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Monday, 05 October 2026 12:39

Oil Lamp Theater Announces its 2027 Season

Oil Lamp Theater, currently presenting the highly recommended Dial M for Murder, through November 1, is proud to announce its 2027 season. The season opens with a love story signed in ink, Ken Ludwig’s Dear Jack, Dear Louise, February 12, 2027 - March 21, 2027, followed by a play that captures a moment in time, Time Stands Still, April 16, 2027 - May 16, 2027, then next summer, a musical about journeying forward from Jason Robert Brown, Songs for a New World, June 11, 2027 - July 18, 2027 and continuing with a dark, thrilling comedy perfect for the fall season, Witch, September 17, 2027 - October 24, 2027. All performances take place at Oil Lamp Theater, 1723 Glenview Road. Four-show and three-show subscriptions are now on sale with single tickets going on sale Monday, Nov. 2. For more information on the new season and current productions, go to OilLampTheater.org.

“As we eagerly anticipate a 2028 opening of our new venue, located right around the corner from our current space, we look to the future with excitement. Oil Lamp Theater’s 2027 season will propel audiences towards that future by not only holding up a mirror reflecting on the past, but boldly stepping forward through laughter, discovery, conversation and song,” said Artistic Director Elizabeth Mazur Levin.

The 2027 Oil Lamp Theater season includes:

 
 
 

KEN LUDWIG’S DEAR JACK, DEAR LOUISE

February 12, 2027 - March 21, 2027

Written by Ken Ludwig 

Directed by Artistic Director Elizabeth Mazur Levin 

Preview Performances: Friday, Feb.12 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 13 at 3 p.m. 

Opening Night: Saturday, Feb. 13 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, Feb. 17 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m. (Understudy Performance); Wednesday, March 3 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m. 

The year is 1942. War is looming. Times are uncertain. A love that knows no bounds is blooming over a series of heartfelt, hopeful and hilariously handwritten letters. Travel back in time for a simpler love story. One that begins on the page. One that starts with “Dear Jack” and “Dear Louise.” 

 
 

TIME STANDS STILL 

April 16, 2027 - May 16, 2027

Written by Donald Margulies

Directed by Scott Shallenbarger 

Preview Performances: Friday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 17 at 3 p.m.

Opening Night: Saturday, April 17 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, April 21 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m. (Understudy Performance); Wednesday, May 5 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Wednesday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m. 

A photojournalist and foreign correspondent must decide: are they meant to capture a moment or change its ending? When a choice is made and the dust settles, they must pick up the pieces and forge a way forward. Take a look behind the lens in this smart, witty drama and discover what it costs to hold the camera and make time stand still. 

 
 

SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD

June 11, 2027 - July 18, 2027 

Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown

Original Orchestration by Brian Besterman and Jason Robert Brown

Directed by Christina Ramirez

Music Directed by Aaron Kahn 

Preview Performances: Friday, June 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, June 12 at 3 p.m. 

Opening Night: Saturday, June 12 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, June 16 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday, June 23 at 7:30 p.m. (Understudy Performance); Wednesday, June 30 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday, July 7 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, July 14 at 7:30 p.m. There are no performances on Saturday, July 3 or Sunday, July 4. 

Take one step, one small step into this powerful song cycle about facing your fears, changing your mind, embracing new experiences and leaping into the unknown. Written by acclaimed composer and lyricist Jason Robert Brown, audiences are invited to experience the bold characters and unique stories in a musical unlike any other they may have seen. 

 
 

WITCH 

September 17, 2027 - October 24, 2027 

Written by Jen Silverman 

Directed by Susan Gorman 

Preview Performances: Friday, Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 18 at 3 p.m. 

Opening Night: Saturday, Sept. 18 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, Sept. 22 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday, Sept. 29 at 7:30 p.m. (Understudy Performance); Wednesday, Oct. 6 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday, Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m. 

If an opportunity comes knocking, would you shake its hand? In this dark comedy, one may find out just what it takes to come out on top. Will their fate be sealed with sorcery or do they dare to dance with the devil? How far would you go to make your wildest dreams come true?

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.

Oil Lamp launched Light The Way in 2025, 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. And in July 2026, Oil Lamp announced its new future home will be at the former Ten Ninety Brewing Co. in Downtown Glenview, 1025 Waukegan Road, next to Oil Lamp Academy. 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 Lamp Theater 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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Published in Upcoming Theatre

The witch is back, Jen Silverman’s ‘Witch’ that is. Since first being commissioned by Writer’s Theatre back in 2018, Jen Silverman’s take on Jacobean theatre has become a somewhat popular selection for regional theaters. The Artistic Home Ensemble brings this play back to Chicago in a revival directed by Devon Carson going on now at The Den.

