Chicago Theatre Review
The American Dream
Ironbound
Darja was optimistic when she immigrated from Poland to the United States with her husband, Maks. They were in their 20’s back then. Both of them were confident about the promise of living the American Dream, hoping to have a better life with a nice home, a fancy car, a decent-paying job and the chance for their own personal happily-ever-after. But that illusion soon dissolved into a nightmare. The couple’s new reality turned into a multitude of hardships, which included prejudice, financial austerity and a relationship that fell apart.
Read MoreYour Number One Fan
Misery
It’s the dead of winter in rural Colorado. A violent snowstorm has made roads practically impassable and communication almost impossible. Lying unconscious in the bed of a tiny, remote mountain cabin, a man fights for his life. His face, legs and entire body have been broken, bruised and bandaged. The man’s name is Paul Sheldon. He’s the famed author of, among other novels, a series of period page-turners about a female woman he calls Misery.
Read MoreWhimsy, Wit, Romance and Political Parody
Iolanthe
Oh, joy; oh, rapture! “Loudly let the trumpet bray!” This very, very popular Victorian fantasy operetta, the fourth consecutive hit by the theatrical writing team of W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, has magically appeared in a polished and professional production in Evanston. I advise you to spread your wings and fly as fast as possible to see this enchanting entertainment.
Read MoreMagic, Illusions and Wizardry
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Audiences haven’t eagerly anticipated a production arriving in Chicago since HAMILTON. This spectacular theatrical production will be a real treat for both fans of J.K. Rowling’s incredibly well-written and enchanting seven-book series about the “The Boy Who Lived,” as well as lovers of the series of wonderfully captivating film versions of the books. In this play with music, Harry Potter enthusiasts will find many of their favorite, familiar characters superbly brought to life, as well as a few new personalities created just for this story. The almost three hour production is fast-paced and whisks onward to its heartwarming conclusion. The show’s filled with great acting, creative choreography, unbelievable magic, illusions and wizardry.
Read MoreFarm Aid 2024
Against the backdrop of the beautiful Adirondack mountains in upstate New York the 39th Farm Aid took place at the Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center (affectionately known at the SPAC). The last time the event was held there was in 2013.
21,000 people attended the event enjoying a day of music and celebration all for a good cause.
Read MoreFreedom of Thought
Inherit the Wind
Almost 100 years ago the famous Scopes “Monkey” Trial took place in rural Tennessee. The courtroom case charged John Scopes, a high school teacher, with the crime of violating a state law that prohibited the teaching of Darwin’s theory of evolution in the classroom. The publicity of the Scopes Trial was overwhelming. The event attracted so much national publicity, that it prompted dozens of reporters from all over the country to descend upon tiny Dayton, Tennessee. Then the Trial was broadcast on radio, which was a new invention in 1925. Chicago’s WGN transmitted the proceedings making it the first time the media had turned a trial into a national event. Suddenly history was being made.
Read MoreSardines and Slamming Doors
Noises Off
Mrs. Clackett, the elderly housekeeper, reels off her lines in a concocted Cockney accent, and then begins her exit, all the while balancing a telephone, a newspaper and the ubiquitous plate of sardines. Suddenly she stops, turns to the audience and asks, “I take the sardines? No, I leave the sardines. No, I take the sardines…” Audiences who aren’t already familiar with British playwright Michael Frayn’s laugh-a-minute farce begin to wonder if the actress (played by the magnificent Ora Jones, portraying English actress Dotty Otley who’s playing Mrs. Clackett) seems to have lost her way. And indeed she has, but that’s just one of the gimmicks behind this play-within-a-play.
Read MoreNothing Gold Can Stay
The Outsiders
A literary classic can be difficult to adapt from page to stage, but the late playwright, Christopher Sergel, spent most of his career translating popular novels into theatrical works of art. Known for his adaptations of such time-honored books as WINESBURG, OHIO, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and THE OUTSIDERS, among many others, Sergel has gifted theater audiences by providing way to make a few select books come alive. Recently staged to great acclaim in Elgin, Illinois, Director Jonathan James has transferred his production to Chicago’s Athenaeum Theater, for a limited run.
Read MoreA Stiff Upper Lip
The Cottage
Actress and Playwright Sandy Rustin, originally from nearby Glenview but currently living in New York City, is known for her plays and musicals. Recently she adapted the film “Mystic Pizza” into a stage musical; but, in my opinion, her greatest theatrical work is her hilarious stage adaptation of the cult film, “Clue.” Opening their 2024-25 season, Citadel has scored a win by becoming the first theatre in Illinois to present Sandy Rustin’s THE COTTAGE. The comedy was recently produced on Broadway, directed by “Seinfeld” comic actor, Jason Alexander, and featuring the star of “Will and Grace,” Eric McCormack.
Read MoreCry About It
Never Better
There are topics that were once considered taboo or simply inappropriate for the stage. But times have definitely changed. Subjects that might have shocked early 20th century audiences have become almost commonplace today. Seeing people being baked into pies, humorous Nazis in over-the-top production numbers, singing and dancing pussycats competing for an afterlife and young Mormons preaching Joseph Smith’s religion to Africans are examples of how musicals have come a long way. 21st century musicals are a far cry from shows about turning a Cockney flower girl into a princess, farmers challenging the cowhands in song and dance or teaching the Siamese King’s children.
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