Displaying items by tag: live theatre

Get ready - those phones are about to explode, and Sam is already spinning like a top trying to catch every single one. It’s a full‑blown ring‑storm, and he’s diving into it with the hectic energy of someone who knows the chaos is coming and still can’t outrun it.

A brisk, razor‑funny powder keg of a play, Fully Committed tracks a single frantic day in the life of Sam, the lone reservationist at one of Manhattan’s most elite - and most impossible - restaurant. Becky Mode’s script is a full‑tilt high‑wire act, and Mike Newquist tears across nearly forty characters with the kind of breakneck precision that makes your head spin. As Sam, he’s already a live wire - but then he’s also snapping into entitled celebrities, neurotic assistants, tyrannical chefs, and every flavor of fine‑dining madness that dares to ring his desk. It’s dazzling, anxious, and wildly fun to watch him juggle it all without ever dropping the thread. The comedy snaps because each character is so sharply etched, and Newquist seamlessly shifts among them with the kind of finesse that turns mayhem into art.

At its heart, the nearly 90-minute play gleefully skewers the rituals of status and the agitated, almost feral hunger for exclusivity, exposing just how ridiculous people become when a reservation turns into a badge of power. Sam becomes the unseen fulcrum of that world, and his day unravels from merely hectic to outright surreal as he absorbs tantrums, negotiates impossible demands, and fights to keep a grip on his own sense of worth. Watching Newquist as Sam behind that reservation desk in a constant tinderbox had me instantly aware that I wouldn’t survive two hours in his shoes. His frantic charm and barely contained panic sells the chaos and sparks a whole new respect for the people who actually thrive in that kind of daily combustion.

Fully Committed lands as hard as it does because it’s rooted in real industry absurdity. Mode shaped these characters straight out of real restaurant‑world encounters, giving the show a mix of satirical whirlwind and a bite of truth that feels both sharply recognizable and wickedly real.

Throughout the play, I loved how Sam’s dad kept slipping into the heavy commotion with that gentle, grounding voice - just long enough to let the whole room exhale. Each time he called, Sam’s entire demeanor flipped in an instant; you could watch him go from frazzled to peaceful like someone had hit a reset switch. Those brief check-ins made it clear how a few steady words from a gentle, supportive father (or friend/family member) can cut straight through the noise, offering a tiny pocket of calm even when everything else is burning down around him.

Mike Newquist is pure kinetic joy onstage, delivering a commanding turn in Fully Committed. The Chicago‑based actor and improviser thrives in the city’s storefront trenches, bouncing between sharp‑edged comedy, character chameleon work, and the kind of ensemble disorder where anything can - and usually does - happen. He’s popped up with PrideArts, AstonRep, and The Comrades, tackling everything from contemporary drama to high-velocity comic mayhem. In Fully Committed, it’s his quick‑switch agility that makes him a blast to watch.

Directed by Derek Bertelsen, this Chicago staging arrives with a jolt of fresh energy and real immediacy. Newquist’s performance becomes the engine that drives the whole night, while Bertelsen keeps the momentum razor‑sharp, the pacing tight, and every character shift snapping cleanly into place.

The Den Theatre hosts the run March 13–28, 2026, with performances on Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for Fully Committed at The Den Theatre are just $26. For tickets and/or any more show information, click here.

Recommended.

This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com. 

The year is 1952. Television is rapidly gaining popularity over radio, to the delight of some and the disgust of others. Senator Joseph McCarthy has just been re-elected and is accusing hundreds of people of having connections to the Communist Party, provoking a nationwide climate of paranoid hysteria. Thousands of people, particularly in the mass media, are being blacklisted and expelled from their jobs. One would think (hope!) the lessons of this Red Scare might relieve us of government overreach and of accusations due to differing ideologies … sadly, not so much, as attested to by Stephen Colbert.

CHANGING CHANNELS opens in a backstage dressing room at the DuMont Television Network, a dressing room tenanted by Maggie Carlin (Kat Evans) for her popular comedy show. Kat Evans as Maggie Carlin and Orion Lay-Sleeper as her comedic partner Eddie Gilroy are both absolutely terrific. I don’t generally like comedy; a television laugh track is like fingernails on a blackboard to me, but as CHANGING CHANNELS takes place on the set of a comedy TV show, some jokes are inevitable. Happily, they are truly good jokes. We all know the sound of an audience trying to laugh cos they know it’s expected, as opposed to honestly breaking up over a droll line delivered skillfully, and in CHANGING CHANNELS even I was LOL! And later when the script turned serious, Evans and Lay-Sleeper both demonstrated superior range.

Skyler Tipton played Maggie’s husband Peter Bell, a truly stellar spouse, unswerving in his devotion and succor (I love using the word ‘succor’ – it’s like getting away with talking dirty). Andrew Pappas plays the handyman Kenny, a role that might have been a bit part but turns out to be pivotal. It’s not easy to flesh out a character from only a handful of appearances and lines, but Pappas succeeds in making Kenny real, a person whom one might like to have around.

