Tom Williams

The Addams Family is a flat out hit show that finds a fresh way to re-introduce us to the bizarre world of our lovable finger-clicking Addams clan. Based on Charles Addams series of cartoons that ran in the New Yorker from 1938-88 and the hit TV series, Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice have written a gag-filled hilarious book that aptly depicts their family values through a macabre lens.

Aunt Dan is a dark cautionary tale, a black comedy and a mordant tale about the chilling subversive nature of influence. This is a play that demands sharp listening skills as it contains several long monologues about geopolitics, the nature of societal survival, and the roots of the urge to kill to preserve order in society.

When the eight hard working kids finished Kyle Jarrow’s satire of both Scientology and religious pageants, I was quite appreciative of their work ethic as they flawlessly, at their skill level, ran through their songs and routines and dialogue.

they got the dance part right–there are 4 or 5 high energy dance numbers including a manic tap number in act two danced to a techno-jazz orchestra. Unfortunately, much of the show is taken up with three unfunny and rather pathetic clowns that had a most tedious and ill conceived (boring) tired vaudeville act that had less than half the audience laughing.

radio play adaptation of Frank Capra’s classic holiday film–It’s a Wonderful life. We are taken back to a radio studio in 1944 to witness a radio play performed live complete with a Christmas sing-along audience warm-up and commercial breaks.

Oh Coward! is a sharp 34 song-fest that is brilliantly performed by Kate Fry, Rob Lindley, John Sanders with terrific arrangements and deft piano work from Doug Peck. You’d be hard pressed to see a more slick, sophisticated, well sung musical revue.

As a musical, Post has written in a variety of styles from the folksy opening number–“The Wind in the Willows”–a optimistic anthem; to an assortment of rock, reggea, tin-pan ally, spirituals, ballads and a Gilbert and Sullivan styled patter song

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.

Now 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