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Chicago Musical Theatre Festival Feb. 3-20
Underscore Theatre Company is presenting its sixth annual Chicago Musical Theatre Festival—created to showcase and support the growing field of musical theatre creators from Chicago and beyond—on Feb. 3-20. The festival will be performed simultaneously on ...
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Nancy Pelosi play debuting Jan. 26
The Adult in the Room, a new play by Bill McMahon about the life of U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, will receive its world premiere Sunday, Jan. 26, at 2 p.m. at Chicago's Victory ...
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Show examines life of Barbara Jordan
The life of the late lawyer, educator and politician Barbara Jordan will be examined in City Lit Theatre's Voice of Good Hope. Voice of Good Hope is being described as "a dramatic portrait" of Jordan's life. ...
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Theater Spotlight on The Merry Widow
Glamorous young widow Hannah Glawari has all the money to save the bankrupt country of Pontevedro, but all she wants is a reunion with her childhood sweetheart, Count Danilo. After many complications, Franz Lehar's evergreen, ravishing ...
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THEATER REVIEW Stop Kiss
Playwright: Diana Son At: Arc Theatre/Pride Films and Plays at the Pride Arts Buena, 4147 N. Broadway. Tickets: $30-$40. Runs through: Feb. 9 What could be more romantic than love at first sight, unless it's love ...
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THEATER REVIEW Whisper House
Playwright: Duncan Sheik ( music and lyrics ) and Kyle Jarrow ( book and lyrics ) At: Black Button Eyes Productions, the Athenaeum, 2936 N. Southport Ave. Tickets: 773-935-6875; A thenaeumTheatre.org; $30. Runs to: Feb. 15 ...
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THEATER REVIEW The Gulf
Playwright: Audrey Cephaly At: Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. Tickets: AboutFacetheatre.org. Price: $32. Runs through: Feb. 15 You walk into the theater and the first thing you see is veteran actress Kelli Simpkins standing on ...
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Sean Hayes at Feb. 5 Goodman event
Goodman Theatre, now in its 95th season, will host the "Legacy & Promise" Education and Engagement Luncheon Wed., Feb. 5, featuring Emmy-winning and Tony-nominated actor Sean Hayes. The event will take place at The Palmer House ...
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Young Playwrights Festival running through Jan. 25
Pegasus Theatre Chicago is presenting the 33rd Young Playwrights Festival through Saturday, Jan. 25, at The Courtyard Theatre in The Getz Theater Center at Columbia College Chicago, 72 E. 11th St. The Young Playwrights Festival ( ...
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Patin at Hyde Park through Feb. 28
Hyde Park Art Center, 5020 S. Cornell Ave., is welcoming Nikki Patin as its new flex space resident through Feb. 28, 2020; she will be developing ongoing performative work combining text, music and movement. Patin is ...
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'Freedom Ride' talk, performance Jan. 29
Newberry Library is hosting a discussion and performance with Chicago Opera Theater ( COT ) involving the production Freedom Ride on Wed., Jan. 29, 6-7:30 p.m., at the library's Ruggles Hall, 60 W. Walton St. The ...
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COMEDY 'The Haggard Unicorn:' Queer trans comic talks representation, hurdles
KJ Whitehead wants to see unrepresented voices take over the comedy world and her latest project, The Haggard Unicorn, is a reflection of that ambition. "Something strange. Something different. Something radical," she said when asked to ...
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LGBTQ+ nonfiction writing class starts Feb. 23
StoryStudio Chicago, 4043 N. Ravenswood Ave., is offering a new course on writing stories from a queer perspective. Conceived by author Jeremy Owens, this class focuses on LGBTQ+ nonfiction writing, and it starts Sunday, Feb. 23, ...
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Young Playwrights Festival running through Jan. 25
Pegasus Theatre Chicago is presenting the 33rd Young Playwrights Festival through Saturday, Jan. 25, at The Courtyard Theatre in The Getz Theater Center at Columbia College Chicago, 72 E. 11th St. The Young Playwrights Festival ( ...
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Joffrey Presents 'The Times Are Racing,' A Mixed Rep Program
January 9, 2020 ( Chicago ) — For its winter engagement, The Joffrey Ballet presents The Times Are Racing, a mixed repertory program featuring choreography from four of the most influential artists working today, including the ...
