Theatre with a side of life
Broadway in Chicago presents the Tony Award-winning musical DEAR EVAN HANSEN. Dear Steven Levenson (book) and Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (music and lyrics), This musical is amazing! You have brilliantly captured loneliness and isolation in this era of digital connectivity. And you tackled the desolation of this contemporary relevance with humor and hope. The stage (Designer ...
Steppenwolf Theatre presents the Chicago premiere of A DOLL’S HOUSE, PART 2. ‘What happened next?’ is a question pondered at the end of many stories. The ambitious Lucas Hnath decides to answer that question in his sequel to Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. Ibsen ended his play with Nora, a nineteenth century wife and mother, walking ...
Remy Bumppo Theatre presents THE FATHER. Florian Zeller’s play is a bit of a puzzle. Zeller won the 2014 Molière Award for Best Play. Christoper Hampton translated Zeller’s Le Père into English. THE FATHER debuted on Broadway in 2016 and led to Frank Langella winning a Tony for Best Actor in a play. The show has critical ...
Broken Nose Theatre presents the Midwest premiere of GIRL IN THE RED CORNER. Elise Marie Davis (Halo) opens the show by confiding to the audience. Her address is controlled constraint. Her marriage is over. She quit her job. And she moved back in with her mom. Despite the series of unfortunate events, Davis doesn’t come off like ...
Porchlight Music Theatre presents A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER. Is it more a comedy or a musical? It's an extraordinary combination of both. Robert L. Freedman (book and lyrics) and Steven Lutvak (music and lyrics) create a witty and clever killer’s confession. Based on Roy Horniman’s novel, Freedman and Lutvak tell the story of ...
February 1st January Report Card: Collin gave me this “Hamilton” pillow. I love it! It reminds me daily ‘not to throw away my shot.’ This is an inspiring mantra especially during a month anchored in a government shut-down and ending with a Chicago shut-in. This past week, temperatures of -25 coupled with -47 wind chill crippled ...
Goodman Theatre presents the World Premiere of HOW TO CATCH CREATION. This CREATION captivates upon arrival and enthralls through the ending! Set Designer Todd Rosenthal masterfully uses not one but two revolving platforms to provide multiple locations. Each room, on the spinning stages, is distinctly designed to reflect the different personalities. A stylish condo. An art professor’s ...
Windy City Playhouse presents SOUTHERN GOTHIC. WCP debuted its immersive theatre experience in 2018 at its main theatre. Following a wildly successful initial run and multiple extensions, SOUTHERN GOTHIC has been moved to a new location to satisfy an ongoing demand for tickets. After having to cancel reviewing the show last May, I was delighted to ...
Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Bronks, and Richard Jordan Productions with Theatre Royal Plymouth and Big in Belgium in association with Summerhall present Bronk’s US/THEM. On September 1, 2004, terrorists invaded a school in Beslan, North Ossetia, Russia. 1,200 children and adults were held captive for three days. Caryl Wijis (playwright, director, co-creator) and Thomas Vantuycom (co-creator) ...
Reviewed by Jay Worthington The American Premiere of the Original London West End production of THE WOMAN IN BLACK is presented by PW Productions and Pemberley Productions. Currently playing on the wonderful main stage of the Royal George Theatre, The Woman in Black is a throwback to simpler times when lights, sound, and suspense were all one ...