2,003 stories by "Scotty Zacher"
With their re-imagined, hyper-creative Nutcracker, The House Theatre has found its perfect annual gift to the theatre-going public. As a new uncle myself, I can't wait to bring my own niece …
A cunningly raucous holiday romp, Mikado's circus backdrop nicely enlivens the pell-mell proceedings, with the supposedly restless audience moving about like gawkers under the imaginary canv…
Strongly acted and visually intersting, Paulus' main weakness lies in its script, which never quite hits the mark, running nearly two hours, when 90 minutes could clearly tell the story. Sti…
Though one might expect a sweeping saga that serves as a history lesson, what we find instead is a Motown drama with solid-gold performances - a very specific yet illuminating story about a …
Even with the considerable talents of a creative team and cast that are among Chicago's finest artists, this script is not worth the time and money of these companies or their audiences. The…
It is rare, particularly in the world of theater, to find shows that are quite genuinely *fun for the whole family*. A mix of over-the-top humor, physical comedy and meta-jokes, ensures that…
The title definitlely sums it up - a cast of five throws out rapid fire Jewish-flavored jokes at the audience, on such topics as sex, marriage, money, doctor's visits, old age, retirement, a…
In Conor McPherson's deeply moving 3-person play, the seemingly unassociated men are joined by a common yearning. McPherson renders that yearning gorgeously, capturing all the sadness and jo…
Even 20 years after it first debuted, Hellcab still offers audiences a very different kind of holiday show. Rather than being overly sentimental, it's realistic and relatable. Its familiarit…
File this one in the Underwhelming drawer. With his 70-minute Elegy, playwright Ron Hirsen explores the tragic legacy of the Holocaust from the distance of the 1970s. Unfortunately, the wor…
Parsifal is a huge commitment that comes with a huge reward. As much as audience members may murmur their discomfort at the marathon, we all jumped to our feet in unison at the spectacular …
With all its intriguing moral questions for our city, this is an admirable effort and one that ought to be of interest to those interested in the rough and tumble scene of Chicago politics. …
Street Justice: Condition Red doesn't try to present itself as anything more than an action comedy romp poking fun at both Hollywood movie conventions and itself. Because the production does…
While touring companies are frequently known for going stale, Wicked remains surprisingly fresh, injecting new energy by allowing the performers to make the roles their own. Kudos to directo…
Archly coy to a fault, Playwright Calamity West's work depicts a gratuitously hostile fiction-writing workshop at an American university in 1946 where it symbolically snows a lot. Festering…
Though not as raucous as it could be, Joel Kim Booster's black comedy holds an interesting dramatic undercurrent, a desire for truth under artifices that are not the sole domain of celebrity…
The Normal Heart is set in the early 1980's, but it's far from dated. On the contrary, this play is essential. As the lights came up and I wiped away the tears, I reflected on the play's cor…
Marriott's overall take on the crowd-pleasing Disney musical definitely does not add up to a jolly holiday. Directed by Gary Griffin, the show is all but thoroughly derailed by a barrage of …
No question, however nonsensical the kids' tales may seem, the Barrel of Monkeys and their guest artists treat them as faithfully as gospel and make them merry where they might otherwise see…
For a play based around chess, a game that's supposed to encourage logic, this is a surprisingly illogical play. By the end, we're not sure if either woman has grown as characters, or who ev…
They Died Where They Lied is billed as a comedy, and in that sense it definitely succeeds. If you enjoy well-executed, intelligent humor with a few hilariously coarse bits thrown in, camp ou…
With Jeff Hancock's choreography, Jesse Klug's lighting and Linda Buchanan's inspired set design, Miss Saigon comes together as a near perfect package. And while that might sound hyperbolic,…
The comedy is not the only reason to see this hugely entertaining show - the high-energy musical numbers by the talented cast cast zing and sing with equally amusing harmony. Get to the Bee …
In this world-premiere adaptation of the latest in the Click, Clack, Moo series, playwright James E. Grote brings his signature wit, insight, and creativity to once again entertains kids and…
Eclipse Theatre has had a successful season with Sir Ayckbourn's work, and they finish strong with Haunting Julia. It's a ghost story that ironically reaffirms life for the living with wit a…
