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Pegasus Young Playwrights Finalists’ Works Soar
By Nick Nicholas with Wes Hessel Pegasus Theatre, housed at Chicago Dramatists, brought to fruition their 38th annual Young Playwrights Festival, a year long process where this arts group, in partnerships with teachers in creative writing classes, inspire, cultivate, and nurture young voices in penning new theater plays. The top three works chosen by the […]
BET Has Another Big “Hitt”
By Cate Rees-Hessel “Hitt Records” starts the 2025 season at Chicago’s stellar Black Ensemble Theater. Brilliantly written and directed by the talented Daryl Brooks, this production showcases two brothers and a nephew that run a vintage record store. Music history is front and center in the plot of this fun and upbeat musical. The set […]
Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol Returns
By Nick Nicholas with Wes Hessel The performance theatre art group Manual Cinema already has achieved an honor most only dream about – in 2017 a video they made for the New York Times called “The Forger” won an Emmy. Once again their signature style is applied to one of the greatest Yuletide tales known. […]
“Legally Blonde” “Elle”-evates the Stage
By Cate-Rees Hessel I pride myself on being Legally Blonde’s biggest hardcore fan. I even have an Elle Woods-related license plate on my car, and was Vice President of my Delta Nu Sorority chapter. It’s my thing – I’ve read all the books that started the phenomenon, and after seeing the original iconic film, I […]
Chicago Tap All-Stars Step Out for “Winter Wonderland”
By Sydney Milligan with Wes Hessel December 14th saw the return of the Chicago Tap All-Stars (a collective of elite tap artists from every corner of the area assembled by M.A.D.D. Rhythms and Chicago Tap Theatre) “Winter Wonderland” holiday showcase for the 2nd year in a row. There was an exhibition in the lobby of […]
Holiday Audiences Find “Love Actually”
By Nick Nicholas with Wes Hessel Auditorium Theatre one again was the great venue for the popular Auditorium Philms Concert Series, in this case for the holiday season with the 2003 ensemble movie “Love Actually”. I’ve never experienced the importance of an orchestra conductor to its fullest glory until that night’s performance of “‘Love Actually’ […]
Mr. Dickens “Begrudgingly” Tells It All Over Again…
By D’Arcy Mies with Wes Hessel The Den Theatre presents the holiday classic ghost story told by the man most capable – the author. “Charles Dickens Begrudgingly Performs ‘A Christmas Carol’ Again” brings us the wonderful Blake Montgomery as the great writer back for a 171st straight year of sharing his masterpiece with Yuletide audiences. […]
“Little Women” is a Big Success
Northlight Theatre’s very delightful production of the Louisa May Alcott classic “Little Women” is a perfect play for the holiday season. This semi-autobiographical work, beautifully written by a woman clearly ahead of her time, is brought to life on the stage with poignant drama and moments of whimsical humor. The set is absolutely charming; an […]
“Pericles” at Chicago Shakes is Enthralling
By Cate Rees-Hessel The Royal Shakespeare Company, direct from London, is performing in the Windy City for the first time in thirty years and it is truly a theater experience not to be missed. Though it is a lesser-known work of the Bard, it is one which is extremely relevant to his artistic genius. Chicago Shakespeare’s […]
“Royko” Rocks at Chopin
By Cate-Rees Hessel “Royko: the Toughest Man in Chicago”, now playing in a return engagement at the eclectically charming Chopin Theatre, is absolutely magnificent. It is executive produced by Chicagoland native Lecy Goranson, who audiences will remember from Roseanne and The Connors as Becky, and is under the expert direction of Steve Scott. The legend […]
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