Allan Johnson

There's a zone that Kasi Lemmons gets into when she directs a film. She describes it as an "out-of-body" experience. Whatever outside influences that might be affecting her appear to...

This weekend we salute the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, taking place in Aspen, Colo., for this year's fest may contain the biggest contingent of Chicago talent in the event's seven-year...

The goal of any television series is to make it to 100 episodes. That's not only a true measure of longevity but also a desired number for success in the...

Once upon a time, Rob Becker told his son a bedtime story about monsters who made noises that sounded suspiciously like the car horns, radiators and squealing brakes that emenated...

As the buzz continued over the prime-time debut of the Fox network's "Temptation Island" -- fueled by No. 1 ratings for the show in its time slot among TV's coveted...

The currently beleaguered state of comedy not only has deprived the city of a selection of locations in which to laugh -- several national headliners, once "regulars" here, now tend...

Stone Stanley Entertainment, little known outside the industry, gets to take a bite out of reality programming this week. The production company, which primarily makes game, variety and reality-driven shows,...

The year 2000 brought a number of achievements, not the least by some Chicagoans in the arts community. For the 16th year, the Arts & Entertainment staff has chosen Chicagoans...

There are myriad options for those looking to say goodbye to the year on Sunday. One of the more fun choices is spending the final minutes with a comedian. That...

Movies For hard-core movie buffs, this is the year's biggest weekend: More than a dozen local premieres through Monday include both big holiday movies and last-minute Oscar contenders. High on...