Other Professional Theater Reviews

****HIGHLY RECOMMENDED**** It has been 20 years since the boys of "The Boys in the Band" have sashayed across a stage in Chicago. Following a highly publicized production on Broadway starring a cast of big-name actors who are all openly gay men (and the subsequent 2019 Tony Award that it won for Best Revival of a Play), Chicago audiences once again get a chance to see what all the fuss is about for themselves. Mart Crowley's landmark play opened off-Broadway in 1968 in what was originally supposed to be a five day run. A year and a half later, the boys finally disbanded. Thanks to the savvy producers at Windy City Playhouse, who have made a name for themselves by staging immersive theatrical events, they scored the rights to this in-demand show and place you, the audience member, right on the set itself -- directly in the line of fire as these castmates hurl endless verbal hand grenades at one another.  4 SPOTLIGHTS

***RECOMMENDED*** There was certainly quite a buzz in the air at the recent opening night performance of Liliana Padilla's play "How to Defend Yourself." As the audience members filled the lobby of the Victory Gardens Theater, the anticipation level was extremely high. Once inside and seated in their seats it definitely took on a party atmosphere. Padilla's latest script, developed as part of Victory Gardens 2018 IGNITION Festival of New Plays, was receiving its Co-World Premiere with Actors Theatre of Louisville. The very vocal audience instantly embraced this important and essential work and "How to Defend Yourself" marks the emergence of a major new voice in the American theatre.  3 AND 1/2 SPOTLIGHTS

***RECOMMENDED***   For the fifth time in the past 14 years the play "Stop Kiss" is being presented here in Chicago, and each production has been presented by vastly different companies. Ironically, four of the five (including this one) have opened in the month of January. Do we as Midwesterners crave dark and intellectually stimulating works the most to brood over during one of our darkest and traditionally brutally coldest months? Sure seems like it! That's not to say that "Stop Kiss" is a totally heavy piece of theatre that will send you into a deep depression. On the contrary, it is an oftentimes humorous and endearing glimpse at the emerging love that is generated between two very different people. With the alarming rate of anti-Semitic acts rising in the United States and Europe, as well as the increase in hate crimes committed against the LGBTQ community at large (particularly the appalling homicide rate for transgender women of color), now seems to be an opportune time to revisit playwright Diana Son's 1998 off-Broadway hit in a solidly staged co-production of Pride Films and Plays and The Arc Theatre.  3 SPOTLIGHTS

★★★★★ Marriott Theatre has brought back the true “Grease” with its book, music and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. This is the Chicago version and is quite different that the “Hollywood”, John Travolta/Olivia Newton-John film. This play was written by Chicagoans about a Chicago high school ( Taft High School is Rydell) and this version if far meatier. At the helm of making this pleasurable theatrical experience take place is director Scott Weinstein who truly knows how to use the in-the-round stage at Marriott. He keeps the action moving and allows all four sides of the theater great views.