Steppenwolf Theatre presents the Chicago premiere ofRUSSIAN TRANSPORT. Playwright Erika Sheffer tells a family story from the inside out. The audience is immediately at home as a mom forces her daughter to vacate her bedroom for company. The teenager protests. The mom ignores her. The scenario is familiar. The dialogue is authentic. Their obvious routine ...
The Fourth Walsh
Theatre with a side of life
Category The Fourth Walsh
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“Gypsy” (Chicago Shakespeare Theater): Oh, Momma!
Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents GYPSY. Until last night, I had never seen any production of GYPSY. I had heard snippets of the musical sung by the grand dames of Broadway, including; Ethel Merman, Bernadette Peters, and Patti LuPone. Still, I had no expectations for this iconic musical. GYPSY premiered in 1959. It is a showbiz reflection on the death of ...
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“The Playboy of the Western World” (Raven Theatre): Tis a Charmer
Raven Theatre presentsTHE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD. The 1907 premiere of this play incited what became known as the ‘Playboy Riots.’ Ireland did not respond well to Playwright J.M. Synge’s work. First, his hero, Christy Mahon, is a lad claiming to have killed his father. Christy, as a fugitive, finds refuge and admiration in a ...
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“Saint Joan” (ShawChicago): Robust Storytelling
ShawChicago presents SAINT JOAN. There are no villains in the piece. Crime, like disease, is not interesting: it is something to be done away with by general consent, and that is all about it. It is what men do at their best, with good intentions, and what normal men and women find that they must and ...
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Sons of the Prophet (American Theater Company): A playwright with a lot on his mind
Reviewed by Tom Lawler Making its Chicago debut on the heels of a celebrated off-Broadway run that netted several theater honors including the 2012 Drama Critics Circle award, Stephen Karam’s Sons of the Prophet feels most successful in the craftsmanship of its details rather than in its overall construction. Karam is well-served by director PJ Paparelli’s organic, yet sleekly-staged ...
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“Crime and Punishment” (Mary Arrchie): Concise yet Epic!
Mary Arrchie Theatre presents CRIME AND PUNISHMENT. An intellectual tests his theories on humanity. He surmises crime for a higher purpose is justified. He believes some people can commit heinous acts without repercussion. When he is interrogated by a police inspector, his world starts to unravel. When he is haunted by his dreams, his life implodes. ...
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Review “Ain’t Misbehavin'” (Porchlight Music Theatre): Perfectly Jazzed
Porchlight Music Theatre presents the Tony Award-winning Thomas “Fats” Waller musical revue, AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’. Fats Waller was a pianist, organist, composer, singer, bandleader and comedic entertainer. His progressive work pioneered the era for modern jazz. He only lived to be 39 but he lived. His legacy is a robust songbook reflecting the emotions and experiences of African ...
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Review “Plainsong” (Signal Ensemble Theatre): A Story to Savor
The winter continues to plummet us in cold and snow. An attainable escape is within the pages of a good book. And an even better respite is experiencing a good story without reading a word. Signal Ensemble Theatre presents the Chicago Premiere of PLAINSONG. Playwright Eric Schmiedl impressively adapted Kent Haruf’s novel for stage. The heartwarming tale is ...
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Review “The Golden Dragon” (Sideshow Theatre): Schimmelpfenning’s Chop Suey
Sideshow Theatre presents THE GOLDEN DRAGON. In 2012, Sideshow produced their Jeff Award-winning Idomeneus. That innovative, critically-acclaimed play was written by Roland Schimmelpfenning. In The Golden Dragon, Sideshow produces another of Schimmelpfenning’s work. This one is centered in a restaurant. The five member ensemble, Matt Fletcher, David Lawrence Hamilton,Daria Harper, Deanna Myers and Noah Sullivan, are ...