On the Road: Broadway Up Close—One of the Best Shows on Broadway Isn’t a Musical
Tim Dolan is an actor—occasionally. But his regular gig is as a Broadway tour guide and entrepreneur. He’s owner of…
Dance
Review: Perlman and Klezmer Fill Symphony Center with Tradition and Joy
Bands playing klezmer, the distinctly Jewish and mostly joyous music genre, get to play on many stages. Add Itzhak Perlman—one…
Review: Dwarf Fortress Is Breathtakingly Complex
I’ve always had a certain fascination with Dwarf Fortress. I haven’t played it before now, but I’d always stumble across…
Review: Brandon Goldberg is Phenomenal in Chicago Jazz Orchestra’s A Musical Tribute to Charlie Brown Christmas
The Chicago Jazz Orchestra gave this child of the sixties a wonderful chance to reminisce with A Musical Tribute to…
Review: Two Winners in the Nutcracker Ballet Relay
My interest in classical music was weaned on Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker ballet. So I leapt at the opportunity…
Review: Broadway Rising Chronicles the Cost, Both Human and Financial, of the Great White Way’s Pandemic Closure
Although some may not have considered the arts an essential function during the COVID-19 pandemic, in the city of New…
Review: Beabadoobee’s Vitality Matched Her Devoted Fans’ Enthusiasm
Singer and songwriter Beabadoobee, the musical pseudonym of Beatrice Kristi Laus, brought her imaginative universe of Beatopia to the Riviera…
Review: Cyanide and Happiness’ Master Dater Is a Great New Holiday Party Game
Tabletop party games are everywhere these days. A simple trip to Target will turn up dozens and dozens of them.…
Review: Gender Bends in Midsommer Flight’s Twelfth Night
William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night is a mistaken-identity rom-com designed as a frolic to entertain at the end of the holiday…
Review: Hot Handel Kicks Off the Holidays at the Auditorium Theatre
I heard that there was some Grinch behavior spreading around Chicago. Even I have mandated that my office shalt not…
Review: The Buttcracker: A Nutcracker Burlesque—Here to Make Christmas Cheer Queer
The Buttcracker (playing at the Greenhouse Theater Center through December 31) is a Nutcracker Burlesque, a Yule pantomime with elements…
Review: Noah Baumbach Embraces Absurdity, Uncertainty in Weird, Interesting White Noise
Filmmaker Noah Baumbach has made a career out of films that explore the absurdity of humanity, the seemingly arbitrary connections…
Review: Family Drama Memories of My Father Channels A Deep Father/Son Relationship Alongside Shallow Colombian Politics
After truly enjoying his previous few films (The Queen of Spain, The Artist and the Model, and the Oscar-nominated animated…
Review: Will Smith Stars in Emancipation, a Story of Enslavement, War, Faith and Triumph
Set about 100 years apart, there are two films out right now built around real-life photographs of brutalized Black bodies…
Review: A Twisted Spin on Santa, Violent Night is Mostly Obvious Humor and Intermittent Action
From the production/stunt team that brought us such films as John Wick, Nobody, Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, and Hobbs &…
It’s The Final Bandcamp of 2022, Let’s Support Some Local Artists
It’s the final Bandcamp Friday of the year! What initially was a short term way to help bands affected by…
Review: This Year at the Chopin Theatre, It’s A Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! Is as Enjoyable, Moving as Ever
I had to check the archives to be sure, but I can now say with certainty I’ve seen American Blues…
Review: Tilda Swinton Plays Mother and Daughter in Haunting, Hypnotic The Eternal Daughter
Haunting and mysterious from the first frame, the latest from writer/director Joanna Hogg is the story of filmmaker Julie and…
Review: A Wounded Fawn Attempts to Combine Serial Killer Horror with Artistic Introspection
After an array of indie hits as a producer (A Horrible Way To Die, Cheap Thrills, We Are Still Here)…
Your Chicago Curated Weekend: 12/1 and Beyond
The holiday season is in full effect! Get ready for all the markets and late fall/early winter events popping up!…
