The uplifting story of a distinctively red haired, hopelessly optimistic, depression era orphan named Annie is firmly rooted in the early 1930s where the stark contrast between the haves and have-nots was plainly evident everywhere and especially true in urban centers like New York City where fortunes large and small were lost in the 1929 stock market crash. The play with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin and book by Thomas Meehan is based on a popular comic strip that debuted in 1924 in the New York Daily News (then owned by the Chicago Tribune) that continued to run in various newspapers for the next 86 years.

Part of the success and charm of this tale is its simple elegance. The story is easy to understand even by the youngest theater goers yet it does not talk down the audience. It’s a kind of secular parable with a strong moral lesson to change your ways before it’s too late and The Goodman Theatre has continued the lesson in Chicago for 48 years.

“Amadeus” presented at Steppenwolf is a story of two men, one believed to be beloved by God and one who believed he could negotiate to win God’s love. It is easy to assume this is a biographical sketch of Mozart, and indeed the story written by Peter Shaffer does allude to the final years of the composer’s life, but actually this is a story of one man’s envy of another man’s apparent God given talent.

Performed in modern dress using original Elizabethan vernacular, Much Ado About Nothing is a quintessential Shakespeare comedy and seminal rom-com that has a little something for everyone.   A humorous love story with a touch of drama that pokes fun at everyone no matter their rank. It’s a perfect show for groundlings who might appreciate that it’s not too complex and in fact at times borders on slapstick.

For those unfamiliar with the 1886 original story of Jekyll and Hyde - - it is a tale of the strange case of Dr. Henry Jekyll, a fictional 19th century London physician who decides to experiment on himself using psychotropic drugs. In doing so he unleashes his own demon in the person of his alter ego Mr. Hyde. This musical version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic was originally conceived for the stage by Frank Wildhorn & Steve Cuden with music by Wildhorn and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse.

Written in 1978 by Ira Levin DEATHTRAP holds the record for the longest-running comedy-thriller on Broadway, offering multiple plot twists over two acts with one set and five characters. This now classic play presented by Madkap Productions onstage at the Skokie Theatre will capture you in a web of illusion and deceit, with just enough humor to take the edge off the murderous treachery taking place before your eyes. Podcast includes a short mention of recent Joffrey Ballet performance at Harris Theater as well as a downtown Michigan Avenue cocktail tip.

Taking place in New Orleans around 1813, the dialog by playwright Marcus Gardley skillfully explains that Napolean has recently sold the Louisiana Territory to the United States and with statehood, the status of many free people of color and those of mixed-race heritage is going to change. The beating heart at the core of the tale is the black slave woman Makeda, housekeeper, nanny and confident to all played by Shenise Brown.

Over a thousand individuals showed up on Sheridan Rd near Berwyn to voice their opposition to the federal government's interference in Chicago's immigration policy and express the belief that that the current federal administration has overstepped its authority by circumventing the constitution in a number of actions, but especially those taken specifically against Chicago. Sheridan Rd sometimes referred to as the Miami Beach of Chicago is home to a number of seniors many of whom are part of the Boomer Generation.

Wendy’s life changed after escaping her turbulent Rockford childhood home by moving to Los Angeles then eventually landing in Aspen Colorado where she became an assistant to famed gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson. Kim Campbell interviews former Chicago resident, Wendy Correa, author of My Pretty Baby, a memoir that chronicles the author’s healing journey from early family trauma to ultimately building the peaceful family life she always longed for.

SPECIAL ADDITION I snuck in this review on the heels of Ashland Avenue because I"m Only Blind will only be at the Pickwick Theatre in Park Ridge until next Thursday, so for many of you this weekend might be your best chance to see it unless you're available during the week. Being blind is not Tim Paul's story. The fact that he has refused to let his visual impairment dictate his life is what makes him an inspiration to everyone he meets.

Ashland Avenue at The Goodman is a humorous and poignant look at the end of an era. A dusty TV store on Ashland Avenue in Chicago is the flagging flagship of a once great regional empire that boasted multiple locations. Over his tenure owner Pete (Francis Guinan) became a local celebrity, famous for his “Crazy Pete” commercials. He is to be recognized for his forty years of service to the business community.

The Chicago premiere of Amélie the Musical by Kokandy Productions based on the popular motion picture is a highly recommended musical mosaic, composed by Daniel Messe, whose colorful jagged pieces eventually come together into an enjoyable if not perfectly clear image. Not a musical in the strict sense, but rather an extravaganza of a dozen singer musicians utilizing a myriad of instruments, who perform a dizzying array of Parisian characters, to tell a sweet boy meets girl tale based on the central character of Amélie, charmingly portrayed by Aurora Penepacker.

