What a gem! I pass the Oil Lamp Theater all the time, but never went. Purchased tickets for The…read moreOutsider during Chicago Theater Week and so glad I did! We are excited to attend more shows. When you first walk in, you're greeted by a hostess. There's a full service bar and various seating spots you can enjoy before and after the show and during intermission. The theater is cozy with 60 seats. They are moving across the street to a larger space, former Country Cobbler. Fun fact, I used to get my shoes there when I was a child. They are currently fundraising for the transformation. Check out their website to learn more. The Outsider was hilarious. The actors really brought this play to life. During this divisive political climate we are currently in, it was a refreshing perspective of politics and government. Everyone laughed throughout the entire show. I highly recommend checking The Outsiders out!!

I have never been to the Oil Lamp Theater before, but my parents treated the entire family to a…read moreshowing of It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play to cross it off of my bucket list. The parking was a little crowded for a Sunday night so my father dropped us off at the door and parked the car while we ventured inside. We got the warmest greeting from the person behind the desk who gave us instructions on how we could write our own shout outs to be read by the cast. (Probably more relevant to the patrons of the theater than the building itself, but they were a range of hilarious, heartwarming, and professionally personal!) There were free cookies available as well as a full bar menu. I don't drink so I always scope out the non-alcoholic options and I could have gotten a can of Diet Coke for $2--not bad! I did see that they did offer a curated drink that matched the show as well. I appreciate when small details like that are accounted for! I personally did not use the bathroom, but multiple members of our party did and I did not hear any complaints. The theater itself was very small, but it made sense for the show that we were attending? I am deathly curious (Pun not intended) to see how they will pull off Dial M for Murder in that space. I saw it in Oakbrook on a sprawling stage so my brain couldn't fathom how that would work. Anyhoo! Back to what I actually DID see. Again, the set worked for the show that we did see. It had a cool foley studio like I imagine radio stations did back in the day. My favorite contraption was the one that spun with a handle to sound like wind! So cool! The seats were black, plastic, chairs which I did not mind because I have proper posture. I didn't feel uncomfortable at any point during the 2 hour show. My grandma is shorty and had a hard time seeing at times, but luckily a radio play is more about what you hear over what you see. For your reference when picking seats, the the first row of every pair is the front row of another level. So Row A and Row B share a platform if that makes sense. Overall, I had a wonderful time (Again, pun not intended) and I signed up for the mailing list in the hopes that I can support again soon!

Went to see the play, Baked. It was delightful. Staging was excellent. Story line was funny and…read morepoigant. The space is nicely set-up. There is a bar for drink purchases. It is a nice evening out. The only problem is that the area is parking challenged. Do come a little earlier to secure pay to park spots. The area has little free street parking. The venue itself is usually air conditioned to be on the cool side. A light jacket or layer is highly recommended for all performances.

Intimate space for some great shows. Bar staff is friendly, as well as other support staff…read more Acoustics are good. I was impressed. Nice job.

Beautiful new theatre in the heart of Evanston. Parking nearby off street and restaurants very…read morenear. New theatre has wider seats and much more legroom than their old Skokie location. Great upgrade for them and they richly deserve your patronage.

Great show! Gaslight was terrifically acted and the set was amazing!! I am glad to be a season…read moreticket holder.

This review is specifically about the facility, the Prairie Lakes Theater. It's adjacent to the…read morePrairie Lakes Community Center and I presume there's a connecting interior hallway between the two. The theatre is part of the Des Plaines Park District and what a great asset for the city. There are a handful of organizations that rent space for their productions here I think, amongst them Big Noise Theatre, which I learned about at a Park Ridge summer event and that's how I found out there's a great black-box theatre in the suburbs. They've hosted various arts companies, including dance and opera. They're also available for rent by other parties as well. Prairie Lakes has just under 300 seats and the sight lines are good; I don't think there are any limited view seats in the place. Seats were very comfortable too. Parking is ample, given its location, and free.

We returned to this nice and intimate theatre to see Big Noise Theatre's kids musical 'Elephant &…read morePiggie's "We Are in a Play!"'. It was a most delightful play, and this is when I learned that the Big Noise Theatre company rents space from the Prairie Lakes Community Theatre for their productions. I guess some previous reviews allude to this arrangement, but I never paid attention until today on what "theatre name" was appropriate here. In any event, we're now 2 for 2 on 5 star outings at this venue.

You can see from anywhere. The seats were comfortable! The acoustics were great! We were here for a…read moreconcert. There is campus parking for the events. If there is another event that I like in the future I will attend

Cahn is located on Northwestern University's campus, but it is available for use by outside…read moreorganizations as well. I have visited here for a performance by Music Theatre Works (at the time known as Light Opera Works), and was pleasantly surprised by my visit. Parking can be a big pain in the ass in a city like Chicago, where I've most often been a patron of various theatrical events, so let's get this out of the way early: Parking is a dream at Cahn! On the weekends, I think it is, it's free and abundant. When I was here the lot directly across the street was already filled, but then again I'm not what one would call overly early (though I'm never late for a performance!), so perhaps it would have been an option if I'd been on the earlier side. Luckily there was parking within a block or two that was easy. The theater is surprisingly large; it's about 1,000 seats and is a proscenium stage. Seats are good throughout the theatre. I think Music Theatre Works now plays out of the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, but if I have the opportunity to attend an event at Cahn Auditorium again I won't hesitate because I know that the space will allow for a great experience.

