By Heidi Schreck Directed by Bec Willett Produced by Dandelion Theatre Playing at The Side Project Theatre, Chicago A Mystifying Vision, Sans the Revelation Margery Kempe (1373 – c. 1438) was an English, orthodox Catholic laywoman who, after the birth of her first child, was tormented and tempted in her faith by visions of devils … Read more
By Noël Coward Directed by Derek Bertelsen Produced by Pride Films and Plays At Rivendell Theater, Chicago Wit is Ornamental in this Old-Fashioned Comedy Pride Films and Plays artistic director David Zak has expressed an interest in showcasing the many eras of LGBT-related art. The company’s last show, The Boy from Oz, was a revue … Read more
Book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin. Music & Lyrics by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin Directed & Choreographed by Marc Robin Music Direction by Ryan T. Nelson. At The Marriott Theatre, Lincolnshire Charming Christmas Musical Sings in the Holiday Season As one of my co-workers declared earlier this week: We need to get some … Read more
Adapted by Janette Bauer and Aaron Sawyer From William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet Directed by Aaron Sawyer Produced by Red Theatre Chicago and Oracle Productions A True Blending of Deaf and Hearing Cultures Playing around with a story to find new meaning in it works best when it is one the audience is already familiar … Read more
By Boo Killebrew Directed by Marti Lyons At Raven Theatre’s West Stage “We are going to play with magical realism and time travel and side stories and make the whole thing sort of like a tapestry.” Hurricane Katrina-themed play doesn’t work on all levels I’m amazed that Raven Theatre selected The Play About My Dad, … Read more
By Meg Miroshnik Directed by Nicole Wiesner Produced by Trap Door Theatre, Chicago Fairytale Heroines Take on the Russian Free Market Twenty-four years after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the children of the emigrants are coming of age. This prompts Russian-Americans to ask the questions every immigrant group faces eventually: how much of the … Read more
Adapted by Dwayne Hartford Based on the book by Kate DiCamillo Directed by Stuart Carden Produced by Chicago Children’s Theatre At the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, Chicago “If you have no intention of loving or being loved, then the whole journey is pointless.” Fabulous children’s play extremely adult friendly In a Chicago premiere … Read more
Adapted by Andrew White Directed by Hallie Gordon Produced by Steppenwolf Theatre Company An Unusually Personal 1984 In a note in the program, Steppenwolf educational director Hallie Gordon says that, upon rereading George Orwell’s famous dystopian novel 1984, she noticed how much the story focuses on the personal impact of the terror state. Orwell, whose … Read more
By Morgan McNaught Directed by Jesse Roth Produced by The New Colony Playing at The Den Theatre, Chicago There are many religions which posit the afterlife as a place where the dead learn from their mistakes in life, in order to achieve spiritual completeness. If the kinds of therapies employed there are anything like ones … Read more
The World Premiere By Philip Dawkins Directed by BJ Jones Produced by Northlight Theatre At the Steppenwolf Garage Theatre, Chicago Funny yet heartbreaking World Premiere about transgender folks is an important play for everyone to see Kudos to playwright Philip Dawkins and the folks at Northlight Theatre for bringing Charm to Steppenwolf Garage Theatre on … Read more