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 ›

The Trib’s Blair Kamen looks behind the facades. Specifically, those salvaged historic facades slapped onto newer buildings in and around the city core. Sadly, it might be the best compromise available to preservationists in a development-hungry city. The accompanying slide show reveals some smart, respectful conversions at the Reliance Building, Hotel Burnham, and the Oriental Theater. WBEZ’s Secret Radio Project will be renamed :Vocalo. Yes, the colon is included, likely as unpronouncable as India.Arie’s dot.... more ›

It's true -- a lot of us have a soft spot in our heart for old-fashioned Halloween scares. We know there are a lot of people out there who like sneaking around haunted houses, putting flashlights up to our faces, sticking our hands in bowls of spaghetti and peeled grapes -- the whole bit. more ›

The Chicago production of Wicked marks its one year anniversary today. Sigh… We know we’re not part of this show’s target audience, just as we know our criticism won’t really affect whether or not you go see it. For a moment we’ll forget about that irretrievable night we spent in the Oriental Theater and say a kind word about the show’s marketing. It’s brilliant. Their relentless campaign taps into everything that makes their core... more ›

The local theater community weathered the first big snowfall of the season yesterday. Snowstorms can sucker punch a company’s attendance but Old Man Winter was courteous enough to strike on Thursday, when smaller crowds are the norm. Chicagoist spent last night at The Theatre Building, which aside from a few no shows was not affected by the weather. As our curtain time approached, we were informed that two actors were still stuck in traffic and... more ›

Chicagoist has already railed against the Broadway in Chicago cash machine that is Wicked. New twists on classic tales intrigue us, and this new take on The Wiz caught our attention. But entrusting the man who scored The Baker’s Wife with such an idea made us queasy. more ›