Tuesday, 04 August 2026 01:08
ETA’s for colored girls Honors the Enduring Power of Ntozake Shange
Written by Wesley David
Nearly fifty years after its groundbreaking premiere, Ntozake Shange's for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf remains one of the most important works ever written for the American stage. Neither conventional play nor musical, Shange called her work a "choreopoem," a seamless fusion of…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
- ETA
- ETA Creative Arts Foundation
- NTOZAKE SHANGE
- For Colored Girls
- for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf
- Black theatre
- Donn Carl Harper
- Nina Simone
- Madison Savannah
- Tina Marie
- Margo Harper
- Deborah Ross
- Tracey Renee
- LA Holts
- Kennedi Coleman
- live theatre
- chicago theatre
- Chicago events
- on stage
- Chicago plays
- powerful plays
Thursday, 06 August 2026 11:40
Love and Time On Our Side: The Notebook: The Musical at Broadway in Chicago
Written by Kendall Royzen
In times of stress, we often turn to familiar and comforting things: a favorite song, a dog-eared book, a movie we’ve seen twenty-seven times. We’re drawn back to the things we know because they have a certain salve to the severity and uncertainty around us. There’s a comfort in knowing…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 03 August 2026 15:18
yo ho. Delivers Queer Pirate Chaos, Big Laughs, and Fierce Swordplay
Written by Maddie Burroughs
A quick history lesson: Anne Bonny and Mary Read are two of history’s most famous female pirates. Both women disguised themselves as men and sailed under the command of Captain Calico Jack Rackham, where they became part of the same crew. There has long been speculation that they may have…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 28 July 2026 15:41
Mike Bartlett’s ‘An Intervention’ Zings in Chicago Premiere
Written by Bill Esler
A new company, Heart of Gold Theatre, is presenting the Chicago premiere of Mike Barlett’s An Intervention. Bartlett is a noted British playwright, whose future-conjectural work Charles III received five Tony nominations in 2016, including Best New Play. Bartlett’s Cock (2009) and its companion work Bull (2013) played to accolades…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Sunday, 26 July 2026 14:11
Metropolis’ Wizard of Oz Rekindles Pure Childhood Wonder
Written by Kimberly Katz
Metropolis Performing Arts Centre’s new staging of The Wizard of Oz sends audiences down the yellow brick road with a production that balances classic nostalgia with a warm, community centered spirit. Before the story unfolds, it’s worth remembering the legacy behind it: L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel first introduced readers…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
- Metropolis Performing Arts Centre
- The Wizard of Oz
- L Frank Baum
- Tor Campbell
- Nora Wragg
- Jake Elkins
- Genevieve Thiers
- Judy Garland
- Gabriel Fries
- David Omari
- Corey Barlow
- Nolan F Robinson II
- Caliban Marie Spence
- Danielle Spence
- live theatre
- classic
- on stage
- Arlington Heights
- Chicago events
- Chicago stage
- Musical theatre
- family theatre
Thursday, 23 July 2026 11:53
& Juliet Turns Shakespeare Upside Down in a Burst of Pop Brilliance
Written by Kimberly Katz
Broadway in Chicago’s latest offering at the Auditorium Theatre, & Juliet, bursts onto the stage with the kind of vibrant confidence that makes it clear this isn’t your high school Shakespeare. The production arrives as a full-throttle pop spectacle, gleefully mashing up Elizabethan trappings with late ’90s and early 2000s…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
- Juliet
- Broadway in Chicago
- Auditorium Theatre
- JOEY FATONE
- Max Martin
- Brittany Spears
- NYSNC
- Katy Oerry
- Romeo and Juliet
- Shakespeare
- Musical theatre
- chicago theatre
- Chicago events
- Chicago stage
- on stage
- live theatre
- Fabiola Caraballo Quijada
- CJ Eldred
- Crystal Kellogg
- Nico Ochoa
- Kathryn Allison
- oseph Torres
- Noah Marlowe
- Backstreet Boys
- David West Read
- Jennifer Weber
- Luke Sheppard
- 90s pop music
Kokandy Productions’ HAIR revival lets the sunshine in this summer at the Chopin Theatre. Directed and choreographed by Brennan Urbi, this remount is a fresh, funky and poignant riff on the classic 1960s tribal love-rock musical by Galt MacDermot. The large cast of new and returning Kokandy faces bring this…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
- Kokandy Productions
- HAIR
- Chopin Theatre
- 1960s musical
- hippies
- Brennan Urbi
- Galt MacDermot
- The 5th Dimension
- Aquarius
- Let The Sunshine In
- Gerome Rangi
- James Rado
- Zac Richey
- Catherine Rodriguez OConnor
- Rachel Sypniewski
- G Max Maxin IV
- Musical theatre
- anti-war
- live theatre
- chicago theatre
- Chicago events
- Chicago stage
- on stage
- Wicker Park
Saturday, 18 July 2026 15:51
Pure Vocal Magic: Goodman’s Octet Redefines Musical Innovation
Written by Mark Hermann
Dave Malloy’s Octet is a musical with daring aspirations, currently gracing the stage in a powerhouse co-production between the Raven Theatre and the Goodman Theatre. This staging, directed by Keira Fromm, first debuted at the intimate Raven Theatre, where it enjoyed a highly successful run before its move to the…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
The timeless magic of Arnold Lobel’s beloved children’s book series comes to life in the Marriott Theatre’s delightful production of A Year with Frog and Toad. With book and lyrics by Willie Reale and a score by Robert Reale, this whimsical musical adaptation perfectly captures the endearing spirit that resonates…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest is one of the greatest farces ever written. His wordplay caricatured high society, and clever pay-offs are hilarious when executed properly. The play was first performed on February 14, 1895 (Valentine's Day). The premiere took place at the historic St James's Theatre in…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Sunday, 12 July 2026 12:09
A Legendary Transformation: John Mulaney’s Historic Night at Wrigley Field
Written by Ken Payne
John Mulaney didn’t just perform at Wrigley Field. He made history there. In a venue synonymous with baseball legends, rock icons, and century-old Chicago lore, Mulaney became the first comedian ever to headline a full stand-up show at Wrigley Field, and, depending on which version of the truth you prefer,…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Sunday, 12 July 2026 16:10
A Thoughtful Evolution of Her Own Making: Overshadowed Theatrical Productions’ My Fair Lady
Written by Kimberly Katz
Overshadowed Theatre Productions brings fresh energy to one of musical theatre’s most enduring classics, offering a spirited and thoughtful take on My Fair Lady. This production leans into the story’s sharp contrasts - class and aspiration, control and independence - and invites audiences to see Eliza Doolittle’s transformation with new…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Saturday, 11 July 2026 13:01
Powerhouse Performances on Display in Gwydion's Dry Powder
Written by Angelo Campos
In the sharp-tongued world of Sarah Burgess’s Dry Powder, presented by Gwydion Theatre Company at the Greenhouse Theater Center, the pursuit of money is a blood sport. The play centers on a high-stakes private equity firm caught in a massive public relations nightmare after laying off thousands of grocery store…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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ETA’s for colored girls Honors the Enduring Power of Ntozake Shange
Written by Wesley DavidNearly fifty years after its groundbreaking premiere, Ntozake Shange's for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf remains one of the most important works ever written for the American stage. Neither conventional play nor musical,…
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