Tina St. Angelo Wetzel

The newest production – and it is new in every way – at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora is Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats. Director Trent Stork and a cast of 31 will leave you breathless with this new interpretation.

The beginning of Puck’s final monologue in William Shakespeare’s much loved and performed A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This is the current production being performed at BrightSide Theatre in Naperville.

These are lyrics from the song The Blame sung by Captain E.J. Smith, J. Bruce Ismay the owner and Thomas Andrews the ship designer. The ship? The Titanic. The current production at Marriott Theatre is Titanic the Musical. David Girolmo portrays the Captain, Adam Pelty is the owner and Christopher Kale is the designer. The story and book are by the late Peter Stone. Music and lyrics were written by Maury Yeston.

The newest production at the Copley Theatre in Aurora is The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. It’s the story of “12” year olds competing in a spelling bee. Under the direction of Jeff Award-winning Stephen Schellhardt and a set designed by Lauren M. Nichols showcasing a gymnasium, this group of actors brings forth the anxieties, awkwardness, innocence, doubt, fear and ultimately joy of this age group.

What did our critic think of LA BOHEME at Lyric Opera Of Chicago? Giacomo Puccini’s heartbreaking La Boheme is playing for 10 performances at the Lyric. Bring a handkerchief. Director Melanie Bacaling, in her Lyric directorial debut, has given this production an emotional feel which is the heart of this opera. The set, by Gerald Howland in his Lyric debut, brings the audience to 19th century Paris. 

Guys and Dolls is a show to be seen and enjoyed. Vibrant, energetic and just fun. Sometimes an old fashioned Broadway show is needed. Guys and Dolls is that show.

The current production at the Paramount Theatre is the musical Waitress based upon the motion picture. When it opened, it was the first all-female production team on Broadway. Director and choreographer Katie Spelman gives the audience an evening of laughter, some tears and love. Sarah Bareilles’ music played by the Paramount Orchestra under the direction of Celia Villacres, fills the theater with the beauty of the different styles.

Director Jane Lanier (A Chorus Line) and this talented ensemble seamlessly tell Carole’s story to the fullest extent. The orchestra, under the direction of Chris Sargent, is the backbone to this music.

This is the moment – when Dr. Henry Jekyll decides to try an experiment. Jekyll and Hyde in Concert is the newest production from BrightSide Theatre.

This story is definitely geared to young females. They do identify with it. It was apparent in the audience. It is about respecting yourself but also treating each other with respect. Believe in yourself. Have faith in others but ultimately, have faith in yourself. We all need to remember these important things. Music Works presents these ideas in an enjoyable and fun production. A nice way to ring out the year.

This is the crucial moment in the current childrens’ theatre production at Marriott Lincolnshire of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s beloved musical, Cinderella. The cast of ten, under the direction of Laura Rook, brings delight and joy to the littlest members of the audience, many of the girls dressed as Cinderella and other Disney princesses.

What did our critic think of FROZEN at Paramount Theatre Aurora, IL?

Read our review of WHITE CHRISTMAS at Marriott Theatre.

What did our critic think of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at North Shore Center For The Performing Arts, Skokie, IL?

What did our critic think of BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA at BrightSide Theatre?

A question from Archangel Michael to God. The newest production in the BOLD Series at the intimate Copley Theatre in Aurora is An Act of God. Alex Weisman, in his bravura Paramount Copley debut as God, delivers each of the revised Ten Commandments to the audience in a way they do not expect. Sarcasm. Anger. Bitterness. Some narcissim. If you will, this is God on a rant and trying to figure out what is good, bad, right and wrong. His help along the way are the angels Michael (Michael Turrentine in his Paramount debut) and Gabriel (Em Modaff). They are both the comic relief but also play Devil’s advocate. Under the direction of Keira Fromm in her Paramount debut, she has delivered an amazing production which should be seen more than once. The script, by David Javerbaum, was derived from tweets from the Twitter account The Tweet of God. At times, the show feels like a late night talk show where the audience is the guest. The conversation hits on topics such as religious doctrines, morality, our own human frailties, creation, faith, good and evil and other topics. You will laugh. You will groan. You might get angry. You might get sad. You might start to question yourself. You might question God. It’s OK.

“Desperate times take desperate measures”. These words are spoken by one of the out of work steel workers in Buffalo. That is exactly what happens in the Full Monty, currently playing at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora through October 6, 2024.  

 In this political year, it seems very appropriate that the new production at Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire is Sherman Edwards and Peter Stone’s musical 1776, the background story of the days leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

What did our critic think of CAROUSEL at Music Theater Works At The North Shore Center For The Performing Arts?