Other Professional Theater Reviews

***RECOMMENDED  The mere prospect of mounting a production of "Into the Woods" may be nearly as daunting as some of the obstacles that the fairytale characters face once they have entered the foreboding forest in Stephen Sondheim's beloved musical. You need a very strong cast to make this particular show truly sing. After all, as famously parodied in the delightfully twisted show "Forbidden Broadway" in which those cast members lamented Sondheim's endlessly tricky rhyme schemes and demanding lyrics during the "Into the Words" number, not just anyone can pull this off. When it was announced that Kokandy Productions would be concluding their 2024 season with "Into the Woods," hopes were very high as this particular company has had much success with Sondheim's work in the past. 3 SPOTLIGHTS

“Noises Off” is a hilarious farce of British wit and slap stick humor.  A well done production set turns as if it is a “lazy susan” between the three acts provides the audience a view of the goings on shenanigans during a play production.  You can only pray this is not typical of most plays.

Sandy Rustin, the playwright, just pulled off a first in neighborhood Chicago theater. She was instrumental in bringing her 2023 sexual farce stage play directly from Broadway to neighborhood Citadel Theatre in Lake Forest.  Ms. Rustin grew up in Glenview and went to Northwestern University. She was influenced by Noel Coward’s “Private Lives” and Bernard Slade’s “Same Time Next Year” but creates her own unique story in “The Cottage”. It is recommended by this reviewer.

What makes a musical the best ever? According to “Time Magazine”, it is powerful memorable songs, great acting, great voices, dancing, and a great story of characters, complicated ones, This production of "Carousel", by Music Theater Works, has ALMOST all of those.