Lyric Delivers Beautiful, Lengthy, "Parsifal"
Despite all the religious language in Richard Wagner’s final opera, “Parsifal” is about sex, or the renunciation thereof.
“Miss Saigon” is Theater at Its Best
In the 1960s, brand loyalists boasted how far they’d walk to satisfy their greatest craving. This November, Aurora’s Paramount Theatre queries Chicagoland’s musical theater community: How far will fans drive to see a flawless performance of a perfect musical theater production? Paramount’s “Miss Saigon” is all that and a bag of chips. It should not […]
December Theater: The Spirit of Christmas
It must be December: The Chicago-area’s stages are crowded with sugarplum fairies, Scrooges and a Macy’s store elf named Crumpet. Christmas shows dominate the month, but some theaters are offering intriguing plays without any overt holiday theme. Just think of it as their gift to those of us who need an occasional break from the […]
Lyric Delivers Beautiful, Lengthy, "Parsifal"
Despite all the religious language in Richard Wagner’s final opera, “Parsifal” is about sex, or the renunciation thereof. Act One of the Lyric Opera‘s nearly five-hour production at the Civic Opera House opens in the Monastery of the Holy Grail with monks assigned to guard the chalice, which legend says is the cup Jesus used […]
"La Traviata" at Lyric: Marina Rebeka is a Violetta for the Ages
Lyric Opera of Chicago has a real winner in its new production of Giuseppe Verdi’s “La Traviata.” The tragic heroine, Violetta Valery, is sung by Latvian soprano Marina Rebeka in a singularly impressive debut here. She sparkles, she shines, and her bright coloratura is as fresh and flexible after three hours as it is when […]
Marriott’s "Nutcracker" Hits All the Right Notes
A holiday classic comes to life in the Marriott Theatre for Young Audiences’ new performance of “The Nutcracker.” The beloved tale has been transformed into a family-friendly musical comedy that is both sweet and sincere while also being laugh-out-loud funny. It’s the perfect entrée for young theatergoers who will fall in love with the classic […]
Marriott’s “Mary” Makes it Summer Time in Lincolnshire
As another Chicago autumn morphs into winter, there’s a summer wind blowing through Lincolnshire for the second straight year. Chicagoland-based Summer Naomi Smart doesn’t simply portray “Mary Poppins” in Marriott Theatre’s current production of the family-favorite musical; she mutates into her. No doubt, on her off days Smart’s friends have to tell her, “Enough with […]
“Once” Gifts Audiences a Work of Musical Art
1999 was a big year for the muse. So 14 years later, it’s high time to update the pop culture images of Sharon Stone and Salma Hayek as mythology’s daughters of Zeus. Enter Dani De Waal. (And for effect, Ms. De Waal, please make your entrance from the audience, under spotlight.) Truth is, Stone and […]
Chicago's 5 Best Interactive Comedy Shows
Who says you need to be an actor to hit the stage?
November Music: Discover New Artists Through Videos
Lately, when we have friends over for dinner or cocktails, our entertainment choices occasionally make our adult kids wince. Think YouTube videos. Ironically, the kids see this primitive sharing as old school. They have a point—I know we sound ridiculous yelling over each other, “Oh! Have you seen the one with the howling dog quieting […]
