Category: Theater

‘Grand Concourse’ play review

Make It Better, July 24, 2015 — Young people can be so puzzling to older generations. Countless articles have asked, “What’s up with millennials, anyway?” And several recent plays at Steppenwolf Theatre, including “The Night Alive” and “Airline Highway,” zeroed in on this struggle for comprehension across the generational divide. In each of these plays, the… Continue reading ‘Grand Concourse’ play review

Play review: ‘The Little Foxes’

Shannon Cochran as Regina Giddens and John Judd as Horace Giddens in “The Little Foxes” at the Goodman Theatre. Photo by Liz Lauren.

Make It Better magazine, May 12, 2015 — One of the most striking and unusual things about the Goodman Theatre’s new production of “The Little Foxes,” a classic 1939 play by Lillian Hellman, is the music. An orchestral score… Read my review at Make It Better. Photo by Liz Lauren

May 2015 theater preview

Make It Better magazine, April 21, 2015 — Putting together a new musical is a big deal. It isn’t easy finding the right combination of words, melodies, characters and spectacle that will win over audiences. But three new musicals are hitting local stages in May… Read my story for Make It Better.

Play review: ‘The Herd’

Steppenwolf Theatre’s production of “The Herd” features, from left, Audrey Francis, Cliff Chamberlain, Francis Guinan, Lois Smith and John Mahoney. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

Make It Better magazine, April 14, 2015 — Like so many other plays before it, “The Herd” is about a family gathering that turns into a moment of crisis and confrontation. It’s a familiar formula, but British actor-playwright Rory Kinnear’s drama is an exceptionally well-written take on this scenario. Read my review for Make It… Continue reading Play review: ‘The Herd’

‘An Issue of Blood’ at Victory Gardens

This article by Robert Loerzel originally appeared in Playbill magazine’s Chicago edition in April 2015. Last fall, Marcus Gardley was supposed to be writing A Wonder in My Soul, a play revolving around a group of Chicago soul singers from the 1960s. It was scheduled to make its world premiere in April at Victory Gardens Theatre. But after… Continue reading ‘An Issue of Blood’ at Victory Gardens

Play review: ‘Two Trains Running’

rom left: Anthony Irons, Terry Bellamy and Nambi E. Kelley perform in “Two Trains Running” at Goodman Theatre. Photo by Liz Lauren.

Make It Better magazine, March 16, 2015 — Like any play that seriously deals with the history of race relations in America, “Two Trains Running” has dark moments. Many of the African-American characters in the late August Wilson’s play, who are gathered in a Pittsburgh diner in 1969, feel a sense of grievance over the… Continue reading Play review: ‘Two Trains Running’

Play reviews: Steppenwolf’s Garage Rep

“Heat Wave” features, from left to right: Carmen Molina, Claudia DiBiccari, Mykele Callicut, Paula Ramirez, Preston Tate Jr., Deanna Reed-Foster and James McGuire. The show is part of Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s Garage Rep 2015. Photo by Anna Sodziak.

Make It Better magazine, March 9, 2015 — Steppenwolf, one of Chicago’s most famous and venerated theaters, brings attention to lesser-known theatrical companies once a year with a festival called Garage Rep… Read my review for Make It Better. Photo by Anna Sodziak