The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls

By Meg Miroshnik Directed by Nicole Wiesner Produced by Trap Door Theatre, Chicago Fairytale Heroines Take on the Russian Free Market Twenty-four years after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the children of the emigrants are coming of age. This prompts Russian-Americans to ask the questions every immigrant group faces eventually: how much of the … Read more

The Terrible

By Morgan McNaught Directed by Jesse Roth Produced by The New Colony Playing at The Den Theatre, Chicago There are many religions which posit the afterlife as a place where the dead learn from their mistakes in life, in order to achieve spiritual completeness. If the kinds of therapies employed there are anything like ones … Read more

True Life Tales from the Honeymoon Capital of the World (Some of Which are True)

Created by David Kodeski and Naomi Ashley Directed by Edward Thomas-Herrera Playing at Stage 773, Chicago Some Favorite Memories of Childhood in a Tourist Trap “When people hear that I’m from Niagara Falls, New York, they usually express surprise that people actually live and can be from there,” says David Kodeski, the writer and narrator … Read more

Treasure Island

Adapted and Directed by Mary Zimmerman From the Novel by Robert Louis Stevenson Produced by Lookingglass Theatre Company, Chicago A Co-Production with Berkeley Repertory Theatre No Need for Digging with This Treasure Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1881 adventure novel, has long been cheered by educators as one of the best means of convincing children, … Read more

No Beast So Fierce

Based on Richard III by William Shakespeare Adapted and Directed by Max Truax Original Music by Jonathan Guillen Choral Arrangements and Direction by Nicholas Tonozzi Produced by Oracle Productions Playing at DCASE Storefront Theater, Chicago Richard as Intriguing as Ever, With a Twist Whenever you see Jonathan Guillen and Nicholas Tonozzi credited for the music … Read more

Unspeakable: A Dramatic Fantasia

By Rod Gailes OBC and James Murray Jackson, Jr. Directed by Rod Gailes OBC Produced by Broadway in Chicago Playing at the Broadway Playhouse Richard Pryor is Having a Meltdown, So You Are Too Unspeakable is dark. Literally. Jorge Arroyo’s lighting design consists almost entirely of spotlights, used to fragment and obscure the Broadway Playhouse … Read more

Marvin’s Room

By Scott McPherson Directed by Sandy Shinner Produced by Shattered Globe Theatre Playing in Theater Wit, Chicago Still Laughing Long After Death Shattered Globe, a much-respected Equity company, has just started its landmark twenty-fifth season. In a mood for reflection, the company is mounting a play that premiered at the Goodman in same year as … Read more

The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence

By Madeleine George Directed by Jeremy Wechsler Produced by Theater Wit Many Interweaving Stories With an Elusive Reward It’s been a successful year for Theater Wit, with Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play having been extended twice, and Bad Jews still playing at the Royal George. Perhaps artistic director Jeremy Wechsler felt comfortable doing something a … Read more

Ride the Cyclone

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell Directed and Choreographed by Rachel Rockwell Musical Direction by Doug Peck Produced by Chicago Shakespeare Theater Dark Humor Makes Musical About Dead Kids All the Better   If you were an artistic director, and somebody pitched to you the idea of a musical about teenagers … Read more

The Story of a Story (The Untold Story)

Book and Lyrics by Peter Gwinn Music by Jody Shelton Directed and Choreographed by Christopher Pazdernik Music Direction by David Kornfeld Produced by Underscore Theatre Company Playing at The Chopin Theatre, Chicago Clichés Can Be Fun Underscore Theatre Company is dedicated to developing new musicals and guiding works that are not yet fully-formed. While you … Read more