People love nostalgia. So one can’t fault playwright Reina Hardy for wanting to put their own twist on the tale of “Beauty and the Beast.” Not all new takes on existing properties pay off, but “Glassheart” does by maintaining the integrity of the characters—even keeping a bit of whimsy.

4 days ago · Azar Kazemi directs this reimagination of Sam Shepard’s classic, “layering an Immigrant story on top of the already searing critique of the American Dream.” The board-game-turned-movie takes its turn on the Broadway in Chicago stage, promising a night of escapist fun. Playwright Scott Jacobs ...

Jan 6, 2025 · 1 Uncle Vanya (The New Theatre Project) Chekhov comes to the shop floor: Spencer Huffman directs a cast that includes Larry Grimm, Rae Gray and Jonathan Weir, performing at a titanium rack factory “transformed into the fading Russian estate” of the playwright’s world.

Jan 7, 2025 · Chicago stages have been described as petri dishes for talent development, with the city seen as a particularly fertile launching pad for the stars of tomorrow, whether in acting, comedy, writing or dance. And they are that, thanks to an ethos that prioritizes bold experiments over safe choices, that understands failure as a necessary step toward success and, especially, champions community ...

Jan 7, 2025 · Charin Alvarez Don’t be surprised if you recognize Charin Alvarez, as her extensive career in Chicago theater and film continues to grow. Alvarez has been acting in Chicago since 1996, and it would be simpler to list the companies she hasn’t worked for. Recent credits include the plays “a home what howls (or the house that was …

Jan 7, 2025 · The Laughing City: The 312 Comedy Festival Brings Top Comedy Stars to Chicago Chicago’s reputation for comedy has primarily been rooted in having the best improv scene on the planet. But the city has also spawned a rich stand-up history, and the first-ever 312 Comedy Festival will add to it by bringing more than twenty major shows to clubs and theaters throughout the Chicago area.

Jan 7, 2025 · Sought-after choreographer Aszure Barton was named Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s second-ever resident artist in 2023 and has been adding gems to the company’s wide-ranging repertoire since. Two of Barton’s pieces bookended Hubbard Street’s excellent 2024 fall program with apropos yin and ...

Jul 31, 2023 · 1 MJ (Broadway in Chicago) Not our MJ, but rather the late king of pop in a song-and-dance extravaganza created by director-choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and playwright Lynn Nottage. Starts August 1. 2 Today, Tonight, Soon (Theatre L’Acadie) A world premiere by Melanie Coffey promises “a mixture of Regency romance …

Jan 9, 2024 · Nicole Clarke-Springer and Makeda Crayton Artistic Director and Executive Director, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater It’s been an exciting year for Deeply Rooted; the longstanding African/African American contemporary company is booming under the leadership of Nicole Clarke-Springer, artistic director since 2019, and Makeda Crayton, who was named executive director this last year—making it one ...

Jan 9, 2024 · Lawrence Daufenbach Executive Director/Founder, Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture It’s more than just a name change for the former Athenaeum Theatre: Lawrence Daufenbach, executive director and founder of the Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture has overseen a tremendous revitalization of Chicago’s oldest continuously run Off-Loop theater.