Emile Griffith is a retired champion boxer suffering from dementia in old age. Flash back to his youth where he was first introduced to boxing just by chance of where he found work. In an early fight, he beats his challenger into a coma which leads to the challenger’s death. This haunts him for the rest of his life. 

This opera does an excellent job of capturing the full life of Emile Griffith, from childhood through old age. The production is very impressive with its massive cast and large moving sets.

PlaylistHQ Tip: Towards the back of the main floor, it is difficult to hear when one person is singing. Listening devices are available at the coat check for free. 

Reginald Smith, Jr. (Grammy and Emmy winner) puts on a powerful performance as the older Emile Griffith. His pain is palpable. Justin Austin is superb as the younger Emile, building a boxer career while hiding his sexuality. Naya Rosalia James is stellar as the youngest Emile. All three of them are all in emotional sync as the opera jumps around in time. Leroy Davis is excellent as the main boxing challenger, who taunts Emile long after the fight. Larry Yando is a great dose of comedic relief as the ring announcer. 

Cost of a ticket: $155 (Main Level Back)

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It –

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Get tickets now for Champion at the Lyric Opera through February 11th!

Quinn Delaney

Christopher takes the stage with his band and all the ladies scream in excitement. He jumps right into “Honey, I’m So High” from the 2023 soundtrack to “A Beautiful Life”. It’s a great choice to open the night. It’s reminiscent of the song by Tal Bachman, “She’s so High”.  “‘Cause she’s so high / High above me, she’s so lovely”. Both songs are very fun and poppy. Also, they both extend the word high into multiple syllables in the chorus. 

Later on he sings, “Would Ya”. “Darling, for you, darling, for you, I would, mm / I’d do anything, I’d do anything a man should”. This is such a great soulful song that gets everyone dancing along. It would fit right in on a setlist by Mayer Hawthorne. 

“What the hell you talking about love? / I thought I was doing this for us” he begins on “Led Me To You” . This is such a beautiful song that fits in the movie so perfectly. It’s because of the movie, A Beautiful Life, that he is here today. In June of 2023, it was the #1 movie globally on Netflix. He is very excited to be playing in Chicago for the first time. There’s something very special about playing in any city for the first time and he feels that magic tonight. 

In the encore, he sits at the keyboard solo and plays “A Beautiful Life”. Everyone is singing along “‘Baby, I’m pregnant,’ she said / And I saw my whole life / Flash before my eyes”. It’s such a perfect poetic opening to a song. “And I’m gonna miss the times when / It was just the two of us”. He is singing about the end of the first era of his life.  “And I’m gonna miss the times when / It was just the three of us”. Later in the song it jumps to the end of the era of him raising his daughter when she moves in. This song is so heartfelt that it has the audience crying. This made the movie so successful and it is launching Christopher into stardom. He will surely play at a much larger venue next time. 

Cost of a ticket: $25

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Exceptional Value +

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

See a recent setlist here. 

Quinn Delaney

Adam Conover was the host of Adam Ruins Everything from 2015 to 2019. He next hosted The G Word with Adam Conover in 2022.  Tonight, he is appearing at the City Winery in Chicago. 

Adam Conover talks about being diagnosed with ADHD (attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder) when he was young. His doctor prescribed him Adderall. He said it did help him focus, but not always on the right things. He also had the side effect of grinding his teeth at night. He has since gone off the drug and found other ways to stay focused. One strategy is to keep his hands busy. He loves to eat pistachios, which really requires a lot of effort to eat. He jokes that he has a piece of string cheese at home which he is still working on. 

Conover also talks about his girlfriend of 15 years. They don’t have any kids and they have never married. “We are winning” he says. Many of his friends have married and then divorced. He thinks attending a divorce could be a lot of fun. 

Later in the evening, he talks about taking the bus in LA.  His friends are often amazed that he does this. ‘Isn’t it dangerous?” He would explain that it’s way more dangerous to be in a car during an accident than on a bus. This leads to a long bit about cars. He imagines talking to a child in the future about how everyone used to drive cars everywhere. “Were they safe?” “Oh no, they are very dangerous and many people died every year.” “Is it hard to get a license?” “No, there is just one short test that you take when you are 16!” “Were they cheap?” “Not at all, they were very expensive. And you had to have driver’s insurance. But we didn’t need to have health insurance!” “Was it easy to travel with?” “Nope!” (Traffic and parking). 

Overall, it was a very funny show and very informative about Conover’s life. Compared to his TV shows, his comedy is much more adult themed, so leave the kids at home. 

Cost of a ticket: $53

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It

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Quinn Delaney

The show begins with a sizzle reel about Stephen Kellogg. It mentions how he has released 18 albums and performed over 3,000 shows. It mentions his book from 2020, Objects in the Mirror: Thoughts on a Perfect Life from an Imperfect Person.  It also shows clips from the documentary about him, Last Man Standing, which was posted on YouTube in 2022. 

