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Matthew Nerber

ARTICLES: 58
Interviews, Stages, Theater

Horror is Healing: A Conversation with Hilary Williams of WildClaw Theatre’s Second Skin

Hilary Williams loves horror. In the dim light of the bar at the Den Theatre (where she is performing in Wildclaw Theatre’s production of Second Skin) her eyes grow wide when […]

Matthew Nerber /
Review, Stages, Theater

Stage Shorts: Four Plays About the AIDS Crisis, Greek Tragedy, Missionaries and Swordplay in Skirts

Holding the Man Dramatizes True Story of Australian Actor’s Life With HIV Holding the Man, based on Timothy Conigrave’s memoir of the same name, tells the heartbreaking life story of the Australian […]

Matthew Nerber /
Music, Reviews

Sondre Lerche Brings Pleasure to Schubas With Intimate Solo Show

Sondre Lerche has been at it for nearly two decades, spinning melodic confessional yarns across eight studio albums with his signature folk-rock-jazz-pop stylings and ever-clever wordplay. No stranger to invention, […]

Matthew Nerber /
Review, Stages, Theater

Stage Shorts: Four Plays About Memory, Love and Disaster at Eclectic, Cuckoo’s and Pride

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Welcome to Stage Shorts, our feature that highlights current plays at Chicago’s storefront theaters. It’s our way of covering more of Chicago’s theatrical productions and giving you more choices in […]

Matthew Nerber /
Review, Stages, Theater

Guards at the Taj Remounts Acclaimed New York Production for Steppenwolf Theatre

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Amy Morton, the legendary Steppenwolf Ensemble member known for her work as both actor and director, brings her staging of Rajiv Joseph’s off-Broadway smash hit to Chicago, complete with original […]

Matthew Nerber /
Review, Stages, Theater

20,000 Leagues Under the Seas Adapts the Classic Tale for the Lookingglass Stage

Professor Arronax (Kasey Foster), expert of all things oceanic, has been brought aboard a US Naval Vessel to aide in the search for an elusive killer of ships– is it […]

Matthew Nerber /
Review, Stages, Theater

Stage Shorts–Plays From Haven, Organic and Broken Nose

Stage Shorts is our new column for Third Coast Review. It’s our way of covering more of Chicago’s fabulous storefront theaters and giving you more choices in the plays you […]

Matthew Nerber /
Review, Stages, Theater

The Wizard of Oz at Chicago Theatre Can’t Quite Catch Movie Magic

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Based on the 1939 MGM Classic of the same name, The Wizard of Oz attempts to adapt the tale of one Kansas kid’s quest to find the titular mage for the […]

Matthew Nerber /
Review, Stages, Theater

In Wake of Recent Tragedies, The Yard Shines With Brutal, Brilliant Columbinus

Columbinus, directed by Mechelle Moe as part of Steppenwolf’s LookOut series, is a must-see production, insomuch as words on the internet cannot do it justice. I read this script a […]

Matthew Nerber /
Stages, Theater

True Story of Deception Inspires Timeline’s World Premiere To Catch a Fish

To Catch a Fish, according to the supplemental program notes, was inspired by Chauncey Wright, a Milwaukee native unknowingly caught up in a web of illegal activity. Written by Chicago […]

Matthew Nerber /