Friday, 11 February 2022 11:08
'West Side Story' at The Marriott Theatre: A Place for All of Us
Written by CJ Burroughs
I’m not sure how long this honeymoon feeling of returning to life as a theatergoer will last. That butterflies-in-the-belly, waiting-for-the-lights-to-go-out feeling just before the show starts. Right now, I tell myself that it’ll last forever. That I’ll never take for granted what I was—and all of you lovers of a…
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Theatre in Review
Sunday, 13 February 2022 23:08
Trap Door Turns Absurdist Fantasy into Sexy 3-Ring Circus
Written by Bill Esler
Should a tiger take up residence in your bathroom, Trap Door Theater’s new production presents an entertaining selection of likely scenarios to follow. In a fresh translation of an absurdist play by Polish playwright Sɫawomir Mrożek—Poland’s Ionesco—director Nicole Wiesner turns 'The Martyrdom of Peter Ohey' into a highly entertaining, high…
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Theatre in Review
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Wednesday, 02 February 2022 11:55
Review: "Gem of the Ocean" at Goodman Theatre
Written by John Accrocco
Goodman Theatre’s aptly titled season, Homecoming, kicks off with a revival of August Wilson’s “Gem of the Ocean.” Written just a few years before his death, “Gem of the Ocean” is the first chapter of Wilson’s 10-play 20th Century “Cycle”. This play was originally produced at Goodman Theatre in 2003.…
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Theatre in Review
Wednesday, 02 February 2022 00:01
Timeline Tackles Memories in 'Relentless' by Tyla Abercrombie
Written by Wesley David
“Relentless” is a play about memories and what we do with those memories. Running at Timeline Theatre through February 26, this is a show in which all the characters carry a memory, either literally or figuratively. The year is 1919. America is struggling with two pandemics, one the recent outbreak…
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Theatre in Review
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Monday, 17 January 2022 13:35
'The Virginian: A Horseman of the Plains' Brings the Myth of the American West Back for All
Kerstin Broockmann
Owen Wister’s 1902 novel The Virginian: A Horseman of the Plains has been adapted for the stage at least once (by Wister himself along with a co-adaptor) and has had five screen adaptations, not including the television series based on it. This leads to the question of why it is…
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Theatre in Review
Friday, 17 December 2021 11:23
'8-Track: The Sounds of the ‘70s' Is Exactly What It Promises…A Fun Look Back
Kerstin Broockmann
More jukebox than musical, Theo Ubique’s production of 8-Track: The Sounds of the ‘70s, conceived by Rick Seeber with musical arrangements by Michael Gribben, is a tribute to 70’s AM radio, performed by an ensemble of powerhouse vocalists, showcasing a range of tunes from Motown to the Bee Gees. There…
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Theatre in Review
Thursday, 09 December 2021 18:54
Crawford Cast as Blessed Virgin in Musical Extravaganza. 'Oh Mary!'
Written by Bill Esler
‘Christmas Dearest’ is wicked good fun, a hilarious if unholy marriage between Charles Dickens ‘A Christmas Carol’ and Mommie Dearest, the scathing tell-all book by moviestar Joan Crawford’s abused daughter, Christina. The show's creator, Hell in a Handbag Productions, is sui generis, a company whose staged shows tap the rarified…
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Theatre in Review
Monday, 06 December 2021 13:19
'Twelfth Night' an Incomplete Evening at Midsommer Flight
Kerstin Broockmann
This year’s incarnation of Shakespeare’s gender-switch comedy Twelfth Night, Midsommer Flight’s holiday tradition returns to the Lincoln Park Conservatory as “an immersive journey.” Under director Kristina McCloskey (with associate director Stephanie Mattos), “Audience members will follow performers promenade-style from scene to scene, often having to choose which characters or plot…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 06 December 2021 14:51
The Wondrous Return of the Joffrey Ballet’s Nutcracker
Written by CJ Burroughs
As I ascended Madison Street early Saturday afternoon, my daughter’s hand in mine, Samuel Insull’s Civic Opera House rose up before us, throne-like, a sight that once greeted me daily in our old world with its bustling downtown and delights we took for granted. But our excitement — not just…
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Theatre in Review
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Saturday, 27 November 2021 21:06
Covid Safe; Kiss Me, Kate at The Marriott Theater brings back Broadway with a bang
Written by Kendall Royzen
We all love a good comeback, a big bang, a triumphant return. After nearly two years of having to avoid the theater, and any overly crowded place, the Marriott Theater has returned to hosting shows with a genuine Broadway caliber production. Kiss Me, Kate, Broadway classic that earned the very…
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Theatre in Review
Saturday, 20 November 2021 11:41
Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins Welcome Back Live Storytelling
Kerstin Broockmann
In 2020, the Ovals of Ostropol, the fictional troupe of travelling players that bring the story of Hershel and the goblins who menace him to life in Strawdog Theatre Company’s holiday tradition, were forced to spread Hanukkah cheer and occasional chills online. This year, the Ovals are back in a…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Thursday, 25 November 2021 01:14
Beautifully Gift Wrapped, Special Delivery: 'Cinderella' at the Paramount Aurora
Written by Bill Esler
‘Cinderella’ is a sumptuous visual feast, and a musical delight. Running through January 9, 2022 at Aurora’s beautifully restored Paramount theater, this timeless classic tale has been given a Broadway caliber treatment under the direction of Brenda Didier. With gorgeous costumes (Theresa Ham) and wonderful original choreography (Tiffany Krause), the show…
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Theatre in Review
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Saturday, 20 November 2021 13:31
Happiness Is...'You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" at Citadel Theatre
Written by Ron Reis
Yes, Happiness Is… The Peanuts! No doubt. As a kid, I read every Peanuts comic I could. I learned at a very early age that there is a little bit of all the classic characters in every one of us. This musical is fairly early in the history of character…
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Theatre in Review
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