Tom Williams By William Inge Directed by Cody Estle At Raven Theatre Powerful Depression Era drama a rare classic William Inge (1913-73) was a playwright/novelist best know for writing Picnic and Bus Stop. His 1959 lost gem, A Loss of Roses, is being remounted by Raven Theatre in a strong production under the tight direction of Cody … Read more
Written & Directed by Jackie Taylor At Black Ensemble Theater, Chicago The Sensational Soulful Sixties is spectacular entertainment Playing in running repertory with Doo Wop Shoo Bop, The Sensational Soulful Sixties move from the smooth Doo Wop sound into the heights and essence of “soul.” From Sam Cook’s “You Send Me,” “Chain Gang,” and “Cupid,” … Read more
Written by Jackie Taylor & Jimmy Tillman Directed by Jackie Taylor At the Black Ensemble Theater, Chicago Silky smooth nostalgic journey into the Black music of the 1940′ and 1950’s One of Jackie Taylor’s missions during her 40th Anniversary Season is to remount the Black Ensemble’s biggest hits. She begins with Doo Wop Shoo Bop, … Read more
By Scott Wolman Directed by Scott Westerman At The Artistic Home, Chicago Darkly comic, small town “who-don-it” filled with terrific performances. Chicago playwright Scott Wolman has penned an ambitious family-oriented mystery that befuddles a rural Indiana sheriff in his world premiere, Interrogation. When the girlfriend of a teen disappears from his family reunion/graduation event, Deputy … Read more
Music by Richard Strauss Libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal Conductor Edward Gardner Director Martina Weber At the Lyric Opera of Chicago Long, tedious opera contains terrific performances. Richard Stauss’s 1911 domestic romantic comedy, Der Rosenkavalier, pays homage to Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro, but doesn’t contain the magic of Amadeus’s genius. With lush costumes and … Read more
By Aaron Todd Douglas From the novel by Kalisha Buckhanon Directed by Carla Stillwell Produced by MPAACT Theatre At the Greenhouse Theatre, Chicago Unequal criminal justice system vividly displayed Upstate, based on letters written in the 1990’s (who writes letters anymore?), is a fine theatre piece deftly adapted for the stage by Aaron Todd Douglas … Read more
Highland Park Players Theater for Young Audiences By Joe Stead February 7, 2016 Allow me to borrow a familiar phrase: The wonderful thing about theatre is theatre’s a wonderful thing! I have known that ever since the age of seven when my mother began taking me to live theatre. I am living proof that theatre … Read more
By Michael Healey Directed by Scott Weinstein At Redtwist Theatre, Chicago Life-long Friendship Tested Redtwist Theatre once more mounts an excellent production of Michael Healey’s 1999 drama. The Drawer Boy was inspired by a Canadian legend – actors from Toronto travel to rural Ontario to live with and learn about farm life in order to … Read more
By Nell Benjamin Directed by David H. Bell At the Windy City Playhouse, Chicago Screw ball slap stick farce is a laugh-fest Nell Benjamin, co-composer and lyricist for Legally Blonde, wrote The Explorers Club in 2013 as she wanted to create a British farce set in Victorian England. She succeed in creating a true laugh-fest. … Read more
By Horton Foote Directed by Michael Menendian At Raven Theatre, Chicago Not so friendly rich Texas family vies for love and companionship Set in 1965 in the fictional Texas town of Harrison (near Houston), playwright Horton Foote’s dark comic drama, The Old Friends, tells of the combative members of two old-money Texas families who are … Read more