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NUNN ON ONE THEATER Eric Huffman goes from 'Mormon' to 'Mean Girls'
The original Mean Girls movie was partially based on a self-help book and was released in 2004. Now that the popular tale has turned 15 years old, it's the perfect time to wear pink and celebrate ...
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theWit celebrating Warhol with package
theWit Hotel, 201 N. State St., is celebrating the arrival of "Andy Warhol—From A to B and Back Again," the acclaimed traveling Andy Warhol exhibit that has just made its debut in Chicago—with a hotel package ...
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Funny Feminism: Podcast "The Guilty Feminist" comes to Chicago
Deborah Frances-White knew there was humor to be mined from her bungled attempts to be a good feminist. Which is why the U.K.-based Australian comedian/writer/producer co-created the comedy podcast The Guilty Feminist. Frances-White's first "guilty" admission ...
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SHOWBIZ Judi Dench, HIV+ musical comedy, Black LGBTQ musicians, Ryan Reynolds
Dame Judi Dench ( perhaps jokingly ) had a different take on Old Deuteronomy, her character in the panned movie Cats, Out.com noted. The role is traditionally played by a male actor, but Dench was tapped ...
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'Constitution" tickets on sale Jan. 3
Broadway In Chicago announced that tickets for Heidi Schreck's Tony-nominated play and Pulitzer Prize finalist What the Constitution Means to Me will be on sale Friday, Jan. 3. What the Constitution Means to Me will play ...
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'Christmas Foundling' through Jan. 5
Pride Arts Center's Buena Theatre, 4147 N. Broadway, is running The Christmas Foundling through Sunday, Jan. 5. The Christmas Foundling, by Norman Allen, is the story of a 10-year old boy who was found as an ...
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LETTER Pride Parade's future
Dear Editor: I am concerned about the future of the Pride Parade going forward since the passing of Richard Pfeiffer—may he rest in peace. Under Pfeiffer's leadership over the years, the parade increased in participation ...
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Critic's Picks
The Winter Wolf, Otherworld Theater, through Dec. 29—Death lurks in winter's cold and darkness, but our brave young heroine drives the wolf from the door in Joseph Zettelmaier's 70-minute holiday fantasy, back for Year Two. MSB ...
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'The Tasters' to run Jan. 10-Feb. 16
Rivendell Theatre Ensemble ( RTE )—Chicago's only Equity theatre dedicated to producing new work with women at the core—will present the world premiere of The Tasters, by Meghan Brown, with RTE member Devon de Mayo directing. ...
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The best and worst of Chicago theater in 2019
The last 12 months have been celebrated city wide as Chicago Theatre Year and it's been a whopper of a time, especially September through December when no fewer than 60 shows opened each month. When final ...
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Rhinoceros Festival Jan. 11-Feb. 23
The Rhinoceros Theater Festival will mark its 31st year with performances Jan. 11-Feb. 23 at Prop Thtr, 3502 N. Elston Ave. The newest Rhino Fest will feature 48 shows, including new plays, dance, devised works, variety, ...
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THEATER REVIEW Dance Nation
Playwright: Clare Barron At: Steppenwolf Theatre Company, 1650 N. Halsted St. Tickets: 312-335-1650 or Steppenwolf.org; $20-$94. Runs through Feb. 2 When you are a child, every conversation, school day and rehearsal feels like life or death. ...
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THEATER REVIEW Working
Playwright: Book by Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso, music and lyrics by Schwartz and others, including James Taylor and Lin-Manuel Miranda At: Theo Ubique's Howard Street Theatre, 721 Howard St., Evanston. Tickets: $42-57; theo-u.org ( optional ...
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Matt Rodin, Bethany Thomas star in Milwaukee production of Hedwig
December 18, 2019 — ( Milwaukee ) Milwaukee Repertory Theater is pleased to announce complete cast and creative team for the much anticipated production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch in the Stiemke Studio January 28 ...
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World Premiere of The Tasters coming to Rivendell Theatre
Chicago, IL—Rivendell Theatre Ensemble ( RTE ), Chicago's only Equity theatre dedicated to producing new work with women at the core, presents the world premiere of The Tasters by Meghan Brown, directed by RTE member Devon ...