Eddie’s lawyer, misfortunately (albeit appropriately) named Bullets, is played by Johnny Moran. The lawyer arrives bearing tidings of great joy – a breakthrough advance for Maggie and Eddie’s show! Next, however, he has to deliver the caveat: in order to accept the promotion they must sign a document that amounts to a loyalty pledge. Here is the crux around which the story turns: refusal to sign is not so much what anyone wants to do; it’s being expected to sign that rankles.

The set, designed by Joe Larkin, was inspired. The entire show takes place in Maggie’s backstage dressing room, giving the performance a pleasing sense of intimacy – Maggie can make all her many costume changes right onstage behind the big dress/costume rack – it is, after all, her dressing room! The wall is hung with posters showing some of Maggie and Eddie’s performances, and I was delighted to see on the coffee table a vintage copy of True Confessions – brilliant prop, Meg X McGrath! Emily McConnell’s costumes were spot on, totally in sync with the characters and the period, as well as a shining testament to Chicago’s resale shops! Lighting by Liz Cooper and Sound by Petter Wahlbeck combined to form an effective vintage milieu. And the overall smooth production is a testament to Stage Manager Tseela Sokolin-Maimon’s skill.

Why did I like CHANGING CHANNELS so much, given my dislike of comedy theatre? Well, CHANGING CHANNELS isn’t truly a comedy show – the comic repartee is because the characters are comediennes. The play itself, while very funny at times, is actually political commentary, and the raillery serves to lighten and brighten what might otherwise have been a heavy-handed delivery of the message. To my mind this serves to make the message more powerful as well as more accessible.

Edmund Burke said:” The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men [sic] to do nothing.” Hear hear!

CHANGING CHANNELS plays at City Lit Theatre, 1020 W Bryn Mawr Ave, through April 12

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, proudly announces its inaugural season in the company's new home at 1012 Church Street in Downtown Evanston. With its own venue built from the ground up, Northlight will open its doors with a celebratory gala planned for August 15, 2026, and the first public performance on September 9, 2026.  Northlight will welcome subscribers, supporters and the public in advance with opportunities to explore and celebrate the new venue.

The five-play 2026-2027 season, including three world premieres, opens with Jeffrey Hatcher's The Front Page, a world premiere adaptation of the rapid-fire classic comedy that also inspired the 1940 film His Girl Friday. The season continues with the world premiere of Lauren M. Gunderson's new love story All the World, followed by The American Five by Chess Jakobs, about the planning of the March on Washington and the speech that inspired Americans to act toward their shared vision of equality and justice for all. Northlight will then present the 2024 Pulitzer Prize Finalist Here There Are Blueberries by Moisés Kaufman and Amanda Gronich. The season concludes with the world premiere of Art Manke's Pearl's in the House about the life and music of trail-blazer Pearl Bailey.

Subscriptions to the 2026-2027 Northlight Season are available at northlight.org/subscribe or 847.563.8400. With its wide range of ticket prices, discounted subscription packages and complimentary parking at the 1800 Maple Garage, Northlight remains of one of the best theatrical values in Chicagoland. Package options include traditional 5-Play Subscriptions and 4-Ticket Flex Passes.

The new state-of-the-art facility is a major component in the arts and cultural scene in Chicagoland and the North Shore and features approximately 285 comfortable seats with excellent sight lines, state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems, a dedicated box office and contemporary bar/café in the lobby, a second floor rehearsal and event space, and lounge and gathering areas on the first and second floors. Located in the heart of downtown, with easy, nearby access to parking and public transportation via CTA and Metra, Northlight will contribute to a vibrant local economy and will serve as an economic driver for downtown Evanston.

Artistic Director BJ Jones comments, "Opening our brand-new theatre in our founding hometown is a truly special moment. I cannot begin to list the artists, ticket buyers and donors who, over 50 years, delivered us to this moment. In their honor we offer a season rendered by the finest of Chicago's artists, beginning with a refreshed Chicago classic, and continuing with world class work, presented through a local lens."

Executive Director Timothy J. Evans adds, "After five decades, Northlight Theatre finally has a home of its own. A home in the heart of a revitalized downtown Evanston entertainment district steps from public transportation, parking, restaurants, shops, and Northwestern University. Our long-awaited homecoming to Evanston will transform the theatre landscape on the North Shore and Chicago. The New Northlight will serve as a vital place for exchanging ideas, storytelling, community gathering and a long-needed cultural hub for the many communities we serve. We can't wait to share it." 

The 2026-2027 season includes:

The World Premiere of

The Front Page

Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher

From the original by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur

Directed by BJ Jones

Featuring Kate Fry and Timothy Edward Kane

September 9 - October 18, 2026

A world premiere adaptation of the rapid-fire classic comedy that also inspired the 1940 film His Girl Friday.

