**** Recommended It’s summer, and that means Canterbury Summer Theatre is back with the 56th season, "Murder and More in 2024". Their opening show is a fast-moving comedy/drama, "The Lifespan of a Fact", an intense clash between two very strong personalities, an acclaimed writer and an intern fact-checker. This is a very well-done, solid production with a strong cast. 4 Spotlights
**** Highly Recommended My friend Helen and I had a blast at "Love, Chaos and Dinner", the new summer production at Teatro ZinZanni. Take the best of cabaret, burlesque and cirque, with artists from around the world, add about 50 pounds of sequins, shake it all up, add dinner and drinks served ringside, and that’s Teatro ZinZanni, where guests are invited to wear their own sequins and feathers! If you love the circus – or a good cabaret – this is the show for you! 4 BIG Spotlights
**** Highly Recommended "SIX the pop-rock musical playing at the Nederlander Theatre through July 14th, is now on my personal list of top ten favorite musicals. SIX is a show about six women who happened to be married to the same man and as they observed, is only remembered because of them! It’s feminist, empowering, joyous, fun, sparkly – and those gals can SING! I’ve seen it several times, even downloaded the soundtrack, and it never gets old. I’m telling you, I LOVE this show! 4 BIG Spotlights
**** Highly Recommended An evening at "The Enigmatist" is nothing short of an Experience! From the pre-show ‘puzzle-rama’ in Chicago Shakespeare’s Skyline Room, (with the best view in Chicago), to David Kwong’s awesome combination of wordsmanship, code-breaking, mentalism and sleight of hand in CST’s Theater Upstairs, the entire evening was a blast! 4 BIG Spotlights
**** Recommended I’ve been involved with ESL (English as a Second Language) classes for many years, but I’ve never looked at – or even thought about – English as a Foreign Language (EFL), although I know several people who arrived in America already fluent in English. That said, the Goodman Theatre’s production of "English" is a sensitive and moving insight into that process for four adult students in Iran. I found the play both enlightening and engrossing. 4 Spotlights
**** Recommended "POOR PEOPLE! The Parody Musical" is a mashup of all those whiny musicals about orphans, crazy people, hookers with a heart of gold and, of course, poor people with the curious edition of a wealthy, self-righteous Republican woman. It’s funny and very creative but way too long. When you’re finding your seats in Chopin’s Studio Theatre, be sure you can see the whole stage because there are spots where the action is blocked by a post. 3 ½ Spotlights
**** Highly Recommended This is your chance, Chicago! Broadway-bound "Death Becomes Her" is absolutely fabulous! It’s a gorgeous, outrageously funny, larger than life, almost old-fashioned musical. The music is glorious, the lyrics are fast-paced and snarky, the costumes sparkly and the frenemies just bitchy enough. With standing ovations from the opening night audience the stars have aligned and this show is a hit! Best of all – Chicagoans have bragging rights – we saw it before Broadway! 4 BIG Spotlights
**** Highly Recommended Paramount Theatre’s production of "Beautiful – The Carole King Musical" is dazzling audiences. Beautiful is without a doubt my favorite jukebox ever. The music is timeless, the choreography spectacular, the costumes glitter and I can’t say enough good things about star, Tiffany Topol. Hurry and get your tickets, they’ll be going fast for this must-see musical. I give “Beautiful” 4 BIG Spotlights.
**** Recommended Steppenwolf Theatre’s new production, "The Thanksgiving Play," is a biting satire about political correctness. In this story about an elementary school Thanksgiving play, political correctness has totally run amok. The characters are such earnest, self-righteous and self-congratulatory people that I absolutely hated them, yet I laughed at their antics. 3 ½ Spotlights
**** Recommended Picture the ultimate sleaze-ball of all time, put him up against his own mortality, and you’ll get "Judgment Day," the world premiere comedy playing in the Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. It’s not a new idea but it stars Jason Alexander – who can deliver a devastatingly funny one-liner better than anyone – and it’s hilarious. I laughed so hard my face hurt! 4 Spotlights
