fragments inspired by stage and screen
formal live performance reviews.
[originally published: http://aislesay.com/CHI-HELEN.html%5D HELEN by Ellen McLaughlin Directed by Andrea J. Dymond Next Theatre Company Noyes Cultural Arts Center 927 Noyes Street (847) 475-1875 / NextTheatre.org Extended Through October 15, 2006 Reviewed by Martha Wade Steketee September 30, 2006 Dramatized poetry or poetic theatre — by whatever name, Ellen McLaughlin‘s exploration of a new twist on the Helen of Troy story […]
[originally published: http://aislesay.com/CHI-LEAR-06.html] KING LEAR by William Shakespeare Directed by Robert Falls Starring Stacy Keach Goodman Theatre 170 North Dearborn / (312) 443-3800 goodmantheatre.org Extended Through October 22, 2006 Reviewed by Martha Wade Steketee September 27, 2006 In “King Lear” at the Goodman Theatre we are told repeatedly, by various characters in various ways, that “nothing can come from nothing”. In […]
[originally published: http://aislesay.com/CHI-PILLOWMAN.html%5D THE PILLOWMAN by Martin McDonagh Directed by Amy Morton Steppenwolf Theatre Company Downstairs Theatre 1650 N. Halsted / (312) 335-1650 / www.steppenwolf.org Through November 12, 2006 Reviewed by Martha Wade Steketee September 26, 2006 Four characters in a police station, and four actors portraying imagined or remembered scenes from stories and memories thickly populate the stage of the […]
[originally published: http://aislesay.com/CHI-SHEAR-06.html%5D SHEAR MADNESS by Marilyn Abrams and Bruce Jordan Directed by Bruce Jordan TheatreDreams by arrangement with Major Production and Mario Tricoci The Chicago Theatre Downstairs 175 North State Street / (312) 902-1500 shearmadnesschicago.com Open ended run Reviewed by Martha Wade Steketee September 25, 2006 The show that is everywhere and a new experience every time — in […]
[originally published: http://aislesay.com/CHI-BEST.html%5D THE BEST MAN by Gore Vidal Directed by James Bohnen Remy Bumppo Theatre Company at Victory Gardens Greenhouse Theatre 2257 N. Lincoln Avenue / (773) 871-3000 http://www.shatteredglobe.org Through November 5, 2006 Reviewed by Martha Wade Steketee September 24, 2006 Gore Vidal has been an American expatriot and brilliant political curmudgeon for years now. This elegant and verbal […]
[originally published: http://aislesay.com/CHI-SHEBA.html] COME BACK LITTLE SHEBA by William Inge Directed by David Cromer Shattered Globe Theatre at Victory Gardens Greenhouse Theatre 2257 N. Lincoln Avenue / (773) 871-3000 http://www.shatteredglobe.org Through October 21, 2006 Reviewed by Martha Wade Steketee September 24, 2006 It is 1950 in Midwestern America. Do we know where our children are? Shattered Globe Theatre‘s stunning production of William Inge‘s […]
[originally published: http://aislesay.com/CHI-RAISIN.html%5D RAISIN Based on A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry Book by Robert Nemiroff and Charlotte Zaltzberg Music by Judd Woldin Lyrics by Robert Brittan Directed by Charles Newell Starring Ernestine Jackson Court Theatre at the University of Chicago 5535 S. Ellis Avenue / (773) 753-4472 CourtTheatre.uchicago.edu Through October 22, 2006 Reviewed by Martha Wade Steketee September […]
[originally published: http://aislesay.com/CHI-CLAY.html%5D CLAY Written and performed by Matt Sax Developed in collaboration with and Directed by Eric Rosen About Face Theatre and Lookingglass Chase Studio Theatre 821 North Michigan Avenue at Pearson / (312) 337-0665 lookingglasstheatre.org Through November 19, 2006 Reviewed by Martha Wade Steketee September 14, 2006 Mesmerized by moments — my three word review of “Clay“, a […]
