PORTLAND - PLAYS

by Patrick Honoré - December 16, 2025

The Paris revival remains polished and efficient, but once again raises a familiar question: has Chicago become more concert than theatre?...

by ErinMarie Reiter - December 16, 2025

Cygnet Theatre’s “A Magical Holiday: Christmas at The Joan” is precisely what its title promises: a bright, polished, joy-forward holiday revue that knows its job is to lift spirits, sparkle confidently, and send you back into December humming. ...

by Elliot Lanes - December 16, 2025

At this festive time of year, everyone has a favorite tradition. One of mine is attending YOUR National Symphony Orchestra’s (NSO) annual A Holiday Pops! concert. It is always guaranteed to showcase a top notch singer and a superb choir, while giving the audience one audible pleasure after another a...

by Elliot Lanes - December 16, 2025

At this festive time of year, everyone has a favorite tradition. One of mine is attending YOUR National Symphony Orchestra’s (NSO) annual A Holiday Pops! concert. It is always guaranteed to showcase a top notch singer and a superb choir, while giving the audience one audible pleasure after another a...

by Herbert Paine - December 16, 2025

Theatre Artists Studio’s THE MADWOMAN OF CHAILLOT is a whirlwind of wit, whimsy, and moral purpose. An imaginative, brisk, and highly entertaining staging....

by Brian Hilbrand - December 16, 2025

A story, although not written by Seuss, is an after-story of sorts, detailing what happens the night after Cindy Lou Who meets the Grinch, who, interestingly enough, and without giving too much away, end up getting married.  The wild and crazy events that go down as a result of that are nothing shor...

by Jacob Ruscoe - December 16, 2025

Manatee Performing Arts Center’s production of Frozen under the direction of Rick Kerby, is a theatrical delight that captures the heart, spectacle, and magic that have made this story a modern classic. From its cinematic origins to its Broadway evolution, Frozen has always relied on technical wizar...

by Aliya Al-Hassan - December 16, 2025

James and Lou move from Chicago to London to escape their past, but they soon discover that places aren’t haunted, people are… Inspired by the iconic, terrifying film series, Paranormal Activity is a new story live on stage. What did the critics think?...

by ErinMarie Reiter - December 16, 2025

'Rent' is a show I quite literally grew up with, lyrics memorized and belted years before I had any idea what Collins meant by “Stoli.” To say I have a soft spot for it is an understatement. Which also makes 'Rent' tricky. Beyond its now-legendary mythology, its original cast,  its cultural impact, ...

by Jared Fessler - December 16, 2025

What did our critic think of CHRISTMAS WITH CONTUS at Artistry Theater, Bloomington Center For The Arts?...