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Spotlight on Babes With Blades' Othello
Every other year, Babes With Blades Theatre Company presents a fully staged Shakespeare work cast entirely with actors who identify as female, trans and/or gender-nonconforming, thereby allowing audiences to perceive The Bard's great works through a ...
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Critics' Picks
The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey, American Blues at Stage 773, through April 27: Joe Foust commands our rapt attention for 75 minutes in this thriller noir, as he discovers the killer and—more importantly—the legacy of ...
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THEATER REVIEW Hannah and Martin
Author: Kate Fodor At: Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. Tickets: ShatteredGlobe.org, or 773-975-8150; $15-39. Runs through: May 25 In Shattered Globe's Hannah and Martin, author Kate Fodor and director Louis Contey invite audiences to ...
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THEATER REVIEW Non Playing Character
Playwright: Walt McGough At: Red Theater at the Athenaeum, 2936 N. Southport Ave. Tickets: RedTheater.org and 773-935-6875; $22. Runs through: May 18 In the 100th-anniversary year of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, playwright Walt McGough invites us ...
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THEATER REVIEW DJEMBE! The Show
Book: West Hyler & Doug Manuel; Score: Various artists At: Apollo Theater, 2540 N. Lincoln Ave. Tickets: 773-935-6100 or DjembeTheShow.com; $39-$53. Booking through: June 9 DJEMBE! The Show isn't a typical musical. Instead, it's likely to ...
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Theater Review Hannah And Martin
Author: Kate Fodor At: Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. Tickets: www.shatteredglobe.org, or 773-975-8150; $15-39. Runs through: May 25 In Shattered Globe's Hannah and Martin, author Kate Fodor and director Louis Contey invite audiences to look ...
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THEATER REVIEW Cambodian Rock Band
Playwright: Lauren Yee At: Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. Tickets: 773-781-3000; VictoryGardens.org; $32-$65. Runs through: May 5 Cambodian Rock Band makes Victory Gardens the go-to, high-energy Off-Loop theater of the moment, thanks to a ...
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THEATER REVIEW Lottery Day
Karen Topham
Playwright: Ike Holter At: Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St. Tickets: GoodmanTheatre.org. Runs through: April 28 "If you want to start it, then make sure you stop to finish it." This advice—from a rap song repeated ...
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THEATER REVIEW Utility
Playwright: Emily Schwend At: Interrobang Theatre Project at Rivendell Theatre, 5779 N. Ridge Ave. Tickets: InterrobangTheatre.org or 312-219-4140; $32. Runs through: May 4 Literary scholars can speak of the narrative device labeled "a dark night of ...
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Downton's McGovern and Fellowes reunite for "The Chaperone"
In 1922, Wichita, Kansas, native Louise Brooks left her home to study modern dance at the Denishawn School in New York City. Just a few years later, she'd be appearing in Hollywood films. By the decade's ...
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Millennium Park Summer Films to celebrate Year of Chicago Theatre
The Millennium Park Summer Film Series will offer a lineup of popular classic and recent movie selections on Tuesdays, June 4 through August 20, at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. To celebrate 2019 as ...
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'Night of Noise' variety show April 14
The Illinois Safe Schools Alliance will be "breaking" the Day of Silence with its third annual variety show, "Night of Noise: Onward and Upward" on Sunday, April 14, at Haymarket Pub and Brewing, 737 W. Randolph ...
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Critics' Picks
Herland, Redtwist Theatre, through April 14—Empowered by Bruce Springsteen anthems, four women of diverse ages, intents and erotic impulses vow to determine their own destinies, whether destiny mandates pantsuits, jacuzzis or smashing guitars. MSB Sweat, Goodman ...
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Spotlight
We've all said it: "The world would be a better place if there were more people like me!" Oh? Really? How many identical siblings would be enough? Would you clone yourself endlessly if you could? Who ...
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THEATER REVIEW Afterglow
Playwright: S. Asher Gelman At: Buena Theater, 4147 N. Broadway . Tickets: $25-$40; PrideFilmsandPlays.com, or 866-811-4111 or 773-857-0222. Runs through: May 5 Pride Films and Plays is presenting Afterglow, a play about three men exploring their ...
