Wednesday, 29 March 2017 19:49
The House Theatre's Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz Reinvents Baum's Classic
Written by Vika Lvova
The House Theatre is currently performing one of its past productions, The Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz, Phillip Klapperich’s 2005 spin on L. Frank Baum’s classic Wizard of Oz. First produced by House Theatre of Chicago in their third season, Klappernich’s The Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz is…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Sunday, 26 March 2017 10:19
Family Loyalties are Tested in By the Water
Written by Michaelle Bradford
Devastation permeates the set and plot of the Northlight Theatre’s Midwest premiere of By the Water – a powerful and moving production, written by Sharyn Rothstein and directed by Cody Estle, about a Staten Island, New York, family dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Marty and Mary Murphy (Francis…
Published in
Theatre in Review
It's not often you'll hear cool and the play 'Picnic' in the same sentence, but director Will Davis' new version at American Theater Company is just that. This is William Inge's 1953 Pulitzer Prize winner as you've never seen it before. For many, 'Picnic' triggers high school boredom flashbacks. When…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Wednesday, 22 March 2017 15:18
A Comic Delight, Destiny of Desire Also Has Plenty of Smart and Sexy
Written by Kimberly Katz
Destiny of Desire begins with the actors breaking the fourth wall, walking among the audience, encouraging them to relax and have fun. As they complete their tasks setting up the empty Goodman soundstage on which the telenovela we are about to watch is being shot, the entire cast announces with…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tagged under
After a 146-year run, Ringling Bros. Circus, is finally bringing down its curtain for what has been tabbed as “The Greatest Show on Earth”. That’s right. With final shows in May of 2017, one of the world’s most popular events will come to a close after nearly a century and…
Published in
Theatre in Review
The Chicago premiere of a Tom Stoppard play is one of the most hotly anticipated events of this season. We’re never short for great Stoppard productions in this town, but The Hard Problem was Stoppard’s first new play in nine years when it debuted in 2015, and since Court Theatre’s…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Wednesday, 15 March 2017 01:31
Do You Like To Laugh Until It Hurts? Spamilton Delivers
Written by Bill Esler
The hip-hop Broadway in Chicago sensation Hamilton, which, has spawned a secondary market in pricey theater tickets, has also delivered a pair of spin-offs. Shamilton, an improv riff at the Apollo, and now, notably, Spamilton, a send up of the original musical about the founding fathers of the U.S. Is…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Wednesday, 15 March 2017 19:16
10 Out of 12 Offers an Eye-opening, Behind the Scenes Look into Theater Production
Written by Ken Payne
Ever wonder what happens behind the scenes leading up to opening night at the theater? Do you have any idea how much detail goes into a stage production? Can you imagine the funny moments that could take place while building a set or rehearsing lines? Do directors really get as…
Published in
Theatre in Review
"The Wiz" is a perfect collision of disco and show tunes. Appearing on Broadway in 1975, "The Wiz" went on to win the Tony for Best Musical. Though it was not the first all-black production on Broadway, the cross-over appeal of its music made it a sensation. A few years…
Published in
Theatre in Review
More...
Sunday, 12 March 2017 18:04
The Source is Both Thriller, and Timeless, Existential Drama
Written by Bill Esler
In The Source, Gabriel McKinley has penned what may be destined to become a stage classic. A gripping thriller, The Source is a timeless existential drama as well. It centers on a pair of journalists – a writer, and a photographer – holed up in a hotel, waiting to connect…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Thursday, 09 March 2017 12:11
Off to a Good Start, The Infinite Wrench Has Big Shoes to Fill
Written by Kimberly Katz
Replacing the twenty-eight-year long-running hit show "Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind", which was known for delivering thirty original plays in sixty minutes with an ever-changing cast, is a new troupe of high energy players each with their own personal gifts and comedic skills. In the same tradition,…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Charming, colorful and inventive, the Marriot Theater’s Madagascar – A Musical Adventure, for young audiences, is a fun-filled ride with themes that will surely resonate with both kids and adults. Based on the popular 2005 film by DreamWorks Animation, Madagascar centers around four main characters from the Central Park Zoo:…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Just after the show’s beginning, Jackie Taylor asks the crowd what the world needs. In unison, many voices shout back, “Love!”. And when do we need it? “Now!” Love is the theme in Black Ensemble’s latest production, From Jackie with Love (What the World Needs Now), a three-day engagement that…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Register
Login
Latest Articles
-
Outrage Made Manifest in “Bust: An Afrocurrentist Play”
Written by Wesley DavidSomething extraordinary happens on a street in Huntsville, Alabama. Mr. Woods (Keith Randolph Smith), a hard-working Black man in the community, is involved in a traffic stop with two cops (Mark Bedard and Jorge Luna) - a scene witnessed far… -
THE DEN THEATRE ANNOUNCES JUNE COMEDY SHOWS
Written by Buzz Center StageThe Den Theatre today announced upcoming June 2025 shows at the theatre's Wicker Park stages at 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., including "Anatomy of Murder" Podcast on June 4; Beth Stelling on June 6–7; IMHO: The Show on June 8; Gabby Bryan on June 12; Grace Helbig: "Let Me Get This… -
Full Casting Announced for Hell in a Handbag's QUEEN FOR A DAY - July 9 – August 3, 2025 at Bramble Arts Loft - World Premiere!
Written by Buzz Center StageHell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to conclude its 2024/25 Season with the world premiere of QUEEN FOR A DAY written by ensemble member Tyler Anthony Smith* and directed by Stephanie Shaw. This gay fantasia on national themes... wait, wrong play. This one-act comedy/drama/cry for help…
-
Redtwist Theatre's GARY: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus: Who mops up after the royals' butchery?
Written by Sarz MaxwellI reviewed TITUS ANDRONICUS in mid-February, so I was eager to see the sequel! In TITUS, Shakespeare tells the story from the viewpoint of the regnant major characters: Empress Tamora and her sons Chiron, Demetrius and Bassianus; Lucius and the…
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.