**** Recommended **** The Paramount Theatre production of “Newsies” is nothing short of spectacular and it’s based on a true story. In 1899, a ragtag bunch of orphans and runaways forced Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst to fairly compensate their newsboys. “Newsies” has terrific choreography, athletic, high energy and exciting! You’ll want to put “Newsies” on your must-see list. “Newsies” gets 4 Spotlights.
**** Highly Recommended **** I am not embarrassed to admit that my siblings and I are “Monty Python aficionados. At our house, reciting passages of “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” verbatim was normal dinner conversation for my siblings and me. When I heard Eric Idle had written a musical version of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”, I knew I had to see it. So, long before I started writing reviews, I saw “Spamalot” in Chicago before it went to Broadway. I’ve seen at least five productions of the show, and it still makes me laugh. Mercury Theater’s production of “Monty Python’s Spamalot” was hysterical! 4 Big Spotlights
**** Highly Recommended **** “Midsummer (A Play with Songs)” is a delightful rom-com about two people who fell madly in lust on a wild weekend in Edinburgh. It’s been compared to “Once” but I think it’s unique. It’s just these two quirky people who go completely off the rails, alternately narrating the story of their weekend, while picking up a guitar or a ukulele or even a keyboard and singing about their feelings. Like I said, unique! 4 Big Spotlights
**** Recommended **** Remy Bumppo’s production of “Howard’s End”, based on E.M. Forster’s classic novel, is a beautifully staged play about life in Victorian England; and an illustration of that old adage – what goes around, comes around. The cast is outstanding, the costumes period-perfect, and it was fascinating to watch as a simple rearrangement of the same 3 or 4 pieces of furniture and a new projection on the wall transformed the set into different drawing rooms, a tenement, a park bench and even a car. 4 Spotlights
**** Highly Recommended **** “Something Rotten” is an absolutely zany romp through Elizabethan England – with some modern tongue-in-cheek cracks added for the fun of it. Be prepared for rapid-fire delivery, huge production numbers, slapstick humor, silly costumes, double entendres, a dab of Mel Brooks, a pinch of “Spamalot” and bits and pieces of almost every Broadway musical ever written. I loved the Broadway in Chicago touring show, but I have to say seeing it done on Marriott’s more intimate stage really worked. I laughed so much my cheeks hurt! 4 BIG Spotlights
**** Highly Recommended **** I didn’t know too much about “The Band’s Visit” before it came to Chicago, other than it had won 10 Tony Awards in 2018, including Best Musical. Just knowing that, I had pretty high expectations, and I’m happy to say that “The Band’s Visit” was even better than I expected. It’s not a huge Broadway musical, but it’s funny and poignant and heart-warming and I really enjoyed it. 4 Spotlights
**** Recommended **** What do you think when you hear a title like “Women of 4G”? Sounds like the title to a bodice ripper or a soap opera, right? Wrong! 4G is not an apartment/suite/office number. In fact, 4G is a space ship and “Women of 4G” is a space opera/whodunnit. Vaguely reminiscent of an episode from “Flash Gordon”, very dystopian, and the situation is dire. The captain’s been murdered so what should they do – complete the mission, or turn back and fail. 4 Spotlights
**** Highly Recommended **** When my friend Crista and I went to the second annual NEXUS Chamber Music Chicago Festival at a new Chicago venue, Guarneri Hall, I didn’t know what to expect. I knew that the musicians in NEXUS Chamber Music were all young and uber-talented, and I’d read that Guarneri Hall was designed specifically for chamber music, so I thought “Call of the Birds” would be a good concert but really, I had NO idea!!!! It was outstanding! My recommendation - hurry and get tickets for the last two concerts in the festival this weekend. 4 BIG Spotlights
**** Highly Recommended **** I love all of Agatha Christie’s books, but I do have some favorites, of which “And Then There Were None”, her ‘locked-door’ – actually an isolated island, but let’s not quibble – is one. Needless to say, I had high expectations for the Drury Lane production, so I’m very happy to report that it was practically perfect! It was mysterious, atmospheric and very, very elegant. 4 Spotlights
**** Highly Recommended **** “The Spitfire Grill” is in my top ten list of favorite musicals because of its unique folk/bluegrass score. A microcosm of small-town life, “The Spitfire Grill” is a sweet, poignant story about starting over. Terrific voices, folksy music and a happy ending, what more could you ask for? American Blues Theatre has put together a delightful production! 4 Spotlights
