Stephanie Alison Walker’s new play serves as a chilling reminder of a particularly horrific period in Argentina’s history when, from 1976 to 1983, that nation was under the thumb of a brutal military dictatorship.
Stories by Hedy Weiss
At Lyric, a ‘La Traviata’ of Great Intimacy Amid the Social Whirl of Paris
The beauty of this production goes beyond the absolute glory of Giuseppe Verdi’s impassioned, vocally demanding score. And while the voices are uniformly superb, so is the almost conversational style of acting.
Actors Play the Music of August Wilson’s Dialogue in ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’
The harmonies, dissonances and inflections of the conversations among the four men who form Ma Rainey’s fractious band are something of a spoken-word blues opera in this Writers Theatre revival.
Joffrey Ballet’s World Premiere ‘Anna Karenina’ Fit for the Silver Screen
This haunting, visually fascinating interpretation of Leo Tolstoy’s massive 1877 novel serves as the latest evidence of the unique ability of the Joffrey to turn dance into riveting, multi-dimensional theater.
In ‘A Doll’s House, Part 2,’ a Provocative He Said/She Said Twist on an Ibsen Classic
This sequel to Henrik Ibsen’s groundbreaking play – now receiving its Chicago debut at Steppenwolf Theatre – arrives at a moment when a whole new tsunami-like wave of feminist rebellion has gathered force.
A Brilliantly Subversive Take on ‘The Producers’ at the Paramount
For all its retrograde tropes, Jim Corti’s envelope-pushing (yet entirely faithful) take on Mel Brooks’ 2001 musical feels more contemporary, necessary and dangerously funny than ever before.
At Lyric, an Electrifying ‘Elektra’ With a Rip-Roaring Female Cast
Lyric Opera’s production of “Elektra,” last seen here in 2012, has found its ideal cast this time around with singers whose spectacular, powerhouse voices are matched by superb acting skills.
‘The Father’ Captures Fractured Reality of Dementia to Blistering Effect
The harrowing realism of “The Father” finesses a remarkable feat of imagination that makes the audience experience the same disorientation, confusion and anger that accompany the protagonist’s own loss of clarity and memory.
How Nina Simone Tapped Into the Pain of African-American Women
Christina Ham’s play, “Nina Simone: Four Women,” is the anatomy of a song. And by extension, it is the anatomy of the angry, emotionally wounded singer, songwriter, pianist and civil rights activist who wrote it.
‘Gentleman’s Guide’ Musical Chronicles Wild, Wacky Road to Inheritance
Not even the polar vortex could deter the performers and audience as Porchlight Music Theatre opened its altogether bravura production this week. This brilliantly conceived and equally brilliantly performed show was meant to defy the odds on every count.
CSO’s 2019-20 Season Celebrates Beethoven’s 250th Birthday
A wide array of concerts designed “to explore (Ludwig van Beethoven’s) individuality, power and genius” highlight the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s 2019-2020 season.
‘Photograph 51’ Exposes Pattern of Delayed Recognition for Rosalind Franklin
Anna Ziegler’s play, now in a biting, emotionally vivid production at Court Theatre, shines a light on the visionary chemist who was crucial to the momentous scientific paper explaining the molecular structure of DNA.
Two Exceptionally Magical Imports Light Up Chicago Shakespeare Stages
The work of two theater companies – one from Belgium and the other from France – are paying all-too-brief visits to Chicago Shakespeare Theater stages at the moment.
Bold Mix of Classics, Rarities and New Work Planned for Lyric Opera
Productions of Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly,” Tchaikovsky’s “The Queen of Spades” and the Chicago debut of “Dead Man Walking” are among the highlights of Lyric Opera’s 2019-2020 season.
In ‘The Realistic Joneses,’ 2 Couples Try Desperately to Connect
In a joint production by Shattered Globe Theatre and Theater Wit, director Jeremy Wechsler and his cast have tapped into the deftly conjured, fragmented, offbeat rhythms of Will Eno’s characters with impressive skill.
Puppet Theater Festival Explodes the Boundaries of Classic Art Form
A sampling of a trio of shows conveyed a strong sense that puppets have the power to take on the most vivid existences, even as their human puppeteers project powerful profiles of their own.
Windy City Playhouse Stages Breathtaking Production of ‘Noises Off’
The show, which is literally breathtaking and a breathtakingly funny production by Windy City Playhouse, is a bravura exercise in extreme mental and physical comedy.
Burnt-out Theater Critic Succumbs to Seductive Offer in ‘St. Nicholas’
It takes an actor of formidable technique to bring this two-act, two-hour monologue to vivid, active, almost cinematic life. From the moment Brendan Coyle emerges from the shadows, the spell is cast.
‘La Boheme’ Sings of Love, Lust and Starving Artists
Lyric Opera’s production of Giacomo Puccini’s popular romantic tragedy features singers who not only fit their roles ideally but also know how to act.
High School Playwrights Probe Painful Personal and Social Issues
Students bold enough to try their hand at this challenging art form have the advantage of being able to tap into the raw emotion of youth in a uniquely fearless way.
Music Theater Works Casts an Enchanting Spell With ‘Into the Woods’
With its lushly beautiful, ideally performed production of the Stephen Sondheim-James Lapine musical, Music Theater Works has an instant hit on its hands. But you had better move fast if you want to catch it.
In ‘La Ruta,’ the Plague of Unavenged Murders of Poor Mexican Women
Full of raw emotion, Isaac Gomez’s play, now receiving its world premiere at Steppenwolf Theatre, explores the brutal killing of hundreds of women and girls in Ciudad Juárez between 1993 and 2013.
An Uneven ‘Fiddler’ Revival Arrives at an Ideal Moment
The eternal themes that drive “Fiddler on the Roof” made it an instant classic, but the new touring production featuring contemporary additions makes the show feel uneven.
Chicago Shakespeare’s Flashy ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Tries Too Hard to Be Hip
Despite a number of fine performances and a gorgeous “flower power” set, the whole thing ends up feeling more clunky and exhausting than beguiling. Subtle it is not, and often the poetry and emotion get lost.
A Grand Leap Forward for Chicago’s Deeply Rooted Dance Theater
Six powerful works by the exceptional dance company – including two true masterpieces – explored everything from social issues and personal endurance to a spiritual search.
