Call it a case of criminal mindlessness: Two boys, from privileged backgrounds but claiming poverty, get lost not in Yonkers, but in their own petty drama. “You’re so independent?” asks adolescent slacker Warren, surveying buddy Dennis’s untidy, stark apartment. “Yeah, because my parents pay for this apartment,” twenty-something small-time drug dealer Dennis replies, wholly believing […]
Last month, fans of ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” said goodbye to Sandra Oh and her uber-talented character, Dr. Cristina Yang. Their loss is Chicago’s gain. It might be surprising to some that a popular TV actress would leave a show that’s still doing well, even 10 seasons in, to star in “Death and the Maiden” at […]
If you’re Sting (aka Gordon Sumner), you might tour for funsies with Paul Simon, as he did very successfully earlier this year. Or perhaps, you’ll plumb your childhood memories and write a musical bound for Broadway. Sting’s “The Last Ship” had its star-studded opening in Chicago last night prior to its Broadway debut this fall. Sting and […]
Summer brings movie and TV stars, including Michael Cera and Sandra Oh, to Chicago stages. But local stars, like Joyce Piven, are still big attractions on the North Shore. Heading north for summer fun? Check out the American Player’s Theatre in Spring Green, Wis. Death and the Maiden June 13–July 13 Sandra Oh of “Grey’s […]
Eight years ago, halfway through the premier episode of ABC’s “Ugly Betty,” I fell hard for the character of Marc St. James, played by Michael Urie. He was feisty and fabulous, and played with such tremendous verve and attitude by the talented, Juilliard-trained actor that it was abundantly clear that a star was born. We […]
From the very first moment of “The White Snake,” it’s clear that we’re in Mary Zimmerman Land—a magical and beguiling world that’s familiar from previous plays by this renowned Evanston director. “The White Snake” at Goodman Theatre is classic Zimmerman: an ancient story brought to life on the stage with a light, playful touch. As […]
May brings beloved old songs from Motown to the Loop’s Oriental Theatre, while Writers Theatre in Glencoe plays some brand-new tunes. A magical story about snakes slithers into theGoodman, and Skokie’s Northlight transports audiences back to 1940s Yonkers. The White Snake Through June 8 Following up her 2013 Goodman adaptation of “The Jungle Book,” Evanston […]
Today is the operative word in Writers Theatre’s world premiere of the modern relationship musical “Days Like Today.” Based on the plays of Charles L. Mee, Laura Eason’s book, punctuated by Alan Schmuckler’s poignant lyrics and memorable song, could well be called “Today’s Normal.” Which is to say, if this generation’s claim to fame is […]
Shakespeare had a keen eye for spotting the foolishness of humanity, including the frequently bad behavior of Europe’s kings and noblemen. But “Henry V,” the drama now at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, is a different sort of royal history. The king in the play’s title doesn’t experience any Hamlet-like doubts. And he isn’t an evil monster […]
A musical theater grudge match on Chicago’s North Side has 1967’s “Hair” and 2003’s “Avenue Q” doing battle less than a mile apart. Smart money is on Gary Coleman, and he’s been dead four years. Yes, somehow a living, adult version of diminutive Arnold Jackson from TV’s “Diff’rent Strokes” still narrates the naughty puppets of […]
