2,260 stories from Chicago Theater Beat
The real stars of Circus 1903 are not humans. The show's signature is its life-sized puppet elephants, created by designer Melvyn Millar. But while the elephants are wonderful, Circus 1903 h…
At 90 minutes, Steppenwolf's Straight White Men, written and directed by Young Jean Lee, zips by at the pace of an expertly timed sitcom, but plumbs depths worthy of a dissertation. By expos…
Chicago playwright Barbara Lhota's world premiere Phantom Pain could have been a nuanced portrayal of friendship, race and privilege, but instead is unfortunately a thin one-dimensional ploy…
Gentle doesn't appear to have much of a point, nor does it dig especially deep into its antihero's psyche. Thankfully, the material is elevated through stellar production values and first-ra…
Boho Theatre's budget may be small compared to the well-oiled musical theater machines found elsewhere in Chicago, but make no mistake, their production of Urinetown packs a mighty punch. Di…
Director Marti Maraden does as well as anyone could with Love's Labor's Lost, a production that looks gorgeous on stage, but the script itself is lacking. If nothing else, the production wi…
It's clear from Sweeney Todd's opening number that Director Jim Corti understands both the scope of the show, and how to make it work within the soaring spaces of the Paramount. Several bars…
Despite trying to hard at times, Writer-Performer Cathy Schenkelberg is charismatic and winning, and the audience roots for her the entire fast-paced 80 minutes. Squeeze My Cans offers a rar…
"... the cast is phenomenal: a well-oiled machine who work together beautifully while also standing out in their own right...they are gorgeous to watch. Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble's main c…
For the national tour of John Cameron Mitchell's Hedway and the Angry Inch, the production has been gussied up and deeply commercialized. That it still works in terms of both potent storytel…
Anton Chekhov's timeless Uncle Vanya questions how to be kind, loyal and useful to others while being true to oneself is the deeper theme inherent in the play. With ticket prices of $20 to …
Circle Theatre's provocative and stunning Venus in Fur and its themes of domination, submission and performance are still with me in the days after the premiere. What could have been disastr…
Devised by the London-based Theatre de Complicite and conceived by Simon McBurney, A Disappearing Number is at once a mathematical mystery thriller, a romance, and a tragedy rooted in histor…
With a bloated running time of three hours, Mike Bartlett's "Earthquakes in London" tries to present a gripping saga of family and natural phenomena. Instead, it's dull, overly long and by t…
In Kander and Ebb's "The Scottsboro Boys," powerfully presented by Porchlight Music Theatre, the juxtaposition of the antic shenanigans and the tragic story they're telling creates the sense…
The Snare Written by Samantha Beach at Broadway Armory Park, 5917 N. Broadway (m…
There's an important, provocative and entertaining story buried within Marcus Gardley's A Wonder in My Soul. The world premiere drama is filled with joy, strength and fascinating characters.…
This world premiere play, based on one family's Holocaust story " equal parts frustrating, satisfying and full of unanswered questions " has compelling, inspiring roots and is beautifully ac…
Deep in the Heart of Tuna is the newest script in the series of short plays chronicling the wacky exploits in Tuna, the third-smallest town in Texas Though well-directed by Derek Van Barham…
Teatro Vista's world premiere by Ike Holter's never comes out and identifies just who the real wolf is, and that is to the play'scredit. It could be any of us. And that's what helps make The…
For Lyric Opera's 2017 production of Geoges Bizet's Carmen, they have successfully adapted it to 1930s Spain. And to amp up the entertainment value, Lyric Opera has brought in Broadway showm…
Game Changers is classic Joffrey - strong and stylish dancers flawlessly executing envelope-pushing choreography. The program is thoughtfully put together, with nods to ballet's roots and ge…
The Illusionists is terrific escapist entertainment. Each of the magicians showcased have their own gimmick, look and shtick. Over the course of two hours or so, they provide a range of illu…
Director Karen Kessler has shaped a vividly realized world with Jennifer Haley's haunting, futuristic thriller The Nether. The production is at once an escape from the real, and a vivid comm…
Swarthy pirates, saucy wenches and ridiculously coiffed villains - all-in-all there's much to applaud in Captain Blood. David Rice's adaptation of Rafael Sabatini's 1922 adventure novel is a…
