2,260 stories from Chicago Theater Beat
This choreo-poem/collage/performance art piece arranged and choreographed by Derek Van Barham (for the Naked July Festival) designates most of the dancing for James Nedrud and Erik Strebig, …
Above all, Belleville is a meditation on the nature of trust, and how terrifying it is to lose that trust in a person to whom you entrusted everything. It's an entertaining and thought-provo…
Black Ribbon Theater does little to elucidate a rough script and tacks a mini-concert onto the end of it that drags. Because the audience isn't given enough reason to become invested in the …
Playwright Will Eno penned an intellectualized, existentialist crisis aftermath. Under the direction of Jeremy Wechsler, the monologue is tailored perfectly for Lance Baker. With Baker's ste…
Facing Angela is a fascinating experience. It uses the medium of theater to its full advantage in telling this unique love story. In just 75 minutes, playwright Scott T. Barsotti and The Ruc…
Irresistible as the score is, Elizabeth Margolius' sprightly staging surrounds it with a flawless 20-strong orchestra, conducted by Kim Diehnelt, who can do no wrong. Add to this a lush stag…
In this delightful evening of vignettes, A-Squared truly embraces the collaborative nature of theatre, and the result here is a funny, entertaining, and often poignant production. (read mor…
Logistical problems aside, this is a moving story " a story that needs to be told. As depressing as the subject matter is, Miller finds a couple of moments of levity in his show and offers a…
Karie Miller radiates a joyful I-am-a-survivor spirit. She playfully engages the audience in latex-gloved interactive moments. Despite her rattled grip on reality, she is a willing cheerle…
Keith Huff's new play is a concept too large with not enough thought and far too much instinct. Gimmicks, shock effects, terrible one-liners, and misanthropic mindsets don't make an impactfu…
If one can be patient with the first half's wordiness and ignore the incongruities of the modern dress setting, the sharp comic acting of this production makes for a most entertaining lesson…
A short but striking look at labor practices and at the socio-economic climate of the 1930s, Oracle's production is most is effectively is when director Matt Foss is able to immerse us in a …
"Brothers" has a lot to say about life choices at different moments in time. The story is here. It's just buried under a dead body. Playwright Elizabeth Bagby needs to tighten up her tale …
The amorphous, slippery concept of truth is uncovered in the world of Eduardo de Filippo's darkly comic " and at times confounding - play. (read more...)
Southern Baptist Sissies tries one's patience a bit, but it ultimately gives worthwhile insight into a segment of American gay life and a look at some promising young Chicago actors. (read …
Marc Camoletti's feather-weight, thoroughly unnecessary and totally groovy farce is a rollicking ride from start to finish, packed with the sort of turbulence that's makes for a high-flying …
A cleverly-written and adeptly performed production, this script makes a point, but in a manner so light-hearted that you hardly notice until you look back on the play later. The choices mad…
Thanks to a polished script and transcendent leading man Rick Stone, "Howlin' Wolf" is not only a Black Ensemble Theater standout but one of 2013's most memorable productions. (read more...)
The production as a whole may feel like a mixed bag, but Jason and (Medea) is still worth looking at for what it's at least trying to get across. The strong cast and respect to the classical…
This play is unforgettable for its gripping content and authentic acting (though slowed down by staging hiccups). Nonetheless, "Mine" is riveting and definitely worth the trek out to Gift T…
The original jukebox musical, Buddy, even more than Jersey Boys, puts us present at the creation as a nerdy Texas teenager found his sound. It still rolls and rocks, becoming a veritable Fou…
Vault 13 Productions can continue to remount this play every few years and deliver a pretty authentic and entertaining 90 minutes of Chicago theatre. But there is potential for more in this …
Starting with a superficial premise (all girls and boys are straight and want nothing more than to get married) and dumbing it down even further, what we wind up with is a exclusionary look …
This play is the work of a very gifted writer, exquisitely executed by cast and director. Unfortunately playwright Campbell falls short in creating a compelling story around his worthy them…
There has to be at least a half-dozen different plays in here somewhere, but Playwright Naomi Wallace never narrows her focus. The result is over two hours of confusion with little resolutio…