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THEATER REVIEW Pinocchio
Playwrights: Joseph Steakley and Ben Loppries At: House Theatre of Chicago at Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. Tickets: 773-769-3832; TheHouseTheatre.com; $30-$50. Runs through: May 19 This new Pinocchio definitely isn't Walt Disney's version, nor is ...
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THEATER REVIEW The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey
Playwright: James Lecesne At: American Blues Theater at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. Tickets: AmericanBluesTheater.com or 773-654-3103; $19-$39. Runs through: April 27 We never meet the title character. That's because Leonard Pelkey, like Marley, is ...
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Timeline Theatre Company announces 2019-20 Season
Chicago, IL — TimeLine Theatre Company, acclaimed for presenting plays that explore today's social and political issues through the lens of the past, is thrilled to announce its 23rd season. The company's 2019-20 subscription season will ...
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THEATER REVIEW Admissions
Playwright: Joshua Harmon At: Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. Tickets: TheaterWit.org and 773-975-8150; $25-$42. Runs through: May 12 Historically, the children of rich parents attended college, while those of poor parents were sent to trade ...
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THEATER REVIEW Anastasia
Playwright: Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens. At: The James M Nederlander Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St. Tickets: BroadwayInChicago.com. Runs through: April 7 One of the first things I focused on while watching Anastasia at ...
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Gender-Bending The Bard with The Shrews Present 'Untameable'
The Shrews Improvisation collective has come a long way since its initial run, which was spearheaded by founders Lindsay Gonzales and Claudia Alpert. They shoved furniture aside, and performed to audiences packed in Gonzales' living room ...
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THEATER REVIEW Hands on a Hardbody
Playwright: Doug Wright ( book ), Amanda Green ( lyrics ), Trey Anastasio and Amanda Green ( music ). At: Refuge Theatre Project at the Preston Bradley Center, 941 W. Lawrence Ave. Tickets: $30; RefugeTheatre.com. Runs ...
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Critics' Picks
Red Rex, Steep Theatre, through March 30. The sixth installment in Ike Holter's seven-part play cycle exploring the urban woes of Chicago's ( fictional ) 51st Ward doesn't spare the clueless artists whose invasions only hasten ...
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NUNN ON ONE THEATER Stephen Flaherty translates 'Anastasia' to the stage
Anastasia is a musical based on the 1997 animated film that adapted the legend of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia, who escapes the execution of her family and becomes an amnesiac orphan named Anya. The ...
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THEATER REVIEW Bright Star
Playwright: Steve Martin and Edie Brickell At: The Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln, Chicago. Tickets: www.bohotheatre.com. Runs through: May 5 There is a true story at the core of BoHo Theatre's new musical Bright Star. ...
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THEATER REVIEW Herland
Playwright: Grace McLeod At: Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.. Tickets: Redtwist.org 773-728-7529; $35-$40. Runs through: April 14 "When people ask us if we want to do something, it will be a real question! ...
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AFC hosts 'Take My Hand' at summit
On March 15, ViiV Healthcare hosted a performance of "Take My Hand" as part of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago's ( AFC's ) Women's Connection Summit. According to Cynthia Tucker, vice president of prevention and community ...
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THEATER REVIEW Sweat
Playwright: Lynn Nottage At: Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St. Tickets: 312-443-3800; Goodmantheatre.org/Sweat; $20-$80. Runs through: April 14 Sometimes theater grabs you by the guts, sometimes it sucker-punches you. Sweat does both. The Chicago premiere of ...
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THEATER REVIEW For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf
Playwright: Ntozake Shange At: Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. Tickets: 773-753-4472; CourtTheatre.org; $50-$74. Runs through: April 14 Ntozake Shange's death in October, at age 70, unleashed an outpouring of tributes from Black women playwrights who ...
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Renee Fleming stars in multi Tony winning musical The Light in the Piazza
CHICAGO ( March 24, 2019 )—John Berry CBE and Anthony Lilley OBE for Scenario Two are delighted to announce a new production of the acclaimed Broadway musical The Light in the Piazza starring four-time Grammy Award ...
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THEATER REVIEW Herland
Playwright: Grace McLeod At: Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. Tickets: Redtwist.org 773-728-7529; $35-$40. Runs through: April 14<] "When people ask us if we want to do something, it will be a real question! We ...
