The Right Brain Project presents THE ILLUSION. The illusions start early and continue to the finale. Upon arrival, the audience is sat on benches lining the wall. Set Designer Katie-Bell Springmann has wrapped the intimate theatre in scripted parchment. Stacks of books create a cave-like arch on the stage. The room is dark except for a ...
Review “One Came Home” (Lifeline Theatre): Resilient!
Lifeline Theatre presents a World Premiere Adaptation of ONE CAME HOME. Author Amy Timberlake set her award-winning historical novel in 1870s Wisconsin during the great passenger pigeon migration. Back then, the influx of pigeons was followed by the arrival of hunters. Passenger pigeons flocked by the billions making them a commercial target. And then they were ...
Review “Scenes from an Execution” (Runcible Theatre Company): Powerful Tribute to Art
Runcible Theatre Company presents SCENES FROM AN EXECUTION. In 1571, Venice is proud of their victory at the Battle of Lepanto. The Doge (played by Stephen Fedo) has commissioned Galactica (played by Sarah Chalcroft) to commemorate the event with a painting. Instead of a portrait of military triumph, the fiery Chalcroft portrays the carnage of the ...
Review “The Full Monty” (Kokandy Productions): Sung to Perfection!
Kokandy Productions presents THE FULL MONTY. Unemployed steelworkers decide to make money stripping. The guys hatch a scheme to provide erotic entertainment for one night only. They may not have the professional panache of the Chippendales but they are ready to take it all off. They will give the ladies ‘the full monty.‘ The gimmick of ...
Review “First Wives Club the Musical” (Broadway in Chicago): Ultimate Ladies’ Night!
Broadway in Chicago presents a new Broadway-bound musical, FIRST WIVES CLUB the Musical. I love “First Wives Club” the movie. I’ve watched it more than a dozen times. I like FIRST WIVES CLUB The MUSICAL. I saw it last night. It was cute! It was predictable. Many of my favorite jokes from the movie made it ...
Review “20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA” (Strawdog Theatre): Big Fish in a Small Pond
Strawdog Theatre Company’s Hugen Hall presents the World Premiere Adaptation of 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA. Playwrights Cliff Sheffer and Ann Sonneville take on a classic. Jules Verne’s story was an exploration of unchartered territories. Verne described aquatic adventures via underwater vessels. His book published in 1870 prophesied the invention of the submarine. Verne’s imagination was ...
Review “The Hammer Trinity” (House Theatre): HAMMER Nails It!
The House Theatre of Chicago presents THE HAMMER TRINITY Plays; Part 1 “The Iron Stag King,” Part 2 “The Crownless King,” and Part 3 “The Excelsior King.” It’s finished. The third installment, “The Excelsior King” completes The House Theatre’s epic adventure. And even though I had already seen the first two, My review “The Iron Stag ...
Review “The Princess and the Pea” (Marriott Theatre): A mix of the old and the new
Reviewed by Samantha Kessel Lincolnshire’s Marriott Theater’s adaptation of the classic tale The Princess and the Pea was a compilation of parts of the original Hans Christian Anderson tale with surprising modern day elements relatable for adults and kids alike. Having never visited this theater before, it was quaint and intimate, with seats surrounding the whole ...
Review “finding grafenberg” (trip): “The Office” meets “Girls”
trip presents the Midwest Premiere of finding grafenberg. The evening starts out like a gallery opening. The show is at Hairpin Arts Center, a hip Logan Square loft. Two walls of windows illuminate the triangle shaped room from the streetscape. On one side of the room, a couple screens feature pictures from the former New York ...
Review “The Passenger” (Lyric Opera): Unforgiving and Poignantly Memorable
Lyric Opera presents its premiere of THE PASSENGER. This unforgettable story is based on the Polish radio play by concentration camp survivor Zofia Posmysz. On a luxury ocean liner, a woman is haunted by her past. It’s the 1960s. Liese (performed by Daveda Karanas) and her German diplomat husband (performed by Brandon Jovanovich) are enjoying a ...