Chicago Theatre Review
Opposites Attract
True West
As the lights come up, we find Austin at work on his screenplay, sitting at the kitchen counter of his mother’s clean and tidy house. Through the windows we can see that we’re in the picturesque foothills of Southern California’s San Gabriel Mountains, not far from Lost Angeles. All is calm and orderly, but that’s about to change. Lee, Austin’s resentful and ill-tempered estranged older brother, unexpectedly drops in. Swaddled in dirty, sweat-stained clothing and badly in need of a shower and haircut, Lee is clearly the polar opposite of well-groomed, preppy and highly-educated Austin. But as they say, “Opposites Attract.” And by the final curtain of this dark comedy, the kitchen has turned into a ragged desert landscape, the two brothers seem to have swapped identities and they’ve both become part of the wild, True West.
Read MoreBeing True to Yourself
Arthur & Friends Make a Musical
At Lakewood Elementary School, Mr. Ratburn’s class is getting ready to write and perform a show for everyone in Elwood City. All of Arthur’s classmates are excited, inspired and busy writing stories that showcase an aspect of each kid’s personality. But Arthur, who most of his friends find boring, needs some creative motivation. After envisioning his buddy Buster’s mystery thriller, his friend Muffy’s fashion forward fantasy, Arthur is inspired by his schoolmate Brain’s dinosaur drama and even swayed his little sister DW’s obsession with extraterrestrial aliens, Arthur tries to write a story that’s equally as exciting.
Read MoreA Journey Beyond the Music
Twisted Melodies
When we’re privileged to enjoy the creativity of a talented artist of any kind—visual, musical, theatrical—the public usually has no idea of the struggles that person has endured. The only way we see, hear or know the creator is through his or her art. For most of us, that’s the only way we know the Soul Music Legend Donny Hathaway. But when we become immersed in the complicated world of this talented musical genius, in a show researched, written and performed by Chicago and National super talent, Kelvin Roston, Jr., we are treated to something far more than your typical jukebox musical. We find that we’re listening more closely in a journey beyond the music.
Read MorePassion
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.
Read MoreA Royal Comic Drama
Queen For a Day
“This program is one of the most ghastly shows ever produced.” Then the critic went on to call the show “tasteless, demeaning to women, demeaning to anyone who watched it.” Finally he called the program “cheap, insulting and utterly degrading to the human spirit.” Do you know what early television show earned this scathing criticism?
Read MoreWicked at Overture Center
Opening July 9 at the Overture Center for the Arts, Wicked is back in Madison and not to be missed! Since its Broadway debut in 2003, Wicked has captivated and thrilled audiences nationwide. Full of heart, humor, and powerful vocal performances, Wicked is a standout gem of a show, bringing a new side to a classic, beloved tale of Oz and its magical inhabitants and the struggle they face between good and evil. Wicked is loosely based on the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, which in turn was based on L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel and the 1939 film Wizard of Oz.
Wicked focuses on the backstory of Elphaba, the notorious green-skinned “Wicked Witch of the West” and how she became the villain we all love to hate. At its’ core, Wicked focuses on the unlikely friendship that forms between misunderstood, “evil” Elphaba and the popular, rich, & “good” Glinda. Despite a rocky beginning, their mutual loathing transforms into a deep bond, changing both of their lives for good. The musical follows the journey of both their friendship and personal challenges they face, including a love triangle and the dark truth behind the Wizard of Oz’s rule.
Right from the first note of the opening song, Wicked is a visual masterpiece. The set design is full of Gothic influences and conflicting backgrounds of both light and dark, mirroring the struggle between “good” and “evil” that the characters face. Seeing the beloved backdrops of the Yellow Brick Road or the Emerald City truly felt like Oz was being brought to life! The costumes were also absolutely stunning, from Elphaba’s intricately detailed black dress or the variety of glittering gowns worn by Glinda, adding extra sparkle to her dazzling personality. The musical is also full of incredible special effects, most notably Elphaba’s levitation. Song-wise, Wicked is full of charmingly funny lyrics and explosive vocals from the leads. Famous hits such as “Defying Gravity”, “Popular”, and “For Good” are some of the highlights from the musical’s score, but the songs throughout were very energetic and wonderfully performed by the cast. Jessie Davidson’s (Elphaba) performance was incredible, and not only did she kill her version of “Defying Gravity”, but another strong standout was “No Good Deed”. Zoe Jensen as Glinda was one of the best parts of this production, as her comedic timing and vocals are among some of the strongest I’ve seen for this role.
Being a huge fan of the original film Wizard of Oz, I found Wicked to be delightful and such a unique approach to telling a villain origin story. The message behind it is so strong, a reflection on what it means to be misunderstood, and how those with power can warp perception of both heroes and villains, and how someone can be forced into either role. Plus, knowing how the characters end up gives the whole thing so much more emotional impact. Seeing it performed in front of me with such a spectacular cast gave me even more love for this story! Whether you’re a longtime fan of the movie/musical or a newcomer, the Overture’s production of Wicked is one to go see!
Reviewed by Emilie Giardina
Highly Recommended
Wicked is approximately 2 hours 45 minutes, with one intermission. This production is playing July 9-27, 2025 at the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, WI. The Overture is located at 201 State St, Madison, WI. Tickets for Wicked can be purchased online via the Overture’s website or by calling the box office at 608-258-4141.
