By Aaron Posner Directed by Jonathan L. Green Produced by Carlisle Hart, LLC Originally Produced by Sideshow Theatre At Victory Gardens Theater, Chicago A Chekhov for Our Theatre Stupid Fucking Bird was the second new adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull I saw in a week, demonstrating the hold that the Russian author and his … Read more
Devised and performed by Albany Park Theater project Directed by David Feiner, Mikhail Fiksel, Halena Kays, Stephanie Paul, Maggie Popadiak and Rosanna Rodriguez Sanchez At the Goodman Theatre’s Owen Stage, Chicago Impressive teen performance art tells of immigrant food interests The Albany Park Theater Project (APTP), revives their performance art show Feast from 2010, which … Read more
By Terrence McNally Directed by Steven Fedoruk Produced by Eclipse Theatre Company, Chicago Journey to Self-Fulfillment is Unsatisfying I said in my review of Eclipse Theatre’s last production, Lips Together, Teeth Apart, that Terrance McNally’s 1991 play is like a time capsule which makes its AIDS-related turmoil as immediate as if we had traveled back … Read more
Adapted and Performed by Ronald Keaton Based on the teleplay “Winston Churchill” by James Humes Directed by Kurt Johns Produced by SoloChicago and the Greenhouse Theater The Making of a Hero in WWII Nostalgia It was a few weeks shy of a year ago that Ronald Keaton opened his one-man show Churchill at the Greenhouse … Read more
Lyrics by Gertrude Stein, Adapted by Frank Galati Music by Stephen Flaherty Directed by Allison Hendrix Produced by Kokandy Productions At Theater Wit, Chicago “Rose is a rose is a rose…” “Very fine is my valentine, very fine and very mine. Very mine is my valentine very mine and very fine. Very fine is my … Read more
By Robert Tenges Directed by Adam Webster Produced by The Side Project, Chicago Everything’s Terrible, and Everybody Sucks Naming his newest play Whatever was a bold move on Robert Tenges’s part. The author, who has a longstanding relationship with The Side Project, specializes in drama about teenage struggles, and in the past, has been praised … Read more
By Heidi Schreck Directed by Yasen Peyankov Produced by Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago What’s Forgiveness For? Grand Concourse, a Midwestern premiere at Steppenwolf, is another one of the plays currently running in Chicago that examines the question: what do we mean by calling someone a “good person?” Playwright Heidi Schreck’s angle is to interrogate the … Read more
By Emily Schwend Directed by Will Crouse Produced by The Poor Theatre, Chicago A Well-Acted Slice of Very Troubled Lives Reassuring somebody that they’re a “good person” is one of the most common platitudes, but what does it really mean? There are several plays currently in production around Chicago that ask that question, and don’t … Read more
By William Shakespeare Co-Directed by Alison C. Vesely and Hayley Rice Produced by First Folio Theatre, Oak Brook A Captivating Winter Story this July Outdoor theatre in the Midwest is always tense, because you never know if rain or thunder might prevent you from hearing the end of the story. That’s especially true with The … Read more
Music by Alan Menken Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater Book by Doug Wright Directed by Rachel Rockwell Produced by Chicago Shakespeare Theater Disney Fun Contains Design to Dazzle Children As part of Chicago Shakespeare’s mission of increasing the public’s comfort in theatre, each summer, they perform a short musical that appeals to children … Read more