadel Theatre, neither helps to change these conversations nor helps us view our lives in a different way.

BABY the musical follows three couples on a university campus deal with the painful, rewarding and agonizingly funny consequences of the universal experience of pregnancy and upcoming parenthood. There are the college students, Danny and Lizzie (played by Ben Ballmer and Madison Jaffe-Richter), in their junior year of college barely at the beginning of their adult lives facing an unplanned pregnancy; Pam and Nick (played by Katie Engler and Mark Yacullo) the thirty-somethings, having trouble conceiving but determined to try, Alan and Arlene (played by Joe Lehman and Julie Bayer) and the middle-aged parents, looking forward to seeing their last child graduate from college when a night of unexpected passion lands them back where they started.

Originally written and premiering on Broadway in 1983, BABY was updated in 2004. Twenty years later, the play needs another revision if not retired entirely. While pregnancy and birthing is an integral part of life and universal across all cultures, this musical performing in 2024 is as dated as Hello, Dolly or The Music Man; time capsules of a bygone era that simply doesn’t resonate with audiences today as they did in the eras they premiered. The musical is predictable, filled with overplayed tropes and stereotypical cliches, but the musical is really a love letter to pregnancy which for many is not possible and not a walk in the park. There are incredible plays that look at pregnancy, birthing, and parenthood through satirical, dramatic, or humorous lenses. BABY the musical’s only lens is that pregnancy is wonderful and everyone should do it regardless of the circumstances they find themselves in, broke college student, infertility troubles, unhappy older couple, everyone should want a baby. This type of art doesn’t reflect life as it’s viewed today.

Citadel Theatre’s ensemble cast performed beautifully with the material they had to work with. The trouble is not in their musical talents or acting abilities, the trouble with BABY is it simply is outdated and can’t stand on a modern stage. The way we as a society approach pregnancy nowadays has changed. More modern musicals such as Mom! The Musical or MotherFreakingHood! approach the same conversation in a way that resonates with audiences today, steering away from tropes to tell real, raw, stories of the pitfalls, trials, and highs of pregnancy. Even with an update in 2004, it’s been 20 years since it’s been revised and 40 since it was created. Watching the play, despite the exceptional cast, staging, and direction at Citadel, it simply felt tired and outdated, and at times downright cringy. Life can be cringe but art shouldn’t be.

BABY the musical is now playing at the Citadel Theatre (300 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest) through Sunday May 19, 2024. Tickets are available on the company’s website at www.citadeltheatre.org.

It's Mother's Day today and you know what that means, 

It's the day we honor those who rock cool mom jeans.

Don't pretend you don't own some, they're back in fashion, ya know,

So don those old favorites and step out for a show.

Grab your friends, hire a sitter, and venture out to the city,

To see a play that is irreverent, honest, sharp, and so witty.

Mothering figures will rejoice at this theme that’s well understood,

There is nothing quite like MotherFreakingHood!

The musical comedy plays out in two simple acts,

The songs encapsulating straight motherhood facts,

From pregnancy pee sticks and kid drop-off lines,

To postpartum, pharmacology, and teen robotic crimes.

Three women meet while preggers, each one a mom troupe,

Finding love and support with each in the groupe.

Tafadzwa Diener plays Rachel, the excited new mom,

Whose joy is contagious but she’s anything but calm.

Jacquelyne Jones depicts Angie, the Type A CPA,

Planning every minute of kid life like a project ETA.

Leah Marrow plays Marcia, a seasoned mother of three,

She's blunt and uncensored and longs to break free.

Rounding out the ensemble is the great Maya Rowe,

Who plays “everywoman,” and who often steals the show.

Julie Dunlap and Sara Stotts who wrote the music and book,

Understood the assignment and knew just where to look,

For the content and humor that peppered this play,

For the sometimes sad, lonely, and miserable days.

The long lonely nights, the joy and the pain,

That only a mother figure can capture and explain.

It truly takes a village, we make mistakes and we try,

But like motherhood this musical made us laugh more than cry.

MotherFreakingHood! The musical runs through mid-June

Find tickets here and get to Southport very soon,

Buy the tickets to thank all the moms who’ve been there,

Grab a Mom Water, or two, or three (you don’t have to share!)

While we reflect on this day, with the mothers we love,

Be them our own, the ones we make, or the ones now above,

This world would be greyer without them around,

And remember they’ve loved you, from that first ultrasound.

If we can agree on one thing, it’s that we all do good,

In this crazy, fantastic, thing called MotherfreakingHood!

