I do believe that Michael Smith (the Chicago folk music legendary composer/performer) has produced a world class score filled with a variety of folk styles that include ballads, patter songs, cowboy tunes, blues, jazz, polkas and Broadway style show tunes. His lyrics are witty, funny and ironic.
Read MoreNow in it’s 32 year, the Goodman Theatre’s A Christmas Carol still holds the honor of being the finest holiday show in Chicago! Director William Brown makes subtle changes including this year adding more Victorian holiday music to the mix
Read MoreThis cynical glimpse into the world of those dedicated to keeping the Christmas spirit alive. Fain delivers the vignettes about the chaos of the NYC Macy’s Santa Claus exhibit with varying comedic style
Read MoreThe 85 minute holiday classic–Miracle on 34th Street, now at the Theatre Building Chicago staged by Porchlight Music Theatre is a refreshingly sweet, family friendly, cute holiday treat.
Read MoreThe story follows the infamous L Ron (Hubbard) from his birth in a manger through the height of Scientology. I have to admit the writing is very thin, and it stretches 30 minutes of material into an hour. However, director Steve Wilson and his young ensemble more than make up for the writing flaws with passion and energy.
Read MoreFelder mixes stories, biographical information with explanations and examples of Beethoven’s style and technique. Felder demonstrates his skills as an actor, pianist, teacher and showman. Felder teaches how Beethoven loved to create music in the key of C Minor, how he structured his sonatas and how he put his soul into his music creating deep emotionality into music.
Read MoreThe cast of 34 nimbly performed the Rodgers & Hammerstein tunes. The large (for a tour) orchestra played with gusto the complete Bennett orchestrations giving the show a lavish, romantic and hauntingly moving tone.
Read MoreThe Mystery of Irma Vep is a hilarious adventure mystery and door-slamming farce that is part horror movie, part melodrama, part Grand-Guignol, and part drag show pastiche featuring wordplay, Shakespeare and Ibsen quotes with much physical comedy
Read MoreFlorence Foster Jenkins (1868-1944) has been called “The First Lady of the Sliding Scale,” “The Terror of the High C’s,” and the “The Tone-deaf Diva.” She sure was all of those yet she was a devoted musician with a deep passion for music despite not having a shred of musical ability
Read MoreThe Pillowman is filled with a series of wonderfully presented storytelling (mostly presented by Andrew Jessop as Kuturian) that were creatively staged in this production. The terror builds once we learn that three murders actually happened almost exactly like those in Katurian’s stories. Once we meet Katurian’s simple-minded brother Michal (Peter Oyloe in a winningly eerie performance) we experience how effective stories can influence behavior.
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