Chicagotheaterbeat

LATEST ARTICLES ( 2140 )

• Review: Deer and the Lovers (First Floor Theater)

  

  Despite excellent set and violence design, world-premiere farce not quite there Review by Lauren Whalen Farce is hard to do well: it's a strange balance of... Read more

  Posted on 16 November 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Singin’ in the Rain (Marriott Theatre)

  

  Despite showing its age, 'Singin' delivers Review by Catey Sullivan In the world of musical theater, Singin' in Rain is a sacred cow. I don't care. It's als... Read more

  Posted on 15 November 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: The Little Flower of East Orange (Eclipse Theatre)

  

  The Little Flower of East Orange Excellent end to fantastic season Review by Lauren Whalen Since 1997, Eclipse Theatre Company has had the unique... Read more

  Posted on 15 November 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: The Amish Project (Interrobang Theatre Project)

  

  Review by Lauren Whalen In 2006, a milkman entered an Amish schoolhouse in Pennsylvania and opened fire, killing 10 young girls and then himself. What... Read more

  Posted on 14 November 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Macbeth (Theatre Y Ensemble)

  

  Overblown and distracting Review by Lauren Whalen When a play's director has a long program note and an even longer bio, it usually doesn't bode well. This i... Read more

  Posted on 14 November 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Chagrin Falls (The Agency Theater Collective)

  

  Intriguing small town saga suffers from inconsistent delivery Review by Lauren Whalen It's easy to write a play set in a small town, in which the characters... Read more

  Posted on 14 November 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Annie (Broadway in Chicago, 2016)

  

  The sun comes up on this feel-good, family-friendly 'Annie' Everyone knows about Annie . She appeared in New York 39 years ago (actually earlier than that in... Read more

  Posted on 13 November 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: I Am My Own Wife (About Face Theatre)

  

  Enthralling docudrama will fill you with heartbreak, awe and joy Review by Catey Sullivan Even shrouded in uncertainties, there's no denying that the life... Read more

  Posted on 13 November 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Crazy for You (Drury Lane Theatre)

  

  Huge heart, killer dancing make for 'Crazy' good holiday fun Review by Catey Sullivan Deep in the second half of Crazy for You , the brothers Gershwin unleas... Read more

  Posted on 12 November 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: The Mars Assignment (Collaboraction)

  

  Well-intentioned, but clumsy, world premiere Review by Lauren Whalen From its program notes to its final line of dialogue, The Mars Assignment is brimming... Read more

  Posted on 11 November 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: End of the Rainbow (Porchlight Music Theatre)

  

  Sparkling, transformative and deeply human Review by Lauren Whalen Judy Garland never stood a chance: a performer since childhood, she was literally drugged... Read more

  Posted on 10 November 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Betrayal (Raven Theatre)

  

  Review by Lauren Whalen The PR spin on Raven Theatre's production of Betrayal is telling the story from the woman's perspective. At first I wasn't sure what... Read more

  Posted on 10 November 2016 THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: The Magic Play (Goodman Theatre)

  

  World premiere full of jaw-dropping magic, distracting side stories Review by Catey Sullivan If you're a fan of up-close magic - sleights-of-hand that... Read more

  Posted on 08 November 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Fun Home (Broadway in Chicago)

  

  'Home' a moving testament to sheer, enthralling storytelling Review by Catey Sullivan There are no leggy chorines in Fun Home , no spangly kick lines, and... Read more

  Posted on 08 November 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: East Texas Hot Links (Writers Theatre)

  

  Brutal, lyrical play hits you on a visceral level Review by Catey Sullivan The ever-intensifying burn that simmers through the first 40 or so minutes of... Read more

  Posted on 06 November 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Saturn Returns (The Neo-Futurists)

  

  Touching, but uneven, world premiere Review by Lauren Whalen The term "Saturn return" describes the planet's 29-year journey around the sun, which has both... Read more

  Posted on 03 November 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Red Velvet (Raven Theatre)

  

  Strong cast tell fascinating story with strong parallels to today In Playwright Lolita Chakrabarti's Red Velvet , we are taken back in time to London in... Read more

  Posted on 26 October 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Still (Interrobang Theatre Project)

  

  Bizarre, nuanced and poignant, with a beautiful ending scene Review by Lauren Whalen The death of a child is a unique tragedy: even with a diagnosis or a... Read more

  Posted on 19 October 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• 2016 Equity Jeff Awards Announced

  

  Now in its 48th Equity season, the Jeff Awards has been honoring Chicago's outstanding theatre artists annually since it's establishment in 1968. The Jeff... Read more

  Posted on 18 October 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• 2016 Equity Jeff Awards Announced

  Now in its 48th Equity season, the Jeff Awards has been honoring outstanding theatre artists annually since it was established in 1968. Read more

  Posted on 18 October 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA