2,260 stories from Chicago Theater Beat
Strawdog Theatre's The Long Christmas Ride Home similarly makes us aware of the multiple journeys with one destination, the importance of the landmarks, of moving on, of pulling back from th…
Eclipse Theatre's production is beautifully done; as attuned to detail and performance as the finest big-budget shows. The talented cast and production team almost compensate for Terrence Mc…
For all its shortcomings, Treasure Island does succeed in spectacle. This is a grand staging of a classic tale that countless contemporary stories have borrowed from. But ultimately, this c…
Though some moments verge on sitcom-broad, Chapter Two is a lovely, poignant exploration of love and second chances, and the Windy City Playhouse's production deeply understands and apprecia…
Ultimately Design for Living still lands with force as a defiant flag planted on the mountain of personal freedom is a testimony to Noel Coward's uncanny knack for finding the universal in t…
This is a sophisticated and inventive production that will charm children and adults in equal measure. Much of the innovation comes from the trunk show and musical sensibilities at the core.…
A consummate music maker, Hershey Felder has regaled audiences with inside-out portrayals of such composers as George Gershwin, Stephen Foster and Frederic Chopin. This seventh simulation h…
Oracle's mission of "public access theater" means that tickets to R+J: The Vineyard are free. All the more reason to step into the company's small Lakeview venue and enter a whole new world.…
Charm is one of those rare shows that defies superlatives. You can load up a summation of the show with them, but they won't capture the production's power - we can only urge that you see it…
Chicago's TimeLine Theatre Company has stepped up to deliver 150 thrilling minutes of action, analysis and accusation regarding BP's Deepwater oil spill. TimeLine brings history to art and …
On the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrinea, Raven Theatre gives playwright Boo Killebrew's meta-theatrical play its Midwest premiere. The piece is a good, complex production that dire…
Even with a talented cast, Lawd the CVS is Burning! suffers from source material that has potential but needs more revision. Writer and director Stillwell is tackling a tough topic with humo…
If The Black White Love Play is not an especially detailed biography, it's an effective musical tribute to the love this couple certainly must have shared. Thumbs up! (read John Olson's ent…
All Girl Dracula isn't perfect, but I'm intrigued by the Chicago Mammals' unique mission statement. An old story with a new twist, All Girl Dracula is thoughtful, intelligent, and genuinely…
I've thoroughly enjoyed many Steppenwolf for Young Adults productions in the past, but sadly *1984* falls far short - the script is problematic, the direction lacking and the production valu…
In the central role of Richard, Jackson gives an intense performance of nonstop manic energy, as the character demands. He approximates the look and sound of the real Pryor and communicates …
With underdeveloped characters, unmemorable performances, and practically no humor to speak of, The Terrible fails to convey any great message regarding human psychology or behavior. While t…
With its heavy symbolism, Sylvia is a departure from the usual Joffrey fare. Technically a full-length ballet, it can also be viewed as three separate but interlocked stories. Even so, Sylvi…
Though Fairytale Lives is too abstract to touch the heart, it does wonderfully illustrate our sense of communal connectivity and the importance of mythological literacy. Recommended. (read …
With almost 3,000 performances and now in its eighth year in Chicago, Million Dollar Quartet, Chicago's longest-running Broadway musical, is set to close this coming January.
Raven co-founder and director Michael Menendian adds a feather to his impressive career with this timely work, keeping this very talented young cast expertly balanced. This heartbreaking hi…
For the first time, Hubbard Street is staging an all-Forsythe program, including a company premiere and a piece that has never been performed in the United States before this weekend. Hubbar…
There's much talent involved with this production, and Lord knows, they haven't been afraid to take risks. But in a week where we saw one more instance of young people being killed before th…
There's much to unpack in Max Truax's choice of gender swapping Shakespeare's most Machiavellian character. Truax's mash up feels ultimately like a great concept in search of a solid anchor,…
