Theater
Reviews of Chicago’s stage shows and news from the actors and actresses putting on the performances.
The awards, which recognize excellence in non-equity theater in the Chicago area, honored 35 winners in all, selected from 167 nominees representing 28 artistic/technical categories.
Lyric deserves enormous credit for embracing this undertaking and going all in both in terms of scale and daring. It is, by any measure, a major event.
The show that opened Thursday in New York is a hyped-up, over-caffeinated fractured fairy tale that loses its way in the forest and wastes some of the nicest melodies Andrew Lloyd Webber has written in decades.
‘The Book of Mormon,’ Lyric Opera’s ‘Proximity,’ Wilco in concert and the Greek Heritage Parade are among the highlights in the week ahead.
The musical theater composer, whose latest show debuts next week, revealed he’s sitting out the premiere on Thursday to be with his son Nicholas, who is battling stomach cancer.
In a radical departure, the three new operas featured in ‘Proximity’ are not being treated as stand-alone pieces presented in succession, but are interwoven.
Even though we get nearly the full story, “The Comedy of Errors” feels more sampled than fully done.
Overall, the show has many entertaining renditions of Turner’s iconic numbers, for the most part well-contextualized around the storyline.
Tedeschi Trucks Band, Shamrock Shenanigans and “Tuk Tuks on Devon” are among the entertainment highlights in the week ahead.
There’s so much to like about “Layalina,” in both the writing and the production. But where Act One possesses an underlying drive and the capability of surprise, Act Two floats and meanders, mostly presenting the predictable.
Season subscription renewals are currently on sale.
Writer Rajiv Joseph reveals a compelling mishmash in Steppenwolf Theatre Chicago premiere.
Ryan Opera Center grad J’Nai Bridges brings fiery stage presence and a stunning voice to her signature role, but her performance does not completely click.
It’s a gently affectionate bio of the band’s late founder and long-time leader Maurice White told through in-character narration and so much incredible music.
The show, full of songs alluding to the state’s people and places, will make its world premiere in New York State and then run at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
After years of playing Tevye on stage in London and on Broadway, he scored the lead role in the 1971 Norman Jewison-directed film version, winning the Golden Globe award for lead actor and being nominated for a best actor Academy Award.
The annual St. Patrick’s Day dyeing of the Chicago River and the opening of a touring Tina Turner musical are among the week’s entertainment highlights.
The jukebox musical explores many facets of the superstar’s life both onstage and off.
In nearly 50 years, legendary animal trainer William Berloni has rescued over 100 dogs that would go on to play the role of Sandy in the stage musical.
The oft-rousing and well-truncated book by Peter Stone — celebratory but not without a recognition of the deeply imperfect compromises the union is built on — is wrapped into a standard-issue musical comedy aesthetic.
The family musical “Annie,” the dancers of Alvin Ailey and new interactive art at Navy Pier are among the highlights in the week ahead.
While lacking the proper precision and passion, production of the Tony winner captures the loveliness of the music and the likability of the characters.
The world-premiere stage adaptation of Mahogany L. Browne’s young adult novel delivers dramatically and — in a number of thrilling basketball sequences — athletically.
‘1776,’ a ‘Stevie Wonder Experience’ stage revue, and the 26th annual Chicago European Union Film Festival are among the highlights in the week ahead.
The Broadway musical will be back after ending a record-setting “sit-down” run in the city in 2020.
Clocking in at just over two and a half hours, Sara Gmitter’s adaptation of Charlotte Bronte’s “Villette,” feels abridged to the point of incompleteness.
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