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The Chicago Reader

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Arts & Culture, Theater Review Dec 18, 2020
The Chimes and I Hate It Here ring out a horrible year

Charles Dickens and Ike Holter are unlikely twin spirit guides in two online shows.
- By Kerry Reid
- Tags: Theater Review, Remy Bumppo, The Chimes, Charles Dickens, Nick Sandys, Ian Frank, Studio Theatre, Ike Holter, I Hate It Here, Moony, Steep Theatre, The Light Fantastic, Jackalope

Arts & Culture, Feature Jul 7, 2020
Steep Theatre searches for a new home

The company's leadership discusses how to create community in times of COVID.
- By Kerry Reid
- Tags: Feature, Steep Theatre, Peter Moore, Kate Piatt-Eckert, Rick Bayless, Bayless Foundation, Thomas Dixon, Lucy Kirkwood, Isaac Gomez, Martyna Majok

Arts & Culture, Theater Review Jan 28, 2020
$<i>The Leopard Play, or Sad Songs for Lost Boys</i> examines a fractured Mexican American family$
Recommended
The Leopard Play, or Sad Songs for Lost Boys examines a fractured Mexican American family

Isaac Gomez's world premiere at Steep takes us over the border of trauma and truth.
- By Kerry Reid
- Tags: Theater Review, The Leopard Play or Sad Songs for Lost Boys, Steep Theatre, Isaac Gomez, Laura Alcalá Baker, Brandon Rivera, Victor Maraña, Juan Muñoz, Alec Coles Perez, Recommended

Arts & Culture, Theater Review Oct 9, 2019
Recommended
Two sisters clash over the limits of faith in science in Mosquitoes

Lucy Kirkwood's drama has bite in Steep Theatre's U.S. premiere.
- By Max Maller
- Tags: Theater Review, Mosquitoes, Steep Theatre, Lucy Kirkwood, Jaclynn Jutting, Cindy Marker, Julia Siple, Meg Thalken, Alexander Stuart, Recommended

Arts & Culture, Theater Review Jul 24, 2019
Recommended
Dystopian horror hides in the creepy undergrowth of Pomona

Alistair McDowall’s thriller at Steep plants seeds of money, violence, sex, death . . . and Dungeons and Dragons.
- By Irene Hsiao
- Tags: Theater Review, Pomona, Steep Theatre, Alistair McDowall, Robin Witt, Amber Sallis, Peter Moore, Phoebe Moore, Ashlyn Lozano, Recommended

Arts & Culture, Theater Review Apr 24, 2019
First Love is the Revolution examines the brutal nature of humans and other animals

In Rita Kalnejais's modern fable, parents pass on their prejudices to their children.
- By Sheri Flanders
- Tags: Theater Review, First Love is the Revolution, Steep Theatre, Rita Kalnejais, Isa Arciniegas, Lucy Carapetyan, Jordan Arredondo

Arts & Culture, Theater Review Oct 10, 2018
Steep Theatre strips Amelia Roper’s Zürich of all its humor

All that’s left of the angry satire is punishment.
- By Tony Adler
- Tags: Theater Review, Zürich, Steep Theatre, Amelia Roper, Brad DeFabo Akin, Jeff Kurysz, Sasha Smith, dark comedy

Arts & Culture, Theater Review Jul 19, 2018
Linda explores every misery known to womankind

The succession of suffered indignities feels like piling on rather than a genuine tragic progression.
- By Justin Hayford
- Tags: Theater Review, Linda, Steep Theatre, Penelope Skinner, Kendra Thulin

Arts & Culture, Performing Arts Review Jan 30, 2018
In Hinter, a murder investigation in 1922 Germany reveals all sorts of hidden horrors

But Calamity West’s new play short-circuits when it should explode.
- By Justin Hayford
- Tags: Performing Arts Review, Hinter, Calamity West, Gruber family murders, Kaifeck, Brad DeFabo Akin, Steep Theatre

Arts & Culture, Performing Arts Feature Oct 12, 2017
Choir Boy, Foxfinder, and 12 more stage shows to see now

