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| Dueling Critics: Summer People |
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| A family deals with divorce and a vet deals with PTSD on the coast of Maine. |
| Dueling Critics: Ten Square |
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The Dueling Critics Kelly Kleiman and Jonathan Abarbanel review Ten Square at Pegasus Players in Chicago.
Music Button: Kaskade, "Call Me Wise", from the CD It's You It's Me, (Om) |
| Dueling Critics: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead |
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| Tom Stoppard's modern classic Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead gets the small-theater treatment at Writers' Theatre. |
| Dueling Critics: Battle Over The Hostage |
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| Griffin Theatre takes off with Brendan Behan's The Hostage. |
| Dueling Critics: Fake |
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| Dueling critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review Fake, from Steppenwolf Theatre's Eric Simonson. |
| Dueling Critics: Boom |
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Dueling critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review boom, on stage at Evanston’s Next Theatre.
Music Button: Carmen Rizzo, "All Is Forgiven", from the CD Ornament of an Imposter, (Electrofone records) |
| Dueling Critics: Mistakes Were Made |
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A famed actor, a great director, and a well-known writer team up for Mistakes Were Made at A Red Orchid Theatre.
Music Button: Mr. Scruff, "Crisps", from the CD Mrs. Cruff, (Pleasure records) |
| Dueling Critics: The Set-Up |
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Our Dueling Critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review The Set-Up at the Silent Theatre in Chicago.
Music Button: Ahmad Jamal, "Surry With The Fringe On Top", from the CD Cross Country Tour 1958-1961, (Chess records) |
| Dueling Critics: High Fidelity—The Musical |
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The Dueling Critics, Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman, talk about how Rob and his band of misfit music snobs are back in this musical adaptation of High Fidelity.
Music Button: The Beta Band, "Dry The Rain", from the CD The 3 EP's, ( Astralwerks records) |
| Dueling Critics: The Ballad of the Sad Café |
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| Eight Forty-Eight’s Dueling Critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman tell us if The Ballad of the Sad Café is in tune. |
| Dueling Critics: Waiting for Godot and More Picks from the Theater Scene |
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| Our Dueling Critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman take on the latest stage production of Waiting For Godot at Redtwist Theater. |
| Dueling Critics: The Cousins Grimm |
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| The Dueling Critics, Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman, give their take on The Cousins Grimm—musical theater with a twist of gay. |
| Dueling Critics: A Contentious Blackbird |
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The Dueling Critics, Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman, examine Blackbird, that could be called a confrontation between the abuser and the abused.
Music Button: The Album Leaf, "Wander", from the CD An Orchestrated Rise to Fall, (The Music Fellowship) |
| Steep Theater Tackles Manifest Destiny with The Hollow Lands |
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The Dueling Critics review The Hollow Lands at Edgewater's Steep Theater.
Music Button: Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet, "Misogomy & the Object", from the CD Dim The Lights Chill The Ham, (Cargo records) |
| Dueling Critics: Wendy Wasserstein’s Third |
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| Dueling critics discuss Pulitzer Prize winner Wendy Wasserstein's final work, Third. |
| Dueling Critics: Love Person |
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The Dueling Critics review Love Person on stage at Victory Gardens Theater.
Music Button: Betty Padgett, "Sugar Daddy Disco Mix", from the CD Summer 2009 Exclusives, (Ubiquity records) |
| Dueling Critics: Once on This Island |
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| Our Dueling Critics review the musical Once On This Island at the Porchlight Music Theatre. |
| Dueling Critics: The Piano Lesson |
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| Dueling Critics Kelly Kleiman and Jonathan Abarbanel review August Wilson's reflection of a painful past in The Piano Lesson. |
| Dueling Critics: Rough Crossing |
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The Dueling Critics review Tom Stoppard's Rough Crossing, on stage at the Piccolo Theatre.
