Our Chicago Critics
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Review: INTO THE WOODS Enchants at James M. Nederlander Theatre
What did our critic think of INTO THE WOODS at James M. Nederlander Theatre?...
Review: BIG RIVER at Mercury Theater Chicago
Mercury’s production has some fabulous performances, but it doesn’t entirely answer the question of why BIG RIVER needed to be brought out of the archives....
Review: SCHOOL OF ROCK at Paramount Theatre, Aurora IL
What did our critic think of SCHOOL OF ROCK at Paramount Theatre, Aurora IL?...
Review: DAMN YANKEES at Marriott Theatre, Lincolnshire
The new production at Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire is Damn Yankees, a truly classic old time big Broadway musical. With a book by George Abbott (died at age 107) and Douglass Wallop and one of the great scores by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross (died at the young age of 29), this has always been an un...
Review: LAST NIGHT AND THE NIGHT BEFORE at Steppenwolf Theatre Company
LAST NIGHT AND THE NIGHT BEFORE explores the in-between, the murkiness of transitioning life stages and fraught family relationships....
Review: JAGGED LITTLE PILL electrifies at James M. Nedlerlander Theatre
What did our critic think of JAGGED LITTLE PILL SCORCHES at James M. Nedlerlander Theatre?...
Review: THE CHERRY ORCHARD at Goodman Theatre
It’s only fitting that for his swan song at Goodman Theatre Artistic Director Robert Falls has adapted and directed Anton Chekhov’s THE CHERRY ORCHARD, a play that’s also very much a swan song. With this staging, Falls has completed the cycle of directing all four of Chekov’s full-length pla...
Review: A SOLDIER'S PLAY National Tour Presented by Broadway In Chicago
A SOLDIER’S PLAY is a solid and well-structured play from Charles Fuller that explores the deep-seated roots of American racism. Centered on a Black regiment in 1944 Fort Neal, Louisiana, the play takes the form of a murder investigation when Captain Richard Davenport arrives on the scene followin...
Review: THE BOOK OF MORMON National Tour Presented By Broadway In Chicago
I was curious about the changes to Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone’s THE BOOK OF MORMON, which underwent revisions before its post-pandemic return to Broadway in 2021. I imagined a substantial overhaul of the material, along with input from co-director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw (Parke...
Review: THE THREEPENNY OPERA At Theo Ubique Cabaret A Must-See for the Musical Theatre Enthusiast
What did our critic think of THE THREEPENNY OPERA at Theo Ubique Cabaret?...
Review: THE COMEDY OF ERRORS at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Chicago Shakespeare Theater Artistic Director Barbara Gaines cleverly marries play and production concept in THE COMEDY OF ERRORS for her final production....
Review: TINA- THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL at James M. Nederlander Theatre
What did our critic think of TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL at James M. Nederlander Theatre?...
Review: LAYALINA at Goodman Theatre
Martin Yousif Zebari’s LAYALINA is a heartwarming multigenerational family play that spans from Baghdad to Skokie. While Zebari doesn’t shy away from portraying the family’s trauma and the challenges of their immigrant experiences, LAYALINA is the opposite of many other family plays. It’s ab...
Review: DESCRIBE THE NIGHT at Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Rajiv Joseph’s DESCRIBE THE NIGHT, now in its Chicago premiere at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, is a sprawling exploration of the blurring of fiction and fact, censorship, and the quest to preserve truth....
Review: CARMEN at Lyric Opera Of Chicago
What did our critic think of CARMEN at Lyric Opera Of Chicago?...
Review: ANNIE at Cadillac Palace
What did our critic think of ANNIE at Cadillac Palace? The new national tour of Annie is the current offering at Chicago's Cadillac Palace. Hard to believe Annie has been entertaining audiences since it opened on Broadway in 1977. The book was written by Thomas Meehan with lyrics by Charles Strouse ...
Review: 1776 at CIBC Theatre is a Refreshing-Lee Modern Take on a Classic
1776 is a perfect example of a modern adaptation done right. Virtually everyone growing up in the United States learns the story of our country's birth: The founding fathers, the struggle for independence from Britain, and the scourge of slavery that was shamefully part of our fledgling nation. 1776...
Review: YOU'RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN at Marriott Theatre
What did our critic think of YOU'RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN at Marriott Theatre, Lincolnshire IL?...
Review: INTO THE WOODS at Paramount Theatre
What did our critic think of INTO THE WOODS at Paramount Theatre?...
Review: TONI STONE at Goodman Theatre
What did our critic think of TONI STONE at Goodman Theatre? TONI STONE is a memory play-in more ways than one. Lydia R. Diamond's play is indeed structured in non-linear (and yet, still mostly chronological order) as the titular Toni Stone recounts her memories as the first woman to regularly play p...
Review: LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR AND GRILL at Mercury Theater Chicago
What did our critic think of LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR AND GRILL at Mercury Theater Chicago? To say Alexis J. Roston's performance as Billie Holiday in LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR AND GRILL is a masterclass in acting and singing is no exaggeration. Roston gives the kind of lived-in, seamless perform...
Review: A CHORUS LINE at Drury Lane Theatre Oakbrook Terrace, IL
What did our critic think of A CHORUS LINE at Drury Lane Theatre Oakbrook Terrace, IL? A Chorus Line, Michael Bennett's iconic love letter to performers on the line anywhere, opened last night at Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace. How do I write about this show which holds a special place in my...
Review: BIG FISH at Marriott Theatre, Lincolnshire IL
What did our critic think of Big Fish? The new theater season has begun. The current production at Marriott Theatre is Big Fish which is based upon the novel by Daniel Wallace and the Columbia Motion Picture written by John August. The book is by John August and music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa. Und...
Review: THE RIPPLE, THE WAVE THAT CARRIED ME HOME at Goodman Theatre
In the ripple, the wave that carried me home, protagonist Janice must metaphorically reckon with her homecoming and her childhood in the fictional Beacon, Kansas....
Review: CABARET at Porchlight Music Theatre
What did our critic think of CABARET at Porchlight Music Theatre? Porchlight invites audiences into the glittering, gritty world of early 1930s Berlin with John Kander and Fred Ebb’s iconic musical CABARET. Under the direction of Porchlight Artistic Director Michael Weber and with associate direct...
Videos
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Windfall Steppenwolf Theatre Company (4/09-5/31) |
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South Pacific Paramount Arts Centre (4/29-6/14) |
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Tailgate N' Tallboys McLean County Fairgrounds (6/18-6/20) |
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The Jeff Miller Band w/Agua Fresca and Special Opening Act, Vince Phyllis' Musical Inn (6/03-6/03) |
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SUFFS (Chicago) CIBC Theatre (7/07-7/19) |
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Jonathan Van Ness: Hot & Healed Comedy Tour 2026 Hard Rock Live Rockford (9/12-9/12) |
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Two Out of Three Falls The Factory Theater (6/04-7/18) |
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2026 Young Musicians Concert Westminster Presbyterian Church (6/01-6/01) |
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Fiddler On The Rood CIRCA 21 Dinner Playhouse (4/29-6/27) |
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The Notebook James M. Nederlander Theatre (8/06-8/16) |
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