All stories by Zev Valancy on BroadwayStars

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

And What Next? by Zev Valancy

As is its wont, the theatrical blogosphere is full of people getting angry. And that's okay--that's the purpose of theatre blogs: analyzing and decrying the failures of theatre as it is now,…

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 02:19PM
Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Towards a Definition of Terms by Zev Valancy

What? A post? I'm as surprised as you, honestly. I could blame the wide variety of commitments that kept me away (day job, An Enemy of the People at Stage Left, planning LeapFest, the 2011-2…

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 03:23PM
Friday, January 14, 2011

Graney Steps Down by Zev Valancy

Well this is news: as first broken by Eric and Andy's Reviews You Can Iews, Sean Graney will be stepping down as artistic director of The Hypocrites, the Chicago theatre company that he…

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 05:41PM
Wednesday, January 12, 2011

News Roundup by Zev Valancy

Two pieces of good news and one very sad one:Steppenwolf's praised production of Lisa D'Amour's Detroit is moving to Broadway in the fall. It's always good to see a new American play on Broa…

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 02:47PM
Friday, January 7, 2011

Discussing "The Tempest" by Zev Valancy

Welcome to the latest installment of the occasional collaboration between Tim Brayton, of the invaluable film blog Antagony and Ecstasy (no, I'm not exactly sure what the title means either)…

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 12:10PM
Thursday, January 6, 2011

Unpopular With The Populace by Zev Valancy

Happy New Year, everyone. There's a more extensive post coming later tonight, but for now, a quick thought:In high school, I was a huge, obsessive fan of Stephen Sondheim. I bought every CD …

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 06:16PM
Friday, December 17, 2010

Ask Not For Whom The Phone Tolls by Zev Valancy

A cellphone went off during the final minute of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at Steppenwolf, at the press performance. The end of Virginia Woolf is about as intense a moment as …

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 02:52PM
Thursday, December 16, 2010

The Dismantling of the DCA by Zev Valancy

Now this is disturbing: according to this article, this past Friday saw 20 employees of the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs laid off, raising to 29 the total number laid off s…

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 02:57PM
Thursday, December 9, 2010

Another Quote on the NY Times Theatre Blog by Zev Valancy

And now for a moment of shameless bragging:The New York Times periodically offers the chance to ask questions of a theatre-related figure, some of which get answered. I was fortunate to get …

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 05:56PM
Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Dimond Steps Down by Zev Valancy

Here's a pretty major piece of news for the Chicago Storefront scene: Nic Dimond is stepping down as Artistic Director at Strawdog Theatre. He's been in the ensemble there since 1995, and ha…

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 11:41AM
Sunday, November 7, 2010

An Open Letter by Zev Valancy

Dear Diane Keaton,You have a new movie coming out on Wednesday. Congratulations, and I hope it does well for you. The trailers make it look okay, if nothing worthy of your talents. And …

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 04:07PM
Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Remember Me? by Zev Valancy

So funny story. You know what's even harder than maintaining a blog while looking for work? Maintaining a blog while working. So the good news is that I have a job (temp for now, possibility…

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 03:44PM
Sunday, September 26, 2010

Transitions by Zev Valancy

You could also call this post "Ch-ch-ch-changes" if you were someone who liked that kind of thing. And if you are, kudos, it's an awesome damn song.I've been rather neglectful of this blog r…

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 10:03PM
Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Playing In The Woods, Part 3 by Zev Valancy

And now, the long-awaited (or at least long-delayed) review of Another Part of the Forest, the last show I saw at American Players Theatre. Great apologies for the delay--explanations are fo…

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 03:56PM
Friday, September 3, 2010

Playing in the Woods, Part 2 by Zev Valancy

Athol Fugard, the great South African playwright, attacked the apartheid system with great force in his plays. Indeed, he was one of the country's most renowned artists during that shameful …

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 05:06PM
Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Playing in the Woods, Part 1 by Zev Valancy

This past weekend, I passed a major milestone in my life as a Chicagoan. (Or, given my move, a Chicagolandian.) I visited Wisconsin for the first time. This is something that absolutely ever…

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 05:13PM
Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Where I've Been by Zev Valancy

Well, the answer is, not on this blog. To the people who read the blog (and I'm hoping some are left after this three-week absence), I'm sorry to have left for so long. I tend to get very te…

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 06:25PM
Monday, August 2, 2010

DrekFest Starts Tonight! by Zev Valancy

As you should know, tonight marks the first evening of DrekFest 4 at Stage Left. You really need to come. 7:30, ComedySportz at 929 W Belmont, tickets available at the door, you can bri…

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 05:37PM
Friday, July 23, 2010

Blog Exclusive Review: Les Enfants Terribles: Prom Night by Zev Valancy

Sometimes Infantile, Not Terrible(left to right) Scott Ray Merchant, Casey Kells, Chris Mueller, Alex Kyger, Eric Swanson, Brian Rad. Photo by Tom Hartmon.When my roommate, brilliant actor/p…

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 01:13PM
Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Blog Exclusive Review: Hesperia at the Right Brain Project by Zev Valancy

Full Disclosure: Playwright Randall Colburn is a friend of mine, and I'm friendly with director Nathan Robbel as well. I stand by the fairness and honesty of the review, but take it as you w…

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 01:12PM
Monday, July 19, 2010

I Write Lots of Things by Zev Valancy

Here are two posts I wrote for other sites:The first is "My Cherrywood Nights or David Cromer Stole My Childhood," a short essay on my experiences in the cast of Cherrywood that I wrote…

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 02:39PM
Thursday, July 15, 2010

Blog Exclusive Interview: Nathan Robbel of the Right Brain Project by Zev Valancy

The much discussed problem with the new play process in America is one of lots of development that rarely leads to actual production. Plays get workshopped to death. Well, this isn't happeni…

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 12:55AM
Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Goodbye, Harvey by Zev Valancy

This post isn't about Chicago or theatre (though American Splendor was adapted for the stage in a production starring Dan Castellanata in the 1980's), but please read it anyway. Yo…

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 02:56PM
Thursday, July 8, 2010

Before It Hits Home by Zev Valancy

I've still not been in the bloggiest of moods (it happens), but here are a few things of interest from the past week.--This past Saturday, July 3rd, was Audra McDonald's 40th birthday. (As s…

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 10:23AM
Friday, July 2, 2010

New Review Posted: Lookingglass Alice by Zev Valancy

Another week of extra-blog worries, another week of no posting. (And my connection to a few of the things on which I might post is a little too personal for me to think of a good way to…

SOURCE: onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com at 04:13PM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards