Author: Rachellara
My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady – Broadway in Chicago
If you like the classics, this is definitely a classic. Traditional and standard to what you might have seen if you saw the Loewe and Lerner version when it debuted 1956. It is family friendly, good for the young and the old. For me, being in the middle of those two demographics made it slightly harder to appreciate, but it did bring back memories of the matinees my Bubbie would get me dressed up for when I was a little kid.
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Choir Boy
Choir Boy – Steppenwolf Theatre
Not often do I say a show is a must-see, but Tarell Alvin McCraney’s Choir Boy most definitely is. The cast, set, music, and message all combine for a truly invigorating coming-of-age show that thoughtfully portrays the struggles of a young gay Black man trying to find acceptance from his peers. The production stars La Shawn Banks, Sheldon D. Brown, Richard David, William Dick, Gilbert Domally, Tyler Hardwick, and Samuel B. Jackson, all directed by Kent Gash.
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Life After
Life After – Goodman Theatre
There are only two things that are certain in this world: death and taxes. Although taxes can be quite annoying—especially when living in Cook County—death is something that lies far closer to our souls. For every human being, death is an important part of life; the show Life After, written by Britta Johnson, will tug on the heartstrings of every human who watches the performance for that very reason.
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Apple of Isaac’s Eye
Isaac’s Eye – Redtwist Theatre
When you think of Isaac Newton, who do you think of? Maybe you think of him as the inventor of Calculus, or more likely, the person who discovered gravity after that apple fell from a tree and hit him on the head.. But Isaac is a much more complicated man than that… as you’ll see in Redtwist’s performance of Isaac’s Eye by Lucas Hnath and directed by Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary.
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A Bright(man) Start to Christmas
Sarah Brightman – A Christmas Symphony – Auditorium Theatre
Sarah Brightman–the world-renowned soprano–is currently ringing in the holidays all around the country as part of her “A Christmas Symphony” tour. Many may already be familiar with her iconic renditions of Christmas classics. Others may know her as the Christine Daaé from Phantom of the Opera. But even if you are not familiar with Sarah Brightman this is a must-see performance.
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A Fall Favorite Forevermore
The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe: A Love Story – Oak Park Festival Theatre
Spooky Season is in full-swing and besides corn mazes and pumpkin patches we are really itching for something else to fill the days leading up to Halloween. Maybe you want something creepy, but not too creepy, and a haunted house with inflatable aliens popping out in front of you isn’t quite it either. This play, “The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe: A Love Story”, is what I would call a “sophisticated haunted house”. If you are looking for an upgrade when it comes to your standard fall festivities, this is a must-see show.
Read MoreNo Justice, No Peace
Twilight: Los Angeles 1992 – Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre
Boy, does Anna Deavere Smith always hit home-runs with her work. This performance, brought to life under the direction of Tim Rhoze, is undeniably persistent in its ability to move an audience. This play uses more than 40 verbatim interviews carefully organized and collected from people related to the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. If you are someone who loves history and non-fiction, the dichotomy created by this play challenges the perception of the viewers who thought they knew the whole story.
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“A heaviness that’s gone.”
The Tempest – Oak Park Festival Theatre
After a year of so much turmoil and sadness, it’s all too easy to be left feeling jaded, bitter, and resentful towards all that was taken from us. Returning back to the liveliness of theater is quite an event, and starting with a classic such as Shakespeare’s The Tempest is an appropriate reintroduction. Viewing The Tempest with the events from this past year still in close hindsight lets us absorb an entirely new perspective of this 400-year-old play. The antiquity does not make this play any less applicable today: especially with the lively modern alterations featured in this production.
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