After the video finishes, Stephen Kellogg takes the stage to a grand applause. He begins with a quote from a Leonard Cohen poem, “If you don’t become the ocean, you’ll be seasick every day”. He explains that it means you have to go with the waves of life instead of trying to fight them. It leads perfectly into his first song, “Ocean”.

Many of the songs he sings tonight were released with his band, Stephen Kellogg and The Sixers. The band went on hiatus in 2012, but his band mates join him at live shows from time to time. One of those songs that he plays tonight is “Satisfied Man” “Well there’s one thing on earth that no one can touch / It’s the sleep of a satisfied man.”

He talks a lot about his four children during the show. Some of these stories are quite funny. This leads into the sweet song, “It Goes Fast”. “So if I hold your hand too long, or embarrass you in class / Know I’m only hanging on, cause it goes fast”

This tour name is “Sit Down & Stand Up”. In between songs, he tells many stories that include jokes. So, it’s more like storytelling rather than traditional stand-up. It works very well for his singer-songwriter style. He has one part where he talks about death by champagne. He jokes that the audience will be able to say that they heard the joke before it was funny!

He also tells a story about golfing with John Daly. His father-in-law is very excited to meet him. His father-in-law goes up to Daly and says he knows someone who knows him. “Did I fuck her?” says Daly. Taken aback, his father responds, “no, it’s a guy” John responds, “Oh, did he suck my dick?”   

He closes with the perfect ending song, “See You Later, See You Soon”. “See you later alligator, I will see you in the moon.”

See the full setlist here.

Cost of a ticket: $47

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It +

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Quinn Delaney

Max is traveling every week for work as a consultant. Her husband, Paul, works from home writing. He isn’t happy with all her travel which leads to him having an affair. Soon after this comes to light, they decide to make some big changes. He will become a minister and she will go to a homemaking school to learn how to be the best wife she can be.

Anna Ouyang Moench (Severance, Beef) has written a truly hilarious play. It expertly pokes fun at the homemaking school, which is based on a real place in Fort Worth, TX. This production is expertly done with a fantastic set and on point comedic timing that had the audience laughing uncontrollably!

Joe Edward Metcalfe (Southern Gothic, Recipe for Disaster) displays an impressive range of emotions as Paul. Brittany Burch (The Locusts) is excellent as Max being quite confused and out of place at the homemaking school. Kirsten Fitzgerald (Swing State, Mary Page Marlowe) is strong and powerful as the lead instructor at the school. Alexandra Chopson is so sweet and innocent as the enthusiastic student at the school. Adam Shalzi (Trouble in Mind) is perfectly awkward and funny as the husband to be.

Cost of a ticket: $50

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It +

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Get tickets now for In Quietness at A Red Orchid Theatre through March 3^rd!

Quinn Delaney

In 1934, Anything Goes first debuted on Broadway. In 1962, there was a revival that added many of Cole Porter’s other songs. In 2012, there was US tour. And now, in January of 2024, the Porchlight Musical Theatre version opens!

Billy Crocker sneaks onto a ship in NYC bound for London. He is trying to win the heart of Hope, who is engaged to Lord Oakleigh. Reno Sweeney is in love with Billy. In addition to this love triangle, there are many more great storylines in this ensemble musical.

This production is very fun. Many of the songs become pop hits that even non theatre fans will recognize. The first of these is “I Get A Kick Out of You”, which was recorded by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Bublé, and many more. “I get no kick from champagne / Mere alcohol doesn’t thrill me at all / So tell me why should it be true / That I get a kick out of you”.

The next big hit is “Friendship”. This song wasn’t in the original musical, but it was added in the 1962 revival. Disney released a version with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy. “It’s friendship, friendship, just a perfect blendship / When other friendships are soon forgot, ours will still be hot.”

And then there is the title track, “Anything Goes” which has been recorded by many artists including Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga in 2014. “When mothers pack and leave poor father / Because thеy decide they’d rathеr be / Tennis pros / Anything goes!”

Megan Murphy (Spamalot) is a powerhouse as Reno Sweeney. Her voice is excellent and she fully commands the stage,  Jackson Evans (The Boys in the Band, Avenue Q) is absolutely hilarious as Lord Oakleigh, who may not be the best match for Hope. Steve McDonagh is so funny as Moonface Martin, the unassuming gangster who is teased for just being Public Enemy #13. Luke Nowakowski is great as Billy Crocker. Gabriel Solis and Ciara Hickey are absolutely hilarious as the mischievous kids running around the ship raising hell.

With a great cast and set, excellent music, and fantastic costumes, this is a production not to be missed!

See the program here.

Cost of a ticket: $73.50 (House Level Back)

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It +

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Get tickets now for Anything Goes at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts through February 25^th!

