Tom Williams A Musical by Alain Boublil & Claude-Michel Schonberg Based on the Victor Hugo novel Music by Claude-Michel Schonberg Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer Directed and Musical Staging by Jim Corti Musical Direction by Tom Vendafreddo At Paramount Theatre “To have loved another person is to see the face of God.” –Victor Hugo from Les Miserables Yet … Read more
A World Premiere Play By Kate Walbert Directed by Darrell W. Cox At Profiles Theatre’s Alley Stage, Chicago Short, unfocused and confusing drama not ready for the stage Novelist/playwright Kate Walbert’s four person play presents is an incomplete work that, after only 70 minutes, a becomes a ” so what”? We wonder why we listened … Read more
A New Play by Shannon Pritchard Directed by Jessica Fisch Produced by Feast Productions As part of Jackalope Theater’s Pioneer Series At the Frontier Storefront, Chicago Delightful rendition of the Scottish fairy tale unfolds in an intimate setting The ambitious creatives who run Jackalope Theater Company, besides using the vast Broadway Armory, have established a … Read more
By Howard Barker Directed by Andrew Root Produced by Runcible Theatre At the Royal George Gallery Theatre, Chicago Over acting and annoying staging dooms drama about artistic expression. The folks at Runcible Theatre Company have attempted the talky Scenes From an Execution by British playwright Howard Barker in the tiny Gallery space at the Royal … Read more
Music & Lyrics by David Yazbek Book by Terrence McNally Directed by John Glover Music Direction by Koey Danielson Choreographed by Daniel Spagnuolo Hilarious & Sexy, The Full Monty is a crowd pleaser. Mounting Yazbek & McNally’s The Full Monty is a brave choice for a non-Equiity troupe like Kokandy Productions since the show contains … Read more
A Rock Opera in two acts in English Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics by Tim Rice Directed by Fred Anzevino Music Direction by Jeremy Ramey Choreographer by Brenda Didier At No Exit Cafe, Chicago Who said you couldn’t produce a rock opera in an intimate cafe? I have never been an avid fan of … Read more
By Steven Simoncic Based on the Book by Eric Klinenberg: “Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago” Directed by Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary Produced by Cold Basement Dramatics At Steppenwolf Theatre’s Garage Rep Series Heat Wave is an indictment of the follies of the Daley mayoral administration Steven Simoncic’s adaptation of Eric Klinenberg’s Heat Wave … Read more
By Topher Payne Directed by Derek Van Barham Produced by Pride Films and Plays At the Steppenwolf Garage Rep Series “To get it better, we must make it better.” Bait and switch doesn’t work in theatre anymore than in advertising or marketing Playwright Topher Payne, an Atlanta based actor/playwright, sucks us into a political comedy … Read more
By Taylor Mac With Music by Ellen Maddon Directed by Bonnie Metzgar with Eric Hoff Produced by Red Tape Theatre At Steppenwolf Garage Rep Series Wildly poor taste rules in manic performance piece disguised as a play. Taylor Mac, himself a fringe actor/playwright, has organized a wild manic performance art piece featuring a dozen weird … Read more
By Joel Z. Cornfield & Richard James Zieman Directed by Michael Stults Produced by Bread & Roses productions At the Athenaeum Theatre, Chicago Poor acting and a poor script make for a long 1 hour, 45 minute show I’m not sure what Picture Imperfect is really about. The press notes mention an autistic son, Cole … Read more