If you're an actor in the north suburbs, keep an eye out for auditions with this troupe. I just…read morefinished performing my first show with them, and I worked opposite several more seasoned actors. They all exclaimed how professional, warm, and inviting everyone is, and everyone was made to feel very important, regardless of their experience level. Performances take place in Logan Hall (in the basement of Northminster Presbyterian Church in Evanston), which has the facilities for a professional pop-up theater when it's not being used for weddings, meals for the homeless, and other events. The dressing room for the women is beautiful with lighted mirrors, wardrobe racks, and a 3-way full length mirror. Not to mentions couches and sturdy upholstered chairs. I will say, the men don't have it as nice, but are welcomed into the women's area once everyone is decent. Oh, and there's a private bathroom for the actors and crew. (no more timing when to take that last break before the house opens) The show I just finished, 'Old Ringers' sold out nearly every performance. The typical audience review mentioned a great cast with wonderful comedic timing. So, figure when you go see a show there, you're getting top notch Chicago actors. Ticketing prices are competitive with many opportunities for discounts. The theater holds approximately 60, and the seats, though not cushioned, are designed for comfort and are situated two rows per riser. I recommend this theater group for quality theater. For the actor and the audience alike.

The 2nd Act Players are a small theatre group that work out of the basement of a church. The plays…read moreare from new playwrights so each is a new never before seen play. John Frank, an original founder of this group, has written and performed 4 plays so far. Each play is based on personal experiences. I absolutely loved his last play based on his experiences growing up in New York City and going to a Jesuit military high school during the Vietnam War. Hard to believe but true. I came in from NYC just to see this play. I went to that same high school so I needed to see it. My wife who had no previous experience with the school also loved this play. It's a moving play which has also gotten two thumbs up from veterans who have seen it. A limited supply of DVD's are available. His three other plays are about growing up in an Italian family, experiences in a hospital recovering from a heart attack and finally a play about dealing with divorce. Besides these plays the theater group is hosting new playwrights who have one act plays. 2 one act plays will be performed in mid March. If you are in the area, a suburb of Chicago come and see it.

I haven't had the privilege of seeing any of their adult productions (hopefully soon), but this…read morereview is for their student workshops. I thought it would be fun for my daughter to take a mid summer break from her beloved summer camp and do a week long theater camp. Music Theater Works had come highly recommended and when I saw the first week was Annie (my personal fave) I signed her up...and asked 3 of her friends to join her. She's been in a few shows with a local theater group called Skyline, but I had a feeling this was going to be at a different level...especially since at 8 years old she would be one of the youngest in the group. The student workshops are for kids ages 8-13. I told her to expect a small part (to avoid any disappointment) and to just have fun. Day 1 she came home absolutely delighted that she had scored the part of Annie along with other girls in the cast (they assign several people to the bigger roles to make it manageable to learn in a week). She loved the singing, the dancing, the games...all of it! Day 2 she came home in tears that her Annie part was way smaller than she had expected and she was "not going back and certainly never acting again." After a very long night I convinced her that quitting wasn't an option and sent her on her way the next day. I was hopeful that "the sun would come out tomorrow" ;) I have to give a shoutout to the Workshop Manager, Anya, who took time out of her busy evening to talk thru the issue with me and went out of her way to make my daughter feel better the next day. Day 3 turned out to be a much better one and she had the nerve to ask (after hours of crying on Day 2) if she could do another show this summer. Days 4 and 5 she came home happy, but absolutely exhausted. Who knew that an indoor theater camp would be more exhausting than day camp in the heat? Day 6 was showtime. They had a 2.5 hour rehearsal and then put on a 5 star production (45 minutes long) of Annie for their family and friends . I couldn't believe what they had accomplished in just a week and somehow every single kid (in a cast of 40) knew all their lines, dance moves, etc. -------- Overall, this turned out to be an amazing experience and one that I hope she does again next summer. I actually wish they taught a kids workshop year round because it was such a terrific experience. A few suggestions to make it absolutely perfection: * Give the actual parts when you give the kids their roles to avoid the disappointment that happened to my child (and a few others). * Mic the kids! We were lucky enough to be sitting in the 2nd row so could hear the kids, but those sitting in the back mentioned they could hardly hear anything. I can imagine it's difficult to mic 40 kids, but they were there 2.5 hours early and it's a shame so many parents missed out on hearing their kids. * 40 kids is too many. They mentioned several times that Annie is their most popular show and by far the biggest, but 40 kids didn't allow for all the kids to be on the stage at once (for the bigger dance #s). It also meant there was more downtime in the beginning of the week when everyone was learning their lines/songs, which may have contributed to the day 2 issues. My daughter did mention if she does it again she would prefer a smaller cast so that she could get more stage time, but think they should cut off enrollment after 30 kids for all shows. The good news for anyone looking for a week long activity for their kids is that there is space remaining in the 4 other shows this summer (Fiddler on the Roof, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang & 42nd Street). Your kids will have the best time, learn new skills and you'll be so proud of what they accomplish in such a short time. Thanks to the amazing staff at Music Theater Works.

I've seen 3 Music Theater Works productions over the past year and have loved them all. My Fair…read moreLady, Made & Gypsy were all great. I typically chaperone large groups on dress rehearsal day. General admission seating only, but we've never had an issue. Looking forward to their Duke Ellington show in October and Peter Pan in December 2017. I highly recommend.

Both of my kids do the Little Tones class and they love it. They've learned a lot in just a few…read moreclasses. Highly recommend!

This is my go to coffee shop in the area, especially when I have a hankering for a non-chain cup of…read morejoe! My latest pick-me-up has been that oatmeal cookie latte. The secret (or part of it) is the oat milk! So comforting and so delicious! Mondays are double punch card day! Instead of one punch per drink, you get two! Also, February is North Shore restaurant month, so RH is giving 15% off purchases! Tag's Bakery (Evanston) makes the goodies (donuts, cookies, scones) sold here. Me thinks I'll have to pop in tomorrow! Easy street parking outside.