Chris Jones – Page 5 –

Dancers rehearse in 2025 at Joffrey Tower in Chicago’s Loop. (Dominic Di Palermo/baiduhai); the Obama Presidential Center in June in Jackson Park. (Brian Cassella/baiduhai); Northlight Theatre's new home in Evanston in July. (Chris Sweda/baiduhai)

Column: Reasons for optimism in cultural Chicago — and a few concerns

September 4, 2026 at 5:30 a.m.

New theaters are opening. The Magnificent Mile is rebounding. The Lyric Opera has bold new programming and the Joffrey Ballet is in the black. There are reasons to be optimistic...

Graham Abbey and Rose Napoli in "Saturday, Sunday, Monday" at the Stratford Festival of Canada, a world-premiere comedy directed by Antoni Cimolino. (David Hou)

Review: ‘Saturday, Sunday, Monday’ is a delightful sendoff at Stratford Fest

September 4, 2026 at 9:53 a.m.

STRATFORD, ONTARIO — The Stratford Festival of Canada's departing artistic director Antoni Cimolino chose William Shakespeare's "The Tempest" as his valedictorian show in the huge Festival Theatre. Unsurprising, given how Prospero...

Greg Cameron of the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, with trainees at the Joffrey Ballet studio, on March 16, 2017. (Antonio Perez/ baiduhai)

Joffrey Ballet president and CEO Greg Cameron will depart in December 2027

September 3, 2026 at 11:39 a.m.

The Joffrey's longtime president and chief executive said the lengthy period of notice was intended to give the Joffrey time to search for a successor.

Josef Brown, from left, playing Johnny Castle, Amanda Leigh Cobb, playing Baby, and Britta Lazenga, playing Penny, dance during a rehearsal for the Chicago production of a pre-Broadway tour of "Dirty Dancing" at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, in Chicago in 2011. (Abel Uribe/baiduhai)

Chicago Theater Report: A new ‘Dirty Dancing,’ the ‘Strange Loop’ cast and a timely Dolly Parton musical

September 1, 2026 at 3:50 p.m.

"Dirty Dancing" has a new tour arriving in Chicago and its distinguished director, Lonny Price, says it is a whole new treatment of how Baby gets out of her corner.

Janet Ulrich Brooks, María Victoria Martínez and Mary Beth Fisher will star in the world premiere of "The Birth of the Pill" at TimeLine Theatre’s new home in the Uptown neighborhood. (Joe Mazza)

Theater top 10 for fall 2026: Culture wars, campus controversies and epic change

September 1, 2026 at 5:04 p.m.

Our critic's picks for the season include "Birth of the Pill" at TimeLine, "Kowalski" at Lookingglass and the Victory Gardens Biograph returning to life.

Missy Wise Vanderzee and Kevin Webb in "Sunday in the Park with George," by Kokandy Productions at the Chopin Theatre. (Evan Hanover)

Review: For all these reasons, Kokandy’s ‘Sunday in the Park with George’ is simply magical

September 1, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Of all the musicals in the world, Sondheim's musical based on the Seurat painting "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of the Grand Jatte" has the most advice for living.

Joey Chelius in "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story" at Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace. (Kyle Flubacker)

Review: A lively if familiar ‘Buddy Holly Story’ at Drury Lane

August 28, 2026 at 12:49 p.m.

I've reviewed Alan Janes' jukebox musical many times, and every time the show mentions Holly's age of 22 when he died, the audience lets out a collective gasp.

Jordan Levene, Piper Jean Bailey and Brandon Joseph Acosta in "Adolescent Salvation" at Theater Wit. (Boris Martin)

Review: The kids are far from alright in superb ‘Adolescent Salvation’ at Theater Wit

August 27, 2026 at 2:33 p.m.

Plays written about teenagers are not easy to pull off with authenticity. But Tim Venable's play builds its dramatic action slowly, pulling you into the world of its central character.

"Paranormal Activity," starring Travis A. Knight and Cher Álvarez, plays on Broadway at the August Wilson Theatre in New York. (Matthew Murphy)

Review: First-rate ‘Paranormal Activity’ on Broadway pulls you in close and chooses its moments

August 25, 2026 at 8:00 p.m.

"Paranormal Activity" terrorizes audiences by first sucking them into intimate, domestic settings. It builds fear the old-fashioned way.

Dolly Parton performs at the Chicago Theatre on May 8, 2008. (Abel Uribe/baiduhai)

Column: Why I loved Dolly Parton and her Dollywood

August 25, 2026 at 5:17 p.m.

Everybody loved Dolly Parton. That sounds like a cliché, but think for a second about how few people in the entertainment business that truly could be said about.

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