Twyla Tharp’s last big dance theater hit, 2002’s “Movin’ Out,” used a song cycle by Billy Joel as the basis for a coming-of-age story. The story was set in the Vietnam War era. But in “Come Fly Away,” now in a not-to-be-missed touring production, the dances of innocence and experience unfold during one sultry evening […]
“In the Heights,” only playing through January 15 at the Oriental Theatre, is a wildly vibrant show that will win the heart of just about any theatergoer. Not only is the show acclaimed—it won 4 Tony Awards in 2008, including Best Musical, and the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album—but also it’s well […]
We’ve survived the holidays, people; we’ve cured the hangovers, sidestepped that unwanted mistletoe kiss and kept the holiday weight gain down. Let’s celebrate our endurance with some theater that examines resilience and the indomitable human spirit. American Theater Company’s “Disgraced” February 3-March 4 1909 W. Byron St., Chicago 773-409-4125 atcweb.org American Theater Company presents Ayad Aktar’s […]
There are simply not enough accolades to bestow upon “Memphis.” The 2010 Tony Award-winning Best Musical is running at Chicago’s Cadillac Palace through December 4. But a single word of advice to musical-theater lovers suffices: Go. It’s obvious in the show’s first 3 minutes that the audience is in for a special treat. Clear storytelling, […]
“Mary Poppins” is a headline writer’s dream. A great staging can be summed up in one word: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocius. Performance not worth attending? Go fly a kite. It’s also an unequivocal showcase for the female lead, with the production’s success resting squarely on the title character’s shoulders. Consider Broadway in Chicago’s current run of the Disney […]
Above all things, it seems, Carrie Fisher knows where to find the funny. Early on in her autobiographical one-woman show, “Wishful Drinking,” she remarks that if all the things that happened in her life weren’t so funny, they’d just be true. Fisher peppers little bon mots like this throughout her tragi-comic narratives of pill popping, […]
Emotions run high this fall in Chicago area plays. An artist’s struggle, a playwright’s confusion, real estate woes, nostalgic clothing and a greedy pet all take center stage—you won’t want to miss these shows! Broadway in Chicago’s “Love, Loss & What I Wore” at Broadway Playhouse September 13-October 23 Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut […]
There is something about attending a Broadway musical … The buzz of the crowd as they make their way into the luxe red velvet and gold gilded playhouse, the thrill of hearing the pit orchestra honk and whistle out notes of what’s to come. The anticipation is heightened when the production is the classic “West […]
The shows at Chicago theaters this month will either leave you sore from laughing or humming a clever tune—whether it’s puppets, cupcakes, Sondheim, the misunderstandings of a foreign language, or the ruminations of an overweight comedian. Jeff Garlin’s “No Sugar Tonight” at Steppenwolf’s Upstairs Theatre July 13-24 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago 312-335-1650 steppenwolf.org As […]
If you loved the Oscar-winning movie “Chicago,” starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Queen Latifah and Richard Gere, you’ll re-discover it in exciting ways at this short-run production. The talents of Broadway veterans Terra MacLeod as Velma, Ron Orbach as Amos and Tracy Shayne as Roxie are wildly evident, and John O’Hurley—who played J. Peterman on “Seinfeld” and […]
