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BWW Review: SPRING AWAKENING at Porchlight Music Theatre

Porchlight’s SPRING AWAKENING brings out moments of the raw emotion and many of the angsty vibes in the musical with Hlava’s Wendla and Kelch’s Mortiz as powerful anchors in this ensemble of angsty teens (though, aside from Hlava, all the actors are past their teen days). While the production doesn’t solve the musical’s challenges of underbaked characters and heavy-handedness when it comes to the issues presented, Didier’s direction and choreography bring us some nice tableaus, along with Justin Akira Kono’s music direction that highlights the ensemble in key vocal moments.

BWW Review: Timeline Theatre Company's RELENTLESS at Goodman Theatre

Although the play takes place in 1919, Tyla Abercrumbie’s RELENTLESS probes prescient themes of family secrets, inherited trauma, and the enduring legacy of racism for two affluent Black sisters living in the northern part of the United States. Director Ron OJ Parson remounts TimeLine Theatre Company’s production at the Goodman’s Owen Theatre after a sold-out initial run.

BWW Review: IN EVERY GENERATION at Victory Gardens Theater

IN EVERY GENERATION explores the duality of the cyclical nature of humanity - specifically, in this play, the Jewish experience. As playwright Ali Viterbi's text reveals, sometimes cycles can be sources of comfort and tradition - as is the case with the Levi-Katz's family annual Passover Seder and many other Jewish holidays. In this case, the cycle of ritual is a powerful moment of family gathering and remembrance. But in other ways, the cycles that humans perpetuate can be damaging - for grandparents Paola and Davide, the trauma from their experiences as Holocaust survivors lives on many years later as the family gathers for Passover 2019 in the play's first scene. The play asks if not just the Jewish people, but American society on the whole will uphold the phrase 'Never Again' - are we now truly moving towards a world in which hatred - and specifically anti-Semitism - might someday be eliminated? Or are we doomed to repeat this cycle of trauma and xenophobia because human memory is simultaneously long and short?

BWW Review: GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR at Goodman Theatre

Doug Wright’s GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR, now in its world premiere production at Goodman Theatre, is an engaging play that brings the story of one infamous night in the life of Oscar Levant to the stage. Read our critic's review.

Photo/Video: First Look at Sean Hayes, Ben Rappaport & More in GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR

Over the course of a four-hour release from a mental ward, and in front of thousands on live TV, the irrepressible and witty Oscar Levant, played by Emmy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated actor Sean Hayes, lays bare the necessity of insanity in the making of brilliant work and the cost he is willing to pay to entertain the masses.

Photos/Video: First Look at WEST SIDE STORY at Marriott Theatre

The Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Dr. in Lincolnshire, is kicking off the New Year with WEST SIDE STORY, the revolutionary Tony Award-winning musical that forever changed American theater running now through March 27, 2022.

Photos: Inside Look at GROUNDHOG DAY: THE MUSICAL at The Paramount Theatre

Paramount Theatre presents the Midwest regional premiere of this uproariously funny, surprisingly touching and simply inspirational musical comedy. Previews start Wednesday, January 26, 2022. Performances run now through Sunday, March 13. Paramount Theatre is located at 23 E. Galena Blvd. in Aurora. Single tickets, $36-$79, are on sale now.

BWW Review: FANNIE: THE MUSIC AND LIFE OF FANNIE LOU HAMER at Seattle Rep

Dear Readers, before I talk about the current Seattle Rep production of Cheryl L. West’s, “Fannie: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer” I need to step up on my soapbox for a minute. And if what I’m about to talk about offends, then something tells me you wouldn’t want to see the show anyway, so you can just move on. But I need to address the lack of advance knowledge I had about Fannie Lou Hamer and the struggle for black people to get to vote in this country. A struggle that sadly still exists today, making this show quite timely. But the fact that this stain on our history, among others, are not readily taught in our schools is appalling and why the inclusion of Critical Race Theory needs to be included in our curriculum. We’re more than happy to talk about the atrocities of other countries but when it comes to our own, we look the other way. And I doubt I was the only one last night who wasn’t familiar with the works of Hamer and the horrors she endured. Something we all should think about. OK, off the soapbox, let’s talk about Fannie.

BWW Review: FANNIE at Goodman Theatre

E. Faye Butler gives a formidable performance as civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer in Cheryl L. West’s one-woman play.

Photos: First Look at FANNIE at Goodman Theatre

Get a first look at the powerful and electric Fannie (The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer) by Cheryl L. West, directed by Goodman Resident Artistic Associate Henry Godinez.

SIX Queens to Appear on A.R.T.'s LUNCH ROOM in June

American Repertory Theater at Harvard University announced today that members of the A.R.T./Broadway cast of the hit musical sensation SIX will reunite on The Lunch Room on Tuesday, June 1 at 12PM ET. 

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