Recent Articles
It’s Sunny at Shakespeare
By Cate Rees-Hessel Once again, Chicago Shakespeare at Navy Pier pulls out all of the stops with the North American premiere of “Sunny Afternoon”. This high energy musical tells the story of The Kinks rise to fame and the tumultuous relationship of the band members. There is significant serious drama in the show with elements […]
125 Years of Chicago’s Ruth Page International Dance Legacy
By Nick Nicholas with Wes Hessel Center Stage at Ruth Page was a two day festival celebrating the life, art, and legacy of its founder. Two nights of exhilarating dance to pay tribute to Chicago’s dance icon and choreographer, born 125 years ago. About ten professional companies with a diverse body of works accepted the […]
Rosie is Riveting…
By Nick Nicholas with Wes Hessel The band Rosie and The Rivets at The Center for the Performing Arts at Governors State University (GSU) delighted everyone in the audience with its full sound, powerful vocals, as well as genuine and authentic delivery of smash hit songs of yesteryear onwards – songs which made history in […]
It’s “Artrageous”…
By Nick Nicholas with Wes Hessel The “Artrageous” show at The Center for the Performing Arts at Governors State University (GSU) was a high energy, immersive theatre production, a colorful and most entertaining blend of live painting, music, singing, dancing, comedy, and audience interaction. The painter artists are collaborating with the live music band, working […]
“Fact”-Finding Mission
By Wes Hessel with Cate Rees-Hessel The latest play at Oil Lamp Theater in downtown Glenview poses the provocative question, what should be “The Lifespan of a Fact”? Where does one draw the line between artistic license and accuracy? Should journalistic integrity, emotional observation, or potential liability be the deciding factor? This engrossing drama, peppered […]
“Bee” There or Be Square
By Wes Hessel Even before my years of reviewing, I had heard of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”, though I had never had the chance to see it. Being many theater groups produce it, I presumed it to be a new modern classic – that doesn’t even begin to cover the great humor […]
Weighty “Winning Works”
By Flo Mano with Wes Hessel The Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet has its 15th anniversary celebration of “The Winning Works”, featuring five world premieres at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) from March 14th to 23rd. This year’s anniversary competition has resulted in the selection of exceptional artists whose works embody a pioneering […]
“The School for Scandal” is in Session
By Catherine Hellmann with Wes Hessel Written in 1777 by Richard B. Sheridan (no, that is not a typo for the year), “The School for Scandal” has “social elite who put today’s worst social influencers to shame,” according to the press release. Idle Muse’s exuberant new production makes this old-fashioned comedy of manners a very […]
A Stage Big Enough for Us All
By Nick Nicholas with Wes Hessel “Teatro La Plaza’s Hamlet”, at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, is a profound piece of performance, art, theater, protest, seminar, confession, social testament manifesto, and activism of persons born with that one extra copy of chromosome 21 we call Down Syndrome. Written and directed by Chela De Ferrari, it has […]
Elvis Has Just Left the Building
By Cate Rees-Hessel Black Ensemble Theater never disappoints – I have never attended one of their productions that I did not absolutely love, but “Elvis Presley Was A Black Man Named Joe” is my favorite. This touching and heartfelt musical is by far one of the best theatrical works I have ever seen on stage. […]
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