Chicago's downtown Loop stages have been especially active over the last couple of months, with the returns of several shows, and the local premieres of others. Our city continues to be one of the best testing grounds for new Broadway shows, from SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS to THE PRODUCERS to SPAMALOT, and now CHRISTINA Applegate in SWEET CHARITY. One of the biggest surprises of the last few months, in fact, has been the pre-Broadway run of ALL SHOOK UP, the musical that employs the songs of Elvis Presley to tell the story of a roustabout, a romance, and throws in some very funny gender confusion. Will this show, which received a mostly warm welcome here, make it in New York, when it opens right after SPAMALOT? That remains to be seen, but the feel good production, with inventive set design should prove popular with families and tourists. Next up in town is the umpteenth return of LES MISERABLES, which declares itself "The World's Most Popular Musical". That tagline really sums up the show, as there is nothing humble about it.

LES MIS declares itself to be monumental over and over ­ and over, until your mind becomes numb to the next pageant like ballad. This is one of those shows where the actors sing really hard to express complex emotion, and simply face the audience, fists clenched and held high, as the favored choreography. I know, I know, "world's most popular". Well, TWO AND A HALF MEN is a big hit for CBS, but does that mean it's a great sitcom? LES MISERABLES opens yet again March 17th at the Cadillac Palace Theatre. At the end of next month, WICKED opens, and has proved a hot seller. This adaptation of the novel of the same name tells the story of the Wicked Witch of the West, from childhood to her untimely demise at the hands of a girl from Kansas. The songs are by Stephen Schwartz, the man behind GODSPELL. You can decide for yourself if that's good or bad. This summer, a touring version of the recently shuttered Broadway revival of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS comes to the Ford Center for Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre in June, the same month we are revisited by THE LION KING at the Cadillac Palace. A bit farther into the future, look for the Fall 2005 opening of the La Salle Bank Theatre. That romantic name is being given over to the currently under renovations Shubert Theatre. Look for show announcements to appear sometime later in the spring.