By Barry Reszel Imagine an intimate, near-private honky-tonk, 50 seats or so, where patrons come first for a bite to eat and a drink before the evening’s entertainment begins. The waitress looks vaguely familiar, causing a momentary wracking of the brain until the realization hits: she’s a dead ringer for long-gone country music icon Patsy
Archives for November 2014
Oh come all ye who’re not gonna take it any more to ‘Snider’s Christmas Tale’
By Barry Reszel Fictional metal band Däisy Cüter rocking out Twisted Sister’s holiday mashup “We’re Not Gonna Take It/Oh Come All Ye Faithful” midway through Dee Snider‘s Rock & Roll Christmas Tale might just be the greatest simultaneous, euphemistic flipping off of all time. Jimmy Stewart’s George Bailey? Burl Ives’ Sam the Snowman? F-you! And
Don’t wait for tomorrow to see this terrific touring ‘Annie’
By Erika Brown Thomas Since its Broadway debut in 1977, Annie, has been a favorite musical of families around the world. Broadway in Chicago’s current production of the non-Equity national tour is no exception to the long line of beloved theatrical performances of this cherished classic. From the moment the overture begins, under the excellent
This ‘Christmas Memory’ is certain to harken others
By Barry Reszel In this season of societal encouragement to reflect on warm memories before bravely marching into a new year, Theatre at the Center’s musical production of Truman Capote‘s semi-autobiographical, A Christmas Memory, offers an endearing channel to bring about such yuletide introspection. This is an elegant, old-fashioned, understated story of a 1953 adult
Stage 773 hauls out some holiday cheer with a twist
By Jori Waldron Being handed a plate of Christmas cookies is not normally what theatergoers expect as they enter an auditorium, but at Stage 773’s production of It’s a Wonderful Santaland Miracle Nut-Cracking Christmas Story…Jews Welcome, that’s exactly what they get. Surrounded by twinkling lights and stockings hung with care, elves race around handing out
