Items filtered by date: November 2007

Embarking on the end of her undergraduate years at Brown University as an English Major in 2004, Sara Ruhl wrote her first play. Instead of writing a 100-page thesis paper, Paula Vogel (a teacher and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright) aided her in writing the three part series, wrapped up in one innovative package that has come to be known as Passion Play.

As I was thoroughly enjoying the many wonderful themes in this show I couldn’t help but feel a tiny pang of jealousy for all the little girls who are growing up with this musical as part of their psychological repertoire. I really wanted to be a witch when I was little. I wanted to be a good witch who casts spells to bring baby birds back to life when they fell from their nests. I wanted a magic spell to put the lizard’s tails back on when my brothers pulled them off,

During sleep your soul is free to roam the planet and visit places and people that your waking life won't allow.

I think my dream weaver is on the fritz because I just can't dream the things I want to! For years I was actually afraid to dream because nightmares about work and people I loved would make me wake up more tired and upset than when I went to bed.

As for their recent concert at the Allstate Arena, Van Halen put on an impressive performance, which took crowd participants back to the Roth era lasting from 1978 to 1984. Starting off with songs from their debut album "Van Halen" and finishing off with songs from "1984", Eddie, Alex, and Dave showed that they...

The whole show starts off with Kanye explaining how he is lost in space while he was on a mission to search for creativity in the universe. "My only companion is my spaceship, Jane, and this is our last mission," he said. "Our system has encountered a meteor shower," Jane responds back in a sexy and robotic...

The Influence of bands such as Tool, Evanescence, Korn, and System of a Down, is apparent in their work. This is a wonderful thing. These guys fu**ing rock! Combining some heavy staccato chord action with note by note leads, a bangin’ drummer, a bass player who knows what’s up, and a singer with pipes to the likes...

Colin Quinn packed 'em in and delivered a fantastic hour plus set at the Lakeshore Theater last weekend. Colin talks fast and delivers joke after joke with such rapidity that I couldn't hear everything he said over the laughter. I loved his stuff about Brad Pitt traveling the world in designer duds, with a tired, stunned look on his face, and so...

I love this theater company and based on the high volume of subscribers, so does the city of Chicago. When a group of college graduates can start a company and within 5 years achieve the kind of success that Steppenwolf demands to house, we can be assured that this ensemble knows how to entertain. However, it is inevitable...

Since its invention, the telephone has always been a favorite way for lovers to connect. How exciting it must have been for couples to stop relying on mail carriers whose message took days or weeks to arrive, or the telegraph, which delivered your brief but urgent message dictated through the chilly third person of a telegraph operator - I love you - stop - see you in New York - stop - kisses and hugs - stop.

There is a certain kind of poise I look for in a seasoned comic, the kind of relaxed rhythm that professional musicians also have that lets you know right from the start, this guy is going to be funny and this guy is going to control the audience with ease. Jamie Kilstein definitely has this rhythm and poise. It is a pleasure to watch as Jamie riffs...