Jessie Bond – Splash Magazines

The Buttcracker Review – A Lucklaster Burlesque

December 2, 2023 Jessie Bond 0

The Nutcracker, like A Christmas Carol, is one of those holiday stories that’s so omnipresent it’s impossible to avoid the occasional parody. The Buttcracker, produced by (Sub)Version Productions, offers a burlesque twist on the classic […]

A Christmas Carol Review – A Seasonal Delight

November 27, 2023 Jessie Bond 0

Jessica Thebus has done it again. The director’s fourth year at the helm of the Goodman Theatre’s annual production of A Christmas Carol is her most triumphant yet. Bold and energetic, this Carol offers a […]

Twelfth Night Review – A Delightful Romp

November 4, 2023 Jessie Bond 0

Chicago Shakespeare Theatre’s latest production, Twelfth Night directed by Tyrone Phillips, feels as much like a party as a play. Bursting with energy, this Caribbean-inspired production of Shakespare’s comedy is a delightful romp through a […]

LUCHA TEOTL Review – Uninhibited Fun

October 11, 2023 Jessie Bond 0

Enter the Goodman’s Owen Theatre these days and you’ll find the space utterly transformed. Where normally you would encounter a standard theatre setup instead is a massive Aztec calendar with a wrestling ring out front. […]

The Nacirema Society Review – A Raucously Good Time

September 27, 2023 Jessie Bond 0

The Goodman Theatre opens its 2023/2024 season with The Nacirema Society, written by Pearl Cleage and directed by Lili-Anne Brown. In Montgomery, Alabama in 1964, the Dunbar family prepares for the centennial cotillion of the […]

The Writer Review – A Resonant Scream

August 21, 2023 Jessie Bond 0

Power and privilege are messy things. Systemic power structures sink their claws into everything we do, from buying groceries to making art. In The Writer, written by Ella Hickson and directed by Georgette Verdin, now […]

Gender Play, or What You Will Review – A Transformative Performance

May 14, 2023 Jessie Bond 0

Shakespeare’s legacy has never been the most heterosexual. This largely went over my head in my early studies of the Bard’s work, but by the time I made it to an undergraduate theatre major, it […]

Think Fast, Jordan Chase! Review – A Delight for All Ages

March 23, 2023 Jessie Bond 0

As a children’s librarian, I have firsthand experience with the ongoing popularity of the Choose Your Own Adventure books. Children gobble up these stories like candy, thrilled with their ability to determine the course of […]

Layalina Review – An Underwhelming Experience

March 19, 2023 Jessie Bond 2

Goodman Theatre presents the world premiere of Layalina by Martin Yousif Zebari, directed by Sivan Battat. This play is broad in scope, tackling a family’s experiences in Iraq in the early 2000s and in the […]

Toni holds a baseball up in the air triumphantly

Toni Stone Review – A Home Run

February 16, 2023 Jessie Bond 0

Even as a non-sports fan, I have a soft spot for baseball stories. I adored Amazon Prime’s recent reboot of A League of Their Own, and I will admit that the show was on my […]