Music Button: Evan Christopher, "Rampart Street Ramble", from the CD Delta Bound, (Arbors records) |
| Dueling Critics: The History Boys |
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Dueling Critics tackle the Tony-award winning The History Boys, now playing for the first time in Chicago at TimeLine Theatre.
Music Button: Fila Brasilia, "Airlock Holmes", from the CD OmLounge 3, (Om records) |
| Dueling Critics: Twelfth Night |
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Our Dueling Critics review the latest staging of Twelfth Night.
Music Button: Bajofondo Tango Club, "Decollage", from the CD Supervielle, (Universal Latino) |
| Dueling Critics: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie |
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The Dueling Critics review Signal Ensemble Theatre's production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, on stage now at Chopin Theatre.
Music Button: Monty Alexander, "The Good Life", from the CD The Good Life, (Chesky records) |
| Dueling Critics: Curtains |
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The Dueling Critics review the musical Curtains, on stage at the Drury Lane Theatre.
Music Button: Rob Mazurek Quintet, "The Field", from the CD Sound Is, (Delmark records) |
| Dueling Critics: A Perfect Wedding |
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| The Dueling Critics review A Perfect Wedding at Circle Theatre. |
| Dueling Critics: Mariette in Ecstasy |
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| Jonathan and Kelly have their reviews of Mariette in Ecstasy, on stage at Lifeline Theatre. |
| Dueling Critics: Shape of a Girl |
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| Dueling Critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review The Shape Of A Girl, a journey into the darker corners of the teenage mind. |
| Dueling Critics: The Excesses of Amadeo Modigliani |
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Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review the play Modigliani at The Artistic Home.
Music Button: Urbs, "Tu Moi Aussi", from the CD toujours le meme film (G-Stone records)
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| Dueling Critics: The Other Shore |
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Eight Forty-Eight’s dueling critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman give their reviews of The Other Shore, on stage at the Halcyon Theatre.
Music Button: Thievery Corporation, "Resolution", from the CD Babylon Rewound (ESL music) |
| Dueling Critics: Desire Under the Elms |
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| Kelly Kleiman and Jonathan Abarbanel opine on the latest performance at The Goodman Theatre, Desire Under the Elms. |
| Dueling Critics: These Shining Lives |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review the Rivendell Theatre Ensemble production of These Shining Lives. |
| 2008 Takes the Stage-Hits and Misses in Theater |
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| Eight Forty-Eight's dueling critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review more of the developments in the theater world this year. |
| Dueling Critics: The Seafarer |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Theater Critic Kerry Reid review the Seafarer at Steppenwolf Theater. |
| Dueling Critics on The Maids |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review The Maids at Writers Theater. |
| Dueling Critics: Grey Gardens |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review Grey Gardens, on stage at Northlight Theatre in Skokie. |
| Dueling Critics: The Autumn Garden |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review Eclipse Theatre’s production of The Autumn Garden. |
| Dueling Critics: Shadowlands |
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Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review the Redtwist Theatre production of Shadowlands.
