"The Music Man" - Review by Alan Bresloff
★★★★★ The classic musical! This is what many call Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man”, now on the main stage of The Goodman Theatre.
"Hitler's Tasters" - Review by Alan Bresloff
Highly Recommended ****First of all, when you see the title of this play, do not “judge the book by its cover” truly is the expression to use. "Hitler's Tasters" is a unique piece that is being presented by the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie as part of a special “Summer Theater” program. Written by Michelle Kholos Brooks, this 90 minute drama challenges the audience to fall in love with its characters despite their being a part of Nazi Germany. It all takes place in a large dining area where there are three girls, who have the task to taste the meals that their leader and commander is to be served.
"Something Clean" - Review by Alan Bresloff
★★★★★Guilt is hard to deal with! Often, it turns out, we feel guilt for something that we had no control over. In Selina Fillinger’s “Something Clean” now on the stage at The Richard Christianen Theater at Victory Gardens, we meet Charlotte ( an outstanding performance by Mary Cross) as she applies for a volunteer position at a sexual assault crisis center. It appears that this is a woman who wants to help but there is some mystery to her “interview” . The manager of the center, Joey (played to sheer perfection by Patrick Agada) has his own “secrets” that will come out during this 85 minute ( no intermission) story.
"Ms. Blakk for President" - Review by Jeffrey Leibham
****HIGHLY RECOMMENDED**** Drag is political. The very act of a man dressing as a woman makes a pretty bold statement. Nearly two and a half decades before Americans had the first female candidate on the ballot for President of the United States, we almost had our first drag queen as a serious contender. How Terence Alan Smith transformed himself into Ms. Joan Jett Blakk and ran for the land's highest office is the subject of Steppenwolf's world premiere of "Ms. Blakk for President," a highly entertaining and celebratory concoction conceived by fellow Steppenwolf Ensemble Members Tina Landau and Tarell Alvin McCraney, directed by Landau and featuring McCraney in the title role. 4 SPOTLIGHTS
"Queen of the Mist" - Review by Jeffrey Leibham
***RECOMMENDED*** Firebrand Theatre is concluding their sophomore season with a Chicago premiere that, in some ways, is slightly similar to their dazzling inaugural production in October of 2017.
“Hedwig and the Angry Inch” - Review by Alan Bresloff
Highly Recommended **** I must preface this review by stating that I never expected to give this particular show a rating this high, but Toma Tavares Langston and his quartet of fabulously talented performers have brought this show to a new level for me (and I suppose based on what the opening night response ) and others. When the touring company came by several years ago, I believe my rating was “somewhat recommended”. The current production in the very intimate space at Theo Ubique is far and away a masterpiece compared to what BIC brought in.
"If I Forget" - Review by Alan Bresloff
★★★★ In the past few months we have seen several plays that deal with stories of the family and in particular an aging member of same. In two cases, David Darlow has played that father and I might add, to perfection! Victory Gardens Theater is now presenting the Chicago premiere of Steven Levenson’s “If I Forget”. This is a tile that can throw one off as to what is the story. What could it be about? I think many might think about aging and the process, and while there is a story that does deal with aging, the total story is about a family and its stories!
“Grace, or The Art of Climbing” - Review by Alan Bresloff
★★I truly do not enjoy using a rating system for a new work. As many of us know, Chicago gets many pre-Broadway shows that leave here looking like a short run is in store, but with fixes, the show survives and often plays for years there and on the road. Some plays return to their original starting theater unrecognizable to us. The new production of “Grace, Or The Art of Climbing” written by L.M.Feldman, a “Queer”, feminist playwright (and circus artist) tells us a story about Emm ( Alex Molnar is terrific, except for projection to the back row) who due to some bad stuff decides to enter the world of competitive rock-climbing. note: who even knew that there was such a thing?
“How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” - Review by Alan Bresloff
Recommended *** Do you remember the 1960’s? I know that I do and one of my favorite musicals, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying “ with a wonderful score by Frank Loesser and dynamite book by Abe Burros ( think “ Guys & Dolls”) that relates to the business world and more of that period. Yes, it is very dated and while our world has changed a great deal over these fifty plus years, once in awhile isn’t it nice to just step back and take a break from the world of computers and texting to just enjoy a simple story. Thanks to Music Theater Works, you can!
“Style and Grace: In Tribute to Lena Horne and Nancy Wilson” - Review by Alan Bresloff
★★★★★ When one attends a production at Black Ensemble Theater, one expects to hear music “the way it is meant to be heard”, and, as always, their new show, “Style and Grace”, hit the mark! There is also a new voice in the background. Kylah Frye, who we have watched on the stage at Black Ensemble over the years, has taken on a new role (or perhaps an added one) as an Associate Director with the company, and wrote and directed this piece. Turns out she is a triple threat, doing a great job.