Reimagined ‘Love’ hits same themes, again

Watching the kitschy “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” in its latest incarnation at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, the ultimate life’s cliche kept popping into my head: Love is hard work.

Duh.

After two hours of this off-Broadway musical revue that ran for …

Hourlong stage festival celebrates 60-second plays

Playwrights keep their stories brief in the Victory Gardens Theater event, an outgrowth of an idea that originated in Brooklyn.

‘Theater Thursdays’ a must for summer stage season

Now in its 61st season, Theater on the Lake has always been one of the more unique venues in town. Housed in an historic semi-open air building situated on the lakeshore near FullertonAvenue, its longtime mission has been to showcase works staged the previous season …

Mormon Tabernacle Choir, 320 strong, set for Ravinia stage

11 buses will ferry the singers who mean their music to be “an inspiration for all people.”

Mr. Singer a hit with the youngest crowd

It’s the question on the lips of parents of Chicago’s happening 5-and-under set: Have you seen Mr. Singer at the Lincoln Park Zoo?

The denim overall-wearing, guitar- and harmonica-wielding, handlebar-mustached musician rocks the zoo’s Farm-in-the-Zoo Main Barn four times a week, twice each on Wednesdays …

‘West Side Story’ showing its age in latest tour version

HEDY WEISS: The dancing is excellent, the acting and singing less so in non-Equity production of the classic musical.

Crying out for ‘Patti’

When one thinks of fierce, powerful women who have been embraced as icons of the gay community, you immediately think of gals like Cher, Madonna, and Lady Gaga. But Broadway legend Patti LuPone? Not so much. Unless you’re actor, writer and director Ben Rimalower. “There …

Black Ensemble’s reimagined ‘Howlin’ Wolf’ comes up a winner

HEDY WEISS: Rick Stone’s uncanny, animated portrayal of the blues legend now comes surrounded by a memory play.

Tony Awards present a ‘Woolf’ pack to Steppenwolf revival

HEDY WEISS: Star Tracy Letts and director Pam MacKinnon win trophies for the production, also named best revival of a play. And Cyndi Lauper’s “Kinky Boots” is declared the best musical.

ACT II: A second look at area stages — ‘River,’ ‘Reverb’ solid efforts

Here are two wildly different shows — one awash in dark-edged Americana-style poetry and song, and one, exceptionally brutal, that goes beyond the pale in its depiction of rage:

“Spoon River Anthology” (through June 16 at Provision Theater, 1001 W. Roosevelt): The characters in Edgar …

Puerto Rican mezzo lands ‘dream role’ in ‘West Side Story’ tour

Maria gets higher billing and the title of one of the musical’s best-known songs, but from the moment she first saw “West Side Story,” Michelle Alves preferred Maria’s sexier, saucier, more fiery friend, Anita. “Anita was my dream role,” said Alves. The Puerto Rican native …

10 for the summer: Hot times (on stage) in the city

There are no “off months” in Chicago theater. So even if the sun shines well past curtain time on summer nights, there are many dark, air-conditioned refuges to be found in every corner of the city (and suburbs). Here, arranged by starting date, are 10 …

Pivot Multi-Arts Festival brimming with community-wide theater, music, arts

Earlier last decade, Performing Arts Chicago filled the halls, lobbies, staircases, and theater spaces of the Athenaeum Theatre with an abundance of performers from the avant-garde fringe. It was a glorious event fondly remembered today by its fans. Julieanne Ehre hopes to rekindle some of …

Kevin Burke exiting the ‘Cave’

The Caveman is coming home. Not to a cave, but his hometown of Munster, Ind. Kevin Burke will perform the one-man show, “Defending the Caveman,” at Munster’s Theatre at the Center on June 7-9. He has broken records on Broadway and Las Vegas while starring …