When Mistakes Were Made opened here last year, we wouldn't have predicted it'd be heading for The Big Apple. Sure, Michael Shannon is an Oscar nominee, and his stage presence is absolutely riveting, but we figured that an extended play that consists almost entirely of a single character talking on the phone would be a bit of hard sell for the New York stage. Luckily, we were wrong. more ›

We don't know what possesses the Griffin folk to stage scripts with such enormous casts - this production has 27 actors - but we're always excited for a show with a big female contingent. In fact, Kris Vire notes that the company has "engaged so many of the city’s talented young actresses that you begin to wonder how any other theater has a show running right now." more ›

Mistakes Were Made, starring the Oscar nominee and currently running at A Red Orchid Theatre in Old Town, has been extended. The remainder of its run had been sold out but now Wednesday evening performances have been added through October 28. Hurry up and get tickets now. Shannon's performance is absolutely volcanic, and at only $30 a pop they won't last long. more ›

Want to interview Oscar-nominee Michael Shannon in Venice? $1500, please. Want to see him star in the world premiere of a new play here in Chicago? $30. Chicago's sure been getting dissed a lot lately. But a recent news item suggests that perhaps you can still get more bang for your buck right here. more ›

It’s been over a month since Pumpgirl opened at A Red Orchid Theatre, but we finally made it to the little theater in Old Town for what we’d heard would be a great performance. And it was. The acting is stellar, the language is poetic even at its dirtiest, the story is compelling, and yet, we left…unsatisfied. more ›

We've been so preoccupied lately with Blago and Huberman that we forgot to get excited about the Oscar nominations. Frankly, compared to last year, this year's crop holds a lot less excitement for us, although there are some notable exceptions. It's pretty awesome to see Richard Jenkins and Werner Herzog (!) up for awards, but coolest of all is the Best Supporting Actor nomination for long-time Chicago actor Michael Shannon in Revolutionary Road. more ›