2,003 stories by "Scotty Zacher"
Girl You Know It's True Written by Bixby Elliot Directed by David Perez at Chopin Theatre, 1543 W.…
Court Theatre and director Charles Newell have created a revelatory *Angels*, utterly fascinating for its entire running time, the sort of production that will be remembered years from now a…
Tony Kushner has rewritten and added scenes to *Perestroika* since it last played Chicago in 1994, allowing for richer and more complete saga. Among superb performances, Hollis Resnik's port…
Though not for everyone, this world premiere musical has some good dialogue and lyrics, makes excellent use of the space available, and is generally entertaining. Recent college grads will f…
At nearly 3 hours, Frank Galiti's civil war drama *The March* is a long haul. Epic in scope and cast size, we never learn about separate human dramas and their shared histories. There's lo…
Cándido Tirado's *Fish Men* is mildly redeemed by some of its cast, particularly veteran Howard Witt. Other than that, this is work is galling in its glibness and love of its own conceit.…
*Mommy the Musical* is entertaining, lighthearted, sincere, and funny, and anyone who's a parent will likely enjoy themselves. I was definitely entertained, and I don't even have kids! Reco…
*The Improv Play* is a realistic portrayal to the plight of a Chicago actor: funny, dramatic, rewarding, demeaning. Randall Colburn's world premiere is a reminder of what each of these sixt…
Director Dominic Missimi manages to embrace the spirit of joyful looniness without sacrificing the diabolically intricate and operatic harmonies within the score, which is a testimony to his…
Adam Bock's *The Receptionist* has several enjoyable elements, but it's difficult not to walk away from it slightly unsatisfied, since the main focus of the piece is the least compelling. Sl…
Despite fine performances " not to mention Grant Sabin's ultra-realistic set " noone can save a play in which nothing feels at stake because nothing feels real. In the end, *The Butcher of B…
Jackie Sibblies Drury's new play *We Are Proud to Present…* isn't pretty. It is frightening. But at a time when social consciousness needs a rude awakening, it is essential. Highly Recomme…
An annual NYC occurence, the 24-Hour Musical project is just that - 4 15-minute musicals are created and performed in 24 hours. *One Night Stand* documents the 2011 Fest, whose cast included…
When Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater comes to Chicago, dance fans rejoice. But the magic of Ailey is its accessibility to all. Long after his death, Alvin Ailey's *Revelations* turns the…
Playwright Amy Herzog wrote a riveting story about the politics of family. With Kimberly Senior's poignant direction, the talented cast and design team show us the power of the family unity…
*Jersey Boys* never shies from showing the price behind the chart busters. And when we hear the boyish Joseph Leo Bwarie's take on Frankie Valli's irrepressible and incandescent "Can't Take…
Aristic Director and creator Jamal Khoury has devised an evening of song and prose rooted in the vast, disparate geography and culture of the great Silk Road trade route, making for a though…
Boho Theatre stages *The Rainmaker* in an intimate black box style. Director Stephen M. Genovese's compact staging smartly pushes focus toward the characters rather than the circumstances of…
While the opening night performance had its share of muddled lines, that barely distracted from the engrossing story and characters. The only certainty is that AstonRep's *Doubt* needs to be…
Rick Bayless in Cascabel is escapist fare, and an escape well-worth indulging in. It is a glorious party dish to dance to dessert. The piece succeeds in making food into theater, and making …
This adaptation has stuff to like. Strangeloop Theatre is having fun with Shakespeare through their good-natured approach to the classic. For those looking for a different Shakespeare take…
*Tunnel Rat* burrows along the surface. There is a story here and this talented cast commits to telling it. But it's just part of the story. To get a truer look at Ronnie Giles, Playwrigh…
Directed by Shawn Douglass and anchored by a tour de force performance from Greg Matthew Anderson, Lee Blessing's *Chesapeake* is funny, philosophical, and as gripping as the jaws of a Chesa…
Alison Dornheggen and Megan Schemmel are skilled actresses, and do their best with what little the script gives them. There's nothing wrong with a tragic story - but with absolutely no light…
Ultimately, this production of The Sweetest Swing in Baseball mirrors the playing career of Darryl Strawberry himself: While both are very good, we can't help but wonder how great they might…