In a 1930s Chicago press room, wise-cracking reporters are abuzz with the latest news: ace reporter Hildy Johnson is quitting her job and getting married. Editor Walter Burns has no intention of letting her go– out of the newsroom, or into the arms of another man. When a death row convict manages a daring escape, Walter wrangles Hildy into covering one last irresistible story, a tangle of rival reporters, crooked politicians, and a scoop too big to ignore!

The World Premiere of

All the World

By Lauren M. Gunderson

Directed by Jessica Thebus

November 11 - December 20, 2026

'Tis the season for a love story! Gunderson's signature blend of romance, wit, and bittersweet beauty shines in this world premiere.

Two actors find themselves in an ever-shifting relationship during the most emotionally charged time of the year: the holidays. Set amidst the backstages and quick changes of the world's most beloved seasonal classics, they try to keep the mess of their private lives offstage, whether they're falling in love or falling apart. Surprising, heartbreaking, and hopeful, All the World reminds us why—year after year—we keep stepping into the light, telling the story, and leaving it all on the stage.

The American Five

By Chess Jakobs

Directed by Mikael Burke

February 3 - March 3, 2027

"In rousing resistance to injustice and inspiring cohesion and connection, this play is a triumph of doing what it's about!" – DC Theater Arts

"I have a dream..." The words that galvanized a nation weren't written alone. Through late nights and shared meals, differing approaches but collective dreams, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Coretta Scott King, Bayard Rustin, Stanley Levison, and Clarence B. Jones plan the March on Washington and craft a speech to inspire Americans to act toward their shared vision of equality and justice for all. On their way to shaping a defining moment in the civil rights movement, five individuals became a family. Together, they became history.

Here There Are Blueberries
By Moisés Kaufman and Amanda Gronich

Directed by Charles Newell

April 7 - May 17, 2027

2024 Pulitzer Prize Finalist | 2025 Lucille Lortel Award Winner for Outstanding Play | Two-time Helen Hayes Award Winner | Named one of the "10 Best Plays of 2024" by The Wall Street Journal

In 2007, a mysterious album featuring Nazi-era photographs arrived at the desk of a U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum archivist. As curators unravel the shocking truth behind the images, the album soon makes headlines and ignites a debate that reverberates far beyond the museum walls. Based on real events, Here There Are Blueberries tells the story of these historical photographs—what they reveal about the perpetrators of the Holocaust, and our own humanity.

The World Premiere of

Pearl's in the House

By Art Manke

Directed by Kenneth L. Roberson

Featuring E. Faye Butler

June 7 - July 18, 2027

The life and music of trail-blazer Pearl Bailey take center stage in this compelling world premiere.

Legendary performer Pearl Bailey navigated the waters of being a Black woman in America the only way she knew how – through her music. On the eve of a scheduled performance in the Reagan White House she agrees to an interview, not expecting the ambitious journalist who calls into question some of her more controversial choices. The personal and political come into sharp conflict as the savvy entertainer reveals her multi-faceted life through flashbacks and some of her most memorable songs.

Subscriptions to the 2026-2027 Northlight Season are available at northlight.org/subscribe or 847.563.8400. With its wide range of ticket prices, discounted subscription packages and complimentary parking at the 1800 Maple Garage, Northlight remains of one of the best theatrical values in Chicagoland. Package options include traditional 5-Play Subscriptions and 4-Ticket Flex Passes.

Traditional Subscriptions range in price from $180 to $325. See the entire 5-Play inaugural season with Northlight's most popular package. Returning subscribers can receive a 10% Founders Discount when they subscribe by May 15, 2026. Seniors 65+ receive $10 off 5-Play Subscriptions on Wednesday matinees or evenings. The Senior Discount applies to Premium or Standard seating on full price subscriptions. Discounts may not be combined.

Flex pass options are $159-$295. Receive four ticket credits to use how you please: see four shows, attend two shows as a couple, or bring three friends to one performance. Flex passes can be booked up to one hour before curtain and can also be purchased online.

Curtain times are: Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sundays at 2:00 p.m.

The complete 2026-2027 season will be performed in Northlight's new home at 1012 Church Street in Downtown Evanston.

Northlight is supported in part by generous contributions from BMO; Bulley & Andrews; Byline Bank; ComEd, An Exelon Company; Dr. Scholl Foundation; Eckenhoff Saunders Architects, Inc.; Evanston Community Foundation; Franklin Square Foundation; Full Circle Foundation; Grumman Butkus Associates; Hagerty Consulting; Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; John R Halligan Charitable Fund; Kirkland & Ellis; LionBird; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; Mabadi Realty; Mammel Family Foundation; Modestus Bauer Foundation; Northwestern University; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; The Revada Foundation of the Logan Family; Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Foundation; The Schubert Foundation, Inc.; SLOAN; The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; The Sullivan Family Foundation; Tom Stringer Design Partners.

