Bottom 5 of 2019 (Or, Here’s How We Can Do Better in the New Year)
Every piece of theatre is perfect for a particular audience member, no matter what critics may say. This is one reason we at Theatre By Numbers usually hesitate to “punch […]
Sean Margaret Wagner
Maggie’s Picks: Top 5 Shows of 2019
#1 Show: “Othello” Company: Babes with Blades Venue: Factory Theater (1623 Howard St) DICE RATING: d20 –– “One of the Best” TEN WORD SUMMARY: Shakespeare gets a much needed transfusion […]
Review: “Grace and the Hanukkah Miracle ” (Chicago Immersive Theatre)
Because Chicago audiences are unlikely to have seen Chicago Immersive Theater’s brand of collaborative problem solving theater, I want to be careful not to divulge too much about their “Grace […]
Review: “Always … Patsy Cline” (Firebrand Theatre)
We’re encroaching on feel-good theater season; when the days get shorter, temperatures drop, and theater companies swap their usual biting fare for something a little more marshmallowy. Firebrand Theatre’s production […]
Review: “A Man of No Importance ” (Pride Films & Plays)
Sometimes a musical gives you a terrific slice of local talent, with inspired staging, and unfailing enthusiasm to smooth over any rough bits. That’s Pride Films and Plays’ production of […]
Review: “Proxy ” (Underscore Theatre Company)
Underscore Theatre’s newest non-equity world premiere musical “Proxy” by Alexander Sage Oyen (music and lyrics), Austin Regan (book) and Rachel Franco (book and lyrics) has gone to great lengths to […]
Review: “Sugar in Our Wounds ” (First Floor Theater)
Simple. Beautiful. Haunting. This is exactly what author Donja R. Love’s Chicago premiere production of “Sugar in Our Wounds” is in the hands of director Mikael Burke. The harrowing and […]
Review: “Head Over Heels” (Kokandy Productions)
It’s a rare thing to find a musical that wrangles fun, simplicity and emotional depth from as much source material as Kokandy Productions’ “Head Over Heels” does. Authors Jeff Whitty […]
Review: “Take Me” (Strawdog Theatre Company)
Chicago is a fantastic destination for musical development; in fact, whenever I’m not reviewing theatre, you’re likely to catch me at work in musical theatre workshops providing dramaturgical assistance. There’s […]
Review: “Othello” (Babes With Blades Theatre Company)
Babes with Blades’ entirely female/ non-binary cast “Othello” is swift on its feet, quietly ferocious, and knits in a deeper examination of male privilege than any traditional production, just by […]