Upcoming Theatre

Displaying items by tag: Suffs

Chicago continues to produce some of the most exciting work in the country this Summer, offering a wide variety of plays and musicals, as well as comedy, dance, music, and more. To highlight these productions, The League of Chicago Theatres is publishing its Summer Theatre Guide, which showcases more than 100 productions; not just in Chicago's iconic theatre districts, but also across vibrant suburban communities. From Oak Park to Naperville, Glenview to Des Plaines, theatres across the region offer top-tier performances that make it easier than ever to experience the magic of live theatre close to home.

For additional details about this summer's performances and the Summer Theatre Guide visit the League of Chicago Theatres website, ChicagoPlays.com. Many summer shows will also be available at HotTix.org, Chicago's local, discounted ticketing service.

The following is a selection of notable work playing in Chicago this Summer, organized by location.

A selection of productions playing in theatres located Downtown are:

Brokeback Mountain

Chicago Shakespeare Theater

May 28 – June 28, 2026

When Ennis and Jack take jobs on the isolated Brokeback Mountain, all their certainties of life change forever as they flounder in unexpected emotional waters. This intense tale of a hidden love spans 20 years and is interwoven with soulful, original Country Western songs, performed live onstage.

Eugene Onegin

The Joffrey Ballet at Lyric Opera House

June 4 – 14, 2026

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century Russian society, this cautionary tale follows the enigmatic and aloof aristocrat after his fateful encounter with the earnest Tatiana. Richly layered and deeply human, Eugene Onegin explores the fragility of the human heart and how unspoken words can shape destinies.

Untitled Vampire Play

Lookingglass Theatre Company

June 4-July 12, 2026

This romantic-comedy-meets-horror-story world premiere by Kevin Douglas explores love, commitment, codependency...and, of course, vampires.

Champions of Magic

Studebaker Theater in the Fine Arts Building

June 6 – July 5, 2026

The production that critics have described as 'the most spectacular show,' 'two hours of mind-twisting, logic-defying entertainment' and 'the summer blockbuster of magic shows.'

SUFFS

Broadway In Chicago at CIBC Theatre

June 7– 19, 2026

Direct from Broadway comes the acclaimed Tony Award®-winning musical Suffs about the brilliant, passionate, and funny American women who fought tirelessly for the right to vote.

Kinky Boots

Broadway In Chicago at the James M. Nederlander Theatre

June 9 - 21, 2026

Kinky Boots follows the journey of two people with nothing in common—or so they think. As Charlie and Lola work together to turn a shoe factory around, this unlikely pair finds that they have more in common than they realized.

Iceboy!

Goodman Theatre

June 20 – July 26, 2026

Broadway's brightest star of 1938, Vera Vimm, 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 thaws, he unexpectedly becomes a theatrical sensation, inspiring Eugene O'Neill and challenging his legendary mother for center stage.

A Musical Tribute to John Williams & Steven Spielberg

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

June 23, 2026

Celebrate the legendary collaboration between composer John Williams and filmmaker Steven Spielberg. From Jurassic Park and Jaws to Indiana Jones and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, the scores born of this 50-year creative partnership have captured imaginations around the world.

Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

June 25 – 27, 2026

Embark on an epic adventure to a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars: A New Hope! Experience the iconic film like never before as CSO performs John Williams' legendary Oscar-winning score live.

& Juliet

Broadway in Chicago at Auditorium Theatre

July 22 - August 2, 2026

Break free of the balcony scene and get into this romantic comedy that proves there's life after Romeo. The only thing tragic would be missing it.

Theatres are located in almost every neighborhood in Chicago.  A selection of productions playing throughout Chicago are:

Always...Patsy Cline

American Blues Theater

Playing through June 13, 2026

This musical play, complete with down home country humor and big-heart ed emotion, includes hits "Crazy," "I Fall to Pieces," "Sweet Dreams," "Walkin' After Midnight" and more!