Be Our Guest
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
After 25 years, the first North American National Tour of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST—one of the best loved musicals of all times—just opened in Chicago. And it’s a real cause for celebration because this first class polished production was well worth the wait! The new, revised production is a visually stunning, absolutely gorgeous and totally captivating experience for audiences of all ages. Directed and Choreographed by talented Matt West, a master of both skill sets, he’s remembered for bringing life to Broadway’s Anne Rice/vampire-inspired musical, LESTAT. And when we read that Matt West also Directed and Choreographed the touring version of CIRQUE DU SOLEIL, we’re not a bit surprised. His inventiveness and expertise is evident in this energetic and athletic production of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. It’s a magical and magnetic production that invites the audience to Be Our Guest.
Read MoreThat 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.
Read MoreWhite Rabbit Red Rabbit by Nassim Soleimanpour presented by TUTA THEATRE
In 2010, 29-year-old playwright Nassim Soleimanpour could not acquire a visa to leave his native country of Iran. He wrote White Rabbit Red Rabbit that year, an entreaty to the rest of the world, or perhaps a lifeline, thrown into the dark. The world has been responding since its premiere at the Edinburgh and Summerworks festival in 2011. Since its debut, White Rabbit Red Rabbit has been translated into more than 30 different languages and been performed over 3000 times by some of the best and brightest actors of stage and screen.
Part confessional, part Animal Farm, part cry into the dark, White Rabbit Red Rabbit is like nothing I’ve ever seen, and I’m sorry to inform you, you won’t see it either. That’s because it’s an “experimental” play. It is performed cold, by a different actor each night, who opens an envelope containing the script onstage before the audience. There are no rehearsals, no director and no set to speak of (though a few props). Because of this, each night is utterly unique, and I hesitate to give much away in terms of what happens. The audience participates to a degree – you might want to wear comfortable clothing.
The actor serves as the conduit between the writer, Soleimanpour, and the audience. Sometimes the actor serves as a literal voice for the playwright, sometimes as a character in a story, sometimes as themselves, sometimes as a director.
This sort of experience would only attract a certain kind of actor: one who is comfortable in their own skin, one who can improvise and react on a dime, one who can access a deep, emotional well without any preparation. Tuta theatre company member Huy Nguyen was our conduit, and he performed with a self-effacing charm that was inviting and light-hearted at times, and movingly still at others. Nguyen embraced the uncertainty with a sense of humor and invited the audience to participate with him fully at every moment. We were all on the ride together. There were moments of silliness, catharsis and retrospection. Nguyen willingly opened his heart and his soul to the audience, and we were all rewarded as a result.
Because of its ephemeral nature, written to be interpreted by each actor in each city or language they perform in, White Rabbit Red Rabbit is as universal as it is specific. It explores power dynamics, the need for connection, the undeniable human desire for freedom, and a supplication for altruism. In the world of the play, and perhaps in the real world, when we witness death, suffering or tragedy we become complicit in it. Yet, like in life, it is hard to find examples of any choice that is definitely the right one, hard to know what an outcome will be. This experience is like life, in that sense. No one, not even the actor, knows how it will end, and no one knows if their choice is the right one.
This uncertainty creates a tension and vulnerability that is tangible: the woman seated next to me was squirming in her seat at one point, so frightened she was, of the choices we needed to make. To ask a roomful of strangers to trust each other, to ask the actor to trust an audience with this kind of blind faith, is a transformative experience. It’s one you shouldn’t miss.
TUTA Theatre’s line up for the rest of the run is below:
Sunday, July 13 at 7:30pm: Amy Gorelow
Monday, July 14 at 7:30pm: Joan Merlo
Sunday, July 20 at 7:30pm: Aziza Macklin
Monday, July 21 at 7:30pm: Alice Wedoff
Sunday, July 27 at 2:00pm: Wain Parham
Monday, July 28 at 7:30pm: Seoyoung Park
Sunday, August 3 at 7:30pm: Felix Mayes
Monday, August 4 at 7:30pm: Clifton Frei
Sunday, August 10 at 7:30pm: August Forman
Monday, August 11 at 7:30pm: Austin Ryan Hunt
Highly Recommended
Reviewed by Alina C. Hevia
Presented at the Tuta Theatre, 4670 N Manor Ave in Chicago. July 7 – August 11, 2025. Performance are Sundays and Mondays at 7:30pm. Run time is 90 minutes with no intermission.
Tickets run from $20 – $65 and can be purchased at tutatheatre.org
Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.
Comfort Food
Dhaba on Devon Avenue
Welcome to an established ethnic restaurant, located on Chicago’s Devon Avenue on the North Side of the city. It’s called the Dhaba Canteen, and it’s part of an exhilarating island in the city that’s locally known as Little India. Dhaba, the program tells us, is “a hole-in-the-wall or roadside restaurant in Pakistan and Northwest India.” Since the 1980’s, American immigrant restaurant owner and Chef, Neeraj Madhwani, has been meticulously recreating the Sindhi recipes he found in his beloved grandmother’s diary. He’s always prided himself on cooking authentic Indian comfort food that bring his diners fond memories of their homeland.
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