Stages, Theater

Travelers at the Mexican Border: Waiting for Godot at Tympanic Theatre

You know the scene. “A country road. A tree.” Samuel Beckett couldn’t have been more succinct in the scenic direction for his existential classic, Waiting for Godot. That tree takes […]

Nancy S Bishop /
Stages, Theater

Red Theater’s Beowulf Is a Wacky Duet of Monsters, Mead and Music

The outline of Grendel’s Mother visible in dim red light lies on the floor. She stands up realizing her surroundings and begins her seduction. In direct address, she tells the […]

Emma Terhaar /
Dance, Stages

The Joffrey Ballet Celebrates a New Generation with Game Changers

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This winter, The Joffrey Ballet turns its focus to current choreographers making their mark on the ballet world with Game Changers, which continues through February 26. Game Changers features the […]

Miriam Finder Annenberg /
Stages, Theater

By the Bog of Cats: Irish Gothic Mixed With Greek Tragedy at The Artistic Home

Marina Carr’s 1998 play, By the Bog of Cats, is set in a ghostly bog in the Irish midlands. Hester Swane (a fierce and determined Kristin Collins) has lived in […]

Nancy S Bishop /
Stages, Theater

Straight White Men: Brotherly Horseplay and Rejecting the American Dream

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Matt rejects the American dream, but his father and brothers will have none of it. Straight white men rule the world. Matt has to be happy, use his skills and […]

Nancy S Bishop /
Circus, Stages

The Actors Gymnasium’s Quest Seeks Answers to the Big Questions

A quest is defined by Webster’s dictionary as ‘a search, pursuit, investigation or inquest.’ But it’s also described as ‘a chivalrous enterprise in medieval romance, usually involving an adventurous journey’. […]

Kim Campbell /
Dance, Stages

Jay-Son Tisa Dance Company Returns to the Stage

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After a seven-year hiatus, Jay-Son Tisa Dance Company returns to the Chicago stage February 10. The company plans on making a splash with its return, presenting 15 pieces over the […]

Miriam Finder Annenberg /
Stages, Theater

Northlight’s Faceless A Timely Courtroom Drama by Promising Playwright

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There’s no doubting the timeliness of Selina Fellinger’s play, Faceless. In a world premiere directed by BJ Jones now running at Northlight Theatre, the 22-year-old’s play examines a variety of […]

Brent Eickhoff /
Stages, Theater

The Bodyguard: Singing Along Because I Love the Music. The Play Not So Much.

I will admit that I had a smile on my face when I left the Oriental Theatre after seeing The Bodyguard.  But, while I was smiling and singing along with […]

Kristen Urchell /
Comedy, Stages

The Kates Prove Chicago Comedy Can Help You Get Thru Winter Misery

So Chicago is pretty good, right? The weather is shit, but it’s just as miserable and gray in Minneapolis or Milwaukee or Cleveland or Buffalo. Unlike those cities, in Chicago […]

Emma Terhaar /
Stages, Theater

Preview: New Irish Voices Festival by Irish Theatre of Chicago

Irish Theatre of Chicago will present staged readings from three emerging Irish playwrights three weekends this month at Chief O’Neill’s Pub on Elston Avenue. The plays, never before produced in […]

Nancy S Bishop /
Stages, Theater

Elemeno Pea Spells Bad Choice for Citadel

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At the outset of Elemeno Pea, a Molly Smith-Metzler play at Citadel Theatre, there is arguing.  Halfway in, there’s still arguing. The whole show centers on the tired “rich vs […]

Marielle Bokor /