A play by Moonlight author Tarell Alvin McCraney and a paranoiac drama by British playwright Dawn Hall are among this week's best bets.
- Tags: Performing Arts Feature, Blue/Orange, Runcible Theatre Company, Joe Penhall, National Theatre of Great Britian, Owen Hickle Edwards, Stephen Fedo, Nathaniel Andrew, Idi Amin Dada, Uganda, National Health Service, Andrew Root, Royal George Theatre Center, Raven Theatre, Tarell Alvin McCraney, the Brother/Sister Plays, Moonlight, Choir Boy, Michael Menendian, Christopher W. Jones, Breon Arzell, Frederick Harris, The Crucible, Steppenwolf for Young Adults, Arthur Miller, Arnel Sancianco, Jonathan Berry, Wallace Shawn, Evening at the Talk House, A Red Orchid Theatre, HB Ward, Shade Murray, Foxfinder, Dawn King, Interrobang Theatre, Alexandra Fisher, David Anthony Marshall, Jack Olin, Margaret Knapp, The Invisible Hand, Ayad Akhtar, Steep Theatre, Joel Reitsma, Audrey Francis, Lady Faust, Sharai Bohannon, Sophie Duntley, Christopher Marlowe, Faust, Torey Byrne, The Making of an American Folk Hero, Martin Zimmerman, Kelly Howe, The Other Theatre Company, The Man-Beast, First Folio Theatre, Joseph Zettelmaier, Hayley Rice, Elizabeth Laidlaw, Aaron Christensen, Lyric Opera, Rigoletto, Verdi, Victor Hugo, Ryan Opera Center, Quinn Kelsey, Mathew Polenzani, Michael Yeargen, Marco Armiliato, Saint Joan, George Bernard Shaw, Marylynne Anderson-Cooper, Poetic Forum Collective, Christabel Donkor, de Chirico, UniverSoul Circus, Cedric Walker, Bone Breakers, Reutan Collective, Wasteland Hero, Kyle Encinas, Nicky Jasper, Kate Lass, Bobby Hoffman, Kim Fukawa, Witi, an Interactive Show, Matthew Hoelter, iO

Arts & Culture, Performing Arts Feature Jul 19, 2017
Something Rotten, The Project(s), and eight more new stage shows to see now

A touring Broadway hit and a youth revival from American Theater Company are among this week's best bets.
- Tags: Performing Arts Feature, Shakespeare, As You Like It, First Folio Theatre, Skyler Schrempp, Kevin McKillip, The God of Isaac, Frank Collin, Skokie, Dennis Začek, James Sherman, T. Isaac Sherman, Grippo Stage Company, Bruised Orange Theater, I Saw You, personals, OkCupid, improv, Clint Scheffer, Ann Sonneville, Lela & Co., Steep Theatre, Cordelia Lynn, Robin Witt, Chris Chmelik, Michael John LaChiusa, Little Fish, Hello Again, The Wild Party, Kokandy Productions, Nicole Laurenzi, Allison Hendrix, Kasey Alfonso, Kory Danielson, Loose Knit, Theresa Rebeck, Public House Theatre, Eclipse Theatre, Megastasis, Kia Corthron, commutation, Anthony Conway, Aaron Todd Douglas, My Son the Waiter: A Jewish Tragedy, Brad Zimmerman, The Project(s), American Theater Company Youth Ensemble, PJ Paparelli, Jess McCleod, Sarah Slight, Monty Cole, CHA, Chicago public housing, Something Rotten, Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell

Arts & Culture, Performing Arts Feature Apr 26, 2017
Aladdin, Marry Me a Little, and ten more stage shows to see now

A top-notch touring Broadway show and an intimate Sondheim concept revue are among this week's notable new productions.
- Tags: Performing Arts Feature, Aladdin, Disney's Aladdin, Jonathan Weir, Reggie de Leon, Anthony Murphy, Bob Crowley, Alan Menken, Dundee: A Hip-Hopera, Gabe Caruso, Force Continuum, Kia Corthron, The Wolf at the End of the Block, Ike Holter, Michael Aaron Pogue, Hookman, Vanessa Stalling, Lauren Yee, Steep Theatre, Marry Me a Little, Porchlight Music Theatre, Austin Cook, Bethany Thomas, Stephen Sondheim, Company, Follies, Into the Woods, Saturday Night, Evening Primrose, Jess McLeod, Never the Milk & Honey, MPAACT, Carla Stillwell, Renee Lockett, Chicago Opera Theater, Philip Glass, The Perfect American, Walt Disney, Andreas MItisek, Der König von Amerika, Rudolph Wurlitzer, Kevin Newbury, Justin Ryan, Karl Knapp, Scott Ramsay, Apollo Chorus, Prince Max's Trewly Awful Trip to the Desolat Interior, Red Theater, Ellen Struve, Maximilian, Heather Riordan, Charlee Cotton, the Mandan, the Hidatsa, Karl Bodmer, Queen, Victory Gardens Theater, Madhuri Shekar, Joanie Schultz, Priya Mohanty, Darci Nalepa, Adam Poss, The New Colony, Scapegoat, Connor McNamara, Kristina Valada-Viers, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Shakespeare in Love, Lee Hall, Romeo and Juliet, Rachel Rockwell, Luigi Sottile, Nathaniel Braga, Linda Reiter, The Other Theatre Company, Threesome, Yussef El Guindi, Suzan Faycurry, Mike Tepeli, Demetrios Troy, Jason Gerace, Darren Jones

