Wednesday, 02 May 2018 08:11
Lyric Opera of Chicago's flawless production of "Jesus Christ Superstar"
Written by Ken Payne
It’s been three days since seeing Jesus Christ Superstar at Lyric Opera’s Civic Center and I still find myself going from character to character in the kitchen, in the car, while I’m working, while doing chores around the house and, moments ago, in the elevator. I may not be able…
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Theatre in Review
“I don’t speak for people, I speak to people.” playwright Dael Orlandersmith says in conversation about her new play ‘Until the Flood.’ Orlandersmith’s one-woman show is a docudrama about the ordinary citizens in and around Furguson, Missouri at the time of Michael Brown’s death. ‘Until the Flood’ was shortlisted for…
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Theatre in Review
Monday, 30 April 2018 16:24
In Grand Hotel, a lively Broadway musical, scales elegantly to Theatre Wit stage
Written by Bill Esler
Grand Hotel at Theater Wit is a revelation! It shows how much punch you can pack in a storefront stage production with the right mix of great singing talent and artful production. Kokandy Productions has brought to life the 1989 Broadway musical extravaganza, which traces its roots back through the…
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Theatre in Review
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Saturday, 21 April 2018 22:11
"Oklahoma!" as romantic as a Ride to the Dance in a Yellow Surrey with the Fringe on Top!
Written by Kimberly Katz
I am constantly amazed as the way directors use the intimate, theater in the round, at The Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre and this exuberant production of “Oklahoma!” celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the classic Rogers and Hammerstein musical is no exception. As soon as the dancing begins, this production shows that…
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Theatre in Review
Friday, 20 April 2018 12:18
Rainn Wilson one of the many reasons to see Steppenwolf's "The Doppelganger"
Written by Ken Payne
Steppenwolf Theatre’s latest production is going to generate much buzz – quickly - and with good reason. In fact, it’s already been extended through June 2nd. Playwright Matthew-Lee Erlbach’s The Doppelganger (an international farce) is a riotous comedy that doesn’t skip a beat, boasting a cast that is as good…
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Theatre in Review
Saturday, 21 April 2018 00:20
Lettie Pairs Great Cast With Strong Writing for a Story of our Time
Written by Bill Esler
Lettie, by Boo Killebrew and directed by Chay Yew, is a very finely crafted work, an artfully produced show with sensitive performances that gradually unveil the complicated personalities on stage. When we meet Lettie, she is in the visitors lounge area of a halfway house somewhere in Chicago, transitioning from…
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Theatre in Review
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Friday, 20 April 2018 10:07
Two is better than one: il Pigmalione + Rita at The Studebaker Theater
Written by Kendall Royzen
In so many aspects of life, two is better than one. The Studebaker Theater knows all about this principle and brought together two operas in the space of one evening: il Pigmalione + Rita. A double bill of Italian composter Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti’s first work and one of his…
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Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 17 April 2018 17:20
"Our Great Tchaikovsky" is an intimate, haunting study of the beloved Russian composer
Written by Vika Lvova
The immensely talented Hershey Felder’s new solo act, Our Great Tchaikovsky, is the latest in a series of plays about world’s greatest composers and musicians, including Gershwin, Chopin, Beethoven, Bernstein, et al. that span nearly two decades. Directed by Trevor Hay and written by Hershey Felder, the play is being…
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Theatre in Review
Sunday, 15 April 2018 23:49
É strano, Art comes to life in Chicago Opera Theater’s sunny Amalfi Coast vacation. “Il Pigmalione” and “Rita”
Written by William and Margaret Swain
If you’re weary of Chicago’s delayed Spring, do yourself a favor and take a warming break with the sunny pairing of two rarely heard one act operas by Gaetano Donizetti as presented this chilly Saturday evening at the Studebaker Theater by Chicago Opera Theater. “Il Pigmalione” was Donizetti’s first opera,…
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Theatre in Review
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Saturday, 14 April 2018 17:41
United We Stand! Firebrand's "9 to 5 the Musical"
Written by Sara Hassan
Many of us know the story. Three women who work in an office and seek revenge on an abusive male boss. Who can forget Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda as they made a united stand for women in the now classic film “9 to 5”. Our women heroes…
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Theatre in Review
Sunday, 15 April 2018 00:11
Drury Lane's "South Pacific" a fun, romantic adventure
Written by Kimberly Katz
“South Pacific” is a timeless Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical full of wonderful romance and social commentary about racism that is important for young and old to experience today and I was thoroughly impressed with Drury Lane’s warm, happy, romantic interpretation of the classic show. It is the latest of shows…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Sunday, 08 April 2018 18:26
A Tony Award classic returns - "The Diary of Anne Frank" at Playhouse Theatre at College of DuPage
Written by Ron Reis
“The Diary of Anne Frank” is a familiar story to many people. While two Jewish families are hiding out from the Nazis in Holland during World War II, the story centers around the diary of a young girl, Anne Frank, belonging to one of one of those families. Such circumstances…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 09 April 2018 00:59
Hell in a Handbag's "L'imitation of Life" a laughing matter
Written by Ken Payne
In 1959 director Douglas Sirk left his mark on Hollywood in the making of his final film, Imitation of Life, which was based on the Fannie Hurst novel of the same name. The film starred Lana Turner in the lead role and dealt with several topics that still loom large…
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Theatre in Review
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Gusto Performances in ‘Spring Awakening,’ Vibrant Staging of 1906 Basis of Broadway Musical
Written by Bill Esler“Spring Awakenings,” now playing at Chicago’s Greenhouse Theater Center, is not the Tony-winning 2006 Broadway musical “Spring Awakening,” but an adaptation of its original basis, an 1891 German play by Frank Wedekind that was first performed in 1906. Translated by… -
BrightSide Theatre announces cast and production team for season finale PIPPIN, June 13-29
Written by Buzz Center StageBrightSide Theatre, Naperville’s professional theatre company, has announced the cast for the final show of its 13th season – the Stephen Schwartz/Roger O. Hirson musical PIPPIN. This tale of a prince who learns the true meaning of glory, love, and… -
Chicago Puppet Lab Showcase culminates eight-month residency with experimental live shows by emerging puppet artists, May 31-June 1 at Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center
Written by Buzz Center StageEight Chicago artists from diverse backgrounds and disciplines have spent the last eight months in residence at the Chicago Puppet Lab, a program of the Chicago Puppet International Puppet Theater Festival, where they have been expanding their skill sets by…
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A Half-Century in Harmony: Ryan Opera Center Shines in ‘Rising Stars in Concert’
Written by Bree SamaniIt was a night of celebration, reflection, and breathtaking talent at the Civic Opera House. Fifty years of song echoed through the hall, but it was the future of opera that took center stage. On Friday, April 25, Ryan Opera…
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