ChiIL Live Shows

REVIEW: Operation Mincemeat Now Playing at Broadway in Chicago's CIBC Theatre Through October 11, 2026

2026-10-02T12:39:38.243-05:00

Chi, IL Live Shows on our Radar:

TONY® AND OLIVIER AWARD®-WINNING

OPERATION MINCEMEAT: A NEW MUSICAL

AT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO’S

CIBC THEATRE

NOW PLAYING THROUGH OCTOBER 11 ONLY!

REVIEW

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. Add a rockin' score, a world class cast, and a bit of writer's license, and Operation Mincemeat is a sure fire hit! Now playing at Broadway In Chicago’s CIBC Theatre through October 11, 2026.

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar: Highly Recommended. ★★★★ Four out of four stars. Don’t miss this!

We loved this fascist fighting, plot hatching, gender bending musical, from the opening curtain to the big glitzy finish. We’re spilling the tea about this critically acclaimed, award winning, spytacular piece of history made musical. Come see the WWII spy musical that's taking the world by storm and quickly becoming a favorite of audiences and critics alike.

War rooms and clandestine operations in 1943 Britain may have been a sausage fest, but Operation Mincemeat does a delicious end run around the gender gap with creative casting. Yes, as The Kinks sang, "Girls will be boys and boys will be girls" and we're here for it! They also elevate the "bug boy" nerd who hatched the plan, the unwitting corpse who made it possible, and the women in the typing pool who were integral to its execution, back to their rightful places as true nazi defeating heroes.

Shout out to the set designer for the creative, clandestine MI6 headquarters, full of hidden doorways. Also kudos to the cast and choreographers for the excellent dance moves and physical comedy. Operation Mincemeat is a masterclass in thinking outside of the box to thwart fascism, and an absolute must-see.

Bonnie is a Chicago based writer, theatre critic, photographer, artist, and empty nester. She owns two websites where she publishes frequently: ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) & ChiILMama.com (family friendly).

OPERATION MINCEMEAT: A NEW MUSICAL

“IT’S NOT JUST THE BEST MUSICAL I’VE EVER SEEN; IT’S THE MOST REWARDING THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE I’VE EVER HAD.”

TAFFY BRODESSER-AKNER (THE NEW YORK TIMES).

Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce that Tony® and Olivier Award®

-winning OPERATION MINCEMEAT: A NEW MUSICAL, Entertainment Weekly’s #1 Broadway Show of 2025, is now playing. The North American leg of the World Tour of OPERATION MINCEMEAT: A NEW MUSICAL is now playing at Broadway In

Chicago’s CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe St.) for a limited engagement through October 11 only.

In OPERATION MINCEMEAT: A NEW MUSICAL, it’s 1943, and the Allied Forces are on the ropes. Luckily, they’ve got a trick up their sleeve. Well, not up their sleeve, per se, but rather inside the pocket of a stolen corpse. Equal parts farce, thriller, and Ian Fleming-style spy caper (with an assist from Mr. Fleming himself), OPERATION MINCEMEAT tells the wildly improbable and hilarious true story of the covert operation that turned the tide of WWII.

Written by triple Tony Award nominees SpitLip (comprised of David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, and Zoë Roberts), OPERATION MINCEMEAT began performances on Broadway on February 15, 2025, and continues to play at the historic Golden Theatre (252 West 45th Street), where it has been extended eight times and will soon celebrate its 500th performance. The West End production, which has been playing at the Fortune Theatre since March 29, 2023, is widely recognized as one of the best-reviewed shows in West End history, holding the record for the most five-star reviews for a new musical, with a tally of 131.

OPERATION MINCEMEAT has just launched its world tour, beginning with a UK leg before heading across the pond. Olivier Award nominated Robert Hastie (Standing at the Sky’s Edge, National Theatre – Best New Musical Olivier Award

winner) will reprise his work for the tour, while Olivier Award nominated Jenny Arnold (Jerry Springer: The Opera, National Theatre) continues as Choreographer.

The creative team will include Olivier nominated Set and Costume Designer Ben Stones (Standing at the Sky’s Edge), Tony and Olivier winning Lighting Designer Mark Henderson (The History Boys), Tony nominated Sound Designer Mike Walker (Charlie & The Chocolate Factory), Tony nominated Orchestrator Steve Sidwell (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), and Olivier nominated Music Supervisor Joe Bunker (Spring Awakening). Georgie Staight is Associate Director and Paul Isaiah Isles is Associate Choreographer. Production Stage Management is by Geoff Maus, Casting is by Carrie Gardner, CSA, and General Management is by TT Partners.

OPERATION MINCEMEAT has been nominated for 64 awards since opening at the 77-seat New Diorama Theatre in 2019, winning 13, including Best Musical three times, from the Olivier Awards®, WhatsOnStage Awards, and Off-West

End Awards. On Broadway, the show was nominated for four Tony Awards® in 2025, including Best Musical. The production won Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Jak Malone’s portrayal of Hester Leggatt, who previously won the Olivier Award® in the same category. The production has also received nominations for Outstanding Production of a Musical at the Drama League Awards, Outstanding New Broadway Musical at the Outer Critics Circle Awards, Best Musical at the BroadwayWorld Theater Fans’ Choice Awards, and Favorite New Musical at the Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards.

Over 2,000 performances – from its origins on the London Fringe to the West End, to Broadway, OPERATION MINCEMEAT has cultivated a fervent fanbase, affectionately dubbed “Mincefluencers.” On Broadway alone, more than

2,000 audience members – roughly one in fifty – have bought tickets for multiple performances, including 53 superfans who have purchased tickets for ten or more shows.

OPERATION MINCEMEAT is produced on Broadway, in the West End and on its world tour by Avalon (in association with SpitLip). The show was commissioned by New Diorama Theatre, co-commissioned by The Lowry, and also supported by the Rhinebeck Writers Retreat.

For more information, visit https://operationmincemeat.com/tour/us/

Follow OPERATION MINCEMEAT on TikTok, X, and Instagram.

TICKET INFORMATION (As of September 29, based on availability and subject to change)

Individual tickets for OPERATION MINCEMEAT: A NEW MUSICAL are on sale now and range from $40.00 - $150.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. Ticket price listed is when purchased in person at the box office. Additional fees apply for online purchases. Patrons can also participate in a digital lottery for a chance to purchase $30.00 tickets for each performance, which is inclusive of all mandatory taxes, restoration, handling, and third-party fees. In addition to the lottery, a limited number of day-of-show, in-person Rush tickets will be available for $49.00 for all performances. Click here for more info on Digital Lottery and In-Person Rush. Tickets are available now for groups of

10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing GroupSales@BroadwayInChicago.com. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 26 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range ofentertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, The Auditorium, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place.

For more information and tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Follow @BroadwayInChicago on

Facebook ● Instagram ● TikTok ● Bluesky ● YouTube

#broadwayinchicago

REVIEW: JEKYLL & HYDE Now Extended Through November 8th, 2026

2026-09-17T14:10:21.679-05:00

Chi, IL Live Shows on our Radar:

Kokandy Productions’

Jekyll & Hyde

EXTENDED BY POPULAR DEMAND THROUGH NOVEMBER 8

(center) David Moreland and the cast of Kokandy Productions’ production of Jekyll & Hyde.

All Photos by ©Amy Boyle Photography.

REVIEW

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

Kokandy Productions' Jekyll & Hyde killed it last night at Broadway in Chicago's Broadway Playhouse. I saw their first sold out run on Halloween night last year and was blown away by the talent on stage and the creative team behind this beast. It's even better the 2nd time around! The acting, singing, choreography, and costumes are to die for. Kokandy's remount of their critically acclaimed, sold out, production is back with a vengeance and sure to be a hit!

(center) Ava Lane Stovall with (left to right) Quinn Kelch and Ismael Garcia

and (below) Quinn Simmons

This cast is hotter than rock stars; like Siouxsie Sioux, Bowie, and Rammstein had unholy spawn. But Kokandy is more than eye candy. Jeff Award winners David Moreland (Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde), Ava Lane Stovall (Lucy Harris), and Emily McCormick (Emma Carew) give highly physical, world class performances. And their vocals are nothing short of astonishing. Kevin Webb is always a treat to see on stage, and looks the part! And the 3 Quinns are a trio of terrific... singing, dancing and acting their guts out. And In fact, this entire triple threat cast is Très impressive!

(center) David Moreland and the cast of Kokandy Productions’

Jekyll & Hyde

We adore their macabre, 1800s boudoir costuming, and love that it's spreading to the audience. Kokandy's Jekyll & Hyde is poised to be the next Rocky Horror Picture Show, with adoring fanatics who return often, come in costume, and add to the Gothic, horror novella aesthetic.

(front, left to right) David Moreland and Emily McCormick with the cast of

Kokandy Productions’ Jekyll & Hyde

The live orchestra accompaniment adds so much. Thankfully the applause went on so long after the big vocal numbers, as it's the only time the actors got to freeze and just breathe!

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde has captivated audiences since the original novella by Robert Louis Stevenson came out on January 5, 1886. Chicago's own Kokandy Productions elevates this dark favorite to another level. Jekyll & Hyde is truly an astounding production and an absolute must-see. Now extended through November 8th. Don’t miss this!

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar: Highly Recommended. ★★★★ Four out of four stars.

Something Dark Is Brewing This Halloween At Broadway In Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place

Kokandy Productions'

Jekyll and Hyde

(center) David Moreland and the cast of Kokandy Productions’

Jekyll & Hyde.

Conceived for the stage by Steve Cruden & Frank Wildhorn

Book & Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse

Music by Frank Wildhorn

Orchestrations by Kim Scharnberg

Arrangements by Jason Howland

Direction by Derek Van Barham

Music Direction by Nick Sula

Choreography by Brenda Didier

Broadway In Chicago is pleased to announce Kokandy Productions’ critically acclaimed performances of JEKYLL & HYDE is back. This darkly delicious Halloween surprise has been extended by popular demand through November 8.

Kokandy Productions’ Jekyll & Hyde will play the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut St.) from September 8 to November 8. For the performance schedule and additional ticket information, see below.

Leading the multi-award-winning JEKYLL & HYDE cast this Halloween season for a hauntingly good night at the theatre are Jeff Award winners David Moreland (Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde), Ava Lane Stovall (Lucy Harris), and Emily McCormick (Emma Carew). Also featured are Jake Elkins (Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Edward Hyde alternate), Dani Pike (Lucy Harris alternate), Nathan Calaranan, Ismael Garcia, Joe Giovannetti, Jon Parker Jackson, Quinn Kelch, Quinn Rigg, Gabby Sauceda-Koziol, Quinn Simmons, Maiko Terazawa, and Kevin Webb.

Understudies are Jeffrey Gougis Jr., Emily Ling Mei, and Anna Seibert. Swings are Andrew Lund, Halli Morgan, Caitlin Preuss, and Jaxson Smith. The distinguished creative team for JEKYLL & HYDE, conceived for the stage by Steve Cuden & Frank Wildhorn and based on the story by Robert Louis Stevenson, features a book & lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and music by Frank Wildhorn, orchestrations by Kim Scharnberg, arrangements by Jason Howland, direction by Derek Van Barham, music direction by Nick Sula, and choreography by Brenda Didier.

ABOUT JEKYLL & HYDE Murder and chaos are pitted against love and virtue in this sweeping gothic musical. The epic struggle between good and evil comes to life on stage in the musical phenomenon, Jekyll & Hyde. Based on the classic story by Robert Louis Stevenson and featuring a thrilling score of pop rock hits from multi-Grammy-and Tony-nominated Frank Wildhorn and double-Oscar and Grammy-winning Leslie Bricusse, Jekyll & Hyde has mesmerized audiences the world over.
JEKYLL & HYDE is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.

TICKET INFORMATION
(as of 9/8/26, based on availability and subject to change): Individual tickets, priced from $45 to $110 with a select number of premium seats available for all performances, may be purchased at www.BroadwayInChicago.com or in person at any Broadway In Chicago venue box office. Additional fees apply for online purchases. For a frightfully good group night, discounted group rates for parties of 10 or more may be purchased by emailing GroupSales@BroadwayInChicago.com or calling 312-977-1710.
ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 26 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater Districtentertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, and, just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at WaterTower Place and presenting Broadway shows at The Auditorium.
ABOUT KOKANDY PRODUCTIONS
Founded in 2010, Kokandy Productions seeks to leverage the heightened reality of musical theatre to tell complex and challenging stories, with a focus on contributing to the development of Chicago-based musical theatre artists and raising the profile of Chicago's non-Equity musical theatre community.

The company's artistic staff is comprised of Derek Van Barham (Producing Artistic Director), Scot Kokandy (Executive Producer), Nicholas Reinhart (Associate Producer), and Adrian Abel Azevedo & Leda Hoffman (Artistic Associates). The Board of Directors includes Preston Cropp, Scot Kokandy, Danielle Sparklin, and Katie Svaicer.
JEKYLL & HYDE Performance Run: Now—October 25, 2026
JEKYLL & HYDE Extension Dates: October 27—November 8, 2026
www.kokandyproductions.com
Follow Kokandy Productions on
Facebook & Instagram
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(center) Joe Giovannetti and the cast of Kokandy Productions’

Jekyll & Hyde

THE CAST
David Moreland (Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Edward Hyde) is a carpenter and performer in the Chicagoland area. Recent onstage credits include Waitress (Paramount Theatre), Rock of Ages (Mercury Theater Chicago), Legally Blonde (Music Theater Works), Sunday in the Park with George, Rent (Porchlight Music Theater), American Psycho, Cruel Intentions (Kokandy Productions), Dear Jack, Dear Louise, Mousetrap (Metropolis Performing Arts). Thank you all for coming to the show, and special thanks to friends and family for all their continued support. Represented by Stewart Talent.
Ava Lane Stovall (Lucy Harris) is incredibly humbled and thrilled (see what she did there?) to be back home with Kokandy, where she made her Chicago debut last year inAlice by Heart. Other Chicago credits include New Faces Sing Broadway NOW!, ICONS Gala (’24 and ’25), Broadway in Your Backyard 2025 (Porchlight), Rock of Ages (Metropolis), and Legally Blonde (Music Theater Works). Select regional favorites: The Little Mermaid, Little Women, Mary Poppins, Much Ado About Nothing, and Jekyll & Hyde. She recently originated the role of Camilla Burlington in DKG’s murder mystery musical radioplay The Murder at Monroe Manor. Offstage, Ava is a passionate voice teacher (with the world’s loveliest students), an aspiring writer for stage and screen, a multi-instrumentalist, and a devoted aficionado of cheese-and-crackers. Each performance is for the people who shaped her, with a special dedication to her mother—the heart and soul behind every dream come true. Mom, I love you! Represented by TalentXAlexander. Instagram: @avalanestovall — let’s be friends!
Emily McCormick (Emma Carew) (she/her) could not be more excited to be making her Kokandy debut with such an amazing team! Originally from Cookeville, TN, Emily is a graduate of the University of Memphis theatre program. Chicago credits: Rock of Ages, A Christmas Carol (Metropolis). Other credits: The Sound of Music (Studio Tenn), Romeo and Juliet, Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Tennessee Shakespeare Company). So much love to her family and friends!
Jake Elkins (Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Edward Hyde alternate) is honored to be a part of Kokandy’s production of Jekyll and Hyde. Previous credits include Wizard of Oz (Metropolis Performing Arts Center), Loki: The End of the World Tour (Lifeline Theater), A Lie of the Mind (Raven Theater), Cats, Shrek the Musical (Music Theater Works), A Year With Frog and Toad, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Junie B Jones (Young People’s Theatre of Chicago), Passion, Sweet Charity (Blank Theater) Musical Parodies of Love Actually and “The Bachelor” (Right Angle Entertainment), Wizard of Oz, Grease (Marriott Theater), Mary Stuart and Wizard of Oz Chicago Shakespeare Theater). Love and thanks to friends, family, his beautiful fiancée Amanda, and to all of his educators and coaches. He would not be here without any of you. Proudly represented by Gray Talent Group.
Dani Pike (Alternate, Lucy Harris) is thrilled to be making her Kokandy debut with this incredibly talented group of folks. Favorite Chicago credits include “Emma” in Tell Me on a Sunday (Theo), “Sherrie” in Rock of Ages (Metropolis), “Fiona” in Shrek the Musical (MTW), “Casey” in First Date(Oil Lamp), and “Audrey” in Little Shop of Horrors (Citadel). A Houston native, Dani holds a BFA in acting with a directing minor from Oklahoma City University and is represented by TalentXAlexander. @DaniPike77 DaniPike.com
Nathan Calaranan (Sir Danvers Carew)is a Chicago-based actor who is so excited to make his Kokandy Productions debut in Jekyll & Hyde. His Chicago credits include A Doll’s House (u/s, Raven Theatre), Mary Stuart (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), and Sita Ram (Lookingglass Theatre). Nathan began performing at age seven with the Chicago Children’s Choir, appearing with artists such as Chance the Rapper, Kurt Elling, and Yo-Yo Ma, as well as with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He is so grateful to the cast, crew, and Kokandy Productions for welcoming him and giving him this amazing opportunity! He also wants to thank his family and Bridget for supporting him all these years as he returns to the stage!
Ismael García (Lord Savage) (They/He) is beyond thankful to be back and screaming at Kokandy! Company credits include Into the Woods, SpongeBob The Musical, Sweeney Todd. OTHER: Hedwig and the Angry Inch (“Yitzhak”, HAVEN), Sondheim Tribute Revue, Never Better, Threepenny, Diana (THEO). They are proud to be represented by GrayTalent Group. “Art is a luxury. Free those suffering at the hands of colonialism–tu lucha es la lucha de todos. Solidaridad para siempre.” Instagram: Operation.Isa
Joe Giovannetti (Gabriel John Utterson) Joe is excited to join the company of Jekyll and Hyde, after appearing in Kokandy’s productions of Amélie (Nino Quincampoix, Jeff Nomination for Supporting Performer) and Alice By Heart (Alfred). RavenTheatre/Goodman Theatre: Octet. Paramount Theatre: White Christmas, Cats. Theo: Sondheim Tribute Revue, The Full Monty, The Most Happy Fella (Jeff Nomination: Supporting Performer). Porchlight Music Theatre: Sunset Boulevard, A Chorus Line. Music Theatre Works: Guys and Dolls. Love to the family and Gray Talent Group. joe-giovannetti.com, @joegio.
Jon Parker Jackson (Bishop of Basingstoke) (He/They) is making his Kokandy debut. Recent credits include his Jeff Award winning supporting performance as Sam Byck and Ensemble in Assassins, as well as roles in Diana: The Musical, Godspell, and The Full Monty (Theo Unique). Other credits include Barney the Elf (The Other Theater Co.) and Bare: A Pop Opera (Refuge Theatre Co.) Represented by Shirley Hamilton Talent. @jonpjackson
Quinn Kelch (Simon Stride, Spider) (he/him) is excited to be back with Kokandy after appearing in the Jeff Award-winningAmerican Psycho. Other credits include Rock of Ages (MPAC); Dragons Love Tacos, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show (NTYA); Avenue Q (William Street Rep); The Steadfast Tin Soldier (Lookingglass Theatre Company); and Spring Awakening (Porchlight Music Theatre). Quinn is a dual-degree graduate of Northwestern University, an avid charcuterie enthusiast, and is represented by Big Mouth Talent.
Quinn Rigg (General Lord Glossop, Bisset) is a Jeff-nominated actor, musician, playwright and graduate of Columbia College Chicago’s Musical Theatre BFA program. Fresh upstairs fromAmélie, Quinn’s previous adventures with Kokandy include Alice by Heart, The Spongebob Musical, Sweeney Todd, and writing for the 2024 Chicago Musical Theatre Festival (Out of Focus, book/lyrics). Quinn is grateful to call this place and these people home. Additional credits include Marriott Theatre, Chicago Children’s Theatre, The Beautiful City Project, and Timber Lake Playhouse. When not performing, Quinn can be found collaborating with best friend and castmate Kelan M. Smith. @quinn._.stagram, qrigg.com
Gabby Sauceda-Koziol (Sir Archibold Proops)(She/her) is thrilled to be working with Kokandy again for Jekyll and Hyde! A recent CCPA graduate, majoring in musical theater, this is Gabby’s second production with Kokandy. Some of her credits include Mrs. Taylor/Rev. Hightower and many more in Bat Boy: The Musical (CCPA), Miss Gardner in Carrie the Musical (CCPA), and Little Red U/S at Kokandy last year. A big thanks to her family for always supporting her dream, and to the wonderful individuals in this production!
Quinn Simmons (Nellie, Poole) (they/he/she) is a Chicago-based musical theatre performer and choreographer. They most recently worked onAmélie (Kokandy) as the Associate Director/Choreographer. Other recent credits include 9 to5 and Rock of Ages (Metropolis, Associate Choreographer). Performance: Spring Awakening (Flint Rep), The SpongeBob Musical and American Psycho The Musical (Kokandy), You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown (Marriott), The Best LittleWhorehouse in Texas, Trans Voices Cabaret, and Godspell (Theo Ubique). Quinn is a proud Filipino-American, and a graduate of Chicago College of Performing Arts’ BFA Musical Theatre program. Huge thanks to my family, always. Mahal ko kayo! @quinnonstage
Maiko Terazawa (Lady Beaconsfield) is thrilled to be back with Kokandy! Credits include: Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd (replacements, Kokandy); Baked! The Musical (Theo Ubique); Avenue Q (u/s, Music Theatre Works); Blithe Spirit (Eclectic Full Contact Theatre); Mary Rose, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog, Nightmares & Nightcaps, Nevermore (Black Button Eyes); Christmas Dearest, Poseidon! An Upside Down Musical (Hell in a Handbag); Cabaret (Cowardly Scarecrow); Ruddigore (The Savoyaires); Diamond Lil, The Holiday Radio Show 1944 (Three Cat Productions); Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Pride Films & Plays).
Kevin Webb (Gabriel John Utterson) (he/him) has previously been seen with Kokandy in his Jeff Award-winning performance as the title role in Sweeney Todd and as The Baker in the Jeff Award-winning ensemble of Into the Woods. Chicago credits: Titanic the Musical (Marriott); The Secret Garden (Court); Sweeney Todd (Porchlight); The Killer–Jeff nom, Mother Courage and Her Children, The Pragmatists, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Trap Door); A Little Night Music–Jeff nom, Sweeney Todd (Theo Ubique); Mary Rose–Jeff nom, Shockheaded Peter, Coraline (Black Button Eyes); Marie Christine, Myths & Hymns (BoHo); The View Up Stairs (Circle); Songs froman Unmade Bed–Jeff nom, Design for Living, Angry F@gs (Pride Films & Plays); Assassins (The Viaduct); WOZ (Victory Gardens); The Pitchfork Disney (Interrobang); Stupid F*cking Bird (Sideshow). Kevin is also a proud ensemble member with Trap Door Theatre.
Jeffrey Gougis Jr (u/s Sir Danvers Carew, Gabriel John Utterson,) is a performer, singer and actor in Chicago. Jeff is super excited to step into his first show with Kokandy Productions. Jeff has recently worked with theatre companies such as Chicago Children’s Theatre, Pegasus Theater and City Lit Theatre. He has been a performer all his life, whether it was puppeteering for young audiences at the DuSable Museum, teaching and performing at the 99th Street Summer Theatre Festival, or singing with the University of Illinois’s Black Chorus. Jeff has a passion and love for the arts, especially music. While in grad school, he performed as a part of Durham University’s Northern Lights A Cappella Group, placing 3rd in the UKICCA final and performing in a sold-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Jeff is currently working on his first EP and is excited to explore more opportunities in musical theater.
Emily Ling Mei (u/s EmmaCarew) (she/her) is excited to return to Kokandy with this amazing team! Past Kokandy credits: Alice By Heart (Young Alice). Recent credits: Rock of Ages (Constance Sack) at Metropolis Performing Arts Center, Next to Normal (Natalie US) at Paramount Theatre, Annie at Encore Musical Theatre Company, Anything Goes (Chastity) at Porchlight Music Theatre, and R+H’s Cinderella (Ella) at The Barn Theatre. BFA MTD at CCPA. Repped byStewart Talent. Endless thanks to her family and friends! emilylingmei.com IG: @emily.lingmei
Anna Seibert (u/s LucyHarris) (she/her) is excited and scared to work with Derek Van Barham again, after previously appearing in Kokandy’s INTO THE WOODS and AMERICAN PSYCHO (Jeff awards for Best Production of a Musical and Best Ensemble). Previous credits: the inaugural PrideArts pantos, JACK OFF THE BEANSTALK and SLEEPING WITH BEAUTY; THE RIP NELSON HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR (Hell in a Handbag); HAIRSPRAY (Bonstelle Theatre); and Caroline Kidwell’s PENELOPE. She earned a BFA and a Certificate Of advanced actor training from Wayne State University and Moscow Art Theatre School, respectively. In high school, a friend told Anna she needed to learn Lucy’s songs. She is grateful for the prescient advice and would welcome any other clairvoyant warnings.
Andrew Lund (Swing) Kokandy: Amélie, Sweeney Todd, Loving Repeating, CMTF. Chicago: HAIR, Avenue Q, The Bardy Bunch (Mercury Theater Chicago); A Funny Thing... Forum, Double Trouble, Minnie’s Boys (Porchlight); The Nutcracker (The House); WHITE (Definition Theater); Little Shop, Avenue Q, Legally Blonde (Music Theater Works); Plano (First Floor Theater). Andrew is an emerging director, having lent a hand to projects including the Chicago Musical Theater Festival, Music Theater Works, Kokandy Productions, and (re)discover theater. Their micro-theater performance project One OnOne Chicago won Producer’s Choice at the Borderlight International Theater Festival with their work Anywhere But Here. Represented by Big Mouth Talent. www.andrew-lund.com
Halli Morgan (Swing) Halli is thrilled to be back at Kokandy and to be performing at the famous Broadway Playhouse! Other Kokandy credits include Into the Woods (Baker’s Wife/ Witch understudy) and Sunday in the Park with George (Nurse/OldLady understudy). She has also performed with Chicago Shakespeare Theatre (Peter Pan), Hell In A Handbag Productions (Poor People!), Blank Theatre Company (Passion, Merrily We Roll Along), and Music Theatre Works (Pirates of Penzance, How to Succeed). She would like to thank her husband Thomas for his endless support. Proudly represented by NV Talent.
Caitlin Preuss (Swing) is a Chicago based performer, director, & choreographer. She is thrilled to be making her Kokandy debut! Recent performance credits: A New Brain, [title of show] (PrideArts); Camp Rock (The Beautiful City Project); Who The #?!$ Are We, Opening Act (SmartAct); First Date (point2point). Founder: SmartActProductions. Teaching artist: Studio83 Dance Academy. Education: Carthage College MT & Directing. Thanks to my incredible friends and family for everything onstage and off! @caitlinpreuss_
Jaxson Smith (Swing) is a recent Chicago College of Performing Arts graduate with a BFA in Musical Theater (dance emphasis). He has been previously seen at Kokandy Productions in Cruel Intentions The ’90s Musical (Ensemble, Greg u/s). He is so grateful to be working with this dream team and the best actors in the city. It is a privilege to create art. Jaxson would like to give a shout-out to his family for always showing him love and support. Insta: @jaxsonwesleysmith
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Brenda Didier (Choreography)Ms. Didier is a freelance director and choreographer based in Chicago. CHICAGO: ChicagoShakespeare Theatre, The Goodman, Marriott, Paramount, Porchlight Music Theatre, Royal George Theatre, Theatre at the Center, Theatre Wit, Mercury Theater, Second City, Theo Ubique, Kokandy, Victory Gardens, City Lit, and many others. Tour: The Kenny Rogers Christmas Tour and Cirque Shanghai at Navy Pier’s Skyline Stage, with engagements at the Tropicana Resort in Atlantic City, Harrah’s in Las Vegas and The New Victory Theatre in New York’sBroadway District. Ms. Didier made her TV choreography debut with T-Mobile’s national commercial “Home for the Holidays”. She is a multiple Jeff Award recipient in both Direction and Choreography (Equity and Non-Equity wing), proud recipient of the Guy Adkins Award and Artistic Director/Founder of the Lincolnshire Academy of Dance, now in its 28th Season.
Derek Van Barham (Director) is the Producing Artistic Director of Kokandy Productions. Directing credits include Children of Eden in Concert (Broadway In Chicago), Jekyll & Hyde (BIC/Kokandy), Amélie, Into the Woods, Alice by Heart, Sweeney Todd, American Psycho, Head Over Heels (4 Jeff Awards and 3 Jeff nominations, Kokandy); Spring Awakening (FlintRep); Rock of Ages (Metropolis); The View Upstairs (Circle Theatre); Miracle by Dan Savage, Poseidon (Hell in a Handbag) Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, Carrie, Bat Boy, Merrily We Roll Along (CCPA/Roosevelt University). Choreography credits include Evil Dead (Jeff nomination), Coraline the Musical, Ghost Quartet and Shockheaded Peter (Black Button Eyes). He was previously named one of Windy City Times’ 30 Under 30, and one of Newcity Magazine’s 50 Players 2024 and 2026. MFA: CCPA/Roosevelt University. IG: @dvbarham
Nick Sula (Music Direction). Nick is an award-winning music director and pianist, proud to continue with Kokandy Productions’ Jekyll & HydeforitsBroadway In Chicagotransferengagementat the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place! Recent productions include music director for Sunday in the Park with George with Kokandy Productions, Octet with Raven Theatre and Goodman Theatre, Jekyll & Hyde with Kokandy Productions (Jeff Award for Outstanding Music Direction) at Chopin Theatre, Into the Woods (Jeff Awards for Outstanding Music Direction and Orchestration), Sweeney Todd (Jeff Award for Outstanding Music Direction), and the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival. Other Chicago theatre musicdirection creditsincludeAnything Goes (Jeff nomination) with Porchlight Music Theatre; Dave Malloy’s Ghost Quartet(Jeff nomination), Mary Rose, Nevermore, Amour, and Coral with Black Button Eyes Productions; Myths & Hymns, The Glorious Ones (Jeff nomination), Hello Again, La Cage aux Folles, and Pippin with BoHo Theatre. As a professor of musical theatre, he serves as a music director, instructor, and vocal coach at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.

