Review: U Should C Happy 2 B Here at the Annoyance Theatre
In most fields, calling someone or something “dumb” is an insult. Clients don’t want a “dumb” lawyer to handle their case. Authors aren’t going to include a critic’s “This book […]
Review: Strawdog Theatre Stages Shakespeare in a Pub—It’s Much Ado About Nothing: The Ides Reunion Episode
The Strawdog Theatre Company is staging a new take on Shakespeare with a satire of ’90s reality shows. Much Ado About Nothing: The Ides Reunion is a spoof of the […]
Review: Chicago Children’s Theatre Go, Dog, Go! Ve Perro ¡Ve! Is Spare With Words and Lavish With Fun
Nothing says willing suspension of disbelief like children watching a show. For the young ones gathered at Chicago Children’s Theatre’s world premiere of a new version of Go, Dog, Go, […]
Review: Lyric Opera’s New Version of La Boheme Is Set in a Realistic Paris and Sounds Wonderful
This may be the fourth time I have seen La Boheme at the Lyric. It is my all-time favorite and gets me misty every time. The 2025 version is advertised […]
Review: Joffrey’s Winning Works Presents a Thrilling Glimpse of the Future
Being present at the beginning of a burgeoning career in the arts is a privilege. The Grainger Academy is a training program exclusively operated by the Joffrey Ballet. Winning Works […]
Review: Idle Muse Theatre Presents a Vibrant and Lively Production of The School for Scandal
The lights slowly come down at the top of the show. Audience members quiet down and all look towards the stage, waiting for the action to begin. Then, the lights […]
Review: The Drowning Girls by Three Crows Theatre Tells a True Crime Story With Dramatic Style
The three drowning girls are young women in their 20s and 30s, desperate to marry and avoid spinsterhood. The time is the early 20th century, and Bessie Mundy, Alice Burnham […]
Dialogs: Paul Reiser Reflects on His Career —“I Didn’t Plan Any of This Shit”—at Chicago Humanities Event
“I didn’t plan any of this shit.” That was Paul Reiser’s hilarious and refreshingly honest assessment of the long—and still ongoing—list of accomplishments in a career spanning over four decades. […]
Review: Alvin Ailey Dance Theater Brings a Spiritual Revival High to the Auditorium
I search for meaning in these times of turmoil, which usually would lead me to a traditional church environment. In the last decade, however, I have found comfort in the […]
Review: At Jackalope Theatre, Dummy in Diaspora Portrays Post-Millennial and First-Generational Angst
A lot of new work is showing up in the theater world, and mastery of tech allows more productions on stage and streaming. The post-Millennials are possibly the most connected […]
Review: Ballet Folklórico de México Performs a Festival of Passion, Music, and Pride in Traditions
Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández revives some great memories from my childhood, visiting my grandparents’ neighborhood near Pilsen. The performance last Saturday was greeted with applause and shouts […]
Review: Titus Andronicus Up Close and Intense at Redtwist Theatre
The last time I saw Titus Andronicus, it was promenade-style, staged in the attic of an old Gilded Age mansion in Morgan Park. The audience walked through the play as […]