It’s the end of the month. To keep on my 2015 goals, I’m going to evaluate them monthly. I don’t want to get to Fall and have to cram for the final quarter. FINANCE: C I did put money in savings ...three times. And I also transferred those savings into my checking account when some unexpected expenses ...
Review “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992” (The Other Theatre): Provocative Montage
The Other Theatre Company makes its Chicago debut by presenting TWILIGHT: LOS ANGELES, 1992 to launch its inaugural season. In 1992, four police officers were acquitted from brutally beating Rodney King. Los Angeles responded by inciting 6 days of rioting. Playwright Anna Deavere Smith captures the history and the humanity of the catastrophe. Smith interviewed various ...
Review “Plastic Revolution” (The New Colony): Nifty ’50s Musical Doesn’t Quite Fit Together
Reviewed by Tom Lawler The New Colony presents the world premiere of PLASTIC REVOLUTION. Brownie Wise, AKA the “Queen of Tupperware,” is widely credited as the pioneer of the “party plan” sales technique. A novel idea in the early 1950s, housewives were encouraged to host home parties for friends and associates to sell goods to them – ...
Review “Rapture, Blister, Burn” (Goodman Theatre): Smart Chick-Flick Play
Goodman Theatre presents the Chicago premiere of RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN. Catherine, a feminist scholar, returns to her hometown and wonders ‘what if?‘ What if her mom dies? What if Catherine never finds love again? What if she hadn’t gone to London without Don? What if her college roommate hadn’t married Catherine’s boyfriend? What if Don and ...
Review “The Hopey Changey Thing” and “Sorry” (Timeline Theatre): I LOVE these Apples!
TimeLine Theatre presents The Apple Family Plays; THAT HOPEY CHANGEY THING and SORRY. Playwright Richard Nelson has penned a series of 4 plays about the Apple Family. Each play centers around the family’s personal connections to an event of national significance. Timeline has chosen to do #1 and #3 in Nelson’s saga. Both of these plays ...
Review “Tosca” (Lyric Opera): For the love of Puccini
Lyric Opera of Chicago presents TOSCA. The Lyric is presenting this Puccini favorite in an extended run featuring two different casts. I reviewed the principals for the January 24th- February 5th performances. TOSCA is being mounted with a new production co-produced by the Lyric and Houston Grand Opera. Scenic and Costume Designer Bunny Christie introduces each ...
Where are you in your story?
I miss my Christmas lights. Although it’s been less than 24 hours, when you wake up to howling wind, snowy sleet and overall bleak gloom, you want bright dangling lights framing that windowscape. Today looks a little wet and miserable for Chicago. Still, I can’t complain. I’m basking in a weekend robust in good conversations ...
EXTENDED Thru Mar 14 Review “The Life and Sort of Death of Eric Argyle” (Steep Theatre): Clever Whimsy
Steep Theatre presents the Midwest Premiere of THE LIFE AND SORT OF DEATH OF ERIC ARGYLE. In their current Irish charmer, Steep invites us to fall down the rabbit hole. But instead of Alice, we’re following Eric into this wonderland focused on time and quirky characters. Playwright Russ Dungan pens an examination of a life. Dungan ...
THIS is my humble opinion
I’ve been struggling with humility. No, it’s not because I’m an extraordinary human being. It’s more because I’m flawed. And the recurring reminders of my inadequacies keep the concept of humility rattling around in my head. I’m naturally a confident person to the point of grandiosity. I’ve been that way since birth. My instinct is to approach ...
EXTENDED Thru Mar 15 Review “Accidentally, Like A Martyr” (A Red Orchid): Here’s to a long run…
A Red Orchid Theatre presents the Chicago Premiere of ACCIDENTALLY, LIKE A MARTYR. In A Red Orchid’s intimate theatre space, Set Designer John Holt has impressively constructed a fully-functional bar. The long-curvy bar fills the stage and blurs the lines between reality and fiction. The twinkly Christmas lights, the stacks of longneck cases, the juke box; ...