Friday, June 14, 2013
The cast and orchestra do such a great job with the dances and the score that this production is well worth seeing for fans of the show and newbies alike. It's not often you get to see these…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 12:05AM[SHARE]Thursday, June 13, 2013
Set in cabaret style on the Civic Opera House stage, this isn't your typical Second City experience. It's a new innovation that is distinctively Chicago. Check it out! (read more...)
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 12:20AM[SHARE]Wednesday, June 12, 2013
As always, The Side Project does an impressive job of creating an entire world in its tiny space, a perfect setting for this world premier by renowned poet Sherod Santos, where the silly bec…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 07:35PM[SHARE]A classic work of musical theater sometimes needs a classic execution, which is precisely what Light Opera Works has done here. Everything about this production seems classic " from the gran…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 04:17PM[SHARE]Tuesday, June 11, 2013
From lights up, the pacing is slightly off. Conversations feels stilted, clunky. But the best moments in facilitating thrilling feats of physicality and stage combat. (read more...)
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 05:56PM[SHARE]Great absurdist fiction has a way of pulling you into a world that has just enough elements of your own to seem familiar, then flipping it around on you to expose your hidden philosophies an…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 12:29PM[SHARE]Mounted in repertory by the Organic Theater Company, along with The Emigrants, their Caligula arrives with a stylish flourish but quickly devolves into a near-flat interpretation of what sho…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 12:03AM[SHARE]Sunday, June 9, 2013
A comedy that forces the audience to confront their own insecurities and question their priorities, this production serves up the laughs, many of which are uncomfortable. Though this ensembl…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 11:09PM[SHARE]Saturday, June 8, 2013
Always smiling and singing their hearts out, this foursome implements David Heimann's dance moves with impressive effortlessness. This songbook definitely got "under my skin". It's a feel go…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 11:12PM[SHARE]Friday, June 7, 2013
Playwright Adam Bock has his finger on the pulse of woman. From the shockingly precise portrayal of inebriation to the clumsy attempts at figuring out a relationship without the other person…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 05:23PM[SHARE]Thursday, June 6, 2013
Playwright Washburn is not completely off the mark: there are thoughts, lines and whole scenes that had me leaning forward in my seat, laughing or nodding in agreement. Overall, though, I wi…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 09:56PM[SHARE]With some wonderful dialogue and poignant moments, this script does at times manage to the hit the mark in terms of representing life as a twenty-something, but it gets lost in abstract conc…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 07:42PM[SHARE]Wednesday, June 5, 2013
In the end, Harry's Halfway House seems content with just being quirky while leaving audiences feeling empty and having more questions than answers. Quirky means nothing without purpose, mot…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 03:25PM[SHARE]Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Performing on two levels of this very compact penitentiary, Linda Fortunato's vaguely Fosse-fueled choreography is entertaining, and leads Smith and Carroll excel via Peter Marston Sullivan'…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 05:47PM[SHARE]Monday, June 3, 2013
Videos of Jean Stapleton, including an "All in the Family" scene where Edith Bunker checks out Playgirl Magazine, and a musical clip featuring Jean Stapleton, Bernadette Peters and Tony Rand…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 03:22PM[SHARE]Thursday, May 30, 2013
Director Stuart Carden's dynamic staging captures your attention. Playwright David Greig's language is lyrical. The cast do a fine job. Basically everything about Yellow Moon at Writers' The…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 08:19PM[SHARE]Wednesday, May 29, 2013
The three leads dutifully pounce on the widely scattered truths behind this ultimately unedifying one-act, but the play itself is a bit of a smudge, better at questions than answers. What yo…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 05:40PM[SHARE]Tuesday, May 28, 2013
This production is a perfect example of when a great script and innovative concept don't necessarily work well together. The cast and crew do a masterful job of giving the production the loo…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 06:03PM[SHARE]Homecoming 1972 does have individual moments that carry great weight, but these are only moments, and they are too few in a play that doesn't engage us in a journey. Without giving us suffic…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 12:22AM[SHARE]Monday, May 27, 2013
A wonderful concept that's the stuff of thoughtful entertainment, a pitch-perfect score (both OutKast and Michael Jackson's songs are show-stopping yet profound), and a gorgeous, nimble ense…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 06:01PM[SHARE]Sunday, May 26, 2013
More carnival than not, The Miss Neo Pageant blends realism with abstraction, prose with poetry. Like many abstractions, it's seams are gleefully messy, and we are allowed to skim the fun on…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 12:51AM[SHARE]Friday, May 24, 2013
An engaging if somewhat slight piece of work, elevated to something truly special by the power of its performances of Frances Guinan and Rhea Perlman, resulting in a production that's funny,…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 05:36PM[SHARE]Thursday, May 23, 2013
Though at times a rather unfocused cross-section of lavender life in the big city, this high-energy ensemble is too driven to be dull. No question, these mainly teen players are paying thei…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 12:58AM[SHARE]Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Anthony Whitaker's original songs are well sung and fit nicely into the story and Jamal Howard's choreography is snappy and fun. The result is a charming production that holds true to the sp…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 11:20PM[SHARE]insert picture with top margin and right margin of 5px, and bottom margins of 10px. The Timey Wimey Fant…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 06:03PM[SHARE]The Electric Baby is illuminating, and you truly care about these strangers' lives as they intertwine with others. As the drama unfolds, you'll no doubt get misty for their losses and their …
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 03:44PM[SHARE]Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Despite some distractions, it's Peter Oyloe and Mary Williamson that make this show worth a visit. More than just a reflection on wrath, Reverb is a meditation on that shameful aspect of a c…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 12:32AM[SHARE]Monday, May 20, 2013
Played out on a simple, yet elegant set by John Culbert, Court Theatre's production as directed by Charles Newell is both entertaining and respectful of the piece's classic status and herita…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 08:34PM[SHARE]Sunday, May 19, 2013
It's hard to deny the entertainment value of Speech & Debate. PJ Paparelli's straightforward direction allows his energetic cast to execute a script teeming with humor. Add in Andrew Wh…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 06:02PM[SHARE]Saturday, May 18, 2013
This show is is "Kill Bill" meets "Battlestar Galactica" - with a side of "Space Balls." And the stage combat is just as fun as the special effects! Infusion Theatre's large ensemble works…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 02:07PM[SHARE]Neil LaBute's brand of gutsy, in-your-face, confrontation-theater can quickly get under your skin and into your blood, and this play doesn't stray from these qualities. This must-see show de…
SOURCE: Chicago Theater Beat at 12:57AM[SHARE] 
