The Phantom of the Opera overwhelmed me once again with its stagecraft, its melodic score and its wonderful singing. I enjoyed this production. The opening night audience gave it a roaring standing ovation that was amazing since it was playing Chicago for the eight time! Worldwide, over 130 million people have see Phantom of the Opera in the more than 90,000 performances; there are currently 6 productions running worldwide.
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The story, part fable, part frontier ghost story and parable, takes us from a campfire to wondering through the woods as the group fears a bear attack. When Tobias, the pragmatic hunter, decides to protect the community from the bear, he ventures into the woods in search. His imaginative son Elliot, who loves storytelling, wonders out into the forest to aid his father, he disappears.
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It is all amazing, especially considering the limited stage in this cozy
theater. Once again, Stage Door rises to the challenge and proves that
“less can be more” — much more. “Vegas: a Night on the Strip” may not
replace an actual trip to Nevada — but this production is a work of art
in and of itself.
The dazzling costumes, the fabulous set design and the vivid video projections are a refreshing addition to the world-class dances that The Jeffery always provides. At about two hours, this fast-paced whimsical ballet is kid-friendly and adult approved. If you are worn-out by the old version of The Nutcracker, take heed, the world premiere Chicago based concept will blow you away.
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concept here is a 1960-70’s rural Austrian (?) home where the children are putting on an opera – Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Using the house’s front porch as a stage with lawn chairs filled with friends and neighbors including children, the group is ready for a ‘home-grown’ opera. What a stretch!
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In their 105the revue, the new management at The Second City has presented their six creator/performers a mixed bag of sketch comedy titles: The Winner…of our Discontent which asks if its broken, should we fix it? With post-election drama filled with rich comic possibilities, I was amazed at the lack of biting comedy in the group’s sketch bits about the election?. True there were some funny bits like the Cubs bat boy bit and the three guys watering the lawn but there were also several bits that just didn’t produce laughs.
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Now in its third year down the hall from A Christmas Carol, Twist Your Dickens one more offers a comic holiday treat featuring the best techniques of Second City to make you laugh during the holidays. Move over Larry Yando – Ron West is your rival as Scrooge. LOL! Comic writers Peter Gwinn and Bobby Mort have penned a smart, hilarious and rambunctious spoof of A Christmas Carol.
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The play’s point-of-view is from Christopher’s as we see his reaction of events such as his scary travel to London through vivid lighting, extreme sounds and ensemble movements that pick-up the teen as he screams with fear. This work will tug at your emotions and empathy as you go on the adventure with Christopher. Eventually this play creates sensory overload as the ear-crushing sounds and lighting collide with the wild ensemble movement that moves Christopher along his mysterious journey. You”ll not see fantastical movement like in this play in most plays. These sensory bits are usually only found in musicals. But they exist in Christopher’s perspective.
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Add some clever tune mixed with holiday favorites deftly sung by power-voiced Meghan Murphy and This Way Outta Santaland is a precious, deeply human, holiday night of stories celebrating one of the funniest comic entertainers working in Chicago – Mitchell Fain
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Herein also lies Dr. Rosenkranz’s personal philosophy on medicine: “There is something beautiful and wonderful about the unknown,” he says, “and I think, in that sense, magic and medicine share a DNA.” As Dr. Rosenkranz demonstrates in his performance, the doctor is the patient’s guide to the unknown realm of medical science just as the illusionist is the same to the metaphysical realm of the paranormal. The perspective with which the patient approaches medicine, whether as an impersonal and clinical system of testing and measuring or as a personal and cooperative engagement between two humans, is as much a paradigm that is set by the doctor as is the illusionist’s theatrics. Both establish the expectations and etiquette of their respective offices that largely determine the patient/audience experience.
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