Patrick Rybarczyk - Page 2

The best desserts are made with delicious layers that include some surprising flavors. They make you want another piece and to know how they were made. That's how it is with Bekah Brunstetter's THE CAKE now running at Rivendell Theatre. Each scene of this wonderful work is filled with bites that are both bitter and sweet. And you definitely want more than just one slice.

When it rains it pours! This saying applies to our lives when things are either going for or against us. For Mae, the central character in Clare Barron's YOU GOT OLDER now in its Chicago premiere at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, life changes have poured on her. And these changes are certainly not for the better. Or are they?

As I left the theatre on opening night of Stephen Karem's Tony Award-winning play, THE HUMANS, I heard a patron say, 'Wow, that reminded me of my own family holidays.'

It doesn't matter how many times you watch Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, fly to rafters at the end of Defying Gravity. You still get the chills during this classic moment in the musical, WICKED. It strikes a chord with you and has you cheering for 'the green girl.' You know, the villain from The Wizard of Oz.

With its mixture of darkness and light, Charles Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL is a long-standing holiday tradition that takes audiences on a journey of misery, revelation, and redemption. Now in its 40th year on stage at The Goodman Theatre, this tale stands the test of time, with some fresh updates that reveal room for even more.

Every year, a group of my friends and I go to The Music Box Theatre here in Chicago for our annual viewing of White Christmas. It's a perfect way to ring in the holidays with a mix of sentimentality and tradition.

As you walk into the theatre for Steppenwolf's production of Jean Lee's Straight White Men, you are offered ear plugs. Why? There is extremely loud music playing and it contains lyrics that could certainly be considered offensive to some. Starting off this way has likely, as we are told by two gender fluid actors, made 'some of you' uncomfortable. The idea is that we all live in varying levels of comfort in our society based on our race, sexual identity, or social status.

Patrick Rybarczyk, host of The Czyk In and Broadway World Chicago contributor, talks with Lane Anthony Flores and Rob Lindley both starring in About Face Theatre's production of Jon Marans' The Temperamentals. We discuss details about the Mattachine Society, the relevance of the show opening on inauguration weekend, and more about Chicago theatre.

Plays that deal with a terminal illness are tough. The storytelling can be tricky as each audience member comes to it with varying degrees of personal impact. In Visiting Edna, currently making its world premiere at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, cancer is an actual character who gives voice to its own experience. Mostly clever, this device (along with an actor playing a television and another an angel), provides an interesting point of view in this lengthy tale.

EPISODE 11 is now available! Hear my conversation with playwright Jerre Dye whose play Distance is currently making its world premiere at Strawdog Theatre Company. We're joined by director Erica Weiss and cast member Janice O'Neill. Strawdog ensemble member, Mike Dailey, also discusses the company's recent move out of their home of 26 years.

When I saw Kinky Boots here in Chicago during its pre-Broadway tryouts, I left the theatre with a huge smile on my face. While the show does have its share of heavier moments, it is also full of so much joy. As it returns for a short run to the Oriental Theatre, I was thrilled to see it maintained the same sense of fun and sentiment that it had in 2012.

Hear Patrick Rybarczyk's conversation with Amy Rubenstein, Artistic Director of Windy City Playhouse.

Broadway World contributor, Patrick Rybarczyk, host of the podcast The Czyk In, talked with Teressa LaGamba and Neil Stratman, stars of Kokandy Productions' acclaimed production of Tomorrow Morning!

Parts of the plot of Between Riverside and Crazy reflect events and situations very similar to those happening in society today. At times they are so close to home that you could feel a sense of unease in the audience. These elements ring true but don't always have enough strength to sustain the story.

Broadway World Chicago contributor and host of the podcast, The Czyk In, talked with Matt Edmonds and Patrick Rooney of Theo Ubique's production of RENT. 

With the tragedy of 9/11, thousands of lives were turned upside down in an instant. Others were faced with a lingering sense of helplessness. As the hours, and in some cases days passed, there were attempts by many to locate loved ones who were unaccounted for in the aftermath. That painful waiting game plays out in Craig Wright's Recent Tragic Events produced by Interrobang Theatre Project.