2,260 stories from Chicago Theater Beat
More molehill than mountaintop, this wholly preposterous and trivializing depiction of King's last night on earth is earnestly but hopelessly staged at Court Theatre by the excellent Ron OJ …
Full of visual and sonic beauty, PigPen Theatre's lush production maintains the narrative's pleasant intrigue. The ensemble is almost balletic in its graceful physicality, and its puppet pro…
Directed by George Keating, the gauche events drag on just like the bad date that it's meant to portray. Sullivan and Civetta never spark the chemistry necessary to make us root for their to…
In Barrie Cole's problematic play, scenes with no real purpose besides establishing character go on and on long past necessary, and this plodding is made worse by poor performances and the l…
Martin Zimmerman's 90-minute one-act world premiere focuses on two mixed-race Arizona brothers trying to find their way in the world. Director Edward Torres does a fine job of making the pla…
Other People's Money is swift-moving, tightly written and gripping to the bitter end. With a strong cast, along with Andrew Hildner's bifurcated set, this production lives up to its name. (…
Warped isn't always easy to endure, but it's a story that needs to be told. Lhota's fantastic script and the truly talented ensemble make this premiere hard to watch, and impossible to shake…
The Balcony overlooks the agony of war through it's characters' sexual roleplay. If you enjoy your existentialism with a side of tawdry humor, this balcony has the perfect seat for you.
As an ode to the act of creation and commentary on the often overly-esoteric nature of performance art, Sweet Child of Mine is also a lovely valentine to the relationship parents have to the…
Historical dramas are a tricky beast, but Coriolis Theater's latest production concerning the infamous Rosenberg execution brings out the poignancy of the story and overcomes the flaws in th…
9 Stories is arresting and chilling, a flawlessly executed tale that's horrific in its relevance. It's the most disturbing play I've seen all year, and one of the very best I've seen in a lo…
Encountering gut-busting and anachronistic props and puns, the slap-happy warriors led by John Gurdian's bumptious King Arthur, "Spamalot" will have your LOL with its cheeky, irreverent and …
As musical bios go, Lost Highway - penned by Mark Harelik and Randal Myler - is one of the best there is, merging a compelling story with close to two dozen old school country tunes. Highly …
It's hard to imagine anyone doing a better, more handsome production of Double Trouble than Porchlight and the Aguilar brothers, but whether the writing itself is worth the considerable tale…
Dark comedy is a favorite genre of mine, and Hat finds some very funny moments of dry humor in its physically and emotionally bleak pulp landscape. Playwright Brett Rossi knows how to mine a…
Sean Graney's new take on Shakespeare's timeless classic Twelfth Night manages to find a good environment for the famous identity crisis comedy " but the language is a different story. (read…
With such a wide variety of genres, the Chicago Fringe Festival offers something to suit anyone's tastes. But to stay true to the spirit of the Fringe Festival, challenge yourself to see som…
Under Director Ronan Marra's tight leadership, this ensemble does battle with their inner demons, presenting a startling insider's perspective of military life. (read more...)
The total package of the abundant and beautiful costumes, gorgeous lighting and the powerful singing and dancing of the entire company make this a satisfying and moving production. (read mo…
It feels very, very right that TimeLine Theatre debuted this, the most perfect production of 2013, on the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. If ever an American classic, it's this …
Within Murphy's engrossing story and Berry's astute direction, the honest revelations blister and bubble yet they never pop. The entire play takes on a surreal quality that will stay with yo…
For some, Boy Small may deliver enough *schadenfreude* shock effects to endure this combination of a sauna and a sweat lodge. But what's missing is the anger that must have ignited the writi…
More than any play I've seen this year, this production felt like an intense, unforgettable gut-punch. I was absorbed, but couldn't separate joy from pain, confusion from sadness. Highly Rec…
Those among us who survived the big hair, shoulder pads and polyester pantsuits of the 1980s will revel in the retro-ambiance of this stage adaption. In all, 9 to 5 clocks in as a nostalgic …
Besides the six flawless and deeply driven performances in William Osetek's kinetic staging, Next to Normal (its title far more realistic than "Light") remains a valuable, if generic, offeri…
