Displaying items by tag: chicago theatre

Let he without sin cast the first stone, Lyric’s “Don Giovanni” seemingly says when they bring up the house lights while the cast cheerfully sing about sinners being smote. Lyric Opera of Chicago kicks off the season with a thrilling revival of their 2014 collaboration with former Goodman artistic director Robert Falls.

Generally considered one of the best operas ever written, “Don Giovanni” sets a high bar for opera lovers, specifically Mozart fans. Oddly enough it was the first opera ever performed by the Lyric all the way back in 1954. Thankfully, you’re in good hands with legendary Chicago director Robert Falls at the helm. Falls returns to direct this remount of his 2014 production, and his fingerprints are all over it.

Falls is best known for the Broadway-ready new and classic works during his tenure at Goodman Theatre. Now that he’s retired from Goodman, he works in an emeritus capacity, bringing his signature style to other local institutions. Just last year he directed a celebrated revival of “Amadeus” at Steppenwolf, another Mozart-adjacent show.  His next directing project will be with Edgewater storefront company, Redtwist Theatre.

Christian Van Horn as Don Giovanni and Anna El-Khashem as Zerlina. Photo by Cory Weaver.

Opera plots can be a little hard to follow, but here, Falls delivers a concise and straight forward version that requires little flipping back and forth in the program. Scenes are neatly divided and each scene is larger than life thanks to Walt Spangler’s sets and Ana Kuzmanic’s costumes. Every scene is a feast for the senses, but not in a way that distracts from Mozart’s breathtaking music played by the Lyric Opera Orchestra led by Enrique Mazzola.

Don Giovanni is everyone’s favorite playboy. That is unless you’re one of the women he’s seduced and abandoned. Lyric not only cast wonderful singers in the roles, but they brought in singers who also exude the kind of sexuality and comic timing that makes this such a fun opera. Mozart had a playful sense of humor and the bromance between Christian Van Horn in the titular role and his sidekick Leporello played by the dashing Tommaso Barea is genuinely laugh out loud funny. Not to mention Van Horn’s commanding baritone.

The female ensemble: Donna Anna (Mane Galoyan), Donna Elvira (Nina Solodovnikova), and Zerlina (Anna El-Khashem) are all gorgeous singers, but each bring their characters to life in an almost slapstick way. Particularly Anna El-Khashem who gleefully sings to her husband that he’s free to beat her and pull out her hair because of her triste with Don Giovanni on their wedding night. The absurdity of the lyrics through her childlike yearning is hilarious.

“Don Giovanni” is hard to classify as either a comedy or a tragedy. Mozart’s operas tend to have a bright and cheery sound to them, but this one is less upbeat than say, “Marriage of Figaro” and the plot takes a decidedly more intense turn by the middle. It’s the best of both worlds. Mozart’s music paired with Falls’ theatrical sensibilities make this easily one of the most watchable operas ever produced. Clocking in at just under 3 and a half hours, nothing about this production feels redundant. Each moment is packed with enough amusement that a wry little grin will stay plastered on your face even after the final brava. (through November 1 at Lyric Opera of Chicago, 20 N Wacker Drive. (312) 827-5600)

https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2026-27/don-giovanni/

Avalanche Theatre announces the world premiere production of They Broke Up by Chicago playwright Skyler Tarnas, November 6–22, 2026.  Opening November 7 at 7:30pm) at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, 5779 Ridge Ave.

They Broke Up is Avalanche's first world premiere presented at their new home as a resident company at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. The play is the professional full-length debut from playwright Skyler Tarnas, an ensemble member of Avalanche and graduate of Northwestern University's Writing for the Screen and Stage MFA program.

They Broke Up — which was originally developed in Avalanche's new play incubator the Next Draft Series in 2024 — is an apocalyptic absurdist comedy centered around a friend group trying to weather both the end of the world and the much more devastating end of a relationship. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit avalanchetheatre.com/event-details/they-broke-up.

"They Broke Up is one of the most fun, distinct, and laugh-out-loud plays we've come across at Avalanche. Skyler has such a clear voice and vision for this play, which made the workshop a delight," says Avalanche Theatre's Artistic Director Alexander Attea, who also will perform in production as Brett. "In the two years that we've been working on this play, it has grown and changed in some weird and wonderful ways; all while staying rooted in the comedy and tragedy of this insane group of friends having to grapple with the reality of being themselves."

