2,260 stories from Chicago Theater Beat
Though often gripping and fervent, Sons of the Prophet attempts to tackle too much too quickly, Nonetheless, PJ Paparelli's pacing, William Boles' ingenious set design, and a comedically gif…
Don't be fooled by the chalk and Crayola appearance of this revival - the rich performances create a complex emotional foundation that works with the concept to offer a refreshing take on th…
The Reckoning is a highly theatrical and (I think) absurdist play, that suffers from a lack of focus- Playwright Nat Cassidy's script switches from an intimate character study of Christopher…
With a dazzling cast, inspired design and Gioachino Rossini's enduring score (that has made this work a shorthand for opera itself), The Barber of Seville will win new hearts and reinvigorat…
107 years young, this dynamic dark comedy is brought to life through Michael Menendian's sterling staging, lifting this Raven Theatre revival to the same stars that are so often invoked in t…
Hopefully Mary-Arrchie will be back on track with its next production. They usually create wonderful productions, however, Crime and Punishment is thoroughly unsatisfying. Maybe it's the sou…
With Playwright Eric Schmiedl's adaptation, Signal Ensemble does a valiant job of bringing the characters to life in a meditative style, punctuated by bursts of naturalism and violence. But …
Tom Jones is a fun night at the theater and worth the trek to the north hinterland of Skokie. I enjoyed the bawdy tale done with hearty, if uneven, aplomb. (read more...)
For a show about the ups and downs of life in your 20s, Edges has its moments - both enjoyable and eye-rolling. But the real star of Edges? That would be the marvelously expressive pianist …
Besides confonting the long-term effects of anti-gay bullying, From White Plains is also concerned with the power of healing and forgiveness, values that will be essential to keep as society…
There's a lot to like about Macbeth: the wonderful design and performances make for an entertaining evening. If only the whole priestess/scapegoat aspect had been discarded, it would be even…
Rebecca Gilman's engaging world premiere play is the kind of production that Goodman loves to produce, addressing a major social problem, pitting conservative and liberal ideals against each…
Seth Bockley's precise-yet-invigorating staging, along with a tremendously talented cast, help offset any frustration from the play's repetition. The choreographed actions of tossing in bed,…
Despite the BDSM-inspired title, Fifty Shades is gentle and often grin-inducing, with a few surprising moments of tenderness. The (re)discoverians have a charming tongue-in-cheek(y) chemistr…
Laura Jacqmin's Do-Gooder is a small gem of a play: tightly scripted, truly thought-provoking and oh, so very, very funny. Directed by Ann Filmer, the world premiere's four-person story tak…
Although Rachel Sypniewski's vibrant costume design combines with a talented cast to make the production's roles distinct and interesting, the entire production plays it very safe. It's oft…
There are some minor conflicts in Quark, and the characters are all good, reasonable people with their conflict based on perfectly understandable differences of needs and opinions. However t…
Playwright Schimmelpfenning has penned a quirky tale with some fascinating folks. It's a rapidly-paced 65 minutes. Set in a restaurant, I definitely know what they are eating onstage. I'm…
As a classic and cautionary fairy tale about the quest for happiness and the ultimate price of power, Rose and Rime is a dark, foreboding story. But thanks to the company's signature visual…
For their newest production, Steep Theatre pulls you into their dark woods and forces you to confront your own prejudices. What kind of scrutiny should childhood killers face as adults? Al…
The story is silly fun, and the music is the major draw for the fantastic Mr. Chickee's Funny Money, with Lamont and Paris Doziers delivering a memorable score that has this reviewer crossin…
If you're in the mood for some intense theater, Gidion's Knot is definitely a guarantee. On the night I went the audience, by the end of the play, were on the edge of their seats, holding th…
Fans of Tennessee Williams will note many commonalities between these three one-acts and his more popular fare, while also noticing how these go deeper into his infamous heart of darkness. U…
With a 27-person cast of triple threat singer/dancer/actors backed by a richly talented orchestra, 42nd Street is bursting with taptacular wonders. The production would stand out in any seas…
Poignantly, Director Mary Ellen O'Hara has moved the setting of F.X. Kroetz work from Germany to Chicago 1975. Meg Elliott portrays a devistatingly impeccable woman entrenched in bland, lon…
