All stories by Chris Jones on BroadwayStars

Sunday, February 28, 2021

Review: Joffrey Ballet’s virtual, bursting ‘Boléro’ brings us a rite of spring by Chris Jones

The Joffrey Ballet's new streaming production is free to watch on the company's website, a fine reminder of this Chicago institution, and of the spring that is coming.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 01:44PM
Thursday, February 25, 2021

Milwaukee Rep announces reopening for live theater in April by Chris Jones

Wisconsin's leading theater plans to reopen with “Ella Fitzgerald: First Lady of Song,” starring the Chicago actress Alexis J Roston.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 03:32PM

Column: Will people come back to live entertainment in Chicago? About 150,000 people already have. by Chris Jones

With 150,000 tickets sold, "Immersive Van Gogh" is a huge pandemic hit in Chicago and there are lessons here for the future of live entertainment.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 08:00AM
Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton inspire the new Steppenwolf play ‘Duchess! Duchess! Duchess!’ by Chris Jones

Talking to the young playwright Vivian J.O. Barnes, who has written a play inspired by the British royal family, now being virtually staged for Steppenwolf subscribers.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 11:16AM
Thursday, February 18, 2021

Column: On Second City, private equity and the sad lack of a Chicago comedy savior by Chris Jones

A private equity firm is swooping into Chicago and buying Second City, the legendary comedy theater now at a low point. How did we allow this to happen?

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 08:00AM
Wednesday, February 17, 2021

At Court’s ‘Theatre for One: Here We Are,’ audiences are all alone with an actor by Chris Jones

It's just you on a video call with a Court Theatre cast member for a 10-minute monologue. And the actor can see you, too.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 01:35PM
Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Second City nears sale to a private equity company ZMC, also owner of ‘Grand Theft Auto’ by Chris Jones

Chicago’s famed comedy theater Second City is close to a deal that would see it sold to Strauss Zelnick's ZMC.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 12:28PM
Thursday, February 11, 2021

Column: New York just announced a pop-up arts fest with Chris Rock, Amy Schumer and other celebs: 5 things Chicago could learn by Chris Jones

“NY PopsUp,” a spring series of events with the backing of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, shows New York's willingness to take small steps to return to live arts. A teachable moment for us.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 08:00AM
Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Column: When should massive musical festivals like Lolla return? The answer is in how much we value live art by Chris Jones

When should massive festivals like Glastonbury, or Chicago's Lollapalooza, return? How about big weddings? We need to keep in mind there are different ways of looking at those questions.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 08:07AM
Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Sideshow Theatre announces virtual season of readings by Chris Jones

Sideshow Theatre has announced a 2021 season of virtual readings, its first slate under new artistic director Regina Victor.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 02:00PM

Steppenwolf cancels planned L.A. filming, creates audio play from ‘I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter’ by Chris Jones

Steppenwolf Theatre will bring back "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter" as an audio adaptation, based on the book by Erika L. Sánchez and once again starring Karen Rodriguez.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 10:00AM
Sunday, February 7, 2021

‘Missed Connections’ at Red Orchid is proof that magicians are skilled connectors, rocking the lockdown by Chris Jones

The new livestreaming magic show via A Red Orchid Theatre is very persuasive, and even therapeutic in these isolating pandemic times.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 03:04PM
Thursday, February 4, 2021

Hubbard Street Dance hires former company member as new artistic director by Chris Jones

Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell first danced at HSDC at the invitation of Lou Conte, then spent more than a decade as a principal dancer with Alvin Ailey in New York.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 01:00PM

Whoopi Goldberg, Gilda Radner, John Leguizamo and many more: They all owe a solo debt to Hal Holbrook by Chris Jones

At one time, theater producers thought no one would be interested in solo shows. Hal Holbrook as Mark Twain changed that. Everyone from Gilda Radner to the upcoming "Fillet of Solo" at Lifel…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 08:00AM
Tuesday, February 2, 2021

Column: Why the British hero Captain Tom Moore mattered so much, dead now from pneumonia and coronavirus by Chris Jones

Captain Tom, the 100-year-old veteran, is best known for his fundraising walks around his garden. But he came to symbolize so much in the COVID-19 moment.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 04:27PM
Sunday, January 31, 2021

Column: A critic’s ‘Snowmaggedon’ memoir: Was ‘Burn the Floor’ worth risking my life? by Chris Jones

A theater critic, trying to live up to his colleagues, reviews a show in a blizzard only to end up in a dangerous snowdrift. A memory of a fateful night at "Burn the Floor."