Arts & Culture, Performing Arts Feature Oct 7, 2016
The Bardy Bunch, The Last Wife, A Walk in the Woods, and ten more new stage shows

A mashup of Shakespeare with The Partridge Family and The Brady Bunch is one of this week's high- (or maybe lowlights).
- Tags: Performing Arts Feature, The Bardy Bunch, The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family, The Bard, Stephen Garvey, Logan Medland, Jay Stern, Mercury Theater, Steep Theatre, Bobbie Clearly, Alex Lubische, Robert Askins, Joel Sobel, Hand to God, Victory Gardens, Fantasy Island for Dummies, Trap Door Theatre, Ruth Margraff, Fantasy Island, Annette Funicello, Party Perfect, Dandelion Theatre, Fish Eye, Lucas Hardin, Katherine Lamb, Morgan Crouch, Stephen Rowland, the Frontier, Theo Ubique, Fly by Night, No Exit Cafe, Jeremy Ramey, Fred Anzevino, Meredith Kochan, Kyrie Anderson, Will Connolly, Michael Mitnick, Kim Rosenstock, Hillary: The Musical!, KellyAnn Corcoran, Greg Allen, Jenny Magnus, Mark Chrisler, How We Got On, Idris Goodwin, hip-hop, Grandmaster Flash, Den Theatre, Black Ensemble Theater, I Am Who I Am: The Teddy Pendergrass Story, Rashawn Thompson, Deverin Deonte, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Jessica Seals, Rueben Echoles, Kyle Smith, TimeLine Theatre, The Last Wife, Kate Hennig, Catherine Parr, Henry VII, Elizabeth I, AnJi White, Steve Pickering, Quest Theatre Ensemble, The People's History of the United States, Andrew Park, City Lit Theater Company, Psmith, Journalist, P.G. Wodehouse, Terry McCabe, Skooby Don't, Hell in a Handbag Productions, Interrobang Theatre Project, Still, Jen Silverman, Yale Drama Series Award, Georgette Verdin, miscarriage, Matthew Nerber, A Walk in the Woods, Spartan Theatre Company, Lee Blessing, Patrick Belics, Sara Pavlak McGuire, Vincent P. Mahler

Arts & Culture, Fall Preview Sep 3, 2016
Onstage this fall: Race and violence

The next season of Chicago theater season shows a new emphasis on social consciousness.
- By Tony Adler
- Tags: Fall Preview, Chicago theater, Lin-Manuel Miranda, In the Heights, Porchlight Music Theatre, race, gun violence, Jack DeCesare, Aston Rep, The Black Slot, Warren Hoffman, Azhar Usman, Silk Road Rising, Ultra-American: A Patriotic Act, 16th Street Theater, A. Zell Williams, Polarity Ensemble Theatre, Gail Parrish, Leavings, Beth Kander, The Bottle Tree, Stage Left Theatre, Caitlin Parrish, The Burial, Steppenwolf for Young Adults, Alex Lubischer, Bobbie Clearly, Steep Theatre, Nancy Kerrigan, Tonya Harding, U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Underscore Theatre, Tonya and Nancy: The Rock Opera, Michael Teoli, T. Dan Aibel, American Theater Company

Blogs, Bleader May 20, 2016
The Reader's Key Ingredient Cook-Off, Ferris Fest, and more things to do in Chicago this weekend

