Drury Lane Theatre’s nearly flawless production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Sunset Boulevard” throws down the gauntlet to all other musicals in quest of 2013 Jeff Awards come October. This is West End-quality musical theater with merely a trek to the near west ‘burbs (Oakbrook Terrace) required to take it in. Director William Osetek’s stellar cast […]
Chicago-area theater? It’s doing just fine, thank you very much.
Before you go see “The Birthday Party” at Steppenwolf, you should assess how you feel about Nobel-Prize winning writer Harold Pinter. Not sure, you say. Here’s a short quiz that might help: Do you prefer plays with a narrative arc that you can generally follow? Are characters with discernable motivations, who act according to those […]
Anyone who writes an honest tell-all memoir about their family will hurt some feelings. Most parents, siblings and spouses would rather not have their private moments revealed in a book. And what if the family has secrets involving crime, death and politics, and disagreements about what it all means? In that situation, a family […]
It is impossible to not fall under the spell of the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s production of “La Boheme” at the Civic Opera House.
If there’s only one show you bring your kids to this season, make it Chicago Children’s Theatre’s new production “Bud, Not Buddy.” The play, based on the Newberry Award-winning book, follows a charismatic 10-year-old orphan (Bud) as he embarks on a journey to find his father in depression-era Michigan. Using clues his late mother […]
Even the busiest of couples usually find time for at least one date night this month. Make it memorable with a trip to the theater. With historical journeys, memes on parenting, and classics from Pinter and some guy named Shakespeare, there’s certain to be a show to light your fire. The Whipping Man Through February […]
If you’re jonesing for a night out – and love some live entertainment, dancing, or maybe even a mosh pit, check out this month’s upcoming shows at several of the North Shore’s best in music establishments: SPACE 1245 Chicago Ave. 847-492-8860 Tuesday, February 9: Joe Firstman & Ernie Halter […]
If the title of this Anna Shapiro-directed play leaves any doubt in your mind, let me confirm, it’s not PG rated. This tale of betrayal, revenge and addiction is a quick-moving exploration of modern love and friendship, and the language reflects all the messiness that involves. The play stars John Oritz, as Jackie, a recovering […]
“Book of Mormon” = Book of Awesome. And … that’s what I posted on Facebook after seeing the Chicago production of the Tony Award-winning musical, in town through June 2. Taking the show in with a friend, she asked afterward exactly how I was going to write about it, and this is what I said: […]
