“What the Blue Man Group show did on opening night was to welcome people back to what they had missed and to remind them that no matter how otherly someone might look, it is possible to share a community and to celebrate the world we share.”
Read More“Sometimes what you really need from a night at the theater is to sit back with a smile, enjoy old favorites and leave humming or singing the songs from the night. It’s one reason why Mamma Mia is such a popular musical that can draw big crowds—as it did on the opening night of Music Theater Works production at their new venue, the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, north of Chicago.”
Read MoreIn her Director’s Note, Ms. Corbeil-Coleman quotes Nelson Mandela: “The way that a society treats its prisoners is one of the sharpest reflections of its character.” Richard Rose has cast four stalwart performers who bring to life bravely the hardships existing in the prison system. ‘Guarded Girls’ is a definite must see as we try our best to continue to break the cycle of the injustices found therein.
Read MoreAziza Barnes looks at life in the city from the perspective of a black woman, bringing her poetic flair and contemporary voice to the Upstairs Theatre with her new play BLKS, at the Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago. While Barnes’ voice speaks to a specific audience, the themes and characters in BLKS translate to a universal audience.
Read MoreUnapologetic, raw, powerful, and disturbing in the best possible way. Those are the adjectives I use to describe the first show of Firebrand Theatre’s 2017-18 season, Lizzie the Musical. This all-female quartet tells the story of the famous serial killer, Lizzie Borden, through a punk rock infused score with a twist of humor. While this show is messy in every sense of the word, it culminates into a musical so unique that it defies expectations of what a contemporary score can do.
Read More
