2,260 stories from Chicago Theater Beat
Entertaining in a summer-rerun-kind- of-way, this show is incomplete in its current state. It either needs to get tighter and funnier for a late night drinking crowd, or the playwright needs…
In this disturbing taboo-ridden play, Rudy Galvan and Richard Cotovsky effectively establish the tumultuous routine of their relationship. However, although the script calls for plenty of f…
An entertaining evening that highlights the need for connection and how to overcome those walls we build between ourselves and others. Though not the most original theme, Kate's Dates is all…
The premise of Tom narrating as a homeless man revitalizes a script that has become dated since its world premiere in Chicago seven decades ago. If you missed it at Angel Island, you have on…
Hubbard Street's annual festival of new works emphasizes the importance of innovation and thinking ahead. Despite an overly long running time, danc(e)volve is yet another example of why this…
Despite hiccups, Complete Works never fails to entertain. The cast's interactions with the office are engaging and almost sweet. Eclectic proves once again they're a new company to watch. (r…
The cast and orchestra do such a great job with the dances and the score that this production is well worth seeing for fans of the show and newbies alike. It's not often you get to see these…
Set in cabaret style on the Civic Opera House stage, this isn't your typical Second City experience. It's a new innovation that is distinctively Chicago. Check it out! (read more...)
As always, The Side Project does an impressive job of creating an entire world in its tiny space, a perfect setting for this world premier by renowned poet Sherod Santos, where the silly bec…
A classic work of musical theater sometimes needs a classic execution, which is precisely what Light Opera Works has done here. Everything about this production seems classic " from the gran…
From lights up, the pacing is slightly off. Conversations feels stilted, clunky. But the best moments in facilitating thrilling feats of physicality and stage combat. (read more...)
Great absurdist fiction has a way of pulling you into a world that has just enough elements of your own to seem familiar, then flipping it around on you to expose your hidden philosophies an…
Mounted in repertory by the Organic Theater Company, along with The Emigrants, their Caligula arrives with a stylish flourish but quickly devolves into a near-flat interpretation of what sho…
A comedy that forces the audience to confront their own insecurities and question their priorities, this production serves up the laughs, many of which are uncomfortable. Though this ensembl…
Always smiling and singing their hearts out, this foursome implements David Heimann's dance moves with impressive effortlessness. This songbook definitely got "under my skin". It's a feel go…
Playwright Adam Bock has his finger on the pulse of woman. From the shockingly precise portrayal of inebriation to the clumsy attempts at figuring out a relationship without the other person…
Playwright Washburn is not completely off the mark: there are thoughts, lines and whole scenes that had me leaning forward in my seat, laughing or nodding in agreement. Overall, though, I wi…
With some wonderful dialogue and poignant moments, this script does at times manage to the hit the mark in terms of representing life as a twenty-something, but it gets lost in abstract conc…
In the end, Harry's Halfway House seems content with just being quirky while leaving audiences feeling empty and having more questions than answers. Quirky means nothing without purpose, mot…
Performing on two levels of this very compact penitentiary, Linda Fortunato's vaguely Fosse-fueled choreography is entertaining, and leads Smith and Carroll excel via Peter Marston Sullivan'…
Videos of Jean Stapleton, including an "All in the Family" scene where Edith Bunker checks out Playgirl Magazine, and a musical clip featuring Jean Stapleton, Bernadette Peters and Tony Rand…
Director Stuart Carden's dynamic staging captures your attention. Playwright David Greig's language is lyrical. The cast do a fine job. Basically everything about Yellow Moon at Writers' The…
The three leads dutifully pounce on the widely scattered truths behind this ultimately unedifying one-act, but the play itself is a bit of a smudge, better at questions than answers. What yo…
This production is a perfect example of when a great script and innovative concept don't necessarily work well together. The cast and crew do a masterful job of giving the production the loo…
Homecoming 1972 does have individual moments that carry great weight, but these are only moments, and they are too few in a play that doesn't engage us in a journey. Without giving us suffic…
