2,260 stories from Chicago Theater Beat
The comedy-drama Reasons to Be Happy revisits four characters from his Tony-nominated play *reasons to be pretty* three years later, and while it's not as robust a play as its predecessor, i…
The Right Brain Project once again stays true to its mission to "defy preconceived notions and challenge the contemporary theatre experience" in this unique production of Beckett's masterpie…
Based on Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, Since I Suppose is a masterpiece in experiential story telling, taking individuals on the multimedia journey through downtown Chicago that brillia…
Given the cult fascination with the film Fight Club, there's bound to be some interest in a theatrical adaptation. Who is Tyler Durden? might do well to go further from its source material t…
With a little work, the script's weaknesses could be overcome, if the affection between the characters, and the characters behind the words were fleshed out and developed. This group has the…
Chaim Potok's 1972 novel, so far as I can tell, has never been produced as an audio book. This stage adaptation by Aaron Posner, at least as it's performed here, doesn't get much beyond the …
The Chicago premiere of Steven Strafford's one-man show Methtacular! is like no drug-addiction story I've ever seen. Through comedy, music and storytelling, Strafford deftly paints a picture…
Even updated, The Arsonists is unabashedly old-fashioned, with its Greek-style chorus of firemen and symbolism as blatant as any horror movie. Alistair Beaton's update under Matt Hawkins' di…
In this co-production by newly-formed SoloChicago and Greenhouse Theater, Ronald Keaton, the adaptor and sole actor in Churchill, manages to breathe life into a history lesson that many peop…
Though it runs quite long for a small dramedy, ultimately Ecstasy is well worth the two hour run time. Director Shade Murray and the newly formed Equity company Cole Theatre have the knowled…
The entire cast is dead-on, with impeccable chemistry and outstanding performances that hold up through the final scene. Aaron Posner's script, a spoof on Chekhov's The Seagull, is - simply …
Semi-autobiographical, The Yellow Wallpaper was based on Gilman's own experiences with helplessness in the Victorian age. Though this adaptation doesn't live up to its hype, this is still an…
Times have changed for the LGBTQ community. Terrence McNally's Some Men is an entertaining, if slight, look at at gay life from the 1920s to present, and how we get where we are today. (rea…
Luis Caballero's play-with-music, with the help of his talented and immensely likeable cast, connects us with the Clemente behind the batting statistics. Despite a number of inspired moments…
The Importance of Being Earnest will have you laughing until you weep, and then confounded with awe at the singular, subversive genius of Oscar Wilde. Highly Recommended. (read Catey Sulli…
Everything clicks in Marriott Theatre's exuberant revival. And highlighting it all is Alex Sanchez' eye-popping, mind-blowing, heart-stopping choreography. The young and proven ensemble are …
Witch Slap! Written by Jeff Goode Directed by Delia Ford Raven Theatre West Stage, 6157 N. C…
Pursuit Productions and Director Kacie Smith have created a multimedia production that's truly unique and enjoyable; see it before the boxing bell rings! (read Keith Glab's entire review....)
Yeah, it's a little gimmicky at times, but this can be forgiven because the fun becomes contagious. William Shakespeare could be a rude crude dude, and in this age of political correctness, …
Even with its flaws, the show still manages to be entertaining, as the cast is excellent and the energy stays high. Live guitar accompaniment by Samuel Ocean adds a nice touch. If you are fa…
Directed by Damon Kiely, the story of a skinny, dirt-poor kid from the outskirts of nowheresville, Alabama is at once sad, funny, and rich with the raw, gorgeously unpolished, true country s…
The ten poetry/drama performers in Chicago Slam Works' latest incarnation deliver a very disciplined warning of the perils of being over-connected and the dangers of seeking phony cyber dest…
Ivan Turgenev's 1858 novel "Home of the Gentry" is a cautionary, bittersweet tale about a Russian emigre's inability to find happiness when he returns home. Seen in a final preview, adaptor/…
Coraline By Stephen Merritt and David Greenspan Directed by Ed Rutherford at City Lit Theater, 102…
In Jeremy Menekseoglu's creative re-imagining of the Euripides tale of a woman scorned, the classic tragedy is made more complex with the addition of personal and marital issues of our age. …
