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News. Criticism. Gossip. The shows not
to be missed — and the shows to avoid at all costs. The Theater Loop is hosted by
Chris Jones, chief theater critic for the Chicago Tribune. We're the online destination for breaking news and reviews of Chicago-area theater, from the downtown shows to suburban theaters to the off-Loop scene. Stop here often to feel the pulse of America’s most vibrant theater city. Plus coverage of Broadway and beyond, and reviews from Tribune writer
Nina Metz and contributor
Kerry Reid.
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•
"GREASE," the original Chicago, R-rated version, is coming back at American Theater Company. |
PHOTOS
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REVIEW ★★★½ "The Original Grease" is young and heartfelt, says Chris Jones.
•
JEFF AWARDS: The 2011 non-Equity nominations are in.
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THE OPRAH INTERVIEWS: Saying au revoir to Chicago, but not goodbye ... "You will still see me eating at RL." |
PHOTO GALLERIES AND BIG MOMENTS
• Plus Chris Jones talks to Oprah about her
BROADWAY PLANS post talk show.
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JUST FOR LAUGHS: Gearing up for the annual summer comedy festival, in Chicago June 14-19.
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BACKSTAGE AT SECOND CITY: What do the moments before "South Side of Heaven" look like? Read Nina Metz's story for the Tribune.
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TRIBUNE STAGE GUIDE: Reviews and photos for theater in Chicago and suburbs, including critic's picks from Chris Jones, Nina Metz and Kerry Reid.
Left, Norm Woodel in "Festen"
at Steep Theatre
Shows are rated on a ★★★★ scale
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"42nd Street" ★★★½ Through May 29 at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire
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"A Twist of Water" ★★★★ Through June 26 by Route 66 at Mercury Theatre
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"Blue Man Group" ★★★★ Open run at the Briar Street Theatre
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"Festen" ★★★★ Through July 10 at Steep Theatre Company
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"The Front Page" ★★★ Through July 17 at TimeLine Theatre
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"The Madness of George III" ★★★½ Through June 12 at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
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"Million Dollar Quartet" ★ ★ ★½ Open run at the Apollo Theater
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"The Original Grease" ★★★½ Through June 26 at American Theater Company
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"Passing Strange" ★★★ Through May 29 by Bailiwick Chicago at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts
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"Some Enchanted Evening" ★★★½ Through July 3 by Theo Ubique at No Exit Cafe
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"South Side of Heaven" ★★★½ Open run at Second City
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"Watership Down" ★★★ Through June 19 at Lifeline Theatre
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"Working" ★★★½ Through June 5 at the Broadway Playhouse
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"Freedom, NY" by Teatro Vista at Theater Wit
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"Tragedy: a tragedy" and "Roadkill Confidential"
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"Stage Kiss" at the Goodman Theatre
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"Peter Pan" at the Tribune's Freedom Center
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"Rantoul and Die" by American Blues at the Biograph
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"The King and I" by Porchlight Music Theatre at Stage 773
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"Heartbreak House" at Writers’ Theatre
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"Woyzeck" and "Pony" at the Chopin Theatre
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"A Little Night Music" at Circle Theatre
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"Eurydice" and "Orpheus" by Filament Theatre Ensemble
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"The Copperhead" at City Lit
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"There Is a Happiness That Morning Is" and "Easy Six"
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"The Metal Children" at Next Theatre
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"The Mandrake" at A Red Orchid Theatre
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"White Noise" at the Royal George Theatre
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"Solo Works" and "Verse Chorus Verse"
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"Man From Nebraska" and "Woyzeck"
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"The Woman in Black" at First Folio
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"One Flea Spare" at Eclipse Theatre
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"Dirty Blonde" by BoHo at Theater Wit
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"All in Love Is Fair" at Black Ensemble Theater
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"The Hot L Baltimore" at Steppenwolf Theatre
