Recent Articles
Joffrey’s “Golden Hour” Sheds Much Light
By Flo Mano with Wes Hessel At the Civic Light Opera, the legendary ballet company opened with “Under the Trees Voices” – it is “golden”! Choreographer Nicolas Blanc created a hypnotic, mesmerizing interconnectedness of the dancers to the leaves that took center stage and communicated with their presence to the soothing score of Ezio Bosso. […]
Lincolnshire Marriott opens Golden Anniversary Season
By Cate Rees-Hessel Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire has opened their fiftieth anniversary season with the Andrew Lloyd Weber classic “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”. This musical is running through March 30th, and includes a brand-new pop-up Dream-themed eatery located in the Three Embers Restaurant for theater goers to enjoy. The remaining four productions for […]
“Waitress” Serves up a Slice of Theatrical Perfection
By Cate Rees-Hessel Paramount Theatre’s Jeff recommended, powerful production of “Waitress”, based on the film of the same name, is fabulous. It is brilliantly directed by Katie Spelman and the entire cast is outstanding. The three waitresses – Michelle Lauto (Jenna), Teressa LaGamba (Becky), and Kelly Felthous (Dawn) – have wonderful rapport, stellar vocals, and […]
Cirque du Soleil OVO – the Egg and I…
By Flo Mano with Wes Hessel This past weekend, Cirque du Soleil was at the NOW Arena with a revised version of OVO! This insect world is a movable feast of imagination for the eyes and the soul. The mind-boggling excitement of the artists create a magical kingdom-oasis of “awe” for the the inner child […]
”Dances from the Heart” is a Valentine to Love Through Movement
By Flo Mano with Wes Hessel The Saturday night before Valentine’s Day at The Atheneum, Dance Chicago celebrated their 30th season of ”Dances from the Heart” with a full house of young talent from many dance companies. Spanning an extensive breadth of movement types: ballet (of multiple sub-forms), classical Indian, comedy dance, flamenco, hip-hop, Irish, […]
The Face of Complexity Meeting Comprehension in Movement
By Flo Mano with Wes Hessel I’m still buzzing from Complexions Contemporary Ballet’s breathtaking performance! Thirty years have passed since the organization’s inception by founding Co-Artistic Directors Dwight Rhoden (Principal Choreographer) and Desmond Richardson. A milestone truly deserving of reflection. The dancers demonstrated an extraordinary level of skill and artistry, captivating the audience with their […]
February 2025 @ the Franklin Park Library
We are located at 10311 Grand Avenue in Franklin Park, IL and offer a range of services and programs for children, teens and adults. Further information is available at www.fppld.org or by calling 847-455-6016. Unless otherwise noted, registration is required for ALL library programs. Hours of Service: Monday-Wednesday 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM Thursday & […]
Lookingglass is Looking Great with “Circus Quixote”
By Wes Hessel and Cate Rees-Hessel Lookingglass Theatre has for years set a high bar of innovative productions, most involving their trademark circus art elements in conjunction with The Actors Gymnasium, and their work overall yielded a Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre in 2011. After a reset for an improved business model and a […]
Oil Lamp Has Great Water Under “Abridged”
By Teresa Hellmann with Wes Hessel Oil Lamp Theater, in the charming town of Glenview, treated us to a delightful, fast-paced play, “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)”. Elizabeth Rentfro began the fast and furious farce with quick wit banter, preparing us for a fun show. She displayed a book – not a tablet, […]
Drury Lane Gives a “Beautiful” Start to the New Year
By Catherine Rees-Hessel Drury Lane Theater in Oakbrook Terrace starts 2025 with “Beautiful: the Carole King Musical”. This delightful show chronicles this incredible lady’s life and musical career from age sixteen, spanning through decades of some of the best popular music ever written. Once again, Drury Lane brings us excellence in musical theater; the acting […]
Follow Us!