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THEATER REVIEW The Light in the Piazza
Playwright: Book by Craig Lucas; music/lyrics by Adam Guettel At: Lyric Opera, 20 N. Wacker Dr. ( a Scenario Two production ). Tickets: https://lyricopera.org . Price: $35-219. Runs through: Dec. 29 It would be worth seeing ...
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THEATER REVIEW The Holiday Radio Show: 1944
Playwright: Gabriella Bonamici, Andre Richardson Hogan II, Laura Scruggs, Rolfe Sick, Jason Paul Smith. At: Three Cat Productions at the Berger Park Coach House, 6205 N. Sheridan Rd. Tickets: ThreeCatProductions.com and 312-970-9840; $15-$25. Runs through: Jan. ...
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'Burning Bluebeard' running through Dec. 27
Porchlight Music Theatre is running The Ruffians' Burning Bluebeard, making its downtown debut at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., through Friday, Dec. 27. Now in its eighth year, this annual ...
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Sideshow names new executive director
Sideshow Theatre Company announced the appointment of Brian Pastor as its new executive director, effective this month. Pastor succeeds Stephanie Weddell, who has served alongside Artistic Director Jonathan L. Green since April 2016. Pastor is the ...
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Joffrey Presents 'The Times Are Racing,' a mixed rep program
Dec. 13, 2019 ( Chicago ) — For its winter engagement, The Joffrey Ballet presents The Times Are Racing, a mixed repertory program featuring choreography from four of the most influential artists working today, including the ...
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Five Worth Finding: Gay spy movie, Santa Suite and more
—London Spy: In this British-American series that originally aired in 2015, devil-may-care Danny ( played by a fantastic Ben Whishaw ) meets the straight-laced, enigmatic and handsome Alex ( played by Edward Holcroft ). What ensues ...
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Critics' Picks
The Tall Boy, Stage 773, through Dec. 15—The celebrated talent behind this touring show ( Tandy Cronyn, Kay Boyle, Simon Bent ) create a tragedy you'll take away with you, of children twice orphaned by war, ...
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THEATER REVIEW A Xmas Cuento Remix
By: Maya Malan-Gonzalez At: 16th Street Theater, 6420 16th St., Berwyn Tickets: 708-795-6704 or 16thStreetTheater.org; $22-$32. Runs through: Dec. 29 You've got to admire the "show must go on" pluck of 16th Street Theater with its ...
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Renee Fleming in rehearsal with Lyric Opera for The Light in the Piazza
CHICAGO ( December 11, 2019 )—Rehearsals are underway for Scenario Two's presentation of the beloved Tony Award-winning musical The Light in the Piazza at Lyric Opera House, starring four-time Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee ...
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THEATER REVIEW The Land of Forgotten Toys
Authors: Music by Dylan MarcAurele; book and lyrics by Jaclyn Enchin and Jennifer Enchin, based on a story by Larry Little At: The Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. Tickets: GreenhouseTheater.org or 773-404-7336; $25-$45. Runs ...
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10th anniversary of 'The Nutcracker' features gay dads
The House Theatre of Chicago will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the annual hit production The Nutcracker—an all-original, ballet-free and family-friendly production playing at The Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St., through Dec. 29. The 10th-anniversary ...
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'Nat King Cole' holiday show Dec. 16-17
Writers Theatre, in partnership with Artists Lounge Live, will present a limited engagement of An Unforgettable Nat King Cole Christmas, starring Evan Tyrone Martin. An Unforgettable Nat King Cole Christmas will be presented Monday-Tuesday, Dec. 16-17 ...
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THEATER REVIEW The White Plague
Playwright: Karel Capek, translated by Peter Majer and Cathy Porter At: Trap Door Theatre, 1655 W. Cortland Ave. Tickets: 773-384-0494; TrapDoorTheatre.com; $20-$25 ( two for one on Thursdays ). Runs through: Jan. 11 Czech author Karel ...
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THEATER REVIEW Cold Town/Hotline: A Chicago Holiday Story
Playwright: Eli Newell At: Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark St. Tickets: 773-338-2177, or RavenTheatre.com; $25-$30. Runs through: Dec. 22 Cold Town/Hotline: A Chicago Holiday Story is a charming take on a Christmas miracle, where everyone with ...
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THEATER REVIEW The Tall Boy
Playwright: Simon Bent At: Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. Tickets: Stage773.com and 773-327-5252; $35-$39. Runs through: Dec. 15 The absence of familiar faces—even for a moment—is enough to trigger extreme anxiety, tears or outright terror ...