(center) David Moreland and the cast of Kokandy Productions’

Jekyll & Hyde

As You Wish! THE PRINCESS BRIDE to have Pre-Broadway World Premiere in Chicago

2026-09-16T09:54:47.915-05:00

Chi, IL Live Shows on our radar:

PRE-BROADWAY WORLD PREMIERE

The Princess Bride
AT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO’S
JAMES M. NEDERLANDER THEATRE
JULY 19 – AUGUST 22, 2027

THE PRINCESS BRIDE is one of my favorite movies of all time and I can't tell you how excited I am to see it come to the stage! And like so many other epic pre-Broadway premieres, Chicago gets to see it first. Critics are already playing games on social media to name the possible songs. Throw your song ideas in the comments and save the dates. Group tickets are on sale now and individual tickets go on sale at a later date.

Producer Jeffrey Seller and Broadway In Chicago have announced the world-premiere of the new musical THE PRINCESS BRIDE will begin performances in Chicago next summer at the James M. Nederlander Theatre, from July 19-August 22, 2027.

A miraculous blend of sword fights and satire, absurd fun and true romance, THE PRINCESS BRIDE has been both a beloved novel and celebrated film. Now, as you wish, it comes to enchanting life as a Broadway musical.

Like many timeless stories, this one asks the eternal question: Why does life have to be so complicated?

Journey to Florin, where a sweet-natured giant, a six-fingered (well technically 11-fingered) scoundrel, a vengeance-obsessed Spaniard, and an overconfident meanie all conspire to make things incredibly difficult for two young lovers just trying to live happily ever after. Prepare to die laughing and fall in love all at the same time, all over again.

The creative team features a book by Tony Award winner Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone) and Tony-nominated Rick Elice (Jersey Boys), music and lyrics by Oscar-winning composers Kristen Anderson-Lopez (Frozen) and EGOT winner Robert Lopez(Frozen, The Book of Mormon), direction by Tony Award winner Alex Timbers (Moulin Rouge!) and choreography by Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler (Hamilton, In the Heights).

Producer Jeffrey Seller is one of the most successful American producers of our time. He produced the Tony Award–winning musicals Rent, Avenue Q, In the Heights, and Hamilton. His shows have garnered twenty-two Tony Awards, including four for Best Musical. Jeffrey is the only producer to have mounted two Pulitzer Prize–winning musicals—Hamilton and Rent. He also revolutionized theater accessibility with the $20 ticket lottery for Rent, making theater affordable for all.

The Princess Bride is based on the novel and Motion Picture written by William Goldman and the Motion Picture executive produced by Norman Lear and directed by Rob Reiner.

TICKET INFORMATION
THE PRINCESS BRIDE will be part of the next Broadway In Chicago season, on sale next month. Group tickets for 10 or more are on sale now by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or by emailing GroupSales@BroadwayInChicago.com. Individual tickets will go on sale at a later date. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 26 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at The Auditorium.

For more information and tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

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REVIEW: Lifeline Theatre's A Wrinkle in Time Now Playing Through October 18, 2026

2026-09-15T11:07:29.537-05:00

Chi, IL Live Shows on our Radar:

A Stellar Celebration of The Neurodivergent

Lifeline Theatre Presents

A WRINKLE IN TIME

based on the novel by Madeleine L’Engle

Recommended for ages 7+

Pictured: Sam Hook, Rohan Link-Francisco, Manali Sunkara, Victoria Cruz, Amanda Link, Jordan Gleaves, Cami Stuckert

REVIEW

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

Sometimes cosmic things happen in small spaces. Last night we entered Lifeline Theatre's space to see a stark stage with a shimmering curtain, a large half arch, and a raised platform with overlapping circles. In the row in front of us a little girl with a huge grin bounced in her seat next to a bouquet of flowers, her excitement palpable. I asked if she knew someone in the cast and she replied "My mom and my brother!" The child happily told us she got to voice a puppet in the 2nd act, too! She had every reason to be proud. Amanda Link and Rohan Link-Francisco put on an incredible performance, as did the entire cast. Rohan, who plays Charles Wallace, was a particular standout.

Pictured: Sam Hook, Amanda Link, Rohan Link-Francisco, Manali Sunkara

Photo Credit for all: Josh Bernaski

Manali Sunkara (Meg), Sam Hook (Calvin) also put on a stellar performance. We adored Amanda Link (Whatsit), Cami Stuckert (Who), Jordan Gleaves (Which), who beautifully embodied Madeleine L’Engle's benevolent aliens.

This adaptation is delightfully nerdy and a stellar celebration of the neurodivergent. It's full of harrowing, off world sci-fi adventures, and seemless quotes from Earth's best and brightest. It's also a great reminder that our differences make us better, and that creativity, kindness, intelligence should be celebrated.

It's a lovely example of bravery in the face of bullying and evil. We live in a time when mass surveillance, ICE agents, AI, and attacks on DEI, education, and science itself bring us ever closer to becoming like the dark planet Camazotz, with conformity violently enforced by an evil overlord "IT". A Wrinkle in Time was written in 1962, won the 1963 Newbery Medal, and is a frequently challenged book that still faces book bans in various schools and libraries. The intervening decades have just increased the need for L’Engle's message. We loved Lifeline Theatre's all too timely adaptation. Don't miss this!

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar: Highly recommended. ★★★★ Four out of four stars.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle was a top favorite of mine as a child and the concept of shortcut time travel from point A to B, like bending a string, was a mind-blowing delight. I eagerly devoured the whole series! Lifeline's adaptation is an excellent representation of the book. They use body language and simple lighting techniques like strobe lights and blackouts to suggest time travel, and keep the focus on excellent storytelling, rather than special effects.

Why Is This Book Banned?: Some have made false accusations of anti-Christianity or encouraging witchcraft for the use of crystal balls, and "New Age" themes in the world building. Jesus is also mentioned in conjunction with historical figures like Gandhi, Buddha, and Einstein as fighters against darkness, which some find objectionable as he's not elevated over the others.

Why Lifeline's Age 7+ Recommendation? Thematic Elements: The story deals with high stakes, a missing father, and a dark, menacing cosmic force ("IT"), which may feel a bit intense or scary for very young children. Staging: The production features imaginative space-age lighting, special effects, and stylized puppetry designed to bring the multidimensional journey to life safely and engagingly for elementary school-aged kids and older.

ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List: Fabulous, family friendly fun. Though this season opener is a Lifeline Mainstage, not KidSeries production, it's a great opportunity for creating multigenerational theatre memories, and sparking interesting discussions. We find it a fantastic production, with a multicultural cast, and excellent messaging.

A Wrinkle in Time

Based on the novel by Madeleine L’Engle
Adapted by ensemble member James Sie
Directed by ensemble member Heather Currie

Lifeline Theatre's season opening production, A Wrinkle in Time, is based on the novel by Madeleine L’Engle, adapted by ensemble member James Sie, directed by ensemble member Heather Currie, running September 11 – October 18, 2026 (previews September 11, 12, 13) at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

Ever since her father vanished under mysterious circumstances, Meg Murray’s life has been spiraling out of control. But one dark and stormy night, Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which appear with a promise to help rescue him from the monstrous darkness that threatens the universe. Join Meg, her brother Charles Wallace, their pal Calvin, and a host of extraterrestrial friends and foes as they journey into the heart of a terrible evil in the hope of reuniting a fragmented family.

"This story seems to me more relevant than ever. In a moment when anger, outrage, and fear have become the dominant voices; when differences are to be reviled, not celebrated; when conformity has become mandated both by government and social media forces and AI cuts off human connection entirely; during this moment it’s so vitally important for each of us to become individual stars piercing the darkness, and to do it with love," said adaptor James Sie.

"This book was formative for me. It has always been a safe place that encouraged me to be myself and know that there was love all around me. What a privilege to get to explore this story on stage!" said director Heather Currie.

The production features Manali Sunkara (Meg), Rohan Link Francisco (Charles Wallace), Sam Hook (Calvin), Amanda Link (Whatsit), Cami Stuckert (Who), Jordan Gleaves (Which), Victoria Cruz (Mother), Brian Tochterman (Father). Understudies are Leslie Huang, Diego Rivera-Rodriguez, Havalah Grace, Hillary P. Barry, and Justin P. Banks.

The production team includes Heather Currie (Director), James Sie (Adaptor), Lindsay Mummert (Scenic Designer), Sam Lancaster (Props Designer), Sarah Riffle (Lighting Designer), Jazmin Aurora Medina (Costume Designer), Joe Griffin (Sound Designer), Saskia Bakker (Puppet Designer), Felicia Niebel (Choreographer), Devin Meseke (Production Manager), Bec Dose (Stage Manager), Harrison Ornelas (Technical Director) and Avery Spellmeyer (Lighting Supervisor).

Click here for tickets and more information at Lifeline Theatre's main site: A WRINKLE IN TIME

About Lifeline Theatre

Lifeline Theatre explores, interprets, and reimagines books and other literary works to create stories that move us beyond the margins of our own lives.

Founded in 1982, Lifeline is known for staging innovative adaptations of great works of fiction as well as commissioning original work. In 1987, Lifeline added KidSeries plays for children and families, and has been producing full seasons of programming for both adults and children ever since. For more than four decades and over two hundred productions, Lifeline Theatre has made an indelible mark on the Chicago theater scene and an invaluable contribution to the theater world at large. Lifeline’s dedicated artistic ensemble has developed more than one hundred and forty world premiere literary adaptations and original plays, many of which have had a life beyond their Lifeline premieres, with productions across the United States, Canada, and abroad. Several scripts developed at Lifeline Theatre have gone on to national tours, and more than a dozen have been published. Lifeline Theatre has garnered dozens of Jeff Awards, including numerous awards for New Adaptation, New Musical, or New Work.

Lifeline Theatre is located at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood. Lifeline is accessible by CTA - Red Line Morse stop/buses. Street parking is also available. Lifeline is accessible to wheelchair users and visitors who need to avoid stairs.

Lifeline Theatre’s programs are partially supported by the Illinois Arts Council Agency; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; The Shubert Foundation; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; Polk Brothers Foundation; S&C Electric Company Fund; McMaster-Carr Supply Company; and the annual support of businesses and individuals.

REVIEW: Oil Lamp Theater's I LOVE YOU BECAUSE Now Playing Through September 13, 2026

2026-09-03T14:10:00.000-05:00

Dating Life Underperforming? This Pride & Prejudice Inspired Rom-Com IRL Does Not Disappoint.

ChiIL Live Shows on our Radar:

Oil Lamp Theater's

I LOVE YOU BECAUSE
Now Playing Through September 13
The total running time, with intermission, is two hours and 10 minutes.

REVIEW

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

Although I've been happily married for 26 years and with the same guy for 31, the majority of my friends are single, so I'm still privy to the horrors of the cesspool... Erm, I mean the dating pool. I Love You Because is a fun Girls Nite Out show or even a great date night conversation starter. Commiserate, empathize, and enjoy. ChiIL Live Shows on Our Radar. Recommended. Three out of four stars. ★★★

Love Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice or are Rom-Coms more your jam? This live stage Rom-Com loosely inspired by Austen's iconic work does not disappoint. Other people's love lives or lack thereof can be prime comedic gold. Hope springs eternal, love is timeless, and disappointing dates are universal. That's why Jane Austen’s legendary romance novel, Pride and Prejudice, still resonates today, and so does I Love You Because.

All production photos by Gosia Matuszewska/Gosia Photography

Shout out to the props and set design teams. This intimate space is chock full of colorful cubicles full of interesting tchotchkes. And clever logos light up to cue the audience in to different New York watering holes, coffee shops and restaurants, without complicated set changes.

I Love You Because is a lighthearted, playful, laugh out loud delight and worth the trek out to Glenview. We enjoyed watching the leads' romances through the eyes of the bartenders and baristas who spend their workdays immersed in the psychology of it all.

We're routing for the young lovers, despite their differences. Though major differences in spontaneity, and organizational styles are the stuff that keep marriage councilors in demand. I wanted to tell these characters what I told my own twenty something children. If you're getting serious with someone, road trip with them, and you'll find out fast if you're long term compatible. I'm not so sure these couples would pass the trip test, but the show is entertaining nonetheless. And the old trope "Opposites Attract" is a timeless truism.

Pros: Well cast with lots of Northwestern University alums and Chicago actors just starting their professional careers.

Complimentary chocolate chip cookies baked by Misericordia.

The front of house staff is amazing, especially with patrons with mobility issues.

Fully stocked bar with fun show tie-in drinks.

Street parking is free and usually plentiful. If street spots are all taken, you can still park for free in the bank lot, a short walk away. Check Oil Lamp's site for parking tips.

Cons: If you attend a matinee, expect dog barking to bleed through into the performance space from the business next door. It's not so apparent for this show as the music is loud and plentiful.

Sight-lines can be a challenge and the seats are close together without cup holders so it's not the most comfortable space. On the upside, they're working on renovating a better space, so chip in to their building fund if you can.

I Love You Because is now playing at Oil Lamp Theater through September 13th so catch it while you can. Book and lyrics by Ryan Cunningham, music by Joshua Salzman and orchestrations by Larry Hochman, directed by Scott Shallenbarger and music directed by Aaron Kahn. Great for all ages, and a fun multigenerational pick.

OIL LAMP THEATER'S

I LOVE YOU BECAUSE

NOW PLAYING THROUGH SEPTEMBER 13th

DIRECTED BY SCOTT SHALLENBARGER AND MUSIC DIRECTED BY AARON KAHN

The Contemporary Musical About Modern Dating, Based on Jane Austen’s Classic Novel “Pride and Prejudice” Comes to Oil Lamp this Summer

Oil Lamp Theater is proud to bring I Love You Because to audiences through September 13th. Book and lyrics by Ryan Cunningham, music by Joshua Salzman and orchestrations by Larry Hochman. Directed by Scott Shallenbarger with music directed by Aaron Kahn, at Oil Lamp Theater, 1723 Glenview Road.

The performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional Wednesday performances Wednesday, Aug. 19 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday Aug. 26 at 7:30 p.m. (Understudy Performance); Wednesday, Sept. 2 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Wednesday Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $30 for previews and $55 for the run at OilLampTheater.org.

Modern dating is a mess. Sometimes to find Mr. Right you need to find Mr. Wrong – even if that means seeing someone stuck on their ex, awkward encounters of the intimate kind and lots of bad coffee dates. Opposites attract in this feel-good musical that will transport you into the heart of your favorite guilty pleasure rom-com. Created by acclaimed musical team Ryan Cunningham and Joshua Salzman and inspired by Jane Austen’s gold-standard romance novel “Pride and Prejudice,” this delightful modern musical will make you fall head over heels.

The cast of I Love You Because includes Aiden McCoy (any with respect, Austin Bennet); Maxwell J DeTogne (any with respect, Jeff Bennet); Hannah Kipp (she/her, Marcy Fitzwilliams); Kristin Brintnall (she/her, Diana Bingley); Daria Koon (she/they, NYC Woman); Tommy Rothwells (he/him, NYC Man); Freddy Mauricio (he/him, Austin Bennet U/S); Nic Eastlund (he/him, Jeff Bennet U/S); Kaitie Bonds (she/her, Marcy Fitzwilliams U/S); Dominique Ruffalo (she/her, Diana Bingley U/S); Nikki Holladay (she/her, NYC Woman U/S) and Joe Dennis (he/him, NYC Man U/S).

The production team includes Scott Shallenbarger (he/him, director); Aaron Kahn (he/him, music director/accompanist); Bob Knuth (he/him, scenic designer); Devin Meseke (he/him, properties designer); Maya Reter (she/her, sound designer); Sara Segneri (she/her, stage manager); Danielle Reinhardt (she/her, costume designer); Conner Nicoson (they/them, technical director); Connor Windle (she/her, production manager) and Rose Leisner (she/her, company manager).

ABOUT SCOTT SHALLENBARGER, DIRECTOR

Scott Shallenbarger makes his Oil Lamp debut with I Love You Because. Representative credits include Miracle on South Division Street, I And You, Baby the Musical (Citadel Theatre); Les Miserables (Uptown Music Theatre Company); The Glass Menagerie, Six Degrees of Separation, The Road to Mecca, Hot L Baltimore, The Children’s Crusade (Raven Theatre); Jeffrey and Love, Valor, Compassion (Hubris Productions) and Skyscraper (Piven Theatre). Shallenbarger is a published playwright and teaching artist who would like to thank you, dear audience, for attending live theatre.

ABOUT AARON KAHN, MUSIC DIRECTOR

Aaron Kahn is thrilled to be returning to Oil Lamp after previously working on the productions of It’s A Wonderful Life: A Radio Play and The Marvelous Wonderettes. Kahn is also a private voice teacher at the Christopher Laughlin School of Music in Northbrook and is a staff accompanist at Carthage College. Other favorite music and assistant music direction credits include: Fugitive Songs (Stagedoor Manor); Mel Brooks’ The Producers (Music Theater Works); A Little Night Music (Theo Ubique) and Spring Awakening (4 Chairs Theatre).

MORE FROM FROM OIL LAMP THEATER

Dial M For Murder
October 2 – November 1, 2026

Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the original play by Frederick Knott
Directed by Daniel King

Preview Performances: Friday, Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 3 at 3 p.m.
Opening Night: Saturday, Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m.

Performance schedule: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional Wednesday performances Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday Oct. 14 at 7:30 p.m. (Understudy Performance); Wednesday Oct. 21 at 11:00 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Alfred Hitchcock’s adored, chilling thriller gets a modern twist that no one will see coming. A murderous misstep begins a high-stakes hunt for the real criminal as time is quickly running out. This captivating, heart-racing play leaves audiences on the edge of their seats while the mystery of the year unravels before their eyes. Will the clues unlock the right person, or will an innocent victim pay the price? The suspense is to die for…

It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play
November 20 - December 27, 2026

Adapted by Joe Landry
Directed by Becca Holloway

Preview Performances: Friday, Nov. 20 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 21 at 3 p.m.
Opening Night: Saturday, Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m.

Performance schedule: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional Wednesday performances Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m. (Understudy Performance); Wednesday Dec. 16 at 11:00 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Wednesday, Dec. 23 at 7:30 p.m.

The holiday tradition returns for its 13th year. Audiences may experience unmatched holiday cheer with Frank Capra's beloved classic, “It's a Wonderful Life,” reimagined as a captivating live radio play, complete with foley sound effects and set in our own WBFR radio studio.

Journey to Bedford Falls, where George Bailey's troubles lead him to wish he was never born. Clarence, an angel sent to intervene, steps in to make his wishes come true and George quickly learns just how many lives he has touched and just how blessed he really is.

*All productions, dates, creatives, etc. are subject to change.

All production photos by Gosia Matuszewska/Gosia Photography

ABOUT OIL LAMP THEATER

Oil Lamp Theater is a professional nonprofit performing arts organization in Glenview, Illinois, welcoming over 10,000 patrons annually from more than 225 communities—41% from Glenview and others from across the North Shore and Chicago. Since establishing its intimate 60-seat home in downtown Glenview in 2012, Oil Lamp has grown into a cultural beacon, earning recognition as “Best Live Theatre in the North Shore” for four consecutive years.

With more than 70 productions to date, Oil Lamp is known for its dynamic Mainstage season, special events and its resilience during the pandemic, when it innovated with drive-in performances and outdoor productions. Today, the theatre continues to foster connection, broaden horizons and illuminate the human condition through professional theater and year-round programming.

In addition to its productions, Oil Lamp Theater operates Oil Lamp Academy, its education branch dedicated to “Training for Life Through the Performing Arts.” In 2025 alone, the program served more than 230 students ages three to 97 years old, offering classes that use theater as a pathway to build confidence, creativity and lifelong skills.

