ATC’s Men on Boats Surveys the American West and the Gender Landscape
Men on Boats, a regional premiere now on stage at American Theater Company, is the story of the 1869 exploration of the Green and Colorado rivers for the U.S. government. […]
Winner…of Our Discontent Wins Us Over at Second City
It was back in March that Chicago came out in force to protest the Trump rally and forced it out of town. And while that pushback and protest didn’t precede […]
Trap Door’s Phèdre Tells Greek Tragedy 21st Century Style
Trap Door Theatre’s punky, funky production of Racine’s Phèdre is 75 minutes of Greek theater done 21st century style, directed by Trap Door veteran Nicole Weisner. The fanciful costuming and […]
This Week at Harris Theater: SEA–Interview with Director Streb
I interviewed director Elizabeth Streb about her upcoming show SEA (Singular Extreme Actions) at Harris Theater. Streb’s work as a choreographer is groundbreaking (sometimes literally). I asked her what distinguishes […]
Meet the Puppet Master of the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival
The 2nd annual Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival is about to be unleashed upon Chicago just in time to distract us from the deep freeze of winter. Playing at multiple […]
Best of 2016: On Stage in Chicago
As usual, Chicago’s more than 200 theaters—both Equity and non-Equity—provided a magical wealth of productions for theatergoers and theater critics alike. Third Coast Review’s Stages writers reviewed more than 200 […]
The Nutcracker by Christopher Wheeldon: A Changed Classic
Christopher Wheeldon is a visionary; there’s no doubt about that. When I learned that he’d be dreaming up a revamped version of The Nutcracker featuring the Joffrey Ballet, I couldn’t resist a […]
The Phantom of the Opera Offers an Awe-Inspiring Show at the Cadillac Palace
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera debuted at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, and I can’t give anything but a glowing review of this timeless love story. Rush […]
Ghost Stories and Missed Connections at The Weir, a Classic “Third Place”
The Guinness tap may not be working tonight at the local pub, but the stout flows freely anyway in this tale of ghost stories and real-life emotion at Irish Theatre […]
Lyric’s The Magic Flute A Spellbinding Homegrown Fairytale
Lyric Opera of Chicago’s high-concept reimagination of Mozart’s classic opera, The Magic Flute couples the fantasy of its source material with the imaginative resourcefulness of several children in their backyard. […]
Mr. and Mrs. Pennyworth Keeps Fairy Tales Alive at Lookingglass Theatre
Mr. & Mrs. Pennyworth have an important task—to keep fairy tales alive. And Odin, like any good marketing executive, has outsourced the job to them. This family-friendly show is a […]
The Christians Dramatizes a Crisis at a Megachurch–With Music
Lucas Hnath’s play The Christians at Steppenwolf Theatre challenges the belief systems of its characters on stage as well as those of religious and nonreligious audience members. The heart of The Christians […]