Northlight Theatre aspires to promote change of perspective and encourage compassion by exploring the depth of our humanity across a bold spectrum of theatrical experiences, reflecting our community to the world and the world to our community.

Founded in 1974 with its inaugural season in 1975-76, the organization has mounted over 250 productions, including more than 45 world premieres. Northlight has earned 238 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and 37 Awards, as well as 11 Edgerton Foundation for New Play Awards. As one of the area's premier theatre companies, Northlight is a regional magnet for critical and professional acclaim, as well as talent of the highest quality.

[producingbody] is pleased to announce the Chicago premiere of Spaceman, by Leegrid Stevens and directed by Eric Slater, May 19 - June 13, at The Edge Off-Broadway, 1133 W. Catalpa Ave. The running time is 100 minutes with no intermission. Previews are Tuesday, May 19 and Wednesday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m., performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 5 p.m. Ticket prices are $15-45. Tickets go on sale Friday, April 3 at 12 p.m. at producingbody.com.

In Spaceman, the difficulties of interplanetary space travel are explored in exacting detail throughout this one-woman, sci-fi odyssey. Radiation exposure, long term weightlessness, low light, extensive communication delays and poor hygiene are just a few of the challenges astronaut Molly Jennis must face as the first human to visit Mars. But she soon finds nothing compares to the psychological effects of having so much time alone. Time spent mulling over the decisions she has made and what might be waiting for her when she finally reaches her destination.

The cast of Spaceman includes Ashley Neal (she/her, Molly Jennis); Allyce Torres (she/her, ensemble puppeteer/Ares) and Amy Carpenter (she/her, Molly Jennis U/S).

The production team includes Leegrid Stevens (he/him, playwright); Eric Slater (he/him, director); Amy Carpenter (she/her, executive producer); Taylor Dalton (she/her, executive producer/set design/costume design); Angela Joy Baldasare (she/her, sound designer) and Garrett Bell (he/him, lighting designer).  

ABOUT LEEGRID STEVENS, playwright

Leegrid Stevens is a Texas raised, Brooklyn based playwright, composer and sound designer. Leegrid’s recent productions include The Trojans (2025 @thecell), War Dreamer (2023 @wild project), A Peregrine Falls (2020 @wild project), Spaceman (2019 @wild project), The Dudleys! (2018 @herearts), Mesquite, NV (2017 @workshop theater) and The Twelfth Labor. Leegrid is the co-founder with Erin Treadway of Loading Dock Theatre which has received multiple awards over their history including two Drama Desk nominations for their production of Spaceman and 6x Henry Hewes design nominations for their most recent production, The Trojans. Leegrid is also an award-winning sound designer (B. Iden Payne Award & NYIT Award for The Dudleys, NYIT sound design for Spaceman). Hailed as “hugely gifted” by the New Yorker’s Helen Shaw, Leegrid is also the co-author of a fantasy novel series, “Fall”, with Craig Bridger.

ABOUT ERIC SLATER, Director

Eric Slater (Director/ Houston) is an actor, writer and director based in Chicago, and is truly honored to return to Spaceman for its Chicago Premiere. He was the voice of Houston in the play's inaugural production at The Martha Graham Studio in NYC. Chicago credits include: Inherit the Wind, The Cherry Orchard, This Happened Once At The Romance Depot Off i-87 in Westchester, Support Group For Men, Smokefall, Feathers And Teeth (Goodman); The Doppelganger (an international farce) (Steppenwolf); Tiny Beautiful Things, Hand To God (Victory Gardens); Small Jokes About Monsters (16th Street). Slater has been a member of the Rivendell Theatre Ensemble since 2005 and has worked on more than fifteen projects in that time including The Tasters, Cal In Camo, Alias Grace and Rasheeda Speaking. Off-Broadway: Juvenal Players (The Kitchen); The Dudley's: A Family Game! (Theatre for a New City); Our Greatest Year (Kraine & The Brick); Original cast of Gloryana (Workshop Production, The Public Theatre & The York Theater). Film: “Regret Like That”, “In The Flood”, “You Don’t Belong Here”, “Widows”, “The Try Out”. TV: ”Monster: The Ed Gein Story”, "Emperor of Ocean Park”, “Fargo”, “Chicago Fire”. He is a contributing member of the North Carolina based writing project; “The Nugents”. He has also written and directed his first film, “She Brought Us The Moon,” which is currently in post-production.

ABOUT ASHLEY NEAL, “Molly Jennis”

Ashley is thrilled to be working with [producingbody] for the first time! She was recently seen in Pivot at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble where she is a long time ensemble member. Ashley is also an ensemble member with First Floor Theater where she appeared in Evanston Salt Costs Climbing and Plano. Other stage credits include: The Cave (A Red Orchid), Evil Perfect (Bramble Theatre Company) and The Singularity Play (Jackalope Theatre). At Rivendell, she has done numerous shows including Scientific Method, Cal in Camo, Alias Grace, Wrens, These Shining Lives and more. Other theater credits include Killing Game, The Nether and A Red Handed Otter (A Red Orchid Theatre); Eric Argyle (Steep Theatre); Men Should Weep, London Wall and Stage Door (Griffin Theatre) as well as many more. She has appeared in many films and TV episodes including “Stuck”, “The Chi”, “Chicago Fire”, and more. She is represented by Big Mouth Talent and is a member of SAG. All my thanks to Lloyd and Ida Mae.

