House of the Exquisite Corpse V: Blood and Puppets

Now in its fifth year, Rough House Theater Company’s House of the Exquisite Corpse has become my favorite Chicago Halloween tradition. Over the course of an hour, audience members in small groups make their way through a series of short plays. Some are scary. Some are unsettling. All are performed by puppets.

‘Grimm’ Returns to Theatre Above the Law

Theatre Above the Law has brought back its fall tradition, Grimm, a remixing of Brother’s Grimm fairy tales. The mix of stories and characters veers from silly to scary, and as always, is a welcome addition to the fall theater scene in Rogers Park.

Passion

I was very excited for Tuesday’s opening of Blank Theatre Company’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s Passion. First, I am an enormous Sondheim fan, and this is on the short list with Pacific Overtures of Sondheim shows I had never seen done live. Second, I absolutely love this theater company and still think about their wonderful productions of She Loves Me and On the Twentieth Century. They seem to have the knack for tackling complicated or rarely produced shows, so I had high hopes and expectations when I sat down. I am happy to report that Blank Theatre has once again knocked it clean out of the park.

That Old Fashioned Magic

Ryan Plunkett’s Old Fashioned Magic

Second only to comedy shows, I think magic shows might be the hardest thing to effectively review, and for the same reason. It’s really hard to talk about them in any detail without spoiling the surprise that both effective comedy and magic depend upon. So you’re just going to trust to me when I say that Chicago Magic Lounge’s newest show, Ryan Plunkett’s Old Fashioned Magic, is an absolute delight and you simply must see it as soon as possible.

The Spellbinder

Diary of a Black Illusionist

There are two kinds of people at a magic show. The first always tries to figure out the trick. The second never does. I definitely fall into the latter category. I don’t actually want to know how it was done. The mechanics of the illusion aren’t the fun part. The fun part is the story and how the magician delivers it. It’s the ambience and the music and the sequined assistant. Simply put, it’s the style that really makes the illusion work. And new illusionist-in-residence at the Chicago Magic Lounge, Walter King Jr., better known as The Spellbinder, has style to spare.

The show is framed as a look at back at his decades-long career as illusionist, starting with his childhood on the south side of Chicago. I won’t divulge any of the tricks because getting to see them fresh is part of the fun. I will say, aside from some truly astonishing illusions, my favorite part was videos of The Spellbinder’s early career, touring dance clubs in the south side of Chicago and then around the country. As someone born and raised on Chicago’s south side myself, the fastest way to my heart is footage of the history of my beautiful city. And the 80s and 90s fashions on display were truly a sight to behold. I would watch a whole documentary of that footage.

If you’ve never been to Chicago Magic Lounge, the entire experience is a treat. Prior to the show, you can see close up magic while sitting at the bar and a team of magicians travel the theater to perform tricks for you at your table once you’re seated. I’ve been to a few shows at the Chicago Magic Lounge now and it’s definitely become a favorite of mine. The theater itself is a beautiful cabaret space, decorated with period posters and other artifacts from a century of magicians. Anchored by a performer of incredible skill and a considerable amount of charm, I strongly recommend adding this performance to your list.

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Kevin Curran

Presented Wednesdays through June 25, 2025 at Chicago Magic Lounge, 5050 N. Clark, Chicago.

Tickets are available are available at the box office, by calling (312) 366-4500 or through chicagomagiclounge.com.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.

The Power of Love

Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812

Writers Theatre has once again brought Chicago audiences a musical that’s both thrilling to the eye and ear, while remaining deeply and unbelievably moving. Harkening back to the theatre’s extraordinary musical productions of both INTO THE WOODS and ONCE, this show will be remembered for its sweeping, immersive spectacle contrasted with an intimate, almost personal love story. Exquisitely Directed and Choreographed by Katie Spelman (Choreographer of Broadway’s, THE NOTEBOOK) and sumptuously Musical Directed by Matt Deitchman (Musical Director for this company’s INTO THE WOODS), this talented creative team is remembered for making ONCE sparkle and explode with romance and spectacle on the Writers stage. Once again they have worked their magic. 

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Any new production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, John Cameron Mitchell’s iconic exploration of gender and identity, has a steep hill to climb for me. I saw the phenomenal movie adaptation in college, the perfect time to have your mind blown by new ideas, and every production I’ve seen since, both local and national productions has been incredible. It’s a show that casts a long shadow in theater and the queer community, so anything less than an amazing production, at least for me, is going to feel like a let down. Happily, Haven Chicago’s new production delivers the goods.

Prelude to a Kiss

Prelude to a Kiss is a play written by Craig Lucas, who also wrote the books for the musicals The Light in the Piazza and Paradise Square. The play premiered in 1988 and received a film adaptation in 1992 starring Alec Baldwin and Meg Ryan. The story centers on Peter and Rita, who have fallen in love at first sight. At their wedding reception, an old man who none of them seem to know appears and asks the new bride for a kiss. She obliges and the two switch places in each other’s body. The story that follows explores that nature of love