**** Recommended **** A bouncy, feel-good musical, The Prom, will have you dancing in your seat while tugging on your heartstrings. Since it stars four ‘Broadway stars’, The Prom features huge production numbers, catchy tunes, glittery costumes and lots of in-jokes about Broadway. Add in a love story and a happy ending, makes it fun to watch, The Prom gets 3 ½ Spotlights
Thought you might like another perspective, so I've added this review of Six by John Olson for TSPNews. || Part rock concert, part history lesson – SIX imagines that the six wives of Henry VIII
**** Highly Recommended **** "Six", a glitzy pop-rock concert musical starring the six wives of Henry VIII, has been on my personal list of top ten musicals since I saw it at Chicago Shakespeare Theater in 2019. That cast has gone to Broadway, but there’s a new group of queens in town – and they’re fabulous! I loved this new so much that I downloaded the soundtrack – and bought tickets to see it again! How’s that for a recommendation? I’m telling you, get your tickets today! 4 BIG Spotlights
It was fun and delightful! This little neighborhood theater with only seating capacity of 100+ put on a “downtown performance” of a musical called "Something’s Afoot"
**** Highly Recommended **** Although "The King and I" has always been one of my favorite musicals, I’d forgotten just how wonderful this musical is! Drury Lane’s stunning new production of "The King and I" is a feast for the eyes as well as for the ears. The cast is outstanding, the children are darling, the voices are amazing, and if you watch carefully, you might even see an elephant! it’s been a long time since I’ve been to Siam – I was really happy to return! 4 BIG Spotlights
**** Highly Recommended **** Nobody is better at contemporary jazz than Giordano Dance Chicago. Their spring program, Illuminate, was a masterpiece of movement. The world premiere of Autumn Eckman’s Retroverse was worth the two-year wait, while the other premiere, 3, choreographed by Joshua Blake Carter, was a joy to watch. The Giordano dancers are so strong, so talented, so creative, they absolutely blew me away! 4 Spotlights
*** Recommended *** "A Recipe for Disaster" revisited … I was surprised to get an invitation to experience "A Recipe for Disaster" recently, since I’d reviewed the show last fall. In the meantime, co-creators Rick Bayless and Amy Rubenstein joined the cast on select dates, so Windy City invited us back. Although there are several new cast members, the story is the same – everything that could go wrong on influencer night at the Contumacious Pig, does go wrong. The show is a lot of fun, even the second time around, and the food and drink samplings are mostly delish. Bayless and Rubenstein even stick around for a Q and A after the performance. 3 Spotlights
**** Highly Recommended **** Let me see, what can I say about the Goodman Theatre’s new production "Good Night, Oscar" that someone else hasn’t already said. Hmm, I’ll say it anyway. "Good Night, Oscar" is ready for Broadway! No kidding! This was one of the most interested, most engrossing, most entertaining plays I’ve seen in a very long time. In my opinion, Sean Hayes just boosted his acting creds from TV star to mega-star! You can’t miss with this one! 4 BIG Spotlights
****HIGHLY RECOMMENDED**** Lyric Opera of Chicago's bold initiative to present one contemporary, English-language opera on their mainstage each season continues with their latest offering, which closes the 2021/2022 season. "Fire Shut Up in My Bones" is particularly special because it is a collaboration of numerous extremely talented artists and performers whose voices rarely are heard in the major opera houses throughout the world and whose story focuses exclusively on that of a traditionally marginalized community. Congratulations are in order to all of the staff at Lyric for following through on their daring commitment in bringing this essential work to Chicago, which is a co-production of Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Metropolitan Opera and Los Angeles Opera.
**** Recommended **** How the Hell Did I Get Here? is a charming autobiographical musical starring Lesley Nicol, a British actress whose most famous part here in America, at least, was that of Mrs. Padmore in Downton Abbey. Nicol uses a light-hearted approach to sharing her life story using songs, pictures and anecdotes. How the Hell Did I Get Here? isn’t ‘rocket science’ as far as musicals go, but it was definitely entertaining. 3 ½ Spotlights
