Recent Articles
Side by Side by Side
By Cate Rees-Hessel Oil Lamp Theater is Glenview’s gem – this charming, intimate venue brings the best in theatrical productions. They are a community-oriented, thought-provoking, and principled institution. “Side by Side by Sondheim” is an ambitious undertaking for a small house, but Oil Lamp pulls it off with aplomb. Classic piano, pleasant vocals, fun costumes, […]
“Fiddler” Plays Without Missing a Beat
By Flo Mano with Wes Hessel Music Theater Works opened a fantastic production of “Fiddler on the Roof”, which turned 60, and it is still so fresh and current; the set designed by Bob Knuth has an intricate weaving of wood planks. As the play starts, you are taken in by the perfectly unified singers […]
August 2025 @ the Franklin Park Library
Franklin Park Public Library District 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 – […]
“Girls & Boys” is Well Worth the Ride
By Flo Mano with Wes Hessel Walking in the Griffin Theatre production of “Girls & Boys” by Brit Dennis Kelly, I was in awe of the set design by Sotirios Livaditis. A calm cream colored couch and end tables in a living room – my eyes were then drawn up to a suspended blue colored […]
“Billie Jean” a Definite Ace
By Flo Mano with Wes Hessel The world premiere of “Billie Jean”, by brilliant playwright Lauren M. Gunderson, had its opening at Chicago Shakespeare to a well-deserved standing ovation. Chilina Kennedy incarnates the energy and spunk of dynamo Billie Jean King, embodying her tenacity, physique, winning mindset, and activism. Dan Amboyer strongly matches as Larry […]
“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, […]
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