Sunday, 26 November 2023 15:46
Review: 'The Snow Queen' at Marriott Theatre
Written by Betsy Schmitt
Just in time for the season’s first snowfall and the holidays, the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire serves up a delightful rockin’ adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, perfect for the entire family as its finale for the 2023 children’s theatre season. Billed as the story that inspired the…
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Theatre in Review
Sunday, 26 November 2023 12:28
Who’s Holiday! — Laugh, Drink and Sing with Cindy Lou Who
Written by Bree Samani
After stuffing myself with a fat plate of Thanksgiving leftovers, I made my way over to Theater Wit for the Who’s Holiday! opening show. The show kicks off with a grand entrance of a much older Cindy Lou Who in a dinky trailer home. Cindy gets comfortable with the crowd…
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Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 21 November 2023 12:23
Get festive with Thee Ricky Harris at "A Christmas Cabaret.”
Written by Wesley David
This December 16th and 17th, immerse yourself in the joyous spirit of the season with "A Christmas Cabaret - Thee Ricky Harris Way" at the Mercury Theater. Thee Ricky Harris is not only an accomplished musical theater professional but also the host of the online series “Places”. This delightful evening…
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Theatre in Review
Sunday, 19 November 2023 12:46
Review: Chicago Shakespeare Theater's 'Twelfth Night'
Written by Betsy Schmitt
From Twelfth Night’s well-known opening lines “If music be the food of love, play on …,” the stage is set for Shakespeare’s madcap comedy of misplaced love and mixed-up identities. Woven throughout this production are the colors, culture, and Caribbean-inspired music that play almost as important a role as the…
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Theatre in Review
Saturday, 18 November 2023 12:37
Enchanting Cinderella Has a Ball! Rogers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella at The Drury Lane Theatre
Written by Kimberly Katz
I thoroughly enjoyed this colorful, sumptuous, and romantic production of Rogers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella at The Drury Lane Theatre from beginning to end. Directed and choreographed with lively and complex numbers by Amber Mak, with musical direction by Carolyn Brady, I felt that the spirit and female empowering themes of the original Cinderella…
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Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 14 November 2023 16:17
'Once on This Island' - A Caribbean Fairytale with a Modern Twist
Written by Wesley David
“Once On This Island” is receiving a spirited and lively revival by Pulse Theatre at the once venerable ETA Creative Arts Foundation, now a rental space on the Southside of Chicago. Set in the French Antilles, namely Haiti, this vibrant production rivals any Broadway In Chicago production. It is a…
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Theatre in Review
Wednesday, 15 November 2023 10:37
Laugh Riot 'Divina Commedia' Shows Contemporary Life May Just Be the Circles of Hell
Written by Bill Esler
The Conspirators latest show is an absolute laugh fest, and may just be their funniest so far. Subversive in its social commentary, which hits you in your funny bone, The Conspirators have chosen Dante’s Divine Comedy for their latest show, “Divina Commedia: It’s Worse Than That.” They lead us through…
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Theatre in Review
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Sunday, 12 November 2023 12:05
Review: 'The Lion in Winter' at Court Theatre
Written by Betsy Schmitt
It’s Christmas 1183, and King Henry II has gathered his family together at his court in Chinon, France, with hopes of settling once and for all the future legacy of the House of Plantagenets by naming one of his sons as successor to the throne. So, Henry’s three sons, who…
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Theatre in Review
Saturday, 11 November 2023 13:18
As Journalist Wrestles With Fact and Truth, 'Lifespan of a Fact' Skips the Emotion of a Tragic Story
Written by Susan Lieberman
Based on a book by two authors and giving playwriting credit to three authors, "The Lifespan of a Fact" speaks in a notably singular voice. Now in its Chicago premiere at TimeLine Theatre, the play takes a celebrated freelance writer, his editor at an esteemed magazine, and a newbie factchecker…
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Theatre in Review
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Friday, 10 November 2023 13:59
Beautiful: Revisiting the Brilliance of Carole King Once Again
Written by CJ Burroughs
There are two moments I love most when I’ve seen productions of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. First, the audience usually contains a fair number of people who grew up with Ms. King’s songs as the soundtrack to their younger years. And when those songs start being performed during the…
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Theatre in Review
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Thursday, 09 November 2023 12:58
Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, BEETLEJUICE! The hit movie comes to life on Auditorium Theatre’s Stage
Written by CJ Burroughs
For so many children of the ‘80s, the revisiting and repurposing of our childhoods’ intellectual and emotional property is comforting. Maybe I’m more cynical, but so many of pop culture’s attempts to cash in on my nostalgia don’t do much for me. And so, when Tim Burton’s beloved tale of…
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Theatre in Review
Wednesday, 08 November 2023 08:47
Yellow Rose Theatre on Fulton a Great Venue Though ‘Justicia’ Needs Some Work
Written by Bill Esler
The Yellow Rose Theatre is one of Chicago’s newer venues, having launched in 2020 during Covid, with a company that demonstrates a passion for their work. Located at The Vault, an entertainment space at 607 W. Fulton, it is just a couple blocks east of the trendy Fulton Market District,…
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Theatre in Review
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Monday, 06 November 2023 16:34
Review: 'POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive' at Steppenwolf Theatre
Written by John Accrocco
We all have tough days at work, but when your job is in the Oval Office, a bad day at work could be trouble for the entire country. In Steppenwolf’s regional premiere of ‘POTUS or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive’ by Selina Fillinger,…
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Theatre in Review
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Trap Door's 'Galileo,' Beautifully Produced, Is a Knowing Parable for Our Times
Written by Bill Esler“Galileo” written in 1938 by German playwright Bertolt Brecht, tells the straightforward story of the 17th century physicist and astronomer’s run-in with church authorities for asserting that the earth revolved around the sun. For this Galileo, played with Brechtian finesse… -
Humble and Radiant: Charlotte's Web at Greenhouse Theatre
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Steppenwolf Theatre Presents YOU WILL GET SICK - June 5 – July 13, 2025 - Chicago Premiere!
Written by Buzz Center StageSteppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation's premier ensemble theater company, is pleased to present Noah Diaz's whimsical, wild, unpredictable and deeply moving Chicago premiere of You Will Get Sick, directed by Artistic Director Audrey Francis (Noises Off, POTUS–Director), playing June 5 – July 13, 2025 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theater, 1650… -
Definition Theatre Presents World Premiere of Black Bone by Tina Fakhrid-Deen
Written by Buzz Center StageDefinition Theatre is proud to present the world premiere of Black Bone, a bold new satire by Chicago playwright Tina Fakhrid-Deen and the first full production to emerge from the company's Amplify Series. Directed by Carla Stillwell, Black Bone will run from May 30…
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