[originally published: http://aislesay.com/CHI-PANTOMIME.html%5D PANTOMIME by Derek Walcott Directed by Jonathan Wilson Pegasus Players in the O’Roarke Center at Truman College 1145 West Wilson Avenue / (773) 878-9761 http://www.pegasusplayers.org Through October 22, 2006 Reviewed by Martha Wade Steketee September 13, 2006 This two-hander takes place in “no time” but references to World War II war duty could place the action anytime […]
[originally published: http://aislesay.com/CHI-LAST.html%5D THE LAST SUPPER by Dan Rosen Adapted from his screenplay Directed by Mitch Golob Infusion Theatre Company at Chopin Theatre 1543 West Division Avenue / (773) 525-8981 http://www.infusiontheatre.com Through October 21, 2006 Reviewed by Martha Wade Steketee September 12, 2006 Playwright Dan Rosen has adapted his 1995 film as a provocative, timely, aggravating, efficiently told story of political […]
[originally published: http://aislesay.com/CHI-MOTHER.html%5D MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN by Bertolt Brecht Adapted by David Hare Directed by Elizabeth Carlin-Metz Original Music by Gregor Mortis and Kevin O’Donnell Vitalist Theatre at Theatre Building Chicago 1225 West Belmont Avenue / (773) 327-5252 http://www.vitalisttheatre.org Through October 22, 2006 Reviewed by Martha Wade Steketee September 11, 2006 You are immediately, visually, aurally embraced (confronted?) […]
[originally published: http://aislesay.com/CHI-HAMLET.html%5D HAMLET By William Shakespeare Directed by Terry Hands Chicago Shakespeare Theatre Navy Pier / (312) 595-5600 http://www.chicagoshakes.com Through November 18, 2006 Reviewed by Martha Wade Steketee September 10, 2006 Any review of “Hamlet” is a daunting task. The art of director and designer Terry Hands and the other performers behind the scenes and on the boards animating the Chicago Shakespeare […]
[originally published: http://aislesay.com/CHI-WATERCOOLERS.html%5D THE WATER COOLERS: AN OFFICE MUSICAL by Thomas Michael Allen, Sally Allen, Joe Allen, Marya Grandy, and E. Andrew Sensenig Directed by Kurt Johns Lakeshore Theater 3175 N. Broadway / (773) 472-3492 http://www.lakeshoretheater.com Open run Reviewed by Martha Wade Steketee August 27, 2006 In the Off Broadway (and cross country) ensemble songfest The Water Coolers five corporate types […]
[originally published: http://aislesay.com/CHI-SCARLET.html%5D THE SCARLET LETTER by Nathaniel Hawthorne Adapted by Rebecca Zellar Directed by Rebecca Zellar The GreyZelda Theatre Group StageLeft Theatre 3408 N. Sheffield / (773) 883-8830 http://www.stagelefttheatre.com Through September 16, 2006 Reviewed by Martha Wade Steketee August 24, 2006 The Scarlet Letter is currently in Chicago as adapted and staged by GreyZelda, a young company headed by Rebecca Zellar […]
[originally published: http://aislesay.com/CHI-SPINNING.html%5D SPINNING INTO BUTTER by Rebecca Gilman Directed by Anish Jethmalani Eclipse Theatre Company at Victory Gardens Theater 2257 North Lincoln Avenue / (773) 335-1650 http://www.eclipsetheatre.com Through September 3, 2006 Reviewed by Martha Wade Steketee July 27, 2006 The second of three productions in Eclipse Theatre Company‘s Rebecca Gilman season is currently running upstairs at the Victory Gardens Theatre.“Spinning Into […]
[originally published: http://aislesay.com/CHI-UNMENTIONABLES.html%5D THE UNMENTIONABLES by Bruce Norris Directed by Anna D. Shapiro Starring Amy Morton and Rick Snyder Steppenwolf Downstairs Theatre 1650 North Halsted / (312) 335-1650 http://www.steppenwolf.org Through August 27, 2006 Reviewed by Martha Wade Steketee July 16, 2006 Bruce Norris‘s newest play “The Unmentionables” is set in an unnamed African country, yet could be in any regime with haves […]
