Reviews Category
Everything’s Coming Up Rose
Gypsy
Arthur Laurents’ glorious Musical Fable is certainly one of the most entertaining and frequently produced shows in theatre history. While a fictionalized biography of famed stripper, Gypsy Rose Lee, this show is also a heartbreaking story about a mother fiercely determined to have her children achieve stardom, at any cost. It’s a bittersweet journey that travels from Vaudeville to Burlesque, filled with love, sacrifice, and the need to be noticed and accepted. Featuring a hit score by the great Jule Styne with lyrics by the inimitable Stephen Sondheim, this theatrical classic is both a thrilling treat and a timeless treasure.
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Trial and Error
Gay Card
Logan recently graduated from his Florida high school and is about to begin college. He recently came out as gay and, because being gay in 2023 is considered “awesome,” Logan is certain that he’s on the brink of experiencing four mind-blowing years of popularity. However, the young man mistakenly believes that his sexuality defines his identity. He thinks that being gay is truly who he is. Logan also knows that college is the time for trial and error and he’s eager and ready to try a lot of things, maybe make a few mistakes but ultimately become awesome, trendy and well-liked by everyone.
Read MorePut On Your Dancing Shoes
Kinky Boots
I first saw Kinky Boots, the uplifting, foot-stomping musical with music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, in its 2013 Broadway production. The stage show, with book by Harvey Fierstein, is based on the enjoyable 2005 film of the same name starring Joel Edgerton and Chiwetel Ejiofor. The movie, in turn, was loosely based on the true story of an English manufacturer of traditional brogues, which were rapidly going out of fashion, who resuscitated his business for a time by manufacturing women’s boots in men’s sizes for drag queens and male cross-dressers.
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A World Premier to Die For
Murder ReWrote
One of Chicago’s most multitalented young creatives, Ed Rutherford is likely known to many theatergoers as the Producing Artistic Director of eerie Black Button Eyes Productions. With a definite fascination for murder, mysteries and all things supernatural, Mr. Rutherford has penned many fascinating and often horrifying melodramas and musicals, including the Jeff nominated “Mary Rose” and the ghoulish “Nightmares & Nightcaps.” As a prolific director, Ed has guided such wonderfully frightening productions as “Coraline,” “Shockheaded Peter,” “Evil Dead, the Musical,” Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog,” and many others. Working together with the cleverly camp Hell in a Handbag Productions, Ed Rutherford has collaborated with Jeff Citation winner and prolific composer and lyricist, George Howe, to create this wild and witty parody of one of television’s most popular and long-running series.
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Andy Warhol Portfolios: A Life in Pop
Last year I visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Part of the trip was to go to Pittsburgh and see the Andy Warhol museum. We never made it and my boyfriend was very disappointed as he is a big Warhol fan.
This summer all we had to do was drive about 40 minutes to the College of Dupage at the McAninch Arts Center to experience the Bank of America Collection Andy Warhol Portfolios: A Life in Pop. And what an experience it was. There were 94 works from soup cans to flowers, over 150 photos, interactive silver clouds, a pop art print factory for kids (although I have to say we had a great time making our own pictures), concessions and a great gift shop.
Read MoreThe Writer
What a Shambles
The Writer, by British playwright Ella Hickson, now in its U.S. premiere in a production by Steep Theatre, is easily the most self-conscious-seeming play I have ever experienced. At every moment, one gets the impression that the playwright, seemingly uncertain of her own aesthetic and her chosen methodology, is forestalling potential criticism by having her characters savage the very scenes she has written.
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Where Did We Go Right?
The Producers
For 22 years this hilarious musical has been entertaining theatre audiences all around the world. Mel Brooks’ adaptation of his own classic 1967 comic film of the same name was advertised as featuring something to offend everyone. And the claim remains true, especially for more conservative theatergoer. It’s an unusual selling point, but then Mel Brooks’ brand of humor has always been based upon the unorthodox, often shocking his audience while making them laugh. One need only look at his other comic film classics, such as “Young Frankenstein” and “Blazing Saddles.”
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Thriller
MJ, the Musical
After years of delay, complications and Covid-caused theatre shutdowns, this long-awaited musical is finally making its splashy debut in Chicago. And, as indicated by the well-deserved standing ovations opening night, the show’s 2023 arrival was, indeed, well worth the wait! This infectious jukebox musical is an eye-popping, high-octane tribute to Michael Jackson, dubbed The King of Pop. He’s undeniably one of the greatest entertainers of all time, and this respectful testimonial to Jackson’s talent, generosity and commitment to perfection illuminates every one of his best qualities.
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A Light in the Dark
Next to Normal
Paramount Theatre continues to light up Chicagoland as the company best known for its spectacular Broadway style musical productions. The shows usually feature large casts of extraordinarily talented triple threats, all acting, singing and dancing their hearts out on artistically designed stage settings. But Paramount’s Bold Series of plays and musicals, performed at the Copley Theatre, located directly across the street from the gorgeous Paramount venue, are just as emotionally impressive but on an abbreviated scale. The shows generally have a smaller cast, often feature a more modest scenic design but, because of the theatre’s intimate seating, can still deliver a punch straight to the heart.
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Somewhere Between Reality and Dreams
No Man’s Land
Like so many other plays by British Harold Pinter, this bizarre and, I confess, quite confusing two-hour, two-act drama appears to be a reaction to an intruder who attempts to disturb the status quo. This 1974 play, like most of Pinter’s absurdist comic-dramas (The Birthday Party, The Caretaker, The Homecoming), exists somewhere between what’s real and what’s only dreamed. Hirst, an aging, alcoholic, upper-class author meets a fellow poet named Spooner at the local pub. After an evening of drinking and conversation, Hirst invites the down-on-his-luck writer back to his magnificent home for more drinks. As the night wears on, the two men become increasingly inebriated, with Hirst ripening into reticence and Spooner turning more talkative.
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