In 1955, A View From the Bridge was first staged at the Coronet Theatre on Broadway. In 2014, Ivo van Hove’s revival premiered at the Young Vic Theatre in London and later relocated to the West End and Broadway. In 2016, the production won Tony Awards for Best Revival and Best Director. In 2017, it was staged at the Goodman Theatre. And now, in September 2023, Shattered Globe Theatre’s production opens at Theatre Wit.

Eddie Carbone is raising his niece and the two of them develop a very close relationship.  Perhaps it is too close as Eddie struggles to let her go when she is ready to move out. At the same time, the family welcomes his cousins from Italy.  The cousins entered the United States illegally to work and send money back home. When one of the cousins starts to date his niece, Eddie gets jealous and the tension starts to build as everyone’s emotions begin to boil. This tension and story line leads to several dramatic scenes that has the audience on the edge of their seat and a finale that is absolutely stunning.

The acting in this production is incredible. Scott Aiello (Requiem for a Heavyweight) is a force as Eddie. When he starts to lose control in his own house, his anger is palpable. It feels like he could lash out at any moment. To counter him is Eileen Niccolai as Beatrice, his wife. Nichols plays the role strong and tough as she pleads with Eddie to let Catherine go. Isabelle Muthiah (Radial Gradient) as Catherine, his niece, is excellent playing the teenage girl who begins to lose her innocence as the struggle unfolds. Mike Cherry (Sweat, American Journalero), as one of the cousins, gives a very intense performance. Harrison Weger is excellent as the other cousin, who falls in love with Catherine and is so happy to be in America. John Judd is truly great as the lawyer / narrator. Lastly, Chris Martin and Adam Schulmerich (Rasheeda Speaking) are solid in their supporting roles.

See the program here.

Cost of a ticket: $47.50

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Exceptional Value –

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Get tickets now for A View From the Bridge through October 21^st!

Quinn Delaney

The Red Rum Club opened the show. Surprisingly, they started earlier than the posted 7:30pm start time. Their set was fantastic and they promised to be back soon. Expect to see a review of them here in the future.

The Wombats formed in Liverpool, United Kingdom in 2003. For their latest album, Fix Yourself, Not the World, they all recorded remotely: Frontman Matthew “Murph” Murphy from Los Angeles, bassist Tord Overland Knudsen from Oslo, and drummer Dan Haggis from London.

For the second song of the set, they play “Moving to New York” from their 2007 album, Proudly Present… A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation. Everyone starts dancing as they sing along. “So I’m moving to New York / ‘Cause I’ve got problems with my sleep / And we’re not the same and I will wear that on my sleeve”. It’s a great pop song that forecasted Murph moving to the United States.

Midway into the set they play “Is This What It Feels Like to Feel Like This?” This is a great song that feels like it ends just a bit too early at just 2:46. It could definitely use one last chorus, possibly with a key change.

Later on is “Lemon to a Knife Fight”. Murph sings “I push and you tend to shove / I give in and you don’t give up / I’m not getting out of here this time / I brought a lemon to a knife fight”. This is a great example of his fantastic songwriting. The last line is such a memorable quote and perfectly captures a relationship experience.

It’s a giant singalong for “This Car Drives All by Itself”. This song sounds similar to Walk the Moon’s style with the group singing.

Murph says they just have two songs left while doing air quotes. This is his signal that they will do an encore. They then launch into “If You Ever Leave, I’m Coming With You”. It’s a beautiful song about a couple going through a hard time and him saying he won’t give up on her.

In the encore they play “Let’s Dance to Joy Division”, which has over 160 million streams on Spotify. “Let’s dance to Joy Division / And celebrate the irony / Everything is going wrong / But we’re so happy”. This song summarizes The Wombat’s style well. It’s deep lyrics mixed with joyful danceable music. It’s a perfect choice for one of the final songs.

See the full setlist here.

Cost of a ticket: $42

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It +

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Quinn Delaney

It’s 1930 in Harlem, NYC. Angel is a jazz singer living with her cousin, a fashion designer. Her best friend lives across the hall and works at a family planning center. Another old friend of hers is a doctor who delivers babies. One day, she begins to date Leland, who has just arrived from Alabama. Her friends express their disapproval as Leland’s politics and morals strongly differ from theirs. Tensions rise as their relationship becomes more serious.

Tiffany Renee Johnson (Passage) is fantastic as Angel, who struggles with deciding if Leland is good for her. Breon Arzell (The Total Bent) is fantastically joyful as her cousin, striving for his dream to work in Paris. Jazzlyn Luckett Aderele is superb as the best friend, fighting for Angel and for women’s reproductive rights. Edgar Sanchez (Toni Stone, In The Next Room) is great as the doctor, who is so very kind to all his friends. Lastly, Ajax Dontavius (Last Night and the Night Before) is exceptional in the difficult role of Leland, the strong willed Christian who imposes his morals on everyone else.

