Articles

Here are my picks for the Top Ten Plays in Chicago in 2013
Tom Williams

I never knew how Roy spent the holidays until I needed to borrow his copy of the Gershwin musical, Crazy For You. Roy had a vast collection of theatre memorabilia and I always found him to be the source. I promised my nephew that we would watch the musical so he could be introduced to the wonders of Gershwin music. It was noon on Christmas Eve, snow was falling faster than the plows could remove it. I needed that tape. A promise is a promise.

But Jones does cover the reign of Richard Christiansen the Tribune’s drama critic from 1979 to 2002. He championed the Steppenwolf Theatre,; loved William L. Petersen; praised a young Robert Falls; helped launch David Mamet; loved Deanna Dunagan; Christiansen loved small fledgling theater companies. He was an admired ‘friend of theatre’ who, Jones states; “When he loved a show, he had a knack of writing in such a way that sent people to the theater.” One of his last contributions to theater was his praise for The Producers in 2001. He also helped the career of director Gary Griffin with his admiration of Pacific Overtures. Richard Christiansen love theatre and he was proud to see even the smallest storefront productions. he was the complete opposite of Claudia Cassidy yet both were terrific writers.

I was pleasantly surprised at the innovative work from the talented young choreographers assembled by Thodos Dance Chicago under the leadership of Melissa Thodos. I’m discovering that Chicago, indeed, has a thriving dance community and that Thodos Dance sure as a group of creatively gifted dancers and choreographers

I was impressed by the creative and craft of the Mossman/Miller film. In The Wake is a memory film that utilizes the main elements that distinguish film from other art forms. The cinematography was thrilling with a fine blend of panorama shots with thrilling chase footage with telling close ups.