Quinn Delaney

Jesse Cook takes the stage solo and jumps right into “Tempest” from his 1995 album of the same name. It’s a rocker and it’s immediately clear the audience is in for a great night of music.  

After playing this song, he talks about how on that first album, he played all the instruments himself. It was a lot of work. So, he decided to play with other musicians going forward. He brings out Marito Marques from Portugal to play percussion with him. They play “La Rumba D’el Jefe” from his 2009 album, The Rumba Foundation. They feed off each other’s energy in a great performance.

He then introduces Matt Sellick on guitar from Thunder Bay, Ontario in Canada. Later in the night, he tells the story about how they met. When Matt was 7 years old, he first heard Jesse Cook’s music and he told his mother that he wanted to learn to play that. So, he began taking guitar lessons. About 10 years later, Matt sends Jesse a recording of him playing. Jesse says it sounds like he plays the songs better than he can. So, he goes to Thunder Bay to kill him, just kidding he says. They do meet and play together and get along very well. Years later, when the guitar position in his band opens up, he invites Sellick to join and he accepts!

Cook then says they need to continue to fill out the sound and he brings out Dan Minchom on Bass Guitar. The now four piece band plays “Virtue” from the 2000 album, Free Fall. It’s very cool to see how the fullness of the music keeps building as they add musicians.  

To introduce the next band mate, Cook dives into the history of flamenco music. He talks about how Andalusia in Spain was under Moorish rule and that the capital was Baghdad. Then he brings out Fethi Najem on violin and mandole, who blends flamenco and Arabian music. They play “Baghdad”, which is also from his debut album.

In the encore, they play “Mario Takes A Walk” from his 1996 album, Gravity. This is his most popular track on Spotify with over 6.7 million streams. The audience is blown away and responds with a huge applause afterwards. Jesse Cook has truly assembled a superb band full of very talented musicians and it makes for a fantastic evening of music.

See a recent setlist here.

Cost of a ticket: $65 and up

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It +

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

Quinn Delaney

Gabe Mollica enters the stage very casually and thanks everyone for coming. He goes on to talk about the history on the show Off-Broadway. He was originally scheduled to do just eight shows, but they ended up extending it to 80 shows. A producer from This American Life attended one of the shows which led to Gabe and his show being featured in Episode 810.

Gabe made a great friend in college named Tim. They did everything together including taking classes and talking about musical theatre. Tim invited Gabe to join him as a counselor at a summer camp for children with disabilities. At the camp, he met Kate, and they began dating. The story flows very well and the audience is at full attention waiting to hear what happens next. He includes pictures and also audio clips from the This American Life show.

During the story, Gabe adds in many funny jokes and observational humor. For example, he talks about how male friendships are mostly shoulder to shoulder. He means that they are usually side by side while doing an activity, like watching a show. On the other hand, female relationships are mostly face to face, as in the other person is the activity.

Mollica is a great storyteller and he blends in the comedy fantastically to his story in the same style as Mike Birbiglia. In time, he could surely become just as famous as Mike as well.

Cost of a ticket: $46

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It

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Follow Gabe on Instagram here.

Quinn Delaney

Now in it’s 29^th year, The Charleston Christmas Special has become quite a tradition. Here are the highlights of this very jolly show:

The hosts, Brad and Jennifer Moranz, with their very corny comedy.

The fantastic dancers who had different outfits for every song.

“Santa Baby”, in which they brought a volunteer on stage and sang the song to him. They put a blindfold on him, and switch out the woman that was dancing next to him with two middle aged men.

The ventriloquist whose puppet sang a parody version of “Be Our Guest” about Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeeir.

The wide variety of musical genres including country, religious, and rock!

See the full cast list here.

Cost of a ticket: $51.70 (Main Floor Back)
PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It –
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Get tickets now for The Charleston Christmas Special through December 23^rd!

Quinn Delaney

In 1843, Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol.  The following year, eight theatre companies had put on productions. In 1978, Charleston On Stage first produced the play at The Dock Street Theatre. In 1988, Bill Murray starred in Scrooged. And now, Charleston On Stage begins its 2023 run!

Charleston On Stage has continually updated the play to make it feel fresh. This current production is much more funny, light-hearted, and kid friendly than it was originally. It is quite less darkly Dickensian. The actors singing Christmas songs liven it up a lot.

The set is very impressive. The main set of Scrooge’s bedroom often slides away to reveal another great setting. Also impressive is the flying around the stage by the ghosts. Add to that the fantastic costumes, excellent use of fog, the cast giving it their all, and it’s clear this production has been perfected over the years.

In the end, the audience is full of smiles and full of Christmas spirit. It remains a fantastic tale of redemption and a great Charleston tradition.

Cost of a ticket: $74.75

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It –

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

Get tickets now for A Christmas Carol through December 22^nd!

Quinn Delaney