Joseph offers up a pretty entertaining kid-friendly evening, with director Andy Blankenbuehler bringing together an athletic and thoroughly capable company doing energetic dancing for some 9…
Quiara AlegrÃa Hudes' Pulitzer Prize-winning drama suggests that the only way to make it through destructive addictions is by depending on other people and finding strength in community. …
Scott Woldman has written a wry and mostly funny look at how dudes mess up when it comes to women, all through a series of vignettes done by a very talented ensemble that sings, dances, and …
Greek mythology by way of Chicago's bike lanes propels Laura Jacqmin's quirky, fast-paced take on death, grief and moving on. Unfortunately, if you filter out the souls - living and otherwis…
Joshua Rollins' world premiere is troubled from the start - taking forever to get off the ground, then petering out with littler resolved. Nonetheless, Step Up Productions creates a solid st…
Bailiwick Chicago has developed a track record of bringing lesser-known musicals to the city, and their performance of this vibrant piece is nearly flawless. (read more...)
Devil Land is a spellbinding story of a woman forever trapped in self-hatred and denial of her indigenous roots. She draws her husband by kidnapping a not-so-innocent child, leading them in…
Chicago Tap's latest 90-minute narrative with interactive elements is pure charm, with a sweet, hopeful message that love actually is all around. (read more...)
A charming, funny and heartbreaking ode to the power of storytelling - Recommended. (read more...)
Lifeline Theatre's adaption of this sweeping epic is a bit bare bones, to be sure, but it compensates with an intimate look at the characters of Dickens' tale and is a good reason to revisit…
Despite issues of pacing and superfluous characters, it's hard not to get swept up into the story of Eleanor Marx. This play isn't for all, but if you don't mind melodrama, it just might be …
It's clear that Anthony Mosely's Collaboraction compadres"all thirteen of them"are supportive and enthusiastic with the subject matter, but I'm not sure whether this wouldn't have been bette…
The songs flow freely, the comedy revels and the revelations resonate in this two-hour tour-de-chanson. This new world is well worth an exploration. (read more and watch three production v…
I see what Earliest Known Photo was trying to do, and I appreciate it. But intention and execution are two very different things, and in this case good intentions were not enough. (read mor…
Even though this program has its challenges, Hubbard Street dancers are always breathtaking. Like ethereal creatures of the night, they glide across the stage, and bend, twist and leap with …
An intimate look at Chicago's street violence, Playwright Marcus Gardley has crafted a hymn for the theater straight from the heart, and despite its flaws, it still sings. (read more and wat…
Jean Cocteau's Les Parents Terribles's heavier themes and subject matters help elevate the comedy, but unfortunatey this production sadly misses the mark on that front. (read more...)
Ambitious, compelling and boasting one of those impossibly rich ensemble casts that are the signature of Chicago storytelling, Griffin Theatre's Golden Boy packs a punch. (read more...)
Rock of Ages works much better on stage than on screen. The plot is thin, sure, but the script is surprisingly funny, the score nostalgic and pleasing and the cast ripe with a game, infectio…
An ebullient and thrilling show with something for every imagination. I recommend this show for a perfect family outing. (read more...)
There's more than enough human spectacle on stage to make Heartbeat of Home dazzle. The dancers and the musicians here are thrilling in every respect. Layering in all that electronic artific…
Deborah Zoe Laufer's coming-of-age tale succeeds as a thought-provoking and powerful insight into why "leveling up" in life doesn't just mean defeating your opponent. Topical subject matters…
Ring of Fire is not a straightforward biography nor should it be. It's a fun and sentimental reminder of a man and his genius at living and singing his life. (read more...)
I highly recommend this show. The acting is outstanding. Jaclynn Jutting's direction by is sharp and brilliantly staged. This show made me laugh through gritted teeth with a satisfying and r…
There might be something worth salvaging here if Playwright Aaron Sawyer is willing to hand his script over to an editor and then a director with a fresh set of eyes. But as produced here, i…