Theatre with a side of life
Firebrand Theatre, in partnership with TimeLine Theatre Company, launches its 2018-19 season with a revival of the Tony Award-nominated Best Musical CAROLINE, OR CHANGE. This musical is a powerful tribute to the 1960s civil rights movement. We see race relations up close and personal. Caroline (played by the superb Rashada Dawan) is a black maid for a Jewish ...
Goodman Theatre presents the world premiere of David Cale’s WE’RE ONLY ALIVE FOR A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. David Cale returns to the Goodman Theatre after a ten year absence to launch his newest one man show. Cale has debuted six of his singing-songwriting-acting solo shows at the Goodman. WE’RE ONLY ALIVE is my first experience ...
In celebration of the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, four Chicago theaters will be debuting their version of the infamous tale; Lifeline, Remy Bumppo, Lookingglass and Court. Lifeline Theatre presents the world premiere of Robert Kauzlaric’s adaptation of FRANKENSTEIN. Kauzlaric spins his tale of resurrection around Victoria -not Victor- Frankenstein (played by Anne Sonneville). Kauzlaric makes ...
By Jay Worthington We should treat refugees much better than we do. This was the thought that kept running through my mind while watching the Chicago premiere of Qui Nguyen’s “Vietgone” at Writers Theatre. The story begins with the chaos of the Vietnam War where we meet Quang, energetically portrayed by Matthew C. Yee, a Vietnamese ...
The House Theatre of Chicago presents the world premiere of BOREALIS. I don’t typically read a press release before a play. I prefer to review a show from the perspective of any theatre goer. This practice can be challenging especially when critiquing a world premiere like BOREALIS. I’ve included an excerpt from the press release at ...
TimeLine Theatre presents A SHAYNA MAIDEL. The translation for ‘shayna maidel’ is ‘pretty girl.’ The phrase has a sweet simplicity not traditionally associated with something as horrific as the holocaust. Well, that’s Playwright Barbara Lebow’s point. Her story doesn’t focus on the atrocities of the attempt to exterminate the Jewish people. Instead, Lebow narrows in on ...
Babes With Blades Theatre Company starts its 21st Season with the world premiere of THE LADY DEMANDS SATISFACTION. Playwright Arthur M. Jolly pens a fun farce. His story follows Trothe's (played by the delightfully obtuse Deanalis Resto) quest to secure her inheritance. Jolly uses forbidden love, mistaken identities and witty dialogue to captivate the audience. Under ...
Broadway In Chicago and the producers of the Tony Award-winning revival of THE COLOR PURPLE present a limited engagement of THE COLOR PURPLE. My review in three words: BUY A TICKET! THE COLOR PURPLE is absolutely beautiful! Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, the creative team of Marsha Norman (book) and Brenda Russell, Allee ...
Reviewed By Carrie Willman Broadway in Chicago presents the World Premiere of THE CHER SHOW - a new musical. THE CHER SHOW is set to open on Broadway in November after a limited run in Chicago. The musical chronicles the highs and lows of Cher's lengthy career portrayed by three actors in different stages of Cher's life. ...