With a welcoming preshow, an engaging ensemble, and an intimate staging that makes the audience feel a part of the community, Lazy Susan Co.’s Our Town is a heartfelt celebration of life’s everyday moments. When I was in eighth grade, my class performed a shortened version of Our Town. I had a small role as…
With imaginative staging, beautiful costumes, and a cast that brings tons of personality to the stage, Marriott Theatre’s Disney’s Frozen transforms a familiar movie favorite into a lively theatrical experience. The first of the hundreds of times I watched the movie Frozen was in theaters in 2013. I had small children, and it very quickly…
With standout performances, clever staging, and a larger-than-life plant that keeps growing into the spotlight, Porchlight Music Theatre’s Little Shop of Horrors brings fresh personality to a beloved musical, balancing its catchy score and offbeat humor with the darkly comic spirit that makes the story extra fun. Little Shop of Horrors is a timeless musical….
A mystery that keeps audiences guessing right alongside its characters, Elsinore Ensemble’s A Body Of Water draws viewers into a world where identity, trust, and reality are constantly shifting, making every new revelation an invitation to question what you think you know. When I watch a play, I make a concerted effort not to read…
A breakup, an impending apocalypse, and a world where just about anything can happen, Avalanche Theatre’s They Broke Up turns the chaos of modern life into an outrageous comedy, fueled by an ensemble that commits wholeheartedly to every ridiculous twist along the way. One of the things I love about live theatre is the energy…
A gripping portrait of a man caught between the life he wants and the past he can’t escape, City Lit Theatre’s production of King Hedley II pairs an intensely unpredictable central performance with a charismatic ensemble to bring August Wilson’s exploration of family, trauma, and personal responsibility to life. I have an admission to make:…
A magic show that reaches back through centuries of history, David Parr: Time Traveler combines the evolution of the art form with mind-bending tricks and lively audience participation, creating an evening that will leave you wondering how he did it long after the show ends. People who only know Chicago from the news have no…
Blending the spirit of Shakespearean tragedy with the messiness of modern family life, Hayward explores the ghosts we carry, the histories we inherit, and the complicated love that can hold a family together even as it threatens to pull them apart. When I was first introduced to classic literature in elementary school, I didn’t care…
A Halloween party where nobody is safe and the body count keeps climbing, Death Toll turns improvised sketch comedy into a delightfully twisted drinking game packed with absurd scenarios, over-the-top deaths, and plenty of creepy mischief. It’s that time of year again, when houses are decorated with webbing and skeletons appear on the lawns. But…
