A Red Ryder Carbine Action BB Gun

A Christmas Story: The Musical – Marriott Theatre

Transporting Chicagoland audiences back to the days following the Great Depression, when money was tight and everyone was struggling just to survive, a man wanders through hoards of frugal shoppers on a busy downtown street. As he passes a Salvation Army Santa with his bell and bucket, the man recalls one particular Christmas when he was nine years old, and the special gift he hoped to receive. Jean Shepherd then proceeds to walk down memory lane, reliving the events and dreams of his his youth.  

Snappy, Spirited and Saucy

Malapert Love – The Artistic Home

Paul Valery, a nearly forgotten Victorian poet, once wrote that “Love is being stupid together.” Well, Chicago actor, director and (now) playwright Siah Berlatsky has written a fast-paced comedy about several crazy characters all becoming idiots over love. This world premiere is a riff on the plays of Shakespeare and Moliere. It’s an anachronistic depiction of Elizabethan Spain, featuring nine comical and captivating characters who find themselves immeshed in searching for romance. But, as country singer Johnny Lee crooned, they’re all “lookin’ for love in all the wrong places,” which is what sparks the conflict in this high-camp, high-larious comedy.

Race, Sexism and a Play for Power

Trouble in Mind – TimeLine Theatre

Add one more name to the growing list of notable, adept African-American playwrights from earlier decades whose words still resonate today. Alice Childress may be an unfamiliar name to most theatergoers, but she made her mark as an actress, a novelist and an important playwright during the late 1940’s through the 1980’s. Ms Childress was a founding member of the American Negro Theatre, where “Trouble in Mind” had its Off-Broadway debut in 1955. However, despite the play being a critical and audience success, when producers showed interest in a transfer to Broadway, Alice Childress refused to kowtow to their demands. They wanted her to tone down the play’s volatile final moments, in order to make the story more pleasant and enjoyable for a commercial production. Ironically, this is precisely the point of Childress’ play.

Deeply Rooted Dance Theater 11.5.22 Performance at Auditorium Theatre

This powerhouse company is a magnificent display of soul stirring raw power and grace.  Pure delight the moment the curtain lifts.  Blending modern, classical, American, and African-American traditions in dance and storytelling, the artistry and beauty of performance is on full display.