ABOUT ALLYCE TORRES, ensemble puppeteer/“Ares” 

Allie is an actor and puppeteer from San Diego, CA. She has worked with companies such as Steep, Chicago Children’s Theatre, 16th Street Theatre, Cabinet of Curiosity, Teatro Vista, The Passage, Lookingglass, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre and Red. She is thrilled to be returning to [producingbody] and is proudly represented by Big Mouth Talent.

ABOUT [producingbody]

Established in 2021, [producingbody] is a for-profit theatre company co-founded by Amy Carpenter and Taylor Dalton here in Chicago. [producingbody]’s first and foremost goal is to assert that artists and the work we make are necessary and inherently valuable, which is why any profit made on our productions is re-invested into the next process. We are acutely interested in negotiating discomfort; in challenging our limits, our artists and our audiences in the work we produce. We are motivated by artistic impossibility, in responsibility, in creative risk and collective reward.

It’s been more than a decade since Chicago Children’s Theatre presented Goodnight Moon, the popular musical about a bunny who doesn’t want to go to bed, based on the beloved picture book by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrator Clement Hurd.

But this Spring, Bunny is coming back to Chicago Children’s Theatre in an all-new way. This time, to celebrate the company’s 20th Anniversary season finale, Bunny will be “in the house.”

CCT’s 20th Anniversary production of Goodnight Moon will feature an all-new, immersive scenic design that will invite audiences for a primary-colored play date right inside Bunny’s bedroom. There, on an environmental set, both kids and parents will enjoy catchy songs, delightful dancing, the humorous antics of a very nocturnal bunny, and the quiet poetry of the iconic tale.

Immerse YOUR family in the world of Goodnight Moon. Public performances are April 11-June 7, 2026, Saturday and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.* 

Tickets are $47.25 and on sale at chicagochildrenstheatre.org. Purchase early, as many shows will sell out. Goodnight Moon runs approximately 75 minutes. This show is recommended for all ages. Call CCT Guest Services, (312) 374-8835, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to learn about additional discounts for schools, playgroups, birthday parties and scouting groups. 

*Schedule exceptions: No 11:30 a.m. show Saturday, April 11. No 9:30 a.m. shows Sunday, May 3 and May 17. Added 2 p.m. matinee Sunday, May 3.)

New in 2025-26, Chicago Children’s Theatre has introduced a “20 tickets for $20” 20th Anniversary Lottery. Patrons can enter once per production and drawings will happen each week with the winners receiving their special offer (maximum four tickets per patron).

Chicago Children’s Theatre, a “no shushing” theater, is located at 100 S. Racine Ave., at Monroe, in the heart of Chicago's West Loop, minutes from
I-90 and I-290, downtown and Ashland Avenue. Free, onsite parking is available on the south side of the building. Free street parking can be found nearby on weekends, or try the Impark parking lot, 1301 W. Madison St.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats remains one of musical theatre’s most distinctive creations - a sung‑through, dance‑driven spectacle that swaps traditional plot for atmosphere, character portraits, and pure theatrical immersion. Drawn from T. S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, the musical unfolds as a moonlit gathering of the Jellicle tribe, each feline stepping forward to claim the spotlight before the climactic “Jellicle Choice,” when one is chosen for rebirth into the Heaviside Layer – a new life. Its unconventional structure, eclectic score, and iconic choreography helped define the mega-musical era, earning Cats major awards and record‑breaking runs in both London and New York. And now it’s here!

To kick off their 2026 season, Music Theater Works brings Cats to the North Theatre in the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, offering Chicago audiences a fresh trip into the Jellicle universe. It’s the perfect time to pounce on this legendary musical - whether you’re drawn by its nostalgia, its high‑energy movement, or the simple delight of watching a community of cats chase belonging and second chances.

Cats has always been one of my very favorite Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals, and revisiting it reminds me why. Its blend of atmosphere, movement, and character‑driven storytelling creates a world that feels both whimsical and strangely profound – a world that is so easy to get lost in.

What continues to give Cats its staying power is the blend of spectacle and emotional resonance. While much of the evening plays as a parade of emotionally grounded ensemble-anchored numbers - playful, mischievous, or grand - the heart of the piece rests with Grizabella (magnificently played in this production by Ava Lane Stovall), the faded glamour cat whose ballad “Memory” became a global standard. The production’s emphasis on movement, atmosphere, and immersive world‑building over traditional linear storytelling makes Cats both polarizing and unforgettable, and its decades‑long staying power proves just how deeply that approach resonates across generations. Music Theater Works captures that essence beautifully, channeling the show’s dreamlike logic and ritualistic energy in a way that feels both faithful and freshly imagined.

