Emily McClanathan

Emily McClanathan is a freelance writer for the Chicago Tribune.

(Front, from left) Shawn Pfautsch, Jean Carlos Claudio, Tony Carter, (back, from left) Jalbelly Guzmán, Melanie Brezill and Maria Clara Ospina in Chicago Children’s Theatre’s world premiere of "Go Dog Go! - Ve Perro ¡Ve!" Music director Rob Witmer plays accordion. (Joe Mazza)

Review: New bilingual musical ‘Go Dog Go! — Ve Perro ¡Ve!’ has world premiere at Chicago Children’s Theatre

March 19, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Chicago Children’s Theatre “Go Dog Go! — Ve Perro ¡Ve!” relies on colorful images, repetitive language and whimsical movement to portray a community of dogs at work and play.

Riverdance performer Sam Felling, center, leads an Irish dance workshop, March 17, 2025, on St. Patrick’s Day at the Irish American Heritage Center. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

‘Riverdance’ cast members lead a workshop in Irish dance: When in doubt, jump and smile

March 18, 2025 at 12:54 p.m.

About 30 participants of varying skill levels took part in the class at the Irish American Heritage Center on Monday. A "Riverdance" touring show will be back in April.

Lucas Demarchi in a production of "Hamlet" by Teatro La Plaza of Peru, in which young performers with Down syndrome blend Shakespeare's text with anecdotes from their lives, staged in Chicago at Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Upstairs Studio. (Provided by Teatro La Plaza)

In Teatro La Plaza’s ‘Hamlet,’ a cast with Down syndrome gives the Danish prince a whole new life

March 4, 2025 at 5:30 a.m.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater hosts the North American debut of a production that has been celebrated worldwide.

Madelyn Loehr (as Bassianus), Caroline Kidwell (Lavinia), Anne Sheridan Smith (Titus), Philip C. Matthews (Lucius), Sabine Wan (Marcus) and Joshua Servantez (Saturninus) in William Shakespeare's "Titus Andronicus" by Redtwist Theatre. (Tom McGrath)

Review: Redtwist Theatre’s ‘Titus Andronicus’ adaptation is gutsy, action-packed Shakespeare

February 26, 2025 at 5:15 a.m.

Shakespeare’s earliest tragedy is infamous for its gory cycle of revenge that culminates in a macabre meat pie.

Ashlyn Lozano in "One Party Consent" by First Floor Theater at the Den Theatre. (Michael Brosilow)

Review: In ‘One Party Consent’ at First Floor Theater, student and adviser face off

February 21, 2025 at 11:26 a.m.

Playwright Omer Abbas Salem's latest world premiere debates questions of trust in a university's fine arts program.

A rose hair tarantula sits in its habitat in "The Art and Science of Arachnids" exhibit at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum on Feb. 3, 2025. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)

Afraid of spiders no more: New exhibit at Notebaert Nature Museum takes the mystery out of arachnids

February 11, 2025 at 5:45 a.m.

The new temporary attraction with live tarantulas and lots of facts hopes to make you more curious than apprehensive.

Samantha Gershman (as Carole King) in "Beautiful" at Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace. (Brett Beiner)

Review: In ‘Beautiful’ at Drury Lane, Carole King’s story begins with her as a 16-year-old songwriter

February 8, 2025 at 5:30 a.m.

The biographical jukebox musical about the songwriter gets a new outing at Drury Lane, and Samantha Gershman's performance is worth seeing.

Isabel Campbell, left, of Aurora, and John Njoku, of Washington D.C. explore the new Field Museum exhibition "Cats: Predators to Pets" in Chicago on Jan. 15, 2025. (Audrey Richardson/Chicago Tribune)

Does your feline think she’s a tiger? ‘Cats: Predators to Pets’ at the Field Museum shows she has a point

February 3, 2025 at 3:36 p.m.

The temporary exhibit lets you test your hearing against that of a cat, learn about wild animals and enter your own furball in a photo contest.

Elaine Carlson and Kat Evans in “Glassheart” by City Lit Theater at Edgewater Presbyterian Church in Chicago. (Steve Graue)

Review: ‘Glassheart’ by City Lit sees the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ story in a whole new light

January 21, 2025 at 5:15 a.m.

Although I found the outcome of the story confusing, this is an intriguing show with delightful moments if you embrace the ambiguity.

Jesús Barajas (as Pablo), Brian Nicholas Carter (Clemens), Terrence Mayfield Jr. (Samuel) and Shaina Toledo (Langhorne) in Lifeline Theatre’s “Kid Prince and Pablo.” (Jackie Jasperson)

Review: ‘Kid Prince and Pablo’ by Lifeline Theatre adds hip hop score to a classic Twain tale

January 15, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

This new adaptation by Chicago’s own Quijada brothers modernizes Mark Twain's “The Prince and the Pauper.”

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