Playwright John Patrick Shanley's OUTSIDE MULLINGAR fits neatly into the tradition of his Irish-American heritage; through unpretentious characters and witty dialogue, he spins a tale that explores universal themes of loneliness, longing, home, and family. Steve Scott directs this production by the ... (more...)
If you've ever wanted to rock out in a historic opera house, look no further than JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR at Lyric Opera of Chicago. In a bold departure from the American classics typically staged during the spring 'Broadway at Lyric' series, Lyric presents the North American premiere of Regent's Par... (more...)
Hockadoo! Porchlight Music Theatre's MEMPHIS bursts onto the stage with joy and earnest energy. Under the direction of Daryl Brooks, this musical sheds light on timely historical issues while milking the show's sweetest, most exuberant moments for all they're worth.... (more...)
Stephanie Allison Walker's play highlights a moment in Argentina's history, her portrait of the silencing of voices, the torture of loved ones, and the women who rose up against injustice finds complete alignment with the present moment.... (more...)
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... (more...)
The Marriott Theatre marks the 75th anniversary of OKLAHOMA! with a production that celebrates the best of Rodgers and Hammerstein - delightful dance numbers, impressive vocals and eminently hummable tunes - while offering a fresh take on a beloved classic.... (more...)
In Steppenwolf Theatre's world premiere of THE DOPPELGÄNGER (AN INTERNATIONAL FARCE), playwright Matthew-Lee Erlbach employs all the tricks of the genre - crashing furniture, ridiculous situations and rapid-fire wordplay - to shine a light on political corruption and socio-economic injustice.... (more...)
Boasting an all-star cast, beautiful design, and a beloved score, Drury Lane Theatre's SOUTH PACIFIC provides a truly enchanting evening of theatre - both entertaining and thought-provoking as it addresses sobering themes such as racism and bigotry.... (more...)
From the opening strains of the nuns' harmonies in Nonnberg Abbey, the national touring production of THE SOUND OF MUSIC delivers the beloved story of family, romance, and courage with a charming style all its own.... (more...)
Boo Killebrew's world premiere play LETTIE is profoundly heartbreaking and brilliantly conceived. Under the direction of Artistic Director Chay Yew, the production devastatingly unfolds the narrative of the titular working class ex-convict Lettie. Both Killebrew's masterful, raw writing and Yew's su... (more...)
Firebrand Theatre's production of 9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL makes a good deal of sense for the company to stage, especially as it's the first show directed by Artistic Director Harmony France. This outsized, comical musical focuses on three women navigating office politics in 1979 as they plot revenge agai... (more...)
MARY'S WEDDING is not a typical war play. In this two-hander love story set during the First World War, the action is framed as a recurring dream and offers all the possibilities of a dream world: non-linear timelines, sudden shifts in setting, and the opportunity for characters to relive events not... (more...)
Delivering a triple threat of relevant writing, thoughtful direction, and a strong ensemble cast, SMART PEOPLE is well worth a trip to Writers Theatre's stylish new facility on Chicago's North Shore.... (more...)
With his use of phrases such as 'fake facts' and 'drain the swamp', Goodman Theatre Artistic Director Robert Falls overtly speaks to the current political climate in his new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE. The audience's audible reactions to particularly searing lines prove that... (more...)
Under the taut direction of David Schwimmer, Kevin Douglas's new comedy PLANTATION! succeeds in making audiences both laugh out loud and cringe. In PLANTATION!, Douglas explores one wealthy white woman's attempt to make reparations for the benefits her family reaped from slavery. Douglas does so by ... (more...)
With her Pulitzer Prize finalist THE WOLVES, young playwright Sarah DeLappe has beautifully, movingly, and realistically captured the tenuousness that comes with being a teenage girl navigating the thorny terrain of high school. DeLappe has captured so precisely the agony and nuances of high school ... (more...)
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... (more...)
While MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG is quite a dark show, it's undeniably one of my favorite Sondheim musicals-and Porchlight's production does well to demonstrate why this is the case.... (more...)
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.'... (more...)
Court Theatre Artistic Director Charles Newell lends a deft hand to this stunning, newly searing production of Arthur Miller's ALL MY SONS. Though Miller's classic play takes place in 1946, the all-star ensemble makes the plight of the crumbling Keller family feel raw and altogether present.... (more...)
Eric John Meyer's world premiere play THE ANTELOPE PARTY opens on a meeting in an apartment setting notable for its vast and bright collection of MY LITTLE PONY memorabilia (kudos to set designer Joe Schermoly and properties designer Jesse Gaffney for this delightful visual). In this moment, we meet... (more...)
Aziza Barnes's BLKS is often funny, often vulgar, and sometimes heartbreaking. Now in a world premiere staging at Steppenwolf, BLKS chronicles 24 hours in the lives of three young black women in their early 20s living in New York City. Barnes's playwriting is achingly real and naturalistic, while al... (more...)
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 fro... (more...)
BEAUTIFUL THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL, one of the most well-constructed and delightful jukebox musicals I've ever seen, has arrived back in Chicago just in time for the holiday season. This empowering musical about singer-songwriter Carole King has enough emotional impact to make your heart burst. This ... (more...)
BWW Review: OUTSIDE MULLINGAR at Buffalo Theatre Ensemble
BWW Review: JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR at Lyric Opera Of Chicago
BWW Review: MEMPHIS at Porchlight Music Theatre
BWW Review: THE MADRES at Teatro Vista
BWW Review: THE CAKE at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
BWW Review: OKLAHOMA! at Marriott Theatre
BWW Review: THE DOPPELGÄNGER (AN INTERNATIONAL FARCE) at Steppenwolf Theatre
BWW Review: SOUTH PACIFIC at Drury Lane Theatre
BWW Review: THE SOUND OF MUSIC at Cadillac Palace Theatre
BWW Review: LETTIE at Victory Gardens Theater
Review: 9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL at Firebrand Theatre
BWW Review: MARY'S WEDDING at First Folio Theatre
BWW Review: SMART PEOPLE at Writers Theatre
BWW Review: AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE at Goodman Theatre
BWW Review: PLANTATION! at Lookingglass Theatre Company
BWW Review: SIX CORNERS at American Blues Theater
BWW Review: THE WOLVES at Goodman Theatre Scores Big
BWW Review: YOU GOT OLDER at Steppenwolf Theatre Company
BWW Review: MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG at Porchlight Music Theatre
BWW Review: THE HUMANS at Cadillac Palace Theatre
BWW Review: ALL MY SONS at Court Theatre
BWW Review: THE ANTELOPE PARTY at Theater Wit
BWW Review: BLKS at Steppenwolf Theatre Company
BWW Review: WICKED at Oriental Theatre
BWW Review: BEAUTIFUL THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL is Some Kind of Wonderful