The Realistic Joneses Review

The Realistic Joneses Review

Bob (H.B. Ward) and Jennifer (Linda Reiter) Jones are surprised to meet their new neighbors, Pony (Cortney McKenna), and John ( Joseph Wiens) who also share the same last name. The two couples have an ongoing series of absurd conversations that actually do get to 

Two February 2019 Chicago Theater Reviews

Two February 2019 Chicago Theater Reviews

Until now I have generally dedicated one podcast to one review. In this episode, I thought I would do something a little different and talk about two plays I recently reviewed for ChicagoTheaterandArts.com. The first is “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” at the Greenhouse Theatre Center 

Photograph 51 | Chicago Theater Review

Photograph 51 | Chicago Theater Review

Until recently Rosalind Franklin had gone virtually un-credited for her contribution to the discovery revealing the structure of DNA to be a double helix. The discovery ultimately earned Franklin’s research colleague Maurice Wilkins and two rival collaborators James Watson and Francis Crick the Nobel Prize. “Photograph 

Audio Review of La Boheme |Lyric Opera Chicago

Audio Review of La Boheme |Lyric Opera Chicago

The Lyric Opera of Chicago is presenting an encore series through January 31, 2019 of its attractively updated version of Giacomo Puccini’s “La Boheme” directed by Richard Jones which launched the 2018/2019 season accompanied by the very capable Lyric Orchestra under the direction of Domingo Hindoyan. 

‘La Ruta’ A Desperate Journey

‘La Ruta’ A Desperate Journey

The world premiere of “La Ruta” at the Steppenwolf Theater, Chicago by playwright Isaac Gomez has figuratively commandeered a bus transporting “maquila” workers to and from their jobs in Juarez, pointing its headlights into the vast darkness to expose the despair and anguish of the 

“Into the Woods” Review |Music Theater Works

“Into the Woods” Review |Music Theater Works

We like to emphasize events and activities actually within the city limits but Music Theater Works in Evanston at the Cahn Auditorium is just outside Chicago on the northside and steps from the Northwestern campus. Running through December 31, 2018. The company formerly known as 

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” Chicago Review

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” Chicago Review

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” puts a contemporary twist to an old favorite at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Chicago’s Navy Pier through January 27, 2019. Call the Box Office 312-595-5600 or visit Chicagoshakes.com for ticket information. Update Note: Though the Reader, Tribune, and WTTW reviews all 

“Hellcab” at the Raven Theatre Chicago | Review

“Hellcab” at the Raven Theatre Chicago | Review

This popular play by Will Kern has been trotted out by several companies since its debut in the nineteen- nineties and was even made into a movie in 1998. “Hellcab” is comprised of a number of vignettes all taking place within the confines of a 

‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ Review | American Blues Theater Chicago

‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ Review | American Blues Theater Chicago

If you’re ready to get into the Christmas spirit you can’t do much better than the American Blues Theater’s staged radio show version of Frank Capra’s classic “It’s a Wonderful Life.” In this production, the theater is set up to give the illusion that you 

The Safe House at CityLit in Chicago

The Safe House at CityLit in Chicago

For many, the place they have lived and raised a family is more than an assembly of bricks it is a repository of memories and the physical manifestation of a life’s work. When it comes time to consider leaving it behind there are more considerations 

‘Arcadia’ at Greenhouse Chicago Review

‘Arcadia’ at Greenhouse Chicago Review

 At its core, Arcadia by Tom Stoppard is a comedic drawing room mystery, but it is also a thought-provoking exploration of humanity through concepts of truth, chaos versus order, discovery and rediscovery, the meaning of time, and our desire to improve on an already 

“Frankenstein” by Manual Cinema at Court Theatre | Chicago

“Frankenstein” by Manual Cinema at Court Theatre | Chicago

Manual Cinema’s homage to the 100th anniversary of Mary Shelley’s gothic classic “Frankenstein” is a singular theatrical experience that mixes live action, silhouettes, puppets, shadow puppetry, masks, video, slide projection and all manner of theatrical techniques, ancient and modern to create a captivating monochromatic video