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About Face to run 'The Gulf'
About Face Theatre continues its 2019-20 season with the Chicago premiere of Audrey Cefaly's award-winning drama The Gulf, running Jan. 9-Feb. 15, 2020, at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. The Gulf looks at how partners ...
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Chay Yew departing Victory Gardens Theater
The Victory Gardens Theater board of directors and Artistic Director Chay Yew announced plans for Yew's departure from Victory Gardens at the end of the 2019-20 season. An internationally renowned stage director and playwright, Yew has ...
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Hell in a Handbag Productions to hold annual "Hams4Hams" Holiday Fundraiser
CHICAGO ( December 4, 2019 ) — Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to bring back its annualHams4Hams fundraiser during the company's two holiday productions. Since launching the initiative in 2012, Handbag has raised over ...
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Black Ensemble Theater announces 44th Season
Chicago, IL—Black Ensemble Theater's Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor announces its 44th Season: The 2020 Season of Change. The 2020 Season includes tributes to legendary heroes from throughout history, popular songs that were the B-sides of ...
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Jewish theater arts conference takes place
The Alliance for Jewish Theatre ( AJT ) hosted the largest Jewish theater arts conference in the country Nov. 3-5 in Chicago. Nearly 100 artists from North America and Israel converged in Chicago at AJT's annual ...
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Congo Square Theatre to present rare production of Day of Absence
CHICAGO ( December 2, 2019 ) — Congo Square Theatre Company, well known for its powerful portrayal of African American classics and gripping new works, commemorates its 20th Anniversary season with a rare production of the ...
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Chicago drag production in Louisville Dec. 21
For the past decade, Snow White and the Seven Drag Queens has played to sold out crowds in Boystown, at the SOHO House Chicago, in historic Provincetown and, most recently, at Louisville's own Play Dance Bar. ...
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'I Am Going to Die Alone...' through Dec. 6
Prop Thtr is continuing its 2019-20 season with the world premiere of I Am Going To Die Alone And I Am Not Afraid—a new play exploring modern oppression through the legacy of the Holocaust. The play ...
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Study reveals impact of storefront theaters
The Chicago-based Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation ( the Foundation )—an organization that offers unrestricted grants to Chicago theater companies with budgets under $1 million—recently surveyed its small-theater grantees to reveal the large impact they make ...
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PERFORMER OF THE WEEK Travis Fiero
BEHIND THE NAME: "I was stressing about finding the perfect drag name and I finally just asked my roommate what it should be and she goes 'I don't know, Travis? Yeah, do Travis' and then went ...
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THEATER FEATURE Here come the sugarplum shows!Here come the sugarplum shows!
It's the sugarplums and treacle season when theaters large and small, city and 'burbs, non-profit and commercial grow jolly, holly, happy, sappy, snowy, glowy and Doc with holiday shows, this year more than ever before, with ...
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THEATER REVIEW The Inheritance (Part One & Part Two)
By: Matthew Lopez At: Ethel Barrymore Theatre, 243 W. 47th St., New York. Tickets: 800-447-7400 or TheInheritancePlay.com; $39-$349 per play. Runs through: March 1 Can gay writers born an ocean and nearly a century apart inspire ...
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Critics' Picks
Every Holiday Show Ever!: Your favorite theater and/or neighborhood troupe probably is doing a money making holiday show. It's treacle and shameless commerce, but don't be a Scrooge/Grinch and go see one! Most ( not all ...
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THEATER REVIEW Lindiwe
Playwright: Eric Simonson; music by Ladysmith Black Mambazo. At: Steppenwolf Theatre Company, 1650 N. Halsted St. Tickets: 312-335-1650; Steppenwolf.org; $20-$114. Runs through: Jan. 5 There are hints early on that one of the lovers—Lindiwe and Adam—is ...
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OPERA REVIEW Don Giovanni
Score: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Libretto: Lorenzo Da Ponte At: Lyric Opera of Chicago, 20 N. Wacker Dr. Tickets: 312-827-5600 or LyricOpera.org; $39-$299. Runs through Dec. 8 When opera companies revive old productions, the original director typically ...