The Cool Party, Zombie Prom, Rhys Chatham, and more happenings from May 20-22
- Tags: Arts, Do This, Steep Theatre, The Few, Venue One, Key Ingredient Cook-Off, Rhys Chatham, Constellation, Ferris Fest, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Chop Shop, the Cool Party, Zombie Prom, Cubby Bear, Friends of Logan Square Book Sale, Logan Square Library, Comfort Station, Stevie Nicks Brunch, Empty Bottle, Kevin Nealon, City Winery

Arts & Culture, Theater Review Apr 28, 2016
Ike Holter's astonishing Sender brings a hipster back from the dead

Shade Murray directs the Chicago wunderkind's latest, now premiering at A Red Orchid Theatre.
- By Tony Adler
- Tags: Theater Review, Sender, A Red Orchid Theatre, Ike Holter, Hit the Wall, Shade Murray, McKenzie Chinn, Steve Haggard, Mary Williamson, Steve Wilson, Cassandra, Steep Theatre, The Few, Samuel D. Hunter, Calamity West, The Rolling, Jackalope Theatre

Arts & Culture, Performing Arts Feature Apr 20, 2016
Dreamgirls, Dead Man Walking, The Few, and ten more new theater reviews

Porchlight wows, Piven Theatre crusades, and Steep Theatre goes hard-core American.
- Tags: Performing Arts Feature, The Book Club Play, Karen Zacarias, 16th Street Theater, Kevin Christopher Fox, Ann Filmer, Brad Harbaugh, Piven Theatre, Dead Man Walking, Sister Helen Prejean, Tim Robbins, Patricia Lavery, Jay Reed, Mikalina Rabinsky, Black Ensemble Theater, Dionne Warwick, Jackie Taylor, Rueben D. Echoles, Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Dreamgirls, Porchlight Music Theatre, Brenda Didier, Effie White, Evan Tyrone Martin, Eric Lewis, The Few, Steep Theatre, Samuel D. Hunter, Peter Moore, Dana Black, Travis Coe, Eclipse Theatre, Jesus Hopped the "A" Train, Anish Jethmalani, Stephen Adly Giurgis, Elizabeth Birnkrant, Johnathan Nieves, The Kinematics, Mark Ravenhill, Pool (No Water), Milkwhite, Anthony Kochensparger, Chris Smith, Chicago Art Department, Strangeloop Theatre, Mitera, Maria Burnham, Othello: The Remix, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Jeffrey Qaiyum, Gregory Qaiyum, Q Brothers, Shakespeare, Postell Pringle, Jackson Doran, Tympanic Theatre, Paper City Phoenix, Walt McGough, Rebecca Willingham, Rogue Theater, Pygmalion, Right Brain Project, George Bernard Shaw, Nate White, Nellie Ognacevic, The Other Theatre Company, The Realm, Sarah Myers, Kelly Howe, Trash!, New American Folk Theatre, Anthony Whitaker, Jamal Howard, Johnny Drago

Best of Chicago, Arts & Culture 2015 Readers' Poll Jun 24, 2015
Best actress
- Tags: Arts & Culture 2015 Readers' Poll, Steep Theatre

Best of Chicago, Arts & Culture Jun 25, 2014
Readers' Poll
Best actress

Caroline Neff
- Tags: Arts & Culture, Best of Chicago 2014, best actress, Caroline Neff, Jill Valentine, Steep Theatre, Readers' Poll

Blogs, Bleader Jan 27, 2012
The latest Reader performing arts reviews

Fresh performing arts reviews from Reader critics
- By Tony Adler
- Tags: Inside the Reader, Performing Arts, Arts, Behind Our Scenes, Rhinofest, Invisible Man, Race, Court Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Accidental Rapture, Jennifer Biddle, An Aspect of God and Next and Her Savior, Black Pearl Sings, Civil War Dad, Clutter, Dark Play or Stories for Boys, Collaboraction, Carlos Murillo, Love and Money, Steep Theatre, On Loss, Mark Chrisler, Punk Rock, Simon Stephens, Griffin Theatre, Hawkeye Plainview, Tennyson Spade, A Woman's Path, Annoyance Theatre, Totally Adequate Scone, Dance Colective, Built by Fault

Arts & Culture, Performing Arts Review Oct 8, 2009
Before Blackbird

An early David Harrower play disappoints.
- By Kerry Reid
- Tags: Performing Arts Review, David Harrower, Blackbird, Kill the Old Torture Their Young, Steep Theatre, Kathryn Walsh, Julia Siple, Dan Stratton, Peter Moore, Niall McGinty

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