Entering Links Hall's Studio A Thursday night, there was a cozy living room vibe with just two rows of seating and warm lamp lighting from a gaggle of incandescent table lamps spread around …
Tragedy is commonly equated with sadness. But it's really all about chaos. To quote the great songwriter William Finn: "Life is random and unfair, life is pandemonium." Be they Greek, Shakes…
Without "Little Shop of Horrors," we wouldn't have Disney's "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast" or "Aladdin." That's because the spoof 1982 off-Broadway musical (based on a B-movie …
On Thursday, Invictus Theatre announced the cast of "Love's Labour's Lost," its second show of the 2018-19 season. In this Shakespearean comedy, the King of Navarre and his trio of friends m…
Friday "Second Skin": Through three interconnected monologues, "Second Skin" investigates the fraught relationship between mothers and daughters, interrogating how one mistake can ripple thr…
Actress and soprano Marin Mazzie, a three-time Tony Award nominee known for powerhouse Broadway performances in "Ragtime," ''Passion" and "Kiss Me, Kate," has died following a three-year bat…
"A Shayna Maidel" âœâœâœâœ Barbara Lebow's 1980s play "A Shayna Maidel" is a much richer work than I ever realized, especially in director Vanessa Stalling's exquisitely acte…
Those we see every day usually know us best. In the case of Charity Hope Valentine " the Candide of the dance hall " that means her colleagues, the ones who get right to the point while stub…
On Thursday, Broken Nose Theatre announced its seventh season, featuring a world premiere and two Midwest premieres. The 2018-19 season kicks off with the world premiere of company member Sp…
On Thursday, Sideshow Theatre Company announced its 2018-19 Season, including two Midwest premieres. The season will kick off with the world premiere of "HeLa," co-produced with Greenhouse P…
Seated in a corner of the Petterino's restaurant in the Loop, Brian Dennehy was hopping mad. The objects of Dennehy's rage " this was in 2004 " were the critics of the American theater. To b…
On Wednesday, Steppenwolf announced that it produce "Ms. Blakk for President," written by ensemble members Tina Landau and Tarell Alvin McCraney, as the sixth show of its upcoming season. Th…
On Wednesday, Porchlight Music Theatre announced the remaining cast for its season opener, "Gypsy." As Tribune critic Chris Jones writes, the company already announced the casting of E. Faye…
On Wednesday, Flying Elephant Productions announced the return of musical comedy "The Book of Merman," featuring a book by Leo Schwartz and DC Cathro, music and lyrics by Leo Schwartz. Cathr…
Years before she put herself in the world of "Straight White Men" (the play that gave her the distinction of being the first Asian-American playwright to get a Broadway production), Young Je…
Revitalizing a cavernous, historic space in the Loop that has been hidden from full view for decades, the West Coast entertainment company Teatro ZinZanni is to set up long-term shop on the …
On Wednesday, Boho Theatre announced casting for the classical musical romance "110 in the Shade," its final show of its 2018 season. In a drought-stricken ranching community during the Depr…
Uptown Underground abruptly shut its doors yesterday " or, rather, the building's landlord shut the doors on the club, its management and its performers. "Yesterday, I was served with papers…
In its 17-year history " and, for the record, I've seen every show " the courageous House Theatre of Chicago has trafficked almost entirely in new work, often with an emphasis on quest-based…
In 2015 " when the absurdly reductive short-form listicle became the Hail Mary of flagging entertainment journalism " a prominent New York weekly decided to ask a group of actors, and only a…
The Court Theatre will host a memorial program for its founding director, Nicholas Rudall, at 6 p.m. on September 17. Rudall passed away in June at the age of 78. "Court Theatre had begun as…
On Tuesday, First Floor Theater announced casting for the Chicago premiere of "Hooded, or Being Black for Dummies" by Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm. The show will feature company member Andrew …
On Tuesday, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble announced casting for "Scientific Method" by Jenny Connell Davis, with direction by Devon de Mayo. The cast of Scientific Method includes Ashley Neal (…
Days get shorter, weather gets brisker " and the stages get busier. The fall theater season is always filled with more shows than anyone could possibly see. But here are a few of our best be…
Hey, let's do Fyodor Dostoyevsky this sunny September! Two hours and 40 minutes of "Crime and Punishment"! One room! No star names! Not much of a set but lots of atmosphere and acting! We'll…