You might have noticed - who are we kidding, you didn’t notice, but anyway - the Chicagoist Theatre Department staff has been reduced by 50% in 2010. Which is a convoluted way of saying, there’s just one of us. Err, me. Point being, there are several productions running right now that we’d like to check out, but just aren’t going to get to before they close in the next two weeks. Here’s what we’d be seeing, if we had more time and/or staff and/or stamina. more ›

At last night’s Joseph Jefferson Awards gala, the Jeff Committee made a rather forceful argument for North Side theater fans to drag their cultured butts to the South Side. Hyde Park’s Court Theater dominated the proceedings, netting 10 total Jeffs for their highly acclaimed interpretations of Fences, August Wilson’s seminal play, and Man of La Mancha, Dale Wasserman, Joe Darion and Mitch Leigh’s popular musical. The Quixotic musical racked up more awards than better-advertised contenders... more ›

For this month's preview, we were going to compare our local theater companies to figures on Capitol Hill, contemplating that special, intimate relationship between more experienced hands and up-and-coming ensembles. But well, scandals happen. Instead, we'll stick to the “neighbors” metaphor. This week: Running Away With the Circus: Redmoon Theater Spectacle ’06: Twilight Orchard The Scene: Over 60 actors frolic and flourish in Columbus Park for an audience largely there for the first time and... more ›

Anton Chekhov famously advised aspiring playwrights: If there is a gun hanging on the wall in the first act, it must fire in the last. Craig Wright turns that rule on its head in Grace, his powerful meditation on faith, reason and time now playing at the Northlight Theater. Here, the gun fires during an opening scene staged in reverse. The rest of the show pieces together how protagonists Steve and Sara, a devout Christian couple undone by a sham business deal compromising their faith, and their neighbor Sam, a scientist who doubts God in the wake of tremendous loss, arrive at that violent moment. more ›

As the temperature is expected to hit 90 degrees again today, we’re having a hard time getting into the sweater-weather mindset of fall that usually hits us around this time. Luckily, the Tribune and Sun-Times have some fall arts previews to get us in the mood. We’ve already given you the lowdown on the upcoming fall seasons at various theaters around town. But two shows out in the ‘burbs have pushed our fey and geek... more ›