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THEATER REVIEW The First Deep Breath
Playwright: Lee Edward Colston II At: Victory Gardens Theatre at the Biograph, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. Tickets: VictoryGardens.org and 773-871-3000; $31-$65. Runs through: Dec. 22 Don't begrudge Lee Edward Colston II his play's running time—three acts ...
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THEATER REVIEW The First Deep Breath
Playwright: Lee Edward Colston II At: Victory Gardens Theatre at the Biograph, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. Tickets: VictoryGardens.org and 773-871-3000; $31-$65. Runs through: Dec. 22 Don't begrudge Lee Edward Colston II his play's running time—three acts ...
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THEATER REVIEW Waiting for Godot
Author: Samuel Beckett At: Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N Lincoln Ave. Tickets: VictoryGardens.org or 773-871-3000; $20-$40. Runs through: Dec. 15 For being the great, rule-breaking work of its time, Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot can end ...
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SHOWBIZ Megan Rapinoe, 'High School Musical,' Roxane Gay, 'Paris Is Burning'
Soccer star Megan Rapinoe accepted Glamour's Woman of the Year award—another addition to her hardware collection that includes the Golden Ball award as the top player at the World Cup in France this year, USA Today ...
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THEATER REVIEW Rutherford and Son
Playwright: Githa Sowerby At: Timeline Theatre Company at Baird Hall, 615 W. Wellington Ave. Tickets: TimelineTheatre.com and 773-281-8463; $42. Runs through: Jan. 12 Theater historians and classroom curricula have long credited Henrik Ibsen and George Bernard ...
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YEPP holds second annual 'Rise Up' event
Youth Empowerment Performance Project ( YEPP ) held its second annual Rise Up: A Celebration of Resilience Nov. 13 at Chicago Theater Works. YEPP Board Member and Co-Chair La Tony welcomed the more than 200 people ...
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THEATER SPOTLIGHT Always … Patsy Cline
Back then, stars traveled without entourages, stayed at motels, flew single engine planes and were easier to meet. Houston housewife Louise Seger met Patsy Cline in 1961 and they became friends and pen pals, until Cline's ...
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Opera Review Don Giovanni
Score: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Libretto: Lorenzo Da Ponte At: Lyric Opera of Chicago, 20 N. Wacker Drive. Tickets: 312-827-5600 or LyricOpera.org; $39-$299.. Runs through Dec. 8 When opera companies revive old productions, the original director typically ...
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THEATER FEATURE New York theater gets political
For the first time in two years, I was in New York City recently to see some theater. I chose three highly political hot-button shows: Slave Play on Broadway, and Soft Power and Heroes of the ...
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THEATER SPOTLIGHT Sombras Tango Cabaret
It's a short run for Sombras Tango Cabaret, only through this weekend, but it promises to be exotic and colorful with the sensuality of The Tango, and a backstage story, too, all sung and danced to ...
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Critics' Picks
The Effect, Strawdog Theatre Company, through Nov. 23: Is love in the brain or in the mind, playwright Lucy Prebble asks, and can it save two human guinea pigs ( and their handlers ) in a ...
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THEATER REVIEW P.Y.G. or The Mis-Edumacation of Dorian Belle
Playwright: Tearrance Arvelle Chisolm At: Jackalope Theatre Company @ Broadway Armory Park, 5917 N. Broadway. Tickets: JackalopeTheatre.org; $27-$35. Runs through: Dec. 21 This high-energy new play from Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm ( Hooded: Or Being Black for ...
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THEATER REVIEW Romeo and Juliet
Playwright: William Shakespeare At: Chicago Shakespeare Theater at Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave. Tickets: ChicagoShakes.com 312-595-5600; $35-$90. Runs through: Dec. 22 Although tribal enmity dating from 1957 could, in 2019, plausibly be labeled an "ancient ...
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THEATER REVIEW Packing
Playwright: Scott Bradley At: About Face Theatre at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. Tickets: 773-975-8150 or AboutFaceTheatre.com; $20-$38. Runs through Dec. 7 There's so much to unpack in Packing. Scott Bradley's searing autobiographical monologue, now ...
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SHOWBIZ Out singer, 'Hamilton,' 'Sense8,' Dolly Parton, Shangela
LGBT singer Michael Longoria released a music video for "Kiss Me ( Like They Do In The Movies )," an original song written by Longoria and arranged by James Dobinson, a press release noted. The music ...
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