One day soon, Tom Williams will have his way and every Chicagoan will see a play weekly.
"Go See A Play This Week!" his website,
http://www.chicagocritic.com/, commands. "Go See A Play This Week!," the signature on his e-mail urges me as he graciously accepted my request for a phone interview. With the help of his theatre reviews, people will have no trouble following his directive.
Williams sees approximately 300 shows each year. Since May, 2002, he has published 1,579 reviews on his website, which has become one of the most well-respected sources of theatre reviews in Chicago. He writes each one with the clear purpose of helping people determine what shows they would enjoy, which ones are worth their time and money. "I am a theatre lover who's a consumer advocate," he describes himself.
The consumer advocacy is clear in his reviews; he examines all aspects of the show that a theatre goer might need to decide whether or not to see it. "I try to mention the actors, the set design, the costumes, the lighting. Then I describe what the play is about and how well they do it," he said.
Some theatre critics build their careers and reputations skewering actors and playwrights. Not Williams. As a former actor himself, he appreciates the work and the effort that goes into theatre performances. "I am pro-theatre. I go to plays expecting them to be good," he explains. Which is contrary to other critics' practices, "I can tell you the reviews of some critics before the they even see a show. The shows didn't even get a chance. Would you pay $50 for a ticket knowing that it's going to be bad?"
Not all reviews are glowing praises, however. Williams will write his opinion of the show without any sugarcoating. "You have to be honest," he advises.
Williams also insist in revealing his personal biases to his readers from the get-go. Williams, who does not like rock musicals ("The music is too loud. The actors have to shout at each other."), takes into account the audience's reactions and makes sure to include that in his review. Despite his own dislike for rock musicals, he will let you know how the rest of the crowd likes it.
Williams' critical eye comes from a life-long love of theatre. He was "hooked" after he saw Mary Martin in Peter Pan when he was 11 years old. After years of watching shows thereafter, he started advising his friends on what shows they should and should not see. His chance to become a formal theatre critic came at an opportune moment when Tony Prieto, the owner and publisher of The Wicker Park Voice, asked if he knew anyone who wanted to be a theatre reviewer. Within a month, Williams wrote his first review.
Lack of funding eventually reduced the amount of space The Wicker Park Voice could give to theatre reviews, and Williams' readers noticed and began asking for more. Williams complied by creating
chicagocritic.com . "I wanted to write reviews on a more timely basis and build up a readership," he explained.
And he did. A rough estimate on
quantcast.com, a new media measurement service, states that approximately 6,763 people visit his site each month. His reviews are so timely that I have had to change the number of reviews published three times during the course of writing this article. In addition to his website, Williams' also hosts podcast for
Talk Theatre In Chicago, where he interviews various members of Chicago's theatre community.
Williams has seen Chicago theatre evolve throughout the years,"More and more kids are migrating to Chicago to start companies. It has become an incubator for new talent and theatre groups." With more and more shows to see in Chicago, and with Tom Williams' reviews, everyone should easily be able to see a play this week.
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