This past September, Oil Lamp launched Light The Way, a transformative fundraising campaign designed to expand arts education, strengthen essential staff and establish a larger performance venue with the goal of staying in downtown Glenview. Building on its roots as a scrappy storefront, Oil Lamp is evolving into a more robust organization—without losing the intimacy and warmth that define its theater experience. Oil LampTheater hopes this announcement inspires excitement throughout the community. Stay tuned as additional news is shared in the near future. For information or to support the campaign go to OilLampTheater.org/Light-the-Way or reach out to Oil Lamp at light-the-way@oillamptheater.org.

Psych-Rock Band Elephant Stone to Play Chicago's Sleeping Village September 22, 2026

2026-08-21T15:57:00.000-05:00

Chi, IL Live Shows on our Radar:

North American and European Tour Dates Announced

in Support of Elephant Stone's Latest Album

ASHA

Photo Credit: Bowen Stead

Psych-rock band, Elephant Stone, will be coming through Chicago at Sleeping Village on September 22, in celebration of their new album ASHA (out August 28.) I'll be shooting a photo feature and covering their Chicago gig for ChiIL Live Shows. Check 'em out!

With a discography spanning 10 acclaimed releases, Elephant Stone continues to push the psych-rock genre into exhilarating new territory, transforming their kaleidoscopic sound into a thrilling, full-bodied experience that you don't want to miss seeing live.

“‘I Got a Pill’ maintains the band’s deepest psychedelic instincts

while stretching their sound into the realm of radio-ready rock
embellished with sitar, tabla, and Hammond organ.” - FLOOD Magazine

NA tour poster, Credit: Jon Carling

Tour Dates:
Sept 15 Burlington, VT @ Foam Brewers
Sept 16 Rochester, NY @ Bug Jar
Sept 17 Troy, NY @ No Fun
Sept 18 New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
Sept 19 Washington, DC @ Comet Ping Pong
Sept 20 State College, PA @ Manny's
Sept 22 Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village
Sept 23 Detroit, MI @ Outer Limits
Sept 24 Toronto, ON @ Second Summer Festival
Oct 1 Montreal, QC @ Bar le Ritz
Nov 2 Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
Nov 4 Paris, FR @ Le Chinois
Nov 16 London, UK @ MOTH Club

“Elephant Stone’s Rishi Dhir [has] made a career out of channeling personal

and collective upheaval into expansive psych rock, sitar in hand.” - Magnet Magazine

Elephant Stone
Share "I Got A Pill”
Single + Video

ASHA LP Out August 28

ASHA Tracklist:
1. Here Comes The Rising Sun
2. Everything Evil
3. Fascists Killed Yer Rock 'N' Roll
4. I Got A Pill
5. Broken Arrow
6. A Beautiful Fate
7. Parallel And Contrary Motion
8. Sleepwalking In Prague
9. Spirit, Take Me Away (feat. Amy Millan)

“A hypnotic blend of psych-rock and pop, Elephant Stone’s music is

both enchanting and haunting.” - Rolling Stone

Montreal’s Elephant Stone unveiled their new single “I Got A Pill,” the latest preview of their upcoming album ASHA, arriving August 28. First premiered via FLOOD Magazine, "I Got A Pill" continues where previous single "Fascists Killed Yer Rock 'N' Roll" left off. Same rot, different angle.

Frontman Rishi Dhir explains, "It's about demagogues, the populist playbook. Leaders who feed on people's fear and offer an easy fix. The pill. Take it and your problems go away. Except it doesn't work like that. It's control dressed up as relief.”

"Elephant Stone deftly melds Indian classical music with modern psych-rock,

creating a unique and immersive experience.” - NPR

Directed by Adam Traynor and featuring handcrafted puppets by Diablo Puppets, the accompanying video embodies the song’s false promise of escape, inviting viewers into a surreal puppet world. Handmade and a little unhinged, characters Futzy, Radis, and Mascot lure the audience even deeper into the hypnotic, technicolor dreamscape, blurring the lines between comfort and control.

Adam Traynor says, "The lyrics to 'I Got A Pill' woo and warn all at once. I wanted to put the sweetness of that voice into the mouth of a Tony the Tiger-type mascot with a special breakfast gift for kids that would be sure to kick off a trip into a sugary Wonderland, a cardboard Oz, an awe-inducing game-world of artificial colours, a Dark Crystal quest for power, a Soylent Green feeding frenzy."

“I Got A Pill”: Listen / Watch

"I Got A Pill" comes off ASHA, Elephant Stone's 10th studio release via Elephants On Parade. Named after the late mother of frontman Rishi Dhir – Asha means "Hope" in Sanskrit – the album is a meditation on grief, hope, and the friction between sorrow and the darkness of these times. Limited edition signed and hand-numbered vinyl is available for pre-order now via Little Cloud Records.

At the heart of Montreal’s Elephant Stone is Rishi Dhir, a songwriter and sitarist who has spent twenty years blurring the lines between Western psych-pop and Indian classical tradition. What began in 2006 as a quest for transcendental sound has evolved into a singular, self-contained vision. Operating out of his Montreal home studio, Sacred Sounds, Dhir has emerged as a true studio auteur – producing, engineering, and mixing the band’s increasingly complex and cinematic output.

"Their music is an alluring fusion of traditional Indian sounds and contemporary rock

sensibilities – a true sonic adventure." - BrooklynVegan

While the band’s reputation was built on airtight pop craftsmanship and spiritual exploration, their recent work – anchored by longtime members Miles Dupire, Robbie MacArthur, and Jason Kent – possesses a new, raw intensity. It is a sound forged through Dhir’s deep collaborative history with icons like The Black Angels, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, and Beck, as well as his role in the psych-supergroup MIEN.

With a discography spanning 10 acclaimed releases, Elephant Stone remains at the forefront of the modern movement, constantly deconstructing the past to find something visceral, haunting, and undeniably human in the present.

In support of their new album, Elephant Stone have also announced new tour dates across Europe this fall, going on sale this Friday, July 17. The band will also be embarking on a North American tour kicking off in September. Dates and tickets for all shows are available here.

EU tour poster, Credit: Jon Carling

Follow Elephant Stone:
Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
Spotify | TikTok | Substack

REVIEW & PHOTO FEATURE: The Crane Wives at Chicago's Park West August 18, 2026

2026-08-20T22:23:00.730-05:00

Chi, IL Live Shows on our Radar:

The Crane Wives

With Direct Support by Brye

Play Chicago's Park West on August 18, 2026

All Show Photos by Dugan Kenaz-Mara

GUEST REVIEW

By Dugan Kenaz-Mara

On August 18th the Crane Wives made one of the last stops on their Act III tour, once again gracing Chicago with their presence. Spanning the month of August, their tour has 3 stops left. And if you’re quick, you can still catch their final show in Indianapolis on the 22nd.

The concert started with special guest Brye, a solo artist who grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. Her beautiful music captured the audience and took us on a journey exploring themes of body positivity, queerness, and mental health. During the set we also got to learn about the hardships that she had recently experienced. About a week before the show the trailer with all of her merch and instruments was stolen, and then later found empty. Luckily the Crane Wives were able to lend her a guitar for the end of the tour and she was available in the lobby after the show to take polaroids with fans in lieu of missing merchandise.

When her set finished, we had a short interlude for the bands to switch over. To my delight, the Crane Wives continued their mysterious pre-show tradition. We watched as the “Mysterious Deer Man” emerged through the haze into the blue stage lights. Walking through the cattail cutouts to place lanterns down, creating the whimsical atmosphere on stage. But this time he wasn’t alone. A second deer appeared and chased the first one, Benny Hill-style, around the stage, before composing himself and leaving the stage so the band could begin. It was a hilarious and unexpected twist that the onlookers thoroughly enjoyed.

The past 2 years I have covered The Crane Wives when they stopped in Chicago, and like both times before, this concert was a blast to attend! The band always delivers a high-energy show that’s perfect for letting out all of your big emotions. They even encourage the audience to sing, clap, and dance along, inviting everyone in attendance to build up the lively atmosphere their shows are known for.

I also found this performance at Park West highly engaging compared to previous shows. The band was fairly close to the audience thanks to having no pit area, so Kate Pillsbury (guitar/vocals) commented about trying not to look people in the eyes. During the encore she also asked if we were more "The Hand That Feeds" or "Steady, Steady" people, letting us vote. Luckily the vote was split and we got both songs as a treat.

Which brings me my main takeaway from the night: the Crane Wives are particularly kind. The more intimate site really highlighted all of the things they did to make their performance special for us, and for those they work with. They introduced Brye at the start, encouraging us to give her as much love as we would give them. They lent her the guitar and promoted her merch. They shouted out their crew members by name as well as their tour manager who books their locations. And when they left the stage at the end of the night, they made heart hands to the audience which were returned in kind.

The last time the Crane Wives performed in Chicago, they were promoting their most recent album and played 6 songs from it. This time, the audience was treated to a fairly even mix of newer and older songs from almost all of their albums. This setlist featured the most songs from Coyote Stories and Foxlore, their hit 2015 and 2016 albums, then wove in a few songs each from The Fool in Her Wedding Dress (2012), Here I am (2020), and Beyond Beyond Beyond (2024).

The full set list is below:

Brye:

Lemons
Apples
My Body’s My Buddy
Little Things
Not a Baby
Jenna
Diet Culture

Crane Wives:

Queen of Nothing

Icarus

Arcturus Beaming

The Well

Allies or Enemies

Never Love an Anchor

Turn Out the Lights

Take Me to War

Pretty Little Things

The Moon Will Sing

Black Hole Fantasy

Nobody

Sleeping Giants

Curses

The Garden

The Hand That Feeds

Steady Steady

Tongues & Teeth

Dugan Kenaz-Mara is a Chicago based designer, photographer, educator, and graduate of Northwestern University's theatre program.

All Show Photos by Dugan Kenaz-Mara
The Crane Wives
"The Crane Wives charmed us again with its harmony-laced folk-rock…polished sound and dynamic energy…proves just how much fun the band is having with its music.” - NPR

"The Crane Wives are a four-piece band that have an uncanny ability
at crafting goose-bump inducing three-part harmonies.” - No Depression

"They’re an impeccable band with incredibly tight instrumentation and harmonies that, paired with an inclination for catchy hooks and scintillating lyricism, make a strong case for their burgeoning popularity.” - For Folk’s Sake

"Harnessing a sense of emotional honesty, guttural lyrics are backed by twangy guitar and steady drum beats" - NYS Music

The Crane Wives
highly anticipated US tour.
Kicking off on April 14, The Crane Wives will bring their dynamic live show to stages nationwide, delighting audiences in cities including Los Angeles, Portland, Houston, Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, and beyond.
The band has also announced new tour dates this August, hitting cities across Colorado, as well as Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and beyond.
Tour dates and tickets for all shows are on sale now and available here.
Born of the 2010’s folk boom and now comfortably stationed in their rock and roll era, Grand Rapids’ The Crane Wives epitomize the evolving landscape of indie folk. Their high-energy performances have been described as “charged with emotion and technical skill” (Blurred Culture), while their harmony-dense melodies support deeply resonant lyrics, exploring the vulnerable and the ugly sides of the human condition. The band has built a global community and has amassed over 1m Spotify monthly listeners and 150m total streams with their unparalleled, spirited live show, evocative lyricism and glimmering harmonies.
Featured by Michigan Radio and NPR’s All Songs Considered, the band’s sixth full-length studio record Beyond Beyond Beyond received high praise, with Glasse Factory calling the album “a testament to the band’s ability to turn personal struggles into universally relatable anthems." Niner Times describes the album as “angsty, haunting and gritty,” praising its departure from the more traditional folk sound of The Crane Wives’ previous records. Since its release in September 2024, Beyond Beyond Beyond has accrued over 7 million streams on Spotify.
The pulse of The Crane Wives is delivered by Ben Zito (bass) and Dan Rickabus (drums), creating a driving, dynamic backdrop while co-leads Emilee Petersmark and Kate Pillsbury establish expansive and gritty conversations between their electric guitars. A web of three-part harmony helps to soften the blow of their emotional candor, like a 21st century Cerberus, the hound of Hades reimagined as an emotional support animal.
The Crane Wives have 6 full-length albums under their belts and have performed over 600 shows across the US, sharing stages with acts such as The Avett Brothers, Lake Street Dive, Rusted Root, The Dead South, Joseph, and many more.

US August Tour Dates:
August 5 Crested Butte, CO @ Mt. Crested Butte
August 7 Fort Collins, CO @ Washington’s
August 8 Colorado Springs, CO @ Black Sheep
August 10 Dillon, CO @ Dillon Amphitheater
August 12 Omaha, NE @ The Admiral Theater
August 13 Des Moines, IA @ Wooly’s
August 14 Sioux Falls, MD @ The District
August 15 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
August 16 Madison, WI @ The Sylvee
August 18 Chicago, IL @ Park West
August 20 Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note
August 21 St. Louis, MO @ The Sovereign
August 22 Indianapolis, IN @ Nickel Plate District Amphitheater

Follow The Crane Wives:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Spotify | YouTube | Bio

All Show Photos by Dugan Kenaz-Mara

Hell in a Handbag Productions Presents JOAN CRAWFORD GOES TO HELL August 21 – September 27, 2026

2026-08-19T16:58:00.000-05:00

Chi, IL Live Shows on our Radar:

Hell in a Handbag Productions Presents
JOAN CRAWFORD GOES TO HELL

By Artistic Director David Cerda
Directed by Cheryl Snodgrass

August 21 – September 27, 2026 at The Clutch

Hell in a Handbag Productions, now celebrating its 25th year, is pleased to present a revival of the fan favorite Joan Crawford Goes To Hell, written by Artistic Director David Cerda* and directed byCheryl Snodgrass, playing August 21 – September 27, 2026 at The Clutch, Handbag’s boutique performance space at 4335 N. Western Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently on sale at handbagproductions.org and buytickets.at/hellinahandbagproductions/2276662.

The cast includes ensemble members David Cerda*, Lori Lee*, TJ O’Brien* and Michael Rashid* with Tyler Calhoun, Nick Dorado, Jennifer Engstrom, Haley Gillman, Gretchen Greear, Nicholas Ian, Ryan Kenny and Coco Sho-Nell.

Pictured (left to right) Ensemble member David Cerda, Gretchen Greear and Coco Sho-Nell in a publicity image for Hell in a Handbag Productions’ revival of Joan Crawford Goes To Hell. Photo by Rick Aguilar Studios.

About the Production:

Originally produced in 1999 with Sweetback Productions, Joan Crawford Goes To Hell is a roller coaster ride that explores the life of the legendary Hollywood star.

The premise? Joan Crawford (David Cerda*) dies, goes to hell and is forced to view her life through the eyes of her daughter, Christina (TJ O’Brien*) in a tale so big it needs three Joans! Part Mommie Dearest, part biography with a dash of Joan’s lifestyle book, My Way of Life, Joan Crawford Goes to Hell is the perfect summer cocktail for those with a taste for camp.

The production team includes Marcus Klein* (Scenic Design), Ben Kress (Costume Designer), Liz Cooper (Lighting Design), Danny Rockett (Sound Design), Maggie O’Brien (Prop Design), DJ Douglass (Video & Projection Design),Syd Genco** (Makeup Design), Keith Ryan* (Wig Design), Matt Tenny (Fight & Intimacy Coordinator), Carol Kelleher (Production Manager), Jason Pikscher (Technical Director), Francis Brenner (Stage Manager), Rick Aguilar* (Photography) and Michael S. Miller* (Graphics).

*Denotes Handbag Ensemble Member | **Denotes Handbag Associate Member

Cast (in alphabetical order): Tyler Calhoun (Various/Carol Ann u/s), David Cerda* (Joan #1), Nick Dorado (Mr. Deville/Various), Jennifer Engstrom (Celluloid Joan), Haley Gillman (Child Christina/Various), Gretchen Greear (Joan #2), Nicholas Ian (Various/Joan #2 & 3 u/s), Ryan Kenny (Carol Ann/Various), Lori Lee* (Helga/Various), TJ O’Brien* (Teen/Adult Christina), Michael Rashid* (Greg/Various) and Coco Sho-Nell (Joan #3).

Location: The Clutch, 4335 N. Western Ave., Chicago

Now playing through Sunday, September 27, 2026.
Curtain Times: Fridays and Saturday at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 3 pm and 7 pm. Please note: There will be an added Industry Night performance on Monday, September 14 at 7:30 pm.

Tickets: $29* previews, $40 VIP previews*, $39* advanced general admission, $52* VIP/reserved seating. Group rates $35* for 10 or more. VIP tickets include a refreshment and reserved premium seating. Tickets are currently on sale at handbagproductions.org and https://buytickets.at/hellinahandbagproductions/2276662. *Ticket prices include processing fees.

About the Artists

David Cerda (Playwright) is a founding member and Artistic Director of Hell in a Handbag Productions, now celebrating its 25th anniversary. As resident playwright, he has written many Handbag productions as well as acted in them. His play, The Drag Seed was produced at LaMaMa Experimental Theater and his Golden Girls Lost Episodesparody shows have been produced around the country and featured in Golden Con: Thank you for being a Fan, the world’s first fan convention dedicated to all things Golden Girls at Chicago’s Navy Pier. Cerda is a proud inductee into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame and recipient of a Jeff Award for lifetime achievement for his body of work and service to the community. He lives in Chicago with his partner, Christopher and Walter the Wonder Dog..

Cheryl Snodgrass (Director) is an alumnus ensemble member of HIAH and is back to direct her 11th production at her artistic home. She directed Die Mommie! Die!, Haywire, Rip Nelson’s Halloween Spooktacular, SCARRIE: The Musical, L’Imitation of Life, The Birds, The Drag Seed (at Mary’s Attic, Chopin Theatre and LaMama in NYC), A Fine Feathered Murder and Scary Town. She’s worked extensively as a visiting artist at Mill Mountain Theatre, Studio Roanoke and Hollins University (Roanoke, VA). Cheryl has directed for Sweetback, Glass Apple, Trap Door, The Foundlings, Tellin’ Tales, Jonny Staxx Presents, Filet of Solo and Larkspur Productions. Most recently, Cheryl directed the pre-publishing premier of John Cariani’s new play Darker the Night Brighter the Stars at the Penobscot Theatre Company in Bangor, ME and the world premiere of The Posthumous Trial of Giulia Tofana at The Den. Next up, Cheryl will be returning to Penobscot Theatre Company to direct The Book Club.

About Hell in a Handbag Productions

Hell in a Handbag is dedicated to the preservation, exploration, and celebration of works ingrained in the realm of popular culture via theatrical productions through parody, music and homage. Handbag is a 501(c)(3) Not for Profit. For additional information, visit handbagproductions.org.

Sisters To Open Writers Theatre's 35th Season August 13-November 8, 2026

2026-08-07T11:52:51.693-05:00

ChiIL Live Shows on our Radar:

Writers Theatre opens its 35th Season
with the riveting and emotional near-future family drama
Sisters
by Matthew Libby, directed by Jessica Thebus
August 13-November 8, 2026

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma and Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Artistic Director Braden Abraham, opens its 35th Season in the intimate Gillian Theatre with Sisters, a gripping family drama exploring the familial bond between a woman and her AI sister, written by Matthew Libby and directed by acclaimed Chicago artist and Northwestern University faculty member Jessica Thebus. On the heels of the record-breaking hit JOB, Sisters continues the theatre's timely exploration of how technology shapes humanity. Sisters will run August 13 – November 8, 2026, at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe.

Single Tickets for Sisters, $75+, and season subscriptions are now available at www.writerstheatre.org, and at the Box Office by calling 847-242-6000.

Matilda and Greta have always been there for one another, through joy and grief and homework and boyfriends. They’re as close as sisters can be—even if Greta is artificial intelligence. As Matilda ages and Greta longs for independence, their relationship begins to be tested like never before. Told over the course of 90 years,Sisters is a riveting and thought-provoking new play about the future of family.

Sisters continues Writers Theatre’s conversation about technology and humanity. Following the record-breaking, sold-out run of JOB, which explored the psychological dangers of technology and our increasingly online lives, Sisters asks a different question about how technology changes how we define family and what it means to be human. Where JOB was a tense psychological thriller about the dangers of our digital world, Sisters is an intimate, emotional portrait that asks whether artificial intelligence can become family.

Braden Abraham comments, “Sisters marks the opening of our 35th season at Writers Theatre, and it seems fitting to begin a milestone year in The Gillian Theatre, a space built on intimacy and our founding charge that the most exciting theatre is made with the audience and actors in close proximity. This extraordinary new play by Matthew Libby asks what remains distinctly, mysteriously human once you strip away everything that can be simulated, predicted or optimized. I can think of no one better than Jessica Thebus to guide us through Matilda and Greta's long, strange and moving companionship."

Told across 90 years, Sisters is a sweeping, non-chronological epic following the relationship between a human and her AI sister. Sisters features a unique two-person cast, in which the character Matilda physically ages on stage from childhood to 96!

The cast is Brenda Barrie (Matilda) and Chloe Johnston (Greta). The understudies are Julia Rowley and Sarah Hecht.

Brenda Barrie (Matilda) and Chloe Johnston (Greta) are both making their Writers Theatre debuts in this intimate two-hander.

The creative team includes: Jessica Thebus (Director), A Inn Doo (Scenic Designer), Lia Wallfish (Costume Designer), Eric Watkins (Lighting Designer), Andre Pluess (Co-Sound Designer), Harper Justus (Co-Sound Designer), Stephan Mazurek (Projections Designer), Reva Stover (Assistant Director), Bobby Kennedy (Dramaturg) and Dylan Cohen (Assistant Dramaturg). The stage manager is Isabel Pratt and the assistant stage manager is Olivia Leslie.

About the Artists

Playwright Matthew Libby has a degree in cognitive science and creative writing from Stanford University and an MFA from NYU. He blends this background to inform his writing. Data, which the New York Times called "a darkly on-point dramatic mirror of present-day events" that feels "all-too present, all-too raw and indisputably somber", addresses the ethics of AI, privacy and surveillance. Sisters also dives into the world of AI, exploring emotional boundaries between humanity and technology.

Matthew Libby (Playwright) is a writer and actor based in Brooklyn, by way of Los Angeles. He made his Off-Broadway playwriting debut with Data (Lucille Lortel Theatre, Outer Critics Circle nomination for the John Gassner Award); regional productions of his plays include Data (Arena Stage, Helen Hayes Award nomination for Best New Play or Musical) and Sisters (Writers Theatre, Northern Stage). Data was also previously adapted as a digital production by the Tony-winning Alliance Theatre in May 2021, a production featured in a New York Times review of virtual theatre works that “clear a path toward continued innovation and growth of the form.” Winner of the Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition and Neukom Playwriting Award, Matt is a 2026 Ucross Resident, 2022-2023 Dramatists Guild Foundation Fellow, 2023 Theater Masters Visionary Playwright, three-time Princess Grace Award finalist, five-time O’Neill Playwrights Conference semifinalist and Blue Ink Playwriting Award featured finalist. His work has been produced and developed by theaters across the country, including Roundabout, Alliance Theatre, New York Stage and Film, Westport Country Playhouse, Northern Stage, Pioneer Theatre Company, The Kennedy Center, National New Play Network, Theater Masters, The Barrow Group, The Road Theater Company, WNYU’s Theatre-in-the-Sound and others. With Stanford Repertory Theater, he helped devise and act in The Many Faces of Farce, which was nominated for a Bay Area Critics Award for Best Production. For the screen, he is a writer on Season 3 of Fox's hit medical drama Doc, has developed TV projects for Hulu, Lionsgate/eOne, Beau Willimon's Westward Productions and Alex Gibney's Jigsaw Productions, and has been recognized for his screenwriting work by The Black List and Script Pipeline. Matt studied cognitive science and creative writing at Stanford University and received his MFA in dramatic writing from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he also teaches and was awarded the Chair’s Award for Distinguished Achievement. He is a proud member of the Writers Guild of America and the Dramatists Guild of America.

Jessica Thebus returns to Writers Theatre where she previously directedThe Turn of the Screw. Writers audiences may recognize thematic echoes of Writer’s 2015 production of Marjorie Prime, which featured Thebus’s late mother, Mary Ann Thebus, and explored similar themes of memory and humanity.

Jessica Thebus (Director) is a theater artist, director and educator. She holds a PhD in Performance Studies from Northwestern University, and is currently Director of the Northwestern MFA Program in Directing. She has directed in Chicago and nationally for twenty-five years, and has long associations with many Chicago theaters, including the Goodman Theatre where she directed A Christmas Carol from 2000-2005, as well as plays by Tracy Scott Wilson and Sarah Ruhl. Northlight Theater is also an artistic home for Jessica where she has directed ten plays including Shining Lives: A Musical which received a Joseph Jefferson award nomination for best new work. Favorite others include Steppenwolf Theater Company, Lookingglass Theater Company, The Gift Theater, Writers Theater and Court Theater. Favorite projects nationally have taken place at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Huntington Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, The Marin Theater Company, as well as the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Jessica also creates outdoor spectacle projects in Chicago that celebrate community, joy and environmental justice.

