Reviews by Carol Moore

**** Recommended   My bad!  When I read the pre-show press release for "A Wonderful World, A New Musical about the Life and Loves of Louis Armstrong", I overlooked this key phrase – as told by the women in his life.  Although I didn’t expect a jukebox musical, I did think the musical would actually be about Satchmo!  Instead, I saw a musical divided into four chapters paralleling his career but defined by his four wives.  I was disappointed because I wanted to know more about him, not them.  "A Wonderful World" is a good musical but it just didn’t pop for me.  4 Spotlights

**** Recommended   Is "What the Constitution Means to Me" a civics lesson disguised as a play?  Could be! Playwright Heidi Schreck might be one of the few people who’ve actually read the Constitution.  In fact, she not only read it, she memorized parts of it, and now she’s written a charming play more or less about the Constitution.  Audiences at the Copley Theater are now enjoying that play.  Cory Goodrich, who plays Schreck, brings her own warmth and charm to the part.  4 Spotlights  

**** Recommended   As we were driving to Writers Theatre in Glencoe to see "Eurydice", my friend Crista and I discussed and dissected Sarah Ruhl’s plays.  Crista tended not to like them, I liked more than I disliked.  We both had questions about her version of Eurydice, wondering how the addition of Eurydice’s father would fit into the Greek legend.  In fact, I think Eurydice’s interaction with her father added emotion, pathos if you will, to a harsh legend.  Unfortunately, it’s rather slow-moving, so I zoned out once or twice.  3 ½ Spotlights

**** Highly Recommended   The Goodman Theatre production of "The Nacirema Society" is quite simply outstanding!   The play is centered on the women of the Dunbar family of Montgomery, Alabama and their long-time connection to the Nacirema (American spelled backwards) Society, whose members consider themselves to be the crème de la crème of Negro society.  Pearl Cleage has written a dynamic play about privilege that still manages to be laugh-out-loud funny; the cast is stellar and the set is awesome!  It reminded me a lot of Noel Coward’s plays – in which good manners will prevail over all. 4 BIG Spotlights