Justin LeClaire – Splash Magazines

YOU GOT OLDER at Steppenwolf Theatre, Review

February 11, 2018 Justin LeClaire 0

Clare Barron’s new play, You Got Older, is about a young woman trapped by unhappy circumstances, struggling with loss, and finding the strength to keep going. Sound familiar? Take away the bizarre dialogue (and some […]

THE HUMANS at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, Review

February 3, 2018 Justin LeClaire 0

It’s not often a contemporary drama gets elevated to a national tour, especially one without any recognizable stars, a vague title, and a run that lasted less than a year on Broadway. The last two […]

BLKS at Steppenwolf Theatre, Review – A Terrific New Play

December 29, 2017 Justin LeClaire 0

You got to hand it to Steppenwolf for taking risks on untested new plays, primarily from young minority playwrights. It’s one of many reasons this company stands out among one of the finest regional theatres […]

BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, Review – Some Kind of Wonderful

December 9, 2017 Justin LeClaire 0

Legendary singer-songwriter Carole King’s early career, as profiled in the biographical jukebox musical Beautiful, isn’t exactly high stakes drama. It’s true that Ms. King overcame a cheating husband in her first marriage and struggled with […]

ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE at the Oriental Theatre, Review – A Massive Hangover

November 18, 2017 Justin LeClaire 1

Never have I heard the word “chill” used more frequently in a musical than I did during the two and half hours of the mind-numbing Escape to Margaritaville – a dopey sitcom musical currently taking […]

BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL with Porchlight Music Theatre, Review – Dancing Through Hard Times

October 19, 2017 Justin LeClaire 0

Hope and anguish clash in the emotionally cathartic, visually riveting, and all-around electrifying production of Elton John’s 2005 musical Billy Elliot. Featuring an enormous cast of 35 (of which 17 of them are children), this […]

BULLETS OVER BROADWAY by NightBlue Performing Arts, Review – Shooting Duds

September 19, 2017 Justin LeClaire 0

Woody Allen’s musical, Bullets Over Broadway never reaches the witty humor of Mr. Allen’s 1994 film counterpart of the same name. Frustrating and annoying are the feelings that came most to mind the night I […]

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS at the Ford Oriental Theatre, Review – Strong Dancing Saddled by Weak Acting and a Clunky Book

July 30, 2017 Justin LeClaire 0

The National Tour of American in Paris, now playing at the Ford Oriental Theatre, comes with the sub-caption, “A New Musical.” Calling it “new” might well be appropriate considering anyone familiar with the 1951 Gene […]

LITTLE FISH with Kokandy Productions, Theatre Review – Just Keep Swimming

July 23, 2017 Justin LeClaire 1

Nicole Laurenzi may have one of toughest starring roles I’ve seen anyone tackle this year. In Kokandy Production‘s newest show, the Chicago premiere of the 2003 Off-Broadway musical Little Fish, Ms. Laurenzi plays Charlotte, a […]

HIR at Steppenwolf Theatre, Review – A Family in Transition

July 17, 2017 Justin LeClaire 0

Heteronormative white male dominance has sure taken a heavy beating at Steppenwolf this year. So far, every play has forced us to examine themes of privilege through the lenses of race, class, and character. Now, […]