Raven opens its 40th season with Noel Coward’s hilarious classic Private Lives
No one can watch Noel Coward’s 1931 comedy classic Private Lives without absorbing at least some of the topsy-turvy sexual energy of […]
Author: Karen Topham
Powerful and realistic “Alma” examines mother/daughter relationships and immigration issues
In Benjamin Benne’s Alma, the title character is a Latina mother illegally in America just as Trump rises to power, and if […]
A welcome return for Wicked
Witches have returned to Chicago, and an opening night full house was definitely excited to welcome them back. Broadway in Chicago brings […]
Falling For Make Believe doesn’t pull punches in its portrayal of Lorenz Hart
To be perfectly honest, there were times during the first act of Falling for Make Believe, Mark Saltzman’s fictionalized homage to the […]
Deja Vu and “STEW”: The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same
Shattered Globe Theatre’s Chicago premiere production of Zora Howard’s Pulitzer Prize finalist “STEW” opens with a woman (Mama, played by Velma Austin) […]
Citadel has apocalyptic fun with Little Shop of Horrors
Review by Samantha Robison I may have a slight obsession with the Alan Menken classic “Little Shop of Horrors.” I’ve attended live […]
Clyde’s is a hilarious social commentary with brilliant performances from everyone
A young man I know was convicted of shoplifting when he was eighteen when he stole a stuffie so he could give […]
A confusing ending mars Factory’s The HOA
Angelina Martinez’ The HOA, now playing at the Factory Theater, has many theatrical predecessors. Almost any show or film dealing with cults […]
Kokandy’s Sweeney is a creative, exciting take on Sondheim’s master work
Kokandy Productions is one of my favorite companies for interpreting musicals in small spaces on a low budget, and Sweeney Todd is […]
It takes a woman—Heidi Kettenring—to make Marriott’s “Dolly” shine
The quintessential moment in Marriott Theatre’s hilariously entertaining new production of Hello, Dolly comes about halfway through the second act. As Dolly […]