Court Theatre presents LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT. Playwright Eugene O’Neill was awarded a Pulitzer Prize posthumously for this autobiographical play. O’Neill exposes his own family’s dysfunction rooted in addiction. Unlike a contemporary drama focused on the affects of an addict’s behavior on a family, O’Neill’s story is about an entire family of alcoholics and a ...
Review “Time Steps” (Chicago Tap Theatre): Play First, Dance Second
Chicago Tap Theatre presents TIME STEPS. After a long week, I was jazzed for Chicago Tap Theatre’s new show. I was ready for energetic toe tapping fun last night. Instead of peppy stepping, TIME STEPS is listlessly dramatic. It’s the opposite of a traditional tap dancing showcase. It’s not uplifting, it’s a bit of a downer. ...
Review “Richard III” (The Gift Theatre): Innovative Storytelling
The Gift Theatre, in conjunction with Steppenwolf Theatre, presents RICHARD III. Michael Patrick Thornton (Richard) stars in this Machiavellian rise to power. Shakespeare describes his lead as a deformed man with a hunchback. Under the innovative direction of Jessica Thebus, Thornton, an actor with a disability, performs the role from his wheelchair. Thornton ruthlessly manipulates his ...
Review “Matilda the Musical” (Broadway in Chicago): Extraordinary!
Broadway in Chicago presents Roald Dahl’s MATILDA THE MUSICAL. Disney princesses and Marvel superheroes step aside. MATILDA has landed in Chicago! And she is one smart cookie… genius, actually! Even lacking a loving, supportive family, Matilda becomes a confident intellectual at age five. She reads. Her power source is her brain. She uses her knowledge to ...
RIDE (Under the Rug Theatre Company): A Bumpy RIDE in Uptown
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 ...