CHICAGO – The funny meter of Netflix went off the scale last week, as the animated series “Chicago Party Aunt” made its debut on September 17th. What began as a Twitter account by comic actor Chris Witaske (who also provides his voice talent) has morphed into the cartoon adventures of Aunt Diane Dumbowski, her nephew Daniel, and an array of familiar Chicago-isms and characters.
HollywoodChicago.com Theater Reviews & Interviews
Theater Review: Dark Souls Congregate in UrbanTheater Company’s ‘Devil Land’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 15, 2014 - 4:04pmCHICAGO – Insanity is often a shared phenomenon. One family member can drive another family member over the brink, an incident can break collective spirits and indulgence in religion can alter perspectives. All the bleak darkness of these mental incapacities are on display in the Midwest Premiere of the UrbanTheater Company stage production of “Devil Land.”
Theater Review: Mary-Arrchie Theatre Serves ‘Crime and Punishment’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on February 12, 2014 - 5:04pmCHICAGO – The epic Russian novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, “Crime and Punishment,” gets a condensing by Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company, as the morality in the book is rendered into a palatable 95 minute stage version, directed by theatre founder and Artistic Director Richard Cotovsky.
Theatre Review: Marriott’s Too-Clean ‘Cabaret’ Conservatively Mutes Much-Needed Vulgarity
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on January 26, 2014 - 5:53pm- Adam Fendelman
- Annabelle Armour
- Bob Fosse
- Cabaret
- Christine Sherrill
- Christopher Isherwood
- Craig Spidle
- David H. Bell
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- I Am a Camera
- John Van Druten
- Liza Minelli
- Marriott Theatre
- Matt Raftery
- Megan Sikora
- Ryan T. Nelson
- Stephen Schellhardt
- The Berlin Stories
- Theater
- Thomas M. Ryan
- Theater, TV, DVD & Blu-Ray
CHICAGO – It’s “Cabaret” for god’s sake. It’s not “Bambi”. You’re supposed to need to leave the kids at home watching their own Disney flick. You don’t go to McDonald’s to eat healthy just like you don’t go to “Cabaret” for good clean fun.
Theatre Review: ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ Returns With Ingénue Julia Udine, Enigmatic Cooper Grodin
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on January 25, 2014 - 3:19pmCHICAGO – The Phantom in one word? An enigma. But he’s so much more. He’s lonely, desperately in love, a musical genius, misunderstood, vengeful, afraid and angry at a world that was so cruel to him. His shining beacon out of the darkness is his music – and falling for Christine. But The Phantom has to try to force her to feel the same way. He doesn’t want your pity. He just wants to be musical, loved and understood.
Theater Review: Lookingglass Brings to Life Beloved Book ‘The Little Prince’
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on December 15, 2013 - 2:47pm- Adam Fendelman
- Adeoye
- Amelia Hefferon
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
- David Catlin
- HollywoodChicago.com Content
- Ian Barford
- John Scoullar
- Kareem Bandealy
- Kasey Foster
- Lauren Hirte
- Liz Lauren
- Lookingglass Theatre Company
- Louise Lamson
- Raymond Fox
- Rick Cummins
- The Actors Gymnasium
- The Little Prince
- Theater
- Theater, TV, DVD & Blu-Ray
CHICAGO – I’m not sure if Gene Roddenberry ever read Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s 1943 French novella, but even before “Star Trek” first aired in 1966, kids everywhere since 1943 recall one of the first space explorers to voyage where no boy has gone before: “The Little Prince”.
Theater Review: Holiday Cheer Runneth Over in ‘We 3 Lizas’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 7, 2013 - 8:11amCHICAGO – What is the remedy for the holiday blues? How about a dose of “Liza with a ‘Z’!” The sparkling and funny “We Three Lizas” is back for the holiday season from About Face Theatre of Chicago, just in time for the lights and tinsel. Danielle Plisz, Mark David Kaplan and Bethany Thomas play the three title Liza Minellis, with a deft direction by Scott Ferguson.
Theater Review: Bard & Fool’s ‘Adult Entertainment’ is Superb Hilarity
Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 1, 2013 - 8:37amCHICAGO – Regarding the civilizing effect of literary art, could it even affect a group of porn actors? “Adult Entertainment,” a hilarious comedy/drama written by the essential Elaine May, answers that question in its Chicago debut by the Bard & Fool Theater Group, at The Apollo Theater Studio space on Lincoln Avenue.
Theater Review: Reality is Analyzed in Passionate New Play ‘Loom’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 16, 2012 - 10:50amCHICAGO – Storefront theater is the lifeblood of new works in Chicago, and it is often where a performance of true fire can be found. The new play “Loom,” presented by the theater group “Nothing Without a Company,” is a prime case-in-point, advancing a passionate new voice for the stage.
Theater Review: Mary-Arrchie Theatre’s ‘Superior Donuts’ is Authentic Chicago
Submitted by PatrickMcD on February 22, 2012 - 12:27pmCHICAGO – The characters of “Superior Donuts” – as brilliantly interpreted by the cast in this production at the Mary-Arrchie Theatre – feel as though they’ve stepped from a Chicago neighborhood and began to perform their lives in the theater.
Blu-ray Review: Stunning Production of ‘The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall’
Submitted by BrianTT on February 13, 2012 - 12:45pmCHICAGO – We’re going to give you a number of HD choices in the next 36 hours for your Valentine’s Day sweetie. Some will be obvious (“Love Story,” “The Lady and the Tramp,” “The Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn — Part 1”) and others will be less so. One that might fall in the latter category but would make for a lovely Hallmark holiday evening is the stunning Blu-ray release of the 25th anniversary show of “The Phantom of the Opera” at Royal Albert Hall. With incredible production values and amazing performances, this Blu-ray is a perfect gift for fans of the longest-running Broadway show of all time.
Theater Review: Evocative ‘For the Boys’ Must Blend Disconnected Song With Rich Story
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on September 7, 2011 - 6:04pmCHICAGO – Musical theater takes on the burden or blessing of twice the challenge as songless theater. To earn widespread acclaim and timeless durability, a show will seamlessly balance song and story in perfect harmony. The two living, breathing creatures must symbiotically advance each other. If one’s stronger, one suffocates the other and both die.
Theater News: Smash-Hit ‘The Book of Mormon’ Coming to Chicago in 2012
Submitted by TimBMartens on September 7, 2011 - 3:25pmCHICAGO – The biggest and most talked about musical to hit Broadway in years will have a mission in Chicago come December 2012. “The Book of Mormon,” winner of 9 Tony Awards this year including Best Musical, will be coming to the Bank of America Theater in downtown Chicago for at least a 12 week run.
