2,003 stories by "Scotty Zacher"
The final offering in the 2011 New Stages Amplified, *Ask Aunt Susan* tells the story of a popular advice blogger, Susan, that's reall a dude! An interesting concept, *Ask Aunt Susan* makes…
One of playwright Adam Rapp's major strengths lies in piecing together small, ordinary moments until they've accumulated into a gasp-inducing conclusion. He does this with Red Light Winter, …
Roundhouse Productions has added another fantastic restaging of an action centered piece written for the screen to an impressive resume. The people that brought us Point Break Live! (our rev…
What's most chilling about *An Interrogation Primer* is its truth. Writer Michael Nowacki served in the military for 16 years, with his last years as an interrogator. He knows of which he sp…
The idea of the show is to introduce some and reacquainting others with Jewish-influenced cabaret of the time period. In theory, it sounds like a lovely evening. In practice, some of the s…
A fair-minded analysis of what draws lost souls to extreme religion and the delicacy of connection, A Bright New Boise provokes and saddens with little relief. Earnest performances and an ey…
Hershey Felder's take on Leonard Bernstein is little short of magnificent. It's not just that Felder is a musician of exquisite technique and powerful emotional resonance. He's blessed with …
Space Wars: The Panto! Written by Jessica Puller Directed by Nicole Keating Evanston A…
Season 14 of Improv Gladiators at The Cornservatory is an improv contest where Chicago troupes compete against each other and the Gladiators in a tournament that ends with semi-finals and gr…
Playwright Deirdre O'Connor's tale is relatable, but O'Connor's Lifetime movie-esque play is more stagnant than interesting. Nonethless, the ensemble, under Joe Jahraus' direction, do embra…
Brett Neveu's *twentyone* reminds us that the best part about being 21 is turning 21. After that, it's just a year fraught with superfluous emotional turmoil and raging hormones. And though …
Charles Busch's "Our Leading Lady" is an unusual and unexpectedly funny play, light-hearted and yet historically provocative, pulled off with a wry smile and a wink. If nothing else I'd go b…
Not to be confused with a chick-flick, Boris Godunov is a man's man's opera. There are no star-crossed lovers. No ripped-bodice romance. The ambiance oozes sweaty battlefield triumph and def…
Rock of Ages' combination of implausible plot and unsinkable songs goes over the top so often it wears you down enough to enjoy it. Just put your brain in sleeper mode, and sway away with th…
Point of Contention's All the Girls Love Bobby Kennedy transports the audience back to 1960's and motivates them to change the world just as the characters in the play. This show is perfect …
Playwright Zayd Dohrn penned a therapeutic quest for happiness without substance. Though a few characters still need to be fleshed out, overall it's a thoughtful and entertaining story.
Chicago Children's Theatre's production of Goodnight Moon: The Musical stays faithful to the book's core themes of security and comfort in the moments before sleep, using lively music, chore…
This show is a disturbing, dark comedy riddled with taboo. To enjoy the show, you'll need to come broad minded and check your prudish self at the door. But it will be worth the effort! Reco…
The best children's theatre takes its young audience's experiences seriously. Flawlessly adapted from strong source material, Walk Two Moons doesn't talk down to its viewers. It challenges t…
This Next Theatre production lacks the poetic simplicity of Kurt Vonnegut and instead gives us an intriguing concept that is executed in a fairly dull and outlandish manner.
This competent and well-paced Cloud 9 is ambiguous where it should be, never reaching beyond the grasp of what can be said about relationships, and emphatic where it counts. Highly Recommend…
No question, this holiday chestnut is unashamedly old-fashioned, aggressively nostalgic, and filled with postwar optimism. How can it not be when it's filled with Berlin's intoxicating music…
Unlike past productions of this show produced at The Metro and Strawdog, The Game Show Show's new home at the Mercury Theater is the wrong venue for such a funny show. So if you are plannin…
Caffeine Theatre's Midwest premiere of "Or" is the perfect theatrical outing. A fun-lusting, writer's dream AND a high-spirited, sexy actors' romp - it's definitely worth seeing. Highly reco…
Sizzle is indeed a comedy; a dark one. The humor is understated enough for the hip environmental hipster to chuckle derisively and laugh-out-loud enough for me to call it a comedy. This play…
