Mud Blue Sky has the elements of a wonderful show: honest acting; spot-on comic dialogue and loads of heart and compassion. And, of course, more laughs than any other show now playing in Chicago. This show is easily one of the best shows of 2014 – it’s therapy for a cold rainy spring with all those laughs
Read MoreThis non-funny comedy, especially sprinkled with several poorly sing cowboy songs, is an unfocused story of a mother and her two daughters who are non empathetic, losers whose every action seem to become more disastrous than the last. Mom is totally oblivious to her circumstances; she is broke, facing bankruptcy with a blaze indifference. She resorts to incoherent anecdotal stories from the wisdom of the pioneer spirit that she spouts as her personal mantra. Together with the wacky songs, these frontier homilies , while trying to be sardonic , only serve to drive audiences further away from caring about the three loser women.
Read MoreOur Class is told as a memory play by ten classmates, half Catholic and half Jewish. We see them from childhood in school through the devastation through the rest of their lives. Told in a 2 hour, 45 minute drama. Our Class emerges as a “must see” theatrical event that will shake you to your bones. It is a story that begs to be told and the artists at Remy Bumppo, under the creatively bravo leadership from Nick Sandys, invest all their energy into a heartfelt depiction of the various personalities that made the dynamics of mass killing possible. Our Class shows how ordinary common folks can so easily move into the darkness of evil when their society is shaken by military occupation that allows escapist blame to be played out through antisemitism.
Read MoreLes Miserables is an epic story of oppression that finds one good man, one zealot and a group of idealistic students each trying to make a difference in a harsh and cruel world. We see how eventually, goodness and humanity contained in resilient folks wins for a bright future. This is a richly emotional show filled with big anthems, rousing marches and tender love songs and sad laments that will leave you in tears. The power of the live stage and haunting music rings so true. See Les Miserables once again and rekindle your spirits.
Read MoreJamie, who admits that he has a terrible memory, denies being abused. He strongly has no memories dating back to when he was four years old (the time frame of possible abuse). When Jamie mentions that meeting with Frank to his parents and Paige, he gets unexpected responses from them that leads him to start questioning and probing into his past.
Read MoreKevin Webb and Jordan Phelps gave tour de force performances as the two lovers struggling to achieve love and companionship. Seldom do you witness two actors who put terrific acting into their expert singing. Each ‘stayed-in-character’ as the other sang. Their duets soared into the heavens as we witness the ups & downs of a contemporary gay relationship. We instantly warm to the infectious charm from Kevin Webb and Jordan Phelps and we enjoy laugh and cry with their honest tumultuous relationship.
Read MoreThree well-introduced half siblings are brought together after that father’s deteriorating illness. Renee (Lynda Newton) is the oldest sibling married with kids. The middle sibling is Gary (Michael Patrick Thornton), a stoner who works in a comic book store that he is satisfied doing so. The youngest is Cassie (Brittany Burch) who is struggling with committing herself to anything. The three embark on a present day, family, comedy/drama.
Read MoreTeenage Alex is learning both about his gay father and the small town family dynamic since he has joined his father on this emergency trip to Indiana. Once Brady shows up, old family wounds emerge as we see the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s on the entire family. Shaun is trying to put his life together while also trying to look after mother. Brady tries to instill into his son Alex toleration and morals while shielding him from old family secrets. Alex is keen to know about his father’s past in Indiana…
Read MoreWhat makes Peter and the Starcatcher possibly worth seeing are the work from the young Chicago talents. Harter Clingman (Alf), Nathan Hosner (Lord Aster), John Sanders (a hoot as Black Stache) – these actors anchored the show… While Megan Stern, as Molly, lead the way for the boys, it was the charming, often charismatic, and fully heartfelt honest turn by Chicagoan Joey deBettencourt that made the otherwise tedious show palatable. Debettencourt, in his first Equity role, commands the stage ias a cute yet plausible boy who eventually emerges as Peter Pan
Read MoreObviously, the play begins with a most imaginative script, derivative of Wagner’s Opera, “Tristan and Isolde… well sort of… but you can be quite sure that even Wagner is laughing somewhere.
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