Thank the Sultans of Groupon, and the Board of the Chicago Phiharmonic Orchestra, who allowed me to…read morepurchase a ticket for Sunday's concert at Pick-Staiger Hall. Called "Going for Baroque", it featured (no surprise here, from the title) mostly music of the Baroque period. The concert consisted of Baroque masters J.S. Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, George Frideric Handl, and the almost-classical but mostly baroque Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach. The orchestra, according to the website, draws many of its members from the Lyric Opera Orchestra, as well as other career musicians from the Chicago area. If you are a true Baroque purist, you should be aware that this concert was performed on modern instruments. Some people apparently think that period pieces should be performed on period instruments, so that the modern audience can get closer to hearing what Antonio Vivaldi heard. For example, an absolutely wonderful piccolo player named Alyce Johnson performed pieces that were originally written for the sopranino recorder. It ain't what Vivaldi heard, not exactly, but who cares? I like hearing original instruments, but this was really good, too. I enjoyed this group, and the musical selections, very much. While some compositions from this group of Baroque composers are familiar, the Chicago Philharmonic dug a little deeper into the repertoire for Sunday's concert. The guest conductor and harpsichorist was David Schrader. Along with his musical duties, he also offered a brief history and background of the selected compositions, and I liked that, too. While I really enjoy Baroque and classical music, I am most definitely not a scholar. Getting a little more information broadened my knowledge and enriched the musical experience. And for you Groupon-aholics, I had absolutely no problem redeeming my Groupon. It was a delightful evening. I highly recommend the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra. Even if you have to pay full price.

Breathtaking and Spectacular performance. The audience was enthralled with the orchestra for their…read moreinnovation!

I had to miss my friend's baby shower in Chicago, and sent her an Operagram as a surprise…read moreinstead--and they did NOT disappoint! Everyone at the party was thrilled to have a surprise opera performance, and Rose was everything I hoped for: responsive to my emails, punctual, sweet, funny and SO talented! Highly recommend!!

For an unique gift, use Rose at OperaGram.com. It is the best money you will ever spend to show…read moresomeone how much you adore them! The shock of seeing her in full costume, at your door, or at the office, or where ever you request her to be, is well worth the "price of admission"!! Rose is one of the most talented people I've ever met! She has a tremendous sense of humor (check out her comedy group Salsation!), but it is her soprano voice that is what you will long remember! Boy can this lady SING!!!! Seriously, if you are looking to send a gift that will be remembered years from now, that is unique, that will have others saying "I wish I'd have sent on OperaGram.com!!" THIS IS IT!

The perfect local cinema. They do a ton of special events to bring you not so typical fare to the…read morebig screen. For example, they showed all the Academy Award nominated short films as well as 4/5 of the films nominated for Best International Feature. They also have really friendly staff and reasonably priced tickets and concessions. I go here OFTEN and will continue to support them.

We had a wonderful time visiting g recently to see the new Elizabeth Holmes documentary, very…read morecomfortable seats, spacious, no lines, started right on time. Only concern is the cost for concessions, but that might just be sticker-shock as I rarely go to the cinema and I didn't realize prices were so high for both tickets and concessions. But $5.51 for a small 16 ounce bottle of Pellegrino mineral water is pushing the limits of what is reasonable. We got popcorn, soda, and two bottles of mineral wayer. The soda had free refills though, popcorn, too, so that was nice. Staff was super welcoming and did a great job keeping all parts of the theatre very tidy!! Really nice job there!!

We saw Twelfth Night (July-Aug 2025) last night. I have been attending OPFT since we moved here…read more15+ years ago and this was one of the best Shakespeare productions they've had. I saw that the Tribune criticized OPFT's take for being too heavy on the comedy and light on the romance. I disagree; I thought that the emphasis on the comedy was a huge plus. Malvolio stole the show with Toby and Sir Andrew as great comedic support. Olivia's flip-flopping was also well executed for some good fun. The Fool had to compete hard for laughs.... I was delighted to find that this production had even our kids (11-13) laughing like crazy. This is excellent accessible Shakespeare in the park that is great for the whole family. Tickets for kids under 12 are just $5.

