Northbrook Star

Son’s secret sparks father’s crisis in ‘Next Fall’

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 06:04:19 -0500

A father is dealing with the serious condition of his son following an accident when he has to face a long-kept secret in “Next Fall.”

Feisty females build vibrant lives in ‘Little Women’

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 14:32:00 -0500

Corey Mills feels a special connection to “Little Women—The Musical.” “It’s a story that’s pretty close to my heart,” the director said. “It features strong women and I was raised by my mother and grandmother who, like Jo, went out and did whatever they needed to for the people that they love.”

Bayside’s principal goes bad in ‘Breaking Belding’

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 11:56:01 -0500

Mr. Belding transforms from compassionate, rule-following high school principal into a crazed drug lord in “Breaking Belding.” Written by Pete Mandra, the “Saved by the Bell” meets “Breaking Bad” hour-long parody opens Saturday at Gorilla Tango’s Skokie Theatre.

Writers’ takes on dance with ‘Sweet Charity’

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:46:02 -0500

Some girls can’t catch a break. Take the case of Charity Valentine who works as a dance hall hostess while she searches in vain for a man to change her luck.

‘Yo Gabba Gabba!’ pays a visit

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:54:01 -0500

Californian Christian Jacobs had nothing against the purple dinosaur. It was a harmless character his oldest daughter was watching on television ten years ago… and it kept her happy.

Acting is real thrill of ‘The Letters’

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 15:30:39 -0500

“The Letters” is an example of truly exceptional performances in the service of a script that’s not always on the level of the acting. Directed by Kimberly Senior at Glencoe’s Writers’ Theatre, the two-person piece is something of a political thriller. The trouble is, playwright Jonathan Lowell’s end game twist is visible from a distance. The arc of the pendulum is predictable here; it’s evident early on that in this particular game of cat and mouse, the roles of predator and prey will reverse at least once before the hunt is concluded. The primary reason to see “The Letters” is …

Father, son share talent and a stage

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 15:22:03 -0500

Andre’ Teamer’s relationship with his 13-year-old son Destin changes when the two actors are in a play together. “When we’re in rehearsal, I’m not ‘Dad,’” Andre’ said. “We’re actually peers and we have to work together. I have to give him the same respect I give the other actors. It’s not my place to tell him what to do.” Andre’ and Destin share the stage for the second time in Theatre Seven of Chicago’s world premiere of Carter W. Lewis’ “American Storm,” through Dec. 16. The play is set in 1962 in a small Ohio town and centers around Weldon …

Dickens’ ‘Carol’ goes happily off-key in ‘Bah, Humbug!’

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 17:33:44 -0500

The panto is on again. For the 12th year in a row, Piccolo Theatre is borrowing a British holiday tradition and diverting audiences with a cheery, if offbeat, entertainment known as a panto (short for pantomime).

Two actresses fill a hole in ‘Donuts’

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 14:38:01 -0500

You can expect arresting performances from two north suburban natives in Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co.’s remount of “Superior Donuts” at the Royal George Cabaret Theatre.

Cut it out ... there really is a ‘Full House’ musical

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 14:40:02 -0500

Katie Johnston-Smith, one of three co-writers of “Attend the Tale of Danny Tanner: A Full House Musical,” says that the parody show appeals to her inner child.

Second City buddies star as ‘Odd Couple’

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 13:50:01 -0500

They’re a couple of old pals, playing, well, a couple of old pals. Second City alums George Wendt and Tim Kazurinsky have “come home” to star in Neil Simon’s classic comedy, “The Odd Couple,” which begins previews Nov. 2 at Northlight Theatre. The duo recently chatted about comedy, friendship and politics.

‘Chekhov Shorts’ are always good for a laugh

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 13:40:28 -0500

Laughs don’t always stand the test of time. But the Old World Theatre Company will rely on a master of laughable moments as it presents “Chekhov Shorts: An Evening of Comedic One Acts” at Skokie’s Congregation Kol Emeth weekends, Nov3-18. through Nov. “For the audience, they’re going to recognize these situations very quickly, even though these plays were written almost 120 years ago,” said Bill Raffeld of Chicago, the company’s artistic director. “There are a lot of wonderful comic devices in the play, a lot of mistaken identity, a lot of things in the play that will make the audience …

Go ‘Backstage’ to sample Evanston arts

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 15:28:01 -0500

Evanston is a very entertaining place. You can get a taste of the variety of performance companies that call that city home during BackStage Evanston, Sunday, Sept. 30 in the Ethel M. Barber Theater at Northwestern University. Seventeen music, theater and dance organizations will perform for five minutes each at this third annual event, presented by the Arts & Business Committee of the Evanston Arts Council and the City of Evanston. “To have the ability to spotlight and showcase all of Evanston’s performing arts companies in one place is beneficial,” said Leslie Brown, executive director of Piven Theatre Workshop, which …

Meet the women of Shakespeare

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 10:46:00 -0500

It’s easy to figure out who wrote the script and cast the roles for “Shakespeare’s Female Women” at Gorilla Tango’s Skokie Theatre. Alicia Queen plays the main character, who is embarking on a journey. Ever Mainard plays the 131 characters that she meets along the way. Amazingly, the two entertainers are still friends. Memphis native Queen and Mainard, who is from Temple, Tex., met at the coffee shop where they both work. They soon realized that they had compatible talents so they decided to embark on a joint project. The monumental Shakespearean writing task Queen set for herself was “to …

Set designer is having a banner year

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 14:06:00 -0500

By all rights, Chicago-based theatrical set designer Kevin Depinet should be lounging on a beach somewhere, recharging after a year of living in creative overdrive. But he is not. Instead, when we chatted recently, he was nursing some painful dental surgery and speaking animatedly about one of his many works-in-progress — his collaboration with director Gary Griffin on a revival of “Sunday in the Park With George,” the Stephen Sondheim musical that will open the season at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. But before we get to that, it is worth considering some of the projects for which Depinet created sets …

Writers’ Theatre in Glencoe energized by ‘Hamlet’ cast

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 14:12:00 -0500

“When you put together a brilliant actor and a great play, it attracts other great actors to the project,” says Michael Halberstam, artistic director at Writers’ Theatre in Glencoe. He should know. That happens with some regularity at Writers,’ and looks to be happening again with the theater’s upcoming production of “Hamlet,” opening Sept. 13 at 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe. To play Hamlet, Halberstam tapped Scott Parkinson, an award-winning actor who’s worked in New York and Chicago, as well as at Writers’. “Scott has such a far-reaching imagination, and an ability with language that feels absolutely available and accessible, …