Look around, look around, how lucky we are to be alive right now…   Photo by Joan Marcus I’m sure that, unless you live under the world’s heaviest, largest rock, you’ve heard of the theatrical juggernaut that is Hamilton by now. I’m also sure that you’ve heard Hamilton has finally

Some excellent #beachreads for your consideration I’m always game for a good #shelfie Reading roundups have become one of my favorite perennial posts, and for good reason. I’m an avid reader and started tracking the books I read on Goodreads a few years ago to have a better way to

Have you ever questioned your memories? Let me tell you a story: it’s 2006 and I’m a junior in high school in a small town up north. The school musical is announced and it’s West Side Story. I’m thrilled because it’s one of my favorite shows, ever.pointblank.omg., and I get a

If there were one sentence to describe Chicago, it would be “sex on stage.” I’ve seen many sultry shows in my time, but little compares to the sensual explosion that is Chicago. From the barely there costumes to the musical sighs to the iconic Bob Fosse choreography, Chicago oozes sex

Some people are just made for certain parts.   Photo by Dan Norman Robert Downey Jr. was born to play Iron Man. Denzel Washington was thoroughly destined to be Malcom X. Who but Idina Menzel could have originated Elphaba? Or who could have breathed life into the Phantom other than

This is such an exciting time to be an artist. Thanks to the power of the internet, social media and crowdfunding, artists are more empowered than ever to really flex their creative muscles, and how lucky are all of we to enjoy it? From Donald Glover to Mindy Kaling, there

Biopics can be a tricky thing.   Photo by Dan Norman I always feel for actors who have to portray famous figures, especially those alive during the last 100 years or so since the film industry exploded and we have real-life video footage to refer back to. Fans can be

It’s amazing how some themes endure.   Photo by Dan Norman Something about the human condition seems to render us unable to answer one simple question – why don’t we ever learn? A lust for power, flawed focus on short-term gains rather than long-term consequences, the allure of quick money

It begins and ends with a bang.   Photo by Allen Weeks A broken bottle, a crumpled body, a shattered heart. Photo by Allen Weeks These events are the bookends of This Bitter Earth, a terrific new play by local playwright Harrison David Rivers that is currently showing at the

What’s in a name (or a skin tone)? Photo by Dan Norman If you happened to miss it amidst our unseasonable spring blizzard (and who could blame you?), the Guthrie Theater opened their stage rendition of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner last weekend. I imagine this was scheduled specifically at this