Quiara Alegría Hudes’ Pulitzer Prize-winning drama suggests that the only way to make it through destructive addictions is by depending on other people and finding strength in community. …
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 12:04PMScott Woldman has written a wry and mostly funny look at how dudes mess up when it comes to women, all through a series of vignettes done by a very talented ensemble that sings, dances, and …
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 09:17PMGreek mythology by way of Chicago's bike lanes propels Laura Jacqmin's quirky, fast-paced take on death, grief and moving on. Unfortunately, if you filter out the souls - living and otherwis…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 09:05AMJoshua Rollins’ world premiere is troubled from the start - taking forever to get off the ground, then petering out with littler resolved. Nonetheless, Step Up Productions creates a solid …
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 10:24PMBailiwick Chicago has developed a track record of bringing lesser-known musicals to the city, and their performance of this vibrant piece is nearly flawless. (read more...)
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 06:53PMDevil Land is a spellbinding story of a woman forever trapped in self-hatred and denial of her indigenous roots. She draws her husband by kidnapping a not-so-innocent child, leading them in…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 01:21PMChicago Tap’s latest 90-minute narrative with interactive elements is pure charm, with a sweet, hopeful message that love actually is all around. (read more...)
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 11:38AMA charming, funny and heartbreaking ode to the power of storytelling - Recommended. (read more...)
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 08:09PMLifeline Theatre’s adaption of this sweeping epic is a bit bare bones, to be sure, but it compensates with an intimate look at the characters of Dickens’ tale and is a good reason to rev…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 09:34PMDespite issues of pacing and superfluous characters, it’s hard not to get swept up into the story of Eleanor Marx. This play isn't for all, but if you don't mind melodrama, it just might b…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 07:54PMIt’s clear that Anthony Mosely’s Collaboraction compadres—all thirteen of them—are supportive and enthusiastic with the subject matter, but I'm not sure whether this wouldn’t have …
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 06:05PMThe songs flow freely, the comedy revels and the revelations resonate in this two-hour tour-de-chanson. This new world is well worth an exploration. (read more and watch three production v…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 09:49PMI see what Earliest Known Photo was trying to do, and I appreciate it. But intention and execution are two very different things, and in this case good intentions were not enough. (read mor…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 07:20PMEven though this program has its challenges, Hubbard Street dancers are always breathtaking. Like ethereal creatures of the night, they glide across the stage, and bend, twist and leap with …
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 11:38AMAn intimate look at Chicago's street violence, Playwright Marcus Gardley has crafted a hymn for the theater straight from the heart, and despite its flaws, it still sings. (read more and wat…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 08:29PMJean Cocteau's Les Parents Terribles’s heavier themes and subject matters help elevate the comedy, but unfortunatey this production sadly misses the mark on that front. (read more...)
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 04:10PMAmbitious, compelling and boasting one of those impossibly rich ensemble casts that are the signature of Chicago storytelling, Griffin Theatre's Golden Boy packs a punch. (read more...)
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 05:55PMRock of Ages works much better on stage than on screen. The plot is thin, sure, but the script is surprisingly funny, the score nostalgic and pleasing and the cast ripe with a game, infectio…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 09:54PMAn ebullient and thrilling show with something for every imagination. I recommend this show for a perfect family outing. (read more...)
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 07:17PMThere's more than enough human spectacle on stage to make Heartbeat of Home dazzle. The dancers and the musicians here are thrilling in every respect. Layering in all that electronic artific…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 03:50PMDeborah Zoe Laufer’s coming-of-age tale succeeds as a thought-provoking and powerful insight into why “leveling up” in life doesn’t just mean defeating your opponent. Topical subject…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 06:13PMRing of Fire is not a straightforward biography nor should it be. It’s a fun and sentimental reminder of a man and his genius at living and singing his life. (read more...)
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 02:26PMI highly recommend this show. The acting is outstanding. Jaclynn Jutting’s direction by is sharp and brilliantly staged. This show made me laugh through gritted teeth with a satisfying and…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 09:00AMThere might be something worth salvaging here if Playwright Aaron Sawyer is willing to hand his script over to an editor and then a director with a fresh set of eyes. But as produced here, i…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 09:26PMWhat elevates this opera are incredible production values, even by the Lyric’s high standards. And the haunting Antonín Dvořák score conducted by Sir Andrew Davis completes the ultimat…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 04:54PMTo call Corpus Delicti *community theater-bad* is an insult to community theater. Aside from a nice set and one salvageable performance, this show is not only weak across the board, but a c…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 07:49PMQuest’s productions are talent-packed and executed with tremendous heart. The People’s Return of Neverland is no exception. It’s free entertainment that children and parents alike can …
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 09:52PMIn Cock, Playwright Mike Bartlett challenges conservative views of sexuality, using one man’s sexual identity crisis to examine the crippling effect of societal pressures., creating a rive…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 07:40PMThis brisk and sharp comedic romp comes to an abruptly dark conclusion for all involved. The last production in Akvavit's Nordic Cycle, Mishap! might be one of the few theatrical experiences…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 04:51PMAs brought out by BoHo's gorgeous production, the fictional Salieri's journey is an engrossing exploration. BoHo has marshalled great talent to bring his Pyrrhic victory to life, and their d…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 09:07AMDirector M. William Panek and choreographer Danny Spagnuolo keep the cast moving as quickly and precisely as this rich and raucous score demands. A New Brain is always all about the music, …
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 08:09PM
