Marie Antoinette and the Magical Negroes Archives

A white woman playing Marie Antoinette is in her underthings and stockings, being dressed and fussed over by three Black servants.

You say you want a revolution?

by Kerry Reid July 6, 2022July 14, 2022

On one wall of the set for Terry Guest’s Marie Antoinette and the Magical Negroes, now in a local premiere with Story Theatre under Guest’s direction, a large sign tells us “THIS IS NOT HISTORY.” True: what Guest’s skillfully rendered sardonic political comedy offers is a funhouse view (with not always so much fun, given […]

Illustration of Irregular Girl astride a white horse, dressed like Joan of Arc. The background suggests a battle, with banners and other figures in a shadowy fog.

Staff notes

A note from an editor 2022

by Kerry Reid June 24, 2022July 8, 2022

This is the first time we’ve done a summer theater and arts issue, and judging by the full-to-bursting content, that’s surprising—especially given how much Chicagoans love getting outdoors in the summer. You can read about some theater and dance programs that specialize in bringing performances to public parks, or, if you prefer indoor immersive experiences, […]

A Black woman in a strapless top and layers of choker necklaces is center, holding a cocktail glass and smiling with her tongue out. Behind her is a white woman with white stripes of makeup on her face, looking frightened.

Arts & Culture

A Black perspective on the French Revolution

by Bridgette M. Redman June 23, 2022July 8, 2022

Sometimes to understand the present, we must look at the past. In 2017, playwright Terry Guest grappled with how America could elect someone so outwardly racist as Donald Trump. It shocked him into questioning what could be done about the rise of fascism in the U.S. “Do we protest? Does that work?” Guest asked himself. […]