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| Dueling Critics: The Brothers Karamazov |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review The Brothers Karamazov, on stage at Lookingglass Theatre Company. |
| Dueling Critics: After Ashley |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review the Stage Left Theatre production of After Ashley. |
| Dueling Critics: Men of Tortuga |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review Men of Tortuga on stage at Profiles Theatre through December 7. |
| Dueling Critics: Kafka on the Shore |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review Kafka on the Shore at Steppenwolf. |
| Dueling Critics: On an Average Day |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman join Alison Cuddy for a make-up appearance, reviewing the Route 66 Theatre Company's On an Average Day. |
| Dueling Critics: Dancing at Lughnasa |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review the Irish play Dancing at Lughnasa at Oak Park Festival Theatre. |
| Dueling Critics: Multi-Purpose Doom |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review the Sandbox Theatre Project’s Multi-Purpose Doom. |
| Dueling Critics: Esperanza Rising |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review the Chicago Children’s Theatre's production of Esperanza Rising, on stage at Goodman Theatre. |
| Dueling Critics: Superior Donuts |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review Tracy Letts’ Superior Donuts on stage at Steppenwolf. |
| Dueling Critics: Bloody Bess |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review the BackStage Theatre Company’s production of Bloody Bess: A Tale of Piracy and Revenge. |
| Dueling Critics |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review the latest on the stage. |
| Dueling Critics: The Prisoner's Dilemma |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman get mathematical and political with The Prisoner’s Dilemma, on stage at the Raven Theatre. |
| Dueling Critics: Juno and the Paycock |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review Sean O’Casey’s Juno and the Paycock on stage at The Artistic Home. |
| Dueling Critics: The Master Builder |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review The Building Stage production of Henrik Ibsen’s The Master Builder. |
| Dueling Critics: Not a Game for Boys |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review Not a Game for Boys, on stage at A Red Orchid Theatre. |
| Dueling Critics: Greensboro, a Requiem |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review the Chicago premiere of Greensboro, a Requiem, on stage at Steep Theatre through June 14. |
| Dueling Critics: Around the World in 80 Days |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review the Lookingglass Theatre production of Around the World in 80 Days. |
| Dueling Critics: Lewis and Clark Reach The Euphrates |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review Infamous Commonwealth Theatre’s Production of Lewis and Clark Reach The Euphrates. |
| Dueling Critics: Dreamlandia |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review Teatro Vista's Dreamlandia, on stage at Victory Gardens Theatre Greenhouse through May 4. |
| Dueling Critics: Beastly Bombing |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review Beastly Bombing at Chicago’s Trap Door Theatre. |
| Dueling Critics: The Talented Tenth |
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| Dueling Critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review The Talented Tenth at Congo Square Theatre at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts in River West. |
| Dueling Critics: 'Skin in Flames' |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review Skin in Flames at Stage Left Theater. |
| Dueling Critics: 'Stuck' |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review the musical Stuck from La Costa Theatre Company. |
| Dueling Critics: Journey's End |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review Journey’s End at the Griffin Theatre. |
| Black Theater |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman look at which local theater companies are offering programming around issues of race during Black History Month. |
| Dueling Critics: Emma |
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Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review Emma, on stage at the Trap Door Theatre through December 1.
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| Dueling Critics: Elmina's Kitchen |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review Elmina’s Kitchen on stage at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts in Chicago. |
| Dueling Critics Go to War |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review the Seanachai Theatre Company production of War, on stage at the Storefront Theatre through October 7. |
| Dueling Critics: Camino Real |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review the Tennessee Williams play Camino Real, on stage at the Athenaeum Theatre through September 15. |
| Dueling Critics: August: Osage County |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review the Steppenwolf production of August: Osage County, on stage through August 26. |
| Dueling Critics: Stoops |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review Stoops, on stage at eta Creative Arts through August 26. |
| Dueling Critics |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review the Circle Theatre production of Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband, on stage in Forest Park through August 5. |
| Loco for Lunatic(a)s |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review the Teatro Luna production Lunatic(a)s on stage at Chicago Dramatists through July 15. |
| Dueling Critics: The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui |
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Our Dueling Critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui at Steep Theater on Sheridan Road. |
| Dueling Critics |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review midwestern summer theatre. |
| Dueling Critics |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review Shattered Globe Theatre's Hyde in Hollywood, on stage at the Victory Gardens Greenhouse through July 7. |
| Dueling Critics: The Constant Wife |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman share their thoughts on the Griffin Theatre production of Somerset Maughm's The Constant Wife on stage at the Theatre Building Chicago on Belmont through June 24. |
| Oedipus Complex |
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| Eight Forty-Eight's “Dueling Critics” Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman examine the Goodman Theatre's modern interpretation of the Greek tragedy of Oedipus. |
| The Color Purple |
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| Eight Forty-Eight's “Dueling Critics” Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman share their thoughts on the Chicago production of the musical, The Color Purple. |
| Dueling Critics |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review The Diary of Anne Frank on stage at Steppenwolf through June 10. |
| Dueling Critics |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman give us the scoop on the Teatro Vista production of Jose Rivera's play Massacre (Sing to Your Children), on stage at the Goodman Theatre through April 22. |
| Dueling Critics |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman take on The Puppetmaster of Lodz, at the Writers' Theater in Glencoe through July 8. |
| Dueling Critics |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review two Chicago productions from award-winning playwright Pearl Cleage. |
| Dueling Critics: "Golden Child" |
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| “Dueling Critics” Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman take on the Silk Road Theater Project’s production of Golden Child, on stage at the Chicago Temple through April 22. |
| Dueling Critics: The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow |
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| Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review the Collaboraction production of The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow, on stage through April 1 at Chicago Dramatists. |
| Dueling Critics: Black Caesar |
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Dueling Critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman give us their thoughts on Black Caesar at the Pegasus Players Theatre through April 1.
