By Grace Ferolo The rap collective is a significant fixture in our ongoing pandemic zeitgeist because it satisfies two universal (if contradictory) desires: power through self-sufficiency, and community. We now know the incredible things we’re capable of in isolation, and yet, we constantly seek to be part of something bigger than ourselves. Award-winning and internationally
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.
BrightSide’s ‘Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play’ promises to be a new classic
By Colin Douglas Although we’re still dealing with COVID-19, BrightSide Theatre is back, seems to have things under control, and has energized the Chicagoland holiday scene with Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Radio Play, a cleverly written and performed, well, radio play. Based on both the Valentine Davies novel and the classic film starring
Drury Lane’s ‘Holiday Inn’ has a winner in leading man Adrian Aguilar
By Barry Reszel Adrian Aguilar, performance is in your blood, in your voice, in your feet. You belong on Chicagoland’s stages. Aguilar graces the gorgeous Oakbrook Terrace theatre this holiday season, courtesy of some coaxing from director/choreographer Matthew Crowle, who convinced him to break a nearly four-year performing hiatus. Audiences are certainly grateful Aguilar could
Hell in a Handbag’s ‘Christmas Dearest’ dishes out some delish camp
By Grace Ferolo In 1964, Susan Sontag defined camp as “an aesthetic sensibility that is plain to see but hard for most of us to explain: an intentional over-the-topness, a slightly (or extremely) “off” quality, bad taste as a vehicle for good art.” Coined “the gold standard of camp” by the Chicago Reader, Hell in
A can’t-miss tradition, American Blues Theater’s “It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!” is back live and “on-air”
By Quinn Rigg Whether frantically searching for gifts, freezing in sinking temperatures, or grumbling over snow-route street parking tickets, we stress over each logistical hurdle that winter holiday season has to offer. (Not to mention the stresses particular to 2021.) Yet somewhere in this din lies the quiet rest of winter, a time for recollection,
