These are Chicago Critics Must See shows. If you are only going to see one show let us recommend one of these great pieces of true Art!
This presents an interesting dichotomy with the music: the Baroque orchestration is so refined and meticulously structured, following strict guidelines; yet the action on stage is immense, tragic, emotional. There is an incredible marriage here between the Apollonian music and the Dionysian story.
Read MoreDirector Julie Ritchey loves the play as a director loves a play. She has burrowed deep and nestled in its earthy, root-filled warmth. She has eaten this play, drunk this play, dreamt and woken this play. And not without advantages. The moments she creates – crafts, more like – are heartfelt and complex.
Read MoreWe see how the execution of a cop killer is but a backdrop to the larger story of rampant corruption, scandal, and hi-jinx that permeated Chicago in the Jazz Age. The show is filled with local historical references including the Red Scare and the dominance of gangsters in Chicago society. Chicago is depicted by these gritty reporters as a mean street city with politicians ever trying for political advantage in search of wealth, power and patronag
Read MoreThis show is a nonpareil example of how to mount a modern version of this classic art form. Sade and Spearen do it right – period. If you want to see how Commedia dell’arte can be translated to a modern audience, how vibrant the art from still is, five hundred years after its inception, this is the piece to see.
Read MoreTree – is a moving story of four souls searching for personal identity as shaped by their family ties. This is a haunting work with subtle power with a mysterious element that finds a couple of stubborn people struggling to either maintain the status quo or find our the how’s and why’s of their family (s) history.
Read MoreAlthough Augustus Thomas may be unknown to contemporary theatre audiences, he was considered a “great” playwright in his time (1890’s – 1920’s). He used realism to tell regional American stories. The Copperhead made a stage star out of Lionel Barrymore and was Thomas’ most successful play….. Mark Pracht’s excellent performance as the low-key Milt Shanks leads a terrific ensemble in a rarely produced classic American drama.
Read MoreWhat makes this musical extravaganza so entertaining is the bouncy, melodious score by Harry Warren that contains rhythmic tap music, a cute waltz, toe-tapping jazzy tunes that explode into exuberant dances. “Go Into Your Dance,” “Dames” – Ziefeld Follies-styled together with the spectacular tap number “We’re In The Money” highlight act one. Charm, humor and a most likable cast of characters make us care about these struggling performers.
Read Morewith director Jessica Redish’s smart remounting of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along. Don’t let any memories of past productions of Merrily stop you from enjoying this superb production. The stage craft, the excellent performances, and the marvelous chorus blended together to create a most engaging and heartfelt musical.
Read MoreIt just seems almost cheap, somehow wrong, to sum up last night’s performance with mere words. It seems insufficient to recount, in any way, what happened without having your hands wrapped around the neck of the person you’re explaining it to.
Read MoreThe Hot L Baltimore is a play about the haunting effects of time on a group of social misfits all of which are scared by the ghosts from their past. Their lost dreams led to their personal decay and ruin just as their refuge from the cruel world is about to be demolished since their home – The Hot L Baltimore – will soon lose to the wrecking ball. This is a slice of life drama about the bonds of community that binds a group of homeless survivors holding on and surviving without much of a safety net.
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