Spotlight on Reviews

**** Highly Recommended  Have you ever wondered... what if Cathy married Heathcliff instead of what’s-his-name … or what if Rose pulled Jack onto that door?  What if Juliet decides she’s over Romeo?  That’s the premise of "& Juliet" a charming musical about a girl who takes back her power – even from the greatest writer of all time.  It’s chock full of pop hits by Max Martin, probably one of the most prolific songwriters of all time, making it one of the best jukebox musicals I’ve seen in a long time.  4 Spotlights

**** Recommended  "Falsettos," produced in Partnership with Court Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company, and directed by TimeLine co-founder and Associate Artistic Director, Nick Bowling, is an unusual musical in that it defies classification.  It’s about the angst-ridden lives of six New Yorkers, but it’s not annoying – at least most of the time.  It has funny bits, but it’s not a comedy.  It has really sad bits, but it’s not a tragedy. The entire script is sung, but it’s not an opera or even an operetta, it’s a musical soap opera. 4 Spotlights

This season’s “The Marriage of Figaro,” one of Wolfgang Mozart’s most beloved operas and a masterpiece of music and the joy of life and love, surpasses all of Lyric Opera’s past incarnations of the last several decades.

In this production, Barbara Gaines, the now-retired founder and longtime director of Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, once more brings to Lyric her inimitable ability to imbue centuries-old characters with believable humanity and vibrancy – and make them feel like real people, despite the opera’s purposely contrived plot and the characters’ absurd hijinks.

**** Recommended  The Madison Square Garden Production of "Annie" playing at the Chicago Theatre is an absolute delight. The success of this production rests squarely on the shoulders of twelve-year-old Hazel Vogel, who is onstage virtually the entire play – a daunting prospect for many adults – but this girl is definitely up to the task!  Kevin, the dog who plays Sandy, is darling and very well trained. "Annie" is a perfect choice to introduce young people to live theater.  4 Spotlights