Why isn't there more outdoor theatre in the Chicago area? I mean, to some extent I get it (here in…read more2022, my car was dappled in slush and snow on April 8), but really this should be a bigger thing. As I think of it the only real options for this are Theatre on the Lake, occasionally when there's a Shakes in the park sort of thing happening, and Oak Park Festival Theatre in Oak Park. The work done by this company is really high quality, so you'll definitely get your money's worth and enjoy the performance if you enjoy the play. I came here in 2016 to see Pygmalion after a few years of saying I should go and then not doing so. OPFT has an illustrious history: The theatre was established in 1975 and has included such notable thespians (of course unknown at the time) as David Mamet as William H. Macy. Unfortunately, in November 2021 there was a fire that destroyed much of their equipment, historical documents, and I'm hopeful their fundraising efforts will prepare them to mount a new season this or next summer! Austin Gardens is in downtown Oak Park Parking is found on surrounding streets, or in the village parking lot (free after 6 pm). Accessibility is a bit harder to measure. It's a park, so it is as accessible as any park, but depending upon the type of accommodation you need, your mobility, etc. it may vary how accessible it is for an individual. They don't have wheelchairs or anything for patron use as far as I know, and as a park it may be difficult to hear at times. Alternatively, both the Green Line and the UP-W Metra line are within 3-5 blocks of the park, so that's a great choice for transportation, too. There are restaurants nearby, or for an even more fun option, bring your dinner to picnic before and during the play. Just don't disrupt your fellow patrons (so that means if you have things in wrapping and what not, maybe wrap in cloth or something that's not going to make a bunch of noise as you open it!).

--Location/Parking-- In a shopping square with its own…read moresection near a Campo Polero and a couple of other restaurants and a Crab/Seafood across the street. --Ambience-- Medium size theater with a concession stand in the middle. Scanner for tickets in the front and right side. --Service/Staff-- Well setup that you don't need to interact with the staff unless you want to purchase concession food. --Products-- Movie theater with projector that was more on the higher price side. --Capacity-- Theater could hold over several hundred depending on the weekend crowd. --Overall-- If you are looking for a particular movie. This place might have it. Choose your movie selection before heading over to this theater.

date of review: 2026-6-25…read more The Cinemark theater in Melrose Park is mid. Wish they served full dinner here like the AMC /Muvico theater in Rosemont does (they just have your average - very pricey! - movie snacks here). A little for more money, of course. Also sucks this Cinemark location now only has one open ticket booth when you walk in (there's two more booths - one on each end of lobby - but have since been blocked off). The reclining chairs are nice at least.

This dance studio is for all ages and most styles. I signed my 4 yr old cousin up for ballet/tap…read moreclasses and couldn't be happier with the teachers, studio space, and costs!!! If you have any kids looking for lessons......this is the place to do it!

From the owner: Specializing in Dance classes for pre-school thru pre-professionals.read more

Rhapsody Theater is a very clean and beautiful theater located in Roger Park. The staff was very…read morekind and welcoming. Not only were there bartenders behind the bar, but there was also servers that brought drinks to our tables as well as food. We visited this theater to watch the Physician Magician. This show was awe-inspiring and definitely thought provoking. The Physician Magician performed the most baffling tricks and shared life lessons along the way. Though I didn't have any snacks here, I did enjoy a Bocce Balsamo. It was the perfect light and refreshing drink to sip on throughout the show. I am looking forward to going back soon!

I came here for a magic show with a group of friends on a Friday. Overall, good facility! There's a…read moresmall parking lot for patrons nearby, which was nice. Bartenders were friendly. Bathrooms were clean. It was cold, but that's typical of buildings in the summer. I'd come back!

Great band for our Jewish wedding this past Sunday. Terrific initial small group performing for the…read moreceremony, in conjunction with the cantor, later expanding to nine musicians for the cocktail hour, reception and dinner. Band leader Bibi was wonderfully easy and responsive to work with in designing the music for our event. And the musicians were, in total, terrific. A meaningful and wonderful combination of Jewish, Israeli, swing, rock and every other music form one would wish for. Everyone enjoyed themselves, and a large part of that is due to the band's efforts.

We have used three musicians from the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band for many years at our…read moreorganization's annual reception. They are simply wonderful. A number of our guests have commented on how simply great they were. We look forward to having them again at next year's event!