Theater, TV, DVD & Blu-Ray

CHICAGO – The Opening Night ovation certainly acknowledged that the audience “Saw, Felt, was Touched and Healed” by the passionate and celebratory performance of “The Who’s Tommy.” Adapted from the iconic rock opera created by The Who in 1969, the Goodman Theater revival … with 1990s origins … was written by Pete Townsend and Des McAnuff (also director).

CHICAGO – YIPPIE! It’s back, in the neighborhood of its roots. YippieFest 2023 will be August 4th-6th in the Lakeview/Buena Park venue of PRIDE ARTS, 4139 North Broadway in Chicago. The space is less than a half mile from the former Mary-Arrchie Theatre, whose “Abbie Hoffman Festival” was the template for the three-day performance celebration. YippieFest currently has slots for theater acts, including one-act plays, monologue, sketch, improv, vaudeville and other stage performance arts. Artists get free admission to the rest of the festival, so click YiPPIE FEST 2023 to sign up.

CHICAGO – Theatrical satires of the Star Wars Universe are like the number of TV series the universe has wrought … too many to figure out if anything is worthwhile. But “Trade Federation” (subtitled “Or Let’s Explore Globalization Through the Star Wars Prequels”), presented by Otherworld Theatre in Wrigleyville Chicago, gets it right on.

CHICAGO – Omi Hopper is competing … and still survives … on the second season of “Next Level Chef,” the TV cooking show on FOX hosted by Gordon Ramsay. The social media viral star, who created a following with her approach to traditional Puerto Rican dishes, is still in play as the show winds down to the finale on May 11th.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio streaming review for Season 5 of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” the popular episodic TV series telling the story of Midge Maisel, a woman stand-up comedian trying to make it in the patriarchal 1960s. First three episodes streaming on Prime Video, since April 14th.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on March 23rd, 2023, reviewing “Ted Lasso” Season 3, a continuation of the story of an American coach trying his methods out for a British soccer team, and other fish out of water situations. Currently streaming on Apple TV+.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on The Eddie Volkman Show with Hannah B on WSSR-FM (Star 96.7 Joliet, Illinois) on January 27th, reviewing the new TV series “Shrinking,” featuring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford. Currently streaming on Apple TV+.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on The Eddie Volkman Show with Hannah B on WSSR-FM (Star 96.7 Joliet, Illinois) on January 20th, reviewing the new series reboot “Velma,” created by Mindy Kaling and featuring the Scooby-Doo gang. Currently streaming on HBO Max.

CHICAGO – Call me an Ismael puppet. We’ll never know if that was the opening line Herman Melville intended for his classic “Moby Dick,” but the 5th Chicago International Puppet Festival presents their Opening Night marionette version on January 18th, 2023 (7:30p), and the fest runs through January 29th. For tickets and info, click 5TH PUPPET FEST.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio DVD review for “The Silent Twins,” the story of a famous case regarding British twins who only speak to each other and not the outside world. This is currently available in a Blu-ray DVD package from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.