LFLB ArtsLink is exactly the right program for the times. Seventeen outstanding Lake Forest and Lake Bluff arts programs have pooled their resources and connected online to promote their programs more effectively, thanks to the vision and leadership of the LFLB Chamber of Commerce and substantial sponsorship by BMO Harris. LFLB ArtsLink should eliminate duplication […]
Lyric Opera of Chicago is presenting the story of Cinderella as we’ve never seen it before. Gioachino Rossini’s marvelous retelling of this story (“La Cenerentola”) at the Civic Opera House makes us forget the Disney version. There is no fairy godmother. Instead, a towering philosopher sees to it that virtue is rewarded. No cute little […]
It wouldn’t be the holiday season without Scrooge, George Bailey and the Sugar Plum Fairies appearing on local stages. But November and December also bring other theatrical gifts, including some promising comedies and dramas that have nothing to do with Santa Claus. “You Can’t Take It With You“ Nov. 6 – Dec. 13 A huge […]
The Ferris wheel may be gone, but you can still “Ride the Cyclone” at Navy Pier. Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is currently presenting the U.S. premiere of the decidedly offbeat – and entirely engaging – “Ride the Cyclone” in the Theater Upstairs. It’s a smart blend of musical genres, cultural references, quirky characters, and impossible […]
“The Marriage of Figaro” is all about sex, and Director Barbara Gaines doesn’t let us forget it. In a new production at Lyric Opera of Chicago, which opened Sept. 26 at the Civic Opera House, she gives everything from adolescent longings to le droit du seigneur a humorous touch. Gaines is founder and artistic director of Chicago […]
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s a rocket, and you’ll swear you saw one during The Marriott Theatre‘s “October Sky,” recently extended through Oct. 18. Just like the helicopter that didn’t land in the theater’s 2008 production of “Les Miserables,” the magical stagecraft so often evident at the theater in the round on Milwaukee Avenue […]
“A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder,” the 2014 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, opens at Chicago’s Bank of America Theatre Sept. 29. The hilarious musical follows Monty Navarro, who sets out to eliminate the eight relatives who stand between him and the family fortune. And don’t forget about his fiancée and mistress. Make It […]
“Treasure Island” is one of those stories that has seeped into our culture. The way we picture pirates – those eye patches, peg legs, parrots and treasure maps – can be traced back to Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1888 novel. The book has been turned into dozens of plays, movies and cartoons, and now it’s getting […]
This month brings two musical productions about teens to our local stages – along with a bio of Richard Pryor, an octogenarian struggling with her memory and a revue of classic movie songs. “Hollywood’s Greatest Song Hits” Oct. 2 – 11 Singers from the North Shore group Light Opera Works give voice to the most […]
For theatergoers, season ticket subscriptions offer savings on ticket costs, the ability to change seats or performance dates, and the chance to put some outings on the calendar months ahead of time. And, subscriptions are a way of putting your money behind a group you like. Here’s a look at several superb Chicago-area theater subscription […]
