By Barry Reszel Among the greatest joys reviewing Chicagoland musical theatre for the past decade-or-so are having figurative front-row seats to pre-Broadway productions developing in the City of Big Shoulders before their transfer to the Great White Way. A second (really, the first) is getting to know the immensely talented, compassionate, lovingly supportive cadre of
Reviews
The musical theatre reviews featured here are written by reviewers, not critics. These impressions and opinions are from individuals passionate about musical theatre and represent, in most cases, one observation of one performance. The primary purpose in publishing reviews is to help patrons decide whether a production is a good use of their time and entertainment budget. Our reviewers are also encouraged to creatively shine a light on particularly good work done onstage and backstage, understanding that successful productions happen because of the work of many. Finally, ChicagolandMusicalTheatre's reviewers are asked to walk into a show expecting enjoyable entertainment—because that's the mindset of patrons who buy tickets to professional theatre.
Mercury’s ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’, a fun and funky disco revival, is no drag
By Cori Lang If disco is dead, then it was given a momentary resurrection on Thursday night at Mercury Theater Chicago’s opening of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Audiences came ready to groove, many dressed in 70s-inspired garb with a rowdiness appropriate for a story with drag performers at its center. Based on the film
50th anniversary tour of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ sandblasts the old classic to reveal its true shine
By Patrick O’Brien While waiting outside the Cadillac Palace for the doors to open, a pull quote on one of the posters caught my attention: “Not your grandmother’s Jesus Christ Superstar.” This being the fiftieth-anniversary tour of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s seminal, career-making rock opera, of course our grandmothers have at least heard
Looking into the abyss, ‘Get Out Alive’ shows the way forward for life and musical theatre
By Patrick O’Brien This is less a review, more a cogitation. Bear with me. Up-front, the pull quote: “Thanks to Haven Chicago, Nikki Lynette‘s solo-ish Afrogoth musical Get Out Alive has dumped a jar of spiders on my eyeballs and that’s all I’m going to see for a good bit, and I’m going to keep
‘Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical’ brings prep-school sensuality to the Chopin
By Grace Ferolo What more can be said: Kokandy Productions’ Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical brings pop-anthems, prep-school sex and pure, unfettered nostalgia to Wicker Park. Based on the beloved cult film by Roger Kumble, Cruel Intentions tells the story of hot but villainous step-siblings, Sebastian Valmont and Kathryn Merteruil, as they rule the school at
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