Reviewed by Tom Lawler Set the scene: Under the Rug Theatre Company, a new company making its debut with RIDE, aims to “examine societal elements that might otherwise be swept under the rug.” Under the Rug’s maiden voyage is being staged in Wicker Park’s The Den Theater, a buzzing five-theater space with two vintage bars and ...
Review “The Bachelors” (Cole Theatre): Disappointing! :(
Cole Theatre presents the Chicago Premiere of THE BACHELORS. I’m a long-time fan of both Shane Kenyon (Laurie) and Nicholas Bailey’s (Kevlar) stage work. I was also impressed by the caliber of Cole Theatre’s inaugural production. I was looking forward to seeing all that talent culminate into Cole's second production. Unfortunately, it didn't happen. THE BACHELORS ...
Review “United Flight 232” (The House Theatre of Chicago): This is a Plane Crash You Want to Be On!
The House Theatre of Chicago presents UNITED FLIGHT 232. I survived the crash of United Flight 232. I wasn’t there on July 19, 1989 when it crashed into a cornfield in Sioux City. I was there yesterday when House Theatre of Chicago reenacted it. Adapter and Director Vanessa Stalling creates an experience like no other. I ...
Review “The Matchmaker” (Goodman Theatre): For the Light-Hearted Romantic Fools
Goodman Theatre presents THE MATCHMAKER. Full disclosure: “Hello Dolly” starring Barbara Streisand is one of my favorite movies. I’ve easily seen it over two dozen times. I know the banter, the punchlines and all the songs. My love affair with the musical movie made me giddy for this origin play. My expectations were high before ...
Review “Blood Wedding” (Lookingglass Theatre): Not Bloody Dramatic
Lookingglass Theatre presents BLOOD WEDDING. Weddings are emotional. Two people pledging their loving devotion. Two families merging ancestral lines. In the best of circumstances, the pending permanency of the union makes for tense moments. Playwright Federico Garcia Lorca (translated by Michael Dewell and Carmen Zapata) pens a tale of marital amiss. The telenovela opens with an unhappy ...
I thought I couldn’t cook but I was wrong!
Shrimp jambalaya When I was a kid, I tried to make Jello. I failed...over and over! It was a combination of things. I couldn't wait for the water to fully boil or the Jello to completely dissolve. Although Jello appears simplistic in nature, it continues to be my unsolved mystery. Back in the day, I ...
EXTENDED THRU April 10 Review D.O.A. (Strawdog Theatre): Hugen Hall’s Grand Finale
Hugen Hall of Strawdog Theatre Company presents the World Premiere adaptation of D.O.A. The room is dark. The door opens. A bright light silhouettes a character in the doorway. The posed person then struts into the smoky room. Each cast member makes an entrance like it’s a 1950s film noir fashion show. It’s the last production ...
Review “The Hounds of the Baskervilles” (Idle Muse Theatre): The Original Bro-mance
Idle Muse Theatre Company presents a World Premiere adaptation of THE HOUNDS OF THE BASKERVILLES. Sherlock Holmes is perhaps the most famous detective in history. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created a persona whose superior intellect picked up on the smallest hint of a clue. Sherlock’s sleuthing was aided by his trusted sidekick Dr. Watson. The duo ...
Review “Heathers: The Musical” (Kokandy Production): It Kills!
Kokandy Productions presents the Chicago Premiere of HEATHERS: THE MUSICAL. Before the “Mean Girls”, there were the “Heathers.” The 1980s cult classic movie showcased a high school run by a trio of girls named Heather. The creative team of Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe gave Daniel Waters’ dark comedy a musical make over. Murphy and O’Keefe ...
Review “Rolling” (Jackalope Theatre): Mean-Spirited, Hilarious and Relatable
Jackalope Theatre presents the World Premiere of ROLLING. The news is news! The hot media story of the day questions a sexual assault news story from the past. The reporter is under attack. She decides to go into hiding. She runs home… much to her mother’s chagrin. Playwright Calamity West pens a dark comedy about the adult ...