Chris Jones – Page 7 –

The cast of "The Tempest" in the Festival Theatre, part of the 2026 Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ontario. (David Hou)

Column: At the Stratford Festival, an artistic director retires. Prematurely, of course.

June 26, 2026 at 5:30 a.m.

As the departing leader of this essential Canadian theater festival, Antoni Cimolino leaves a legacy that will be hard to forget and impossible to replace. Just watch his "Tempest."

Zachary Keller, Robert Tully and the cast of the touring musical "Water for Elephants," in Chicago at the Nederlander Theatre. (Matthew Murphy)

Review: ‘Water For Elephants’ arrives in Chicago, a blend of circus and story

June 25, 2026 at 1:31 p.m.

This 2024 Broadway musical is an adaptation of the 2006 novel and more recent movie, set during the tawdry 1930s days of the American circus.

Lucrecia Ortiz in "Port of Entry" by the Albany Park Theater Project in August 2023. (Eric Strom and Sarah Joyce)

Chicago Theater Report: New leaders for Albany Park Theater Project and a cast for ‘Sunday in the Park’

June 23, 2026 at 1:00 p.m.

Also in theater news this week, the national tour of "Water for Elephants" arrives in Chicago, and theater founder Bill Pullinsi's life will be celebrated soon at the Broadway Playhouse.

Cory Goodrich and cast in "Nunsense" at Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace. (Caitlin Dennis)

Review: The immortal ‘Nunsense’ resurfaces at Drury Lane Theatre

June 19, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

This familiar show is very funny under the direction of E. Faye Butler and in the hands of an experienced cast of comedic performers in the western suburbs.

Richard Young and Sam Strange in "Champions of Magic," currently at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago. (Ricardo Hererra)

Review: ‘Champions of Magic’ brings big, fun, family-friendly illusions to the Studebaker Theater

June 18, 2026 at 1:13 p.m.

Audiences get witty, homemade versions of David Copperfield-style illusions — replete with Rube Goldberg-like contraptions, fire, pyrotechnics and cheerfully low-rent escapology.

Courtney Ricki Green and Jin Park in "Untitled Vampire Play" at Lookingglass Theatre. (Justin Barbin)

Review: At Lookingglass Theatre, Chicago vampires seduce a city

June 16, 2026 at 3:04 p.m.

Let me make an unsolicited suggestion to triple the Lookingglass Theatre box office. Instead of calling the current show "Untitled Vampire Play," which is bloodless to the point of vegetarianism,...

Neala Barron and cast in "Octet" at Raven Theatre. (Joe Mazza)

Chicago Theater Report: ‘Octet’ moves to Goodman, Idina Menzel coming to Lyric

June 16, 2026 at 1:40 p.m.

Also this week in theater news, A Red Orchid Theatre will bring back "Birds of North America," and the original cast of "Six" is reuniting for a fundraiser.

Gary Cole and Audrey Francis in "Catch as Catch Can" at Steppenwolf Theatre. (Michael Brosilow)

Review: In ‘Catch as Catch Can’ at Steppenwolf, a lot of the audience probably didn’t

June 15, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.

Mia Chung's play uses three actors (Gary Cole, Tim Hopper and Audrey Francis) to play six characters, cast without regard to gender or age.

The cast of "Leopoldstradt" at Writers Theatre in Glencoe. (Michael Brosilow)

Review: Skillfully staged ‘Leopoldstadt’ at Writers Theatre needs to find its heart

June 15, 2026 at 5:30 a.m.

Tom Stoppard's final play caps a career of brilliant plays with a semi-autobiographical story about two generations of a Jewish family.

Laurie Metcalf accepts the award for best performance by a featured actress in a play for "Death of a Salesman" during the 79th Tony Awards on June 7, 2026, at Radio City Music Hall in New York. (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

Chicago Theater Report: Laurie Metcalf sidesteps Steppenwolf, plus changes to Paramount’s board

June 9, 2026 at 3:36 p.m.

"Going Bacharach: The Songs of an Icon" closes Sunday at the Apollo Theater. I'm told that impressive early momentum in ticket sales has not been sustained, and the commercially produced...

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