Home » Archive by Tags

Articles tagged with: David Zinn

‘Elizabeth Cree’ at Chicago Opera Theater: Bloody mayhem and totally tonally winning

Feb 13, 2018 – 2:27 pm
Feature 2

Review: Through the 20th and 21st centuries, composers and librettists have pushed opera in exciting and unexpected directions, proving again the flexibility and richness of this enduring art form. A fresh example is Kevin Puts’ “Elizabeth Cree,” which offers something almost never seen before – a bloody, fast-action operatic thriller with a juicy plot twist. Presented in the ideally sized, 691-seat Studebaker Theater in the Fine Arts Building, “Elizabeth Cree” is one of the most successful offerings from Chicago Opera Theater in recent years. ★★★★

Of mortal frailty and monstrous transgression: Broadway in Chicago spotlights ‘The Humans’

Feb 6, 2018 – 9:02 am
The Humans

Review: In the midst of Stephen Karam’s abrasive family drama “The Humans,” presented on tour by Broadway in Chicago at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, the question of monsters comes up. Monsters in dreams. And someone speculates that if humans dream of monsters, perhaps what strikes terror in the imagination of horrid fantastical creatures is the image of a human. It’s a fleeting exchange, but it lies right at the core of this group portrait of people grappling with dreadful reality, hideous betrayal, terrifying truths about themselves. ★★★★

‘The Minutes’ at Steppenwolf: At a small-town council meeting, comedy takes shattering turn

Nov 27, 2017 – 10:16 am
Feature 1

Review: The individual agendas of the Big Cherry village council members, in Tracy Letts’ comedy-chiller of a new play “The Minutes,” are credibly various and amusingly personal. What really resonates, however, is the one thing they all hold in common — the raw, elemental conviction that safeguards and perpetuates Big Cherry as a community. ★★★★

‘The SpongeBob Musical’ is deep-sea delight for kids, with a whale of a payoff for parents

Jun 21, 2016 – 5:44 pm
The Sponge Bob Musical
Oriental Theatre

Character	Original Chicago Cast
SpongeBob SquarePants	Ethan Slater
Patrick Star	Danny Skinner
Squidward Tentacles	Gavin Lee
Sandy Cheeks

The design team includes scenic and costume design by David Zinn, lighting design by Kevin Adams, projection design by Peter Nigrini and sound design by Walter Trarbach. - 

FEATURING ORIGINAL SONGS BY
YOLANDA ADAMS • STEVEN TYLER AND
JOE PERRY OF AEROSMITH • SARA BAREILLES
JONATHAN COULTON • DIRTY PROJECTORS
ALEX EBERT OF EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS
THE FLAMING LIPS • JOHN LEGEND • LADY ANTEBELLUM
CYNDI LAUPER • PANIC! AT THE DISCO
PLAIN WHITE T’S • THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS • T.I.
AND A SONG BY DAVID BOWIE
WITH ADDITIONAL LYRICS BY JONATHAN COULTON
CO-CONCEIVER
& DIRECTOR
TINA LANDAU
 
BOOK
KYLE
JARROW
 
MUSIC
SUPERVISION
TOM KITT
 
CHOREOGRAPHER
CHRISTOPHER
GATTELLI

Review: Ah, to be 10 years old again, and to take in “The SpongeBob Musical” in all its innocent, fanciful charm, its splendorous undersea-world colors, its goofy but (mostly) good-hearted characters. If you’re 10, the “pre-Broadway world premiere” of “SpongeBob” will for sure get five stars, or maybe starfish, like this: Starfish, Starfish, Starfish, Starfish, Starfish. In real stars: ★★★★

To wisdom of memorable songs, Sting’s musical ‘The Last Ship’ adds mystery of grace

Jun 28, 2014 – 1:14 pm
The Last Ship, Sting's new musical, at Broadway in Chicago

Review: It’s not often that a composer introduces his first Broadway-bound musical at the age of 64, but then Sting is the sort of artist who never stops spreading his wings. The great rock singer-songwriter has picked up collaborators from his work in film and television and he has even suffered the prolonged torture of a Disney animated movie that morphed so completely his songs were largely cut. Who better to tackle the cut-throat business of the Broadway musical?★★★★