Thursday, February 27, 2014
Director 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 08:09PMWednesday, February 26, 2014
The joint is indeed jumping at Stage 773 with the raucous and infectiously joyful Ain't Misbehavin'. Directed and choreographed by Brenda Didier, the ebullient five-person cast truly underst…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 09:31PMTuesday, February 25, 2014
It’s often said that Gypsy is the greatest American musical, and one that could stand on its own even without its songs. This production, directed by Gary Griffin, makes a strong case for …
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 08:00AMMonday, February 24, 2014
Rites and Sacrifices may not be 100% perfect, but it’s still a powerful insight into the aftermath of war. Despite the occasional bump in the road and the short running time, this is stil…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 07:55PMSweet Phoebe is a challenging if flawed piece with relevance to big city folks like us and Runcible Theatre gives us an intriguingly performed and good looking production. (read more...)
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 12:05AMSaturday, February 22, 2014
Frustratingly formulaic as an arc with individual scenes that clearly demonstrate that Playwright Tracey Scott Wilson has very interesting things to say, Buzzer—like the broken one at Jack…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 09:00PMDespite hiccups, Queenie Pie is worth seeing if just to hear Duke Ellington’s music in such a robust and lively manner. Chicago is fortunate to have companies such as Chicago Opera Theater…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 06:51PMThursday, February 20, 2014
There are some surprises and fun departures from the Chekov farce that are purely American by way of modern entertainment. The cast is cohesive and has an expert touch at making fools of the…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 09:55PMWhile sitcoms aren’t really known for their incredibly high emotional stakes, this show feels trapped between the two worlds of theater and television without really merging together. The …
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 06:22PMThere are wonderful, memorable plays, and there are plays that leave me scratching my head. Sadly, Robert Caisley’s Happy falls into the latter category with a resounding thud. It’s a sh…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 04:53PMWednesday, February 19, 2014
Showcasing the dazzling, creative works of some of today’s leading choreographers, including Brock Clawson, Christopher Wheeldon and Alexander Ekman, Joffrey Ballet's "Contemporary Choreog…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 10:28PMMonday, February 17, 2014
LiveWire Chicago Theatre knows how to bring workplace tedium to a slow boil. Grueling to watch and torturous to perform, Leslye Headland’s 105-minute urban nightmare depicts slackers trapp…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 08:29PMThat’s Weird, Grandma is not only a fun show for the family, but it gives children a great opportunity to have their work performed by a professional theater company in one of the country�…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 06:22PMThis is quite enjoyable children’s theater, and the adults can enjoy it as well. Director Ernie Nolan does a great job with pacing, and the cast is very adept at not being distracted by ch…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 04:19PMSunday, February 16, 2014
With Director David H. Bell sassy staging, Nancy Missimi’s bawdy 1920's costumes, Matt Raftery’s high-energy, sexy choreography and Kander and Ebb’s soaring music, how can this not be …
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 09:54PMI recommend this show - the dance routines are a blast. The diction is impeccable. The costumes are spectacular and sharp. And, just so you know, clapping, singing along, and having a great …
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 12:14AMSaturday, February 15, 2014
According to the well-worn maxim, biology is destiny. In The How and the Why, it's also a provocative puzzle where the missing pieces provide a source for a fantastic drama. (read more...)
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 09:37PMJeffry Stanton is an exceptional monologue director, which becomes an invaluable skill to have when bringing Philip Ridley’s monologue-heavy script to the stage, and the cast does remarkab…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 11:46AMFriday, February 14, 2014
For Eclectic Theatre’s sophomore season, their world premiere of Unshelved by Beth Kander feels like a freshman effort, its problems inherent from the very first exchange. Dealing with th…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 10:11PMThough often gripping and fervent, Sons of the Prophet attempts to tackle too much too quickly, Nonetheless, PJ Paparelli’s pacing, William Boles’ ingenious set design, and a comedically…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 08:55AMDon't be fooled by the chalk and Crayola appearance of this revival - the rich performances create a complex emotional foundation that works with the concept to offer a refreshing take on th…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 12:23AMThursday, February 13, 2014
The Reckoning is a highly theatrical and (I think) absurdist play, that suffers from a lack of focus- Playwright Nat Cassidy’s script switches from an intimate character study of Christoph…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 08:43PMWith a dazzling cast, inspired design and Gioachino Rossini’s enduring score (that has made this work a shorthand for opera itself), The Barber of Seville will win new hearts and reinvigor…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 06:37PM107 years young, this dynamic dark comedy is brought to life through Michael Menendian’s sterling staging, lifting this Raven Theatre revival to the same stars that are so often invoked in…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 04:37PMTuesday, February 11, 2014
Hopefully Mary-Arrchie will be back on track with its next production. They usually create wonderful productions, however, Crime and Punishment is thoroughly unsatisfying. Maybe it’s the s…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 04:54PMSunday, February 9, 2014
With Playwright Eric Schmiedl’s adaptation, Signal Ensemble does a valiant job of bringing the characters to life in a meditative style, punctuated by bursts of naturalism and violence. Bu…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 05:11PMTom Jones is a fun night at the theater and worth the trek to the north hinterland of Skokie. I enjoyed the bawdy tale done with hearty, if uneven, aplomb. (read more...)
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 11:18AMSaturday, February 8, 2014
For a show about the ups and downs of life in your 20s, Edges has its moments - both enjoyable and eye-rolling. But the real star of Edges? That would be the marvelously expressive pianist …
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 08:41PMFriday, February 7, 2014
Besides confonting the long-term effects of anti-gay bullying, From White Plains is also concerned with the power of healing and forgiveness, values that will be essential to keep as society…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 11:31PMThere’s a lot to like about Macbeth: the wonderful design and performances make for an entertaining evening. If only the whole priestess/scapegoat aspect had been discarded, it would be ev…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 09:20PMRebecca Gilman's engaging world premiere play is the kind of production that Goodman loves to produce, addressing a major social problem, pitting conservative and liberal ideals against each…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 05:39PM 
