Category Archives: Reviews

The Virtue of Beauty: Promethean Theatre Ensemble Takes Wilde’s Side with Gross Indecency

Promethean Theatre Ensemble has breathed new life into Gross Indecency: telling the story of a man oppressed and abused for being himself, while simultaneously reviving the notion of art as free from the strictures of morality. This is a fascinating … Continue reading

Reviews, Theater Stuff

One Person’s Treasure: Doc Danger Brings Something New to a Popular Genre

When I sat down in the Studio Theatre at the Broadway Theatre Center, I was ready to enjoy a bright, fluffy, and un-challenging musical adventure; a fun escape from the week’s work. Remarkably, though Jason Powell’s Doc Danger and the Danger … Continue reading

Reviews, Theater Stuff

Oh Bloody Period: Invictus Theatre’s Othello Lacks a Foundation in Language

In their inaugural production of Othello, Invictus Theatre invites us to consider the themes of racism and sexism, both external and internalized, which they hasten to remind us are still relevant today. These elements seem slightly whitewashed, however, in a … Continue reading

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Beyond the Breach: Babes with Blades gives us a “Henry V” worth seeing AND hearing

Right off the top, I must say: I cannot remember the last time I saw a Shakespeare play where so many actors knew what they were saying and why they were saying it. Shakespeare is done to death because it … Continue reading

Reviews, Theater Stuff

“Dali’s Liquid Ladies” Proves Unsettlingly Relevant

Milwaukee’s Truepenny Theater Company presents a vibrant and entertaining dip into the pool of Absurdism in their production of Savannah Reich’s Dali’s Liquid Ladies. Although much of their time is spent in cloyingly light (and consistently hilarious) performances that might … Continue reading

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‘Spike Heels’ is Surprisingly Ahead of its Time

Last night (Friday, Jan 23rd), Brown Paper Box debuted their production of Theresa Rebeck’s Spike Heels, playing through February 8th at the Raven Theatre (6157 N Clark St.). A treat for anyone with a genuine interest in acting, the performances … Continue reading

Reviews, Theater Stuff

Contemporary Sentiments Clash with Poetic Language in Strangeloop’s Midsummer Night’s Dream

Strangeloop closes its fifth season with a valiant attempt to bring the visceral passion of Shakespeare’s most popular comedy into the faces and hearts of modern audiences. Director Holly Robison sets A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1940’s America, and more importantly … Continue reading

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Motivation Is More Absent Than Veiled in 20%’s Anton in Show Business

Like Beckett or Pinter, Chekhov is a tricky business. Characters do not pursue their desires so overtly as in most musicals, nor do they describe their wants as articulately as in most Shakespearean plays; nor even, for that matter, are Chekhov … Continue reading

Reviews, Theater Stuff

EDGE Leaps Into The Woods

April 3rd kicked off the second weekend of EDGE Theatre’s Into The Woods, the classic Sondheim musical that needs no introduction. This show is no stranger to giant opera houses or Midwestern community prosceniums, but this production at Mary’s Attic … Continue reading

Reviews, Theater Stuff

Lightning Strikes Again With The Chicago Mammals

I’ve seen only four Mammals shows to date, but I’ve loved every one. In ALL GIRL FRANKENSTEIN, the small Chicago company once again creates grounded yet eccentric characters of powerfully compelling quality. As the name implies, THE ALL GIRL PROJECT … Continue reading

Reviews, Theater Stuff