Chicagotheaterbeat

LATEST ARTICLES ( 2140 )

• Review: Taste (Red Theater Chicago)

  Taste is absolutely not for the faint of heart, and is like nothing I’ve ever seen. If you have a strong stomach and a sick sense of humor, I highly recommend... Read more

  Posted on 10 May 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: A Red Line Runs Through It (Second City E.t.c.)

  

  A Red Line Runs Through It Diverse cast helps us laugh at life in the Windy City Just as the title suggests, A Red Line Runs Through It is a commentary... Read more

  Posted on 04 May 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Dry Land (Rivendell Theatre)

  

  No woman is an island in powerful Chicago premiere Rivendell's has certainly stepped up their atmosphere game for the second production of their "Body Politic... Read more

  Posted on 02 May 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Even Longer and Farther Away (The New Colony)

  

  World premiere takes a problematic journey The New Colony prides itself on original material: each of their productions is either created by the cast in a... Read more

  Posted on 30 April 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Evita (Marriott Theatre, 2016)

  

  Hit or miss lead makes production good, not great Evita is an intriguing musical. For all the time the audience spends with the title character, who is... Read more

  Posted on 29 April 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: The House of Blue Leaves (Raven Theatre)

  

  Superb cast tackles tricky tones to great success in new classic When it was revealed that Rep. Bob Brady had pinched the water glass used by Pope Francis so... Read more

  Posted on 29 April 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Sender (A Red Orchid Theatre)

  

  World premiere suffers from inauthentic interactions Here's the short take on 's Sender . I didn't get it. Also: I don't believe there was anything substantiv... Read more

  Posted on 28 April 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: The Women of Lockerbie (AstonRep Theatre)

  

  Faulty telling of inspiring story While compelling and fulfilling, true stories require a sure hand in adaptation. Failure to carefully construct a narrative... Read more

  Posted on 28 April 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: 180 Degree Rule (Babes With Blades)

  

  World premiere a fun female-driven noir As I was telling a friend last week, small theater companies must have a hook, a distinct purpose, to survive this... Read more

  Posted on 27 April 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Dreamgirls (Porchlight Music Theatre)

  

  Dreamgirls A thrilling night of high-octane talent Measure for measure, Dreamgirls has more star turns in its first 15 minutes than many musicals have in... Read more

  Posted on 27 April 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Jesus Hopped The ‘A’ Train (Eclipse Theatre)

  

  Eclipse Theatre Company has the unique mission of focusing on one playwright per season. This year belongs to Stephen Adly Guirgis, a playwright and actor... Read more

  Posted on 26 April 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Bullets Over Broadway (Broadway in Chicago)

  

  Crass, cartoonish waste of money The non-Equity tour of Bullets Over Broadway presents one of the great, enduring questions of show business. It's actually a... Read more

  Posted on 24 April 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Hillary and Clinton (Victory Gardens Theater)

  

  Good, not great, political fiction In such a chaotic and divisive political climate, it's natural and appropriate that theater will reflect its surroundings.... Read more

  Posted on 22 April 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Paper City Phoenix (Tympanic Theatre)

  

  No need to visit this city "This is the New Loneliness" is the glaxon bleat of many a commentary article in this age of connected-to-disconnection, so says... Read more

  Posted on 21 April 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Jabari Dreams of Freedom (Chicago Children’s Theatre)

  

  Important, timely - and sugarcoated There should be more children's theater about civil rights. We already know it's largely ignored in most history texts, a... Read more

  Posted on 20 April 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Kill Floor (American Theater Company)

  

  Compelling and complex, but not cohesive Abe Koogler's Kill Floor is filled with complex, dynamic characters whose damaged lives will intrigue you from the... Read more

  Posted on 20 April 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin (Royal George Theatre, 2016)

  

  Felder's latest biography succeeds on many levels During World War II, Frank Capra directed a series of propaganda films promoting the U.S.A.'s involvement... Read more

  Posted on 19 April 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: The Few (Steep Theatre)

  

  Stepping into Steep Theatre last Thursday night was akin to stepping back in time. Gravel crunched underneath my feet, and I experienced a strong flashback to... Read more

  Posted on 18 April 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Trash (New American Folk Theatre)

  

  One man's trash is another man's....still trash A big problem with anyone wanting to bring a camp tragicomedy to Chicago from anywhere (in this case,... Read more

  Posted on 15 April 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA

• Review: Carlyle (Goodman Theatre)

  

  Offensive and manipulative Carlyle is billed as a satire. It's not. The piece delivers some of the most straightforwardly offensive and despicable forms of... Read more

  Posted on 15 April 2016 CULTURE, THEATRE & OPERA