2,260 stories from Chicago Theater Beat
In true Monty Python spirit, The 39 Steps takes an overly serious Alfred Hitchcock film, underscores its classic absurdity, then adds in numerous ridiculous elements and a few pop culture re…
Sister Act will never be lauded as particularly profound, or even intelligent. It's a goofy tale involving Vegas-style nuns. But by God, we're going to come right out and say it: Sister Act…
For all of The Neo-Futurists production's problems, the world premiere Pop Waits is, in the end, supremely innovate, and maintains high energy throughout, with very physical performances fro…
Terrence McNally's Mothers and Sons at Northlight Theatre is a valuable play for giving voice to the survivors that have been neglected and urging compassion, but it's a frustrating one in t…
This darker and edgier interpretation of Cabaret took Sam Mendes from artistic directorship of a small London non-profit fringe theater to worldwide acclaim on Broadway and Hollywood. This t…
Flaws and all, there's an urgency and a joyous, subversive spirit throughout King Lear. Directed by the adapter, the actors are ferociously committed to the raw physicality of the piece. The…
Michael Healey's writing in the late 90s was inspired by his experiences with The Farm Show. The Drawer Boy is an alternately humorous and poignant memorial to the lives of these people. Don…
Charise Castro Smith's Estrella Cruz balances parody admirably and, in doing so, presents a fun and unusual story about the underworld. Halcyon's production has a lot to offer, and its refre…
The Man Who Murdered Sherlock Holmes By Julie Shannon, Micha…
This abstract theatre work from Japanese playwright Toshiki Okada intermittently features stylized movements, particularly with regards to appendages moving independently from the characters…
This collaboration from British and Russian sister companies interprets Shakespeare's story of sexual liberty and political corruption in the context of present-day Russia. Using expressive …
Given that Verdi's Nabucco has only come to Lyric three times now, this show is worth recommending for the cast alone, which is all encapsulated beautifully in Carlo Rizzi's perfectly energe…
In Philip Dawkins' new romantic comedy, the familiar gay tropes must react to the switch in their own unique way. Though it treads on familiar ground and some on-the-nose metaphors, About Fa…
After 13 years of innovative theater, Signal Ensemble Theatre will close for good in February, The Consultant being their final production. Heidi Schreck's play doesn't seem to have much of …
For Vices & Virtues, Profiles Theatre performs 11 short plays from resident playwright Neil LaBute in repertory, and each work's degree of success is heavily influenced by how well it o…
In this New York-based world premiere from director Steve Cosson and his troupe, The Civilians, Goodman Theatre creates a sympathetic showcase for José Rivera's depiction of a Colombian wom…
Drury Lane Theatre's Bye Bye Birdie is executed impeccably and, through projections designed by Christopher Ash, recreates the period nicely. Director-Choreographer Tammy Mader's take is fun…
With Posh, acclaimed Chicago director Jonathan Berry brings Playwright Laura Ward's words to roaring, disturbing life. Ward's writing is both beautiful and brutal, always showing and never t…
TimeLine Theatre's Sunset Baby, directed by Ron OJ Parsons, provides insight into how a life of hustling can be difficult to escape, how familial strife can be difficult to reconcile, and ho…
Although Route 66 Theatre's No Wake is a mere 80 minutes long, Playwright William Donnelly reveals the themes and crises of the play in such a excruciatingly slow, meticulous manner that the…
Rasaka Theatre Company's Midwest premiere of Shane Sakhrani's romance, A Widow of No Importance, is a baffling mash up of Oedipal tension with a comedic style reminiscent of an average Big B…
Shattered Globe's Animals Out of Paper is an unconventional story of romance, friendship and loss centered on an art that's unfamiliar to many - origami. Pulitzer Prize nominee Rajiv Joseph'…
As directed by Marriott Theatre Artistic Director Aaron Thielen, Spring Awakening is an explosion of youthful passion that should provide a rush for all demographics, reveling in the furious…
Aside from minimal quibbles, I recommend attending London Wall. The story and characters may not come off as truly unique, but they manage to grip the audience with relatability. Recommended…
Dynamically distilled by Louis Armstrong biographer Terry Teachout, "Satchmo at the Waldorf" is a one-man, 90-minute portrait of the artist as a performer playing with pain. Masterfully helm…
