Month: March 2020

For kids, Christmas has an extraordinary meaning. Because on this day, they will receive unexpected gifts from parents and Santa Claus.

From these ideas, children’s Christmas musicals with words that speak to the mind of aspirations and fun melodies make them more interested.

Here is a collection of some good Christmas songs that many children loved over time.

Let’s see what those songs ... 

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Lyric Opera of Chicago
The Mikado
by W. S. Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan

By Lori Dana

If it’s an operetta, it must be holiday time at Lyric. This year’s musical sugarplum is that beloved Victorian chestnut, Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado.  Given a gorgeous art deco makeover by British designer Mark Thompson, this version is set in 1922.

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By Val Lyle

(preface by Venus Zarris)

Val Lyle is a gifted and renowned sculptor and art educator. VAL LYLE : Figurative Sculpture, Gestural Art, Paper Clay

We went to art college together a couple of decades ago and have remained beloved friends over these past 20+ years. I received some prepress about SOFA and forwarded it to Val, as she had attended in the past and I knew that she would be interested. This facilitated an artistically alchemical reunion, a meeting of old friends on a weekend bender that could best be described as an ALL-OUT ART OVERDOSE. 

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Chicago is filled with storied of haunted places and haunted theaters. From tiny black boxes to lavish, large scale venues, stories are told of strange occurrences. The old Iroquois, Biograph and Music Box Theaters all have chilling stories, both real life and supernatural. I am sure that there are folks out there with spooky tales to tell about Chicago’s decaying Uptown Theater. But more so than hauntED, this enchanting old movie palace proves to be hauntING to so many who have fought tirelessly to preserve it.

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Theater endeavors to take us on trips where few have traveled, covering subjects that few dares speak of. One of the most exotic destinations and taboo topics is that of the VAGINA. The mere mention of the word can strike fear, stupefaction, and excitement, oftentimes simultaneously. Every culture ‘handles’ it differently and every family approaches or avoids, it in their own unique way.

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Tosca

By Giacomo Puccini

Lyric Opera of Chicago

By Lori Dana

Most people with even a passing interest in opera are familiar with =&0=&. One of a trio of blockbusters from the height of Puccini’s career, =&0=& (along with La Bohéme and Madama Butterfly) cemented the composer’s position among the greatest masters of the operatic form.

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For four years now, WildClaw Theatre has created one of the year’s premiere theatrical events. Just in time to offset the sickening holiday hype, WildClaw presents something sickening in a good way. They deliver an evening of fresh horror through an old-school milieu. Early in the year, they put out an international call for horror scripts.

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By Robert Andersen

Children’s Theatre may take many forms, and in Chicago, the options are almost endless. The gamut may take you from the parent’s guild in a church basement to a high school/college workshop, to full on-stage production. It is important, however, to maintain the distinction between “Children’s Theatre” and “Theatre for Young Adults.” Adventure Stage Chicago’s latest production, Katrina: The Girl Who Wanted Her Name Back, is definitely in the latter category. The story involves life choices, conflict resolution, alliances, and self-awareness.

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First Folio Theatre has dubbed their 2010-2011 season the “Season of Suspense.” After a triumphant remount of Executive Director David Rice’s The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe: A Love Story and a favorably reviewed staging of Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit, First Folio keeps the thrill ride on the track with The Woman in Black.

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As Julius Caesar closes at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, another production of Julius Caesar opens at Raven Theatre — the latter an all-female production from Babes With Blades Theatre Company. These two productions could not be more different from one another, yet complement each other well.

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