Ain’t Misbehavin’ is a ‘join jumpin’ sparkling ode to the tunes associated with Fats Waller, composer, musician and nightclub personality. You’ll hear swing, the rhythms of ragtime, and the passions of jazz, blues, be-bop, waltz and jitterbug with some playful sexy double entendres that hint nasty with tongue-in-cheek humor. The result is an overwhelmingly joyous evening celebrating Black America’s contribution to our culture.
An Original Adaptation of the Play by Henrik Ibsen Written and Directed by Greg Allen Produced by Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company At Angel Island, Chicago Ibsen’s Loving Parodists Salute Him Listen to my interview with Greg Allen. Greg Allen knows his Ibsen. The Neo-Futurists founder previously staged The Last Two Minutes of the Complete Works of … Read more
By George S. Kaufman & Moss Hart Directed by Devon De Mayo At Northlight Theatre, Skokie Who can’t laugh at a classic, timeless screwball comedy with heart? You Can’t Take It With You won the Pulitzer Prize (rare for a comedy) in 1936 and the film won Best Picture (Oscar) in 1937. Northlight Theatre did … Read more
Operetta in three acts originally in German, sung in English Music by Franz Lehar Libretto by Viltor Leon and Leo Stein, after Henri Meilhac’s comedy L’ attache d’ ambassade (1861) English translation by Jeremy Sams Conductor: Sir Andrew Davis Stage Director & Choreographer: Susan Stroman At the Lyric Opera of Chicago Wonderful nostalgic opulence of … Read more
By Aeschylus Translated by Nicholas Rudall Directed by Charles Newell Produced by Court Theatre, Chicago Lingering in All the Wrong Places The new production of Agamemnon at Court Theatre certainly lives up to the University of Chicago-based company’s dedication to intellectualism. The second in a planned trilogy of new translations by Nicholas Rudall drawn from … Read more
By John Logan Directed by Gary Griffin Produced by Victory Gardens Theater, Chicago Where Humanness and Monstrousness Intersect It is a very good sign for a young playwright if their first work is as good as John Logan’s Never the Sinner. Not that the earliest version of Logan’s recounting of Leopold and Loeb’s twisted relationship … Read more
By Thomas Bradshaw Directed by Ethan McSweeny Produced by The Flea theater and the American Theater Co (ATC) At ATC in Chicago Puzzling pointless drama is a head-scratcher In a co-production with New York’s The Flea Theater, ATC has mounted a perplexing drama that evolves as a head-scratching 90 minutes of live theatre. Thomas Bradshaw … Read more
Book by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux Original Concept and Direction by Floyd Mutrux Inspired by Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins Directed by Floyd Mutrux and Eric Schaeffer Musical Arrangements and Supervision by Chuck Mead Produced by Relevant Theatricals, John Cossette Productions, and Northern Lights, Inc. At the Apollo Theater, … Read more
From the ChicagoCritic Review Archive: This review covers The House Theatre of Chicago’s 2015 theatrical adaptation of The Nutcracker, a reimagining distinct from Tchaikovsky’s traditional ballet. See our guide to where to see The Nutcracker in Chicago for current productions. By Jake Minton, Phillip Klapperich, Kevin O’Donnell, and Tommy Rapley Based on the story by … Read more
By Terrence McNally Directed by Steve Scott Produced by Eclipse Theatre Company Playing at the Athenaeum Theatre, Chicago Moderation the Key to a Healthy Relationship with Opera Eclipse Theatre’s season dedicated to Terrence McNally has included plays from only a four-year span of his half-century long career. But in doing so, they’ve maintained a unity … Read more