Brenda Barrie (Matilda) is making her Writers Theatre debut. Chicago credits include Steppenwolf Theatre Company (Middletown, Sex with Strangers, Okay Bye); Chicago Shakespeare Theater (Julius Caesar, Elizabeth Rex); American Blues Theater (Roann @ the Gates, Six Corners); Lifeline Theatre (Mrs. Caliban,Mariette in Ecstasy); Goodman Theatre (Mother Road); The House Theatre of Chicago (United Flight 232, The Nutcracker); Route 66 Theatre Company (The Downpour); The Gift Theatre (The Ruby Sunrise); Metropolis Performing Arts Centre (A Streetcar Named Desire); and Silk Road Rising (Caravaggio). She is a four-time Joseph Jefferson Award nominee for Principal Performer and has also appeared on Chicago Med, Chicago P.D., Chicago Fire, and The Chicago Code. She earned her BFA in Theatre from the University of Indianapolis and spent a formative semester studying at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland. She is represented by Stewart Talent.

Chloe Johnston (Greta) is a writer, director and teacher in Chicago. She has worked with theatres across Chicago and is a long-time ensemble member of The Neo-Futurists. Recent projects include 46 Plays for America’s First Ladies (Critics Pick, NYTimes), Grace (The Orchard Project, Links Hall, Roman Susan, Northwestern University) and Leave the Light On, an interview-based performance and audio project about caretaking labor. With Coya Paz Brownrigg, she is the author of Ensemble-Made Chicago: A Guide to Devised Theater (NU Press). She is an Associate Professor of Theater and Performance Studies at Lake Forest College. www.chloejohnston.org

Performance Schedule:

Wednesdays: 2:00pm and 7:30pm

Thursdays: 7:30pm

Fridays: 7:30pm

Saturdays: 2:00pm and 7:30pm

Sundays: 2:00pm and 7:00pm

Open Captioned Performance: Thursday, September 17 at 7:30pm

ASL-Interpreted Performance: Saturday, September 19 at 2:00pm

Pay What You Can Performances: Sunday, August 23 at 7pm, Sunday, September 27 at 7pm, Saturday, October 31 at 7:30pm and Thursday, November 5 at 7:30pm

Location: Gillian Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe

Prices: $75+

Discounts are available for students, educators, theater industry professionals, active military personnel, veterans, police officers, firefighters and their immediate families. Information is available at: https://www.writerstheatre.org/plan-your-visit/box-office-and-theatre-center/pricing--special-offers

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe; 847-242-6000;

www.writerstheatre.org

Single tickets are now on sale. Flex subscriptions and tickets are available online at www.writerstheatre.org, and at the Box Office by calling 847-242-6000.

SEASON PACKAGES

Writers Theatre is offering a variety of subscriptions with an option for every theatregoer. Each subscription includes a deeply discounted ticket price, ranging from $275-$385 for one ticket to the five-play series, Flex subscriptions, with options for either four tickets ($280) or five tickets ($350), are available.

Season package subscribers receive the new Writers Theatre concierge service for ticket exchanges and questions. Exclusive subscriber benefitsinclude: complimentary ticket exchanges (upgrade fees may apply), special “subscriber-rate” prices on additional tickets, advance access to special events and programs, easy, free parking, exclusive discounts in bar items and merchandise, discounts on rental of Writers Theatre event spaces on Writers Theatre merchandise, event rentals and more. For a complete list of benefits, visit writerstheatre.org.

Season Packages are available online at www.writerstheatre.org, and at the Box Office by calling 847-242-6000.

Single tickets will go on sale for each show approximately two months prior to first preview. Single ticket prices start at $35.

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Writers Theatre offers Open Captioning and ASL-interpretation on select dates for each production. Please visit writerstheatre.org/accessibility for more information.

Throughout the season, Writers Theatre offers a variety of audience enrichment and special programming. This includes regularly occurring offerings like the Family Matinee Series, The Green Room artist interview series and podcast and The Final Word Audience Discussion Series. Please visit writerstheatre.org for a full listing of upcoming offerings.

ABOUT WRITERS THEATRE
Writers Theatre proudly celebrates its 35th Season.

From its beginnings in the back room of a Glencoe bookstore, Writers Theatre established what would become its defining conviction: that vibrant language and exceptional performances in an intimate setting create a transformative theatrical experience. Today, the company is a major cultural destination in the Chicago region with a national reputation for artistic excellence, heralded by The Wall Street Journal as “America’s finest regional theatre company.”

Founded in 1992, Writers has produced over 160 productions—from inventive interpretations of classics to groundbreaking new work. In 2016, the company opened a state-of-the-art theatre center designed by the internationally renowned Studio Gang Architects. The new facility includes the 255-seat Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre and the flexible 100-seatGillian Theatre, spaces designed to preserve the company's trademark intimacy and bring audiences up close to Chicago’s finest actors. The building’s striking glass atrium serves as a welcoming gathering space for artists, staff and the community, open daily for reading, working and conversation.

Led by Executive Director Kate Lipuma and Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Artistic Director Braden Abraham, Writers Theatre welcomes more than 60,000 patrons each year. The company has established itself as an important originator of new theatrical work, having produced over 30 world premieres in its history—including Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol, Witch by Jen Silverman, Trevor the Musical by Dan Collins and Julianne Wick Davis, A Minister's Wife by Austin Pendleton, Jan Tranen and Josh Schmidt, The Savannah Disputation by Evan Smith and Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus’s adaptation of Crime and Punishment.

Education and community engagement remain central to Writers Theatre’s mission. Each season, the organization reaches more than 5,000 students and adults through school matinees, in-school residencies and curriculum-based programs that introduce young people to professional theatre. Writers Theatre also offers a wide range of free programs for the broader community, including readings, lectures and partnerships with local organizations that make theatre accessible to audiences of all ages.

Located just 20 miles north of downtown Chicago, Writers Theatre offers artists and audiences a setting that combines world-class theatre with the calm and accessibility of Chicago’s North Shore. As Writers Theatre enters its 35th season, the company continues its commitment to artistic excellence, meaningful storytelling and the uniquely powerful connection that only intimate theatre can create.

OTHERWORLD THEATRE'S SEASON 4 OF “STARSHIP EDSEL” To Play Second City’s De Maat Theatre Sundays Through September 13, 2026

2026-08-07T10:37:00.000-05:00

Chi, IL Live Shows on our Radar:

OTHERWORLD THEATRE ANNOUNCES THE PREMIERE OF SEASON 4 OF

“STARSHIP EDSEL”

STILL BOLDLY GOING WHERE NO ONE THINKS THEY SHOULD!

Directed by Second City Alum Anthony LeBlanc, Chicago’s Premier Sci-Fi Theatre Company Brings Its Hit Improvised Star Trek Parody to The Second City’s De Maat Theatre.

This summer, the Starship Edsel boldly goes where they maybe shouldn’t go as Otherworld Theatre, Chicago’s premier destination for Science Fiction and Fantasy performance, presents the premiere of STARSHIP EDSEL:SEASON 4. Running from August 9th through September 13th at Second City’s De Maat theatre, this improvised Star Trek parody illuminates the ship you wouldn’t hear about in the great Star Fleet Universe.

The Director, Executive Producer, and show runner is Anthony LeBlanc (Second CityMainstage alum, former Executive Producer/Artistic Director, and Jeff Award nominee), whileOtherworld’s Director of Development Dylan Schaefer serves as Managing Producer, and Wanjiku Kairu Oliver serves as Associate Producer. STARSHIP EDSEL is a Star Trek fan’s dream.

Otherworld is widely known for the hit genre-bending shows, including Improvised Romantasy, Moon, Prism, Power!, and Twihard! A Twilight Musical Parody. Coming off of their recent stint in early TOS’s 23rd century, the Edsel crew is thrown into Star Fleet Academy’s 32nd century. Will they be able to handle the cultural differences faced by the Starship Discovery? Will the entire crew have to attend Star Fleet Academy with prepubescent teens to prove they can handle this new time period? What exactly CAN a Betazed do telepathically? All this - and a brand new captain - will be revealed in the latest six week mission of the Starship Edsel.

“We’re going to have a lot of fun while going to places we haven’t been to. Just like improvisation, we are playing in a part of Star Trek that hasn’t been defined yet. It’s great to play inside a limited container,” says LeBlanc. Beyond its Chicago mainstage run, STARSHIP EDSEL has built a proven track record entertaining convention crowds across the Midwest, including C2E2, FanExpo Chicago, and Starbase Indy.

Full cast includes

Lilly Bolduc, Ian Deanes, Stephen Fauss, Eliana Decker-Glick, Matt Kawa, Mike Mazzella, Edward Neequaye, Wanjiku Kairu Oliver, Croix Perkins, Carlos Rivera, Janice Rumschlag, Liam Ryan, Dylan Schaefer, Bernadette Santos Schwegel, and Keely Smith.

Created from a LARP written by Brandon Brylawski. Special Guests Rich Alphonso, Alex Bellisle, James Dugan, Javid Igbal, Steve Nelson, Cassidy Russel, Andy Stagmeyer, CJ Tuor and Craig Uhlir.

About the Show

Starship Edsel is an improvised farce set aboard Starfleet’s worst vessel, the USS Edsel. Plagued with mechanical problems and design flaws, and filled with Starfleet’s most problematic personnel, the Edsel was assigned to remain in parking orbit above a vacation planet, ordered to give VIP tours of an “authentic Federation Starship.” After an incursion by the Romulan Empire, the Edsel was thrust into the center of a galactic crisis. Starship Edsel follows the ship and her crew on their subsequent misadventures throughout the galaxy. Blending fast-paced comedy with affectionate sci-fi satire, each performance boldly explores strange new worlds, unexpected adventures, and the corners of the Federation no one wants to visit with a special guest each night!

Performance Details & Tickets

STARSHIP EDSEL will be performed at Second City’s DeMaat Theatre, located in the heart of Chicago’s Old Town district.

• Run Dates: Opening – Sunday August 9th @ 6PM, Closing – Sunday September 13th @6PM

• Location: Second City’s De Maat Theatre, 1608 N Wells, Chicago, IL 60614

• Tickets: $25 general admission

• Direct Ticket Link: Purchase Tickets Here

https://www.secondcity.com/shows/chicago/starship-edsel-an-improvised-star-trek-satire-chi

Media outlets, convention organizers, and programming directors interested in booking STARSHIP EDSEL or scheduling interviews with the cast and creative team can contact: Wanjiku Kairu Oliver at wanjiku.kairu@paramount.com

About Otherworld Theatre Company:

Otherworld Theatre Company (501c3) was founded in 2012 by Tiffany Keane Schaefer to bring a theatrical home to the fans of Science Fiction and Fantasy. By putting the "nerd" in "theatre," Otherworld has become a staple of the Chicago arts community, producing immersive, high-quality genre storytelling.

REVIEW: THE NOTEBOOK is Now Playing Through August 16 Only

2026-08-06T15:14:58.716-05:00

ChiIL Live Shows on our Radar
THE ACCLAIMED BROADWAY MUSICAL
BASED ON THE BESTSELLING NOVEL THAT INSPIRED THE ICONIC FILM

THE NOTEBOOK
NOW PLAYING AT
BROADWAY IN CHICAGO’S
JAMES M. NEDERLANDER THEATRE
THROUGH AUGUST 16 ONLY

FEATURING AN AWARD-WINNING CREATIVE TEAM
Music & Lyrics by INGRID MICHAELSON
Book by BEKAH BRUNSTETTER
Choreography by KATIE SPELMAN
Directed by MICHAEL GREIF and SCHELE WILLIAMS

“A romantic musical for the ages.” – Chicago Sun-Times

Beau Gravitte (Older Noah) and Sharon Catherine Brown (Older Allie)

All Production Photos by Roger Mastroianni

REVIEW

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

I found myself in downtown Chicago last night with tears streaming down my face and not a tissue in sight. The Notebook is back in town and the waterworks flowed as freely as the gorgeous rain showers on stage. By the unanimous standing ovation I don't think there was a dry eye in the house.

Ken Wulf Clark (Middle Noah) and Alysha Deslorieux (Middle Allie)

When we saw opening night of The Notebook world premiere in Summer 2022 at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, I found it to be poignant and powerful. It's a brutally beautiful love story beginning to end. And this tour is every bit as moving. This is no rom-com or summer fling. The Notebook stands as an artistic monument to being truly seen, deeply loved, and bonded for a lifetime, for better or for worse.

Sharon Catherine Brown (Older Allie) and Beau Gravitte (Older Noah)

This time around the production hit me even more intensely. In December of 2024 my parents were in a bad car accident and since then my dad has had ongoing, incapacitating health issues. I've been trying to get down to help them at least once a month, driving the 12 hour round trip, and I can attest it's tough to navigate the aging parents years. Yet my 88 year old mother has been his caregiver 24/7 at home for over 20 months now. And during numerous hospital and care center stays she was by his side for hours on end. They're celebrating their 64th wedding anniversary August 18th. That type of deep, selfless, abiding love is what The Notebook challenges us to aspire to, with a soaring score, and three interwoven storylines involving teenage passion and rebellion, active young adult choices, and devotion through the devastation of dementia.

I've long admired the work of playwright Bekah Brunstetter (writer and producer on NBC's “This Is Us,” The Cake), and she more than did the novel justice with this heart-wrenching yet hopeful adaptation for the stage. In fact, the entire cast, crew, and creatives are exceptional at bringing this story to life and evoking emotions in the audience without crossing over into the maudlin. The Notebook is truly an empathy inducing tearjerker that reminds us of the best qualities of being human. ChiIL Live Shows on our Radar. Highly Recommended. ★★★★ Four out of four stars. Don't miss this!

Producers Kevin McCollum and Kurt Deutsch, along with Broadway In Chicago are thrilled to announce THE NOTEBOOK, a new musical based on the best-selling novel that inspired the iconic film, is now playing at Broadway In Chicago’s James M. Nederlander Theatre (24 W. Randolph St.). THE NOTEBOOK is playing for a limited engagement through August 16 only. Returning to Chicago following the world premiere in Summer 2022, audiences in Chicago are about to fall in love all over again with this beloved story.

“THE NOTEBOOK is ultimately a celebration of life, love, and the power of memory,” said producers Kevin McCollum and Kurt Deutsch . “Audiences first fell in love with this timeless story as a novel, then as an iconic film, and now they can experience it anew as a moving musical event. With multi-platinum artist Ingrid Michaelson’s unforgettable score and Tony Award nominated Bekah Brunstetter’s beautifully crafted book, THE NOTEBOOK comes to life on stage in a way that will resonate deeply with audiences across North America.”

Allie and Noah, two people from different worlds, share a lifetime of love despite the forces that threaten to pull them apart. “Full of butterfly-inducing highs and beautiful songs” (Entertainment Weekly), THE NOTEBOOK is a deeply moving portrait of the enduring power of love.

Based on the book that has sold millions of copies worldwide and a film that is one of the highest-grossing romantic dramas of all-time, the musical adaptation of THE NOTEBOOK played Broadway at the Schoenfeld Theatre from March 2024 to December 2024 following a critically acclaimed world premiere engagement at Chicago Shakespeare Theater in 2022.

“Absolutely gorgeous. Not to be missed.” – Chicago Tribune
THE NOTEBOOK features music and lyrics by multi-platinum singer-songwriter IngridMichaelson and a book by playwright Bekah Brunstetter (writer and producer on NBC's “This Is Us,” The Cake). The production is directed by Michael Greif (Dear Evan Hansen, Next to Normal, RENT) and Schele Williams (Aida, The Wiz), with choreography by Katie Spelman (Associate Choreographer on Moulin Rouge! The Musical).

“Romantic, life-affirming and ingeniously adapted.” – USA Today

Chloë Cheers (Younger Allie) and Kyle Mangold (Younger Noah)

The creative team for the tour includes scenic design by David Zinn and Brett J. Banakis, costume design by Paloma Young, lighting design by Ben Stanton, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, hair and wig design by Mia Neal, and projection design by Lucy Mackinnon. The production’s music supervisor is Carmel Dean, who also collaborated on arrangements with Ingrid Michaelson and on orchestrations with John Clancy, and the music director is Tina Faye. Casting by The Telsey Office, Patrick Goodwin , CSA.

The production was recently recognized with three 2024 Tony Award nominations (Best Book of a Musical, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical), Drama League Award nominations for Outstanding Production of a Musical, two Distinguished Performance Awards and the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing, Drama Desk Award nominations for Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, and an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Musical.

“A love story for the ages.” – The New York Daily News

Atlantic Records officially released the Grammy-nominated THE NOTEBOOK (Original Broadway Cast Recording), with a score that Vanity Fair calls “strikingly beautiful” by multiplatinum singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson, available HERE.

Following its release, THE NOTEBOOK (Original Broadway Cast Recording) debuted at #1 on the Top Broadway chart in Music Connect, with breakout single “My Days” now surpassing 9 million streams on Spotify alone.

www.NotebookMusical.com

Follow THE NOTEBOOK on X, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesday, August 4 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, August 5 – 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 6 – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, August 7 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 8 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 9 – 1:00 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, August 11 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, August 12 – 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 13 – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, August 14 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 15 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 16 – 1:00 p.m.

Alysha Deslorieux (Middle Allie) and Ken Wulf Clark (Middle Noah)

TICKET INFORMATION As of August 4, based on availability and subject to change)
Individual tickets for THE NOTEBOOK are on sale now and range from $37.00 - $132.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. Ticket price listed is when purchased in person at the box office. Additional fees apply for online purchases. Patrons can also participate in a digital lottery for a chance to purchase $30.00 tickets for each performance, which is inclusive of all mandatory taxes, restoration, handling, and third-party fees. In addition to the lottery, a limited number of day-of-show, in-person Rush tickets will be available for $49.00 for all performances. Click here for more info on Digital Lottery and In-Person Rush. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing GroupSales@BroadwayInChicago.com. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Chloë Cheers (Younger Allie) and Kyle Mangold (Younger Noah)

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 26 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, The Auditorium, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place.

For more information and tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
Follow @BroadwayInChicago on
Facebook ● Instagram ● TikTok ● Bluesky ● YouTube
#broadwayinchicago

Ondřej Pšenička in 52 Lovers Wednesdays at Chicago Magic Lounge Through August 26, 2026

2026-07-23T16:52:00.000-05:00

Chi, IL Live Shows on our Radar:

Chicago Magic Lounge Welcomes Back Fan Favorite

Ondřej Pšenička in

52 Lovers

for a limited run this summer

Photo Credit for all: Michael Brosilow

Guest Review

by Dugan Kenaz-Mara

The night started off with the classic Magic parlor experience. My partner and I were led to our seats by a lovely host, ordered drinks from a kind waiter, and then got to experience some close-up sleight-of-hand card magic right at our table. This time around, we had the pleasure of seeing the wonderful work of Abby Segal (https://www.abbysegalmagic.com/), who has a soft and gentle approach to blowing our minds. Even with tricks I had seen before, she made them look and feel personal, which merits a special shout-out at the beginning of this review.

After about an hour of table magic and getting food and drinks settled, each member of the audience was given a secret little envelope. A handful of lucky audience members were also given an extra card with instructions on it for use throughout the show. This act of inclusion was the start of what I would soon find out is a hallmark of Ondřej’s work: the audience is his best friend.

As soon as the show began I noticed that he came off differently from other magicians. His focus was not on performing tricks himself and “showing off”, but rather on trying to engage the audience. He wasn’t telling a story on stage, but having a conversation. During the time between tricks he often would ask if the audience had any questions, to which someone would respond and lead into the next trick, always accompanied by a short story about how Ondřej learned magic, some of the things he enjoys, or silly little quips.

The show itself is fairly leisurely. Pšenička takes a slower pace with a good amount of time between tricks, lacking in background music. But, that dead space is made up for in the unique way he does his tricks. Or rather, gets others to do them. The highlight of much of his magic is that he can get audience members to perform magic without any prior instructions. For example, a trick I am still absolutely baffled by (that was featured on his first appearance of Penn and Teller’s ‘Fool Us’) didn’t even require the magician on stage! For this trick, Ondřej called an audience member on stage, gave them headphones to wear, and sat off to the side eating popcorn while the audience member searched a deck of cards, narrowing it down until he found a specific card, picked at random by another audience member earlier.

Tricks like that, and the pre-scripted audience interactions, highlight what makes 52 Lovers so interesting: It makes you think about how magic is constructed. When someone other than the magician is able to perform their trick, it forces you to consider how carefully and intentionally everything is set up and really provides perspective on the level of trickery involved. It’s especially interesting in this case because Ondřej is not quiet about when he’s forcing a card, sometimes even openly explaining what he’s doing. It all feels very clever.

And he even manages to tie everything together at the end. Remember those secret envelopes I mentioned? By the end of the show, everyone in the audience gets to do their own personal little bit of magic with the contents (no spoilers as to what’s inside).

If you’re interested in a slower-paced, relaxed magic show, I would recommend 52 Lovers. Recommended. Three out of four stars.★★★

Dugan Kenaz-Mara is a Chicago based designer, photographer, educator, and graduate of Northwestern University's theatre program.

Chicago Magic Lounge, Chicago’s home for close-up magic, announces the return of world-renowned magician Ondřej Pšenička in a limited run of his hit show 52 Lovers, directed by Stepan Gajdos. Spend an evening with one of magic’s most inventive contemporary voices in 52 Lovers, an intimate performance presented up close in Chicago Magic Lounge’s Harry Blackstone Cabaret theater. Quirky, disarming, and brilliantly original, Pšenička blends offbeat humor with world-class sleight of hand in a style entirely his own.

52 Lovers plays Wednesdays at 7:00pm, July 1 – August 26, 2026. Tickets are priced $44 (Standard) and $50 (Front Row), plus applicable fees. Tickets for all Chicago Magic Lounge shows are available at the box office, (312) 366-4500 or online at chicagomagiclounge.com.

A true innovator, Ondřej combines original creations with expertly curated effects, delivered with a playful unpredictability that keeps audiences leaning in. With a subtle current of absurdism throughout, 52 Lovers is sharp, surprising, and delightfully off-center—showcasing expert technique with an effortless touch that makes the impossible look easy.

Each evening begins with close-up magic performed right at your table by Chicago Magic Lounge’s talented house magicians. Between visits, guests can socialize, enjoy craft cocktails and small plates, and take in the vintage ambiance of the Harry Blackstone Cabaret.

About Ondřej Pšenička (pronounced ON-dray psheh-NEETCH-kuh)

Ondřej Pšenička is a world-renowned magician celebrated for his inventive approach to card magic and close-up performance. Hailing from the Czech Republic, he has performed on stages across the globe and is a regular at the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, California. Known for his quirky humor, subtle surrealism, and technical mastery, Pšenička has baffled audiences worldwide, most notably fooling Penn & Teller three times onPenn & Teller: Fool Us. His creations blend originality, precision, and playfulness, making every performance unforgettable.

Also Happening at Chicago Magic Lounge

The Close-Up Show

Mondays at 7:00pm

Tickets: General Admission $35 - $37

The Showcase

Tuesdays at 7:00pm

Tickets: Standard: $37.50 - $39; Front Row: $42 - $44

The Signature Show

Thursdays-Sundays at 7:00pm, Fridays & Saturdays at 10pm

Tickets: Front Row $89.50 - $103, Premium Main Floor (main floor banquette and main floor cabaret) $76.00 – $95.00, Standard (rail and elevated banquette) $68.50 - $84, Mezzanine $55.00 – $68.00

Tickets for all Chicago Magic Lounge performances are available at the box office, (312) 366-4500 or online at chicagomagiclounge.com. Chicago Magic Lounge is a 21+ venue. Ages 16+ allowed to ticketed evening shows with a legal guardian.

For a complete schedule of performances and more information about Chicago Magic Lounge, resident and guest performers, and more, please visit chicagomagiclounge.com.

REVIEW: Kokandy's Hair Kills It With Ritual to Remember, Debauchery to Forget

2026-07-22T13:53:54.613-05:00

Chi, IL Live Shows on our Radar

Kokandy Productions Opens 2026 Season with

HAIR

The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical

Book and Lyrics by Gerome Ragni & James Rado

Music by Galt MacDermot

Directed and Choreographed by Brennan Urbi

Music Direction by Kara Olander

Now Playing Through September 13, 2026 on The Chopin Theatre Mainstage

Pictured (clockwise from center) Gavin Rhys, Diana Marilyn Alvarez, Nicki Rossi, Chosen Mitchell, Quinn Simmons, Stone TeSelle,Shayla Florence, Joshua Emmanuel and Zac Richey in Kokandy Productions’ revival of HAIR. All Production Photos by Michael Brosilow unless otherwise noted.

