In case you weren’t listening the first time, you should really go see Death of a Salesman at Raven Theatre. Yes, the title might conjure up some high school nightmares, but this production is top notch and has just been extended through January 16. Arthur Miller is all over the Chicago map this season, and while we can’t speak for the other productions, Raven does it right. It’s also a great show to enjoy with the folks for the holidays. (In case there weren’t already enough holiday performances going on.) Though not technically an upper, Salesman will make you appreciate what you have and come together with the ones you love. Isn't that what the holidays are all about? more ›

There is a reason we read certain plays in high school. Sure, they’ve been done countless times across the country, occasionally in god-awful productions. Their plot summaries are all over the internet, and they can be a little boring to read. But sometime, somewhere, those words came to life onstage and changed the landscape of American culture. So before you groan that Death of a Salesman is at Raven Theatre for its second time, you should really go see it. more ›

If you were looking for some new books to cuddle up with for the oncoming winter, the Chicago Book Festival is here to help. There's an events booklet available at libraries and bookstores and a PDF online. Much of the information is on readings in the city that happen anyway, but we are excited about the extra discussions for this fall's One Book, One Chicago, Arthur Miller's The Crucible, which we haven't read since high... more ›

The “Chicago theater season” is as anachronistic as our Columbia House Record Club membership. August was simply a lull before the crush of Fall openings coming to major institutions and their well-funded houses, who'll receive sufficient ink and column inches in the daily and weekly papers. We’re turning an eye to those less heralded venues doubling as rental space, educational resource, and meeting locale. None of these theaters are named after deep-pocketed donors, but that... more ›

As playwrights age, their work may increasingly confront how they, or anyone, will be remembered after death. Their passing will command respectful obituaries and festivals in tribute, but it’s also the moment when they relinquish all control of their legacy. What a terrifying thought for someone who’s made a living playing God! This season, the Goodman and Shattered Globe pay tribute to Pulitzer Prize winners August Wilson (1945-2005) and Arthur Miller (1915-2005), respectfully, in productions... more ›

Note: Part 1 of this series is here. more ›

God damn tomorrow cannot come fast enough. Pre-election anxiety + post-Halloween hangover + drizzly Monday = craptacular, any way you slice it. If it were up to us, today would be national Cuddle on the Couch in Pajamas and Watch TV Day, but alas, the party wheels keep on turning. Tonight and tomorrow, there's plenty election action to keep you busy. Here are a few to get you started: more ›