Pearl Cleage (The Nacirema Society) has written a play that starts a bit slow to develop the characters, but then, in the second half, the action increases dramatically. The set and costumes are expertly created. The whole production is very impressive and is very deserving of the standing ovation it receives at the conclusion.

Cost of a ticket: $36

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Exceptional Value –

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Get tickets now for Blues for an Alabama Sky through October 15^th!

Quinn Delaney

It is early 2020, before the Covid lockdowns have started. A writer is suffering from acute social agoraphobia. When she opens the door, she hears the sounds of the apocalypse, a manifestation of America’s racism and oppression. So, she doesn’t leave her apartment and orders everything in. One day, her delivery person stays at the door to make sure no one takes her food. When she steps inside to hand over the breakfast, she notices a painting on the wall that captures her attention. The writer steps into the other room to avoid the sound of the outdoors, and the courier steals the painting, but this is not the end of her story.

Inda Craig-Galván has written a very intense topical piece about the current experience of black people in America. The characters are so full of depth. After the opening scene, the audience is at full attention to see how these characters reached this situation and to discover what will happen next. Congo Square Theatre is also producing one of Craig-Galván’s plays, Welcome to Matteson, at Northwestern University’s Chicago Campus.

On September 16^th, it is Women’s Night. They are not preventing anyone from attending, but they hope that people who do not identify as women will choose a different performance. They also did a Black Out performance on September 9^th. Perhaps in the future, they could also add performances that have an intermission. At 95 minutes, this play is a bit long and intense to not have a one. There are many scene breaks where one could easily be added.

The cast is fantastic in the heavy play. Alex Moorman is excellent as the writer, who greatly plays her slow decent into madness from being stuck inside. Lo Williams is skillfull as the courier, who plays her on the edge of trustworthiness.

See the program here.

Cost of a ticket: $31
PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It
Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don t Bother

Get tickets now for a hit dog will holler through September 17^th.

Quinn Delaney

Lead Photo: Hiplet Ballerinas © Todd Rosenberg Photography 2023

Dance for Life is an inspiring event that merges talent and philanthropy into one spectacular evening. It brings together the best Chicago dance companies and all proceeds go toward the Dancers’ Fund; a resource which provides financial assistance to professional dancers in their time of need, including covering medical expenses. It is one of the many ways our vibrant dance community joins forces to care for its own.
 
As dance enthusiasts entered the Auditorium Theatre this year, one could immediately feel the infectious joy that carried through the evening with each performance. The joy and support from the audience radiated to the dancers who in turn delivered a magical evening filled with grace, beauty, precision, and undeniable talent.

This infectious energy carried on to the after party at Venue SIX10. It’s a sophisticated affair with an impeccable ambiance thanks to the decor executed by TM Creative Consultants with the help of Tablescapes Party Rental and Windy City Linens. To add on, some of the best in the catering industry, including J&L Catering, Cake, Blue Plate, and Butter & Vine outdid themselves with both the quality and choice selection, including Mediterranean, sliders, various sides, and an indulging selection of desserts. A nice selection of beverage options, including Playpen Vodka, kept the audience satisfied as they waited in line for the fan-favorite sushi by M Square Sushi. While some mingled enjoying their food and drinks, many were entertained by DJ Sasha from BeatMix Music who kept the dance floor going all night. It’s truly amazing how many people came together to make this evening a magical moment for dance enthusiasts. 

Below you will find a photo along with a short description of the performances along with information for upcoming shows by the dance companies that participated in this year’s Dance for Life.

The Joffrey Ballet – Graceful and Beautiful

Frankenstein – October 12-22,2023 at The Lyric Opera House

BOOM CRACK! Dance Company – Energetic and Modern

Next Performance – TBA

Chicago Tap Allstars – All Ages and Diverse Cast

Next Performance – TBA

Giordano Dance Chicago – Music by Coldplay and U2

September 9 – Harris Fest: Music + Dance in the Park at Pritzker Stage Pavilion 

South Chicago Dance Theatre 

“The Nose” – December 2023 at The Harris Theater for Music and Dance

(See Cover Photo by Todd Rosenberg)

Hiplet Ballerinas – Hip Hop Ballet

Chicago Live! 2023 – September 23 + 24 at Navy Pier

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago – Futuristic and Boundary Pushing

Of Peace NOVEMBER 2–5, 2023 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance

Dutch National Ballet performers Joseph Massarelli and Riho Sakamoto – Modern Ballet

Next Performance – TBA

Moonwater Dance Project – New and Sleak

Next Performance – TBA

Muntu Dance Theatre – African and Rythmic

Next Performance – TBA

Cost of a ticket: Performance: $140 (Back Orchestra) and After Party – $125

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It +

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don t Bother

Quinn Delaney