Chicago Lifestyle Podcast & Video Blog
Trap Door Theatre presentation of “Galileo,” stays close to the heart of Bertolt Brecht’s script but is a revised challenging and thought-provoking interpretation. Fragments of the original dialogue featuring translation by Charles Laughton are there but the production has been reshaped and reimagined by director …
Goodman Theatre’s GeNarrations program is a FREE storytelling program that engages adults aged 55 and over in writing and performance workshops that nurture the creative spirit. This cohort was invited to attend Goodman’s current production of Betrayal starring Helen Hunt after which participants were then encouraged …
Long term friendships can be complicated and messy. Honesty can be dangerous and revealing. A fourteen-year friendship between three friends explodes over the purchase of an expensive modernist painting.
Art, presented by Remy Bumppo Theatre Company is at the Wit Theater, 1229 W. Belmont, Chicago through June 1, 2025. Running time is about 90 minutes with no intermission. For information go to RemyBumppo.org or simply visit the theater box office.
Listen to the podcast review link above to learn more.
Berlin is a case study of how things can go wrong when a country has suffered losses and trauma. As its citizens and leaders slowly turn away from collaborative solutions and towards stark divisions in power and a dark fascist vision, slow motion disaster unfolds. …
A group of bridesmaids find reasons to bond in “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” produced by Saint Sebastian Players. The bonding ritual begins with the common agreement that the dress chosen by the bride is perfectly ridiculous. The bond is further forged by the …
This well-conceived stage version of “A Tale of Two Cities,” Charles Dickens’ expose of the French Revolution by Brendan Pelsue and directed by Mikael Burke is cleverly performed and seems a little too close to home in today’s political climate.
The talented ensemble moves seamlessly from role to role as each of the actors portray multiple characters. The cast is comprised of Daria Harper (Actor 1), Diego Vazquez Gomez (Actor 2), Demetra Dee (Actor 3), Glenn Obrero (Actor 4), Penelope Walker (Actor 5), Jazzma Pryor (Actor 6), Jeff Rodriguez (Actor 7), and William A. S. Rose II (Actor 8).
“A Tale of Two Cities” produced by Shattered Globe Theatre is at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont, Chicago, IL through May 31, 2025. About 2 hours plus a 15-minute intermission. For tickets and information visit sgtheatre.org, call the Theater Wit box office, (773) 975-8150, or purchase in person at Theater Wit.
You can hear the entire review by clicking on the player above or tune in at Spotify or wherever you prefer to listen.
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Also check out fellow Chicago podcast “The Hangover Series” where you can peek into the life of a 23-year-old girl who is simply just figuring it all out.
Across from Millennium Park on Michigan Avenue between Washington and Randolph Streets on land donated by Civil War Veterans in 1893 stands what used to be Chicago’s Main Public Library. Re-imagined in 1977 as the Chicago Cultural Center it is host to more than 1,000 …
Be sure to enjoy the podcast and the accompanying photos at the bottom of the page. You don’t need to be an architectural expert to simply look around and enjoy the various styles and building materials that combine to make up Chicago’s diverse urban landscape. …
“Hala” is an indie film shot in Chicago that, if you’re like me, you might have missed. Sadly it was on my list for the Chicago International Film Festival but got scratched due to some scheduling conflicts. I finally got to see it and at the time of this writing it’s available to view through Apple TV.
Written and directed by Minhal Baig, born and raised in Roger’s Park, the film is inspired by her life experiences growing up in a Muslim family while attending Northside College Prep in the North Park neighborhood.
Seventeen year-old Hala Masood (Geraldine Viswanathan) is a Pakistani American Muslim girl struggling to navigate high school, hormones, and harmony within her home. Her sexual awakenings have her laser focused on Jesse, (Jack Kilmer) a non-Muslim boy in her school, bringing her into direct conflict with her family and the cultural dictates of her ethnic community.
The film location makes this story of particular interest, from a Chicago perspective, to those of us who know and understand this neighborhood.
Also look for Chicago native Anna Chlumsky who is perhaps best known for her juvenile role as Vada Sultenfuss opposite McCauly Culkin in the 1991 film My Girl. After a hiatus from acting, to study International Studies at University of Chicago, Chlumsky has returned to TV and film, and is here all grown up, giving us one more Chicago connection.
“Hala” is definitely worth the viewing for both the sensitive and well told story as well as its distinctive Chicago vibe. (Listen to the entire podcast review and please like, share and subscribe.)
You’ve probably seen ’em. Signs like Throop, Goethe, Paulina and Devon but how do we say them in Chicago and why? Here is a short video from WBEZ that at least tries to tackle the “why” as well as some of the “how.” My friends …
“The Whole Seamus Thing” at Bramble Lofts in Andersonville through April 19, 2025 Review by Reno Lovison – Highly Recommended Playwrights: Ben Auxier and L.C. Bernadine | Director: Spencer Huffman Cast: Alexander Attea, Ben Auxier, Gabriel Fries, Olivia Lindsay, Lydia Moss Publicity photo by George …
On the heels of the success of The Beatles and Rolling Stones, another group of four working-class lads from the outskirts of London called The Kinks made their mark on the history of Rock and Roll.
This energetic jukebox musical, “Sunny Afternoon,” enjoying its North American premiere here in Chicago, is based on the story of the Kinks as told by lead singer and songster Ray Davies, filtered through the adept hand of playwright Joe Penhall.
“Sunny Afternoon” at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier, through April 27, 2025 is highly recommended. Running time is about 2 1/2 hours with a 15-minute intermission. For tickets and information visit ChicagoShakes.com
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