Joe D. Lauck

Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play is a captivating journey back in time, immersing the audience in the ambiance of a bygone era. The production ingeniously unfolds as a live radio broadcast, with a skilled ensemble and a meticulous foley artist weaving each sound effect into the intricate auditory tapestry.

It's 1947, and a group of America's best and brightest entertainers have joined forces to present a radio production of the beloved holiday classic, Miracle on 34th Street. This classic story is presented in a radio format before a live studio audience and stars the voice talents of Larry Alexander, Jonathan Harrison, Joe D. Lauck, Michael Raabe, Julia Rifino, Hillary Scales-Lewis and Mya Simpkins (freeFall debut).

Upon entering the space the audience is immediately surrounded by the dwellings of a castle. The beautiful set design by Tom Hansen lent itself well to this harkened tale of Christmas in England. Henry II, King of England and his ward Alais are seen talking about their love and the King donning a Blood Red Crown that has been exquisitely crafted to the finest detail. Soon we meet the three sons of King Henry, Richard Lionheart, John and Geoffrey. All three are bastards in the eyes of King Henry and all three feel their stake at the Crown is higher, and more deserving than the others. Whether written into the script or a Directors choice, the use of Christmas carols, both modern and Baroque was a nice touch and lent itself well to the story and made scene changes seamless. A nice touch from the set design was having the pieces of the King's table fly in from up above and added nicely to the set. The texture of having the candles on every inch of the set, gave the castle a warm feeling and made it also feel very elegant and regal.

This is a tremendous show, filled with lots of dark humor and plenty of tears. It's a wonderfully written play that has found a venue (and talented cast) where it gets to beautifully shine.

freeFall Theatre opens 2015 with Natalie Symons' comedy The Buffalo Kings playing tonight, January 17 - February 8.

freeFall Theatre opens 2015 with Natalie Symons' comedy The Buffalo Kings playing January 17 - February 8.

Victory Gardens announces a one-week extension of Annie Baker's Circle Mirror Transformation, directed by Dexter Bullard. The production will now close April 17, 2011.

Victory Gardens continues its 2010/11 Season with the Chicago premiere of Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker, directed by Dexter Bullard. The production closes April 10, 2011 at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park. The Press Openings are March 5 and 6, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. in the Richard Christiansen Theatre.

Victory Gardens announces a one-week extension of Annie Baker's Circle Mirror Transformation, directed by Dexter Bullard. Circle Mirror Transformation February 25 - April 10, 2011 at the Victory Gardens Richard Christiansen Theatre, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park. The production has been extended through April 17, 2011. Tickets for the extension will be on sale beginning at noon on Friday, March 11, 2011.

Victory Gardens continues its 2010/11 Season with the Chicago premiere of Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker, directed by Dexter Bullard.

Victory Gardens continues its 2010/11 Season with the Chicago premiere of Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker, directed by Dexter Bullard.

Victory Gardens continues its 2010/11 Season with the Chicago premiere of Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker, directed by Dexter Bullard.

Victory Gardens continues its 2010/11 Season with the Chicago premiere of Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker, directed by Dexter Bullard.

Victory Gardens proudly announces casting for the World Premiere of Joel Drake Johnson's The Boys Room directed by Associate Artistic Director Sandy Shinner and for the Chicago Premiere of Annie Baker's Circle Mirror Transformation directed by Dexter Bullard.

Following the resounding success of RAGTIME, Drury Lane Theatre continues their celebration of ‘the year of the Director' with Jim Corti's dazzling production of the musical comedy SUGAR which previewed at Drury Lane Oakbrook, 100 Drury Lane, on June 3, and opened June 12 at 8:30 p.m. and runs through August 1.

Victory Gardens Theater will welcome playwright Sarah Ruhl back to her hometown Chicago with a special public event - Ruhl Makers - a panel of leading women theater artists in Chicago who have helped Ruhl escape 'reading hell' to become arguably the top contemporary playwright in America today.

Eurydice, a bold, slyly comic, visually fascinating take on the classic Orpheus myth by Sarah Ruhl, is enjoying an ambitious revival by Victory Gardens Theater, to open the 35th season at Chicago's #1 presenter of new plays.