Critics Picks:
Theater Oobleck's The Strangerer
The Color Purple Musical
Hot Tix Online |
| Dueling Critics' Spring Preview |
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Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman preview Chicago’s Spring theatre season.
Chicago Children's Theatre: Go, Dog, Go!
Lookingglass Young Ensemble: Inside Outside Inside/Outside: The Radical Act of Listening
House Theatre: The Sparrow
Chicago Shakespeare Theatre: Marionette Macbeth
365 Days/365 Plays
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| Dueling Valentines |
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| Dueling Critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman get in the Valentines Day spirit with “love notes” to each other. |
| Dueling Critics: Musicals |
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Dueling Critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman take a whack at three new musical productions.
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| Dueling Critics: The Ruling Class |
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“Dueling Critics” Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman tell us whether or not The Ruling Class has any legitimate right to rule in a new production of the 60's classic at the Storefront Theater. |
| Dueling Critics: Radio Golf |
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Eight Forty-Eight' s dueling critics play a little Radio Golf, onstage now at the Goodman Theater. |
| Dueling Critics: The Sparrow |
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Dueling Critics Kelly Kleiman and Jonathan Abarbanel tell us if The Sparrow flies at the House Theater of Chicago. |
| Dueling Critics: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof |
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Dueling Critics Kelly Kleiman and Jonathan Abarbanel spar over The Hypocrites' production of Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at The Building Stage through February 4. |
| Dueling Critics: Frank's Home |
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Dueling critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman spar over Frank’s Home; on stage at the Goodman Theatre through December 23. |
| Dueling Critics: Holiday Theater |
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| Dueling Critics: Trueblinka |
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| Dueling Critics Kelly Kleiman and Jonathan Abarbanel spar over the Collaboraction production of Adam Rapp’s Trueblinka. The play runs through December 17 at the Chicago Dramatists.
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| Dueling Critics: Argonautika and Moby Dick |
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Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman—Theater Critics Our Dueling Critics spar over two plays— Argonautika at Lookingglass Theater through December 23 and Moby Dick at the Building Stage Theater through December 20. |
| Dueling Critics: Denmark |
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Our Dueling Critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman take on Charles Smith’s Denmark, Victory Garden Theater’s inaugural production at the Biograph Theater. It runs through November 12. Music Button: Csokolom, “Flambee Montalbanaise,” from the CD Dog Daze (Arhoolie Records) |
| Dueling Critics: Dead End |
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Our dueling critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman review Dead End at the Griffin Theater Company which runs through November 12. Griffin Theatre Company 3711 N. Ravenswood, Suite 145 Chicago(773) 769-2228 |
| Dueling Critics |
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Jonathan Abarbanel, theater critic and half of our “Dueling Critics”, pays tribute to veteran Chicago actor Gene Janson. Janson collapsed on stage Wednesday during his performance in Remy Bumppo Theatre's The Best Man. |
| Dueling Critics Thrill Us |
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Our Dueling Critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman give their respective takes on Thrill Me: The Leopold and Loeb Story playing at the Bailiwick Repertory Theatre until October 8.