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"Dixie's Tupperware Party" at the Royal George Cabaret
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"The Addams Family" at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
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"American Idiot" at the St. James Theatre
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"Avenue Q" at the Golden Theatre
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"Baby It's You" at the Broadhurst Theatre
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"Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo" at the Richard Rodgers Theatre
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"Billy Elliot" at the Imperial Theatre
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"The Book of Mormon" at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre
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"Catch Me If You Can" at the Neil Simon Theatre
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"House of Blue Leaves" at the Walter Kerr Theatre
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"How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre
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"Memphis" at the Shubert Theatre
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"Million Dollar Quartet" at the Nederlander Theatre
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"The Motherf**ker with the Hat" at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre
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"Next to Normal" at Booth Theatre
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"Priscilla Queen of the Desert" at the Palace Theatre
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"Rock of Ages" at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre
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"Sister Act" at the Broadway Theatre
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"Time Stands Still" at the Friedman Theatre
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"War Horse" at the Vivian Beaumont Theater
• 'The Gospel According to James' at Victory Gardens: Racial violence won't stay quietly in the past
• 'The Mommies - A Musical Blog' is coming and the tickets could sell like wet wipes
• MCA announces the 2011-12 stage season
• The 'Original Grease,' yet more original
• 'Aces' is aces, says Nina Metz
• Conan O'Brien is coming to Chicago in 2012
• Oprah's producers deliver the mother of all Chicago shows
• 'Murder for Two' at Chicago Shakes: Without a real suspect, 'Murder' will remain a misdemeanor
• 'Chad Deity' snags an Obie Award
• Steep goes clean, plans 'Festen' extention
• "August: Osage County"
• "Billy Elliot the Musical"
• "Million Dollar Quartet"
• "White Noise"
• 16th Street Theatre
• 500 Clown
• A Red Orchid Theatre
• About Face Theatre
• Actors Theatre Company
• Albany Park Theatre Project
• American Blues Theater
• American Musical Theatre Project
• American Players Theatre
• American Theater Company
• Annoyance Theatre
• Arie Crown Theatre
• Artistic Home
• Athenaeum Theatre
• Auditorium Theatre
• BackStage Theatre Company
• Bailiwick Chicago
• Black Ensemble Theatre
• Blair Thomas & Co.
• Blue Man Group
• Bohemian Theatre Ensemble
• Broadway
• Broadway in Chicago
• Broadway Playhouse
• Building Stage
• Chicago Children's Theatre
• Chicago Dramatists
• Chicago Muse
• Chicago Shakespeare Theater
• Chicago Theatre
• Circle Theatre
• Cirque du Soleil
• City Lit Theater
• Collaboraction
• Congo Square Theatre Company
• Court Theatre
• Dog & Pony Theatre Company
• Drury Lane Theatre
• Eclipse Theatre
• Elephant Eye Theatricals
• Emerald City Theatre Company
• eta Creative Arts
• Factory Theater
• First Folio Theatre
• Gift Theatre
• Goodman Theatre
• Greenhouse Theater Center
• Griffin Theatre
• Hell in a Handbag Productions
• Hoover-Leppen Theater
• House Theatre of Chicago
• Hypocrites
• Infamous Commonwealth
• iO Theater
• Joseph Jefferson Awards
• Just For Laughs Festival
• Lifeline Theatre
• Light Opera Works
• Live Bait Theater
• Lookingglass Theatre Company
• Marriott Theatre
• Mary Arrchie Theatre
• Mercury Theatre
• MPAACT
• Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
• Neo-Futurists
• New Colony
• Next Theatre
• North Shore Center for the Performing Arts
• Northlight Theatre
• Oak Park Festival Theatre
• Obituaries
• Paramount Theatre
• Pegasus Players
• Piven Theatre Workshop
• Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago
• Profiles Theatre
• Provision Theatre
• Raven Theatre
• Ravinia Festival
• Red Tape Theatre
• Redmoon Theater
• Redtwist Theatre
• Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
• Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
• Rosemont Theatre
• Route 66 Theatre Company
• Royal George Theatre
• Seanachai Theatre Company
• Second City
• Shattered Globe
• Side Project
• Sideshow Theatre
• Signal Ensemble Theatre
• Silk Road Theatre Project
• Stage 773
• Stage Left Theatre
• StarKid Productions
• Steep Theatre
• Steppenwolf Theatre Company
• Strange Tree Group
• Stratford Festival
• Strawdog Theatre
• Teatro Vista
• Teatro ZinZanni
• Theater Oobleck
• Theater Wit
• Theatre at the Center
• Theatre Seven
• Theatre-Hikes
• Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
• TimeLine Theatre
• Tony Awards
• Trap Door Theatre
• TUTA Theatre
• Uptown Theatre
• UrbanTheater Company
• Victory Gardens
• Writers' Theatre
• XIII Pocket
• Zanies
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