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…
Published in
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…
Published in
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…
Published in
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…
Published in
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…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
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…
Published in
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…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
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…
Published in
Theatre in Review
More...
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,…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
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,…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Sunday, 05 November 2023 12:32
Review: The Artistic Home Ensemble takes on Jen Silverman's 'Witch' at The Den Theatre
Written by John Accrocco
The witch is back, Jen Silverman’s ‘Witch’ that is. Since first being commissioned by Writer’s Theatre back in 2018, Jen Silverman’s take on Jacobean theatre has become a somewhat popular selection for regional theaters. The Artistic Home Ensemble brings this play back to Chicago in a revival directed by Devon…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Friday, 03 November 2023 10:20
'The Night of the Hunter' not a feel-good play, but it is a very good one
Sarz Maxwell
"The Night of the Hunter" is not a feel-good play, but it is a very good one, exceedingly well performed and produced. Playing at City Lit Theatre through December 3 it was adapted for the stage by Shawna Tucker from the novel of the same name by Davis Grubb. It…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
Register
Login
Latest Articles
-
One Fine Show: Beautiful The Carole King Musical dazzles Paramount Theatre
Written by Kendall RoyzenGrowing up our radio dial was tuned to one channel, K-Earth 101. In Southern California that station was the oldies, the classics, belting out hits from the 1950s and 60s; Sam Cooke, Buddy Hall, Mel Carter, Peggy Lee, The Ronettes,… -
Blue in the Right Way's 'Women Beware Women' at The Edge Innovative… radical… courageous… confusing
Written by Sarz MaxwellBlue in the Right Way audaciously chose for their inaugural production a 400-year-old play, WOMEN BEWARE WOMEN, written in 1621 by Thomas Middleton and adapted by the company’s co-founders Kevin Smith (Kevin/Kevin’s, also director) and Daiva Bhandari (she/her, also lead… -
'Judgment Day' a Top-drawer Production That Will Leave You Laughing, and Maybe Changed for the Better
Written by Bill EslerCrowds will flock to see “Judgment Day,” having its world premiere at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier. While many will be drawn by its star, Emmy and Tony-winning actor Jason Alexander of “Seinfeld” fame (George Costanza), and he is… -
Panther In the Sky – “A Moving Tapestry of Grief and Hope"
Written by Wesley DavidIn "Panther in the Sky," playwright Lani T. Montreal masterfully weaves a tapestry of grief, resilience, and redemption through the intertwined narratives of four culturally diverse mothers who have tragically lost their teenage sons to the relentless grip of gun…
Does your theatre company want to connect with Buzz Center Stage or would you like to reach out and say "hello"? Message us through facebook or shoot us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
*This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Buzz Center Stage. Buzz Center Stage is a non-profit, volunteer-based platform that enables, and encourages, staff members to post their own honest thoughts on a particular production.