LOKI-The End of the World Tour

Lifeline Theatre

Playing through June 13, 2026

In this World Premiere musical, Loki arrives at Asgard, bringing chaos, comedy, and three monstrous (maybe) children. In an us vs. them world, can we envision a new mythology?

The Targeted

A Red Orchid Theatre at Chopin Theatre

Playing through June 14, 2026

Welcome to the Solidarity and Truth Summit. A gathering of the most persecuted, tortured, and misunderstood people in the entire world. They call themselves Targeted Individuals, and they are victims of a vast and covert program of systematic torture, surveillance, and harassment by global intergovernmental powers.

OCTET

Raven Theatre Company

Playing through June 14, 2026

Hailed by the New York Times as "the most original and topical musical of the year" for its 2019 Off Broadway premiere, this inventive and acutely relevant piece reflects the perils of the digital age.

Antigone

Promethean Theatre Ensemble at The Den Theatre

May 31 - June 27, 2026

A timely production of the classic WW2 era adaptation made all the more relevant by recent local and national events.

Catch As Catch Can

Steppenwolf Theatre Company

June 4 - July 12, 2026

When a prodigal son returns to blue collar New England, his homecoming sets off a spiraling crisis for two families, threatening not only their relationships but their very identities. Spanning hilarity, stunning virtuosity and outright horror, this ferocious Chicago premiere—featuring an all-ensemble cast—must be witnessed to be believed.

As You Like It

Midsommer Flight

June 26 – August 2, 2026

Free outdoor performances of Shakespeare's As You Like It will be presented outdoors in six Chicago Parks District parks – Chicago Women's Park and Gardens, Gross Park, Nichols Park, Kelvyn Park, Winnemac Park, and Touhy Park. Banished from court by her uncle, Rosalind escapes to the Forest of Arden, where she disguises herself as man in order to win over her lover by trying to convince him he should forget her. Audiences are encouraged to come early and bring a picnic to enjoy this free programming.

Hair

Kokandy Productions at Chopin Theatre

July 2 - September 13, 2026

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.

Marble
Gift Theatre at Copernicus Center

August 2 – August 30, 2026

Marble follows two married couples, Ben and Catherine, and their friends Art and Anne, whose comfortable lives begin to splinter after a shared dream triggers suspicion and desire.

A surreal and haunting exploration of two couples whose lives collide through shared dreams, this production anchors the company's homecoming to the neighborhood where it was founded.

Productions playing in the suburbs of Chicago include:

Nunsense
Drury Lane Theatre

June 10 – August 2, 2026

Get ready to laugh the summer away with nuns from the Little Sisters of Hoboken. This beloved revue, directed by E. Faye Butler, will have you in stitches as the five sisters stage a variety show fundraiser filled with outrageous musical numbers and zany comedy. 

A Little Night Music

Marriott Theatre

Playing June 17 – August 9, 2026

Set in 1900 Sweden, A Little Night Music explores the tangled web of affairs centered around actress Desirée Armfeldt, and the men who love her. Amid a flurry of jealousy and suspicion, infinite possibilities of new romances and second chances bring endless surprises. Stephen Sondheim's witty, brilliant masterpiece.

Leopoldstadt

Writers Theatre

June 4 - July 19, 2026

At the dawn of the 20th century, Vienna is the heart of European culture. While an extended family gathers in the elegant Merz home for the holidays, two brothers-in-law passionately debate their conflicting visions for the future of their family and the Jewish people–a tension that will echo through the generations that follow.

The Producers

BrightSide Theatre at Theatre at Meiley-Swallow Hall

June 12 – 28, 2026

Mel Brooks' outrageous musical comedy about two schemers trying to stage the biggest Broadway flop of all time—only to accidentally create a smash hit!

The Last Five Years

Oil Lamp Theater

June 6 - July 5, 2026

This widely beloved show takes audiences on the romantic rollercoaster of Jamie and Cathy as they fall in...and out of love over the last five years.