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THEATER REVIEW Hands on a Hardbody
Playwright: Doug Wright ( book ), Amanda Green ( lyrics ), Trey Anastasio and Amanda Green ( music ) At: Refuge Theatre Project at the Preston Bradley Center, 941 W. Lawrence Ave. Tickets: $30; RefugeTheatre.com. Runs ...
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THEATER REVIEW How to Live on Earth
Playwright: MJ Kaufman At: Chimera Ensemble at the Flatiron, 1573 N. Milwaukee Ave. Tickets: ChimeraEnsemble.com; $23. Runs through: March 24 Those travel advertisements asking us "Wouldn't you like to get away from it all?" inform MJ ...
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Ravinia Festival Experience Center, immersive-experience theater, to open
HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Ravinia Festival will open a major addition to the park, the RaviniaMusicBox Experience Center, later this summer. The new building features an immersive-experience, 65-seat theater and a museum gallery space. Described by ...
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eta seeking executive director
The board of directors for the eta Creative Arts Foundation is seeking an experienced executive director with a strong background in African-American arts and cultural traditions. The foundation was started in 1971, by Abena Joan Brown, ...
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THEATER REVIEW Southern Comfort
Authors: Dan Collins ( book/lyrics ) and Julianne Wick Davis ( music ) At: Pride Films & Plays, 4139 N. Broadway. Tickets: 866-811-4111; PrideFilmsAndPlays.com; $25-$40. Runs through: March 31 This musical is deeply heartfelt but ...
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THEATER REVIEW The Bridges of Madison County
Authors: Marsha Norman and Jason Robert Brown At: Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre, 721 Howard St., Evanston. Tickets: www.theo-u.com or 773-347-1109; $39-69. Runs through: April 21 Theo Ubique, director Fred Anzevino and music director Jeremy Ramey have ...
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THEATER REVIEW Remember the Alamo
Playwright: Nick Hart At: The Neo-Futurist Theatre, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. Tickets: neofuturists.org; $25 ( pay-what-you can Thursday nights ). Runs through: April 27 Here's a world premiere that brings fresh meaning to the phrase "Tex-Mex." ...
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Women In Comedy to host "A Love Letter to Myself, A Chicago Variety Show"
Chicago, Illinois — On Monday March 25, Women in Comedy hosts "A Love Letter to Myself" from 6 to 9 p.m. at Revolution Brewery. "A Love Letter To Myself" honors the journey of a woman's quest ...
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New musical comedy "Once Upon A One More Time" set to Britney Spears music
A musical comedy featuring the songs of Britney Spears will fill the slot at the Chicago theater left vacant when producers of the upcoming Michael Jackson bio-musical cancelled its own pre-Broadway run in the Windy City, ...
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Steppenwolf Theatre Company to present Ms. Blakk for President
CHICAGO ( March 12, 2019 ) — Steppenwolf Theatre Company announced today the full casting for the world premiere of MS. BLAKK FOR PRESIDENT, co-written by ensemble members Tina Landau ( SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical ...
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THEATER REVIEW The Ruse of Medusa
Author: Erik Satie At: Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. Tickets: FacilityTheatre.org; $25. Runs through: April 7 Camped out like a settlement of snobby hobos in the hoarded wreckage of an eccentric great aunt's estate ...
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THEATER REVIEW Dutch Masters
Playwright: Greg Keller At: Jackalope Theatre at the Armory, 5917 N. Broadway. Tickets: JackalopeTheatre.org; $5-$30. Runs through: April 6 A playwright struggling to assemble one or more dissimilar personalities and keep them in contentious proximity can ...
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SPRING THEATER REVIEW Hot-button plays for a cold spring
The groundhog lied to us! Winter in Chicago is not yet over, boots and parkas still litter the foyers and the New Year has been delayed until the equinox—so start your countdowns now in anticipation of ...
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Critics' Picks
On Clover Road, American Blues Theater at Stage 773, through March 16. The unplanned Steven Dietz festival continues with this twisted desert-cult psychological thriller featuring Philip E. Johnson in one of his rare creepy-villain roles ( ...