Music Button: Djosos Krost, “Kaba Kaba,” from the CD No Sign of Bad (Quango Records)
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| Dueling Critics: Proving Mr. Jennings |
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| Our dueling critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman spar over Proving Mr. Jennings, on stage at the Actors Workshop Theater until September 3.
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| Dueling Critics: The Dreams of Sarah Breedlove |
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Dueling Critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman spar over The Dreams of Sarah Breedlove onstage at the Goodman Theater through July 23, 2006.
Jonathon and Kelly’s Other Picks:
Performance of Sleep in One Long Act Without Intermission
The DaVinci GayCode
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| Dueling Critics |
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Our Dueling Critics Kelly Kleiman and Jonathan Abarbanel offer their take on The Winning Streak playing through July 16, 2006, at the Apple Tree Theatre.
Music Button: Thievery Corporation, “Lazy Boy,” from the CD DJ Kicks (ESL Records)
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| Dueling Critics: The Duchess of Malfi |
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| Our Dueling Critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman spar over The Duchess of Malfi, on stage through July 16, 2006, at Writers’ Theater in Glencoe.
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| Dueling Critics on Theater |
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| Our Dueling Critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman spar over Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s production of Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2. They also put the spotlight on Love-Lies-Bleeding playing at the Steppenwolf's Upstairs Theatre and Assassins playing at the Storefront Theatre.
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| Dueling Critics: The Old Curiosity Shop |
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Our Dueling Critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman take on The Old Curiosity Shop on stage at Lookingglass Theatre through June 11, 2006.
Music Button: Town and Country “Cloud Seeding” from the CD Up Above (Thrill Jockey)
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| Dueling Critics: Hecuba |
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Our dueling critics Kelly Kleiman and Jonathan Abarbanel take on Hecuba, playing at the Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier in Chicago through June 18, 2006. |
| Dueling Critics: The Golden Truffle |
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Dueling Critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman scuffle over The Golden Truffle, on stage at Redmoon Theater through June 18, 2006.
Music Button: Pacifica Quartet, “Mendelssohn string quartet in E Flat major Op. 12,” from the CD Mendelssohn: The Complete String Quartets (Cedille records)
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| Dueling Critics |
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| Dueling critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman offer two takes on Fabulation, or the Re-Education of Undine playing at Next Theatre Company through May 7, 2006. |
| Dueling Critics: The New Plays of Lydia Diamond |
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| Dueling critics Kelly Kleiman and Jonathan Abarbanel duke it out over two world premiere shows by playwright Lydia Diamond: Stick Fly, playing at the Congo Square Theatre through April 15, 2006, and Voyeurs de Venus, at the Chicago Dramatists through April 16, 2006. |
| The Dueling Critics Go to War |
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Kelly Kleiman—Theater Critis
Jonathan Abarbanel—Theater Critic
This week our dueling critics discuss Lifeline Theatre's Johnny Tremain, the Neo-Futurists' A Child’s History of Bombing, and TimeLine Theatre's Guantanamo: Honor Bound to Defend Freedom.
Johnny Tremain runs through April 9, 2006 at the Lifeline Theatre.
A Child's History of Bombing runs through March 11, 2006, at the Neo-Futurarium.
Guantanamo: Honor Bound to Defend Freedom runs through March 26, 2006 at TimeLine Theatre. |
| Dueling Critics Take on Pericles |
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Our dueling critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman offer their unique takes on Mary Zimmerman's production of Shakespeare's Pericles.
Pericles runs through February 19, 2006 at the Goodman Theatre.
Music Button: My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, “Dream 13,” from the CD Gay, Black, and Married
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