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 02:16PM
Friday, January 29, 2021

Column: Late in life, do you want to surround yourself with oldsters? Florida-set documentary ‘Some Kind of Heaven’ exposes the pitfalls by Chris Jones

Second City founder Bernie Sahlins had some wisdom about staying young — it was on my mind as I watched a new documentary set at the Florida retirement community The Villages.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 08:00AM
Thursday, January 28, 2021

Review: In Steppenwolf Theatre’s ‘Red Folder,’ Carrie Coon battles with school supplies by Chris Jones

In Rajiv Joseph's animated new short play, a first grader voiced by Carrie Coon must face down his fear.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 01:24PM
Tuesday, January 26, 2021

How are small Chicago arts groups doing? New survey suggests Zoom is here to stay by Chris Jones

Fundraising works better online, and Zoom performances can reach bigger audiences from all over the country, according to a new survey of Chicago arts groups by Gaylord & Dorothy Donnell…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 03:35PM
Friday, January 22, 2021

Sideshow Theatre Company adds new collaborators by Chris Jones

Sideshow Theatre Company adds new collaborators

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 03:27PM
Thursday, January 21, 2021

Column: Will Chicago have music and arts this summer? It will if we think small and local, and start now. by Chris Jones

We have to be spontaneous and organic, letting Chicago artists and street festivals lead the way, and DCASE and the city must with the plans. And soon.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 08:00AM
Wednesday, January 20, 2021

ComedySportz has been an online winner with its improv shows — and vows to stay ‘digital first’ by Chris Jones

Even after the pandemic has passed and Chicago comedy theaters are back to doing live shows, the popular ComedySportz chain wants to keeps its successful e-shows running.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 08:00AM
Thursday, January 14, 2021

Review: Scott Silven’s ‘Journey’ via Chicago Shakes creates the illusion we’re all connected — believe that one if you want by Chris Jones

This new show, livestreamed from Scotland, is on the cutting edge of translating old-school magic into our new online worlds. Worlds where ostensibly we're all connected.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 02:25PM

Column: A modest proposal for our democracy: Change those election night ‘magic walls’ on CNN and FOX by Chris Jones

Part of the reason some voters got the wrong sense of who was winning and losing on Election Night may have been in the way TV networks reported votes as if they were sports results.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 08:00AM
Tuesday, January 12, 2021

This year’s Pegasus Young Playwrights Festival offers a window into the thoughts of Chicago teenagers by Chris Jones

Don't miss ”A Lady’s Facade,” “Containment” and “These Glass Lives” as the winners of Pegasus Theatre's 34th annual Young Playwrights Festival.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 04:03PM
Monday, January 11, 2021

For ‘Journey’ via Chicago Shakes, mentalist Scott Silven devises livestream show from his Scotland home by Chris Jones

The Scottish illusionist has a new kind of livestreamed show, and has figured out how to project an audience on the walls of his childhood home.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 04:02PM
Thursday, January 7, 2021

Column: Year 2021 was supposed to Chapter 1 of a hopeful story. Alas, the virus can’t read. by Chris Jones

In the final days of 2020, the COVID-19 virus revealed the same disrespect for the calendar as it had previously shown for national boundaries, political affiliations and state lines.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 07:00AM
Tuesday, January 5, 2021

‘Lazarus,’ the musical, made no sense. Then David Bowie died. Now you can see for yourself. by Chris Jones

Only a few people got to see "Lazarus," the musical that was Bowie's last artistic creation. Now a video of the London production will stream on the fifth anniversary of his death.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 04:10PM
Tuesday, December 22, 2020

For actress E. Faye Butler, the show must go on, even on the back of a truck by Chris Jones

Actress E. Faye Butler is our Chicagoan of the Year for Theater

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 09:00AM
Friday, December 18, 2020

Review: Steppenwolf Theatre’s ‘Wally World’ takes on life on a retail treadmill by Chris Jones

The second entry in the Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s virtual season, “Wally World” by Isaac Gomez is an audio play set in a big-box store in the bordertown of El Paso, Texas.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 03:14PM
Thursday, December 17, 2020

Joffrey Ballet gets $3 million in new funding from Abbott Labs by Chris Jones

Joffrey Ballet gets $3 million in new funding from Abbott Labs

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 04:22PM

All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 11, 2024: Oh, Mary! - Lyceum Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 17, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre
TBA: Titanic
TBA: Ragtime