Chicago Lifestyle Podcast & Video Blog
In this podcast episode I present my film review as well as share some personal recollections of the Maxwell Street and Halsted shopping district where the music known as Chicago Blues sprang to life. If you want a glimpse at a piece of the not …
This is a film review of “The Light of Truth: Richard Hunt’s Monument to Ida B. Wells following the Chicago artist’s creation of a monument to the civil right champion and woman’s suffrage leader. The film premiered at the 60th Annual Chicago International Film Festival …
The Chicago premiere of Amélie the Musical by Kokandy Productions based on the popular motion picture is a highly recommended musical mosaic, composed by Daniel Messe, whose colorful jagged pieces eventually come together into an enjoyable if not perfectly clear image.
Not a musical in the strict sense, but rather an extravaganza of a dozen singer musicians utilizing a myriad of instruments, who perform a dizzying array of Parisian characters, to tell a sweet boy meets girl tale based on the central character of Amélie, charmingly portrayed by Aurora Penepacker.
The story seems incidental to the exuberant performance of roughly thirty musical numbers that stream one into the other over two acts.
The performers are having such a good time it is unclear whether the audience is there to enjoy the performance or to the audience is there to give the performers an excuse to enjoy themselves.
Cast members not specifically mentioned in the review include Rachel Carreras, Sonia Goldberg , Sam Hook, Mizha Lee Overn, Jon Patrick Penick, Quinn Rigg, Samantha Ringor, and Kelan M. Smith. Swings: Joel Arreola, Hailey Brisard, Neill Kelly, Andrew Lund, Gavin Rhys and Melanie Vitaterna.
Listen to our entire short audio review.
Amélie by Kokandy Productions is at Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago through September 28, 2025. Running time is 2 hours and 20 minutes with one intermission. For information and tickets visit kokandyproductions.com
Buddha’s Birthday, is a story of academic prejudice and unresolved anxiety written by Amy Crider produced by Lucid Theater at The Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway, Chicago through August 17, 2025. Run time 2 hours with no intermission. Visit www.lucidtheater.com for tickets and more information. …
Tom & Eliza is a fairly brilliant example of absurdist theater written by Celine Song, expertly directed by Aileen Wen McGroddy and beautifully performed by Clifton Frei as Tom and Seoyoung Park as Eliza. EXTENDED: TOM & ELIZA will take a two-week hiatus after its …
Podcast review of FOREVER PLAID by Reno Lovison. Presented by MadKap Productions at Skokie Theater, the performance is reminiscent of a nightclub act from the fifties channeling the sounds of singing groups like the Four Freshmen, Four Aces or The Crew Cuts. * * *EXTENDED * * * Repeat performances on AUGUST 16th and 17th, 2025
Cast features Nick Arceo as Smudge, Sean M.G. Caron as Frankie, Elijah McTiernan as Sparky, and Taelon Stonecipher as Jinx. (Hayden M. Cannon is understudying.)
MadKap Productions live up to their name in this production of Stephen Sondheim’s ridiculous musical “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” at the Skokie Theatre outside Chicago, directed by Wayne Mell. The story ostensibly takes place in ancient Rome spoofing the …
Highly recommended. Extended through August 3, 2025 Tragic, hilarious, loud, energetic, fun and heartwarming, The Color Purple on stage at Goodman Theatre is nearly three hours of nonstop entertainment featuring an outrageously talented cast. Full Company of The Color Purple The Musical (in alphabetical order)Directed …
Steppenwolf Theatre Company, concludes its 49th Season with Noah Diaz’s whimsical, wild, unpredictable and deeply moving Chicago premiere of You Will Get Sick, directed by Artistic Director Audrey Francis extended through July 20, 2025 in Steppenwolf’s Downstairs Theater, 1650 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. Tickets at steppenwolf.org or the Box Office at (312) 335-1650.
Cast: Amy Morton is joined by fellow ensemble members Cliff Chamberlain and Namir Smallwood with Jordan Arredondo and Sadieh Rifai.
You Will Get Sick, is a wildly imaginative new play that traces the hilarious and deeply moving saga of one man’s illness and his unlikely caretaker’s pursuit of her dreams. Equal parts buddy-comedy, form-bending experiment and sober meditation on mortality.
The creative team includes Andrew Boyce (Scenic Design), Raquel Adorno (Costume Design), Jen Schriever (Lighting Design), Willow James (Sound Design), Skylar Fox (Magic and Illusions Design), Kate DeVore (Vocal Coach), Bryar Barborka (Dramaturg), Patrick Zakem (Creative Producer), Tom Pearl (Producing Director), JC Clementz, CSA (Casting), Laura D. Glenn (Production Stage Manager) and Kathleen Barrett (Assistant Stage Manager).
Listen to podcast theater review by Kimzyn Campbell.
A laugh-out-loud comical attack of geopolitical humor invades Lookingglass Theater in “Iraq but Funny.” Playwright / performer Astra Asdou recalls the history of the Assyrian people through this semi-autobiographical story of five generations of the women in her family. The production has an improvisational vibe, …
Feeling controlled by outside forces, two people on the opposite ends of life are each trying to manage their own destiny in the Chicago Premiere of Charles Smith’s “Golden Leaf Ragtime Blues” at American Blues Theater. Isolation is a concern that often goes unaddressed. Details: …
The world premiere of Neighborhood Watch at Jackalope Theatre is a humorous look at what can happen when curiosity leads to suspicion.
Recommended. “There is a lot to enjoy in this sitcom style production that relies heavily on broad humor and predictable stereotypes.”
Written by Rehana Lew Mirza and directed by Kaiser Ahmed. The cast of Neighborhood Watch includes Frank Nall (he/him, Paul Marchant); Jamie Herb (they/them, Becca Marchant); Harsh Gagoomal (he/him, Mo (Mohammed) Rizvi); Victor Holstein (he/him, Shawn Raymond); Omar Bader (he/him, Javed Ansari).
Neighborhood Watch, is extended at Jackalope Theatre through July 12, 2025 at the Broadway Armory Park, 5917 N. Broadway St., Chicago. Running time 2 hours plus ten-minute intermission. Tickets and information at JackalopeTheatre.org or call/text the box office at 773.340.2543.
Podcast theater review by Reno Lovison includes some insightful historical information about the location of the Jackalope theatre inside the Broadway Armory, an interesting Edgewater neighborhood venue.
** Welcome new subscriber Jon Silver, who has written and directed ‘The Premiere’ a feature-length comedy about a young filmmaker who manages countless challenges at his first movie premiere – including high-expectations, celebrity appearances, and paranoid delusions projected onto the screen. Find more info at showpup.com/the-premiere/ **