By Charles Busch Directed by Tiffany Keane Produced by Otherworld Theatre, Chicago Cape and Sword Entertainment Returns to Stage When Charles Busch’s Queen Amarantha debuted in 1997, it was a drag-show with its author in the title role. According to reviews at the time, the campy melodrama seems to have clashed with the show’s exploration … Read more
By Bixby Elliot Directed by Andrew Volkoff Produced by About Face Theatre At the Greenhouse Theatre Over reaching comic fable self destructs as it tries to cover too many stories and styles Playwright Bixby Elliot’s Abraham Lincoln Was A F*GG*T is part campy comedy. part gay coming of age fable and part wishful history. This … Read more
By Christopher M. Walsh Music and Lyrics by Christopher Kriz Adapted from the Book by Austin Grossman Directed by Paul S. Holmquist Produced by Lifeline Theatre, Chicago A Very Big Superhero World For One Musical to Explore One of the main challenges of adapting a novel to the stage is having to simplify an experience … Read more
June 8th was this year’s award ceremony for the non-Equity wing of the Joseph Jefferson Awards, and the first such ceremony I’ve attended. My associate, Tom Williams, thought it might be fun for me to write a little about my impressions of the event, which is of great importance to performers in Chicago who are … Read more
By Brad Fraser Directed by Ernie Nolan Produced by Cor Theatre, Chicago A Grisly Story From a Dark Time What to do today with In-Yer-Face theatre, a genre from the 1990s which shocked mainstream audiences with frank depictions of loveless sex, violence, and often a homoerotic mixture of the two? Is it still shocking? And … Read more
The 42nd Annual Jeff Awards honoring non-Equity theatre in Chicago turned out to be a big night Monday for both Bailiwick Theatre’s “The Wild Party” and Griffin Theatre’s “Men Should Weep.” Michael LaChiusa’s “The Wild Party” led the pack in the musical categories with eight awards, including production-musical; ensemble; Brenda Didier, who won both for directing … Read more
Book & Lyrics by Tom Jones Music by Harvey Schmidt Stage Director & Choreographer by Rudy Hogenmiller Conductor Roger L. Bingaman Produced by Light Opera Works At Cahn Auditorium, Evanston Full orchestra and new tune and large staging fuel Jones & Schmidt’s The Fantasticks Rudy Hogenmiller and Jim Harms have a long association with … Read more
Conceived by Courtney Crouse and Aaron Benham, Directed by Courtney Crouse Musical arrangements by Aaron Benham Choreography by Christopher Logan Produced by Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre At No Exit Cafe, Chicago They’re playing his songs – darn well, too! This original revue is slick, smart and engaging You … Read more
By Stephen Belber Directed by Cody Estle Produced by Haven Theatre, Chicago Race and Real Estate Collide Again, But This Time, It’s Father-Son Spite As do many American family dramas, Don’t Go Gentle focuses not so much on a father who rages against the dying of the light as against his own children, so as … Read more
A World Premiere Musical Book & Lyrics by L.C. Bernadine Music & Additional Lyrics by Erik Olsen Directed by Alex Higgin-Houser Music Direction by TJ Anderson Choreographed by Jon Martinez Produced by Underscore Theatre Company At Jackalope Frontier Stage, Chicago Refreshingly original new musical captures the foibles of the shadowy alternative country musicals and songwriters … Read more