Porchlight Music Theatre’s FUN HOME, Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron’s 2015 Tony Award winning musical, runs through March 2, 2025

Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron’s FUN HOME is a musical journey in sketches through the memories of Alison Bechdel, as she comes into her queer identity and as she tries to unpack her immensely complicated relationship with her troubled, stern, and closeted father, Bruce, who died by suicide when she was in college. Based on the graphic memoir of the same name — and so called because the Bechdel family business was a funeral home — Porchlight director Stephen Schellhardt’s production brings each scene sharply to life. 

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The Chicago engagement of Jocelyn Bioh’s play runs through February 2, 2025

With JAJA’S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING, Jocelyn Bioh pulls off a challenging theatrical feat: She makes a slice-of-life play consistently engaging and entertaining. Set in Harlem at a hair salon of the same name, JAJA’S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING follows a group of West African immigrant women working there — along with some of their customers. Bioh has populated her play with a cast of big personalities and peppers in just enough of the stylists’ backstories to allow us to learn more about them. Director Whitney White has assembled an ensemble that easily brings the play to charming life (Chicago audiences might notice Melanie Brezill and Tiffany Renee Johnson among them, in particular).

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The Chicago engagement of this corny musical runs through January 19, 2025

SHUCKED is a corny musical…in the best way possible. Book writer Robert Horn and composer team Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally’s lyrics are chock-full (or should I say husk-full?) of puns, double entendres, and cringey punchlines. I was grinning ear-to-ear (of corn). SHUCKED is joyful, creative, and fun. 

Continue reading “Review: SHUCKED National Tour Presented by Broadway In Chicago” →