The best male/female performer were from the same show, so the writer did an overview that’s applicable to both and then a separate blurb on each, however you want to lay that out. Our two best performers for 2026 hail from the same production, Springfield Theatre Centre’s Beetlejuice Jr. This show is a whimsical and […]
Courtney Wick
Courtney Wick is active in the area theater scene. Most recently, she wrote and directed the murder-mystery comedy “Nightmare at the Hot Mess Hair Salon,” a follow-up to her previous production, “Nightmare at the Sweet Dreams Inn.”
Posted inArts, Culture & Entertainment
PORTRAYAL OF A FEMALE LEAD IN A THEATRICAL PRODUCTION
The best male/female performer were from the same show, so the writer did an overview that’s applicable to both and then a separate blurb on each, however you want to lay that out. Our two best performers for 2026 hail from the same production, Springfield Theatre Centre’s Beetlejuice Jr. This show is a whimsical and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Welcome to the rock-solid triumph
Directed by Leigh Steiner, Come From Away is a stunning and relentless, 100-minute spectacle that gives audiences no intermission — and no emotional reprieve. The production recounts the true story of the thousands of stranded airline passengers diverted to Gander, Newfoundland on 9/11— delivering a portrait of heroic hospitality that will leave even the most […]
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In the mood for the macabre
Arriving just in time for the spooky season, Spencer Theatre Company’s production of Misery, directed by John Sivak, delivers a taut, 105-minute psychological thriller without an intermission. It is adapted for the stage by William Goldman, who also penned the screenplay for the award-winning film based on Stephen King’s novel. The play keeps much of […]
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From me to you, 100% true
Sprightly co-directed by Jasmine French and Reggie Guyton for Springfield Theatre Centre, Seussical Jr. is a kinetic, family-friendly mash-up of Dr. Seuss’s popular rhymes and tales. Brought to life by a 40-member cast of children ages 5 to 17 from all across central Illinois, this production radiates whimsical energy. “Kids come into this with a […]
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A flurry of magic
Transitioning an epic Disney blockbuster set in a frozen winter to an outdoor stage during a muggy, Midwest summer is no easy task — making this stunning directorial debut by Alyssa and DJ Shultz all the more impressive. Frozen at the Muni is big, beautiful and packed full of fun surprises and talented performers who […]
Posted inArts & Culture
A flurry of magic
Transitioning an epic Disney blockbuster set in a frozen winter to an outdoor stage during a muggy, Midwest summer is no easy task— making this stunning directorial debut by Alyssa and DJ Shultz all the more impressive. Frozen at the Muni is big, beautiful and packed full of fun surprises and talented performers who bring […]
Posted inArts & Culture
An ambitious journey to the promised land
Adapted from the beloved 1998 DreamWorks animated film of the same name, The Prince of Egypt follows the story of Moses from his infancy through his quest to free the Hebrew people from the Pharaoh of Egypt. Rooted in the biblical themes of sacrifice, trauma and justice— with music by Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz— this […]
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Hoity-toity hilarity
Most modern-day audiences are not familiar with this delightfully punny musical comedy, but Me and My Girl originally opened as a smash hit in London in 1937 and enjoyed a long run. It is one of those breezy, timeless musicals that any theatergoer can appreciate. The Legacy Theatre provides the ideal backdrop, as its classic […]
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“Who’s your daddy?”
Since its world premiere in 1999, Mamma Mia! has been a continuous fixture of the theatrical landscape, drawing crowds with its timeless 70s soundtrack. Co-directors Morgan Kaplan and Andrew Maynerich are on their second go-round of this iconic, disco fever show after having directed it previously at Sacred-Heart Griffin High School. “We wanted to take […]
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An immaculate conception
Jesus Christ Superstar is the 1971 Andrew Lloyd Webber Biblical rock-musical that narrates the last seven days of Jesus’s life in a flashy, pop-filled 90-minute package. There is no intermission, so audiences make it back home for their bedtime prayers, hallelujah! A talent-studded odyssey of love, power and protest, Springfield Theatre Centre’s gender-bending production, co-directed […]
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Nerds’ night out
The 25thAnnual Putnam County Spelling Bee or Putnam, as it’s lovingly referred to by theater connoisseurs on a time crunch, is a sweetly funny but sincere musical about a small-town spelling bee and the cast of fiercely competitive children (all played by adults) who are vying for first place. It is essentially a comedic A […]
