Theatre with a side of life
This picture encapsulates my March experience perfectly! The poinsettia I bought in December for $8.99 refuses to die. It’s hanging on… unwavering, unwanted, and unwatered. It’s mirroring winter in Chicago. Even though we officially said goodbye to winter last week, he is treating us to a rain-sleet-snow frenzy on this Saturday in April. Winter is like ...
Goodman Theatre presents the World Premiere of GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR. It’s 1958. The Jack Parr Show is broadcasting from LA for Sweeps Week. Since ratings are everything, Jack has booked his friend Oscar Levant. Oscar is known for his piano virtuosity and his unfiltered humor. Oscar’s quick, self-deprecating and unscripted wit is the perfect draw for ...
Steppenwolf Theatre and Center Theatre Group presents the World Premiere of KING JAMES. Just in time for March Madness, Playwright Rajiv Joseph debuts his tribute to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Joseph tells the tale of two fans turned friends. The guys meet to purchase season tickets as LeBron James joins the Cavs. Their resulting bromance chronicles LeBron’s ...
Music Theater Works presents LA CAGE AUX FOLLES starring RuPaul Drag Race’s Ginger Minj. From “We are What We Are” to the “The Best of Times” curtain call, this production crushes it! Cast, costumes, choreography, comedy swirl together for a dynamic musical spectacle. The creative team of Jerry Herman (music and lyrics) and Harvey Fierstein (book) debuted ...
Idle Muse Theatre Company presents the world premiere production of Upon This Shore: A Tale of Pericles and the Daughters of Tyre. Director and Adaptor Evan Jackson ambitiously orchestrates one of Shakespeare’s less recognized works. At its core, the tale is about a prince separated from his wife and child. As with any Shakes’ saga, the ...
February was short and sweet… and bitter! It was SHORT which is particularly nice during a Chicago winter. It follows the long, dreary days of January. January is the official buzz killer after the merriment of the holidays. Those 31 days of resolution to make this year the best is exhausting. February is the calendar pause ...
Broadway In Chicago presents the Chicago Premiere of HADESTOWN, winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards including Best New Musical and the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album. HADESTOWN captivates from the first few notes of “Road to Hell”. The charismatic Levi Kreis (Hermes) welcomes us to this Greek Tragedy co-existing in the real world ...
Broadway In Chicago presents COME FROM AWAY. The details of September 11, 2001, both historic and personal, are embedded in my memory. The images of the planes crashing into the towers and my own urgent need to be with friends at a Chicago neighborhood bar co-exist in my mind as collateral damage to the tragic day’s ...
2022 started the same as 2021 ended with COVID-19 in the spotlight. The highly contagious Omicron was beating down on the world. Aside from the news reporting this oppressive phenomena, it got personal on a few levels. I was in meetings with several community health centers (CHC) overwhelmed with staff shortages and increased patients as a ...
Although COVID continues to wreak havoc in our civilization, this Christmas was definitely better than last year! The good news is we have a vaccination series that includes a booster. The bad news is we have 37% of Americans not completely vaccinated. People continue to choose to prolong this pandemic by being willfully obtuse. Chicago is ...