Archive review: This review covers American Blues Theater’s 2015 production of It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! at the Greenhouse Theater Center, directed by Gwendolyn Whiteside. For current dates and tickets, see our Chicago holiday shows guide. From the Frank Capra movie It’s a Wonderful Life Based on the Philip Van Doren Stern story … Read more
Jacob Davis interviews director and adapter Greg Allen about his production of Ibsen’s Ghosts with Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company. Greg Allen, Guest Jacob Davis, Host
By Greg Kramer Based on the work of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Directed by Andrew Shaver Produced by Broadway In Chicago At the Oriental Theatre, Chicago Campy parody is more silly than serious Sherlock Holmes arrives in Chicago for a week run. Why this completely lame production, which originated in Montreal, exists is the real … Read more
By Will Kern Directed by Eric Burgher Produced by Profiles Theatre It’s Christmas for Weirdos, Too Among Chicago’s grittier holiday season theatricals, Will Kern’s Hellcab stands out as a reliable crowd favorite. First produced in 1992 by a company called Famous Door, it ran continuously until 2001, and is now revived by Profiles Theatre every … Read more
By Noel Coward Directed by Barbara Zahora Produced by Shaw Chicago At the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, Chicago Classic comedy of manners nicely performed Shaw Chicago presents a sophisticated and well acted stage reading of Coward’s 1930 comedy. Private Lives presents Noel Coward’s sharp wit, fluid language, and smart, quirky plot. It amounts to … Read more
By Arthur Miller Directed by Ian Frank Produced by Redtwist Theatre, Chicago An Examination of People on the Brink of Destruction Few companies have been more attentive than Red Twist to commemorating the one hundredth anniversary of Arthur Miller’s birth, and tenth anniversary of his death. Earlier this year they revived The American Clock, his … Read more
By Hansol Jung Directed by Elly Green Produced by Sideshow Theatre Company Playing at Victory Gardens, Chicago A Love That Was Not Meant To Be The key to a love story is that the audience has to want the relationship to work. Even if a couple ends in tragedy, there has to be a sense … Read more
By Samuel D. Hunter Directed by Jonathan Berry Produced by Griffin Theatre At Signal Ensemble, Chicago Well acted ensemble slice-of-life drama about a dying community Playwright Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale) loves to place his plays in Idaho. His latest, Pocatello, laments the decline of that small town where reminders of past glories are now … Read more
Adapted by Joe Mantello Based on David Sedaris’ essay Directed by Jeremy Wechsler Produced by Theater Wit “It’s not about the child or Santa or Christmas or anything, but the parents’ idea of a world they can not make work for them.” A Comedy For Holiday Dissenters Have you heard it yet? Flipping through your … Read more
By Paula Vogel Directed by Josh Sobel Produced by Strawdog Theatre Company, Chicago A Christmas Show for those in Need of Catharsis Paula Vogel’s writing is deeply personal, and her 2003 play, The Long Christmas Ride Home is one of her major works which was inspired by the death of her brother, Carl, from AIDS … Read more