Reviews

My list of favorite books changes frequently depending on my mood and season of life. One that nearly always tops the list is a novel by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ called Stay with Me. Whenever I recommend …

On a brisk Sunday evening in Champaign-Urbana, the November Writers in the Round at Rose Bowl Tavern beckoned with the promise of local music and storytelling. This event, nestled in the heart of our music …

In the vibrant music scene of Champaign-Urbana, bands come and go, leaving their unique imprints on the hearts and ears of the local community. Silverweed, a band that blended Americana, folk, and a dash of …

On the evening of November 7th, I had the pleasure of heading over to the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and seeing a production of Andrew Lippa’s musical The Wild Party, put together by …

What’s more bad-boy than taking the “H” out of the name Jonny? Becoming undead through the power of love, of course. Parkland’s Creature Double Feature is two shows about teenage zombies, with a striking amount …

Since 1979, The Ribeye has served steak on Neil Street. Though I have lived in Champaign-Urbana for a decade, I’d never visited The Ribeye before this review. My family loves a steakhouse, and my youngest …

Saturday evening the Fischer Theatre opened its doors at 6 p.m., complete with a flashing marquee and Todd Gallagher’s jazz trio filling the lobby with music, in preparation for Davina and the Vagabonds. An event …

A few weeks ago, my friend Ragini brought to my attention that Rabindranath Tagore, the globally renown Bengali writer, activist, and cultural figure, had a strong link to Champaign-Urbana. During the academic year 1912–13, Tagore …

The Realness, written by Idris Goodwin in 2016, is a story combining elements of rap and hip-hop with a romance for the emotional resonance and a history lesson for the intellectual one. Goodwin’s play How …