The theater company’s new home in Evanston marks a grand, and grandly deserved step upward. Its opening production looks at what happens when men lose their well-paying factory jobs and self-respect.
Stories by Hedy Weiss
Overly Similar Pieces Undercut Impact of Hubbard Street’s New Works Festival
If you are in search of fresh choreographic talent, why not turn to the dancers who are right under foot in your own studio? Sometimes, this makes perfect sense. But as revealed in “dance(e)volve New Works Festival,” there can be drawbacks to this effort.
Lyric’s ‘Cendrillon’ an Enchanting French Rendering of ‘Cinderella’
Alternately farcical and romantic, this very French rendering of the Cinderella story has arrived on the Lyric Opera stage for the very first time in an altogether enchanting production.
The Splendor, Invention in Joffrey’s ‘Nutcracker’ Grows Stronger Each Year
Now in its third season, the Joffrey Ballet’s radiant and altogether ingenious production of choreographer Christopher Wheeldon’s Chicago-themed reinvention of “The Nutcracker” is more luminous than ever.
‘Rise Up!’ Lifts the Curtain on Era of Social, Theatrical Revolution
A review of Chris Jones’ new book
In his new book, Chris Jones – my colleague-on-the-aisle in Chicago since the 1990s – has chronicled the American theater in a singularly creative way.
Wedding Rehearsal Exposes Cross-Cultural Chaos in Danai Gurira’s ‘Familiar’
With great bursts of raucous humor, as well as zany rom-com moments and deep anguish, playwright Danai Gurira infuses her exuberantly boisterous play with issues of family contention that go well beyond the usual disputes.
Tradition and Hi-Tech Blend Seamlessly in Broadway-Ready ‘Wizard of Oz’
At Paramount Theatre, director-choreographer Amber Mak and her sensational team of actors and designers magically pay homage to the emotional richness of the 1939 film while incorporating some of the newest tricks of technology.
New ‘Miss Saigon’ Tour Turns Up the Heat But Loses the Heart
The new touring production of the epic show could not be more elaborate, but it trades more in shock value than pathos, and loses something in the process.
Mary Zimmerman Puts English Panto Twist on Heartbreaking Tale
To bring Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Steadfast Tin Soldier” to vivid life, director Mary Zimmerman looks to the English pantomime tradition, and draws on her ingenious, visually stunning storytelling tricks.
‘Mansfield Park’ a Sparkling Reminder of Why Jane Austen Endures
Watching Northlight Theatre’s luminous world premiere stage version of Jane Austen’s third published novel, it was impossible not to wonder what the writer might make of her enduring cult status among 21st century audiences.
Irving Berlin’s ‘Holiday Inn’ Becomes Newly Minted Gem on Marriott Stage
The recent Broadway musical based on the hit 1942 film is an old-fashioned charmer on every level, with just enough of a sardonic bite to make it feel fresh, and just enough nostalgia to pierce your heart.
Nature, Nurture and the Art of Creation in Manual Cinema’s Astonishing ‘Frankenstein’
This wildly imaginative version of Mary Shelley’s classic is at once handmade and high-tech, and as you take your seat at Court Theatre, you immediately sense that something completely out of the ordinary is about to unfold.
CSO’s ‘Verdi Requiem’ is Music of the Moment in Wake of Latest Slaughter
Verdi’s monumental and altogether ravishing “Requiem” is a signature work of Maestro Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. In light of recent shootings, Thursday’s performance brought even greater potency and fire to this work.
Visceral Dance Soars in a Dramatic New Industrial Space
A study in the darkness and luminosity inherent in human interaction, “Take” is nothing short of spellbinding. And it marks a new high point in artistic director Nick Pupillo’s always original, sensual, highly charged choreography.
In ‘Scientific Method,’ Politics in the Lab Are as Rigorous as the Research
If you think this country’s political culture is the quintessential hornet’s nest, you probably haven’t been exposed to life in the world of scientific research. Jenny Connell Davis puts it under a powerful magnifying microscope in this world premiere work.
A Chicago Homecoming for Daniel Barenboim
At an intimate press conference celebrating his return visit to the city, conductor Daniel Barenboim expressed his delight at what will be a two-part homecoming at Symphony Center.
In ‘Lady in Denmark,’ One Woman’s Life in Copenhagen and Chicago, Set to Echoes of Billie Holiday
As it happens, there are two “ladies” in Dael Orlandersmith’s play, “Lady in Denmark,” now in its world premiere at the Goodman Theatre. But only one is fully seen or heard on stage.
In ‘Fight Night,’ Clever Voting Game Suggests What Our Elections Are Really About
Audience members engage in a process similar to a television “elimination” contest to choose one of five contenders for an unspecified office. It is great fun, but also offers food for thought – and a healthy dose of cynicism.
‘Hello, Dolly!’ Still Leads the Parade of Musicals in the Key of Joyful Escapism
The enduring 1964 hit with an impossibly catchy score fervently champions the quest for love, adventure, mischief and the all-important joy (and necessity) of seizing the day.
In ‘Private Peaceful,’ Most Brutal Enemy Turns Out to Be One’s Own Country
A beautifully realized, profoundly moving one-man show now on stage at the Greenhouse Theater Center features a performance of great heart by Shane O’Regan.
American Blues Theater’s ‘Buddy Holly Musical’ Tops 2018 Equity Jeff Awards
They say “the music died” on the day in 1959 when rock ‘n’ roll legend Buddy Holly perished in a plane crash. But that geeky Texas boy with the trademark thick glasses is still making a big noise.
At the CSO, a Pianist Shakes the Musical Universe With a Prokofiev Concerto
You have just one more chance to catch a concert at Symphony Center that brings you into direct contact with absolute genius. Beg, borrow (or maybe even steal) a ticket to hear 27-year-old Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov in an electrifying performance.
Joffrey Ballet Dancers Demonstrate Their Prowess in ‘Swan Lake’
It has been four years since the Joffrey Ballet first performed Christopher Wheeldon’s reimagining of “Swan Lake.” Its current revival serves as a vivid indication of the extraordinary artistry that now defines the Joffrey, from principal dancers to corps.
In Porchlight’s ‘Gypsy,’ a Mama Rose of Hurricane Force
With her force-of-nature personality, powerhouse voice and galvanic emotional range, E. Faye Butler was clearly was born to play Mama Rose.
African-American Women Assert Their Independence in ‘Flyin’ West’
With echoes of “Oklahoma” in its evocation of the hardscrabble lives of exceptionally strong women, Pearl Cleage’s story revolves around the different choices made by four women, including the elderly but unbending matriarchal figure who experienced the abominations of slavery, yet survived to tell the story.
