“No woman ever died for love” says Despina in Mozart’s charming little opera ‘Cosi fan tutte’. There may not be any deaths from love but, maybe a few tickled funny bones in this revival going on now at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Originally conceived by John Cox about ten…
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Theatre in Review
Saturday, 17 February 2018 17:31
The Phantom returns in well-worth-the-wait "Love Never Dies"
Written by Cindy Payne
If you are a passionate fan of the original "Phantom of the Opera" musical, its sequel "Love Never Dies" will surely peak your curiosity and is a 'must see'. The continuation to one of the greatest love stories of our time takes place in 1907, ten years later after the…
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Theatre in Review
Sunday, 18 February 2018 18:55
Excellent Production of The Burn Captures the 'Crucible' That Is High School
Written by Bill Esler
The Burn, a lively tale of a high school drama class putting on Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, is spectacularly good. The script by Philip Dawkins was commissioned for the Steppenwolf’s Theatre’s Young Adult Theater Program. But this in no way diminishes it as a creative work – it is far,…
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Theatre in Review
Marriott Theatre’s Ragtime might just be one of the best adaptations to make its way through the Greater Chicago Area - ever. E.L. Dotorow wrote the novel in 1975, which has stormed theatre stages since 1996, snagging thirteen Tony Awards in 1996. With lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, music by Stephen…
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Theatre in Review
Friday, 09 February 2018 16:24
Deliciously Good Performances Score in Steppenwolf’s You Got Older
Written by Bill Esler
Millennial angst is in the air, and never better captured than in Clare Barron’s autobiographical “You Got Older.” You will laugh at its depictions of a young woman less-than-dexterously navigating her way through the trials of reaching a grown-up state in this first-rate production at Steppenwolf Theatre. Mae, a 27-year-old…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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Monday, 05 February 2018 12:09
Review: I Puritani at Lyric Opera of Chicago
Written by John Accrocco
There are fewer things in theatre more exciting the curtain going up on the first act of an opera. Often there’s no ceremony or pre-recorded note from management. The lights dim and the overture begins. How enchanting to take your first look at the sumptuous sets and costumes Lyric Opera…
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Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 06 February 2018 13:59
Rich Dialog Brings to Life the Denizens of Detroit Stamping Factory as Shutdown Approaches
Written by Bill Esler
In Skeleton Crew, playwright Dominique Morisseau hits close to home, presenting an event that still profoundly impacts America: the 2008 economic meltdown. It is captured here in the form of an imminent Detroit car plant closure. Our memories are still fresh from that time, and wounds to our social fabric…
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Theatre in Review
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Monday, 05 February 2018 23:42
Review: "Time Stands Still" at McIninch Art Center
Written by Ron Reis
Buffalo Theatre Ensemble presented a two act play at the McIninch Art Center in Glen Ellyn titled Time Stands Still this past weekend and I was fortunate enough to see the opening night performance. The entire play is set in a Brooklyn loft apartment that really serves well in creating…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Having been wanting to check it out for quite a while, I was excited to go see Nice Girl at the Raven Theatre, the theatre’s latest offering, this one by Melissa Ross and directed by Lauren Shouse. Upon entering the Edgewater located venue, I walked into the warmth and was…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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Tuesday, 30 January 2018 21:29
Hatfield and McCoy is not for the faint of hearts
Written by Vika Lvova
Loosely based on a true story of the two infamous feuding families- Hatfield and McCoy – and inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the namesake musical takes place circa 1865 in West Virginia. McCoy family loves to stage home plays and write poetry, while Hatfields spend most of their time…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Who’d have thought a Cuban-born playwright could endear an auditorium of liberals to Ronald Reagan. Rogelio Martinez’s new play ‘Blind Date’ is a fictionalized account of the very real first meeting between Soviet general secretary Mikhail Gorbachev (William Dick) and President Ronald Reagan (James D. Farruggio). Robert Falls returns to…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Wednesday, 31 January 2018 17:14
Make Musicals Great Again! We the People: The Anti-Trump Musical
Written by Anne Rakowiecki
Unlike the preamble to the constitution, you – the people – won't find any established justice or domestic tranquility in Trump's America. Enter the Anti-Trump Musical. Last Saturday, Flying Elephant Productions premiered We the People, a new musical featuring a cast of six singing original songs with music and lyrics by Leo Schwartz…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 30 January 2018 06:18
First Folio's "Women in Jeopardy" a delightfully rich comedy
Written by Ken Payne
Simply said, First Folio’s latest production hits on all cylinders. Women in Jeopardy, currently performed at Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oakbrook, is a sharp comedy that successfully lands a very high percentage of its humor with the audience thanks in part to its funny script with plenty of the credit…
Published in
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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