Tom Williams By Samuel D. Hunter Directed by Jonathan Berry Produced by Griffin Theatre At Signal Ensemble, Chicago Well acted ensemble slice-of-life drama about a dying community Playwright Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale) loves to place his plays in Idaho. His latest, Pocatello, laments the decline of that small town where reminders of past glories are now … Read more
Ain’t Misbehavin’ is a ‘join jumpin’ sparkling ode to the tunes associated with Fats Waller, composer, musician and nightclub personality. You’ll hear swing, the rhythms of ragtime, and the passions of jazz, blues, be-bop, waltz and jitterbug with some playful sexy double entendres that hint nasty with tongue-in-cheek humor. The result is an overwhelmingly joyous evening celebrating Black America’s contribution to our culture.
By George S. Kaufman & Moss Hart Directed by Devon De Mayo At Northlight Theatre, Skokie Who can’t laugh at a classic, timeless screwball comedy with heart? You Can’t Take It With You won the Pulitzer Prize (rare for a comedy) in 1936 and the film won Best Picture (Oscar) in 1937. Northlight Theatre did … Read more
Operetta in three acts originally in German, sung in English Music by Franz Lehar Libretto by Viltor Leon and Leo Stein, after Henri Meilhac’s comedy L’ attache d’ ambassade (1861) English translation by Jeremy Sams Conductor: Sir Andrew Davis Stage Director & Choreographer: Susan Stroman At the Lyric Opera of Chicago Wonderful nostalgic opulence of … Read more
By Thomas Bradshaw Directed by Ethan McSweeny Produced by The Flea theater and the American Theater Co (ATC) At ATC in Chicago Puzzling pointless drama is a head-scratcher In a co-production with New York’s The Flea Theater, ATC has mounted a perplexing drama that evolves as a head-scratching 90 minutes of live theatre. Thomas Bradshaw … Read more
By Brett Neveu Directed by Shade Murray At A Red Orchid Theatre, Chicago Games, games, and more games fuel the McKee clan’s Thanksgiving Day holiday Talented Chicago playwright Brett Neveu has penned a most dysfunctional family play, which echos Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? but makes gamesmanship into an art form. Is this … Read more
Based on the 1954 Paramount Picture by Norman Krasna, Norman Panama, and Melvin Frank Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin Book by David Ives & Paul Blake Directed by William Osetek Musical Director Roberta Duchak Choreographer Matt Crowley Produced by Drury Lane Theatre Combination Christmas show and backstage musical soars through song, dance, and comedy … Read more
Written and directed by Leigh Fondakowski based on interviews by Leigh Fondakowski & Reeva Wortal Produced by TimeLine Theatre At Stage 773, Chicago Riveting docudrama about the explosion of the BP oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico near Louisiana Spill, now in a manic, yet powerful, staging by TimeLine Theatre at Stage 773, is … Read more
By Boo Killebrew Directed by Marti Lyons At Raven Theatre’s West Stage “We are going to play with magical realism and time travel and side stories and make the whole thing sort of like a tapestry.” Hurricane Katrina-themed play doesn’t work on all levels I’m amazed that Raven Theatre selected The Play About My Dad, … Read more
Adapted by Dwayne Hartford Based on the book by Kate DiCamillo Directed by Stuart Carden Produced by Chicago Children’s Theatre At the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, Chicago “If you have no intention of loving or being loved, then the whole journey is pointless.” Fabulous children’s play extremely adult friendly In a Chicago premiere … Read more