I went to watch Les Miserables by Schaumburg On Stage as I'd recently missed the national tour in…read moredowntown Chicago. Realizing that Drury Lane and Paramount had done their version a few years back and Marriott Theatre had done it a bit before that, I wanted to watch a live version in case I can't make the next big stop in Milwaukee. I watch quite a bit of theatre, both professional and amateur. Not sure why, but until this show -- I wasn't aware of Schaumburg on Stage which has been around since 2016. To my surprise, the quality of the production was similar in quality to other highly acclaimed groups like the District 214 all-district group (which recently did The Wedding Singer). Here were my thoughts on various aspects of the show: Staging: It really surprised me how many sets were used in the show and how they were fully functional. They were designed and painted well and items were hardly reused. They also did a very good job of quickly changing sets to make sure the showtime was kept to a reasonable length. Vocals: Two things I like about this. One is how they kept the complex harmonies -- which worked great in group songs. The overall balance lacked baritone and bass voices, but that's expected with younger actors. I also liked how they did not shy away from the challenge of the very high notes for male or female leads. They could have easily changed the key, but it's great to see them embrace the challenge. Orchestra: A bit smaller, not sure if it's due to space limitations or that's the way the school version is written. A bit more reliant on piano and common woodwind/string instruments than the full version. I did like how they played at a level not to overpower the vocals. Lighting and fog: I liked all the varieties of lights used. Not just in general stage lighting from the top, but also from lights on the side and spotlights. There were quite a bit of variations on lighting, which helped to tell the story. I did not like the excessive use of stage fog though, which tended to linger for more than a single scene. Overall, a great group to watch a show from. It's much better than the typical amateur group and prices are very reasonable. It's also great how they incorporate actors and actresses from all different ages and help them to build interest in theatre. Based on the quality of this performance, I can't wait to watch another show when they get a new digital microphone system.

The experienced people at SOS really see the value and potential in each kid. They are like family…read morein that they really connect and care, but they also hold the kids to a high standard and help them achieve it. This is definitely a step up from park district community theater in both production quality and experience.

We came for Thursday night Comedy & Karaoke. We stayed for the fun atmosphere, great crowd, drinks…read moreand tasty food. Good music too. The back room with stage is a cozy and festive area. It makes for an intimate setting and fun way to create community with the audience and performers. Parking can be a pain, but free by the train parking. We look forward to more fun nights. The staff and servers and wonderful.

The sound was awful. It was almost painful to sit there . And I'm pretty sure it was not the band's…read moreproblem since both bands had the same problem. I thought I paid enough where I shouldn't have to listen to audio feedback for 3 hours. Every 5 seconds there is another screech. For this alone, I'll probably never come here again. Food was great. The service was good. The bands were talented. We just couldn't hear them.

I had the pleasure of viewing a Mystery Shop Murder Mystery performance and was extremely…read moreimpressed. The owner, Mary, instantly put the guests at ease with her welcoming and disarming ways. I did not know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised to find how cleverly orchestrated the entire event was. The actors were professional and played their characters wonderfully well. The audience was encouraged to engage with the actors (in character, of course) to try and sleuth out the killer and The Mystery Shop staff was expert at laying out the clues for us to find and deduce who the killer was and why. The whole thing was done with such poise and taste that it could easily have been enjoyed by the whole family and in fact, I think the show we saw was suitable for children of junior high age and above. I will be searching for an occasion and excuse to have a party just so I can hire the Mystery Shop and have this enjoyable experience again... Perhaps a child's birthday party or maybe an adult New Year's Eve?

Very good program. Hired the Mystery Shop for a cub scout event and they put on a great show. Age…read moreappropriate, engaging, relevant, and family friendly! Mary was great to work with. Everyone was very nice and very professional. Started on time and ended on time. Tons of fun for the whole family!

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!

What's life without a little magic! We came by to see a show on a Sunday afternoon and we're able…read moreto enjoy the Physician's show. When you walk in there is a bar and some tables but through the double doors, you'll find a 2nd bar with a speakeasy feel. When we checked in, we were assigned our tables. We ordered drinks before hand and the drinks were brought to our tables. We also ordered the pimento cheese and crackers. We snacked on the crackers most of the show as there was quite a bit of pimento in the bowl. The show was great and was broken into 2 parts. There were a lot of great metaphors along with it being a very interactive show with the crowd. Many of the tricks and magic left us in complete awe. We can't wait to come back and see future shows!

