Theater – Page 34 –

Jacqueline Guillén, Ariana Burks and Carmen Berkeley in "Dead Girl’s Quinceañera" at the Goodman Theatre. (Justin Barbin)

Review: ‘Dead Girl’s Quinceañera’ at Goodman Theatre turns an apparent abduction into a teenage caper

By Chris Jones

October 6, 2026 at 2:57 p.m.

Phanésia Pharel's new play has a lively cast of adults playing teenagers, and is not...

The actor John C. Reilly is returning to Steppenwolf Theatre for a second engagement of his show, “Mister Romantic.” (Bobbi Rich)

Chicago Theater Report: John C. Reilly is back in Chicago, Baby heads to Broadway and how to get into the Uptown Theatre

By Chris Jones

October 6, 2026 at 1:46 p.m.

The national tour of “Dirty Dancing” in Chicago last month turned out to be a...

Martin "Tre" Dumas III and Bril Barrett of M.A.D.D. Rythms at the Harold Washington Cultural Center in Chicago on Aug. 6, 2026. (Kevin Serna/for Chicago Magazine)

Review: M.A.D.D. Rhythms hoofers from past and present shine, despite technical challenges

By Lauren Warnecke

October 7, 2026 at 2:24 p.m.

M.A.D.D. Rhythms co-founders Bril Barrett and Martin “Tre” Dumas III performed some of the finest...

Gayeon Jung, Stefan Gonçalvez, Amanda Assucena and Hyuma Kiyosawa in the Joffrey Ballet's 2025 holiday production of "The Nutcracker." (Cheryl Mann)

Review: In its 10th year, the Joffrey Ballet’s ‘Nutcracker’ is the best version of itself

By Lauren Warnecke

December 6, 2025 at 11:20 a.m.

Any hint of clunkiness or awkwardness has been smoothed away in the Christopher Wheeldon version...

Felicia Martis (Jovie) and Jack Ducat (Buddy) in the touring production of "Elf the Musical" at the Auditorium Theatre. (Evan Zimmerman)

Review: ‘Elf’ at the Auditorium Theatre has a fine Buddy in a middling musical

By Emily McClanathan

December 5, 2025 at 5:15 a.m.

With music by Matthew Sklar and lyrics by Chad Beguelin, the Christmas cheer is dialed...

Luke Nowakowski and Amanda Rodriguez in "Urinetown" by Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre. (Liz Stenholt)

Review: A welcome return home of the spoof musical ‘Urinetown’ at Theo Ubique Theatre

By Chris Jones

December 4, 2025 at 1:32 p.m.

The origins of this musical by Greg Kotis and Mark Hollman stretch all the way...

Christian Pursell and Vanessa Becerra perform in Chicago Opera Theater's production of Antonio Salieri's "Falstaff" at the Studebaker Theater on Dec. 3, 2025. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)

Review: ‘Falstaff’ by Chicago Opera Theater is a sunny farce that shows off the real Salieri

By Hannah Edgar

December 5, 2025 at 10:22 a.m.

This production in the Fine Arts Building transplants Shakespeare-via-Salieri’s comical opera to a chi-chi, “White...

Phil Timberlake in "Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol" at Lifeline Theatre, a story told from the point of view of Ebenezer Scrooge’s late business partner. (Jackie Jasperson)

Review: ‘Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol’ leans into Dickens’ language and the supernatural

By Emily McClanathan

December 3, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Lifeline ensemble member Phil Timberlake takes on Tom Mula's solo play, told from the point...

English playwright Tom Stoppard outside Lincoln Center Theater in New York on Sept. 27, 2018. (Daniel Dorsa/The New York Times)

Appreciation: Why Tom Stoppard was my favorite living playwright

By Chris Jones

January 23, 2026 at 5:03 p.m.

Stoppard reminded us that psychology is connected to family is connected to venture capital is...

FILE – In this Sept. 4, 2012 file photo, British playwright Tom Stoppard poses as he arrives for the world premiere of “Anna Karenina,” in London. (AP Photo/Sang Tan, File)

Tom Stoppard, sparkling playwright who won an Oscar for ‘Shakespeare In Love,’ dies at 88

By Jill Lawless

November 30, 2025 at 9:19 a.m.

British playwright Tom Stoppard, a playful, probing dramatist who won an Academy Award for the...

Deborah Hay and Mark Bedard as Beatrice and Benedick in "Much Ado About Nothing" in Chicago Shakespeare's Courtyard Theater on Navy Pier. (Kyle Flubacker)

Review: ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ at Chicago Shakes is warm, lovely and funny indeed

By Chris Jones

November 26, 2025 at 1:20 p.m.

If you fear boredom when attending Shakespeare, you need have no such worries here.

Melisa Soledad Pereyra, Mark L. Montgomery, Dexter Zollicoffer, Ryder Dean McDaniel and Jay Whittaker in "The Taming of the Shrew" at Court Theatre in Hyde Park. (Michael Brosilow)

Review: A truly terrible ‘Taming of the Shrew’ at Court Theatre

By Chris Jones

November 25, 2025 at 9:39 a.m.

The heavyweight conceit here is that we are watching a play within a play, a...

Christopher Donahue, Jon Hudson Odom and Amira Danan in the Goodman Theatre's 2025 holiday production of "A Christmas Carol." (Brett Beiner)

Review: Goodman Theatre’s ‘Christmas Carol’ finds the darkness and light every holiday season

By Emily McClanathan

November 25, 2025 at 5:10 a.m.

In the opening scene of “A Christmas Carol,” newly directed by Malkia Stampley this year,...