BEAUTIFUL: The Carole King Musical

Highland Park Players at McGrath Family Performing Arts

July 17 – 26, 2026

Before she was hit-maker Carole King—she was Carole Klein, a spunky, young songwriter from Brooklyn with a unique voice. Beautiful: The Carole King Musical takes you back to where it all began and takes you on the ride of a lifetime. 

For a comprehensive list of Chicago productions, visit the League of Chicago Theatres website, ChicagoPlays.com. Available discounted tickets will be listed at HotTix.org.

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 6 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.

Published in Upcoming Theatre

Broadway In Chicago and Metra  are pleased to announce a new promotion featuring nine shows coming to Chicago this summer: CHICAGO THE MUSICALLES MISÉRABLESSPAMALOTKINKY BOOTSWATER FOR ELEPHANTSSUFFS& JULIETTHE NOTEBOOK, and THE OUTSIDERS.

Getting there is easy — and free! Ride Metra free to and from the theatre with your show ticket, valid on the date of your performance only. This special offer is available throughout the run of each show and includes round-trip travel. Just show your ticket to the conductor each way and enjoy a relaxing ride into the city before the curtain rises and back home after the show! Metra offers a short, walkable connection from any of its five downtown stations, each less than a mile away from the Cadillac Palace Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, CIBC Theatre, and The Auditorium™ located in the heart of the Loop—and has compatible schedules with both shows throughout the day and evening. Metra provides the ideal solution for theatre lovers seeking a safe, convenient, and stress-free ride.

Tickets may be purchased at www.BroadwayInChicago.com or any Broadway In Chicago venue box office. Additional fees apply to online purchases. Group reservations for 10 or more are available by calling 312-977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Current subscribers may add these shows when renewing by clicking here or calling 312-977-1717. Individual ticket information for each show can be found below.

For information on Metra schedules, click here.

CHICAGO THE MUSICAL
May 5 – May 10, 2026
The Auditorium™, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Dr.  
Link to EPK

CHICAGO is still the one musical with everything that makes Broadway shimmy-shake: a universal tale of fame, fortune, and all that jazz, with one showstopping song after another and the most astonishing dancing you’ve ever seen.


In the whirlwind of Chicago’s Jazz Age, two of the Cook County Jail’s most notorious Murderesses — vaudeville star Velma Kelly and chorus girl Roxie Hart — become fierce rivals as they compete for headlines amidst a media frenzy.

Broadway’s longest-running musical has been razzle dazzling audiences for over 29 years, and after more than 10,000 performances, 6 Tony Awards®, 2 Olivier Awards, and a Grammy®, we’re just getting started.

Come on, babe! Head back to CHICAGO!
We’re hotter than ever.

Individual tickets are on sale now and range from $40.00 to $130.00. Additional fees apply for online purchases.

LES MISÉRABLES
May 12 – May 24, 2026
Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph St.
Link to EPK

Cameron Mackintosh presents the acclaimed production of Boublil and Schönberg’s Tony Award®-winning musical phenomenon, LES MISÉRABLES. This brilliant staging has taken the world by storm and has been hailed as “a reborn dream of a production” (Daily

Telegraph). Set against the backdrop of 19th century France, LES MISÉRABLES tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. The magnificent score of LES MISÉRABLES includes the songs “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More” and many more.

Individual tickets are on sale now and range from $49.00 to $170.00. Additional fees apply for online purchases.
 

SPAMALOT
May 19 – May 31, 2026
CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe St.  
Link to EPK

THE TONY AWARD-WINNING BEST MUSICAL COMEDY IS BACK!

SPAMALOT, which first galloped onto Broadway in 2005, features a book & lyrics by Eric Idle and music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle.

The original Broadway production was nominated for fourteen Tony Awards and won three, including best musical. The musical comedy lovingly ripped off from the film classic, Monty Python and the Holy GrailSPAMALOT features well-known song titles such as “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life,” “The Song That Goes Like This,” “Find Your Grail” and more that have become beloved classics in the musical theatre canon.

