Tuesday, 24 December 2024 15:36
Review: The Berlin Diaries by Andrea Stolowitz at Open Space Arts
Sarz Maxwell
My companion was apprehensive about the press release’s statement that “… the two-person cast will play all characters and will even share certain characters.” “How can that work?” she wondered. “How will we know which character is speaking?” I told her, “Wait and see.” I had no such doubts; I’ve…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 24 December 2024 10:45
Legally Blonde at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts: Blonde Ambition Takes Center Stage in Skokie!
Written by CJ Burroughs
Unlike many of the shows I review, which I’ve often seen in other productions elsewhere, I went into Music Theater Works’ current production of Legally Blonde blind. Other than the couple-decades-old movie the musical is based on, along with a covid-era TikTok fascination that my daughters had with a particular…
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Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 17 December 2024 00:49
25 Years of Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer: A Warm and Sparkling Celebration of Individuality!
Written by Kimberly Katz
I fondly recall watching the 1964 children’s television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer each year with great wonder! Its message of hope—that you can be yourself and different from the herd—left a lasting impression. The idea that, through perseverance, you can be loved and appreciated for your unique talents is…
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Theatre in Review
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- RUDOLPH THE REDHOSED REINDEER
- Hell in a Handbag Productions
- Hoover Leppen Theatre
- Center on Halsted
- David Cerda
- Caitlin Jackson
- Sydney Genco
- Michael Hampton
- Terry McCarthy
- Lori Lee
- Mark Bartishell
- Kelly Bolton
- Peter Ruger
- Matt Sergot
- Eustace Allen
- Cameron Cai
- Micah Mixon
- TJ O’Brien
- Shawn Quinlan
- Michael Radford
- Whitney Willard Wilkinson
- Anthony Whitaker
- Chad Gearing
Tuesday, 17 December 2024 12:23
Three-time Jeff Award winner Ron OJ Parson to direct Hymn
Written by Buzz Center Stage
Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces renowned Chicago director Ron OJ Parson will helm the North American premiere of Lolita Chakrabarti's Hymn, making his CST directorial debut. Chakrabarti has re-imagined her play in the South Side of Chicago, following an acclaimed premiere at London's Almeida Theatre. The creative team also includes scenic and projection designer Rasean Davonté Johnson,…
Published in
Upcoming Theatre
Friday, 13 December 2024 13:49
Teatro ZinZanni's Love, Chaos, and Dinner: A Spectacular Romantic Journey of Joy and Laughter
Written by Kimberly Katz
Upon entering the beautifully decorated lobby of Teatro Zinzanni theater on the 14th floor of the Cambria Hotel, you are instantly transported to an exquisite, romantic art deco speakeasy. The theater itself is housed under a stunning 100-year-old Belgian Spiegeltent, featuring booth and chair seating in the round. A delightful…
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Theatre in Review
Wednesday, 11 December 2024 17:15
This Charles Dickens Gets to the Heart of 'Christmas Carol' In Spectacular Performance
Written by Bill Esler
Just as there are many Santa’s around town, this time of year we have a wide selection of Christmas and Holiday-themed shows on stage. While I’ve grown quite jaded about the diminishment of “real” theater during the holidays—steadfastly avoiding the Goodman show each year—there was something that overcame my reluctance…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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Tuesday, 10 December 2024 12:01
Join Sweet DeLa and Spicy Jinkx in their irreverent shenanigans
Sarz Maxwell
[Reviewer’s Note: I’ve been reading a book whose main character is inveigled by Word of the Day; hence, I’ve striven to include as many unconventional and indecipherable words as possible. You’re welcome.] This is the seventh year of the JINKX AND DELA HOLIDAY SHOW, composed each year by BenDeLaCreme and…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Saturday, 07 December 2024 11:51
Finally, A Fresh and Fitting Take on Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women
Written by Mitchell Oldham
Like a lot of people, Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women has been mostly a cultural curiosity for much of my life. I know it’s perennially referenced when talking about women and their struggle to achieve personal agency and autonomy. Since it was published in 1868, shortly after the Civil War,…
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Theatre in Review
Friday, 06 December 2024 22:30
An AfFAIR to Remember; Joffrey's The Nutcracker A Must See This Holiday Season
Written by Kendall Royzen
There is something magical about Chicago at Christmastime. Even if there is no snow on the ground, there is an energy in the atmosphere, peaceful and whimsical. Whether you take in the colorful zoo lights at The Lincoln Park Zoo, or stroll the Christkindl markets downtown, or ice skate in…
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Theatre Reviews
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Thursday, 05 December 2024 11:26
Broadway in Chicago’s Production of & Juliet is a Jaw-Dropping Blast from Start to Finish
Written by Lauren Katz
Lights come down at the top of the show. We are clearly in a rehearsal hall as the ensemble lets us know that it’s opening night of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet – and they cannot be more excited to perform the material. Video and Projection Designer Andrezej Goulding helps…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 02 December 2024 13:30
Thornton Wilder’s The Long Christmas Dinner Radiant Throughout at Bramble Arts Loft
Written by Mitchell Oldham
Immediately following the gastronomical excesses of Thanksgiving are the monetary investments and personal sacrifices we make for Christmas. At the heart of both is family and the importance we place in coming together to sustain and strengthen seminal bonds. In 1931, a 34-year-old college professor at the University of Chicago…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 02 December 2024 12:02
Review: It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! at American Blues Theater
Written by John Accrocco
“No man is a failure who has friends,” is to film what “God bless us everyone” is to literature. Frank Capra’s 1946 film ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is as close to an American retelling of ‘A Christmas Carol’ as anyone has ever gotten. Though the film has been a Christmas…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Friday, 15 November 2024 11:38
Redtwist Theatre Announces Headliner and Plays in It's Inaugural New Work Incubator - TWISTED PLAYFEST
Written by Buzz Center Stage
Award-winning Redtwist Theatre is proud to announce the roster of plays for its inaugural Twisted Playfest, December 17 - 22, and the cast and creative team for the headlining production in Twisted Playfest, The Totality of Things, written by Eric Gernand and directed by Enrico Spada, December 5, 2024 - January, 19, 2025, at Redtwist Theatre,…
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Upcoming Theatre
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