- Becki-Iverson
- September 23, 2018
Lush. Lavish. Generous. Honest. Humbling. Photo courtesy of the Penumbra’s website These are just a few of the words that come to mind when I try to describe the full circle experience that is the Penumbra’s latest show, Ntozake Shange’s seminal for colored girls who have considered suicide /
- Becki-Iverson
- September 19, 2018
Adapting favorite childhood stories to a new medium can be tricky business. Photo by Rich Ryan The unique mix of nostalgia and ownership that childhood characters breed can wreak all sorts of havoc on an adaptation’s profitability. For example: despite coming from an eternally beloved book series and boasting a
- Becki-Iverson
- September 6, 2018
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
- Becki-Iverson
- July 23, 2018
I find that when it comes to art, it finds you when you need it most. Photo by Dan Norman Take last week, when I truly had the week from hell. Between wedding planning, multiple family medical emergencies, and a busy work schedule, all of our plans got totally
- Becki-Iverson
- July 18, 2018
When the weather matches the mood of your show, you know you’ve got something powerful going on. Photo by Dan Norman I have always been a great lover of opera, so it saddens me that I haven’t had a chance to see many performances in the last few years!
- Becki-Iverson
- July 14, 2018
How do you feel about romantic comedies? Photo by Mike Pingel I, for one, love them unabashedly. I used to feel ashamed of this, but no more. It’s HARD to write a script that is equal parts funny, sweet, tense, winsome and winning (don’t believe me? You try it).
- Becki-Iverson
- June 27, 2018
Sometimes, all you want is a good B-list sequel. Photo by Joan Marcus I was raised on the original Phantom of the Opera Broadway soundtrack. At 12 years old, when I got my first boombox #datedmyselfalready, I owned three CDs: Celine Dion’s greatest hits; Barbra Streisand duets (including a
- Becki-Iverson
- June 25, 2018
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
- Becki-Iverson
- June 25, 2018
Every once in a while, someone surprises theatergoers with a sublimely fresh take on an old story. Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery (Baskerville), the latest in Park Square Theatre’s annual mystery series, offers a totally new perspective of The Hound of the Baskervilles, perhaps the most famous of
- Becki-Iverson
- June 8, 2018
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