Individual tickets are on sale now and range from $35.00 to $130.00. Additional fees apply for online purchases.

KINKY BOOTS
June 9 – June 21, 2026
James M. Nederlander Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St.
Link to EPK

Everybody say “Yeah!” and let KINKY BOOTS lift your spirits to high-heeled heights! Winner of the Tony®, Grammy®, and London’s Olivier Awards for Best Musical, KINKY BOOTS captivates and entertains audiences around the world with a Tony-winning score

by Cyndi Lauper, book by four-time Tony Award-winner Harvey Fierstein , and original direction and Tony-winning choreography by Jerry Mitchell.

Based on true events, KINKY BOOTS follows the journey of two people with nothing in common… or so they think. The unlikely pair find that they have more in common than they realized and discover that you change the world when you change your mind.

Individual tickets are on sale now and range from $49.00 to $126.00. Additional fees apply for online purchases.

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS
June 23 – July 5, 2026
James M. Nederlander Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St.
Link to EPK

“Many wonders await audiences in this gorgeously imaginative Broadway musical.”- The New York Times

The critically acclaimed bestselling novel comes to “thrilling,

dazzling” life (Time Out New York) in a unique, spectacle-filled new musical! Hailed as a Critic’s Pick, The New York Times calls it “stunning, emotional, heart-filled and gorgeously imaginative.”

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.

So, step right up to the “spellbinding entertainment” (Variety) at WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, “the best new musical on Broadway” (Theatermania).

Individual tickets are on sale now and range from $39.00 to $130.00. Additional fees apply for online purchases.  

SUFFS
July 7 – July 19, 2026
CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe St.  
Link to EPK

BEHIND EVERY POWERFUL WOMAN… ARE MORE POWERFUL WOMEN.

Direct from Broadway, comes the acclaimed Tony Award®-winning

musical SUFFS about the brilliant, passionate, and funny American women who fought tirelessly for the right to vote. Created by Shaina Taub, the first woman to ever independently win Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Score in the same season, this “thrilling, inspiring and dazzlingly entertaining” (Variety ) new musical boldly explores the triumphs and failures of a struggle for equality that’s far from over. Winner of the Outer Critics’ Circle Award for Best New Musical.

“Like all of the best Broadway musicals, SUFFS humanizes, empowers, moves, and entertains.” Chicago Tribune

Individual tickets are on sale now and range from $37.00 to $132.00. Additional fees apply for online purchases.

& JULIET
July 22 – August 2, 2026
The Auditorium™, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Dr. 
Link to EPK

Created by the Emmy®-winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek,” this hilarious new musical flips the script on the greatest love story ever told. & Juliet asks: what would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo? Get whisked away on a fabulous journey as she

ditches her famous ending for a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love — her way.

Juliet’s new story bursts to life through a playlist of pop anthems as iconic as her name, including "Since U Been Gone‚" "Roar," "Baby One More Time," "Larger Than Life‚" "That’s The Way It Is,“ and "Can't Stop the Feeling!"—all from the genius songwriter/producer behind more #1 hits than any other artist this century. Break free of the balcony scene and get into this romantic comedy that proves there’s life after Romeo. The only thing tragic would be missing it.

Individual tickets are on sale now and range from $49.00 to $175.00. Additional fees apply for online purchases.

THE NOTEBOOK
August 4 – August 16, 2026
James M. Nederlander Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St.
Link to EPK

Based on the best-selling novel that inspired the iconic film, THE NOTEBOOK tells the story of Allie and Noah, both from different worlds, who 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, and features music by singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson and a book by TV’s Bekah Brunstetter (“This Is Us”).

Individual tickets go on sale on May 4 and will range from $37.00 to $127.00. Additional fees apply for online purchases.