It's New Year's Eve, and it sure looks like the world is ending. But much more importantly, Brett and Amy have just broken up. As aliens pollute the water, zombies run for Congress, birds ravage the housing market, and apocalyptic cult plans for the end of days, Brett and Amy's friends scheme to reunite them while the ex-couple themselves try to navigate a world with an end-date and a world without each other.

"I remember reading three grotesquely awful news stories in a row in a Trader Joe's parking lot and then dissociating heavily next to the oranges. I realized that's what this play was going to try to capture... the constant overload of tragedy and the deranged sense of detachment I felt like I needed to get through the day, letting numbness shut out helpfulness and growth," says playwright Skyler Tarnas. "I love how absurd I got to be with language and logic in this piece."

Avalanche Theatre's world premiere of They Broke Up plays Nov 6 - 22, 2026, at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble at 5779 Ridge Ave. Tickets are now available starting at an early-bird rate of $25 through September 15th and then increasing to $35 at AvalancheTheatre.com. A special edition of the script, published by Avalanche Theatre, will also be available for purchase as a ticket add-on.

The cast of They Broke Up features Avalanche Theatre ensemble members Gabriela Diaz, Alexander Attea, Ky Anderson, and Mitch Fischer. The cast also includes Reagan James, Jack Disselhorst, Maya McEntyre, and Jo Tannous. Understudies for the production are Lily Lourigan, Nathan Keiller, Becca Anderson, Curen Feliciani, Katie Bevil, and Matt Schutz.

They Broke Up is directed by Avalanche Theatre ensemble member Owen Hickle-Edwards. The design team includes Avalanche Executive Director Zoe Sjogerman (Production Manager), Emma Crumption (Stage Manager), Yukta Sinha (Assistant Stage Manager), Alishiana Uyao (Technical Director), Nathan Keiller (Lighting Designer), Drew McCall (Sound Designer), Eel Black (Costume Designer), Ab Rieve (Props Designer), and Tristin Hall (Intimacy Designer).

They Broke Up

World Premiere

By Skyler Tarnas

Directed by Owen Hickle-Edwards

Nov 6 - 22 (Opening night Friday Nov 6 at 7:30pm) at Rivendell Ensemble Theatre

Information

Tickets: www.AvalancheTheatre.com

General Admission Tickets: $35 - $45

About Avalanche Theatre

Avalanche Theatre, founded in 2019 by Alexander Attea and Zoe Sjogerman, is Chicago's new home for new play development. With a mission centered on developing new plays by Chicago playwrights, Avalanche has workshopped scripts that have gone on to be seen on stages including the Goodman Theatre, Shattered Globe Theatre, Alleyway Theatre, Silk Road Cultural Center, Renaissance Theatreworks, and others, as well as recognition from the Maxim Mazumdar New Play Award and as Finalists & Semi-Finalists for the O'Neill National Playwrights Conference. Through its script development programs like the Next Draft Series and its monthly Show & Tell events, Avalanche is committed to elevating the voices of Chicago's emerging playwrights.

The Sarah Siddons Society is pleased to present its 2026 Award to actress and director Victoria Clark, who recently starred in Kimberly Akimbo as Kimberly on Broadway, for which she won the 2023 Tony Award for Leading Actress in a Musical, as well as a Grammy nomination. Clark also originated the role of Margaret Johnson in The Light in the Piazza both at Chicago's Goodman Theatre and on Broadway, which earned her the 2005 Tony Award for Leading Actress in a Musical. Additional Tony nominations include Sister Act, Gigi and Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella. Most recently, she appeared in the critically acclaimed off-Broadway world premiere of Joshua Owen's play Human Things.  

The Society's annual Award is presented to an individual who has achieved outstanding artistic achievement in theatre. Ms. Clark will be honored at the Society's 2026 Benefit on Monday, November 9, 2026 at The Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario St. in Chicago. (6 pm reception, 7 pm program).

