60 Years of RSMT - Review by Nancy Henke-Konopasek
60 Years of RSMT took place May 17 and 18 at Reinhart Auditorium in Merrillville, Indiana. RSMT (Ross Summer Music Theatre) known for six decades of quality theatre did not disappoint!
60 Years of RSMT took place May 17 and 18 at Reinhart Auditorium in Merrillville, Indiana. RSMT (Ross Summer Music Theatre) known for six decades of quality theatre did not disappoint!
**** Highly Recommended This is your chance, Chicago! Broadway-bound "Death Becomes Her" is absolutely fabulous! It’s a gorgeous, outrageously funny, larger than life, almost old-fashioned musical. The music is glorious, the lyrics are fast-paced and snarky, the costumes sparkly and the frenemies just bitchy enough. With standing ovations from the opening night audience the stars have aligned and this show is a hit! Best of all – Chicagoans have bragging rights – we saw it before Broadway! 4 BIG Spotlights
**** Highly Recommended Paramount Theatre’s production of "Beautiful – The Carole King Musical" is dazzling audiences. Beautiful is without a doubt my favorite jukebox ever. The music is timeless, the choreography spectacular, the costumes glitter and I can’t say enough good things about star, Tiffany Topol. Hurry and get your tickets, they’ll be going fast for this must-see musical. I give “Beautiful” 4 BIG Spotlights.
**** Recommended Steppenwolf Theatre’s new production, "The Thanksgiving Play," is a biting satire about political correctness. In this story about an elementary school Thanksgiving play, political correctness has totally run amok. The characters are such earnest, self-righteous and self-congratulatory people that I absolutely hated them, yet I laughed at their antics. 3 ½ Spotlights
4 Spotlights! Towle Theater’s production, The Spider or the Fly?, a psychological thriller by Sam Bobrick, explores the relationship between Maura (played by Mary Margaret McCormack) and Scott (played by Martin Downs) who are serving on a jury for a murder trial. They become romantically involved, but soon discover they are at odds on what they believe should be the verdict of the trial.
**** Recommended Picture the ultimate sleaze-ball of all time, put him up against his own mortality, and you’ll get "Judgment Day," the world premiere comedy playing in the Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. It’s not a new idea but it stars Jason Alexander – who can deliver a devastatingly funny one-liner better than anyone – and it’s hilarious. I laughed so hard my face hurt! 4 Spotlights
**** Highly Recommended Goodman Theatre’s lyrical production of "Joe Turner’s Come and Gone" is a masterpiece – and a history lesson. In this play, the second in August Wilson’s Century Cycle, set in the 1910s, echoes of the Civil War overlay the ordinary difficulties of everyday life. As in most of Wilson’s Pittsburgh cycle, the characters are dealing with life the best they can – but because it’s Wilson, there’s a bit of mysticism too. Kudos to the cast, the acting is absolutely superb! 4 Spotlights
**** Recommended "Jump," Shattered Globe’s final production of the season, is a gripping and poignant drama about grief, loss and the fallout from suicide with a couple of surprising twists to keep it interesting. It’s beautifully done, but kind of heavy going. In fact, I found myself tearing up several times. A warning - some characters vape and/or smoke. 3 ½ Spotlights
**** Highly Recommended Shire and Maltby, the musical creators, originally wanted to call their show “Baby Baby Baby” because this is the story of three different couples surprised by unexpected babies in their futures. This delightful musical ended up being called, “Baby, The Musical” and its production is being put on by Lake Forest’s Citadel Theatre.
**** Highly Recommended **** The Joffrey Ballet’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream” is magnificent. If you’re a ballet traditionalist, it might not be the ballet for you. It’s abstract, avant-garde and maybe a bit confusing, but it fascinated me from start to finish. 4 Spotlights