Review “Noises Off” (Steppenwolf Theatre): Zany Escape from Our Ludicrous Reality

Tuesday, October 8, 2024 Permalink 0

Steppenwolf Theatre presents NOISES OFF. Playwright Michael Frayn penned a madcap farce about theatre. A group of London actors work to put on a show. It gets intense on and offstage as their personal lives interfere with their job. It’s not just about forgetting lines. The players are threatening to walk out, to get drunk and ...

Review “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” (Broadway in Chicago): Amortentia!

Friday, September 27, 2024 Permalink 0

Broadway in Chicago presents the National Tour of HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD. Harry Potter is back! He’s all grown-up and again facing a soul-sucking life force. No, it’s not the dementors. It’s his sullen teenage son Albus. J.K. Rowling’s beloved characters return for another chapter in the life of The Chosen One. Rowlings, Jack Thorne ...

Review “Inherit the Wind” (Goodman Theatre): Pleasant Return to Simpler Times and Civil Debates

Thursday, September 26, 2024 Permalink 0

Goodman Theatre presents INHERIT THE WIND. In 1925, a schoolteacher taught his students that humans evolved from apes. This notion contrasted with their parents’ and their town’s belief that God created the world in seven days. John T. Scopes’ lesson landed him on trial. In 1955, Playwrights Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee debuted their play ...

Review “The Tempest” (Idle Muse Theatre Company): Spirit-filled Innovation!

Idle Muse Theatre Company presents a World Premiere adaptation of THE TEMPEST. This Shakespearean tale is truly a tempest. A squall brings down the King’s ship. The survivors become separated on an enchanted island. Each person faces turmoil from their own desires and each other. Every conflict is exacerbated by mischievous spirits. And the source for ...

Review “Henry V” (Chicago Shakespeare Theater): A War to Remember… and Experience!

Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents HENRY V.     Playwright William Shakespeare penned the tale of the young King of England invading France. He wrote of the motivations, negotiations, and ramifications of war. His depiction is a history lesson of the Battle Agincourt during the Hundred Years’ War. Shakespeare utilized a multitude of characters, nobles and commoners, ...

Review “The Normal Heart” (Redtwist Theatre): Powerful Principal Performances

Monday, September 2, 2024 Permalink 0

Redtwist Theatre presents THE NORMAL HEART. The COVID-19 pandemic was life-changing. The global health crisis was the impetus to understanding. A virus plaguing the world started as a news story and became very personal, very quickly. Everyone was impacted by the novelty of coronavirus. What were the symptoms? How is it transmitted? Who is more vulnerable ...

Review “Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale” (Chicago Shakes): Epic on Multiple Dimensions

Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents the U.S. Premiere of THE LORD OF THE RINGS - A Musical Tale. Both diehard Tolkien fans and complete novices to Middle Earth will enjoy the epic storytelling in Chicago Shakes’ latest production. The creative team of Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus (books and lyrics) bring J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved fantasy from page ...

Review “Dontrell, Who Kissed The Sea” (Pegasus Theatre): A Quest to Experience

Tuesday, July 23, 2024 Permalink 0

Pegasus Theatre presents DONTRELL, WHO KISSED THE SEA. Playwright Nathan Alan Davis penned a contemporary folktale rooted in ancestral mysticism. Dontrell Jones the Third (played by Blake Dupree) is the whiz kid. Although his family sees his future clearly in academic pursuits, Dontrell is pulled in a different direction. He feels his destiny is to journey ...

Review MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL (Goodman Theatre): FUN …and dull!

Tuesday, July 9, 2024 Permalink 0

Goodman Theatre presents the World Premiere production of MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL The Musical. Before true crime podcasts and shocking documentaries, John Berendt published his 1994 blockbuster non-fiction book, “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.” Berendt told the real life story of a murder in Savannah, Georgia. It was a ...

Review “Little Bear Ridge Road” (Steppenwolf Theatre): Excellent Must-See!

Saturday, June 29, 2024 Permalink 0

Steppenwolf Theatre presents LITTLE BEAR RIDGE ROAD. Ethan returns to Idaho to settle his dad’s affairs. Sarah reluctantly welcomes him back home. Although their relationship isn’t initially clear, their annoyance with each other is palpable. Playwright Samuel D. Hunter’s set-up engages immediately. This duo face-off like a well-scripted reality show. Their interactions feel organically awkward. It’s ...