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Tom Williams

The Land of Smiles

Chicago Folks Operetts’s new English translation (from German) of The Land of Smiles marks the first production of Smiles in Chicago in 25 years. This is a landmark production; an exquisite artistic achievement; and a beautifully sounded and sung operetta. Each artistic element contributes to a wonderful, lavish and lovable theatrical experience. From the 20 piece orchestra conducted by Kim Diehnelt to the wonderful set designed by Ian Zywica to the fabulous video projections by Liviu Pasare with terrific rear-screen images and personal silhouettes to the vivid and unique costume designs by Kate Kamphausen- all thses elements contributed to make The Land of Smiles an artistic splendor seldom seen on a Chicago stage!

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REVIEWSREVIEWS BYTheatre ReviewsTom Williams
Tom Williams

The Half-Brothers Mendelssohn

The Strange Tree Group usually does works by Emily Schwartz but the have expanded by mounting a new work by ensemble member Elizabeth Bagby – The Half-Brothers Mendelssohn. Featuring a clever set (designed by Kate Nawrocki & Emily Schwatz) with a terrific “time machine” designed by Emily Schwartz,etc, The Half-Brothers Mendelssohn is a quirky, funny , and clever take on time travel and it’s complications.

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MUST SEEREVIEWSREVIEWS BYTheatre ReviewsTom Williams
Tom Williams

Shakespeare’s Cymbeline A Folk Tale With Music

The world premiere of Shakespeare’s Cymbeline A Folk Tale With Music is a sheer delight! Combining the lyrical words of The Bard with tuneful, expert music and lyrics by Michael Keefe and David Rice and putting Cymbeline in Appalachia during the American Civil War adds punch to the tale making more folk than fairy (tale). With 10 songs accompanied by a jug band, this Cymbeline is a tale with music but it is darn-near a hillbilly musical.

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Tom Williams

Jason and (Medea)

For Shoemaker has opted to work on an immense epic canvas, unfortunately necessitating overly broad brushstrokes in several of her scenes, which is very much a shame considering her undeniable gifts in fleshing out the lived ironies of everyday existence. For where the Jason and Medea of myth aspire to the heights of greatness, Shoemaker’s couple aspire rather to the more narrow level of adult competence and maturity. Indeed, Jason and (Medea) is most charming when attempting to graft onto the hero’s journey a tender and soft-spoken coming-of-age story. Regrettably, much of this tends to get drowned out in an overly self-stylized cacophony of blood, battles and legendary monsters.

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REVIEWSREVIEWS BYTheatre ReviewsTom Williams
Tom Williams

Boeing Boeing

Despite being a tad dated, Boeing Boeing is still a crowd pleaser comedic farce. When you enter Drury Lane Theatre’s space, you’ll see a 60’s style room adorned with eight doors 9set design by Sam Ball). That usually means a madcap door-slamming farce. With Marc Camoletti’s wildly funny farce, terrific performances fuel an honest rendition of the farce format.

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REVIEWSREVIEWS BYTheatre Reviews
Tom Williams

Mine

Hence there is something admittedly compelling about the premise of Marks’s play. Awakening the next morning after an 18-hour home birth—attended by husband Peter (Gabriel Franken), mother Rina (Deborah Ann Smith) and her midwife Joan (Alexandra Main)—Mari shocks everyone when she declares that the baby in the cradle adjacent to the bed is not, in fact, her baby. Riveting enough, but why does Mari think that?

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