CHICAGO THEATER REVIEWS

Magician Siegfried Tieber’s sparkling, genuine charm is every bit as magical as his tricks in his special engagement at THE MAGIC PARLOUR....

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...

HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD is three hours of nostalgia-fueled, utterly captivating theater...with heaps of stage magic. The Chicago engagement marks the national tour debut of the eighth installment in J.K. Rowling’s HARRY POTTER series....

Despite some moving performances from the supporting cast, seasoned fans of and newcomers to THE OUTSIDERS may be underwhelmed by a production whose various elements leave it struggling to “stay golden.”...

Goodman Theatre’s season-opening production of INHERIT THE WIND centers on a fictionalized version of the 1925 “Scopes Monkey” trial — at its heart, a debate on creationism vs. evolutionism. Though playwrights Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee make it clear they’re on the side of evolution...

NOISES OFF is lengthy and occasionally redundant because the show literally runs through Act One three times from different perspectives. But it’s also legitimately funny — which is rare and welcome for a Steppenwolf show....

It’s a joy to experience GREAT COMET end-to-end, and for musical theater lovers that want to hear a complicated score flawlessly performed, this is the ticket. This GREAT COMET soars....

Open Space Arts's production of LIGHT SWITCH shines a much-needed spotlight (no pun intended) on the struggles of neurodiverse members of queer communities, thanks in large part to its captivating leading man....

Featuring a strikingly charismatic yet grounded performance from its leading actor, HENRY V presents a compelling study of the excitement and danger inherent in even the best-intended feelings of nationalism....

Now receiving its Chicagoland premiere, Northlight Theatre’s THE FLYING LOVERS OF VITEBSK features brilliant performances and moments of exquisite stagecraft, though the play’s lean script occasionally saps the production of necessary tension and greater thematic depth....

THE HOUSE OF IDEAS provides an entertaining history of Marvel’s precipitous rise to pop cultural supremacy that nicely captures the collaborative spirit of Kirby and Lee’s frequently tumultuous partnership. But more casual fans of the brand may find themselves lost in the play’s more intricate...

“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.   ...

Redtwist’s THE NORMAL HEART is frequently an emotionally affecting piece, thanks to the powerfully palpable talents of its principal cast. However, some uneven performances and an occasionally murky directorial vision prevent the production’s themes and message from beating forth as forcefully a...

 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....

= BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL is a fun and faithful adaptation of the 1985 film — but it’s overly long and generically scored. With music and lyrics by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard (Silvestri composed the film’s original score) and book by Bob Gale, the musical has a typical pop Broadw...

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

While Kokandy Productions’ ALICE BY HEART has some lovely performances, the musical itself is far less imaginative than its ALICE IN WONDERLAND-inspired title suggests. ...

t tells the story of how he became Peter Pan and provides the backstory of Peter and his forever nemesis Captain Hook. I believe that kids under the age of 13 probably won’t understand the story. The script is geared to adults and has some groan worthy (purposely written) lines. The cast of 16 und...

See what our critic thought of LES MISERABLES at Uptown Music Theater at Deerfield Performing Arts Center....

I think LOTR die-hards will appreciate the world-building and the visual spectacle of this production, but the material needs editing and more focus and refinement on key moments and characters....

What did our critic think of Million Dollar Quartet at Stolp Island Theatre?...

MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL is a sprawling, messy musical that weaves together the threads of several characters in 1980s Savannah, Georgia. Composer/lyricist Jason Robert Brown draws on a variety of different musical styles, while Taylor Mac’s book scenes present a series of vignettes...

That is one of the songs written by Thomas Wright “Fats” Waller. Ain’t Misbehavin’, the musical review of his music, is the current production at Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace. Originally performed on Broadway in 1978, this was not a typical musical even though it won the Tony for b...

Writers Theatre’s latest production is an impressive commitment to craft and community that invites audiences to reflect on questions of masculinity, race, and responsibility that stimulate the brain while tickling the funny bone....

Beehive: The 60's Musical, the current production at Marriott Theatre, brings the decade of the 1960’s and the female musical artists to eye popping, foot stamping, hand clapping and colorful life! This 90 minute (no intermission) trip back in time is simply enjoyable. Interspersed with dialogue r...