Wednesday, 17 October 2018 22:26
Review: Remy Bummpo's 'Frankenstein’ at Theater Wit
Written by John Accrocco
You may be wondering why four of the city’s most formidable houses are each mounting productions of ‘Frankenstein’ this season. You may be also asking yourself which, if any, to see. It appears that Lifeline, Remy Bumppo, Court Theatre and Lookingglass have all included unique adaptations of the sci-fi classic.…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 16 October 2018 02:02
Strawdog has great idea with 'Masque Macabre', but...
Written by Vika Lvova
It’s that spooky time of year when we crave cheap candy and scary movies, and when deserted storefronts suddenly pop their doors open to sell Halloween costumes. Strawdog Theatre Company launches its 31st season with the world premiere of Masque Macabre, a Halloween-y show inspired by the works of Edgar…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Wednesday, 10 October 2018 18:50
When We Don't Know What To Do With Them, We Send Them Downstate
Written by Bill Esler
“Downstate” is a bit of a dog whistle for Chicagoland, suggesting a cultural distinction between urbanites in the north, and the vast agrarian expanses to the south – downstate - where trash goes, sewage flows, and where the state government builds prisons. The word becomes generalized in Downstate, a new…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Sunday, 14 October 2018 21:58
Waist not, want not - 'Waistwatchers the Musical' at Royal George Theatre
Written by Mariah Sulaiman
Forget about the lofty plans you had for the day, the goals you had set. Grab your girls, all your friends, your snacks, your drinks, and head over to Miss Cook’s Women’s Gym! WaistWatchers the Musical will have you and your friends laughing hysterically and cheering along with MC, Cheryl,…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Wednesday, 10 October 2018 05:51
Christian Gray Victoriously Brings Poe Alive in First Folio's "The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe: A Love Story"
Written by Ken Payne
The excitement begins as you walk up to the Mayslake Peabody Estate. It screams Poe, despite the fact that it was built around 1920, some 70 years after the great American writer’s death. Upon entering we are given a dance card. Two colors are distributed – blue and yellow. The…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Friday, 12 October 2018 00:00
A Powerful Parable of Insidious Gamer Hate Groups: Fun Harmless Warmachine
Written by Bill Esler
The new show running at the Den Theater, Fun Harmless Warmachine, may surprise you. While treating the world of video games, which struggles for recognition against more established art forms, it delivers an important commentary on a powerful social phenomenon. Video games are a cultural mainstay; when a new game…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
Having been close with many people with disabilities over the course of my life, I’m often hesitant when it comes to media about such individuals. Too often, books or films or plays dealing with disabilities end up being either demeaning to the folks who have them or cloying and saccharine…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Saturday, 06 October 2018 21:20
Review: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Oriental Theatre
Written by CJ Burroughs
Before the curtain rose for the start of the Oriental Theatre’s current traveling production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the sole image onstage was a giant silhouette of the character most associated with the beloved tale — a tale told in Roald Dahl’s original novel, in two Hollywood films,…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 08 October 2018 01:36
Overlit 'Boheme' fails to illuminate
Written by William and Margaret Swain
Lyric Opera of Chicago opened its 2018-19 season with Puccini’s beloved “La Boheme” last Saturday evening. Essential to any Puccini production, more than most other composers, is a faithful rendition of the specific intentions of the composer, whose theatrical instincts were equal to if not better than his musical gifts.…
Published in
Theatre in Review
More...
Monday, 08 October 2018 11:04
Steep Theatre’s ‘Zürich’ provokes and entertains
Written by Vika Lvova
If shock is the intent, then the opening scene of ‘Zürich’ is right on. The set: a hotel room, cleverly separated from the audience by a glass wall, furnished with a bed, a couple of tables and a mini-fridge. In the first scene it’s a couple of complete strangers who…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Ask yourself, do you have hope that things can get better? The word itself certainly echoes back to a different political climate in America. Now it seems the very word has been replaced with fear. Jen Silverman’s new play ‘Witch’ is holding its world premiere at Writers Theatre in Glencoe.…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Sunday, 30 September 2018 17:44
Review: 'Indecent' at Victory Gardens Theater
Written by John Accrocco
“A blink in time.” is a phrase repeatedly projected throughout Paula Vogel’s play ‘Indecent’ now running at Victory Gardens. The line could have many interpretations but perhaps it means that the nature of theatre is but a blink in time. Plays are ephemeral, especially where fickle Broadway audiences are concerned.…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 17 September 2018 17:39
"Sweet Charity" is Full of Great Dancing, Humor and Positive Messages for #MeToo Generation
Written by Kimberly Katz
I was so excited to see this production of " Sweet Charity" partly because I remember Shirley MacLaine’s spectacular dancing in the film version of this very funny Neil Simon hit play. The main character Charity Hope Valentine, played with pizzazz by Anne Horak, is a dance hall girl who…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Register
Login
Latest Articles
-
Chicago Opera Theater presents Chicago leg of the world premiere tour of Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s newest opera Before It All Goes Dark May 25 & 26 at the Studebaker Theater
Written by Buzz Center StageChicago Opera Theater (COT), Chicago’s foremost producer of new and reimagined opera, closes its 50th Anniversary season presenting the final performances of the world premiere tour of Before It All Goes Dark, the latest opera by the most famous American opera writing duo working… -
Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre announces 2024 season - celebrates local artists and two of the most significant Black female writers of the past 50 years
Written by Buzz Center StageTim Rhoze, Artistic Director of Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre, has announced the company's 2024 season of four productions. The season will open with the original musical 1619: THE JOURNEY OF A PEOPLE by Chicago writer and performer Ted Williams III. The musical commemorates the arrival…
-
Comedy & magic collide in RIDICULOUS! with David Williamson, May 16-June 30 at Rhapsody Theater
Written by Buzz Center StageDavid Williamson, regarded as one of the top magicians in the world today, makes his Rhapsody Theater debut with Ridiculous! Known for his tours with Circus 1903 and The Illusionists on Broadway, Williamson’s Ridiculous! is a brand new solo full-length magic production created for The Rhapsody Theater. Mixing mind-bending…
-
Ballet 5:8's 'Lost Women of Juárez' in a word - evocative!
Written by Sarz MaxwellBALLET 5:8 is a female - and minority-led ballet company resident at Harris Theatre in Millenium Park. Under the leadership of co-founder, Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer Julianna Rubio Slager the company is ‘dedicated to engaging communities in conversations of…
Does your theatre company want to connect with Buzz Center Stage or would you like to reach out and say "hello"? Message us through facebook or shoot us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
*This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Buzz Center Stage. Buzz Center Stage is a non-profit, volunteer-based platform that enables, and encourages, staff members to post their own honest thoughts on a particular production.