***** Highly Recommended ***** After a five-year hiatus, Towle Theater’s "A Fabulous 50’s Christmas" is back! I can’t quite believe it but the first time I reviewed this show was in 2004! According to Director Jeff Casey, the show pays homage to the old Perry Como/Andy Williams TV specials. It’s just not Christmas without "A Fabulous 50’s Christmas", a delightful holiday must-see! 4 BIG Spotlights
**** Recommended **** If you’re looking for some adults-only holiday cheer, then I have the play for you! "Who’s Holiday", a one-woman show starring Veronica Garza as 40-something Cindy Lou Who. Garza had us in stitches from start to finish. "Who’s Holiday" is raucous, raunchy and absolutely hilarious. 4 Spotlights
***** Highly Recommended ****** The Goodman Theatre’s annual intro to the holiday season, "A Christmas Carol", which remains essentially the same from year to year, is a holiday tradition for many families, spanning generations. I’m a newcomer to the tradition, since I saw "A Christmas Carol" for the first time in 2012. It’s worth the trip! The Goodman lobby is festive with decorations and a sparkling holiday shopping area. Now in its 44th year, “A Christmas Carol” will put you in the holiday spirit with a fabulous cast, lavish sets and colorful period costumes. 4 Holiday Spotlights.
**** Recommended **** Marriott Theatre’s new production of "Kiss Me Kate" is just plain wonderful. This 1948 backstage musical about a theater company doing The Taming of the Shrew has all the right elements – battling stars who also happen to be exes, bumbling gangsters who get hooked on Shakespeare, young lovers with issues, and fabulous songs by Cole Porter. Who would have thought that Porter and Shakespeare had anything in common? 4 BIG Spotlights
**** Highly Recommended **** Don’t tell anyone, but I was just as excited to see Disney’s "Frozen" as any of the little girls in the audience. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve seen the movie, and then there was "Disney’s Frozen on Ice" – hey, I have granddaughters! "Frozen" had all the glitter I expected – with fabulous voices, great choreography, gorgeous costumes and phenomenal sets and special effects. Wow! 4 BIG Spotlights
**** Recommended **** I was in awe as I watched "Paradise Square" the other night! It’s a show that has the potential to become a classic. It has an interesting story, incredible talent, amazing voices, brilliant choreography and huge production numbers. There was even a standing ovation for Joaquina Kalukango’s rendition of Let It Burn, a song that sent shivers up my spine, it was so great! "Paradise Square" needs a little more work before it’s ready to open on Broadway, however. 4 Spotlights
** Somewhat Recommended ** "Hundred Days" is another casualty of the pandemic, forced to close on opening night. Kokandy Productions has chosen to bring it back in a new venue, the Chopin Theatre in Wicker Park. I’m not quite sure what to say about "Hundred Days." On one hand, I saw incredible talent, on the other, I really didn’t like the show. I think this show is one that people will either love it or hate. 2 Spotlights
**** Recommended **** Lookingglass Theatre’s production of "Her Honor Jane Byrne" had just opened – I think they had four or five previews and opening night – and then the pandemic hit. I never got a chance to see this gripping political drama, so I was happy to see that Lookingglass was reopening with Her Honor Jane Byrne. It was worth the wait! 4 Spotlights
*** Recommended *** Here’s my dilemma, I saw a play that totally creeped me out – and yet, it was incredibly well-acted. Who knew that Tracy Letts’ 1996 tragi-comedy; "Bug," which literally made my skin crawl, is a cult classic. Although it played a couple of Chicago’s small stages back in the day, I’d never seen it. Unfortunately, I could see the tragic end coming almost from the beginning. If you want to scare yourself silly, then this is the play for you. 3 Spotlights
***** Highly Recommended ***** "Sister Act" is one of my favorite musicals so I had very high expectations when I went to see Mercury Theater’ new production. I’m happy to say this production not only met my expectations, it exceeded them. This show is absolutely fabulous. An outstanding cast with amazing voices, dance-in-your-seat music with choreography to match, gorgeous costumes – what more could you ask for? Kudos to Director Reneisha Jenkins, Sister Act is just about perfect. 4 BIG Spotlights
