Elee Schrock

BroadwayWorld.com Chicago review's Steppenwolf's production of 'Mary Page Marlowe.'

BroadwayWorld.com Chicago reviews the national tour of IF/THEN

BroadwayWorld.com Chicago reviews the Chicago premiere of Annie Baker's 'The Flick<' playing at Steppenwolf Theatre Company.

At a time in theatre where shows are all-too-often injected with extreme concepts or 'themes' outside of the originally written text (sometimes successful, sometimes not), it's a remarkable breath of fresh air to see a production where the script is trusted to stand on its own without a director's own imaginations forced upon it. In BoHo Theatre's 'Dogfight,' directed with care by Peter Marston Sullivan, it's this faith in the show itself that makes the production shine.

It's a hot time for theatre in Chicago! Pre-Broadway engagements, remounts, premieres, and more fill the stages this summer and here are BroadwayWorld's top picks for the ones to look out for!

'Jersey Boys,' the hit musical chronicling the story of the Four Seasons, which previously had an extremely successful sit-down production in Chicago, has rolled back into town as a stop on its national tour. All remains intact: The 'Joysy' speak, the high croon of Frankie Valli (played in this production by a charming Hayden Milanes), and the wheeling and dealing with the mob hasn't changed at all since Chicago has last seen the musical. In fact, the production feels almost too exact: the performances (although in very capable and talented hands), feel like they have been directed to model exactly the speech, intonation, and movements of the actors who came before them, who were directed to model exactly the actors who came before them, who were directed to model exactly the actors who came before them...and so on.

BroadwayWorld.com Chicago reviews Bailiwick Theater Chicago's 'Murder Ballad.'

Broadwayworld.com reviews Paramount Theatre's 'Les Miserables'

Upon walking into Steppenwolf's Upstairs Theatre where David Adjmi's modern-day inspired 'Marie Antoinette' is currently running, the audience is immediately thrust into the world of the play before any actors even step onto the stage. Thanks to a gorgeous and perfectly executed set design by Clint Ramos (with lighting design by Japhy Weideman, sound and composition by Lindsay Jones, and projections by Jeff Sugg), the sleek, mirrored runway (acting as the playing space) between two screens playing a virtual tour of Versailles, with oversized, couture-inspired white roses hanging from the ceiling, the design elements set up the audience for a chic-filled, stylistic, and exciting performance ahead of them. Unfortunately, Robert O'Hara's direction is unfocused and seems lost, especially amid such a perfectly executed (and otherwise uniform) design.

Broadwayworld.com reviews Paramount Theatre's production of 'The Who's Tommy.'

Broadwayworld reviews Theater's Wit's production of 'Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play.'

BroadwayWorld.com reviews the National Tour of 'Cinderella' in its Chicago stop.

BroadwayWorld reviews Lookingglass Theatre's 'Lookingglass Alice.'

BroadwayWorld.com Chicago reviews Drury Lane's current production of 'Camelot.'

BroadwayWorld reviews Paramount Theatre's 'Cats.' The felines prowling the stage at Aurora's Paramount Theatre have truly been given the five-star treatment. On a perfectly polished (and monstrous) set by Kevin Depinet (along with projections by Michael Stanfill), they are given plenty of room to jump, climb, and play. They are donned in those iconic (expertly designed by Theresa Ham, with wigs and make-up by Katie Cordts and Lauren Cecil) leotards and furry hats. And, most impressive, they have been lit in brilliant colors by lighting extraordinaire, Jesse Klug. The aesthetic appeal on the Paramount stage is top-notch and one of the main reasons this production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Cats' is as fully satisfying as this musical gets.

BWW Chicago reviews new theatre company, The Enthusiast's, inaugural show, Sarah Ruhl's 'Dead Man's Cell Phone.'

BroadwayWorld interviews Nicholas Christopher, currently playing Smokey Robinson on the 'Motown the Musical' national tour.

BroadwayWorld.com Chicago picks the top summer shows in and around the city.

BroadwayWorld.com interviews Michael Urie as the 'Buyer & Cellar' tour stops in Chicago.