What continues to be striking about this play is its exploration of hopelessness. ‘Witch’ is about an ostracized woman living in the 1600s who the townspeople have decided (without basis) is a witch. Her miserably lonely life is spiced up when the devil himself comes to town and begins meddling in the lives of the villagers. Some are more easily tempted than others, but the supposed witch, Elizabeth Sawyer (Kristin Collins), is harder for the devil to convince. Besides, what can anyone offer someone who has lost hope for a better future?

The devil played with fiendish fun by Julian Hester finds himself enamored with skeptical Elizabeth Sawyer who is also drawn to him. They spend long nights discussing their world views and within their conversations, Jen Silverman peppers in some humorous, but unsettling monologs about the human condition. Kristin Collins as Elizabeth has a great way of shifting between comedic relief and heart-rending vulnerability. Her character all the while pleading, “can things ever really get better?”

As the devil and Elizabeth get to know each other, the devil also inserts himself into the lives of the richest family in town. His gentle suggestion sets in motion a bitter rivalry that plays out with classic dramatic irony.

Silverman’s script is wise in its sharp tongue and makes a statement on the general apathy many feel every day. In her version, the devil himself has hopes and dreams, but outcasts like Elizabeth have long lost hope that her neighbors can ever evolve past their pettiness.

Like Arthur Miller’s ‘The Crucible’, this play holds a Puritanical mirror to our own time, but unlike John Proctor, Elizabeth doesn’t have altruistic intentions. She may be the protagonist, but she’s not your standard heroine. Silverman’s point in comparing our two eras is to show that people haven’t gotten any wiser. People are still inherently selfish and highly subject to influence.

‘Witch’ is well-acted and well-styled. For a play with such a dark core, there’s a lot of comedy here and this cast really plays that up. Kristin Collins brings a Molly Shannon quality to the lonely Elizabeth that makes her plight far less depressing than it sounds. Hogan’s chemistry with Julian Hester is fun to watch.

More than anything, this play remains as timeless in 2018 as in 2023, because while some political and societal things have gotten better, some have inevitably gotten worse. There will always be cynics and optimists duking it out and perhaps the easiest place to be is somewhere in the middle.

Through December 3rd at The Artistic Home Ensemble at The Den. 1331 N Milwaukee. 773-697-3830.

Published in Theatre in Review
Thursday, 04 October 2018 17:33

Review: 'Witch' at Writers Theatre

Ask yourself, do you have hope that things can get better? The word itself certainly echoes back to a different political climate in America. Now it seems the very word has been replaced with fear. Jen Silverman’s new play ‘Witch’ is holding its world premiere at Writers Theatre in Glencoe. It’s an update on a seventeenth century tragicomedy but don’t let that fool you, this play has a lot to say about our modern world.

Directed by Marti Lyons, ‘Witch’ tells the tale of the devil coming to a small village. Like all plays concerning Satan, the devil is after souls in exchange for worldly goods or successes of some kind. Ryan Hallahan plays Scratch, one of the devil’s henchman. His wile body language and delivery make him a slick salesman for the master of dark desires. For the villagers already lacking good morals, his pitch is an easy sell. He quickly pits the son of the richest man in town, Cuddy Banks (Steve Haggard) against an ambitious interloper Frank Thorney (Jon Hudson Odom) in a battle for inheritance and land.

This arc serves as the main driver of plot in this 90-minute play but the real meat lies in the battle between Scratch and the town outcast, or witch, Elizabeth Sawyer (Audrey Francis). Elizabeth begins the play with a monologue that asks about hope and explains the mundane cruelties we commit against one another. Francis is captivating. The character is sarcastic and dry. Silverman’s dialogue flows perfectly through Francis’ performance and her emotional reckoning brings about one of the play’s most powerful moments.

Finally, a play about witches that isn’t ‘The Crucible’. Silverman’s script is a lot of fun. It gets to mingle in the 1600s but enjoy the freedom and accessibility of modern dialogue. The contrast is purposeful, asking the audience, has anything really changed? Whether the play is optimistic or pessimistic is really up to the viewers’ interpretation. Either way, there are a lot of laughs here that in the end build to a greater philosophical question. Is change possible or do we have to just start over again from scratch?

If it’s something spooky you’re after, ‘Witch’ will scratch your itch. Though not really a horror story, the intricate production design by Yu Shibagaki gets into the Halloween spirit. Even with the devil, and a supposed witch, this play isn’t really about the supernatural. Rather, it relies on human meanness as the haunting theme, and honestly what’s scarier than that?

Through December 16 at Writers Theatre 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. 847-242-6000

Published in Theatre in Review

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