Spotlight on Reviews

**** Recommended  Kokandy Productions always seem to choose edgy, unique, sometimes odd, but always interesting musicals.  "Alice by Heart" definitely fits that criteria.  "Alice by Heart" is definitely fantastical, but it’s also really confusing and difficult to follow.  The long narrow set (down the middle of the room) doesn’t help.  On the other hand, the cast, filled with talented newcomers, is terrific.  The music is haunting and beautiful, so in spite of my confusion, I give it 4 Spotlights.

**** Highly Recommended  Chicago Shakespeare Theatre has scored a hit with the U.S. premiere of "The Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale" which is absolutely fabulous!  The musical as a whole is amazing, but if you break it down, each and every element – casting, staging, costumes, scenery, lighting, special effects, choreography, music – is exactly right. It's also interactive - you'll see characters running through the audience, climbing up and down the stairs, even lowering from the upper gallery on a rope! Audience members arriving in costume are loving it!  This is a MUST SEE!!! 4 BIG Spotlights

**** Recommended Dunes Summer Theater’s production of "The Bridges of Madison County", is a beautiful show, a love story that will move you to tears.  Don’t that worry you though, it’s not at all a cloyingly schmaltzy chick-flick kind of musical.  I can’t quite figure out why it wasn’t more successful on Broadway (only 137 performances). The score is magnificent, with elements of the blues, folk, twangy bluegrass, country, pop and opera.  The talented cast, particularly the leads, Kristianna Dilworth and Max DeTogne, does full justice to the amazing score. 4 Spotlights

We attended “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!” at the Marriott Theatre on Friday, July 19, 2024 at 10am in Lincolnshire, Illinois.  The musical is based on Mo Willems’ children’s book.  My kids enjoyed it and said, “It was so funny!”