Spotlight on Reviews

***** Highly Recommended ***** The Joffrey Ballet’s “Chicago-centric” version of “The Nutcracker”, choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon, is quite simply magnificent. By setting “The Nutcracker” against Chicago’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, Wheeldon gave the city a unique gift.  I am in awe!  Every movement was graceful, precise and exquisitely performed.  This will be the fourth time I’ve seen/reviewed “The Nutcracker” and I love everything about it, including the glorious music played by the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra.  By the way, this is the final appearance of “The Nutcracker” at the Auditorium Theatre.  4 BIG Holiday Spotlights!

**** Highly Recommended **** Take your family on a nostalgic trip into the past with American Blues Theater’s 18th annual production of “It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!”.  You ‘ll have a rare opportunity to join a ‘live radio’ audience and watch a talented cast bring the voices of all the characters you love to life.  Since this is ‘live’, the actors do the commercials too. It is so much fun to listen to the beloved story unfold.  “It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago” always gets me in a holiday mood!  4 Holiday Spotlights!

*** Recommended *** I’ve been struggling with this review for a few days – well more than a few days.  After I talked to my friend Helen, who’d been my plus one at the opening, I was finally able to pull my thoughts together and get something written.  At the core, Steppenwolf’s production of “Lindiwe” is the story of singer from South Africa who fell in love with a drummer from Chicago.  I’d like to say that together they made beautiful music, but that wasn’t quite the case.  The plot of “Lindiwe” just doesn’t measure up to the music.  3 Spotlights

**** Recommended**** Court Theatre’s production of “Oedipus Rex” is powerful, gripping and ultimately poignant.  I’m sure everyone is familiar with the word ‘Oedipus” but I wonder how many have actually read it.  Written by Sophocles, it was first performed in about 429 BC as part of a trilogy.  I must say, this most tragic of all the Greek tragedies, left me with tears in my eyes.  4 Spotlights