RECOMMENDED

It has been nearly five years since “Jersey Boys” first took Chicago by storm with a subsequent two-plus-year-run that had it following the Broadway In Chicago “Wicked” template of opening here with a national tour but subsequently creating its own Chicago production. The 2006 Tony Award-winning musical which tells the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons—warts and all and complete with the group’s hits meticulously recreated—has emerged as not only one of the most successful shows of the “ought” decade, but also one of the most emulated. As a national tour made it back to its old haunt the Bank of America Theatre, it was hard not to be swept away by the brilliance of the show which has stood the test of time remarkably well. Read the rest of this entry »

BROADWAY IN CHICAGO IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE 2012-2013
BROADWAY IN CHICAGO SUBSCRIPTION SERIES: I LOVE LUCY® LIVE ON STAGE, KINKY BOOTS, SISTER ACT, DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL, WAR HORSE AND PETER PAN

Off-season specials include: STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG, ROCK OF AGES, RAIN: A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES and LES MISÉRABLES

CHICAGO (April 2, 2012) – Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce the complete 2012-2013 subscription series. The upcoming season will include I LOVE LUCY® LIVE ON STAGE, KINKY BOOTS, SISTER ACT, DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL, WAR HORSE and PETER PAN. Off-season specials include STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG, ROCK OF AGES, RAIN: A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES and LES MISÉRABLES. The 2012-2013 Season Series emphasizes Broadway In Chicago’s long-standing commitment of bringing the best of Broadway to Chicago. Read the rest of this entry »

RECOMMENDED

Some called him a prophet. When he died of AIDS-related causes in 1997, more than a million people attended his funeral.

And now Fela lives. At least as long as Tony nominee Sahr Ngaujah is playing him on stage, the Afrobeat pioneer and political activist from Nigeria is brought to life in an astonishing performance. Ngaujah sings with his explosive band, grabbing a sax and taking the instrumental lead on several occasions. He dances with his “queens” and vamps effortlessly with the crowd in a show designed to portray the final show ever at his Lagos nightclub, The Shrine. He rouses the audience with his story of fierce activism in trying to change his corrupt government, even in the face of immense persecution and personal loss. Read the rest of this entry »

Photo: Joan Marcus

Attempting to trade on the success of “High School Musical” and the myriad of musicals-derived-from-popular-films shows, “Bring It On: The Musical” is in part a corporate creation of Universal Pictures Stage Productions based on the studio’s popular 2000 cheerleading movie. The show has an impressive pedigree on paper with a host of Tony Award winners that include a libretto by Jeff Whitty (“Avenue Q”), music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda (“In the Heights”), music by Tom Kitt (“Next to Normal”) with direction and choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler (“In the Heights”).

Currently halfway through a pre-Broadway tour, the show is still quite cumbersome in its current form, and that’s not counting what scenes and songs may have already been cut along the way. Like “In the Heights,” this is a show that is both through-composed for many scenes, which is to say, huge portions of the dialogue are set to music, and yet the show is also excessively chatty between the musical portions. Unfortunately, there is a serious disconnect between the dialogue and the songs, which are rarely melodically driven or interesting musically. Read the rest of this entry »

Van Hughes, Joshua Kobak/Photo: Doug Hamilton

RECOMMENDED

Originally a 2004 concept album by Green Day, “American Idiot” is not your typical Broadway show. Staged like a rock oratorio rather than a book show, the show’s set is a cross between “Rent” and U2’s “Zoo TV” tour with its many television monitors that are often reflecting the world and the feelings that its characters are expressing.

Many traditional Broadway-style show lovers have complained about feeling a disconnect to this show because it is so different from those that they are used to, but that is part of the charm of “American Idiot.” I was concerned going in that some of the delightful ambiguities of the album would be made linear and direct for the show, but thankfully, such is not the case. This is a show where the template is actually the rebellious hootenanny optimism of 1960s-style folk-rock but arranged here for maximum soloist to chorus effect. Read the rest of this entry »

Darren Criss (#4) with Team StarKid

With our criteria shifted back to artistic accomplishment in theater, dance, comedy and opera this year, our task got infinitely tougher. Because while the number of performing venues grows at a steady rate, the increase in the number of noteworthy artists seems to grow exponentially. For everyone we name on the list below, we had to leave off five, an embarrassment of riches for Chicago. We made a conscious effort to introduce a meaningful number of new faces to the list this year; the necessary absences should not be construed as a loss of worthiness as a consequence. We often find trends when we do the research these lists require; this year we’re starting to see a more meaningful effort to redefine performance itself in the internet age, from the runaway success of StarKids, to the more calculated endeavors of Silk Road. So what defines a “player”? Consider it some complex stew of career achievement, recent “heat” and, in some cases, rising stardom.

Written by Zach Freeman, Brian Hieggelke, Sharon Hoyer and Dennis Polkow

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RECOMMENDED

If you go to this “new musical” by legendary choreographer Twyla Tharp expecting anything resembling the musical theater you’re used to, you’re in for a surprise. “Come Fly Away” is a dance performance, not far removed from the kind of thing you’d see at the Harris Theater. (It brought to mind River North Dance’s “Valentine’s Weekend Engagement” from last winter for me.) Sure, there’s a somewhat more elaborate set than the dance crowd is used to, and a boisterous live band onstage accompanies the vocals of Frank Sinatra (given co-principal billing posthumously) by reprising and improvising many of his legendary arrangements, from the likes of Nelson Riddle, Billy May, Quincy Jones and others to a powerful effect. Read the rest of this entry »

George Hamilton and Christopher Sieber/Photo: Paul Kolnik

RECOMMENDED

Though the idea of mainstream audiences being even modestly scandalized by drag queens and the depiction of gay characters as loving, funny—well, as human beings is, like, so eighties, I am sad to report that “La Cage Aux Folles” is every bit as relevant today as it was when it debuted on Broadway in 1983. The challenges of achieving social acceptance of a loving long-term gay marriage? Right-wing politicians making hay out of homophobia? Plus ça change.

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Photo: Ave Bonar

RECOMMENDED

Ann Richards is an unlikely subject for a one-woman show. Texas’ second woman governor (as the show explains), Richards stepped into the national spotlight in 1988 with a rousing keynote speech at the Democratic Convention, where she emerged as a take-no-prisoners leader with an eloquent down-home charisma. But after winning the governorship in 1991, she lost her bid for reelection and fell out of the spotlight, dying of cancer in 2006. Unless you’re from Texas, she’s a diminishing historical footnote.

Nevertheless, the television and film actress Holland Tyler made Richards a personal project, researching the subject for three years before penning and starring in “Ann.” Read the rest of this entry »

OK, I’ll admit it. In the eighties, I rocked the Acqua Net; I worked the spandex pants until the pants begged for mercy. But this musical ode to the era of excess is less than totally rad. Fer sher.

Sherrie (Shannon Mullen) heads to 1980s Los Angeles to “make it.” Drew (Dominique Scott) gets her a job at The Bourbon Room, a heavy metal haven threatened by developers. There are romantic hits and misses as Drew pursues his dreams and Sherrie gets involved with narcissistic rock god Stacee Jaxx (Matt Nolan). Read the rest of this entry »