Located near Marina Towers on State Street, this one hour magic show was filled with amazing…read morestunts. With at least three stages, audiences were free to roam to get closer to the stages. Audience participation was encouraged. This show is great for families. So the cheapest tickets were standing room only but its only for an hour and you can get close to the performances. For the seated guests large tv screens allowed for closer views of magic stunts. The gift shop had lots of magical items and magical props for selfies. Proof of vaccination were required and there were social distancing stickers on the floors.

So yes, I saw this show just before Christmas. What can I say? Simply magical! I went with one dear…read moreto me and who is a magic super fan. Not only was this simply an unbelievable show but it was a true delight to watch her mesmerized like a child in awe by much of the show, and it is not easy to pull the wool over her eyes. What a deal. Missed out in the seating but as it turned out the seating and more expensive tickets are less worth it as no seating leaves you staying mid flight or with others to catch every single angle of the show as if you are part of it. The host even suggests moving from seats to floor for the performance. These are done truly talented artists. They have a great pre-show exhibit and notable tricks from eras past. There's also a nice sized shopping area with done memorabilia and tricks and other merch worth the money for sure. As well, there is a small snack area with soft drinks etc. I would see this show again in a heartbeat.

This little musical was outstanding!!!! I'm a huge musical buff but this was my first experience at…read morethe Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Who'd thunk it?! This show only consists of two actors. One plays the inspector of a murder and the other plays all the suspects of the murder. Most of the show is in sing-song. The lyrics and the props they use are HYSTERICAL! Both actors are piano players so the music is LIVE. It was wonderful! It may sound weird that a two person musical was entertaining, but this was actually WAY BETTER than some Broadway musicals I have seen. I would go and see this musical again and again. We enjoyed ourselves that much! The show is 90 minutes without intermission. Time goes by fast! There's no bad seat in the house. Each row is elevated on step up behind the other so the person sitting in front of you should not be obstructing you. There is one row in the balcony. Again, no obstructions there. Parking: Dont park in the West or East parking lot. Instead, enter the lot assigned for Chicago Shakespeare Theater. The theater will validate your ticket for you (at the box office) so that you get 40% off of parking (which is about $14) Regular price is $24 so you get quite a bit of savings! Definitely check this show out before its gone. You'll have an AWESOME time! It was so laugh out loud funny! You can get half off tickets through Goldstar here: https://www.goldstar.com/join?p=F123738RP

FUN FUN FUN!!!! Good Lord almighty is this a fun musical…read more A witty, zany-filled whodunnit. In the vein of Agatha Christie crossed with an episode of Frasier crossed with Second City crossed with MURDER!!!!!! What is cool about this show is that there are only two actors --one actor investigates the crime, the other plays all 13 suspects. And to top it off, they both play the piano! And it is cheap and quick - like my Friday nights... Zing!!! It runs 90 minutes, no intermission. And tickies are only $25. Only downside is there are no sex scenes which sucks (just kidding) -- seeing if you are reading. There are no downsides to Murder for Two. It runs for another month. Get your arses to Chicago Shakespeare Theatre post-haste. Tout suite. RIGHT NOW!!!!! And while you are there, go get an Auntie Anne's pretzel from the food court. G.D. are those damn carb bombs good.

Rose and the Rime, is nothing short of an audio and visual masterpiece. It tickles your emotions…read moreand rouses your senses, filled with acrobatics, song and dance, a sock puppet and a whole lot of energy... makes this play a must see. Seriously welcome to my kind of play, it's full of passion, adventure, and action!! A creativeness that can only come from a unique mind... the depth, the detail and sometimes down right silliness that has been put on stage for everyone to see. It's a story about Rose a happy energetic young girl living with her uncle in a town that is trapped by an endless winter (No not Chicago). The town called Radio Falls was cursed by an evil witch (as opposed to a wicked or a mean witch). Without giving too much away, Rose, is Radio Falls only hope but at what cost will she pay for her warm generous heart. The actors work a stunning array of visual fetes making you feel as though you're a part of the town itself. They portrayed a wide arrange of facial expressions, so much so that it's hard not to be moved or drawn in (plus it doesn't hurt that they go into the crowd for some reactions). The lead who played Rose was memorizing, she is extremely talented and a career to follow. The play was written by Nathan Allen, Chris Matthews, and Jake Minton. Directed by Nathan Alan. All I have to say is Nathan we need to talk!!! The sound effects of the rope and bag flying through the air was wonderful, thank you for making me feel like I'm not the only one who envisions that sort of thing! The House theatre group now in there 8th season has made a name for them selves with plays like The Sparrow and their newest Dave DaVinci Saves the Universe. I having a feeling that they will be around for awhile and can't wait to see more. Check out their website for cool gear and their blog for sneak previews of up coming shows. http://www.thehousetheatre.com/