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THEATER REVIEW The Man Who Was Thursday
Playwright: adapted by Bilal Dardai from the story by G.K. Chesterton. At: Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. Tickets: LifelineTheatre.com and 773-761-4477; $40. Runs through: April 7 There's a lesson to be learned from G. K. ...
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THEATER REVIEW The Man Who Was Thursday
Playwright: adapted by Bilal Dardai from the story by G.K. Chesterton At: Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. Tickets: LifelineTheatre.com and 773-761-4477; $40. Runs through: April 7 There's a lesson to be learned from G. K. ...
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Chicago Inclusion Project to offer Professional Performance Training Series
Chicago, IL—The Chicago Inclusion Project is launching a new initiative dedicated to providing performance development training to Chicago area artists in underrepresented communities. The new, pay- what-you-can series will consist of master classes, workshops, and mentor ...
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Writers Theatre season to include Sondheim's Into The Woods, Ibsen's A Doll's House
Glencoe, IL—Writers Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce the company's 2019/20 six play season, opening with Into the Woods, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine, ...
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'Reap the Grove' reading March 15
Artemisia Theatre will stage a reading of Caity-Shea Violette's LGBT production Reap the Grove—the winner of Artemisia's 2017 Fall Festival of new plays—on Friday, March 15, at 7:30 p.m. at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee ...
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Chicago Premiere of Cambodian Rock Band at Victory Gardens Theater April 5
Chicago, IL— Victory Gardens Theater continues its 44th season with the Chicago Premiere of Cambodian Rock Band, written by Lauren Yee, featuring songs by Dengue Fever and directed by Marti Lyons. Cambodian Rock Band runs April ...
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American Blues Theater announces five plays of the 2019-2020 Season
Chicago, IL— American Blues Theater, under the continued leadership of Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, announces the lineup for its 2019 — 2020 Season, "Then & Now". American Blues' 34th Season will include the Chicago Premiere of ...
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Steppenwolf Breaks Ground Today on New Campus Expansion
CHICAGO ( March 5, 2019 ) — Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation's premier ensemble theatre, proudly breaks ground today on the next phase of its multi-year campus expansion on Halsted Street in Chicago's Lincoln Park. The ...
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Disney's Frozen to premiere in Chicago in 2020
CHICAGO ( March 5, 2019 ) — From the producers of The Lion King and Aladdin, Disney's Frozen, the Tony®-nominated Best Musical, will play an exclusive 11-week premiere engagement at Broadway In Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre ...
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THEATER REVIEW Mike Pence Sex Dream
Playwright: Dan Giles At: First Floor Theater @ The Den, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. Tickets: FirstFloorTheater.com; $25. Runs through: March 16 I don't understand why some gays incorrectly insist that Vice-President Mike Pence is/was gay. Why-oh-why ...
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THEATER REVIEW The Ruse of Medusa
Author: Erik Satie At: Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. Tickets: FacilityTheatre.org; $25. Runs through: April 7 Camped out like a settlement of snobby hobos in the hoarded wreckage of an eccentric great aunt's estate sale, ...
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THEATER REVIEW Act(s) of God
By: Kareem Bandealy At: Lookingglass Theatre, 821 N. Michigan Ave. Tickets: Lookingglasstheatre.org; $40-$75. Runs through: April 7 Questions about existence and the nature of creation lie at the heart of Kareem Bandealy's Act( s ) of ...
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Lesbian spoken word artist Staceyann Chin in Evanston March 7
Lesbian spoken word artist Staceyann Chin will be in town March 7 for a rare performance. Chin is a Jamaican-born lesbian poet, writer, political activist, performance artist, & Mother to 7 year old Zuri. On Thursday, ...
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THEATER REVIEW I Wanna Fucking Tear You Apart
Playwright: Morgan Gould At: Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, 5779 N. Ridge Ave. Tickets: 773-334-7728; RivendellTheatre.org; $38. Runs through: March 23 This show made me feel old, with many pop song snippets and gamer/TV references I didn't know, ...
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For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf at Court Theater
Chicago, IL - Court Theatre, under the leadership of Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, and Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre, continues its 2018/19 season with For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is ...
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Rent 20th Anniversary Tour tickets on sale March 8
CHICAGO ( March 1, 2019 ) Broadway In Chicago is delighted to announce tickets for the RENT 20th Anniversary Tour will go on sale on Wednesday, March 6. The RENT 20th Anniversary Tour will play Broadway ...