Astutely directed and choreographed by Mandy Modic, Music Theater Works makes inventive use of the North Shore Center’s intimate space, transforming nearly every nook and cranny into part of the Jellicle playground. The result is a production where activity seems to spark from every direction, creating a sense of constant motion that borders on ingenious. From the moment the show begins - after a playful prelude of cat videos on a large TV - the cast emerges in the dark, parading down the aisles with glowing cat‑eye glasses that immediately pull the audience into their world. Throughout the performance, strategically placed perches and platforms scattered around the theater keep the action mere inches away, giving some audience members the rare thrill of being fully surrounded by the Jellicle tribe. Though I’ve seen Cats countless times in both the Chicagoland area and New York, this production may well be the one that connected with me the most.

(Center) Ethan Lupp as “Rum Tum Tugger” and members of the cast of CATS in CATS from Music Theater Works, now playing through March 29 at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie.

Sam Nachison brings a commanding warmth to Old Deuteronomy, balancing authority with compassion and grounding the production with a rich, resonant baritone in his self‑titled number. Stovall, meanwhile, delivers a vocally commanding, show‑stopping “Memory” in Act II - an emotional high point that pierced my heart and gave me chills. But what truly elevates this production is how deep the talent runs throughout the ensemble. Whether it’s the big, full‑company showstoppers, the sly, feline physicality woven into every corner of the stage, or the sheer joy of numbers like “Magical Mister Mistoffelees,” the cast proves endlessly engaging. Group sequences such as “Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats” and “Journey to the Heaviside Layer” showcase a company working in complete synchronicity, creating moment after moment that dazzles. The memorable beats are as abundant as the cats roaming the theater, each one adding to a production overflowing with energy, precision, and charm.

Throughout the performance, I found myself drawn to different performers at different moments, captivated by their vocals, their movement, and the sheer feline energy they brought to the stage. The ensemble’s commitment was so complete that no matter where I looked, someone was doing something compelling, clever, or beautifully in character. That sense of constant discovery carried straight into the show’s physical feats - from aerial acrobatics to Morgan Schoenecker’s crisp tap breaks as Jennyanydots and even the unexpected skating sequences led by Danny Spagnuolo as Skimbleshanks - making the production a steady stream of surprises. Add in the constant, playful eye contact from cats prancing through the aisles, and every moment feels enchanting - alive with movement, mischief, and immersive detail.

Nick Johnson’s Munkustrap grounds the entire production with a steady, commanding presence, guiding the ensemble and shaping the rhythm of the evening. He moves through the show with an effortless authority - part narrator, part guardian - setting both the emotional and musical pace while keeping the Jellicle world anchored. In doing so, he opens the door for the production’s standout moments to land with even greater impact - and never far from that spotlight is Emma Jean Eastlund’s Bombalurina, slipping in with charisma and precision alongside the rest of the talented ensemble.

Ava Lane Stovall as “Grizabella” in CATS from Music Theater Works. Phots by Brett Beiner.

Another moment that stayed with me was John Cardone’s moving rendition of “Gus: The Theatre Cat.” As Asparagus, he delivers this bittersweet, nostalgic reflection of an aging performer looking back on the glory days of his career. The ache of the number comes from the gap between who Gus once was and who he has become - an actor with a shabby coat, trembling paws, and memories of a time when he was the “terror to mice.” Cardone leans into that fragility with such sincerity that the song lands as both a tribute and a quiet heartbreak.

And from that intimate moment, the production expands back into the vibrant world of the Jellicles. The cats themselves are incredible - brought to life with remarkable clarity thanks to the production’s outstanding creative team. Much of that magic stems from the meticulous work of hair, wig, and makeup designers Megan E. Pirtle and Melanie Saso, whose transformations give each performer a distinct feline identity, and from the richly textured costumes crafted by kClare McKellaston and wardrobe head Kristen Brinati, which add depth, personality, and visual cohesion to the entire tribe. Together, their contributions shape a world so vivid and fully realized that the characters feel as if they’ve stepped straight out of Eliot’s imagination and into the audience’s laps. Credit belongs to every corner of the creative team, from scenic design to sound to lighting, all working together to shape an atmosphere that feels nothing short of Jellicle heaven. Their combined artistry turns the space into a fully realized world - mystical, inviting, and alive with detail - so the audience is immersed from the moment the first cat appears. Every technical element works in harmony to envelop the audience in this moonlit world - sets that invite exploration, sound that wraps around the room, and lighting that shifts the space from mystical to electric in an instant. The result is a production that manages to be both haunting and joyfully alive, lingering in the imagination long after the final note.

