Review: ROW AFTER ROW at The Comrades
When I was 10 years old, my family went apple picking and not too far from the apple orchards was an area where they reenacted the Civil War. I remember my uncles and I hiking a good distance to get to the area on the battlefield where modern-day civilians could watch without being in harm’s way.
Review: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Shakespeare’s A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM has its very own fairy dust-covered jar in the time capsule of my iconic teenage theatre experiences. I strongly suspect that a similar jar is being dusted and stored in the memory of each middle-schooler with whom I had the privilege to attend Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s production on Tuesday morning.
Review: SEX WITH STRANGERS at Citadel Theatre
It’s ironic to review a show in which a character completely ignores the reviews of his own writing. However, the thought-provoking work that is Laura Eason’s SEX WITH STRANGERS requires a thorough exploration.
Review: HATFIELD & MCCOY at The House Theatre of Chicago
The show doesn’t particularly tug on the heartstrings the way most House Theatre shows tend to do, but it is a great retelling with harmonious live music, beautiful singing and a healthy dose of the House’s inimitable artful style.
Review: RAGTIME at Marriott Theatre
In the end, RAGTIME leaves me with a feeling of strange syncopation – one that results in systematic affirmation with intentions of systematic denial. I am ready to propagate stories of how it ought to be. We know the ones that speak to how it’s been.
Review: MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG at Porchlight Music Theatre
As Porchlight gets comfortable in their new home at the Ruth Page Center, MERRILY is another genuine, well-executed work, dripping with talent and finesse.
Review: WE’RE GONNA BE OKAY from American Theater Company
The parallels between 1962 and now can’t be ignored, and WE’RE GONNA BE OKAY is an excellent choice to see at this time, as the infantile and antagonistic leaders of two nations put not only their own citizens at risk, but the entire world, as they challenge each other to see whose nuclear buttons are bigger.
Review: MOON MAN WALK at Definition Theatre Company
Chanell Bell, Debo Balogun. Photo by Joe Mazza/brave lux By Naima Dawson Children of single-parent homes always want to know why they are not privy to a life with both parents under one roof. Not knowing the identity of an absent parent never really settles well with any child, even...
Review: BLIND DATE at Goodman Theatre
BLIND DATE reveals our misunderstanding as to what the Presidency actually entails. We optimistically hope that our leaders are crunching facts and figures, soberly and clinically weighing options. Yet in reality, political theater is just that – jockeying to appear a “strong” leader – it is indeed acting that gets the job done.
Review: THE MAGIC TREE HO– USE – SHOWTIME WITH SHAKESPEARE at Emerald City
Emerald City Theatre is a necessary component in the Chicago theatrical community, where, in addition to providing energetic children’s productions, they also give back to the community and provide accessible shows for underserved communities.