Buddha’s Birthday, is a story of academic prejudice and unresolved anxiety written by Amy Crider produced by Lucid Theater at The Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway, Chicago through August 17, 2025. Run time 2 hours with no intermission. Visit www.lucidtheater.com for tickets and more information. I recommend this to those who enjoy intelligent dialog with a good dose of humor and self reflection.

MadKap Productions live up to their name in this production of Stephen Sondheim’s ridiculous musical “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” at the Skokie Theatre outside Chicago, directed by Wayne Mell. The story ostensibly takes place in ancient Rome spoofing the absurdities of life, particularly romance and sex then and now. Using broad humor, slapstick shtick and endless innuendo this is very much like an extended skit, with music, that might have been performed at a Catskill’s resort.

  Highly recommended. Tragic, hilarious, loud, energetic, fun and heartwarming, The Color Purple on stage at Goodman Theatre is nearly three hours of nonstop entertainment featuring an outrageously talented cast. This is the level of quality theater you expect to see in a Chicago Loop production Full Company of The Color Purple The Musical (in alphabetical order)Directed by Lili-Anne Brown…

Tom & Eliza is a fairly brilliant example of absurdist theater written by Celine Song, expertly directed by Aileen Wen McGroddy and beautifully performed by Clifton Frei as Tom and Seoyoung Park as Eliza. Reminiscent of Ionesco and Albee, Tom & Eliza focuses on ideas of existentialism, exploring the psychology of aging, marriage and sexual relationships with an attitude of absurd surrealism.

We live inside a history book. When you move around the city look for clues to Chicago’s past in historical markers, the architecture, the street names, the school names and the basic structure of the streets. Why is the city where it is? How do we get water to our homes and how do we dispose of the waste we put down our sinks, or down our toilets?

Podcast review of FOREVER PLAID by Reno Lovison. Presented by MadKap Productions at Skokie Theater, the performance is reminiscent of a nightclub act from the fifties channeling the sounds of singing groups like the Four Freshmen, Four Aces or The Crew Cuts. Limited engagement through June 29, 2025. June 20 – June 29, 2025 Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm,

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, concludes its 49th Season with Noah Diaz's whimsical, wild, unpredictable and deeply moving Chicago premiere of You Will Get Sick, directed by Artistic Director Audrey Francis through July 13, 2025 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theater, 1650 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. Tickets at steppenwolf.org or the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. Cast: Amy Morton is joined by fellow ensemble members Cliff Chamberlain and Namir Smallwood with Jordan Arredondo and Sadieh Rifai.

Feeling controlled by outside forces, two people on the opposite ends of life are each trying to manage their own destiny in the Chicago Premiere of Charles Smith’s “Golden Leaf Ragtime Blues” at A…

The world premiere of Neighborhood Watch at Jackalope Theatre is a humorous look at what can happen when curiosity leads to suspicion. Recommended. “There is a lot to enjoy in this sitcom sty…

A laugh-out-loud comical attack of geopolitical humor invades Lookingglass Theater in “Iraq but Funny.” Playwright / performer Astra Asdou recalls the history of the Assyrian people through this se…

A laugh-out-loud comical attack of geopolitical humor invades Lookingglass Theater in “Iraq but Funny.”Playwright / performer Astra Asdou recalls the history of the Assyrian people through this semi-autobiographical story of five generations of the women in her family. The production has an improvisational vibe, brilliantly directed by Dalia Ashurina. Asdou herself skillfully takes on the persona of a ridiculous, uniformed, pith helmet wearing, mustachioed British army officer who in a stand-up comedy style acts as narrator.

Feeling controlled by outside forces, two people on the opposite ends of life are each trying to manage their own destiny in the Chicago Premiere of Charles Smith’s “Golden Leaf Ragtime Blues” at American Blues Theater. Isolation is a concern that often goes unaddressed. Details: “Golden Leaf Ragtime Blues” at American Blues Theater, 5627 N Lincoln Ave., Chicago May 23 – June 29,2025, running time 90 minutes with no intermission. Tickets at www.americanbluestheater.com or (773) 654-3103.

The world premiere of Neighborhood Watch at Jackalope Theatre is a humorous look at what can happen when curiosity leads to suspicion. Recommended. "There is a lot to enjoy in this sitcom style production that relies heavily on broad humor and predictable stereotypes." Written by Rehana Lew Mirza and directed by Kaiser Ahmed. The cast of Neighborhood Watch includes Frank Nall (he/him, Paul Marchant); Jamie Herb (they/them, Becca Marchant); Harsh Gagoomal (he/him, Mo (Mohammed) Rizvi); Victor Holstein (he/him, Shawn Raymond); Omar Bader (he/him, Javed Ansari).