REVIEW

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

Hair... the hippy love musical of 60s counterculture. It's infamous for big, beautiful afros, pushing PC boundaries, over the top costumes, and an iconic score. If you've come looking for the summer of love, Kokandy's extravaganza at Chopin Theatre does not disappoint, pushing back against the mores of banal suburban sprawl with a bacchanal of sex, drugs, and rock and roll.

(left to right) Diana Marilyn Alvarez, Joshua Emmanuel, Chosen Mitchell, Kijani X and Caitlin Dobbins

But Hair has deep, dark roots and multilayered storytelling as well. Kokandy Productions has mounted an intimate, excellent, and sexy as hell production that encapsulates the fierce communal energy of a generation of teens facing mortality far too young. We sat in a pillow pile, left with baby's breath flowers in our hair, and graffitied the space at intermission. It was more of a happening we were active participants in than a spectacle. We loved this love-in! ChiIL Live Shows on our radar. Highly recommended. Four out of Four Stars. ★★★★

(center) Gavin Rhys with the cast of Kokandy Productions’ revival of HAIR.

This production embraces the DIY hippy aesthetic, providing markers and inviting the audience to graffiti the space at intermission. I added a quote I made up years ago, and still believe are word to live by: Prevent Perfection -- Prefer a Perceptive Perspective. My Greek born friend, Flo added the Greek word for HAIR. Whether intentionally or inadvertently, the interactive elements bridge generations, and decades to bring a good dose of 2026 into this period piece. Amid general calls for peace and vintage poster quotes, graffiti with anti ICE and anti Trump sentiments fit right in.

Our world is on fire, and 60 years later we're still fighting back against political and religious institutions bent on eliminating personal freedom and bodily autonomy. Women still fight misogyny, racism is rampant, single moms still face the impending time bomb of an unwanted pregnancy without society's support, and found family fills the gaps.

(center, l to r) Nicki Rossi and Gavin Rhys with the cast of Kokandy Productions’ revival of HAIR.

(left to right) Zac Richey, Gavin Rhys, Joshua Emmanuel, Diana Marilyn Alvarez and Caitlin Dobbins

Hair gives us archetypes, and iconic characters born to war widows and soldiers with PTSD, in the post WW11 baby boom. Kokandy gives us the unique, authentic casting they're legendary for, with a brilliant range of types, for a powerhouse cast brimming with talent. Come ready to party and mourn, rage and remember. Shout out to the set design that gives us the powerful visuals of lockers to coffins and scaffolding to climb, as well as the costume design that seamlessly melds flower child with Gen Z thrift chic. In fact, chef's kiss to all the show's cast and creatives, who have combined talents to bring to life a magnificently moving piece in true Kokandy style.

(center, l to r) Diana Marilyn Alvarez, Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor and Stone TeSelle

Our country is again forcing a mandatory draft, gassing and arresting protestors, and causing environmental destruction. The US is once again spending billions in an unpopular, unjustified war, and the young pay the highest price. Hair is more than a fashion statement, it's a rallying cry, as true now as it was in 1967.

(left to right) Stone TeSelle, Zac Richey and Joshua Emmanuel

(left to right) Nicki Rossi, Diana Marilyn Alvarez, Gavin Rhys, Stone TeSelle and Chosen Mitchell

As the characters gather around a bonfire to burn the American flag and their draft cards, as well as to celebrate life, I'm reminded of the bonfire that is Kokandy Productions. They began with a spark in 2010, and we've caught every production since. We've watched their work smolder, smoke, and grow to a blaze. We've seen their humble beginnings, their ambitious undertakings in Chopin's basement space, and we've watched their rise to the Chopin's Main Stage upstairs with admiration. Now they're on the cusp of running Hair as well as their impending remount of Sunday in the Park With George in Chopin's basement space beginning in mid August.

This fall, Kokandy's bonfire burns brighter still, as the critically acclaimed revival of their 10-time 2025 Jeff Award-nominated musical JEKYLL & HYDE will make its Broadway In Chicago debut at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place! I caught it last Halloween night and was blown away by their talent and aesthetic. I can't wait to see it again in the Broadway footlights. Despite their increasing fame and acclaim, Kokandy's dedication to casting up and coming local artists and telling complex stories through musical theatre has never wavered.

It's a new millennium and we're still near the dawning of The Age of Aquarius, as each age lasts over 2,000 years. Many debate whether we have even begun it yet. If we have any hope of moving from "me to we" as we collectively claw our way up from The Age of Pisces, with its focus on hierarchy, religion, and structured belief systems, my money's on the Gen Z theatre kids to show us the way.

(left to right) Zac Richey, Gavin Rhys, Joshua Emmanuel, Diana Marilyn Alvarez and Caitlin Dobbins

As we left the theatre on opening night of Hair, my friend said, "I need to see this 2 or 3 more times!" and someone behind us said "I know, right?! This is our second time already." What more can I say. Don't miss this!

(center) Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor and the cast of Kokandy Productions’ revival of HAIR.

Hot off their record-breaking, award-winning runs of Jekyll & Hyde and Amélie, KokandyProductions is pleased to launch its 2026 Season with the revolutionary “love-rock” musical HAIR, playing July 2 – September 13, 2026 on The Chopin Theatre Mainstage, 1543 W. Division St. in Chicago. Directed and choreographed by Brennan Urbi with music direction by Kara Olander, HAIR features book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni & James Rado and music by Galt MacDermot. Tickets are on sale now at kokandyproductions.com or bit.ly/HairChicago.

(center) Gavin Rhys with the cast of Kokandy Productions’ revival of HAIR.

(left to right) Nicki Rossi, Mateo Palm, Amy Yesom Kim, Diana Marilyn Alvarez, Zac Richey, Stone TeSelle, Shayla Florence and Kijani X

Uniting for an exhilarating summer of peace, love and fury, HAIR features Gavin Rhys as Claude, Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor as Sheila, Zac Richey as Berger, Amy Yesom Kim as Crissy, Chosen Mitchell as Dionne, Stone TeSelle as Woof, Nicki Rossi as Jeannie and Joshua Emmanuel as Hud with an ensemble including Diana Marilyn Alvarez, Caitlin Dobbins, Shayla Florence, Isadora Coco Gonzalez, Wolfie J, Mateo Palm, Quinn Simmons and Kijani X.

Swings include Justin Aponte, Morgan Barber, Kevin Chlapecka, Allyriane Huq, Víctór López, Kenny Miller, Jack Saunders and Maliha Sayed.

Amy Yesom Kim

(left to right) Nicki Rossi, Caitlin Dobbins, Shayla Florence, Stone TeSelle, Chosen Mitchell, Wolfie J and Diana Marilyn Alvarez

About the Production

The American tribal love rock musical HAIR celebrates the sixties counterculture in all its barefoot, long-haired, bell-bottomed, beaded and fringed glory. To an infectiously energetic rock beat, the show wows audiences with songs like “Aquarius,” “Good Morning, Starshine,” “Hair,” “I Got Life” and “Let The Sunshine In.” Exploring ideas of identity, community, global responsibility and peace, HAIR remains relevant as ever as it examines what it means to be a young person in a changing world.

Chosen Mitchell

(center, l to r) Joshua Emmanuel and Chosen Mitchell with the cast of Kokandy Productions’ revival of HAIR.

Director and choreographer Brennan Urbi comments, “This is a show about chosen family and active community, exploring how we can build support and fight for each other – no matter the generation, place or time. We have a knockout cast who are ready to rock! By building today's versions of these well-known characters, we're going to find out how this iconic ‘60s score reverberates all the way to Summer 2026.”

(center, l to r) Zac Richey, Gavin Rhys and Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor with the cast of Kokandy Productions’ revival of HAIR.

The production team includes Eleanor Kahn (Scenic Design), Rachel Sypniewski (Costume Design), G "Max" Maxin IV (Lighting Design), Matt Reich (Sound Design), Lauren Ramos (Properties Design), Syd Genco (Makeup Design), Keith Ryan (Wig Design), Kirsten Baity (Intimacy Director), Chels Morgan (Cultural Competency Specialist), Shane Roberie(Casting Director), Nicholas Reinhart (Production Manager), Kendyl Meyer (Associate Production Manager), David Moreland (Technical Director), Lynsy Folckomer (A1), Alfonso Moreno (A2), Shelby Burgus (Stage Manager),Yasmeen "Yaz" Abiad (Assistant Stage Manager), Michael Coppola (Stage Management Intern), Scot Kokandy(Executive Producer) and Derek Van Barham (Producing Artistic Director).

(left to right) Quinn Simmons, Isadora Coco Gonzalez and Shayla Florence

(center) Zac Richey with the cast of Kokandy Productions’ revival of HAIR.

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Location: The Chopin Theatre Mainstage, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago

Dates: Previews: Thursday, July 2 – Friday, July 17, 2026

Regular run: Sunday, July 19 – Sunday, September 13, 3026

Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm; Sundays at 5 pm. Please note: there will not be a performance on Saturday, July 4; there will be an added performance on Monday, July 6 at 7 pm.

Tickets: Previews $28.52* general admission, $39.19* reserved seating. Regular run $55.20* general admission, $65.87* reserved seating. Students/seniors $44.52*. There will be a limited number of lower-priced tickets (with code ARTIST) available to artists for each performance. Tickets are on sale now at kokandyproductions.com or bit.ly/HairChicago. *Ticket prices include processing fees

HAIR is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC.
www.concordtheatricals.com

(center, l to r) Zac Richey and Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor with the cast of Kokandy Productions’ revival of HAIR.

About the Artists

Brennan Urbi (Director and Choreographer) is a stage artist who works with community members, artists and actors alike to build a process specific to the questions and skill sets of the group. B’s NYC credits include Into the Woods, Macbeth, Strays, (un)belonging*, Blood Grudge, Electric World, My Best Friend's Cabaret, Singing Lessons, iii sisters, Connection is Unstable, The Munchies, Leo’s Requiem and Alley Between the House. Assistant on Blackout Songs (MCC) I think Big Cat… (Roundabout). In Chicago, B directed Half-Baked, The Beauty of Your Eyes and Civics and Humanities and assisted productions including Spring Awakening, Children of Eden, Hair and Another Room in Your Head. MFA Directing Columbia University, Recipient of the Neo-Futurist Artist of Color scholarship, BFA Acting Chicago College of Performing Art. Founding member of Pick Six. www.brennanurbi.com @brennan_urbi.

Kara Olander (Music Director) is a multi-instrumentalist, music director and actor in the Chicago area. As a pit musician of many years, her mission is to foster a band and cast that feels empowered to groove in their own individuality. Past shows include Always, Patsy Cline (Drury Lane), Amélie (Kokandy), Porchlight Sings the Season (Porchlight Music Theatre), LOKI: The End of the World Tour (Lifeline Theatre), Rock of Ages (Metropolis), Tell Me On a Sunday (Theo Ubique) and Houston, You Have a Problem (Streamline Theatre).

(left to right) Stone TeSelle, Mateo Palm, Caitlin Dobbins, Shayla Florence, Chosen Mitchell, Gavin Rhys, Nicki Rossi, Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor, Amy Yesom Kim, Kijani X, Diana Marilyn Alvarez and Joshua Emmanuel

About Kokandy Productions

Founded in 2010, Kokandy Productions seeks to leverage the heightened reality of musical theatre to tell complex and challenging stories, with a focus on contributing to the development of Chicago-based musical theatre artists, and raising the profile of Chicago's non-Equity musical theatre community.

The company's artistic staff is comprised of Derek Van Barham (Producing Artistic Director), Scot Kokandy (Executive Producer) and Adrian Abel Azevedo & Leda Hoffman (Artistic Associates). The Board of Directors includes Preston Cropp, Scot T. Kokandy, Danielle Sparklin and Katie Svaicer.

For additional information, visit kokandyproductions.com.

Pictured (center) Gavin Rhys with (clockwise from top) Amy Yesom Kim, Joshua Emmanuel,

Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor, Zac Richey, Stone TeSelle, Nicki Rossi and Chosen Mitchell

in a publicity image for Kokandy Productions’ revival of HAIR. Photo by Kyle Bode.

The Crane Wives Kick Off US Tour Including Chicago's Park West on August 18, 2026

2026-07-18T20:38:00.000-05:00

The Crane Wives
Announce August Tour Dates
US Tour Kicks Off Next Week

Photo Credit: Hwa-JeenNa

Indie rock band The Crane Wives (1.4m Spotify monthly listeners, 763.5k TikTok likes) are continuing onto Act III of their summer tour, coming through Chicago on 8/18 at Park West! They've long been favorites of ours and we hope to shoot stills again for ChiIL Live Shows.

Born of the 2010’s folk boom and now comfortably stationed in their rock and roll era, Grand Rapids’ The Crane Wives epitomize the evolving landscape of indie folk. Their high-energy performances have been described as “charged with emotion and technical skill” (Blurred Culture), while their harmony-dense melodies support deeply resonant lyrics, exploring the vulnerable and the ugly sides of the human condition.

"The Crane Wives charmed us again with its harmony-laced folk-rock…polished sound and dynamic energy…proves just how much fun the band is having with its music.” - NPR

"The Crane Wives are a four-piece band that have an uncanny ability
at crafting goose-bump inducing three-part harmonies.” - No Depression

"They’re an impeccable band with incredibly tight instrumentation and harmonies that, paired with an inclination for catchy hooks and scintillating lyricism, make a strong case for their burgeoning popularity.” - For Folk’s Sake

"Harnessing a sense of emotional honesty, guttural lyrics are backed by twangy guitar and steady drum beats" - NYS Music

The Crane Wives
highly anticipated US tour. Kicking off on April 14, The Crane Wives will bring their dynamic live show to stages nationwide, delighting audiences in cities including Los Angeles, Portland, Houston, Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, and beyond.
The band has also announced new tour dates this August, hitting cities across Colorado, as well as Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and beyond.
Tour dates and tickets for all shows are on sale now and available here.
Born of the 2010’s folk boom and now comfortably stationed in their rock and roll era, Grand Rapids’ The Crane Wives epitomize the evolving landscape of indie folk. Their high-energy performances have been described as “charged with emotion and technical skill” (Blurred Culture), while their harmony-dense melodies support deeply resonant lyrics, exploring the vulnerable and the ugly sides of the human condition. The band has built a global community and has amassed over 1m Spotify monthly listeners and 150m total streams with their unparalleled, spirited live show, evocative lyricism and glimmering harmonies.
Featured by Michigan Radio and NPR’s All Songs Considered, the band’s sixth full-length studio record Beyond Beyond Beyond received high praise, with Glasse Factory calling the album “a testament to the band’s ability to turn personal struggles into universally relatable anthems." Niner Times describes the album as “angsty, haunting and gritty,” praising its departure from the more traditional folk sound of The Crane Wives’ previous records. Since its release in September 2024, Beyond Beyond Beyond has accrued over 7 million streams on Spotify.
The pulse of The Crane Wives is delivered by Ben Zito (bass) and Dan Rickabus (drums), creating a driving, dynamic backdrop while co-leads Emilee Petersmark and Kate Pillsbury establish expansive and gritty conversations between their electric guitars. A web of three-part harmony helps to soften the blow of their emotional candor, like a 21st century Cerberus, the hound of Hades reimagined as an emotional support animal.
The Crane Wives have 6 full-length albums under their belts and have performed over 600 shows across the US, sharing stages with acts such as The Avett Brothers, Lake Street Dive, Rusted Root, The Dead South, Joseph, and many more.

US Tour Dates:
April 14 Athens, OH @ University of Ohio Music Industry Summit
April 16 Birmingham, Al @ Iron City
April 17 Memphis, TN @ Minglewood Hall
April 18 Tulsa, OK @ The Vanguard
April 19 Fayetteville, AR @ Ozark Music Hall
April 21 Houston, TX @ White Oak
April 22 Dallas, TX @ Echo
April 23 Austin, TX @ Radio East
April 25 Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
April 26 Phoenix, AZ @ Van Buren
April 29 Las Vegas, NV @ The Portal - Area 15
April 30 Los Angeles, CA @ Bellwether
May 1 San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues
June 11 Ventura, CA @ Majestic Ventura Theater
June 12 San Luis Obispo, CA @ Fremont Theatre
June 13 San Francisco, CA @ The Castro
June 14 Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
June 16 Bend, OR @ Volcanic Theatre Courtyard
June 18 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
June 19 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
June 20 Seattle, WA @ The Croc
June 21 Seattle, WA @ The Croc
June 23 Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory Spokane
June 24 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Rockwell - The Complex
June 27 Grand Junction, CO @ Mesa Theatre
June 28 Boulder, CO @ Chautauqua

August 5 Crested Butte, CO @ Mt. Crested Butte
August 7 Fort Collins, CO @ Washington’s
August 8 Colorado Springs, CO @ Black Sheep
August 10 Dillon, CO @ Dillon Amphitheater
August 12 Omaha, NE @ The Admiral Theater
August 13 Des Moines, IA @ Wooly’s
August 14 Sioux Falls, MD @ The District
August 15 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
August 16 Madison, WI @ The Sylvee
August 18 Chicago, IL @ Park West
August 20 Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note
August 21 St. Louis, MO @ The Sovereign
August 22 Indianapolis, IN @ Nickel Plate District Amphitheater

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Website | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Spotify | YouTube | Bio

Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre Gloria Bond Clunie Festival July 10-19, 2026

2026-07-08T09:58:00.000-05:00

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre's Annual
Gloria Bond Clunie Playwright’s Festival
returns July 10-19, 2026

(Photo by Eileen Tull, from 2024 inaugural festival.)
Third annual event includes developmental workshops and staged readings of three new plays

Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre is proud to announce the return of the Annual Gloria Bond Clunie Playwright’s Festival for a third year. This festival will take place over two weekends (July 10th-12th and July 17th-19th) at FJT’s home, the Noyes Cultural Arts Center at 927 Noyes St. in Evanston. The first weekend will be for the playwrights to connect with each other and spend uninterrupted time developing their play with a team of directors and actors. The second weekend will offer rehearsal time with their team, culminating in a public staged reading for each of the three plays chosen from 70 entries this year. In keeping with FJT's mission statement, our plays speak to the Black American experience and explore African Diaspora-centered storytelling. Audiences will have an opportunity to participate in a post-reading conversation after each performance.

The festival will feature these three new plays in development. There will be a double bill of two short one-act plays – BLACK ENOUGH and VISITATION – on Saturday, July 18. The full-length play MISS SPENCE’S PLAY will be performed on Sunday, July 19.

BLACK ENOUGH
by Beckett Thompson
Directed by Lip Lewis
Saturday, July 18th at 5:00PM

VISITATION
by Caitlin Frazier
Directed by Faramade F. Oladapo
Saturday, July 18th at 7:00PM

Tickets $15.00 for the program of two plays on July 18, available at https://www.fjtheatre.com

MISS SPENCE’S PLAY
by Annie Janeiro Randall
Directed by Rashaad Bond
Sunday, July 19th at 3:00PM
Tickets $15.00, available at https://www.fjtheatre.com

This new play development initiative honors the incredible career and legacy of Gloria Bond Clunie, the founder of Fleetwood-Jourdain. She is also a founding member of the Playwriting Ensemble at Victory Gardens Theater where she premiered her plays NORTH STAR, SHOES, and LIVING GREEN. Her work as a theater artist and educator has been recognized by the NAACP, the Joseph Jefferson Awards, Chicago Black Theatre Alliance Awards, and Evanston Mayor’s Award for the Arts, among many others..

The festival producers are Taria Michelle Abram and Eileen Tull and Tim Rhoze is Artistic Director of Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre. Tickets are available through Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre’s website. https://www.fjttheatre.com.

ABOUT FLEETWOOD-JOURDAIN THEATRE

Founded in 1979, Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre is a professional, award-winning theatre company that has been thrilling audiences with over four decades of unique, inspirational, and invigorating Black American and African Diaspora-centered storytelling. The company has been honored by the Black Theatre Alliance/Ira Aldridge Awards and is frequently listed as a top-rated Chicago theatre company. From original plays to the best of Broadway, Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre has remained committed to supplying the very best in theatre. "Umoja!! ….Working Together in Unity" is the foundation from which FJT began and continues to thrive!

It is our mission to present powerful, thought-provoking, Theater Arts programming with a commitment to diversity and creative excellence. We are dedicated to providing a nurturing and creative environment for directors, playwrights, actors, set, light, and costume designers. In this positive environment, they can further develop their creative skills and share their artistic expressions. The Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre is funded by the City of Evanston and in part by the Illinois Arts Council, A State Agency.

REVIEW: WATER FOR ELEPHANTS Now Playing Chicago's James M. Nederlander Theatre Through July 5, 2026

2026-06-26T07:18:00.000-05:00

Chi, IL Live Shows on our Radar

Following a celebrated Broadway run, the highly anticipated North American Tour of

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS

A New Musical arrives in Chicago for a limited engagement

at the James M. Nederlander Theatre

The cast of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS

June 23–July 5, 2026

BOOK BY FOUR-TIME TONY AWARD® NOMINEE RICK ELICE

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY PIGPEN THEATRE CO.

BASED ON THE NOVEL BY SARA GRUEN

ORIGINAL DIRECTION BY TONY AWARD NOMINEE JESSICA STONE

RUNNING TIME
2 hours and 20 minutes including an intermission
Age Recommendations:
The show is suitable for ages 8 and up. All persons entering the theater, regardless of age, must have a ticket.
Zachary Keller, Connor Sullivan, Helen Krushinski, and the cast of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS

Zachary Keller and the cast of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS

REVIEW

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

The big top is rising, but these roustabouts don't just build, they're multi-hyphenate super-humans who hurl sledgehammers across the stage, while performing choreographed dance moves, singing, and executing circus stunts! Some of my favorite productions of all times incorporate circus arts and/or puppetry in the service of storytelling, and Water for Elephants has a plethora of both!

Zachary Keller, Connor Sullivan, Helen Krushinski, and the cast of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS

All Production Photos by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade

We’re sure Water for Elephants will be an elephantine hit of massive proportions! This sordid tale, set in the early 30s, has love, loss, murder, mayhem, giant puppets, and mad circus skills. I loved it so much I bought the tee shirt, and that's only happened three times in 18 years of reviewing shows.

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar. Highly recommended. Four out of four stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

Helen Krushinski and Zachary Keller

I've been covering the top circus acts in the world for 2 decades from Cirque Eloise to Teatro Zinzanni. I've been behind the scenes at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey and numerous Cirque du Soleil shows, and I can attest Water for Elephants is the real deal!

Yemie Woo, Robert Tully, Tyler West, Javier Garcia, ZaKeyia Lacey and Ruby Gibbs

This production features excellent storytelling with superhuman feats, and so many styles of puppetry from breathtaking shadow puppet scenes to haunting, deconstructed circus animals, and even a life-sized elephant!

Zachary Keller and Helen Krushinski

And what better venue to host this stunning show, surrounded by elephants and mythical beasts? James M. Nederlander Theatre remains our favorite for its stunning architectural flourishes and macabre history of the Iroquois Theater fire of 1903.

Photos by Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

I adored Sara Gruen's 2006 historical novel (first started during the annual NaNoWriMo challenge to write a 50,000 original draft in just 30 days during the month of November.) I've done NaNoWriMo myself 7 times and it's so exciting to see what a draft can become... a best seller, a major motion picture, and a brilliant Broadway production!

The stage production features a world class cast in a moving celebration of chosen family. This production is a triumph over economic hardship and toxic masculinity. Don’t miss this! ChiIL Mama’s Chi, IL Picks List.

“STUNNING AND EMOTIONAL.” – The New York Times, Critic’s Pick

“SPELLBINDING ENTERTAINMENT.” – Variety

“★★★★ DAZZLING AND THRILLING.” – Time Out New York

“THE BEST NEW MUSICAL ON BROADWAY!” – Theatermania

Broadway In Chicago is pleased to announce that the hit Broadway musical, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS is now playing a limited engagement at the James M. Nederlander Theatre (24 W. Randolph St.) through July 5, 2026.

Helen Krushinski, Robert Tully, Zachary Keller, and Yves Artieres

Individual tickets, priced from $39.00 to $130.00, are available at www.BroadwayInChicago.com, with a select number of premium, lottery, and rush tickets available. Additional fees apply for online purchases. Groups of 10 or more may purchase tickets by calling (312) 977-1710 or emailing GroupSales@BroadwayInChicago.com. See below for more ticket information and the performance schedule.

Stress free rides are FREE – because the only drama should be on stage. Ride Metra to any Broadway In Chicago show all summer long.

Zachary Keller as Jacob Jankowski,

The tour will be led by Illinois native Zachary Keller (Jacob), alongside Helen Krushinski (Marlena), Robert Tully (Mr. Jankowski), Connor Sullivan (August), Javier Garcia (Camel), Ruby Gibbs (Barbara), Chris Marth (Wade), and Tyler West (Walter).Additional ensemble includes Fran Alvarez Jara, Yves Artieres, Chris Carsten, Adam Fullick, Meghane Poulet, Ella Huestis, Sam Kellar-Long, ZaKeyia Lacey, Andrew Meier, Marina Mendoza, John Neurohr, Bradley Parrish, Carl Robinett, Summer Severin, Serafina Walker, and Yemie Woo.

