Latest from Chicago Critic

The Boy from Oz

Songs by Peter Allen Book by Martin Sherman and Nick Enright Directed by David Zak Produced by Pride Films & Plays Playing at Stage 773, Chicago Pride’s Tribute Combines Intimacy With Glamor The Boy from Oz, a jukebox musical and memory play about songwriter Peter Allen, debuted in his native Australia in 1998 and ran … Read more

Kurios—Cabinet of Curiosities

Written and Directed by Michel Laprise Produced by Cirque du Soleil Playing at the United Center, Chicago Steampunk and Fish Make a Wondrous Circus Four years after its last engagement in Chicago, Cirque du Soleil is back with a new show, a new director, and renewed creative energy. Kurios—Cabinet of Curiosities, which debuted in Montreal … Read more

Zelda at the Oasis

Genesis Theatrical Productions Raven Theater By Patricia Lin Directed by Elayne LeTraunik Sensitive Play Transcends One Woman’s Story No. You do not have to be knowledgeable about the volatile relationship between Zelda and her famous author husband F. Scott Fitzgerald to see and enjoy the Chicago Premiere of Zelda at the Oasis. Yes. You will … Read more

Last Train to Nibroc

By Arlene Hutton Directed by Jason Gerace Produced by Haven Theatre Playing at Theater Wit, Chicago The Hard Work of Choosing to Maintain a Friendship In older dramas, young lovers had to overcome obstacles created by their parents and circumstance to earn their happily ever after. In Arlene Hutton’s 1998 Last Train to Nibroc, they … Read more

We Gotta Bingo

Created and Produced by Bill Collins At the Chicago Theater Works Interactive dinner and show thrives on bingo and ethnic humor After a nice run in Minneapolis since 2004, it was inevitable that “We Gotta Bingo” would make it to Chicago at the new 200 seat beer hall venue between the Belmont Redline and Stage … Read more

Fabulation; or the Re-Education of Undine

By Lynn Nottage Directed by Aaron Mitchell Reese Produced by Pulse Theatre Company, Chicago Playing at Signal Theatre Life’s Grotesque Absurdities on Wry Display Chicagoans recently had a chance to see how Lynn Nottage’s body of work has evolved over the years when Eclipse Theatre dedicated their last season to the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright. If … Read more

Pippin

Book by Roger O. Hirson Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz Directed by Diane Paulus Produced by Broadway in Chicago At The Palace Theatre, Chicago An Enticing Circus Spectacle As a show about the seductiveness of glamor and theatricality, Pippin can’t skimp on design and technical aspects. Thankfully, the producers of the touring version, now … Read more

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

By William Shakespeare Directed by Lavina Jadhwani Produced by Oak Park Festival Theatre A Young Shakespearean Attempt at Comedy If you are a theatre company dedicated to performing the works of Shakespeare, you have the blessing of about a dozen high-quality plays with large fanbases to select from. And if your theatre company was founded … Read more

Stupid Fucking Bird (2015)

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

Feast

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