‘An American in Paris’ at Drury Lane has all the movie magic of the original

OAKBROOK TERRACE, IL—The band was inconsistent. So was some of the tap dancing, and a couple actors’ French accents sounded, well, more like German. If…

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Life is neither good nor bad—Ravinia’s first full-length ‘Candide,’ however, was very good

HIGHLAND PARK, IL—My last trip to the Ravinia Festival was on opening week in early June. It was unseasonably cold and blustery; wind whipped picnic blankets and…

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Live from Moscow, Bolshoi in Cinema brings classic ballets directly to you

EVANSTON, IL — Downtown Evanston’s Cinemark cinema has not retrofitted its theaters with supersized Lazyboy-style recliners and in-theater “dining experiences” — honestly, it’s just a…

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Jane Eyre hasn’t felt this fresh since the 1840s

EVANSTON, IL — The weather was cold with spitting rain and a swirling wind that no umbrella could fight. But as I crossed the parking…

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Dancing Empathy: New Trier’s ‘Dance Lab 2’ showcase explores human connection and understanding through choreographic exploration

WINNETKA, Ill. — These days, going to high school can be a complicated and tumultuous experience. Far beyond the age-old ups and downs of adolescence,…

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Northwestern’s ‘Danceworks’ presents 3 world premieres by 3 of Chicago’s strongest female choreographers

EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern University’s dance department has presented Danceworks, its annual showcase of contemporary choreography, since the 1980s. A few years ago when Joel Valentín-Martinez…

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Pilobolus graces a fresh new MAC stage (review)

It’s not a particularly desirable commute from the city, and public transit doesn’t really go there, but maybe that’s the point. The newly renovated McAninch…

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Rockford Dance Company: Thoughtful, Talented Dancers Who Are Really Far Away

Once a thriving small city in the middle of all that corn, Rockford, IL has been hit hard with an economic downturn that has been…

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