Chicago Critic Must See recommendations.
Adapted and Directed by Matt Foss From the Novel by Upton Sinclair Music by Nicholas Tonozzi Score by Sam Allyn Produced by Oracle Theatre, Chicago Jungle a Potent Message for Today Oracle has revived their hit The Jungle from last summer, and it’s easy to see why. This piece, directed and adapted by Matt Foss, … Read more
By John Kolvenbach Directed by Ray Frewen Produced by Spartan Theatre At the Flat Iron Building, Chicago Edgy well written and superbly acted two-handed worth seeing There is a energetic dynamic working from Spartan Theatre at the Flat Iron Building at North Ave., Milwaukee and Damen. Take a smart, edgy drama about two siblings with … Read more
By Tom Stoppard Directed by Nick Sandys Produced by Remy Bumppo At the Greenhouse Theatre, Chicago Drama Packed With Modernist Themes Remy Bumppo’s funhouse themed season culminates in a genre-bending meta-theatrical romp that demands an audience’s full intellectual engagement. Tom Stoppard’s 1974 play Travesties is an adaptation of The Importance of Being Earnest set in … Read more
By David Hirson Directed by Kay Martinovich Produced by Trap Door Theatre Loquacious Virtuosity on Display La Bête—the beast—is a play about the clash between high and low art. It imagines a conflict between Moliere, here called Elomire, and an amazingly obnoxious street clown. Playwright David Hirson’s choice of that author as his hero is … Read more
By Lanford Wilson Directed by Jonathan Berry Produced by Griffin Theatre Company At The Den Theatre, Chicago Wilson’s Vision Comes to Life Lanford Wilson’s 1965 play Balm in Gilead has won a place in theatrical history, and has some particular connotations in Chicago. But however skilled Steppenwolf’s production was, it was years before I and … Read more
By Deborah Zoe Laufer Directed by Henry Godinez At the Windy City Playhouse, Chicago It’s the end of the world…Maybe Upon entering the new Equity-based Windy City Playhouse at 3014 W. Irving Park, Chicago, one can’t be other than impressed with the size and opulence of this space. The lobby has comfortable couches and chairs, … Read more
Adapted by James E. Grote From the Book by Katherine Applegate Directed by Dorothy Milne Produced by Lifeline Theatre Ivan Gets Children Thinking Katherine Applegate has been a beloved children’s author long enough now for people who developed a love for reading through Animorphs and Everworld, two series she co-authored with her husband Michael Grant, … Read more
A Musical by Alain Boublil & Claude-Michel Schonberg Based on the Victor Hugo novel Music by Claude-Michel Schonberg Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer Directed and Musical Staging by Jim Corti Musical Direction by Tom Vendafreddo At Paramount Theatre “To have loved another person is to see the face of God.” –Victor Hugo from Les Miserables Yet … Read more
By John Patrick Shanley Directed by BJ Jones Produced by Northlight Theatre Shanleys Find Love at Northlight John Patrick Shanley has won acclaim for character studies in plays like Doubt: A Parable and Defiance. For his latest play, now playing in the Midwest for the first time at Northlight, Shanley drew sketches of his own … Read more
“On the Town” CD Review by Joe Stead Last year Chicago audiences got their first taste of a musical theatre classic when the Marriott Theatre went “On the Town”. A critically acclaimed 70th anniversary Broadway revival followed, which has finally resulted in the show’s first complete Broadway cast album by PS Classics. With several excellent … Read more