I recently saw a good show here by the name of "A Doll's House" by Henrik Ibsen…read more Really good production and an awesome cast made it worthwhile to spend about an hour and a half watching the awesome story unfold. It had been maybe 6 years since I actually saw a show here and I am glad I cam back to see such a wonderful production. I saw a show on the main floor back then, but this time I got to check out the space downstairs which seemed a bit comfy and welcoming. the bar was on the way downstairs so I def made a stop there to get a beer and laugh with the woman that was manning the area as I was waiting on my date to arrive. Good place to see a show...hopefully it won't take me another 6 years to come back.

Went to see Beast Women with friends last night and had a fabulous time. Everyone was great, but…read morethere were some particularly outstanding performances by Kelsie Huff (who almost made me wet my pants), Brywn Arlwyn (there's nothing to say other than Wow!), Tamale Sepp (unique -- you have to see her to believe it), Roberta Miles (reminded me of performances by Saffire Uppity Blues Women) and Jillian Erickson (can't wait to see her one woman show). The shows are different every night and we will definitely be back for another round with new friends in tow (and maybe the old ones too). EXCEPTIONALLY WELL DONE! STANDING OVATION! APPLAUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!

All female late night review - everything from spoken word to belly dancing to comedy to anything…read moreand everything in between. Each night of the series features different performers so no two shows are ever the same. The highlights last night were a dramatic and moving spoken word performance by Beasties Co-Producer, Jillian Erickson. I've seen her perform several times - she'll make you laugh, cry and blow your mind. What can be said about comedy by Tamale? She is an experience. I almost wet my pants! What can beat a biker chick who rides a motorcycle with an eyebrow!?! There were other comics - including musical. There were a variety of dancers - the husband loved it - that were each fun to watch and very different and unique - everything from fusion belly dancers to sword dancers. There isn't room to mention every act that Beast Women offered but the variety is enough to make me go back again next week to see what else they have to offer. I LOVE BEAST WOMEN!

Few notables. The entrance is a double door and then you are inside the theater. If you are late,…read moreyou are interrupting the show. So find a seat quickly and sit down. There is no staff manning the door. #Crazy Staff are within view towards the back of the theater. Tix are inexpensive and they allow for donations with purchase. Can you buy at the door? Not sure. I've never seen a ticket taker verify tix. Say you've got a bottle of booze in a brown bag and you'd like to enjoy that booze without botheration. Here's your place. A seat for you and co which you should feel free to use. If you see something worth laughing at, please do so. You aren't guaranteed laughs nor are you required to show proof of tickets! For real.. I scratch my head wondering why I pre-purchased. I should just walk in one day and see what happens. In a perfect world we are all on time and at shows 15 minutes before they begin. So that we can show our tickets, grab a nice seat and get ready to laugh. This however doesn't happen all the time. Nor does having enough content to laugh at. Buh dum tss! https://youtu.be/bcYppAs6ZdI

