2,003 stories by "Scotty Zacher"
With Broadway in Chicago's and Disney Theatricals' *Newsies*, prepare to be entertained! The energy of the 28-member cast, of which nearly 20 are young men under 25, is boundless; as directo…
With Goodman Theatre's world premiere *War Paint*, there's much to like and enjoy. The two starring divas, Patti LuPone and Kristine Ebersole, don't disappoint. The two actresses have 14 son…
Review by Mark Davidson: The american vicarious's world premiere "Douglass" is a worthy account of the crusade of the most revered abolitionist in this country's history. With an intriguing …
Brown Paper Box Co's plunge into another Jeff Bowen musical, "Now. Here. This." struggles to shape characters that are relatable to the audience, and is a perfect example of self-reflection …
The Portrait by Susan Padveen succeeds because of its lovely production values and Cameron Pfiffner's stirring performance, making it a show worth seeing. Greenhouse Theater has recently hir…
Stephen Adly Guirgis' Our Lady of 121st Street is a tribute to innocence lost and the lasting effects of childhood religion. Lovingly written, directed and designed, this funeral dramedy is …
The New Colony's Kin Folk, by William Glick, is a modern-day fantasy. Visually, the show is dazzling, thanks to the evocative projections designed by Paul Deziel. Innovative, well-handled, a…
While many directors seem to approach Company's scenes as necessary evils to get through on their way to Sondheim's tuneful and witty songs, William Brown takes the scenes seriously - and mo…
Chops has a lot of potential - potential that is never completely realized. Fortunately, the three male actors are so accomplished that they can direct themselves, resulting in intense, char…
Windy City Playhouse's *This*, by Melissa James Gibson, is a well-casted 2 hour play about privileged people with problems. Though many plays have this foundation, *This* lacks any type of …
Though Kokandy Productions' Tomorrow Morning doesn't break any ground in musical theater, it's still a sweet, 90-minute pleasing look at love and marriage, beautifully sung by 4 talented per…
Steppenwolf's Between Riverside and Crazy, which won Stephen Adly Guirgis the 2015 Purlitzer Prize, isn't for everyone. It's gritty and, at times, over the top. However, the strength of its …
In the span of just under an hour, Schoolhouse Rock Live! energetically covers everything from pronouns to women's suffrage. Emerald City Theatre and Broadway in Chicago have a summer hit on…
House Theatre's Death and Harry Houdini is a guaranteed visual feast, but at its core, the play is a journey into the mind of a genius. For every moment of vulnerability, there's an illusion…
The talented team behind SpongeBob Musical set out to create an entertaining Broadway show specifically for children, parents in tow, and they nailed it. So, get your tickets because a volca…
A Hubbard Street Dance and Second City collaboration, The Art of Falling is back by popular demand. these two Chicago institutions deliver their sublimely charming reflection on the foibles…
America Theater Co's *Xanadu* is 100 minutes of pure sparkling fun " a love letter to a time that's since taken on a soft focus in American pop culture. No one will forget how terribly recei…
Sideshow Theatre's *Caught* has ambition to spare, but where the production falters is in its execution. Christopher Chen's script winks at the audience to the point of annoyance, so concern…
Without a doubt, Irish Theatre's *Spinning* is a compelling, emotional parable. The show's acting is hypnotic, but unfortunately the script comes across flat and predictable at times. If Pla…
While playwright Rajiv Joseph has penned a strong, dynamic script with Interrobang's *The North Pool", and the two actors carry it off well, director James Yost has almost shied away from th…
Haven Theatre's The Distance is a potential sleeper hit, a dramedy about ordinary people, the decisions they make and the lives they affect. Bruce's characters are the most human I've seen i…
Bitingly funny, but touching and frightening at the same time, Ike Holter's world premiere *Prowess" at Jackalope Theatre reminds us that, as Chicagoans, we're not so far removed from the vi…
The story told in Underscore Theatre's world premiere is not only of historical significance but one with a sweep and grandeur worthy of musical theater. Writers Alex Higgin-Houser and compo…
Director Charles Newell and company are determined to provide a good time, and they definitely succeedIt's worth the trip to Hyde Park and you'll still come away with a better knowledge of s…
The Producers may well be the out-and-out funniest musical ever written. And if this production doesn't entirely match the original in mirth, it beats it hands down in musical performance! R…
