Lookingglass’ “Eastland” a Tragically Fine Tale

No one famous died when an excursion boat called the Eastland tipped over in the Chicago River on July 24, 1915. “Only dusty men with dusty books know or care who was lost,” a character sings near the sorrowful conclusion of Lookingglass Theatre’s new musical “Eastland.” By the end of Andrew White’s moving and finely […]

Mr. Rickey Calls A Meeting for Sports Fans and Theater Lovers

It’s a rare drama that can compete with a playoff football game in my sportcentric house. But “Mr. Rickey Calls A Meeting,” which just opened at Lookingglass Theatre, held its own against the Denver/San Francisco game last Saturday night. My husband turned off his blackberry and stayed tuned into the drama onstage—a sure sign of […]

A New Year for Theater

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 […]

Fall into Deep Dramas with the Start of Autumn Theater

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 […]

Lookingglass Theatre’s “Ethan Frome” is Short and Haunting

“Ethan Frome,” a story about poverty and hardship, probably isn’t your first choice for a fun evening out—but it’s worth a trip downtown anyway. Superbly acted amid evocative sets, this play isn’t three-hour melodrama, but a piercing one-and-a-half-hour, no-intermission engagement. If you need a refresher on Edith Wharton’s classic tale, adapted by Evanston native Laura […]

"Lookingglass Alice" a Madcap Adventure Great for Kids

Alice is an aerialist, who soars above the audience. Lewis Carroll walks up the wall — yes, he really does. And characters pile out of a picnic basket like Keystone Kops. Such is the magic of this slightly mad, definitely madcap circus-like version of the classic Lewis Carroll tale about a girl who falls down […]