By Will Kern Directed by Eric Burgher Produced by Profiles Theatre It’s Christmas for Weirdos, Too Among Chicago’s grittier holiday season theatricals, Will Kern’s Hellcab stands out as a reliable crowd favorite. First produced in 1992 by a company called Famous Door, it ran continuously until 2001, and is now revived by Profiles Theatre every … Read more
By Noel Coward Directed by Barbara Zahora Produced by Shaw Chicago At the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, Chicago Classic comedy of manners nicely performed Shaw Chicago presents a sophisticated and well acted stage reading of Coward’s 1930 comedy. Private Lives presents Noel Coward’s sharp wit, fluid language, and smart, quirky plot. It amounts to … Read more
By Arthur Miller Directed by Ian Frank Produced by Redtwist Theatre, Chicago An Examination of People on the Brink of Destruction Few companies have been more attentive than Red Twist to commemorating the one hundredth anniversary of Arthur Miller’s birth, and tenth anniversary of his death. Earlier this year they revived The American Clock, his … Read more
By Hansol Jung Directed by Elly Green Produced by Sideshow Theatre Company Playing at Victory Gardens, Chicago A Love That Was Not Meant To Be The key to a love story is that the audience has to want the relationship to work. Even if a couple ends in tragedy, there has to be a sense … Read more
By Samuel D. Hunter Directed by Jonathan Berry Produced by Griffin Theatre At Signal Ensemble, Chicago Well acted ensemble slice-of-life drama about a dying community Playwright Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale) loves to place his plays in Idaho. His latest, Pocatello, laments the decline of that small town where reminders of past glories are now … Read more
Adapted by Joe Mantello Based on David Sedaris’ essay Directed by Jeremy Wechsler Produced by Theater Wit “It’s not about the child or Santa or Christmas or anything, but the parents’ idea of a world they can not make work for them.” A Comedy For Holiday Dissenters Have you heard it yet? Flipping through your … Read more
By Paula Vogel Directed by Josh Sobel Produced by Strawdog Theatre Company, Chicago A Christmas Show for those in Need of Catharsis Paula Vogel’s writing is deeply personal, and her 2003 play, The Long Christmas Ride Home is one of her major works which was inspired by the death of her brother, Carl, from AIDS … Read more
Ain’t Misbehavin’ is a ‘join jumpin’ sparkling ode to the tunes associated with Fats Waller, composer, musician and nightclub personality. You’ll hear swing, the rhythms of ragtime, and the passions of jazz, blues, be-bop, waltz and jitterbug with some playful sexy double entendres that hint nasty with tongue-in-cheek humor. The result is an overwhelmingly joyous evening celebrating Black America’s contribution to our culture.
An Original Adaptation of the Play by Henrik Ibsen Written and Directed by Greg Allen Produced by Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company At Angel Island, Chicago Ibsen’s Loving Parodists Salute Him Listen to my interview with Greg Allen. Greg Allen knows his Ibsen. The Neo-Futurists founder previously staged The Last Two Minutes of the Complete Works of … Read more
By George S. Kaufman & Moss Hart Directed by Devon De Mayo At Northlight Theatre, Skokie Who can’t laugh at a classic, timeless screwball comedy with heart? You Can’t Take It With You won the Pulitzer Prize (rare for a comedy) in 1936 and the film won Best Picture (Oscar) in 1937. Northlight Theatre did … Read more