Review “TINA – The Tina Turner Musical” (Broadway in Chicago): Simply The Best!

Thursday, March 16, 2023 Permalink 0

Broadway in Chicago presents TINA - The Tina Turner Musical produced by Stage Entertainment, James L. Nederlander and Tali Pelman, in association with Tina Turner and Erwin Bach. Tina Turner is an iconic superstar. This musical pays tribute to not only her talent but her resilience. It tells the story of a high-spirited young girl (played ...

Review “Annie” (Broadway in Chicago): Exuberant Escape from Hard Knock Living

Thursday, March 9, 2023 Permalink 0

Broadway in Chicago presents ANNIE THE MUSICAL. Do you remember when you last saw a live production of ANNIE? I do! It was 2016 and a Wednesday. Hillary just lost to Trump. I was devastated. I dragged myself to the press opening of ANNIE THE MUSICAL. The feel-good, family-friendly tale of an orphan bringing cheerful optimism ...

Review “1776” (Broadway in Chicago): This Revival Crushes The Past!

Thursday, March 2, 2023 Permalink 0

The American Repertory Theater, Roundabout Theatre Company, National Artists Management Company and NETworks Presentations present the Chicago Premiere of the Broadway Revival of "1776 THE MUSICAL." I’ve seen various productions of "1776" and even the 1972 movie version. I’m a fan of this musical USA origin story. And I was a little more than giddy to ...

Review “The Kelly Girls” (Factory Theater): Blood-Soaked Realization

Monday, February 27, 2023 Permalink 0

Factory Theater presents the World Premiere of THE KELLY GIRLS. For centuries, Belfast has been a hotbed of warring factions. Catholics verses Protestants. Irish verses British rule. The Provisional Government of Ireland verses the Irish Republican Army (IRA). And later in the 1960s, the Official IRA verses the Provisional IRA. The Irish started fighting in their ...

Review “Anna in the Tropics” (Remy Bumppo Theatre Company): Russian-Cuban Mash Up

Sunday, February 19, 2023 Permalink 0

Remy Bumppo Theatre Company presents ANNA IN THE TROPICS. A factory hires a lector to read to its workers. As the employees hand-roll cigars, they get lost in the romance and intrigue of “Anna Karenina.” Playwright Milo Cruz uses the Leo Tolstoy classic as the basis for transformation in a working class community. Tolstoy’s words enchant ...

Review “Boulevard of Bold Dreams” (Timeline Theatre): The Cast is a Winning Trifecta!

Thursday, February 16, 2023 Permalink 0

Timeline Theatre presents the World Premiere of BOULEVARD OF BOLD DREAMS. It’s 1940. For the first time in Hollywood history, the Academy Awards have nominated a black woman for an Oscar. Hattie McDaniels is to be honored for her portrayal of Mamie in “Gone With The Wind.” The evening should be a glamorous celebration of Miss ...

Review “Lady Day” (Mercury Theater): Alexis J. Roston IS Billie Holiday!

Tuesday, February 7, 2023 Permalink 0

Mercury Theater presents LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR AND GRILL. Step into Venus Cabaret Theatre and take a step back in time! It’s Philadelphia 1959. The lights are dim. The seating is intimate. And Emerson’s Bar and Grill is serving up classic cocktails. Tonight’s entertainment is the extraordinary Billie Holiday (played by her doppelgänger, Alexis J. ...

Review “Wuthering Heights” (Chicago Shakespeare Theater): Storytelling Captivates!

Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s World Series Stage presents Wise Children’s WUTHERING HEIGHTS. The UK show is a co-production of National Theatre, Wise Children, Bristol Old Vic and York Theatre Royal in association with Berkley Repertory Theatre.  Emily Brontë’s classic masterpiece gets an innovative spin by Adapter and Director Emma Rice. Brontë penned a saga of love/hate, lust/revenge ...

EXTENDED Thru March 5 …”Cabaret” (Porchlight Music Theatre): “Come to THIS Cabaret!”

Porchlight Music Theatre presents the Tony Award-winning musical CABARET. Berlin,1929: The Kit Kat Klub is lit! The girls are beautiful. The boys are beautiful. And everyone is Willkommen! Cliff, an American novelist, stumbles into the ongoing party at the cabaret. The nightclub is free-loving, high-spirited intoxication! There are no rules, no consequences and no boundaries. Cliff ...

Review “Bald Sisters” (Steppenwolf Theatre): More Sitcom Than Dramedy

Tuesday, December 13, 2022 Permalink 0

Steppenwolf Theatre presents the World Premiere of the BALD SISTERS. Two sisters clash over the funeral arrangements for their mother. It’s a likely scenario that has happened or will happen in many families. Playwright Vichet Chum uses a mother’s death to pile on the friction. The grieving sisters must confront their sibling rivalry, religious differences, and ...