CHICAGO THEATER REVIEWS

Few dramatic adaptations of A Christmas Carol manage to convey the magic, the emotional power, and—yes—the terror of Dickens’s original as effectively and impactfully as Manual Cinema’s version, now playing at Writers Theatre in Glencoe through December 24th....

What did our critic think of EMMET OTTER'S JUG-BAND CHRISTMAS IS A GIFT at Studebaker Theater?...

There are not enough words to describe Paramount Theatre’s current production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory which is based on the book by Roald Dahl. Director Trent Stork and this cast (over 20) brings the world of imagination to vivid life....

The new production at Drury Lane Theatre is Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.  It is an updated version of the 1957 and 1965 TV films starring Julie Andrews and then Lesley Ann Warren. The original book was written by Oscar Hammerstein II....

These days, truth is elusive — and Timeline Theatre’s THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT plays with that idea. It’s the age of endless fact-checking resources on the internet, but also the age of misinformation spread across TikTok, Reddit, and other social media. Wherein lies the truth? And what is accur...

The current production at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire is Beautiful, the Carole King Musical. This is more than a jukebox musical. It tells the amazing story of one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th Century and how her story evolved. It begins with Carole’s June 1971 concert at Carne...

This is a fun, female-driven farce. It’s a good reminder that a lot of American politics seems to involve competent women cleaning up after incompetent men — and the play hits on that message well. It’s a crazy, raunchy good time that I enjoyed, but I don’t think it delivers sharply on deepe...

What did our critic think of BEETLEJUICE IS THE GHOST WITH THE MOST at Auditorium Theatre?...

Although it debuted off-Broadway more than thirty years ago, Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s ASSASSINS remains a thrilling, bone chilling, brilliant, and immensely taut musical. Drawing on the United States history of successful and would-be presidential assassins, ASSASSINS is an astounding e...

This COMPANY is a touching portrait of one woman’s attempts to connect with her friends amid a bustling New York City, simultaneously a connecting and isolating place....

If you like good old-fashioned magic, sleight of hand, and mind-reading tricks, Dennis Watkins’s THE MAGIC PARLOUR is the ticket. Watkins has been performing his one-man show since 2011, and it’s newly arrived in the former Petterino’s reception space, which has been transformed into the titul...

?This is the premise of Brigadoon, the current production by Music Theater Works at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie. Lerner and Loewe’s 1947 musical about the mythical Scottish village is given new life by director and board member Sasha Gerritson. ...

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

Mercury’s YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN is a Halloween treat with many classic musical comedy tricks....

World premiere musical A WONDERFUL WORLD has a wonderful lead in James Monrie Iglehart as Louis Armstrong. Iglehart embodies the acclaimed vocalist and trumpeter completely; he nails Armstrong’s signature raspy voice and vocals and larger-than-life presence, but he’s also a master at embodying t...

What did our critic think of WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME at Copley Theatre?...

Although the title may be bold, Brett Neveu’s world premiere REVOLUTION is a true “slice of life” play....

Kokandy Productions’ Chicago premiere of AMERICAN PSYCHO: The Musical is a delectable, campy romp. Producing Artistic Director Derek Van Barham’s production is a mainly bloodless vision for the bloody tale of serial killer finance bro Patrick Bateman — and it’s an approach that works incredi...

THE LEHMAN TRILOGY is a sweeping play that covers 164 years of history as it weaves together fact and fiction to chart the rise and fall of Lehman Brothers. The play’s title mirrors the ambition of the piece: It has a run-time of over three hours that unfolds in three acts — all performed by onl...

It seems fitting that Goodman Theatre opens new Artistic Director Susan V. Booth’s inaugural season with THE NACIREMA SOCIETY, a play that’s about coming out to society. This Chicago premiere marks a continuation of Booth’s long-standing relationship with celebrated Black playwright Pearl Cl...

What did our critic think of REVIEW: BAKED! THE MUSICAL at Theo Ubique?...

What did our critic think of SANCTUARY CITY at Steppenwolf Theatre Company? In Martyna Majok’s SANCTUARY CITY, two teenagers in Newark, New Jersey — named only B and G (presumably standing for Boy and Girl) — must contemplate the complexity of their simultaneous youthfulness and the need to ma...

The Addams Family is the current production at the Metropolis Performing Arts Center in Arlington Heights and runs through October 8. The musical, written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, is the first time the familiar characters created by Charles Addams ap...

What did our critic think of Hamilton, currently running at the James M. Nederlander Theatre until December 30? Experience the incredible performances and storytelling that have captivated audiences worldwide....

What did our critic think of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at Paramount Theatre?...