Strange Bedfellows Theatre presents the World Premiere of BADFIC LOVE. In his story within a story, Playwright Adam Pasen again focuses on the storytellers. A couple years ago, Pasen penned a tale of the meet up of two literary giants in his world premiere, Tea with Edie and Fitz. This time, Pasen’s homage to writers goes ...
The Fourth Walsh
Theatre with a side of life
Category The Fourth Walsh
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Is Jeff biased?
The 2015 NON-EQUITY JEFF AWARD nominations were announced last night. Meh! Don’t get me wrong. I sincerely congratulate all the nominees that are being acknowledged for their extraordinary contribution to Chicago theatre. Well done! My lackluster response is seeing the same theatre companies always honored… maybe overly. Below, I took the time to compare all the ...
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Review “Lips Together, Teeth Apart” (Eclipse Theatre): Story Dated, Performances Great
Eclipse Theatre Company, the only Midwest theatre company to feature one playwright in one season, opens their 23rd anniversary, 2015 Terrence McNally season with LIPS TOGETHER, TEETH APART. Playwright Terrence McNally premiered this play in 1991. The story is about two couples struggling with personal and marital issues on their 4th of July weekend. McNally uses ...
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Review “Red Handed Otter” (A Red Orchid): Pet Smart
A Red Orchid Theatre presents the Chicago premiere of RED HANDED OTTER. The notion that people resemble their pets has always struck me as funny. Does a person select a pet with similar features? Or over time does the person start to mimic the pet in looks and gestures? I’m not certain what happens but I’ve ...
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Review “Martyr” (Steep Theatre): Relatable and Terrifying
Steep Theatre Company presents the U.S. Premiere of MARTYR. Parents fear many things altering their child’s life. Pregnancy, drugs, and gangs are tangible threats. But sometimes it’s the unanticipated and abstract influences that can do the most harm. Playwright Marius von Mayenburg explores the impact of religion on an impressionable teen. Brando Crawford (Benjamin) has been ditching ...
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Review “Between you, me and the lampshade” (Teatro Vista): A work in progress
Teatro Vista presents the World Premiere of BETWEEN YOU, ME AND THE LAMPSHADE. The title of this world premiere is misleading. “Between you, me and the lampshade” suggests light-hearted, madcap, hi-jinx. It’s not. From the start, the rifle-toting Sandra Marquez (Jesse) sets the tone for drama. The fierce Marquez threatens trembling Ayssette Munoz (Amparo). Munoz pleads for ...
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Review “The Herd” (Steppenwolf Theatre): Loud, Colorful, Tumultuous… a family to LOVE!
Steppenwolf presents the U.S. premiere of THE HERD. In the home Scenic Designer Walt Spangler built, a family loves and fights with equal intensity. Spangler sets the tone for this family. His walls are white-washed with decorative glass trim. The staircase is almost whimsical as it curves up and around three landings. The kitchen has a ...
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Review “Louis and Keely Live at the Sahara” (Royal George Theatre): The essence of a Vegas love story
Reviewed by Jennifer Benoit-Bryan The Chicago premier of "Louis & Keely ‘Live’ at the Sahara" provides viewers with an excellent evening of entertainment, interspersing foot-tapping musical numbers through a poignant look back at the highs and lows of love. This play focuses on the real life husband-and-wife couple, Louis & Keely, who had one of the ...
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Review “Two Trains Running” (Goodman Theatre): Smooth Ride with unexpected dignity and realism
Goodman Theatre presents TWO TRAINS RUNNING. Martin Luther King Jr. established a dream. Bobby Kennedy spearheaded the Civil Rights Act. The 1960s civil rights movement promised change on a national level. King and Kennedy both were assassinated in 1968. The dynamic King and presidential candidate Kennedy killed in the same year was a loss to the ...
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Review Genius (Profiles Theatre): Wonderfully awkward
Reviewed by Tom Lawler Profiles Theatre presents the world premiere of GENIUS. As playwright Kate Walbert has done such interesting work in playing with the timeline of an extremely awkward dinner party between two NYC couples, let’s jump right to a scene that represents the very best of Genius. We see an older couple recount the story ...