A sort of equal-opportunity snake pit of corruption, violence and ridiculous sex-capades, Matthew-Lee Erlbach’s play is now receiving its world premiere at Steppenwolf Theatre.

For those still unfamiliar with the magic Hershey Felder can create, an introduction to the man, whose enthralling show about Tchaikovsky is now in a limited engagement at Steppenwolf’s Upstairs Theatre, is essential.

The beautifully thought-out program serves as a subtle but revealing portrait of the deep but varied influences that have taken root in this country.

In many ways this show was ahead of its time when it was created. And now, whatever the flaws might be in this 21st century “rotation,” it is worth the price of a ticket for a ride on the “Carousel.”

The concert now being performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus – with the German conductor-composer Matthias Pintscher in flawless command – is sure to serve as a vivid reminder that Maurice Ravel’s genius was far more complex than “Bolero.”

A richly evocative new play by Philip Dawkins is now receiving a vividly acted world premiere at Raven Theatre.

Theater critic Hedy Weiss reviews “Pretty Woman,” “Sweeney Todd,” plus dramas at the Goodman Theatre and more.

In her brilliant play “Smart People,” Lydia R. Diamond creates an impossibly thorny and twisted verbal, emotional and intellectual maze of race, sex and “super-achieverdom.”

Can a story that feeds on the decades-old roots of the #MeToo movement serve as a deftly massaged corrective?

I confess I was wary about how this story would hold up a full half-century after the film dealt with some very uncomfortable truths. But the more things have changed, the more things have remained (almost) the same.

The work of two of Chicago’s most enduring but dramatically different contemporary dance companies – Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Giordano Dance Chicago – was on elaborate display this past weekend. 

The human voice is a remarkable instrument. And when the 115 heavenly souls of the Chicago Symphony Chorus gather on stage with the musicians of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, something extraordinary happens.

Corrupt and greedy politicians, a poorly educated citizenry skeptical of science and “facts,” and short-term thinking about the impact of pollution on health were all issues in 1882 when the play debuted and still resonate today.

A memorable moment from the film version of Peter Shaffer’s play, “Amadeus,” came rushing back to mind as I listened to this weekend’s glorious, spirit-altering concert by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, which opened with Haydn’s “Symphony No. 89” and was followed by two works by his younger contemporary, Mozart.

With its three major venues on Navy Pier, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater is a nonstop operation. Evidence of that can be seen in the just-announced season: 14 productions, a slew of guest directors and a mix of shows created both here and abroad.

This is a scorching production that is all the more potent for its extreme, immersive intimacy. Read the full review.