What I appreciated most about this rich and colorful production is how it reflects the moment we’re living in. At a time when the world feels unsteady, we’re each our own special kind of “cat,” carrying unique talents and flaws, and offering up our personal histories - our triumphs and our losses to each other our fellow "cats" - as the curtain of world seems to be falling around us. Yet, in that shared vulnerability, we find the strength to realize that as long as we keep supporting one another, the light never truly goes out.

Purr‑fect, meow‑velous, pawsitively delightful, downright meow‑gical - take your pick! Every one of them fits this production like a cat in a sunbeam.

Music Theatre Works’ Cats is being performed at the North Theatre in the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts through March 29^th. For tickets and/or more show information visit https://www.musictheaterworks.com/2026-season/cats/.

Highly Recommended.

This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com.

IT’S TIME: ABOUT TIMELINE’S NEW HOME

Based on the novel by Junot Díaz, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao follows neurodivergent and perpetually lovelorn college student Oscar as he fixates on the fukú – a generational curse he believes has haunted his family’s love lives for decades. Oscar’s college roommate and his sister Lola by his side, the trio journeys to Santo Domingo, uncovering more about Oscar and Lola’s family history and the fukú than none of them bargained for.

At the heart of the story is the trio of Oscar (Lenin D’Anthony Izquierdo), Yunior (Kelvin Grullon), and Lola (Julissa Calderon), who are as messy, spirited, and loving as three college kids can be. Their chemistry feels genuinely lived-in: the easy humor, the sharp edges, the quiet loyalties. Their dynamic perfectly captures the complexities of chosen family, blurred boundaries, and sibling devotion, all while keeping the audience constantly laughing. 

While often sharp and funny, Oscar and Lola’s mother, Beli (Yohanna Florentino), delivers the production’s most devastating performance. She embodies the tension of someone trying – fiercely, desperately – to do right by her children, yet repeatedly falling short. Florentino’s performance is astonishingly intimate; even in a full theatre, she makes it feel as though her pain is being shared one-on-one with each audience member.

The show – especially in its first act – is funny, self-aware, and unabashedly camp. Although set among college-aged characters in the 1990s, Director Wendy Mateo has made the show feel timeless and accessible to audiences of all ages. The script incorporates a significant amount of Spanish, most often through colloquial phrases and biting insults, yet the cast’s physicality and clarity ensure that no translation is required to follow the emotional stakes. It’s a compelling reminder that audiences don’t need to speak Spanish to fully appreciate bilingual storytelling when the performances are this grounded.

Where the production occasionally stumbles is in its visual storytelling, particularly once the setting shifts to Santo Domingo. The scenic design’s abstract, college-forward aesthetic serves the first half well, but meshes less cohesively with the production’s second act shift into heightened spiritual and video game-inspired imagery. This evolution also introduces more disruptive set transitions – unlike the fluid, almost invisible shifts of Act One, several Act Two changes require full stops in the action, interrupting momentum and dampening the pacing. At its best, the projections and gaming motifs cleverly mirror Oscar’s inner grasp of reality and the story’s mythic foundation. At their weakest, however, they overtake the truly human stakes at the center of the narrative.

One moment in particular – a key story from Beli’s past – is partially rendered through animation and projection rather than live performance. Given the emotional precision already established onstage, the stylistic shift feels jarring and unintentionally distances the audience from what should be an intimate revelation. The production’s reliance on heightened, game-like aesthetics resurfaces in later confrontations as well, occasionally pushing character choices toward exaggeration at moments that call for gravity. The result is a tonal imbalance that slightly undercuts the weight of the story’s final turns.

While the stage adaptation diverges in notable ways from the novel, the production stands strongest when viewed as its own interpretation rather than a strict retelling. That said, the emotional core of Oscar’s story remains intact and, by the final moments, the theatre is silent enough to hear a pin drop – a testament to the emotional weight the cast ultimately earns.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is running in The Goodman’s Owen Theatre through April 12th. Tickets are available at https://www.goodmantheatre.org/show/the-brief-wondrous-life-of-oscar-wao/.

This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com.

Tin Drum Theatre Company is proud to announce the cast and creative team for the Chicago premiere of Southern Rapture at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., June 11 - 28, written by Eric Coble and directed by Jason Palmer. The preview for Southern Rapture is Thursday, June 11 at 7:30 p.m. and the opening night performance is Friday, June 12 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets are $30 with $15 student tickets and may be purchased at TinDrumTheatre.com. 

In the heart of the Bible Belt, a local theatre company announces it will stage a play called Rapture in America—complete with seven seconds of male nudity—sending the city into a frenzy. Based on actual events, Eric Coble's Southern Rapture turns this civic eruption into a wickedly funny satire about artistic freedom, arts funding, the weaponization of civic institutions and what happens when conviction outruns common sense.