After losing what matters most, a young man jumps a moving train unsure of where the road will take him and finds a new home with the remarkable crew of a traveling circus, and a life—and love—beyond his wildest dreams. Seen through the eyes of his older self, his adventure becomes a poignant reminder that if you choose the ride, life can begin again at any age.

Helen Krushinski and Zachary Keller

ABOUT WATER FOR ELEPHANTS

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS is based on the critically acclaimed and New York Times Bestselling novel by Sara Gruen. The Broadway musical has a book by four-time Tony Award® nominee Rick Elice (Jersey Boys, Peter and the Starcatcher), a soaring score by the acclaimed PigPen Theatre Co. (The Tale of Despereaux), with tour direction by Ryan Emmons, recreating the original direction by Tony Award nominee Jessica Stone (Kimberly Akimbo).

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS features circus design by Tony Award nominee Shana Carroll (The 7 Fingers), choreography by Tony Award nominees Jesse Robb (Miss Saigon) and Shana Carroll, scenic design by Drama Desk Award winner Takeshi Kata (Clyde’s), costume design by David I. Reynoso (Sleep No More), lighting design by two-time Tony Award winner Bradley King (Hadestown), sound design by Tony Award nominee Walter Trarbach (Spongebob Squarepants), projections by two-time Tony Award nominee David Bengali (Good Night, and Good Luck), hair & makeup design by Luc Verschueren/Campbell Young Associates (A Beautiful Noise), puppet design by Ray Wetmore & JR Goodman, Camille Labarre (Into the Woods), puppet direction by Joshua Holden, music supervision and arrangements by Drama Desk Award winner Mary-Mitchell Campbell (Some Like It Hot) and Benedict Braxton-Smith (Kristin Chenoweth: For the Girls), orchestrations by Tony Award winner Daryl Waters (New York, New York), Benedict Braxton-Smith and August Eriksmoen, fight direction by Cha Ramos (Jagged Little Pill), associate circus designer by Antoine Boissereau, associate choreography by Paige Parkhill, and casting by The TRC Company, Claire Burke, CSA & Frankie Ramirez, CSA.

The WATER FOR ELEPHANTS tour stage management team is led by production stage manager Kathleen Carragee and is supported by Stage Manager Maris Keller and Circus Stage Manager Stan Barile. The company management team is led by company manager Heather Moss with associate company manager Taylor Parris. The tour music director/conductor is Sarah Wilhelm Pool. Mimi Intagliata serves as the Executive Producer for the production.

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS won Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Direction of a Musical (Jessica Stone), Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical (Walter Trarbach), Outstanding Fight Choreography (Cha Ramos) and Outstanding Puppetry (Ray Wetmore, JR Goodman, & Camille Labarre), the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical (Jessica Stone), and the Chita Rivera Award for Outstanding Choreography (Jesse Robb & Shana Carroll).

GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS released the WATER FOR ELEPHANTS: Original Broadway Cast Recording, which preserves the show’s soaring score by the acclaimed PigPen Theatre Co., which is available on CD and all streaming and digital formats. The CD’s full-color booklet features production photography, complete lyrics, synopsis, and liner notes by book writer Rick Elice. The album is produced by Mary-Mitchell Campbell and Ian Kagey. Broadway Licensing Global has secured worldwide licensing rights to the critically acclaimed Broadway musical WATER FOR ELEPHANTS. The flagship musical publisher for the world’s fastest growing theatrical licensing company, Broadway Licensing Global, includes Dramatists Play Service and Playscripts.

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS had its world premiere in Atlanta on The Coca-Cola Stage at Alliance Theatre, running from June 7, 2023, through July 9, 2023. The critically acclaimed production had The Atlanta Journal-Constitution raving, “WATER FOR ELEPHANTS is a triumph! Truly dazzles.” WATER FOR ELEPHANTS premiered on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre, running from March 20, 2024, through December 8, 2024. The production was a New York Times Critic’s Pick, with chief NYT theater critic Jesse Green describing the show as “Huge”, “Heart-filling”, and “Emotionally vivid.”

For more information please visit: www.waterforelephantsthemusical.com

Follow us at @w4emusical
#W4EMusical #ChooseTheRide #WaterForElephantsMusical

Connor Sullivan, Helen Krushinski, and Zachary Keller

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

WEEK 1

Tuesday June 23 7:00 PM

Wednesday June 24 7:00 PM

Thursday June 25 7:00 PM

Friday June 26 7:00 PM

Saturday June 27 2:00 PM

Saturday June 27 7:30 PM

Sunday June 28 1:00 PM

Sunday June 28 6:30 PM

WEEK 2

Tuesday June 30 7:00 PM

Wednesday July 1 1:00 PM

Wednesday July 1 7:00 PM

Thursday July 2 7:00 PM

Friday July 3 7:00 PM

Saturday July 4 1:00 PM 4th Of July

Saturday July 4 6:30 PM 4th Of July

Sunday July 5 1:00 PM

TICKET INFORMATION (as of 6/23/26, based on availability and subject to change)

Individual ticket prices range from $39.00—$130.00 and may be purchased at www.BroadwayInChicago.com or any Broadway In Chicago box office. A select number of premium seats are available. Additional fees apply for online purchases.

Tickets for groups of 10 or more are available now by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing

GroupSales@BroadwayInChicago.com. Subscribers may add tickets to their subscription by clicking here or by calling (312) 977-1717. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com. Patrons can participate in a Digital Lottery for a chance to purchase $30 tickets for each performance. In addition to the lottery, a limited number of $49 rush tickets will be offered for each performance—available only in person at the box office on the day of the show. Click here for more information on Digital Lottery and In-Person Rush.

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 26 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at The Auditorium™

For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Follow @broadwayinchicago on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky #broadwayinchicago

The cast of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS

REVIEW: SANDBOX THEATRE COLLECTIVE'S HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARS ROVER Now Playing Through July 5TH

2026-06-22T16:44:00.000-05:00

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

SANDBOX THEATRE COLLECTIVE PRESENTS

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARS ROVER

Now Playing Through July 5, 2026

AT MRS. MURPHY & SON’S IRISH BISTRO

REVIEW

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

Happy Birthday Mars Rover is out of this world fun with a scrappy, DIY vibe. Extinction was never so colorful and creative. Don't miss this! ChiIL Live Shows on our radar. Highly recommended. Four out of Four Stars.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sandbox Theatre Collective has produced a show that spans space AND time, from the early days of cave people inventing language, to a stark future on a dying planet. And they manage to make it puppet filled and playful! Best of all, tickets are pay what you can, so they're not sky high, and everyone's welcome. Of course, if you have money, empty your wallet or be generous with a digital donation, so this talented collective can keep making their quirky and compelling art. The cast is a great mix of ethnicities, genders, and types, playing myriad characters with panache. The script is unique and the acting is highly entertaining.

All Production Photos by Alex Albrecht (@shermzilla)

Full disclosure, our son, Dugan Kenaz-Mara was props designer for this show, so we may be a bit biased in that department, but the Mars Rover he designed was charming, and elicited an audience full of awwwwws and empathy the night we caught the show. When the scientists who analyzed it's data anthropomorphized it a bit, the audience was right there with them, and by the time it played happy birthday to itself, in isolation on a distant planet, we felt the loneliness reverberating through the vast emptiness of space. This props heavy production uses items and quick costume changes to present a dizzying array of people and places.

The Sandbox Collective includes a heavy dose of Northwestern University alums, some of the best and brightest creative minds around. These wunderkinds are mostly Gen Z who spent their formative years surviving the covid pandemic, and it's attending isolation, and total shutdown of live performances. It's made them wonderfully weird, insightful, and wise beyond their years. The playwright, Preston Choi aptly claims his work focuses on social science fiction, Asian-American/mixed race/queer lives, and the horror of being alive, and we're here for it. I catch an average of 6 professional shows a week and I've seldom seen a more accurate and enjoyable encapsulation of what it means to be human.

Sandbox Theatre Collective has a delightfully unpretentious aesthetic, and sneaks in poignant pieces and deep truths while you're busy laughing. Happy Birthday Mars Rover spans a Dr Who worthy swath of centuries, in a production that's both playful and thought provoking. In a series of vignettes, Happy Birthday Mars Rover explores humanities curiosity, intelligence, love, loss, and longing to be remembered. We adored the old school overhead projector presentations of extinct animals, the actors each drew for themselves, in the style of elementary school kids.

Happy Birthday Mars Rover proves you can make big ideas come to life in a small space, without a Broadway budget. If aliens were attempting to learn about our planet and people, this production would be a great place to start!

Tickets for this production are pay what you can, with suggested prices ranging from $15-$30+ per ticket. Tickets can be purchased through Sandbox’s website or directly from Ticketsource.

Happy Birthday Mars Rover by Preston Choi, directed by Kara Toll.
Performances take place on the second floor at Mrs. Murphy and Sons Irish Bistro on select dates this summer, from June 19th - July 5th. Tickets for this production are pay what you can, with suggested prices ranging from $15-$30+ per ticket. Tickets can be purchased through Sandbox’s website or directly from Ticketsource.

Synopsis:

The Mars Rover sings Happy Birthday to itself as it searches for life on Mars as humans back on Earth search to understand what life is. A medley of snapshots, from cave people naming abstract concepts, bubbles that scream when popped, housewives battling existential dread, cows trying to get to heaven, and
the last human on Earth collecting jars of hair. Happy Birthday Mars Rover is a darkly comedic and whimsically morbid attempt to understand the human condition and life itself.

The cast of Happy Birthday Mars Rover includes Ruby Gibson (she/her, Actor One: “Daughter-ish"), Cooper Eidson (they/them, Actor Two: “Son-ish”) Coco Fernandez (she/they, Actor Three: “Mother-ish”), Gustavo Duran (he/him, Actor Four: “Father-ish”), Emma Marie Montoya (she/they, Actor Five: “Grandmother-ish”), and Nathan LoPinto (he/him, Actor Six: “Grandfather-ish”)

The creative team of Happy Birthday Mars Rover includes Preston Choi (he/him, Playwright), Kara Toll (she/they, Director), Francis Brenner (he/him, Stage Manager), Kate Samuels (she/her, Assistant Stage Manager), Madison Smith (she/they, Fight & Intimacy Coordinator), Rachael Dec (she/her, Movement
Director), Nathan Keiller (he/him, Lighting Design), Emilie Wingate (she/her, Puppet Design), Juan Barrera (he/him, Set Designer), Dugan Kenaz-Mara (he/him, Props Designer), Liza Kolesnik (any pronouns, Costumes), Ave Fitzgerald (she/they, Costumes), and Kate Schnetzer (she/her, Sound Design)

About Preston Choi:
Preston Choi is a Los Angeles based playwright whose work focuses on social science fiction, Asian-American/mixed race/queer lives, and the horror of being alive. His plays include Happy Birthday Mars Rover (2022 Planet Earth Arts Playwriting Award, 2022 Darrell Ayers Playwriting Award), performing class (2021-2022 NNPN Bridge Program, 2020-2021 Playwrights Realm Scratchpad Series), A Great Migration or The Migratory Patterns of the North American Monarch Butterfly and the Development of Fatherless Sons (2021 Paul Stephen Lim Playwriting Award, 2019 NNPN National New Play Showcase, 2017 Agnes Nixon Award), and This Is Not A True Story (2018 CAATA ConFest). His plays have been developed with Interact Theatre, Sideshow Theatre, Artist at Play, Silk Road Rising, CAATA, The Passage Theatre, and Our Perspective. He received a BS in Theatre from Northwestern University and an MFA in Playwriting from UC San Diego.

About Sandbox Theatre Collective:

Sandbox Theatre Collective exists to cultivate a supportive theatrical community in pursuit of exciting art and more fulfilled theatre artists. At Sandbox, artists of all levels work together to create the theatre of their dreams while expanding their skills and exploring their curiosity. Founded in 2022, Sandbox Theatre
Collective began as a small group of Chicago artists looking to create a space where theatre-makers of all backgrounds could show up and create their own work. Since that first day, we’ve embraced a non-hierarchical leadership structure, put our focus into new and reimagined works, and created opportunities for as many local artists as possible. In the past three years, we’ve mounted full productions, performed in living rooms and local businesses, and produced multiple new play development workshops (and a new musical workshop!).

Tickets for this production are pay what you can, with suggested prices ranging from $15-$30+ per ticket. Tickets can be purchased through Sandbox’s website or directly from Ticketsource.

Goodman Theatre's World Premiere of Iceboy! Extends Again Through August 9, 2026

2026-06-03T14:34:38.416-05:00

Chi, IL Live Shows on our Radar:

ICEBOY! STARTS JUNE 20th and is Now Extended Through August 9th

SIXTEEN ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES OF ICEBOY! STARRING MEGAN MULLALLY AND NICK OFFERMAN, WITH GREY HENSON, CEDRIC YARBROUGH, SARAH STILES, ALEX GOODRICH & MORE, EXTEND THE WORLD-PREMIERE MUSICAL THROUGH AUGUST 9

***WITH MUSIC BY MARK HOLLMANN, LYRICS BY HOLLMANN & JAY REISS, BOOK BY ERIN QUINN PURCELL & REISS, DIRECTED BY MARC BRUNI, CHOREOGRAPHY BY JOANN M. HUNTER***

This summer’s coolest new musical is the hottest at the box office: The Goodman announces an unprecedented two-week extension for Iceboy! Or the Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O’Neill Came to Write The Iceman Cometh, starring Emmy Award winners Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman. The world-premiere production features music by Mark Hollmann, lyrics by Mark Hollmann and Jay Reiss, and book by Erin Quinn Purcell and Jay Reiss—the Tony Award-winning creators behind Urinetown (Hollmann, with Greg Kotis) and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Reiss, with Rachel Sheinkin and William Finn)—with Grey Henson in the title role, Cedric Yarbrough, Sarah Stiles, Alex Goodrich and more.

Directed by Marc Bruni (Broadway’s The Great Gatsby) with choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter (The Penelopiad), it’s at once the capstone of The Goodman’s Centennial Season and its latest in a long history premiering new large-scale American musicals. Iceboy! Or The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O’Neill Came to Write The Iceman Cometh appears in the 856-seat Albert Theatre June 20 – August 9. The company remains intact during the extension weeks; Shawn Pfautsch will appear as Eugene O’Neill, the role typically played by Nick Offerman, on July 30, 31 and August 1. For tickets ($49 - $199, subject to change) call 312.443.3800 or purchase online at GoodmanTheatre.org/Iceboy. The Goodman is grateful for the support of its Iceboy! sponsors: Edgerton Foundation (New Play Award), Mayer Brown (Lead Corporate Sponsor) and Athletico (Physical Therapy Provider).

Broadway’s brightest star of 1939, Vera Vimm (Megan Mullally), is at the top of her game. But when she adopts a 40,000-year-old Neanderthal discovered frozen in the Arctic, the spotlight begins to shift. As Iceboy (Grey Henson) thaws, he unexpectedly becomes a theatrical sensation, inspiring the “father of the American drama” Eugene O’Neill (Nick Offerman) and challenging Vera for center stage. It’s All About Eve...if only Eve was a caveman.

The cast stars Emmy Award winners Megan Mullally (NBC’s Will & Grace) and Nick Offerman (NBC’s Parks and Recreation), Tony Award nominee Grey Henson (Broadway’s Mean Girls), Cedric Yarbrough (Comedy Central’s Reno 911!), Tony Award nominee Sarah Stiles (Broadway’s Tootsie) and Alex Goodrich (Marriott Theatre’s Hero: The Musical), together with Donterrio (Nightbirds), Melanie Brezill (A Christmas Carol), Will Koski (Paramount Theatre’s Into the Woods), Linda Mugleston (Broadway’s The Music Man), Shawn Pfautsch (The Matchbox Magic Flute), Andrea San Miguel (The Penelopiad), Will Lidke (Theo Ubique’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch), Leah Morrow(Marriott Theatre’s Heartbreak Hotel) and Jeff Parker (Betrayal).

Goodman Theatre’s artistic priorities have long included large-scale musicals, with 46 productions since 1970—including 21 premieres. The past decade alone has seen productions of eight world-premiere or major revivals, including Iceboy!; The Color Purple (2025); Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (2024); The Who’s Tommy (2023 and on Broadway); Life After (2022); The Music Man(2019); Wonderful Town (2016) and War Paint (2016 and on Broadway).

Twice over the past century, The Goodman has produced Eugene O’Neill’s epic masterwork The Iceman Cometh, directed by Robert Falls—in 2012, starring Nathan Lane and Brian Dennehy, and 1990, in a production that was revived in 1992 at the Abbey Theatre’s 33rd annual Dublin Theatre Festival. Additional O’Neill productions at The Goodman include Desire Under the Elms (1953, 2009 and on Broadway); Anna Christie (1954); Mourning Becomes Electra (1955 and 1976); Long Day’s Journey Into Night (1976, 2002 and on Broadway); A Touch of the Poet (1996); A Moon for the Misbegotten (2000); Hughie (2004); the double-bill of Hughie/Krapp’s Last Tape (2010); and Ah, Wilderness! (2017).

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Megan Mullally (Vera Vimm) created the role of Karen Walker on Will & Grace, a role for which she went on to win two Emmys and four SAG awards. On Broadway, she has starred in How to Succeed in Business, Young Frankenstein, and Grease, in addition to Guys and Dolls at Carnegie Hall, opposite Nathan Lane. On-screen credits include Chasing Summer, Dicks: The Musical, The Righteous Gemstones, Party Down, Reservation Dogs, Bobs’s Burgers, Childrens Hospital, Parks and Recreation, and the upcoming film Goodbye Girl. She tours worldwide with her band Nancy And Beth as creator, lead singer and choreographer.

Nick Offerman (Eugene O’Neill) is an actor, author, humorist and woodworker whose credits include the Emmy award-winning role of Bill in The Last of Us (HBO), Ron Swanson on NBC’s Parks and Recreation, Forest in Devs (FX), and Jinx in Margo’s Got Money Troubles (Apple). Stage credits include the role of Ignatius J. Reilly in A Confederacy of Dunces at the Huntington Theatre, Ulysses in Sharr White’s Annapurna, opposite Megan Mullally as Emma at The Odyssey/Evidence Room in LA and The New Group Off-Broadway, Adding Machine at The Minetta Lane (Off-Broadway) and many Chicago credits at Defiant Theatre (Founding Member), Steppenwolf, A Red Orchid, Wisdom Bridge, Chicago Shakespeare and, of course, his 1994 Goodman debut as The Keeper/Fight Captain in Richard II. Recent screen projects include Death by Lightning (Netflix), Sovereign, Voicemails For Isabel (Netflix), Civil War (written and directed by Alex Garland), The Pout Pout Fish, Origin (written and directed by Ava DuVernay), Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, Fargo (FX), Smurfs, The Umbrella Academy (Netflix), and NBC’s Making It (co-host and executive producer). He is the voice of Beef Tobin in the FOX animated series The Great North and audiobook narrator for Wendell Berry’s latest, The Need to Be Whole.

Grey Henson (Iceboy) was most recently seen as Bigfoot in Bigfoot! The Musical Off-Broadway, for which he earned a Drama League Award nomination. Broadway credits include Buddy in the 2024 revival of Elf The Musical (Drama Desk Award nomination), Damian in Mean Girls The Musical (Tony and Drama Desk nominations), Storyteller 2 in Shucked, and Elder McKinley in The Book of Mormon, a role that he originated on the first national tour. Other credits include Michael in tick, tick… BOOM! at the Kennedy Center and Tate in the Netflix series Girls5Eva. Carnegie Mellon University Drama.

Cedric Yarbrough (Floyd) is a multi-hyphenate performer recently seen in Clint Eastwood's latest film Juror #2, the Netflix film Unfrosted and the AMC series Lucky Hank. He starred in ABC's Speechless, The Goldbergs, CBS’ Carol's Second Act, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Key and Peele. The Minnesotan began his career with 8 seasons of Comedy Central’s hit Reno 911! as “Deputy S. Jones.” He was seen in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, The House, The Boss and Black Dynamite. Yarbrough is also a talented voice-over artist whose work includes Bob’s Burgers, Family Guy, Bojack Horseman, Kung Fu Panda 4 and the Peabody Award-winning The Boondocks.

Sarah Stiles (Lambert) is a two-time Tony Award-nominated actor for Tootsie and Hand to God. Other Broadway: On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, Avenue Q and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Off-Broadway: The Imaginary Invalid (Red Bull); Into the Woods (Delacorte); Vanities (Second Stage). Stiles stars opposite Kevin James in the Netflix comedy The Crew, is Gladys in the critically acclaimed EPIX Original Series Get Shorty and Bonnie on Showtime’s Billions. She voices Spinel in Steven Universe (Cartoon Network) and Mimzy in Hazbin Hotel (Amazon). Film: Transformers: Rise of the Beast, This Will Never Work, Unsane.

Alex Goodrich (Frankenstein) is thawed to make his Goodman Theatre debut! Chicago credits include several shows at Court Theater, Marriott Theater, Chicago Shakespeare, Northlight, Royal George, Drury Lane and Writers Theater. He’s been nominated several times for a Jeff award and won once. TV credits include Chicago Fire and Shining Girls on Apple TV+.

Mark Hollmann (Music and Lyrics) won the Tony Award®, the Obie Award, and the National Broadway Theatre Award for his music and lyrics to Urinetown The Musical, which went from the 1999 New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC) to receive 10 Tony Award® nominations and 11 Drama Desk Award nominations and win the Outer Critics Circle, the Drama League and the Lucille Lortel Awards for best musical.  His other shows as composer/lyricist include The Sting (Paper Mill Playhouse), ZM (Village Theatre Beta Series), Yeast Nation (FringeNYC), Bigfoot and Other Lost Souls (Perseverance Theatre), and The Girl, The Grouch and The Goat (University of Kansas Theatre and Chance Theatre).  For TV, he has written songs for the Disney Channel’s Johnny and the Sprites.  He received his A.B. in music from the University of Chicago, where he won the Louis J. Sudler Award in the Performing and Creative Arts.  He has taught at Princeton University, Columbia College Chicago and the Dramatists Guild Institute.  He is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) and the Dramatists Guild of America, and has served on the council of the Dramatists Guild as well as on the Tony Award® Nominating Committee.

Jay Reiss (Book and Lyrics) is one of the creators of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which won two Tony awards, and made his Broadway acting debut as the Bee’s word pronouncer, Vice Principal Douglas Panch. He co-wrote the screenplay for The Oranges, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, and starred Hugh Laurie, Allison Janney, Oliver Platt and Catherine Keener. He wrote the documentary New Wave: Dare To Be Different, about legendary NY radio Station WLIR. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and later on Showtime. Reiss is a graduate of The Juilliard School’s playwriting program.

Native Illinoisan Erin Quinn Purcell (Book) has been a mainstay in New York’s downtown theater scene for more than 30 years. She was one of the founding members of the critically acclaimed adobe theatre company, and participated as an actor, writer and/or director in countless productions. Writing credits include Duet! A Romantic Fable (Broadway Play Publishing), The Fiona Apple Kwanzaa Explosion (PSNBC), the musical A Fish Story (Jonathan Larson Foundation award) and the Russ Meyer inspired Go-Go Kitty, Go! (Outstanding Play, 2005 New York Fringe Festival).

Marc Bruni (Director) helmed The Great Gatsby (Broadway, West End, Korea) as well as the Tony, Grammy, and Olivier Award-winning Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Broadway, West End, US and UK Tours, and in Australia- Helpmann Award Best Director). Other credits include Billie Jean(Chicago Shakes), The Sound of Music (Chicago Lyric), Bull Durham (Paper Mill), A Little Night Music (Geffen Hall), Trevor: The Musical (Stage 42, Disney+), Bye Bye Birdie, Guys and Dolls, The Music Man, How to Succeed in Business..., 50 Years of Broadway (Kennedy Center), and Hey, Look Me Over!, Paint Your Wagon, Pipe Dream and Fanny (City Center Encores!), Tale of Despereaux (Old Globe, Berkeley), Love All (La Jolla), The Explorers Club (MTC), Ordinary Days (Roundabout), 9 shows for the St. Louis MUNY. 

