Review: Four Weddings and a Musical in Theo Ubique’s The Drowsy Chaperone
In 1998, the short and sweet musical The Drowsy Chaperone was created in Toronto as a bachelor party gift for creators Bob Martin and Janet Van de Graaff. The first […]
On the Road/Preview: Violinist Benjamin Beilman Is Amazing at the Sun Valley Music Festival Winter Season, Just in Time for a Performance in Chicago
With a fascinating program celebrating the change of seasons and the Americana of Sun Valley, Idaho, violinist Benjamin Beilman, festival Music Director Alasdair Neale, and festival musicians entertained large audiences […]
Review: Environmental Activist Drag Queen Pattie Gonia Electrifies Thalia Hall
This year, March 17 was not only Chicago’s annual St. Patty’s Day celebration, but also an observation of St. Pattie Gonia’s Day at Pilsen’s Thalia Hall. The Nebraska-born, Oregon-residing environmental […]
Review: In Project Hail Mary, Ryan Gosling Plays the Sole Survivor on a Mission to Save the Sun
Based on the wildly popular 2021 novel by Andy Weir (The Martian) and adapted by master genre storyteller Drew Godard (also The Martian, as well as The Cabin in the […]
Review: A Poetic Resurrection, A Lucky Star Retrospective, edited by Henry Kranz
With the opening of Robert Weinberg’s poem—“On North Broadway/Middle aged women roll their pushcarts into Rexalls”—you know you’re not in Kansas any more. Instead, you’re back nearly 40 years to a […]
Commentary: The Hard Knocks School of Reporting, Sirens in the Loop, by Paul Zimbrakos and James Elsener
In the mid-1960s, Anne Keegan wore white gloves to apply for a job as a reporter at City News Bureau of Chicago. She recalled riding the elevator to the wire […]
Review: In its Final Chapter, Netflix’s Peaky Blinders Finds Closure in Dramatic Moments But Falls Short of the Show at Its Best
Editor’s Note: the following article contains spoilers about Peaky Blinders. Here’s the thing about the Netflix original series Peaky Blinders: if you know it, you love it. Unfortunately, for some […]
Preview: Lollapalooza Reveals Their Pristine Pop Forward Lineup for 2026
Summer music lineups are pouring in this week and the four-day behemoth of a festival that is Lollapalooza just jumped into the fray! Lollapalooza will take over Grant Park July […]
Preview: Evanston Folk Festival Returns to Dawes Park and Announces Their 2026 Lineup
There may be snow on the ground and the temps well below freezing right now, but beautiful summer festival are announcing their lineups; giving us something grand to look forward […]
Review: At Lyric Opera, Madama Butterfly Has Excellent Vocals But Distracting Design and Plot Choices
The Lyric Opera of Chicago opened its production of Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly on Saturday. It has been highly anticipated with a new vision for the story of Cio Cio […]
Feature: Is He Guilty? Greek Hero Odysseus Is Tried for Murder in the National Hellenic Museum’s Latest Courtroom-Style Drama
The National Hellenic Museum’s annual trial of a Greek legend returned triumphantly this year with The Trial of Odysseus, the hero of Homer’s Odyssey. Since the series was founded in […]
Review: Michael Shannon, Jason Narducy and Friends Tackle R.E.M. Classics at Metro
In the 21st century, it’s normally a matter of when, not if, a band that breaks up will reform. Some acts barely allow enough time to be missed when the […]