Why does a 1947 art book feel urgent in 2026? "Matisse's Jazz: Rhythms in Color" at the Art Institute of…
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Goodman’s ‘The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao’ has a gifted cast and one glaring problem
Goodman's The Brief Life of Oscar Wao wants to celebrate Dominican lives. It just keeps stepping on the women to…
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What three productions are saying about Asian visibility right now
From disco Marcos to corporate climbers, three regional theater productions are asking who gets to rise and what the climb…
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Lost in the algorithm: ‘Morning, Noon, and Night’ can’t find its human heart
Shattered Globe Theatre's “Morning, Noon, and Night” has big ideas but thin characters. Too bad the humans got lost in…
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‘Pot Girls’ delivers a smoky riff on Caryl Churchill’s classic play but can’t clear the air
The Story Theatre's "Pot Girls" is a bold, brainy reimagining with scenes that cut deep, but the play's ambitious reach…
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‘Hamnet’ chases modern grief, but sacrifices historical truth
Visually captivating with moments of brilliance, the stage adaptation of Hamnet's modern approach to 16th-century loss never quite lands.
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Goodman Theatre’s ‘Holiday’ reimagines vintage wit for a modern audience
A glossy new stage adaptation of "Holiday" revival at Goodman Theatre starts strong but loses its effervescence by Act III.
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Even with a stellar cast, Steppenwolf’s ‘The Dance of Death’ feels stale
Kathryn Erbe shines in her Steppenwolf return, but "The Dance of Death" meanders through familiar toxic marriage territory.
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Why Chicago is the place to experience dance right now
Chicago's winter dance scene heats up with Joffrey Ballet, Hubbard Street, and Red Clay premieres. Here's what you can't miss.
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The Second City unwraps seasonal satire in ‘Holidazed and Amused’
The Second City's holiday show delivers sharp seasonal sketches and laugh-out-loud moments, even when the improv Ghost of Christmas Present…
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