Hesperia
Hesperia is one of these instances, confidently relying on the ability of the actors and the language of playwright Randall Colburn to create a wonderful evening of black box theatre.
Jake Lindquist
Chaste
The ensemble of four actors all commit to their characters and the physical nature of the work wonderfully. Tiffany Ross as Elisabeth is so cold and stoic throughout the play, but bursts into feverish screaming fits when trying to get the attention of her brother. Antonio Brunetti is a manic Nietzsche, struggling to control his inner urges because he is on the cusp of happiness for the first time in his life. John Kahara is hilarious and lovable as Paul Ree…
The Ghost Sonata
Plays in which the focus is on the mood and emotion rather than the story and characters can be a difficult endeavor. The Ghost Sonata is by no means an easy play because the story is near impossible to follow, with only tid-bits becoming slightly understandable. The play itself was revolutionary because it was one of the first chamber plays, meant to be done in a small space with few actors and few sets, but it comes across as a confusing meditation on class, society, and human nature
The Good Negro
By simply presenting facts and making all of the characters human and flawed, playwright Tracey Scott Wilson’s The Good Negro succeeds as a piece of entertaining theatre about the civil rights movement, without resorting to propaganda or pursuing a political agenda.
I Heart Hamas and Other Things I’m Afraid to Tell you
Writer and Performer Jennifer Jajeh, gives a wonderful first hand account of her journey through America and the Middle East as a Palestinian woman.
Avenue Q
With its catchy rhythms, brilliant lyrics, and often hilarious observations of everyday life, it is in my opinion the best musical of the twenty-first century. For one week, the touring company is setting up shop at the Bank of America Theatre, so if you have yet to witness this side-splitting show now is your chance.
The Pigeons
The story is very madcap and full of great lines and colorful characters, but it lacks a human touch. These characters do not seem to care for one another all that much, even Lloyd and Martin who are best friends.
Killer Joe – Jake Lindquist review
What can be said about this play that hasn’t been said already? Profiles Theatre’s production of Killer Joe by Tracy Letts has already been extended multiple times and is now enjoying a new run at the Royal George Theatre’s cabaret space.
Girls vs. Boys
House Theatre’s idea to turn their new loud (rock) musical at the Chopin Theatre, Girls vs. Boys, into a concert-like experience is a great idea that fits in perfectly with this part of Chicago. However, the material of the show does not create rock concert euphoria because it is not fun. The music is continually interrupted by long scenes of cheesy dialogue, the characters are stock and interchangeable, it is often difficult to hear the singer/actors onstage, and rather than stirring the audience into the frenzied euphoria I mentioned, it begs the audience to have fun.
The Farnsworth Invention (Two Reviews)
Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing and A Few Good Men) loves stories about powerful visionaries. His Chicago premiere of The Farnsworth Invention is a fast faced historical drama about the invention of television. It ultimately pits Russian emigrant, David Sorkin (1891-1971) the founder of NBC and Chairman of RCA – pure Eastern Establishment mogul verses the hayseed Western genius visionary, Philo T. Farnsworth (1906-1971) – the inventor of most of the elements for television