What do you say to a kid who's grumpy or bored? "Come on,…read moreI'll take you to the playground!" What do you say to the adult child who's grumpy or bored? "Come on, I'll take you to The Playground!" I had been before and was impressed so it seemed like a no brainer to take the manboy in my life. We quickly became regulars. Here's what we like: The Sunday night show The Free for All is free (we donate though). It's a great deal and ironically funnier than the pay shows other nights. All shows are mostly funny. Some moments were hilarious, some were clunkers. BYOB!!!! And I've even seen audience members eating there too. It's the only co op non profit improv group. The theater is really intimate and casual. This lends you to be more invested in the performance, feel the nervous energy and excitement, and mingle with the performers before and after. You don't feel like a kid alone at a sandbox watching the cool kids play, but involved. The location is great by the Belmont and Addison el stops and many bus routes. So to get to the punch(line)-great deal and pretty entertaining. And in tribute to the venue name and purpose a joke. A man and his wife are asleep in bed. They hear a knocking on their door. The man says, "What do you want?!" A voice says, "Please help...I need a push." The man angrily replies, "It's three am-get outta here!!" his wife says, "Honey, remember when our kids where stranded on the highway and a nice man gave the car a push to the rest area?" The husband answers, "Oh, all right." He trudges down to the front door and opens it and it's pitch dark, he calls out, "Do you still need a push?" "Yes." "Ok, where are you?!" "Over here....on the swingset...." :::crickets::: Giant hook ala Showtime at the Apollo pulls me from computer.

As you enter the theater , you are transported to a fantasy world of Witches and Wizards, Alchemy…read moreand Fortune Telling where reality is bent, and nothing seems impossible. Visit the apothecary lab before, during intermission, or after the show and have a specialty drink while enjoying the environment. This is real theatre in the raw. If you want to support live Theatre, make sure you go see it at The Other World Theatre

From the moment you enter the building, you know you are about to enter a world of wonder!…read more Enjoy the environment, it's so ecclectic! They even have a tardis here! You most definitely need to visit the apothecary bar, where the drinks are on parallel with the decor . It's a unique theater, quaint and intimate, where you decide to play the audience. .

Logan Square Improv's $5 shows are a great use of your money. I attended September's Hot Reads,…read morewhich involves a group of comedians performing weird and wild sketches that each performer wrote. The sketches all feature drinking game words that prompt performers and the audience to take swigs. It's BYOB and a ton of fun.

This is an intimate theater in Logan Square. The crowds are fun, the hosts bring high energy, and…read morethe shows are fantastic. If you come for the new team shows on Friday evenings you can enjoy a show for only $5.00. And who knows maybe you'll find the courage to start a team and join the show.

I cannot stop saying great things about this company and their show, "That's Weird, Grandma". It's…read moretruly a hidden gem in the theater world. To sum it up - That's Weird is a bunch of short skits written by Chicago kids then adapted and performed by incredibly talented actors. The shows are a mix of humor, out-there story lines and occasionally talks of current events, that even for a kid to write about, is very spot on. Mind you, the BFF and I don't have kids (not fans), and yet we still come back every couple of months to see their ever changing show. So yes, adults - this show is still hilarious and worth seeing, even for us "grown-ups". Do yourself a favor, go see a show, and bring your friends. You're going to be addicted. PS: "The Long Day" will forever be the best sketch of them all. If you're ever lucky to see it, you'll probably tear up laughing as well.

Where else can you see plays about grannies who lean like cholos (performed as a rap), a Whopper…read moreJr. who attempts to save the life of John F. Kennedy (classic tragedy), and a bunny who ninja-fights bears (very Matrix-y) all in one night AND support creative writing programs in Chicago public schools at the same time? Barrel of Monkeys! This is the real have fun, do good deal - BofM runs creative writing programs in Chicago schools and turns the kids' stories, poems, and plays into performance pieces. The show, called That's Weird, Grandma, is held at the Neo Futurarium Monday nights at 8 and is a total steal at $10. I was first tuned in to That's Weird, Grandma after seeing one of the Barrel of Monkeys actors in The Neofuturist's Daredevils' Hamlet (Brennan Buhl, who, mark my words, will be famous). I managed to snag tickets through Free Night of Theater. My expectations were low - I tend to find Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind shows uneven - some are fantastic and some are meh. I sort of saw That's Weird, Grandma as the little brother of TMLMTBGB. The first few skits seemed to confirm my bias, but after that, I was blown away. I've seen several shows recently (including one at Steppenwolf) and That's Weird, Grandma has been far and away the best. I laughed so hard I cried. Literally. And the best part? You get to vote for your favorite and least favorite plays, so the duds are quickly jettisoned from the show. Go see this. See it next Monday. Bring your friends. Buy a t-shirt. Do it for the kids. Won't somebody please think of the children?!?!