Hedy Weiss

On Chicago Tonight at 7:00 pm, Chicago Sun-Times theater and dance critic Hedy Weiss joins us to discuss four plays on the stage right now. Tonight, we’ll hear about “Broadway Bound,” “Chinglish,” “OVO,” and “Spider-Man, Turn off the Dark.”

“Broadway Bound” at Drury Lane
The third and final installment of the Neil Simon’s Eugene trilogy, “Broadway Bound” tells the story of brothers Eugene and Stan Jerome, a pair of aspiring comedy writers in the late 1940s. Simon characteristically combines comedy with drama in this semi-autobiographical tale. The Jerome brothers do the same—writing a radio comedy sketch which features a version of their family, similarly drawing from the more serious aspects of their family life while still maintaining a classic comic tone. The play runs through July 31, and tickets range from $35 to $46.

“Chinglish” at the Goodman Theatre
“Chinglish”—the world premiere of Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Henry Hwang’s latest work—tells the story of a Midwestern businessman in China. While working on a deal, he struggles with both language boundaries and cultural differences. Yet the play merges comedy with intellectual query as it simultaneously explores the distinctions of culture and the universality of laughter. “Chinglish” runs through July 24, and tickets range from $12.50 to $72.

“OVO” by Cirque de Soleil at the United Center
Cirque de Soleil explores the world of insects in “OVO,” the story of a mysterious egg suddenly appearing in the midst of ladybugs, ants, spiders and more. Stunts include acrobatics and tight-rope walking among others as the characters play, fight and fall in love. “OVO” runs through August 21, and tickets range from $50.50 to $243.50.

“Spider-Man, Turn off the Dark” at Foxwoods Theatre on Broadway
“Spider-Man, Turn off the Dark” tells the story of Marvel hero Peter Parker in musical form. This Broadway musical features a rock score by Bono & The Edge. A “geek chorus” follows Parker’s ascent from bullied high school geek to professional superhero, arguing all the while over the story. The show also uses puppets and projections to tell the tale. Tickets range from $67.50 to $140.