THE OUTSIDERS
August 4 – August 16, 2026
Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph St.
Link to EPK

The winner of four 2024 Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, is THE OUTSIDERS. This classic coming-of-age story takes you to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1967, where Ponyboy Curtis, his best friend Johnny Cade, and their family of Greaser “outsiders” dream about

who they want to become in a world that will never accept them. THE OUTSIDERS features Danya Taymor’s Tony Award winning direction that’s “refreshing, gritty, and endlessly effective.” (The New York Times). With “high-octane choreography” (New York Magazine), THE OUTSIDERS has been described as “more pulse-pounding than anything else on Broadway!” (Time Out New York).

Individual tickets are on sale now and range from $49.00 to $160.00. Additional fees apply for online purchases.

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

Published in Theatre Buzz

Broadway In Chicago is excited to announce that single tickets for the first national tour of SUFFS, the acclaimed Tony Award®-winning  musical about the passionate American women who fought tirelessly for the right to vote, will go on sale Monday, March 30. The inspiring, award-winning musical will play Broadway In Chicago’s CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe St.) for a limited two-week engagement, July 7-19.

Created by Shaina Taub, the first woman to ever independently win Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Score in the same season, this “thrilling, inspiring and dazzlingly entertaining” (Variety) new musical boldly explores the triumphs and failures of a struggle for equality that’s far from over. It’s a given that the women of the suffragist movement—who called themselves “Suffs” for short—were brilliant, but as they fought tirelessly for the right to vote, they were also flawed, stubborn, passionate and funny. SUFFS tells their story: the remarkable friendships, the heartbreak, and how this movement brought them together—or, in some cases, tore them apart.

SUFFS is winner of the Outer Critics’ Circle Award for Best New Musical, two Drama Desk Awards including Best Score, and is “unquestionably the most emotionally stirring musical of the season” (Chicago Tribune). The successful Broadway production played a 10-month run at the Music Box Theatre from April 18, 2024, through January 5, 2025, and the first national tour marches across North America, after launching this past September in Seattle, WA.
 

“THRILLING, INSPIRING, AND DAZZLINGLY ENTERTAINING.” – Variety


SUFFS features book, music and lyrics by Tony Award®-winner Shaina Taub, direction by Tony Award-nominee Leigh Silverman (Violet, Yellow Face), choreography by Mayte Natalio (How to Dance in Ohio), music supervision by Andrea Grody, scenic design by Christine Peters, original Broadway scenic design by Tony Award-nominee Riccardo Hernández (Jagged Little Pill), costume design by Oscar and Tony Award-winner Paul Tazewell (Hamilton, Death Becomes Her), lighting design by Tony Award-nominee Lap Chi Chu (Camelot ), hair and wig design by award-winning Charles G. Lapointe, makeup design by Joe Dulude II, sound design by Jason Crystal (Sweeney Todd) with associate Sun Hee Kil (Choir Boy), orchestrations by Tony Award-winner Michael Starobin (Next to Normal), vocal arrangements by Shaina Taub and Andrea Grody (The Band’s Visit), incidental music arrangements by Shaina TaubAndrea Grody, and Michael Starobin, associate direction by Lori Elizabeth Parquet, associate choreography by Hawley Gould, and general management by 101 Productions, Ltd.

The Grammy-Award nominated Original Cast Recording of SUFFS is available from Atlantic Records here.

For information about SUFFS visit suffsmusical.com. Follow on InstagramTikTok X , YouTube, and Facebook @SUFFSMusical

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesday, July 7 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 8 – 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, July 9 – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, July 10 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 11 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 12 – 1:00 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 14 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 15 – 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, July 16 – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, July 17 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 18 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 19 – 1:00 p.m.

TICKET INFORMATION (as of March 26, based on availability and subject to change)
Individual tickets for SUFFS will go on sale on Monday, March 30 and range from $38.00 - $133.00 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. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 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, 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

Published in Upcoming Theatre

 

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