Company of Iceboy! Or The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O’Neill Came to Write The Iceman Cometh

Music By Mark Hollmann
Lyrics by Mark Hollmann and Jay Reiss
Book by Erin Quinn Purcell and Jay Reiss
Directed by Marc Bruni
Choreographed by JoAnn M. Hunter

Alex Goodrich...Frankenstein
Grey Henson... Iceboy
Megan Mullally...Vera Vimm
Nick Offerman...Eugene O’Neill
Sarah Stiles...Lambert
Cedric Yarbrough...Floyd Richards
Donterrio, Melanie Brezill, Will Koski, Linda Mugleston, Shawn Pfautsch, Andrea San Miguel…Ensemble
Will Lidke, Leah Morrow, Jeff Parker…Swing

CREATIVE TEAM

Set Designer...Paul Tate dePoo III
Lighting Designer...Jen Schriever
Costume Designer...Linda Cho
Wig & Hair Designer...Charles “Chuck” LaPointe
Sound Designer...Connor Wang
Music Director/Conductor/Pianist/Additional Arrangements...Vadim Feichtner
Orchestrations...Bruce Coughlin
Music Preparation...John Blane
Voice & Dialect...Michelle Lopez-Rios
Violence & Intimacy...Chels Morgan
Associate Director...Keira Fromm
Associate Sound Designer...Emily Hayman
Associate Choreographer...Liz Ramos
Associate Costume Designer...Patrick Bevilacqua
Associate Wig & Hair Designer/Makeup Designer...Rachael Geier
Associate Lighting Designer...Paul Vaillancourt
Associate Set Designer...Kaitlyn Peterson
Assistant Director...Lo Williams
Assistant Music Director and Cover Conductor...Jo Ann Daugherty
Music Assistant...Jordan Klein
Assistant Sound Designer...Emily Lynch
Assistant Lighting Designer...Emma Berry
Script and Production Assistant...Molly Rosen
Production Assistant...Tuesday Thacker
Line Producer...Malkia Stampley
Second Line Producer...Adam Belcuore

Casting by Lauren Port, CSA and NY Casting by Jim Carnahan, CSA and Jason Thinger, CSA.Jennifer Gregory is the Production Stage Manager. Nikki Blue and Beth Koehler are the Stage Managers.

ENHANCED AND ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES

Visit GoodmanTheatre.org/Access for more information about The Goodman’s accessibility efforts.

ASL-Interpreted...July 17 at 7:30pm – An ASL interpreter signs the action/text as played.
Audio-Described...July 18 at 2pm; Touch Tour; 12:30pm – Action audibly enhanced via headset.
Spanish-Subtitled...July 18 at 7:30pm – Spanish-translated dialogue via LED sign.
Open-Captioned...July 19 at 2pm – LED sign presents dialogue in sync with the performance.

ABOUT THE GOODMAN

Since 1925, The Goodman has been more than a stage. A theatrical home for artists and a gathering space for community, it’s where stories come to life—bold in artistry and rich in history, deeply rooted in the city it serves.

Led by Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins, The Goodman sparks conversation, connection and change through new plays, reimagined classics and large-scale musicals. With distinctions including nearly 200 world or American premieres, two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and nearly 200 Joseph Jefferson Awards, The Goodman is proud to be the first theater to produce all 10 plays of August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle.” In addition, the theater frequently serves as a production partner—with national and international companies to Chicago’s Off-Loop theaters—to help amplify theatrical voices.

But The Goodman believes a more empathetic, more connected Chicago is created one story at a time, and counts as its greatest legacy the community it’s built. Generation-spanning productions and programs offer theater for a lifetime; from Theater for the Very Young (plays designed for ages 0-5) to the long-running annual A Christmas Carol, which has introduced new generations to theater over five decades, The Goodman is committed to being an asset for all of Chicago. Education and Engagement programs led by Clifford Director of Education and Engagement Jared Bellot and housed in the Alice Rapoport Center use the tools of theater to spark imagination, reflection and belonging. Each year, these programs reach thousands of people (85% from underserved communities) as well as educators, artists and lifelong learners across the city.

The Goodman stands on the unceded homelands of the Council of the Three Fires—the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations—and acknowledges the many other Nations for whom this land now called Chicago has long been home, including the Myaamia, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Wea, Kickapoo, and Mascouten. The Goodman is proud to partner with the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum (Gichigamiin-Museum.org) and the Center for Native Futures (CenterForNativeFutures.org)—organizations devoted to honoring Indigenous stories, preserving cultural memory, and deepening public understanding.

The Goodman was founded by William O. Goodman and his family to honor the memory of Kenneth Sawyer Goodman—a visionary playwright whose bold ideas helped shape Chicago’s early cultural renaissance. That spirit of creativity and generosity endures today. In 2000, through the commitment of Mr. Goodman’s descendants—Albert Ivar Goodman and his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton—The Goodman opened the doors to its current home in the heart of the Loop.

Marsha Cruzan is Chair of the Goodman Theatre Board of Trustees; Diane Landgren is Women’s Board President; and Kelli Garcia is president of the Scenemakers Board for Young Professionals.

Iceboy! Sneak Peek Into Goodman's Rehearsals With Megan Mullally And Nick Offerman

2026-05-29T16:12:00.000-05:00

Chi, IL Live Shows on our Radar:

Iceboy! Now in Rehearsals

A PEEK INTO REHEARSALS OF THE NEW MUSICAL ICEBOY!WITH MEGAN MULLALLY AND NICK OFFERMAN, GREY HENSON, CEDRIC YARBROUGH, SARAH STILES, ALEX GOODRICH & MORE

***WITH MUSIC BY MARK HOLLMAN, LYRICS BY HOLLMAN AND JAY REISS, BOOK BY ERIN QUINN PURCELL AND REISS, ICEBOY! STARTS JUNE 20—MARC BRUNI DIRECTS, JOANN M. HUNTER CHOREOGRAPHS***

Rehearsals are underway for the musical event of the summer: Iceboy! Or, The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O‘Neill Came to Write The Iceman Cometh. With music by Mark Hollmann, lyrics by Mark Hollmann and Jay Reiss, and book by Erin Quinn Purcell and Jay Reiss, the world-premiere production is at once the capstone to The Goodman’s Centennial Season and its latest in a longtime history of premiering new large-scale American musicals.

Iceboy Rehearsals: (L-R) Alex Goodrich, Sarah Stiles, Cedric Yarbrough, Megan Mullally, Nick Offerman, Grey Henson.

Iceboy Rehearsals: (L-R) Mark Hollmann, JoAnn M. Hunter, Erin Quinn Purcell, Jay Reiss, Marc Bruni. Photos by Todd Rosenberg

Marc Bruni (Broadway’s The Great Gatsby and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) directs with choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter (The Penelopiad). Iceboy! Or The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O’Neill Came to Write The Iceman Cometh appears in the 856-seat Albert Theatre June 20 – July 26. Opening night is June 29. For tickets ($44 - $189, subject to change) call 312.443.3800 or purchase online at GoodmanTheatre.org/Iceboy. The Goodman is grateful for the support of its Iceboy! sponsors: Edgerton Foundation (New Play Award), Mayer Brown (Lead Corporate Sponsor) and Athletico (Physical Therapy Provider).

Iceboy Rehearsals: (L-R) Jay Reiss, Sarah Stiles.

"It began as a scrappy little play called Hooray for Iceboy, which Jay and I co-wrote with the adobe theatre company in New York City. Audiences responded right away, which encouraged us to keep going. In 2012, we brought Mark on board—and here we are today,” said playwright Erin Quinn Purcell. "As someone from Illinois, working at The Goodman feels like a theatrical mecca. And there’s something exciting about creating Iceboy! in a place with such a rich history with Eugene O’Neill’s work, for audiences who are so smart and savvy. We hope we live up to that—in a fun way.”

Iceboy Rehearsals: (L-R) Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally.

Broadway’s brightest star of 1938, Vera Vimm  (Megan Mullally), is at the top of her game.  But when she adopts a 40,000-year-old Neanderthal discovered frozen in the Arctic, the spotlight begins to shift.  As  Iceboy (Grey Henson)  thaws, he unexpectedly becomes a theatrical sensation, inspiring the “father of the American drama” Eugene O’Neill (Nick Offerman) and challenging his legendary mother for center stage. It’s All About Eve...if only Eve  was  a caveman.

Iceboy Rehearsals: (L-R) Grey Henson, Megan Mullally, Nick Offerman, Cedric Yarbrough.

“The late 1930s were such a strange time—people would go to the theater at 8:30pm, be out by 11, and then head to a supper club...on a weeknight. When did they sleep? It’s fun to cherry-pick history to suit the story,” said Jay Reiss, the creator of the Tony Award-winning musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (with Rachel Sheinkin and William Finn). "Iceboy! is still evolving, but together we hope to create something unique and special that we can’t wait for audiences to experience.”

Iceboy Rehearsals: (L-R) Cedric Yarbrough, Alex Goodrich, Donterrio.

The cast stars Emmy Award winners Megan Mullally (NBC’s Will & Grace) and Nick Offerman (NBC’s Parks and Recreation), Tony Award nominee Grey Henson (Broadway’s Mean Girls), Cedric Yarbrough (Comedy Central’s Reno 911!), Tony Award nominee Sarah Stiles (Broadway’s Tootsie) and Alex Goodrich (Marriott Theatre’s Hero: The Musical), together with Donterrio (Nightbirds), Melanie Brezill (A Christmas Carol), Will Koski (Paramount Theatre’s Into the Woods), Linda Mugleston (Broadway’s The Music Man), Shawn Pfautsch (The Matchbox Magic Flute), Andrea San Miguel (The Penelopiad), Will Lidke (Theo Ubique’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch), Leah Morrow(Marriott Theatre’s Heartbreak Hotel) and Jeff Parker (Betrayal). Casting note: Shawn Pfautsch will appear as Eugene O’Neill, the role typically played by Nick Offerman, at the June 20, 21, 23 and 24 preview performances.

Iceboy Rehearsals: (L-R) Vadim Feichtner

“Bringing this new musical to The Goodman during its Centennial Season is especially meaningful for me. I grew up in downstate Illinois and spent my early adulthood in Chicago working in storefront theaters, dreaming of one day working at The Goodman. I learned so much by seeing world premieres here—so it’s an honor to now have one of my own musicals premiere on this stage,” said Mark Hollmann, Tony Award-winning creator of the musical Urinetown (with Greg Kotis).

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Megan Mullally (Vera Vimm) created the role of Karen Walker on Will & Grace, a role for which she went on to win two Emmys and four SAG awards. On Broadway, she has starred in How to Succeed in Business, Young Frankenstein, and Grease, in addition to Guys and Dolls at Carnegie Hall, opposite Nathan Lane. On-screen credits include Chasing Summer, Dicks: The Musical, The Righteous Gemstones, Party Down, Reservation Dogs, Bobs’s Burgers, Childrens Hospital, Parks and Recreation, and the upcoming film Goodbye Girl. She tours worldwide with her band Nancy And Beth as creator, lead singer and choreographer.

Nick Offerman (Eugene O’Neill) is an actor, author, humorist and woodworker whose credits include the Emmy award-winning role of Bill in The Last of Us (HBO), Ron Swanson on NBC’s Parks and Recreation, Forest in Devs (FX), and Jinx in Margo’s Got Money Troubles (Apple). Stage credits include the role of Ignatius J. Reilly in A Confederacy of Dunces at the Huntington Theatre, Ulysses in Sharr White’s Annapurna, opposite Megan Mullally as Emma at The Odyssey/Evidence Room in LA and The New Group Off-Broadway, Adding Machine at The Minetta Lane (Off-Broadway) and many Chicago credits at Defiant Theatre (Founding Member), Steppenwolf, A Red Orchid, Wisdom Bridge, Chicago Shakespeare and, of course, his 1994 Goodman debut as The Keeper/Fight Captain in Richard II. Recent screen projects include Death by Lightning (Netflix), Sovereign, Voicemails For Isabel (Netflix), Civil War (written and directed by Alex Garland), The Pout Pout Fish, Origin (written and directed by Ava DuVernay), Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, Fargo (FX), Smurfs, The Umbrella Academy (Netflix), and NBC’s Making It (co-host and executive producer). He is the voice of Beef Tobin in the FOX animated series The Great North and audiobook narrator for Wendell Berry’s latest, The Need to Be Whole.

Grey Henson (Iceboy) was most recently seen as Bigfoot in Bigfoot! The Musical Off-Broadway, for which he earned a Drama League Award nomination. Broadway credits include Buddy in the 2024 revival of Elf The Musical (Drama Desk Award nomination), Damian in Mean Girls The Musical (Tony and Drama Desk nominations), Storyteller 2 in Shucked, and Elder McKinley in The Book of Mormon, a role that he originated on the first national tour. Other credits include Michael in tick, tick… BOOM! at the Kennedy Center and Tate in the Netflix series Girls5Eva. Carnegie Mellon University Drama.

Cedric Yarbrough (Floyd) is a multi-hyphenate performer recently seen in Clint Eastwood's latest film Juror #2, the Netflix film Unfrosted and the AMC series Lucky Hank. He starred in ABC's Speechless, The Goldbergs, CBS’ Carol's Second Act, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Key and Peele. The Minnesotan began his career with 8 seasons of Comedy Central’s hit Reno 911! as “Deputy S. Jones.” He was seen in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, The House, The Boss and Black Dynamite. Yarbrough is also a talented voice-over artist whose work includes Bob’s Burgers, Family Guy, Bojack Horseman, Kung Fu Panda 4 and the Peabody Award-winning The Boondocks.

Sarah Stiles (Lambert) is a two-time Tony Award-nominated actor for Tootsie and Hand to God. Other Broadway: On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, Avenue Q and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Off-Broadway: The Imaginary Invalid (Red Bull); Into the Woods (Delacorte); Vanities (Second Stage). Stiles stars opposite Kevin James in the Netflix comedy The Crew, is Gladys in the critically acclaimed EPIX Original Series Get Shorty and Bonnie on Showtime’s Billions. She voices Spinel in Steven Universe (Cartoon Network) and Mimzy in Hazbin Hotel (Amazon). Film: Transformers: Rise of the Beast, This Will Never Work, Unsane.

Alex Goodrich (Frankenstein) is thawed to make his Goodman Theatre debut! Chicago credits include several shows at Court Theater, Marriott Theater, Chicago Shakespeare, Northlight, Royal George, Drury Lane and Writers Theater. He’s been nominated several times for a Jeff award and won once. TV credits include Chicago Fire and Shining Girls on Apple TV+.

Mark Hollmann (Music and Lyrics) won the Tony Award®, the Obie Award, and the National Broadway Theatre Award for his music and lyrics to Urinetown The Musical, which went from the 1999 New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC) to receive 10 Tony Award® nominations and 11 Drama Desk Award nominations and win the Outer Critics Circle, the Drama League and the Lucille Lortel Awards for best musical.  His other shows as composer/lyricist include The Sting (Paper Mill Playhouse), ZM (Village Theatre Beta Series), Yeast Nation (FringeNYC), Bigfoot and Other Lost Souls (Perseverance Theatre), and The Girl, The Grouch and The Goat (University of Kansas Theatreand Chance Theatre).  For TV, he has written songs for the Disney Channel’s Johnny and the Sprites.  He received his A.B. in music from the University of Chicago, where he won the Louis J. Sudler Award in the Performing and Creative Arts.  He has taught at Princeton University, Columbia College Chicago and the Dramatists Guild Institute.  He is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) and the Dramatists Guild of America, and has served on the council of the Dramatists Guild as well as on the Tony Award® Nominating Committee.

Jay Reiss (Book and Lyrics) is one of the creators of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which won two Tony awards, and made his Broadway acting debut as the Bee’s word pronouncer, Vice Principal Douglas Panch. He co-wrote the screenplay for The Oranges, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, and starred Hugh Laurie, Allison Janney, Oliver Platt and Catherine Keener. He wrote the documentary New Wave: Dare To Be Different, about legendary NY radio Station WLIR. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and later on Showtime. Reiss is a graduate of The Juilliard School’s playwriting program.

Native Illinoisan Erin Quinn Purcell (Book) has been a mainstay in New York’s downtown theater scene for more than 30 years. She was one of the founding members of the critically acclaimed adobe theatre company, and participated as an actor, writer and/or director in countless productions. Writingcredits include Duet! A Romantic Fable (Broadway Play Publishing), The Fiona Apple Kwanzaa Explosion (PSNBC), the musical A Fish Story (Jonathan Larson Foundation award) and the Russ Meyer inspired Go-Go Kitty, Go! (Outstanding Play, 2005 New York Fringe Festival).

Marc Bruni (Director) helmed The Great Gatsby (Broadway, West End, Korea) as well as the Tony, Grammy, and Olivier Award-winning Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Broadway, West End, US and UK Tours, and in Australia- Helpmann Award Best Director). Other credits include Billie Jean(Chicago Shakes), The Sound of Music (Chicago Lyric), Bull Durham (Paper Mill), A Little Night Music (Geffen Hall), Trevor: The Musical (Stage 42, Disney+), Bye Bye Birdie, Guys and Dolls, The Music Man, How to Succeed in Business..., 50 Years of Broadway (Kennedy Center), and Hey, Look Me Over!, Paint Your Wagon, Pipe Dream and Fanny (City Center Encores!), Tale of Despereaux (Old Globe, Berkeley), Love All (La Jolla), The Explorers Club (MTC), Ordinary Days (Roundabout), 9 shows for the St. Louis MUNY. 

Company of Iceboy! Or The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O’Neill Came to Write The Iceman Cometh

Music By Mark Hollmann
Lyrics by Mark Hollmann and Jay Reiss
Book by Erin Quinn Purcell and Jay Reiss
Directed by Marc Bruni
Choreographed by JoAnn M. Hunter

Alex Goodrich...Frankenstein
Grey Henson... Iceboy
Megan Mullally...Vera Vimm
Nick Offerman...Eugene O’Neill
Sarah Stiles...Lambert
Cedric Yarbrough...Floyd Richards

Donterrio, Melanie Brezill, Will Koski, Linda Mugleston, Shawn Pfautsch, Andrea San Miguel…Ensemble

Will Lidke, Leah Morrow, Jeff Parker…Swing

Iceboy Rehearsals: (L-R) Andrea San Miguel, Shawn Pfautsch, Linda Mugleston.

CREATIVE TEAM
Set Designer...Paul Tate dePoo III
Lighting Designer...Jen Schriever
Costume Designer...Linda Cho
Wig & Hair Designer...Charles “Chuck” LaPointe
Sound Designer...Connor Wang
Music Director and Conductor/Pianist...Vadim Feichtner
Orchestrations...Bruce Coughlin
Music Preparation...John Blane
Voice & Dialect...Michelle Lopez-Rios
Violence & Intimacy...Chels Morgan
Associate Director...Keira Fromm
Associate Sound Designer...Emily Hayman
Associate Choreographer...Liz Ramos
Associate Costume Designer...Patrick Bevilacqua
Associate Wig & Hair Designer/Makeup Designer...Rachael Geier
Associate Lighting Designer...Paul Vaillancourt
Associate Set Designer...Kaitlyn Peterson
Assistant Director...Lo Williams
Assistant Music Director and Cover Conductor...Jo Ann Daugherty
Music Assistant...Jordan Klein
Assistant Sound Designer...Emily Lynch
Assistant Lighting Designer...Emma Berry
Script and Production Assistant...Molly Rosen
Production Assistant...Tuesday Thacker
Line Producer...Malkia Stampley
Second Line Producer...Adam Belcuore

Casting by Lauren Port, CSA and NY Casting by Jim Carnahan, CSA and Jason Thinger, CSA.Jennifer Gregory is the Production Stage Manager. Nikki Blue and Beth Koehler are the Stage Managers.

ENHANCED AND ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES

Visit GoodmanTheatre.org/Access for more information about The Goodman’s accessibility efforts.

ASL-Interpreted...July 17 at 7:30pm – An ASL interpreter signs the action/text as played.
Audio-Described...July 18 at 2pm; Touch Tour; 12:30pm – Action audibly enhanced via headset.
Spanish-Subtitled...July 18 at 7:30pm – Spanish-translated dialogue via LED sign.
Open-Captioned...July 19 at 2pm – LED sign presents dialogue in sync with the performance.

ABOUT THE GOODMAN

Since 1925, The Goodman has been more than a stage. A theatrical home for artists and a gathering space for community, it’s where stories come to life—bold in artistry and rich in history, deeply rooted in the city it serves.

Led by Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins, The Goodman sparks conversation, connection and change through new plays, reimagined classics and large-scale musicals. With distinctions including nearly 200 world or American premieres, two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and nearly 200 Joseph Jefferson Awards, The Goodman is proud to be the first theater to produce all 10 plays of August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle.” In addition, the theater frequently serves as a production partner—with national and international companies to Chicago’s Off-Loop theaters—to help amplify theatrical voices.

But The Goodman believes a more empathetic, more connected Chicago is created one story at a time, and counts as its greatest legacy the community it’s built. Generation-spanning productions and programs offer theater for a lifetime; from Theater for the Very Young (plays designed for ages 0-5) to the long-running annual A Christmas Carol, which has introduced new generations to theater over five decades, The Goodman is committed to being an asset for all of Chicago. Education and Engagement programs led by Clifford Director of Education and Engagement Jared Bellot and housed in the Alice Rapoport Center use the tools of theater to spark imagination, reflection and belonging. Each year, these programs reach thousands of people (85% from underserved communities) as well as educators, artists and lifelong learners across the city.

The Goodman stands on the unceded homelands of the Council of the Three Fires—the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations—and acknowledges the many other Nations for whom this land now called Chicago has long been home, including the Myaamia, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Wea, Kickapoo, and Mascouten. The Goodman is proud to partner with the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum (Gichigamiin-Museum.org) and the Center for Native Futures (CenterForNativeFutures.org)—organizations devoted to honoring Indigenous stories, preserving cultural memory, and deepening public understanding.

The Goodman was founded by William O. Goodman and his family to honor the memory of Kenneth Sawyer Goodman—a visionary playwright whose bold ideas helped shape Chicago’s early cultural renaissance. That spirit of creativity and generosity endures today. In 2000, through the commitment of Mr. Goodman’s descendants—Albert Ivar Goodman and his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton—The Goodman opened the doors to its current home in the heart of the Loop.

Marsha Cruzan is Chair of the Goodman Theatre Board of Trustees; Diane Landgren is Women’s Board President; and Kelli Garcia is president of the Scenemakers Board for Young Professionals.

Iceboy Rehearsals: (L-R) Kiera Fromm, Marc Bruni

All Rehearsal Photos by Todd Rosenberg

Iceboy! Or, The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O’Neill Came to Write The Iceman Cometh Music By Mark Hollmann  Lyrics by Mark Hollmann and Jay Reiss  Book by Erin Quinn Purcell and Jay Reiss  Directed by Marc Bruni

Choreographed by JoAnn M. Hunter

June 20 – July 26, 2026 in the Albert Theatre

REVIEW: The OLDest PROfession Now Playing Theater WIT Through May 27, 2026

2026-05-26T13:21:00.000-05:00

The Oldest Profession: Solo Comedy Show About Sex Worker History

Three nights only at Theater Wit

May 25, 26 & 27

Running Time: 1 hour 30 minutes with no intermission

GUEST REVIEW

By Barbara Belcore

I was so pleased to see The Oldest Profession at Theater Wit, with my daughter last night, and with only two nights left, I’d absolutely hurry to get a seat. Kaytlin Bailey delivers a fast paced one woman show that somehow manages to be hilarious, deeply informative, personal, and genuinely moving all at once.

Blending stand up, storytelling, and art history, Bailey traces 10,000 years of sex worker history while making the subject incredibly accessible, even for audience members who may know very little about it going in. The show balances humor with serious social commentary in a way that never feels preachy. I found myself laughing one minute and sitting with something profoundly uncomfortable or thought provoking the next.

One of the most powerful threads throughout the show was the comparison between Bailey’s experience as a sex worker and her father’s experience as a soldier, especially the irony that his profession was statistically far more dangerous. Her reflections on how society assigns morality and value to different kinds of labor were sharp and memorable.

The historical sections were fascinating too, from discussions of virginity tests and the weaponization of the word “whore” starting in childhood, to debunking myths like Mary Magdalene being a sex worker. Bailey also explores how institutions, particularly the church, shaped attitudes toward sexuality, women, queer people, and sex workers over centuries.

The opener, Lauren, was fantastic too and set the tone perfectly with a warm, funny set before Bailey took the stage.

It’s rare to see a show that is this funny, this smart, and this human all at the same time. I left entertained, challenged, and still thinking about it hours later.

Barbara is a Chicago-area home birth midwife, maker, theater enthusiast, avid reader, and mom of two quirky, creative teens. She is currently snuggling three cats who are perpetually convinced that they have never been fed.

The Oldest Profession is a solo comedy show by Kaytlin Bailey who is a comedian, former sex worker, and host of the acclaimed podcast of the same name. Bailey offers a new angle on the world’s oldest profession, reframing the story of western civilization in a fast-paced and profoundly moving solo show. The performance is enhanced by a projected art history slideshow.

Blending stand-up, storytelling, and lived experience with meticulously researched history, the show races through 10,000 years of sex worker history in a funny yet thought provoking hour. The performance makes use of a projected art history slideshow.