There is a lot of bad content out there, particularly regarding family programming. Any parent forced to endure an hour of Cocomelon will tell you, not every show is a banger or cult classic in the making. When modern programming fails, it is nice to know we can reach into the past and find good, reliable programming in the classics. For us, those classics are Rugrats, The Simpsons, Powerpuff Girls, Fraggle Rock, and of course School House Rock. When we learned that another classic, even more vintage, had a musical, we knew we had to check it out. With 2023 being the year of 'what was old is new again,' we ventured to the Northern burbs to see You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

Based on the beloved Charles Schulz comic strip, the 1967 musical features Charlie Brown and the Peanuts bunch as they explore life's great questions: playing baseball, struggling with homework, singing songs, swooning over their crushes, and celebrating the joy of friendship.

We were so hopeful for this play and curious about the comic strip in musical form. There were most certainly a few standout moments such as the song "Suppertime" performed by Snoopy and "Beethoven Day" performed by Schroeder, but overall, the songs and music were quite forgettable; no one would be caught singing a song from this musical at an audition.

Much like the comic strip and small vignettes on DVD, the play did not really have a plot or a story arc. What motivates the characters? What is the climax or problem of the story? If this Charlie Brown person claims he has no talent and nothing to offer, and throughout the play we see him live up to that expectation, what is the point of watching him or the people in his life? One could reach for a plot in that Charlie Brown is a good man simply because he is so ordinary that it makes those around him stand out even more, even though they aren't particularly fascinating. We could even venture that he's a good man because he truly does no evil, only sort of floats around innocently, keeping to his own. he does good by doing nothing and allowing his friends to be themselves (even at his own detriment). 

The musical was short and sweet, just under an hour run time with over 20 songs. It's a small cast and simple design, and the Lincolnshire Marriot 360 Theatre ensured you saw every minute of the play from any angle. The only real redeeming quality of the show is that children loved it. In its simplicity and sweetness, it found its niche with the children in the audience whose faces lit up when Snoopy started to talk and when Linus sang a ballad to his blanket. Maybe our brains crave more action and drama than Charlie Brown would deliver (he is rather unextraordinary after all), or maybe Charlie Brown doesn't resonate like it did in the 60s and 70s, but nevertheless, it does have some lasting power, reaching out across generations to bring Boomers and Gen Alpha together for a brief moment out of lives. And maybe, just maybe, that was the real purpose of this musical.

You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown is playing at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire and runs through April 1st. Grab the kids and grands and secure your tickets today. 

Like most things in our lives, what once was old can be new again (looking at you wannabe fanny packs). But some things can stand the test of time and find a resurgence, not to be duplicated but merely rediscovered by a new generation. A Chorus Line, now playing at the Drury Theatre, is just the thing that proves that, without duplication or manipulation, the themes exuded throughout the musical and its numbers speak across generations and stand the test of time and political correctness.

In A Chorus Line, hundreds of hopefuls congregate at a cattle call for Broadway dancers. A sour director and his assistant whittle down the ranks until they're left with 16 dancers (“head up, headband!”). All tell their life stories -- some tragic, some comic -- and explain their love of dance. Tension mounts when Cassie, once both a big star and the director's lover but now desperate for a part, auditions. But Zach must choose only the best for his show.

So what is it about A Chorus Line that gives it such staying power?

Maybe it’s the relateability of putting yourself on the line; working for years and years for a single moment, a single audition. The opening sequence of the musical “I Hope I Get It,” performed by the ensemble cast, brings the audience into the electrifying, heartpounding, anxiety-inducing audition. Aren't we all auditioning for the chorus? From job interviews to dating, we are always putting our best foot forward hoping against all the odds someone chooses us. We can prepare for years, memorize the steps, not miss a single beat, and still not get the part. With each hopeful cast member singing “I really need this job. Please God, I need this job. I've got to get this job,” resonates throughout the audience, and hits hard no matter the decade.

Perhaps it's the theme of understanding where you have come from to accept where you are today, no matter your background. As Zach interviews the cast, we begin to learn about the backgrounds of each hopeful auditioner, as they recall hilarious experiences and share embarrassing details such as “I really couldn't – Sing! I could never really – Sing! What I couldn't do was– Sing!” While recounting where they were, we learn that everyone on that stage dreamed of something bigger than them and we see an homage to youth and overcoming those awkward and challening years with "Hello twelve, hello thirteen, hello love!” Nostaligia can be sweet and innocent or bitter and sad, but they are our formative years. The number really highlights the humor, awkwardness, and tribulations of youth and celebrates it as the necessary path toward becoming who we are today.

