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“Incognito” Explores the Mind
By Flo Mano with Wes Hessel The Tin Drum Theater company presents the Chicago premiere of “Incognito” by Nick Payne. Four actors exquisitely play four to six interchangeable roles within this surreal, complex play. Teddy Boone is a psychiatrist that steals Albert Einstein’s brain for research. Riles August Holiday stands out as Henry, a patient […]
“True West” is True Theater at its Best
By Cate Rees-Hessel Copley Theatre’s production of the Sam Shepherd Pulitzer finalist “True West” is serious drama at its finest. The acting is phenomenal – all four characters are realistic yet over the top; the mastercasting by Trent Stork brings a flawless ensemble. Many mentions of an unseen father add to the dramatic build of […]
“Twisted Melodies” Gives It Straight
By Cate Rees-Hessel & Wes Hessel Kelvin Roston Jr.’s one-man show on a day in the life of legend Donny Hathaway sums up his genius and demons in a brilliant work. This play hauntingly recreates the terrible beauty of a creative master struggling with mental illness. From his entrance, Mr. Roston is not on the […]
“Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian Dreams” Makes Them Come To Life
By Flo Mano with Wes Hessel Chicago Shakespeare Theater at Navy Pier has brought another fascinating troupe from across the Atlantic, inspired by a dream and desire of two brothers, Mehari “Bibi” Tesfamariam and Binyam “Bichu” Shimellis, to create the first circus in Ethiopia with performers from and for the African nation. The show itself […]
Opera Festival of Chicago Perfectly Puts On “Pagliacci”
By D’Arcy Mies with Wes Hessel Opera Festival of Chicago’s Pagliacci started with Tonio (“The Prologue”) walking through the aisles singing and then finding a place to enter through the closed curtains. It opens onto a lively scene of an Italian country village, excited about the traveling performance troupe. There was a great ensemble/chorus, including men, […]
They Made Art the Old-Fashioned Way – They Urned It…
By Wes Hessel Greektown Chicago, in conjunction with the Chicago Greektown Educational Foundation, has begun a display of new takes on those classic pieces of amphorae, Greek urns. 31 (no, Baskin-Robbins is not a sponsor) of these creations by local artists, as well as student groups from high schools and Greek instructional institutions, were debuted […]
“Marvelous…” – That’s What Oil Lamp Theater Is
By Cate Rees-Hessel Once again, Oil Lamp Theater in Glenview brings us a fabulous production; “The Marvelous Wonderettes” is a fun, insightful, and campy show. It reminded me just a bit of the play “Vanities”, but with an uplifting and empowering happy ending. I love the very encouraging sisterhood played out on the stage. The […]
“The Search is Over” for the Best New Musical of 2025…
By Cate Rees-Hessel “Always Something There…” is the best new musical of the 2025 season. Set in the year 1989 (one of my favorite times), this upbeat production is extremely well crafted – I love traveling back to this wild and crazy decade. I had big hair and sequin Madonna boots, met my future husband, […]
“Always” Shines with Empowerment
By Cate Rees-Hessel Drury Lane’s “Always…Patsy Cline” is one of the best productions I have ever seen. The rapport between the two women is heartfelt and sincere; this story is beautiful, the sisterhood between the ladies is empowering. They hit it off straight away, a fan becoming a true friend and penpal. The relationship between […]
“That’s What Friends Are For”
By Cate Rees-Hessel Just when you think Jackie Taylor’s Black Ensemble Theater can’t bring another show stopper to the stage, they do just that. “That’s What Friends Are For” is absolutely fabulous. The story of a Vegas reunion concert by the grand dames of music, Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick, and Patti LaBelle, this original work […]
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