Check out The Oldest Profession HERE for more information and upcoming show dates: https://theoldestprofession.org/

Review: Lazy Susan Theatre Co's Moonwatchers Now Playing Through May 17, 2026

2026-05-02T17:10:33.241-05:00

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

LAZY SUSAN THEATRE CO. PRESENTS THE CHICAGO PREMIERE OF

MOONWATCHERS

APRIL 30 - MAY 17

AT THE GREENHOUSE THEATER CENTER

A Puppet Filled Tale of a Moon Heist, a Lovelorn Cow, and The Night Everything Changes

Written by Corey Farrell & Nigel Berkeley.

Directed by Co-Artistic Director Nealie Tinlin

The total running time is one hour, no intermission

Please note, this production contains some mature language, humor, and the use of fog and strobe effects.

All Production Photography by Mollie Menuck

REVIEW

By Dugan Kenaz-Mara

Everyone knows what it's like to work a minimum wage job. You show up, give a short greeting to your coworker, then have to deal with the monotony of the same routine night after night. And it's no different watching the moon. It's especially harrowing when you and your only coworker don't quite get along. But, when the focal point of your job suddenly goes missing? Everything might just get a lot more exciting.

I am not exaggerating when I say that Moonwatchers is an absolute masterpiece when it comes to whimsy. It packs all of the joy, silliness, action, and simple puns of a TYA show into a story that any adult can relate to. The performance prominently features a kazoo battle, sock puppet murder, and character sound effect gags that had the audience laughing the whole way through.

Elijah J. Jones (Allen) and Renzo Vicente (Rocko) share incredible chemistry on stage, pulling off the "opposite personality coworker duo" dynamic with ease. They each also play over-the-top side characters, like Johnny Rumble - the Meanest Moon Rustler in the solar system, and Bessie - the Cow who jumps over the moon each night. Two characters who have a shared past that we get to witness reconnect on stage as well. Both actors are funny, charming, and good musicians, singing multiple hilarious songs throughout the 55 minute performance.

As a theater designer myself I couldn't help notice a neat aesthetic that scenic designer Jon Yawn and props designer Pierce Julian Howard pulled together. The Supergraphic '70's stripes' across the set and the 50s 'Atomic star' designs presented a space age vibe, that reinforced the feeling of a repetative workday in need of some variety. The costumes by Ephraim Page, lighting by Emma Berry and sound by Matthew Masino did the opposite, infusing the fun back into the show, and leaving opportunity for the space to transform into a western-inspired space desert or a crazy comet-fishing area. And despite the limited playing space of the intimate theater, the designers were able to transport us on a grand space adventure.

If you're in the mood for an adult show that makes you feel like a kid again, I would definitely recommend this one!

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar. Four out of Four Stars. Highly Recommended ★★★★

Dugan Kenaz-Mara is a Chicago based designer, photographer, educator, and graduate of Northwestern University's theatre program.

It is Rocko and Allen’s job to watch the moon, and it is really quite boring. Night after night, they time the sequences exactly - the cow jumps, the comet soars, but NEVER the alien spaceship. This is until the dastardly space criminal Johnny Rumble steals the moon, taking it to the far-off space desert of the Midnight Sun. This course of events sends the moonwatchers on an intergalactic space odyssey filled with music, love, new friendships, and epic showdowns to win back the one, the only, the Moon.

For tickets click here: https://lazysusantheatreco.org/moonwatchers

Cast and Crew:

Elijah J. Jones

“Allen”

Renzo Vicente

“Rocko”

Nicholas Ford Kinney

“Allen” u/s

Jack Humphrey

“Rocko” u/s

Nigel Berkeley

Playwright

Corey Farrell

Playwright

Nealie Tinlin*

Director

Dominic Rincker*

Music Director

Jon Yawn*

Scenic Designer

Emma Berry

Lighting Designer

Ephraim Page

Costume Designer

Matthew Masino*

Sound Designer

Pierce Julian Howard*

Prop Designer

Jacob Sousley

Stage Manager

Maeve Carroll

Asst. Stage Manager

At Lazy Susan Theatre Co., we embrace the importance of the artistic process by creating a space that is celebratory of the art. From the early stages to the final performance, we work to cultivate an environment where both audience and artist feel a sense of home and humanness. We believe the need to create is a reason to create. We work to grow our theatrical community and foster a safe and inclusive place for artists to learn and explore.

We believe the need to create is a reason to create. As a theatre company rooted in the vibrant city of Chicago, we are dedicated to creating bold, inclusive, and thought-provoking productions. Your generosity keeps the light shining and the stories unfolding. Lazy Susan Theatre Co is a 501(c)(3) non-profit; your donation is fully tax deductible.

It's ON! One of a Kind Spring Show at THE MART April 24-26, 2026

2026-04-24T14:59:17.437-05:00

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

THE ANNUAL

ONE OF A KIND SPRING SHOW® CHICAGO

WILL RETURN TO THE MART FEATURING 350+ ARTISTS, 150+ NEW EXHIBITORS, LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, GOURMET MARKET & MORE

APRIL 24–26

Here at ChiIL Mama & ChiIL Live Shows, we've been covering The holiday and spring One of a Kind Shows for years and always meet the most interesting creatives. We also usually leave with fabulous OOAK finds. At the holiday show we shared an elevator with a group of women who came prepared, and left with rolling shopping carts packed to the brim! Express your unique self! Support indy artists and small businesses. Shop OOAK Chicago this Friday through Sunday.

The Best Place to Shop Original Work from Hundreds of Independent Artists, Designers and Makers Under One Roof, Chicago’s Favorite Spring Shopping Event Returns with a Curated Experience Including a Fine Art Gallery, Emerging Market, Gourmet Food, Drinks, Live Music and More

Chicago’s favorite 3‑day spring shopping event returns in full bloom! The One of a Kind Spring Show is pleased to announce the 2026 edition of the beloved event, taking over the 7th Floor of THE MART from Friday, April 24 through Sunday, April 26. Featuring animpressive selection of original work from more than 350 talented artists, designers and makers from across North America, attendees will have theopportunity to meet and shop directly from the show’s jury‑selected exhibitors, including 35 emerging artists and over 150 new participants debuting at the show this year.

The One of a Kind Spring Show will showcase a vibrant mix of fine art, home décor, fashion, jewelry, ceramics, photography, gourmet goods and unique pieces perfect for spring celebrations including Mother’s Day, graduations, weddings and seasonal entertaining. Throughout the weekend attendees can enjoy live music from local performers and watch engaging artist demonstrations at center stage, indulge in artisan culinary creations in the Gourmet Market, meet rising food entrepreneurs inside The Hatchery Pavilion, and discover new favorites in the Emerging Market, featuring up‑and‑coming talent exhibiting for thefirst time.

Guests can also stroll through the curated Fine Art Gallery, where select works from exhibiting fine artists are presented in a dedicated gallery setting. Food and beverages will be available throughout the show floor with a variety of gourmet offerings provided by Foodstuffs, and courtesy carts will be available to make shopping easy and enjoyable. Each evening of the show, attendees can head outdoors to enjoy ART on THE MART, one of the world’s largest digital art projections, illuminating the iconic façade of THE MART with vivid, large‑scale displays.

“We are thrilled to be returning for our Spring Show, which continues to grow in creativity, excitement and community every year,” said Kathleen Hogan, Director of the One of a Kind Show. “Spring is the perfect time to refresh, explore and discover new work from our incredibly talented group of artists, and we can’t wait to offer an unforgettable weekend full of inspiration, artistry and connection.”

General Show Information:
The One of a Kind Spring Show® Chicago takes place at THE MART, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza, 7th Floor, April 24–26, 2026. For tickets or more information, visit: http://oneofakindshowchicago.com/.
Tickets start at $15 for adult admissions (12+) and are valid for re‑entry all three days of the show.

Hours are as follows:
Friday, April 24: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 25: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sunday, April 26: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

For news and real-time updates, follow the One of a Kind Show on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

About THE MART
THE MART (formerly The Merchandise Mart), located in the center of the sought-after River North submarket, is interwoven into the fabric of Chicago as aninnovator in business, technology, design, culture, art, media and more. It is one of the world’s leading commercial buildings, wholesale design centers and thepreeminent international business location in Chicago. Encompassing 4.2 million gross square feet, THE MART spans two city blocks, rises 25 stories, and is visited by an average of 30,000 people each business day and nearly 10 million people annually. Offering continuous innovation and creativity from leading manufacturers and design forward showrooms, THE MART serves as the home to Chicago's most creative and technologically innovative companies.

EXTENDED: Theater Wit's Midwest Premiere of The Ally Through May 17, 2026

2026-04-16T19:06:00.000-05:00

Chi, IL Live Shows on our Radar:

Theater Wit adds shows, extends its Midwest Premiere of

The Ally

the 2025 Pulitzer-nom'd play by Itamar Moses, through May 17, 2026

DeVaughn Asante Loman (left) as Baron and Jordan Lane Shappell as Asaf. Credit: Charles Osgood.

Theater Wit is excited to announce added performances and a two-week extension of its current Midwest premiere of The Ally due to popular demand.

The critics agree, The Ally is must-see:

“It is unusual to encounter a play so ferociously intelligent and even more unusual to encounter one that respects the intelligence of its audience…more than great theatre, it is important, essential theatre.”

- C.J. Fernandes, Stage & Cinema

“Heady and passionate questions…(The Ally) explodes with rhetoric and recrimination—mostly around Israel and Palestine, but also touching on a host of other urgent issues.”

- Kerry Reid, Chicago Reader, adding “It’s also often a very funny play, despite the subject matter” 

“The Ally has a heightened immediacy today, and should be seen. Highly Recommended.”

- Bill Esler, Buzz Center Stage

Originally slated to run through May 2, The Ally has now been extended through May 17. The updated performance schedule, including newly-added Saturday matinees, is Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 7 p.m.; and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Theater Wit is also offering free pre-show discussions before the next two Sunday matinees to explore and add context to the themes of The Ally, and to learn more about engaging in social movements in Chicago. Admission is free with a ticket to the 2 p.m. performance that follows.

Sunday, April 19, 12:30 p.m.

“Approaches for Social Change” with Kelly Bencola, Northwestern University

Bencola will explore different models of social change and create space to reflect on how individual strengths and values can shape your approach to making an impact.

Sunday, April 26, 12:30 p.m.

“Organizing for Jewish Safety & Collective Freedom” with artist and activist Eli Newell from IfNotNow

Newell presents perspectives on the communal organizing landscape in the Jewish world, exploring grassroots contexts on the proliferation of antisemitic ideology and how we might disrupt its exploitation.

Extension tickets go on sale Wednesday, April 17. Tickets are $18-$44. Purchase tickets at theaterwit.org, by calling (773) 975-8150, or in person at the Theater Wit box office.

Theater Wit is located at 1229 W. Belmont Ave., in Chicago’s Lake View neighborhood. Convenient parking is available for $10 across Belmont in the lot behind Kubo restaurant (pay at the Theater Wit box office.) Neighborhood street parking is available, as are private paid lots (tip: book ahead and at a discount with Spothero). Theater Wit is also accessible via the CTA 77 Belmont bus, and is three blocks west of the CTA Belmont Red/Brown/Purple line stop.

The Ally: A student manifesto forces questions about identity and faith

From the Tony Award-winning author of The Band's Visit comes a provocative new play about identity, loyalty, and the complexities of unity.

A finalist for the 2025 Pulitzer Prize, The Ally, written by Itamar Moses (Completeness, Dead Outlaw), directed by Jeremy Wechsler (Prayer for the French Republic), is now enjoying its Midwest Premiere at Chicago’s Theater Wit.

Moses’ newest play is a darkly funny and deeply human new play that asks: just whose side are you on? When Asaf’s student asks him to sign a petition condemning police brutality, he wants to do the right thing — until he realizes the manifesto turns out to be broader than he imagined, and every choice feels like betrayal. As the debate roars through his Midwestern campus and his ex-girlfriend takes the lead, Asaf is pulled into a political storm that tests his convictions and his sense of self. Will his fumbling entrée into activism help or hurt the cause? Who’s side is Asaf – and the audience – really on?

The cast for Theater Wit’s Midwest Premiere of The Ally features Sharyon Culberson as Nakia, Eliyah Arman Ghaeini as Farid, Mira Kessler as Rachel, DeVaughn Asante Loman as Baron, Evan Ozer as Reuven, Jordan Lane Shappell as Asaf, and K Chinthana Sotakoun as Gwen. Designers are Joe Schermoly (set), Matthew Eggers (costumes), Piper Kirchhofer (lights), Jonathan Berg-Einhorn (props), Joe Cerqua (composer and sound designer), Sarah Luse (stage manager), Matthew R. Chase (production manager) and Claire Simon (casting director).

The Ally premiered off-Broadway at the Public Theater in February 2024. The New York Times called it “Important…Itamar Moses’ play offers eloquent arguments on all sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” New York Stage Review wrote “The Ally will most certainly give you the tools to wage a cogent, forceful argument, no matter what side you’re on.”

"I recognized myself in Asaf the moment I read this play," said Jeremy Wechsler, Theater Wit Artistic Director and director of The Ally. "Before October 7th, I — like a lot of American Jews on the left — held two ideas at once: that Israel was a haven and that the occupation was wrong. Itamar Moses saw, honestly before I did, that those two ideas were becoming impossible to hold simultaneously. But there are always two ways to answer the question ‘What do I believe?': what do I think, and what do I feel? Where we land on that spectrum is a constant negotiation between ourselves and the world around us. What The Ally asks — what it really demands — is that we face that negotiation honestly. Can we be good people when our hearts and our heads aren't aligned?”

Mira Kessler (from left) as Rachel, Jordan Lane Shappell as Asaf, DeVaughn Asante Loman as Baron, Eliyah Arman Ghaeini as Farid and Sharyon Culberson as Nakia inTheater Wit's Midwest Premiere of The Ally. Credit: Charles Osgood

Evan Ozer ( left) as Reuven and Jordan Lane Shappell as Asaf in Theater Wit's Midwest Premiere of The Ally. Credit: Charles Osgood

About Theater Wit, Chicago’s “Smart Art” theater
Photos courtesy Theater Wit

As a production company, Theater Wit is the premier smart art theater in Chicago, producing humorous, challenging, and intelligent plays that speak with a vibrant and contemporary theatrical voice. As an institution, Theater Wit seeks to be the hub of the Chicago neighborhood theater scene. Led by Artistic Director Jeremy Wechsler, Wit brings together Chicago’s best storefront theater companies in its three, 99-seat spaces, where audiences find a smorgasbord of excellent productions, see the work of a parade of talented artists, and mingle with audiences from all over Chicago.

In Fall 2025, Theater Wit received a three-year, $600,000 grant from the Paul M. Angell Foundation in support of Theater Wit’s Shared Spaces program, which empowers the artistic work of independent itinerant theater producers through subsidized, affordable space rentals and tailored production, accessibility and administrative support.

In addition to Theater Wit’s The Ally, productions playing this spring at Theater Wit include resident company Shattered Globe Theatre’s World Premiere of Paul W. Kruse’s Eelpout!, April 17-May 30; and visiting company The Artistic Home’s The Sugar Wife, now through May 3.

A great way to show support for Chicago storefront theater is to purchase a Theater Wit Membership. For a low monthly fee of $35 – often less than the price of a single ticket – $25 for students, and $62 for a dual membership - Theater Wit members see as many shows as they want on the company’s three stages, year round. Sign up at theaterwit.org/boxoffice/membership.

Fantastic Negrito at Reva and David Logan Center For The Arts April 11, 2026

2026-04-11T14:49:00.005-05:00

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar:

Fantastic Negrito

Performing at Reva and David Logan Center For The Arts

April 11, 2026

“Reimagining the blues for a new age — and audience.” - LA Times

TOP WEEKEND PICKS: TONIGHT 4/11 Fantastic Negrito at Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts! We'll be there covering the concert for ChiIL Live Shows. Can't wait to catch this incredibly talented performer live.

Limited tickets still available:
General
$37.00 ($33.00 ticket price + $4.00 fees)

UChicago Faculty/Staff
$30.00 ($26.00 ticket price + $4.00 fees)
Limit 1 per valid ID

Free Youth
$0.00 (NO Ticket Fee)
Limit 1 per adult ticket. Must be under 12 years-old.

“It’s the truest testament in believing not only is change gonna come, but it is here.” - Rolling Stone

Blending grit, soul, funk, rock, and blues, Fantastic Negrito has built a global following with performances that transcend genre and are communal between artist and audience. Since winning the inaugural NPR Tiny Desk Contest, he’s continued to reshape contemporary roots music, earning acclaim at major festivals worldwide and collaborating with artists like Sting, E-40, and Tank and the Bangas -- all a testament to the breadth and power of his artistry.

“Ripping up any blueprint for how a blues album should sound.” - American Songwriter

3x GRAMMY® Award-winner Fantastic Negrito released his highly anticipated album, Son of a Broken Man, on October 18, 2024 via his own Storefront Records. This album sees Fantastic Negrito encapsulating his inimitable style, from hard-hitting guitar riffs to expressive ballads, with the unexpected twists that have become his trademark. It stands as one of his most personal works to date, exploring family, deception, and the human desire to hide the true self as he dives deep into the struggle between father and son.

“Something like Led Zeppelin’s debut, Negrito is too weird and wired to stay in the blues channel, though he is unlikely to head off toward hobbits. He is headed somewhere, that’s for sure.” - Pitchfork
Born Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz, Fantastic Negrito's story is a testament to resilience and the transformative power of music. By now much has been made of Negrito’s unique story – growing up in an orthodox Muslim household, a doomed major label deal, the near-fatal car crash that permanently damaged his guitar playing hand—as well as the remarkable redemption arc that began in 2015, when he won the first-ever NPR Tiny Desk Contest. He has since earned three GRAMMY® Awards for “Best Contemporary Blues Album," and shared stages with everyone from Sturgill Simpson to Chris Cornell to Bruce Springsteen. He's collaborated in the studio with the likes of Sting, E-40, and Tank and The Bangas, performed on countless headline world tours and at festivals such as Lollapalooza, Glastonbury, Newport Folk, and WOMAD, and founded the Revolution Plantation, an urban farm aimed at youth education and empowerment.
“You’ll see that newly rediscovered purpose in his eyes and hear it in his voice.” - NPR

Listen to his album here: Son of a Broken Man

For full tour dates and information check out his site HERE.

League of Chicago Theatres' Deal Hunt Is Back April 14-22, 2026

2026-04-11T13:54:00.000-05:00

League of Chicago Theatres welcomes Spring with the return of Deal Hunt

Dozens of participating shows are offering an additional $5 off

already discounted tickets on Hot Tix

The League of Chicago Theatres announces the popular spring theatre promotion Deal Hunt, bringing audiences the best of Chicago theatre at unbeatable prices.

Redeemable from April 14-22, 2026, Hot Tix patrons receive an extra $5 off already-discounted theater tickets for participating performances throughout the Spring season by using the code “Deal Hunt” at www.HotTix.org.

Marissa Lynn Jones, Executive Director of the League of Chicago Theatres, comments, “We are so excited about Spring’s arrival, bringing with it an abundance of new productions to Chicago stages. To kick-start the season, we are proud to bring back Deal Hunt to Hot Tix, making theatre even more accessible and affordable than ever.”

To date, 36 productions are participating, including: A Streetcar Named Desire, MadKap Productions at Skokie Theatre; Amplify Queer Joy, Chicago Playback Theatre Ensemble at Center on Halsted; Birthday Candles, Buffalo Theatre Ensemble at McAninch Arts Center; Building American Pop, Chicago a cappella at Nichols Concert Hall; Chamber Music Series: Saint-Saëns, Vieuxtemps, and Fauré, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center at Harris Theater for Music and Dance; Comedy Pageant, Stars & Garters Theater; Cosmic Comedy Hour and The Cosmic Underground Show, Cosmic Underground Theater; Deep Schwa, Doing Our Moms, Improvised Jane Austen, The Armando Diaz Experience, Whirled News Tonight and Devil’s Daughter at iO Theater; DIVIDED, The Center for Performing Arts at Governors State University; Do Something Pretty, Rivendell Theatre Company; Eelpout!, Shattered Globe Theatre at Theater Wit; Father of the Bride, Drury Lane Theatre; FreakShow & Tell, Stars & Garters Theater; Heartbreak Hotel, Marriott Theatre; I Hate Hamlet, Saint Sebastian Players at St. Bonaventure; Jetlag, Physical Theater Festival at The Dance Center at Columbia College Chicago; Lizzy & The Triggermen, The Center for Performing Arts at Governors State University; LOKI-The End of the World Tour, Lifeline Theatre; M.A.S.T.E.R.M.I.N.D.S., Stars & Garters Theater; Modern Gentleman, About Face Theatre at Raven Theatre; moonwatchers, Lazy Susan Theatre Co.at Greenhouse Theater Center; Nomad by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Eastman, Harris Theater for Music and Dance; Octet,Raven Theatre; Out Here, Court Theatre; Rising Stars Burlesque Revue, Stars & Garters Theater; Ruthless! The Musical, Citadel Theatre Company; The Cuttlefish, or the Hyrcanian Worldview, Trap Door Theatre; The Sugar Wife, The Artistic Home at Theater Wit; The Trojan Women, Eos Theatre Company at Bramble Arts Loft; and Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, at Studebaker Theater.

About Chicago theatre

Chicago theatre is the leader in the U.S. with more than 250 theatres throughout Chicagoland, comprising a rich and varied community ranging from storefront, non-union theatres to the most renowned resident theatres in the country, including 7 which have been honored with Regional Tony Awards, and the largest touring Broadway organization in the nation. Chicago’s theatres serve 5 million audience members annually and have a combined budget of more than $250 million. Chicago produces and/or presents more world premieres annually than any other city in the nation. Each year Chicago theatres send new work to resident theatres across the country, to Broadway, and around the world. For more information, visit www.chicagoplays.com.

The League of Chicago Theatres’ Mission Statement

Theatre is essential to the life of a great city and to its citizens. The League of Chicago Theatres is an alliance of theatres, which leverages its collective strength to support, promote and advocate for Chicago’s theatre industry. Through our work, we ensure that theatre continues to thrive in our city.

ChiIL Live Shows

REVIEW: Operation Mincemeat Now Playing at Broadway in Chicago's CIBC Theatre Through October 11, 2026

REVIEW: JEKYLL & HYDE Now Extended Through November 8th, 2026

As You Wish! THE PRINCESS BRIDE to have Pre-Broadway World Premiere in Chicago

REVIEW: Lifeline Theatre's A Wrinkle in Time Now Playing Through October 18, 2026

Chi, IL Live Shows on our Radar:

A Stellar Celebration of The Neurodivergent

Lifeline Theatre Presents

A WRINKLE IN TIME

based on the novel by Madeleine L’Engle

REVIEW: Oil Lamp Theater's I LOVE YOU BECAUSE Now Playing Through September 13, 2026

Psych-Rock Band Elephant Stone to Play Chicago's Sleeping Village September 22, 2026

REVIEW & PHOTO FEATURE: The Crane Wives at Chicago's Park West August 18, 2026

Hell in a Handbag Productions Presents JOAN CRAWFORD GOES TO HELL August 21 – September 27, 2026

Sisters To Open Writers Theatre's 35th Season August 13-November 8, 2026

OTHERWORLD THEATRE'S SEASON 4 OF “STARSHIP EDSEL” To Play Second City’s De Maat Theatre Sundays Through September 13, 2026

REVIEW: THE NOTEBOOK is Now Playing Through August 16 Only

Ondřej Pšenička in 52 Lovers Wednesdays at Chicago Magic Lounge Through August 26, 2026

REVIEW: Kokandy's Hair Kills It With Ritual to Remember, Debauchery to Forget

The Crane Wives Kick Off US Tour Including Chicago's Park West on August 18, 2026

Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre Gloria Bond Clunie Festival July 10-19, 2026

REVIEW: WATER FOR ELEPHANTS Now Playing Chicago's James M. Nederlander Theatre Through July 5, 2026

REVIEW: SANDBOX THEATRE COLLECTIVE'S HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARS ROVER Now Playing Through July 5TH

Goodman Theatre's World Premiere of *Iceboy!* Extends Again Through August 9, 2026

Iceboy! Sneak Peek Into Goodman's Rehearsals With Megan Mullally And Nick Offerman

REVIEW: The OLDest PROfession Now Playing Theater WIT Through May 27, 2026

Review: Lazy Susan Theatre Co's Moonwatchers Now Playing Through May 17, 2026

It's ON! One of a Kind Spring Show at THE MART April 24-26, 2026

EXTENDED: Theater Wit's Midwest Premiere of The Ally Through May 17, 2026

Fantastic Negrito at Reva and David Logan Center For The Arts April 11, 2026

League of Chicago Theatres' Deal Hunt Is Back April 14-22, 2026

Goodman Theatre's World Premiere of Iceboy! Extends Again Through August 9, 2026