Originally commissioned by Actor's Theatre of Charlotte, Southern Rapture draws directly from one of the city’s most explosive cultural battles. In 1996, Charlotte Repertory Theatre announced a production of Angels in America.. The district attorney attempted to bring criminal charges, however, emergency court injunctions required the show to open. “Good Morning America” broadcast a train-wreck debate, turning a local arts dispute into a national spectacle.

Eighteen months later, county commissioners retaliated by slashing $2.5 million in arts funding, destabilizing organizations across the city. Although much of that funding was later restored, the interruption sent lasting ripples through Charlotte’s artistic landscape. Charlotte Rep won the Angels battle, but the controversy produced long-term consequences that cost it the war. Amid donor fatigue, mounting financial strain and leadership turnover, the company closed permanently in 2005.

The Southern Rapture ensemble cast includes Teddy Boone (he/him, Mayor Winston Paxton), Shannon Leigh Webber (she/her, Marjorie Winthrop), Michael Stejskal (he/him, Donald Sherman), Mary Anne Bowman (she/her, Allissa Marquand, Nyla-Jean Geisy, Julia Overmyer), Jenny Hoppes (she/her, Laverne Jackson, Pam, Clarice Paxton, Tina), Jordan Gleaves (he/him, Simon Larisher, Emmett Whipple, Nightline Host, Franklin McManus) and Andrew Bosworth (he/him, Mickey Stedman, Reverend Dupree, Anton Finewitz). 

The creative team includes Steve Needham (he/him, producer), Jason Palmer (he/him, director), Teddy Boone (he/him, casting director), Emily Nicholas (she/her, stage manager), Sil Rivera (they/them, asst. stage manager/scenic asst.), Kaitlyn Hettinger (she/her, technical director/scenic designer), Kasey Wolfgang (she/her, costume designer), Ellie Fey (she/her, lighting designer/master electrician), Zach Stinnett (he/him, sound designer) and Erin Alys (she/her, intimacy/movement director).

Content notice: Southern Rapture includes a brief nude scene.

ABOUT ERIC COBLE, playwright

Eric Coble is an award-winning American playwright whose work spans sharply drawn dramas, audacious comedies, and incisive social satire. Born in Edinburgh and raised on the Navajo and Ute reservations of the American Southwest, Coble brings a distinctive blend of wit, empathy and theatrical boldness to the stage.

His plays have been produced across the United States and internationally, including on Broadway, Off-Broadway and at major regional theatres. His Broadway debut—The Velocity of Autumn, starring Estelle Parsons and Stephen Spinella—earned Parsons a Tony Award nomination. Other widely produced works include The Giver (stage adaptation), Bright Ideas, My Barking Dog, Fairfield, The Dead Guy, Natural Selection and Southern Rapture, among many others.

Coble’s scripts have received a Jeff Award, the ATCA Steinberg New Play Award citation, the Governor’s Award for the Arts (Ohio) and multiple Edgerton New Play Awards. His work has been developed or produced by The Kennedy Center, Playwrights Horizons, Manhattan Class Company, Denver Center Theatre Company, Cleveland Play House, Alliance Theatre, Arena Stage and Actors Theatre of Louisville, among others.

Known for his sharp comic voice and his ability to illuminate the tensions and absurdities of contemporary American life, Coble continues to be a vital and provocative presence in the new-play landscape. He is a member of the Playwrights’ Center and a graduate of Ohio University’s MFA program.

ABOUT JASON PALMER, director

Jason Palmer is the co-founder and co–artistic director of Tin Drum Theatre Company, where he helps shape bold, conversation-driven work in Chicago’s storefront scene. He recently directed the 2024 world premiere of Winter Garden by Steve Needham and the 2025 Chicago premiere of Nick Payne’s Incognito.

A multi-disciplinary theatre-maker with over 30 years of experience, Palmer’s work spans directing, producing, performance, dramaturgy and design across New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Ireland. Early in his career he served as literary manager and assistant director at Gilgamesh Theater Group and assistant directed Keith Reddin’s Off-Broadway premiere of Black Snow. In Chicago, his long association with the erstwhile Bailiwick Repertory Theatre included performing, stage management and coordinating several seasons of the Bailiwick Directors’ Festival. His performance in Nicholas Patricca’s Oh Holy Allen Ginsberg at the 2006 International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival earned a Best Actor nomination and an Honorable Mention.

Palmer has also worked with the Western Region of Actors’ Equity Association and the Directors Guild of America, giving him a strong grounding in theatrical and labor structures. His technical experience includes lighting design, set construction and stage management, and he is a multiple-time Irene Ryan nominee.

As co–artistic director of Tin Drum Theatre Company, Palmer is committed to developing new work and supporting Chicago’s next generation of storefront artists.

ABOUT TIN DRUM THEATRE COMPANY

Tin Drum Theatre Company exists to disrupt complacency and reassert theatre’s civic purpose. Creating theatre that asks something of its audience, moving beyond comfort to provoke conversation and critical engagement. Tin Drum believes community begins where audiences and ideas collide, and where dramatic disturbances are created.