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THEATER REVIEW Munsterspiel
Playwright: Gregory Peters At: Berger Park Coach House, 6205 N. Sheridan Rd. Tickets: BrownPaperTickets.com/event/3907064 or 800-838-3006. Runs through: March 16 In an era of "fake news" and the day-by-day perpetual fact-checking of every presidential tweet, ...
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THEATER REVIEW Twilight Bowl
Playwright: Rebecca Gilman At: Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St. Tickets: $10-45; Goodmantheatre.org/twilightbowl; 312-443-3800. Runs through: March 10 Small towns in the Midwest are their own animal. In some ways, like the happy families in Tolstoy's ...
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THEATER REVIEW An Inspector Calls
By: JB Priestley At: The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, 800 E. Grand Ave. Tickets: 312-595-5600 or ChicagoShakes.com; $46-$88. Runs through: March 10 U.S. audiences find comfort in watching the British upper class, especially in decadent ...
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Critics' Picks
Mojo Mickeybo, Irish Theatre of Chicago at the Davis Cinema, playing February 27-28 only. Owen McCafferty's account of his boyhood in the slums of Belfast incensed its real-life counterparts, but Seanachai Theatre's 2009 hit production give ...
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'LGBTQ Motherhood Tales' in March-April
"Stories in the Spotlight: LGBTQ Motherhood Tales"—a free workshop/performance series at Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St., room 204—will take place on Mondays at 7-8:30 p.m. on March 4-April 8. The performances ( five-to-10-minute stories ...
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Queeriosity open mic kicks off 'Louder Than a Bomb'
More than 20 of Chicago's LGBTQ and questioning high schoolers gathered Feb. 23 for the annual Louder Than a Bomb ( LTAB ) edition of Queeriosity, a monthly open-mic series presented by Young Chicago Authors ( ...
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THEATER REVIEW Dear Evan Hansen
Authors: Steven Levenson ( book ), Benj Pasek & Justin Paul ( music/lyrics ) At: Nederlander Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St. Tickets: BroadwayInChicago.com; $85-$399 ( yes, you read that right! ). Runs through: March 12 Powerful ...
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THEATER REVIEW How I Learned to Drive
By: Paula Vogel At: Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark St. Tickets:raventheatre.com; $41-$46. Runs through: March 24 Despite the script's Pulitzer-elevated status to canon classic, Raven Theatre's production of How I Learned to Drive seems as of ...
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THEATER REVIEW The Total Bent
Authors: Stew and Heidi Rodewald At: The Den Theatre, 1616 N. Wells St. Tickets: HavenTheatreChicago.com; $35. Runs through: March 10 Haven Theatre and About Face Theatre's The Total Bent is what comes from combining a ...
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Nederlander Theatre lights marquee
Broadway In Chicago's newly named James M. Nederlander Theatre recently lit its marquee for the first time. The venue, at 24 W. Randolph, honors the late James M. Nederlander, the legendary Broadway theater owner and producer, ...
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THEATER REVIEW Fulfillment Center
Playwright: Abe Koogler At: A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells St. Tickets: $30-40; ARedOrchidTheatre.org. Runs through: March 24 These days, everyone's trying to make a statement. Theater companies have their reasons. These are trying ...
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THEATER REVIEW Pipeline
Playwright: Dominique Morisseau At: Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave.. Tickets: $27-60; VictoryGardens.org . Runs through: March 3 Thinking about Pipeline, here's what comes to mind: two incredible supporting characters and a Gwendolyn Brooks poem. ...
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THEATER REVIEW A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder
Playwright: Book by Robert L. Freedman, music by Steven Lutvak, lyrics by Robert L. Freedman and Steven Lutvak At: Porchlight Music Theater at the Ruth Page Auditorium. Tickets: PorchlightMusicTheatre.org; 773-777-9884; $39-$66. Runs through: March 16 Those ...
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Critics' Picks
A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Porchlight Music Theatre at the Ruth Page Auditorium, through March 16. A score that hearkens to Gilded-Age whimsy, scenery like a Victorian greeting card designed by Monty Python and ...
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