We were entirely unfamiliar with the story of Hephaestus before checking out Lookingglass Theatre's adaptation at Goodman's Owen Theatre, and we suspect the several audience members under the age of ten didn't either - which didn't stop any of us from having a swell time. more ›

Award-winning Lighting and Set designer Michael Philippi, a longtime collaborator at Goodman Theatre, will be honored on Monday with a memorial service. Philippi, who was just 58 years old when he collapsed and died on October 27, was a staple of the Chicago theatre community, and on a personal note, a damn nice guy. Monday’s service begins at 6:30pm and will include tributes from those who collaborated with Philippi, as well as a multi-media presentation of his design work. No reservations are needed. Anyone who wishes to share their condolences and expressions of tribute can email condolences@goodmantheatre.org - sentiments are posted here along with a photo album of his work.
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Stoop Stories is a nice play. There’s nothing wrong with the Goodman's new show but at the same time, we didn’t find anything that wowed us. Writer and performer Dael Orlandersmith takes the audience on a trip around New York City through they eyes of everyone from a teen heroin addict to a Polish immigrant, all characterized by her. At one moment, our narrator walks from Spanish Harlem to the East Village. In New York lingo, that’s over 100 blocks and for us Chicagoans, really really far. However, it seems a bit odd that a play so dependent on the sites and sounds of the Big Apple would come to Chicago. Orlandersmith is a talented performer and weaves in and out of each character with ease, and while she’s a well-known artist, we’re not sure if her celebrity can drive this show. We enjoyed watching her tell us the stories of Harlem, and we especially liked the poems that punctuated the narrative. However, we just weren’t blown away. more ›

The play "Joan D'Arc," which was to be performed this fall at Goodman, has been canceled and will be replaced by "Stoop Stories." The Trib's Chris Jones has the full story. more ›

We’ve come a long way since the days when women couldn’t vote or had to stay at home, but that doesn’t mean that we’ve come all the way. Theater has always been a pivotal instrument of social change, and the Goodman is using its instrument to celebrate and discuss women’s position in the theater with Taking the Stage: A Celebration of Women in Theater. The festival centers around the Goodman’s world premieres of Regina Taylor’s Magnolia and Naomi Iizuka’s Ghostwritten, and there are workshops, discussions, performances and more in theaters (and an odd number of wine bars) around Chicago. Almost all of the writers and directors are women - Shakespeare being one of the exceptions - and the works explore racial barriers, disability, child/parent relationships and many more subjects that affect everyone. more ›

Musical theater has been on our minds lately because frankly, we’re having trouble finding it in Chicago. Not just any musical theater - new work that originates in the second city. Sure Wicked had a nice run but the show began with an out-of-town try-out in San Francisco. Jersey Boys is still going strong, but the show’s ticket prices don’t really appeal to the masses. National tours come through all the time, most rrecently with Rent opening this week. But let’s face it: it’s just a cheap ploy to make a lot of money. (Original cast members Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal are way too old to play struggling 20 year olds in the East Village.) And to add insult to injury, each one of those shows is based on some prior piece of work. more ›

Chicago theaters have begun announcing their 2009-2010 season lineups, and we’re glad to report that the trend of bringing brand spankin’ new plays to our fair city will continue. Between three of our most prominent companies, we’ll see nine new works. more ›

Chicagoist hopes you love the Elephant 6 bands as much as we do. After all, any music collective that includes Elf Power, Circulatory System, The Apples in Stereo, Olivia Tremor Control, and Neutral Milk Hotel is just plain awesome. Beulah is another band from the group, lesser known but equally talented. On fantastic albums like When Your Heartstrings Break and The Coast is Never Clear, they play some of the most maddeningly catchy pop music this side of The New Pornographers. (Listen for songs like "A Good Man is Easy to Kill" on a car commercial near you.) Recently, in the wake of nearly every band member breaking up with their spouse or significant other, Beulah threatened to quit if their latest album – the dark but lovely Yoko – didn't go gold. (And as good as that album is, guys, you were born a few decades too late for that to happen.) So go see them before they decide to disband, this Friday and/or Saturday at the Abbey Pub. Chicagoist saw them last fall at New York’s Bowery Ballroom and can verify they put on a good show.
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