I have an upcoming "Ben Kaye's Cultural Questionnaire" with many fun and varied questions, but I got one pair of questions that I felt deserved its own dedicated post; - name some local theaters you think are overrated, coward - top five movie theaters in Chicago (chains and
Upon immediate entry into the venue for Split Lip Theater's (no, not them) Uncle Vanya, you're going to hear snoring. That would be Vanya - or rather, Pete Laughlin as Vanya - sleeping in a chair right at the entrance. Sonya (Moriah Martel) will then check you in
![REVIEW: Spaceman, with [producingbody]](https://storage.ghost.io/c/7d/88/7d88e587-800d-47ff-8596-2bc2620c0fa0/content/images/size/w600/2026/05/tn-500_producingbody-spaceman-7.jpg)
If you're someone particularly interested in stories about astronauts finding themselves isolated in space that also inexplicably feature impressive feats of puppetry, then my guess is you're having a pretty stellar 2026. Alongside the big-budget crowd-pleasing of the film PROJECT HAIL MARY, we now
First Floor Theater's latest production - reid tang's WORK HARD HAVE FUN MAKE HISTORY, directed by Tina El Gamal, now playing at Raven Theater - is a dizzying work whose highs are intoxicating and whose lows are infuriating. If anything, it captures our modern-day hellscape almost too
The deadly allure of television sitcoms is, among much else, their enduring sense of stability. With a few narrative exceptions along the way, the TV sitcom provides comfort, familiarity, and a sense of ease, with the same characters in the same environments week after week. They may continue to get
as long as i've lived in Chicago (since 2013 now), i've been hearing complaints about the Joseph "Jeff" Jefferson Awards. a year wouldn't go by without someone complaining about the organization, the biases within the committee, the lack of diversity in membership
content warning: discussion of suicide, suicidal ideation, violence, and mental illness. every few years here in Chicago, an up-and-coming storefront company full of eager artists looking to push theatrical boundaries and prove their avant-garde bona fides will go ahead and produce a work by the late, great,
In Pursuit Of, produced by Sub Rosa Theatre Collective, now performing at the Greenhouse Theater Center, is the kind of production I hate writing about. not because I didn't think it was any good, on the contrary; long time readers know all too well that when the opportunity
hello there! it's been a second, but I have emerged to share news of a wonderful new show that I'm tangentially involved in. the show is called Kubrickian, written by Zack Peercy, directed by AJ Schwartz, performing at The Factory Theater now through March 28th. here&
well, folks. the 98th Academy Award Nominations are here. as far as these things go, they're pretty decent! perhaps even great! if you're someone who wants to try and play catch-up and seek out the films nominated for Hollywood's Biggest Night, we'
hello all! happy 2026! I have a big catch-up post coming soon with some fun bits and bobs, including Golden Globes Thoughts, TV Thoughts, and a mini-review of the Paddington Musical now playing in London's West End. BUT BEFORE ALL THAT! with Oscar Nominations around the
editor's note: i've been having some technical issues with the website, so apologies for that, hopefully this is still getting to subscribers' inboxes okay. due to the nature of this piece, this review is not behind the paywall. enjoy! my son is barely thirteen-months-