Tom Williams The World Premiere By Philip Dawkins Directed by BJ Jones Produced by Northlight Theatre At the Steppenwolf Garage Theatre, Chicago Funny yet heartbreaking World Premiere about transgender folks is an important play for everyone to see Kudos to playwright Philip Dawkins and the folks at Northlight Theatre for bringing Charm to Steppenwolf Garage Theatre on … Read more
A World Premiere Sherlock Holmes Adaptation Being a Reprint from the Reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D. By Nicholas Meyer Adapted by Terry McCabe Directed by Warner Crocker At City Lit Theater, Chicago Wonderful Sherlock Homes-type play rings like an Arthur Conan Doyle short story Novelist and screenplay author Nicholas Meyer wrote The Seven-Per-Cent Solution … Read more
By Neil Simon Directed by Michael Driscoll Produced by Step Up Productions At the Athenaeum Theatre, Chicago Vintage Simon classic in good hands Featuring a terrific set design (by William Boles) of a 6th floor NYC walk up complete with a skylight with a broken pane that actually becomes a character in the play, director … Read more
(The Story of Chaz & Roger Ebert) Written & directed by Jackie Taylor At the Black Ensemble Theater, Chicago Light bio/love story light on story long on emotions I’m not sure that a play with music about the loving relationship of a black woman, Chaz (Rashada Dawan), and her white male lover, Roger Ebert (Kevin … Read more
By Geraldine Aron Directed by Siri Scott Produced by Irish Theatre of Chicago At Chief O’ Neill’s Pub, Chicago Terrific performance by Barbara Figgins saves one-person Irish play Usually a one-person play is about a famous celebrity, a politician, or notable person, but in Geraldine Aron’s 2004 one woman show, My Brilliant Divorce, the woman, … Read more
Following is a complete list of the 2015 Equity Jeff Award recipients: + PRODUCTION, PLAY (LARGE): “Moby Dick” – Lookingglass Theatre Company in association with The Actors Gymnasium + PRODUCTION, PLAY (MIDSIZE): “All Our Tragic” – The Hypocrites + PRODUCTION, MUSICAL (LARGE): “Les Misérables” – Paramount Theatre + PRODUCTION, MUSICAL (MIDSIZE): “The Addams Family” – … Read more
Book, Music & Lyrics by Willy Russell Directed by Fred Fred Anzevino Music Direction by Jeremy Ramey Choreography by Maggie Portman Produced by Theo Ubique At No Exit Cafe, Chicago “Did you ever hear the story of the Johnstone twins / As like each other as two new pins?” -The Narrator from Blood Brothers Blood … Read more
Music Direction & Conductor Linda Madonia Directed by Rudy Hogenmiller produced by Light Opera Works At Nichols Concert Hall, Evanston Nostalgic revue of Hollywood’s Greatest Hits features four terrific female voices It is unusual to have an all-female cast for a song revue, but director Rudy Hogenmiller’s choices made it work musically. The four performers … Read more
Book & Lyrics by Robert L. Freedman Music & Lyrics by Steven Lutvak Choreographed by Peggy Hickey Directed by Darko Tresnjak Produced by Broadway In Chicago At The Bank of America Theatre, Chicago Satire: the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of … Read more
(Le Nozze Di Figaro) New Production Opera buffa in four acts in Italian Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte Conductor: Henrik Nanasi Stage Director: Barbara Gaines At the Lyric Opera of Chicago Opulent, hilarious romp about sex, trust and honesty becomes a joyous bedroom farce Director Barbara Gaines and the creatives … Read more