It could be the relatability of fighting imposter syndrome, believing that you aren’t good enough. Or when we’re slowly unmasking, realizing you were being encouraged andpushed towards a life and dream that you didn’t really want. When Cassie takes the stage and expresses her only love was not to be a star but to dance, and as she dances her heart out in “The Music and the Mirror” we feel every kick, every headsnap, every spirit finger of emotion. For a single moment we’re all Cassie, wanting to just do what we love without fear, or judgement, or interpretation. To just dance and be allowed the freedom and autonomy to do just that.

For me, it’s the simple honesty of knowing that you tried; regardless of the outcome and if you never truly make it, at least you put yourself out there, and tried. “What I Did for Love” is the perfect balance of bittersweet gratitude, not regretting what you did in pursuit of a dream. It’s this theme that is the most prominent throughout the musical from the opening audition to the closing, glittering kick line.

Drury Lane is quickly becoming my favorite theatre in the Chicagoland area. It continues to deliver incredible performances under the glittering chandeliers of their venue and their 2023 line up is sure to draw even more suburban theater goers to Oak Brook instead of Chicago. A Chorus Line runs through March 19th, get your tickets today at https://drurylanetheatre.com/a-chorus-line/.

When I was in college, a roommate shared their obsession with a Christmas movie I had never seen, the 2003 Will Ferrell film Elf. Over the next few years, she would religiously play Elf on replay during each fall semester with proclamations it was the perfect "it’s the perfect cozy weather” movie, to “it's almost the holiday season" movie, followed by "let's kick off the holiday season" movie, until it was the inevitable "It's Christmas!" movie. Upon graduation, I was Elf-d out and the film eventually made way for other holiday classics like Die Hard. As Elf approaches its 20th anniversary, it found it’s unlikely way back into our holiday shuffle, migrating from the movie to the stage. Elf-the Musical brought Christmas early to Chicagoland.

From the minute you enter the lavish and sparkling Drury Theatre, you are taken into another world. People here are smiling, shiny, welcoming, and prone to breaking into spontaneous song and dance; and those are just the theatre guests! Elf-the Musical draws nostalgic millennials, rosy cheeked children, musical theatre lovers, and theatre supporters alike to this soon-to-be holiday stage classic. Elf-the Musical follows the story of Buddy the Elf, who after discovering he is really a human raised as an elf, makes the journey from the North Pole to New York City to find his birth father, sharing the true meaning of Christmas along the way. Based on the hit holiday film, Elf- the Musical brings heart, hilarity, and holiday joy.

Admittedly, I was not particularly in the holiday mood, as my Elf PTSD was still strong. But I challenge anyone to not crack a smile with the opening musical number of “Happy all the Time” performed by Santa, played by A.D. Weaver, and Buddy, played by Jake Morrissy, along with the hilarious ensemble cast. As the musical progressed, the familiar story came to life in a new way, with clever dialogue sprinkled with double entendres and fantastic recreations of the Elf storyline with musical numbers like “Sparklejollytwinklejingley” performed while Buddy and the cast members decorate the department store for Santa’s arrival. There were beautiful songs like “A Christmas Song” where Buddy’s reluctant Christmas-hating love interest Jovie, played by the incomparable Juanita Anderson finds Christmas cheer by signing loud for all to hear. There are also sweet surprises like the number “I believe in you” wear Emily Hobbs, played by Melodie A Betts, and Michael Hobbs, played by Gabriel Solis, a Christmas letter to Santa asking nothing more than the attention of a father and husband, Buddy’s dad Walter, played by Sean Fortunato. 

Why Elf of all the holiday movie options? I think Elf-the Musical Director Lynne Kurdziep Formatp says it best "after two full Christmas Holidays missed due to COVID pandemic, with inflation, hurricanes and war in the news on a daily basis, it seems the PERFECT time to be reminded that we need to continue to BELIEVE. We can be a light in the world by sustaining the Christmas spirit year-round as we remember that family, friends, people of all ages and backgrounds are what makes the world go round."

This Christmas, and future holiday seasons, will have families, musical theatre, and holiday lovers flocking to the theatre with this soon-to-be holiday favorite. Because even after nearly 20 years, the classic story of Buddy the Elf brought to the stage truly captures the holiday spirit; and perhaps this musical proves Buddy and Santa’s elves are right, that “the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” Elf the Musical is playing at the Drury Theatre in Oakbrook through January 8, 2023. Tickets are available at www.drurylanetheatre.com.