Theatre with a side of life
Theater Wit presents the Midwest Premiere of ADMISSIONS. The timing couldn’t be better for this insightful look into the competitive world of college acceptance. For the last few weeks, the media has spewed out the scandal surrounding celebrities buying their kids’ way into elite colleges. The general public has been scratching their heads and wondering ‘why ...
House Theatre of Chicago presents the World Premiere of PINOCCHIO. ‘Pinochle.’ ‘Pistachio.’ ‘Pinocchio!’ The name, ‘Pinocchio’, gets amusingly butchered throughout this reimagined children’s classic. The mispronunciation of the name is an ongoing joke in the witty script. Adapters Joseph Steakley and Ben Lobpries have updated the well-known puppet story. Although they provide fun with plenty of spirited ...
Hell in a Handbag presents POSEIDON! An Upside Down Musical. It was my pleasure to be in the original audience when David Cerda (book, lyrics, music*) christened his ship, POSEIDON! An Upside Down Musical. That maiden voyage launched Hell in a Handbag Productions seventeen years ago. For nearly two decades, I’ve enjoyed plenty of campy fun Handbag ...
Reviewed by Jay Worthington Goodman Theatre presents SWEAT. The play Sweat, playing now at the Goodman, won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2017. The play portrays a meeting between a parole officer and two ex-convicts, and three women who were childhood friends and had worked in the same factory. The action takes place in a fictional bar ...
Refuge Theatre presents HANDS ON A HARD BODY. The premise for this show is timely, relevant and fascinating. The creative team of Doug Wright (book), Amanda Green (lyrics and music), and Trey Anastasio (music) tell the story of survival of the fittest. In oppressed Longview, Texas, desperate citizens compete for a new Nissan “Hardbody” truck. The ...
Idle Muse Theatre presents BEST FOR WINTER. Director Evan Jackson impressively adapts works by William Shakespeare, including The Winter’s Tale, into one epic tale. His storytelling is bursting with signature Shake; a mad king, a shipwreck, mistaken identities, star-crossed lovers. Jackson engages with an almost overwhelming 16 characters. Over time, his multiple storylines are weaved together in a ...
Broadway in Chicago presents ANASTASIA. The creative team of Terrence McNally (book), Stephen Flaherty (music) and Lynn Ahrens (lyrics), inspired by the movie, made this epic story into a musical. Anastasia is a Russian princess. Her fairytale life abruptly ends with her family being murdered. Although the country, now under communist rule, believes Anastasia perished with her ...
Broadway in Chicago presents A BRONX TALE. It’s the Bronx 1960. Belmont Avenue is a close-knit Italian-American neighborhood of bakeries, bars and gangsters. Over on Webster Avenue, African-Americans have established their own community. Calogero (played by a charismatic Joey Barreiro) narrates his personal story about defying his father (played by Richard H. Blake). First, as as ...
Broadway in Chicago presents THE CHOIR OF MAN. When was the last time, you were in a bar with nine guys who could sing? You have less than a week to remedy that. THE CHOIR OF MAN has embarked on its USA tour. From across the pond, the fellows hail from Ireland, England and Scotland. And ...
Mercury Theater Chicago presents LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. The residents of Skid Row want a better life. Seymour (played by Christopher Kale Jones) dreams of fame. Audrey (played by the amazing Dana Tretta) wishes for a home. Mr. Mushnik (played by Tommy Novak) wants a successful business. Dr. Orin (played by the hilarious David Sajewich) yearns ...