By Barry Reszel When one decides to add “The Musical” to the title of an iconic, beloved holiday film in order to infuse it with the added dimensions of live song and dance, audiences beg for them heed this advice: “Don’t fudge it up.” Only, the advice givers don’t say “fudge.” Luckily for Chicagoland musical
Archives for November 2015
TATC’s non-musical ‘Story’ rings true to namesake film’s cult followers
By Patrick O’Brien Flagpole. Fra-gee-lay. And just so there’s no doubt: “You’ll shoot your eye out.” A Christmas Story is the little cult movie that could. A fine if unexceptional release back in 1983 could not in any way have foreshadowed 24-hour cable TV marathons; a Broadway musical; a museum; healthy niche markets in leg
Chicago’s free musical ‘Christmas Carol’ is a dickens of a quest
By Patrick O’Brien Christmas entertainments are really, really tricky things, if only because of the many traps that crop up through their seasonal familiarity. This is doubly so–perhaps triply–for Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Published in 1843, it was the story that launched Dickens into the pantheon of Great Writers, both critically and popularly. It
‘Seussical’ puts Marriott on the ‘Oh, the Places You (Should) Go!’ map
By Erika Brown Thomas Energy was high in Lincolnshire for the Saturday morning opening of Seussical, as seats filled with an audience consisting mostly of patrons under the age of 10. These contemporary Dr. Seuss fans were heard exclaiming throughout the house as they recognized larger-than-life-sized versions of well-loved books pre-set on the stage while
Cast, patrons savor sweet ‘Misbehavin” in Porchlight reprise
By Barry Reszel Every beloved musical theatre cast should be so fortunate. Following their winter 2014 run culminating in Jeff Awards for Best Production—Revue, Best Director (Brenda Didier) and Artistic Specialization (Austin Cook), the leaders of Chicago’s Porchlight Music Theatre decided they’d be getting the acclaimed Ain’t Misbehavin’ cast (along with band conductor Cook) back