School of Rock has been a fantastic place for my kids to learn music. All of the instructors are…read moresupportive, enthusiastic, and great with kids with a variety of educational needs and challenges. The program has exposed my kids to a variety of music they might never have listened to otherwise and helped them learn about the history and foundations of rock, jazz, metal, and pop. I think the focus on performance has helped to keep them from plateauing and given them something concrete to work toward. They're also able to work on personal projects and goals with instructors. Eric, Cyndi, Brandy, and Kyle are very warm and welcoming. I've talked the most to Eric and Cyndi--you can tell they really care about the families of School of Rock. They've also been very understanding of the fact that our family had a really rough winter/spring and sometimes practice fell by the wayside. Mathieu has been an absolute inspiration to my daughter. He's helped her lean into her strengths while nudging her into improving her weaknesses. Ian has the patience and good humor of a saint because my son is not an easy kid to teach. Somehow Ian has figured out a good approach that has encouraged my son to try difficult things without the kind of pressure that makes him dig in his heels. Every performance director they've had has been super encouraging, even when the going gets tough. Johnny, their most recent director, was just the nicest guy even when the kids were struggling. I'm really glad we gave School of Rock a try. It's been a meaningful and positive addition to our lives and I'm grateful for the kids' experiences there.

I couldn't be happier with the service and staff. My student can read music, play music and perform…read moremusic. If your child is dedicated to music, this is the place for them, because they are dedicated to their students. Staff is fun, intelligent, kind and nurturing. The other kids are very accepting of each other. They're all friends. Super enthusiastic and proud to be a part of this community. The music is so much fun and their shows are phenomenal. So much better than a little recital here or there.

I love seeing comedy here! The showcases are fantastic. The open mic is always fun too. The…read morevenue also has great food. They serve drinks and hookahs for an great night out.

From the owner: The Smoke Break is a weekly stand up comedy open mic and monthly showcase. We are located at the…read moreOasis Café 2009 Franciscan Way in West Chicago IL!

Went on July 4th to see the band Anthem (Classic Rock and Styx) and the fireworks. This festival is…read morealways crowded! Parking is difficult since most of the neighborhood streets allow for no parking. We parked at Rt 59 and Stearns and walked. The carnival area is always super crowded and the area with the band is connected to the food tent. They do have it fenced off which makes no sense since no one was checking if people were leaving the area with alcoholic beverages. Most people bring their own chairs even tho there are tables and chairs in the food tent. Fireworks begin around 915pm and are launched over the adjacent golf course. You can pretty much see them from anywhere so ng Stearns Rd. A fun neighborhood festival but expect it to be very crowded!

Normally I don't care for festivals. They're over priced and surrounded with people I'd rather not…read morebe around. However, I WILL go if my dad's band is playing at one. Case in point, I came to Bartlett fest to see my dad's band play. After some cold beverages, I enjoyed myself and didn't mind the crowds. Bartlett fest is free, which is always great in my book. Certain places that charge $10+ per person (like a certain fest in my town) is redic. I'm sorry but people are more willing to spend their money on beer and food. Charging admission is lame. Thank you Bartlett fest for doing it right. The bands were great and everyone had a blast. The food seemed decent (didn't get any) and I saw tons of kids enjoying carnival rides. On site parking was well organized and we easily found a spot at 4:45 I definitely looking forward to future visits to Bartlett fest. Despite it being a bit of a drive for us, the casual and relaxed atmosphere (how a festival SHOULD be) is a welcomed change from any overpriced b.s. in Naperville, anyday.

25 years ago this band played at our wedding. 25 years…read morelater people are still talking about the band. Enough said. Hands down one of a kind with the best musicians around.

Bandleader Dave Farley and Orchestra 33 are absolutely fabulous. I hired them for my wedding…read moreceremony and reception on October 2 and they were the hit of the night. I HIGHLY recommend them. Dave responded promptly to my initial inquiry last winter. Over the course of the year we exchanged emails and phone calls. He sent me a detailed questionnaire which was a huge help in planning the timeline for the evening. They provided a string quartet for my ceremony, jazz during cocktails, piano during dinner, and a 9-piece band during the reception. This amount and quality of entertainment doesn't come cheap, but it's worth every penny. Definitely go to their website. They have song clips available that illustrate just how dead-on their sound is. I hired them because they can do La Bouche, Katy Perry, The Supremes, Sam Cooke, and Beyonce without batting an eye. The band was happy to learn the obscure song we chose for our first dance. They also gave us some beautiful suggestions for ceremony music (courtesy of Dave's classical music specialist, aka his wife! so cute). Many guests have said the highlight of the night was when a singer from the band came out onto the packed dance floor during "Shout!" This band knows how to gage a crowd and have fun while keeping the evening flowing smoothly. They graciously accepted a couple of last minute changes and even allowed us to pump iPod music through their speakers after the set was done so we could all sway to "American Pie" while they packed up. Orchestra 33 provides first class entertainment that will make any event fun and memorable. They were the single best decision I made while planning my wedding (besides saying yes to my husband of course).

Loved the place and the staff were very helpful... would recommend going there for children over 5…read moreyears ..

I'm excited to announce that Gymkhana now offers bootcamp fitness classes every saturday at 7am and…read more8am. Sign up today for your New Year, New Look savings. To sign up for gripfit bootcamp contact our trainer Clark @ 847-840-8288 or mclark1906@gmail.com