Following a reception, the evening's program will include musical selections from Ms. Clark's most memorable shows performed by some of Chicago's most acclaimed theatre artists including Marta Bady, Lillian Castillo, Marya Grandy and Heidi Kettenring under the co-direction of Christopher Chase Carter and Christopher Pazdernik, with music direction by Linda Madonia. The evening, hosted by longtime Chicago radio personality Patti Vasquez, will also feature the induction of the Sarah Siddons Society 2026 Scholarship Recipients.

Single tickets and a variety of sponsorship opportunities are currently available here. All proceeds benefit the Sarah Siddons Society Scholarship Program, dedicated to funding scholarships for promising theater arts students at top Chicago area universities.

While in town to accept her award, Victoria Clark will lead a presentation for Chicago-area university theatre arts students at the Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. 

Sarah Siddons Society President Martin Balogh comments, "We are excited to honor Victoria Clark, the luminous, dynamic and highly respected Broadway actress. In addition to her extraordinary accomplishments as a performer, Victoria's work as a director, writer and teacher has established her as a highly regarded, versatile and truly well-rounded theatrical artist. Her remarkable breadth of talent and dedication to the theatre make her an especially deserving honoree."

More about Victoria Clark

In addition to appearing in fourteen Broadway shows, Victoria Clark's many film and television credits include The Gilded Age, Elsbeth, Almost Family, The Blacklist, Homeland, 911-Nashville, Pose, The Happening, Cradle Will Rock, Hallmark's One Royal Holiday, among others. Clark has had the honor of performing at Carnegie Hall several times, singing Ma Joad in the opera The Grapes of Wrath by Ricky Ian Gordon, and Katisha in the Master Voices production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado, directed and conducted by Ted Sperling.

Clark is also a director (Love Life for New York City Center's Encores! series) and avid educator, serving as Artist in Residence at both Duke University and Pace University. She is a frequent guest lecturer and Master Class Teacher at her alma mater Yale University. She is currently back at work re-writing her one-woman show for the 245^th time and will hopefully get it up sometime in the next 2-3 decades. 

Clark is the proud mama of green energy consultant and innovator Thomas Guest and resides in New York City with her husband Tom and their two Golden Retrievers Ollie (Zen Master) and Gracie (Naughty Princess). IG: victoriajclark

About Sarah Siddons Society

Since its inception, the mission of the Society has been to fund scholarships to promising theater arts students at top Chicago area universities including; The Theater Department, Columbia College; The Theatre School at DePaul University; Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, Northwestern University School of Communications and the School of Theatre and Dance at Northern Illinois University. For additional information, visit sarahsiddonssociety.org.

At fifteen, the world can feel like a television show you haven't quite figured out how to turn off.

For Salma (Jacqueline Guillen), it may be even more difficult. She watches too much television—especially detective shows—and has begun to see the world through the eyes of a detective. So when Maria (Andrea Ferro) disappears, Salma doesn't simply wonder where her friend is. She decides to investigate.

She recruits Este (Carmen Berkeley) and Phoebe (Ariana Burks) to help her find Maria, and Phanèsia Pharel's Dead Girl's Quinceañera takes off from there.

Produced by Goodman Theatre in association with Chicago Latino Theater Alliance, the production is a collective World Premiere with Barrington Stage Company and Hartford Stage. Directed by Melia Bensussen, the play has at times the quick-cut energy of the procedural television shows that inspired Pharel when she originally conceived the work.

And it moves fast.

Very fast.

Pharel understands the language of fifteen-year-old girls—the rapid-fire speech, the sudden shifts in thought, the jokes that arrive in the middle of serious conversations and the ability to move from one subject to another without warning. These girls don't simply talk; they process.

And Salma processes everything like a detective.

Television has given her a vocabulary for understanding crime, clues and suspects. She has watched enough procedural television shows to believe she knows how an investigation works. There is something funny about her confidence, but there is also something unsettling about it. For all the light-heartedness there’s an air that something isn’t right.

Pharel wisely doesn't allow that danger to become the only thing we see. The girls joke, argue, tease one another and behave like fifteen-year-olds. Their humor is genuine, but it also creates an increasingly uneasy contrast with what may be happening beyond their immediate world.

That contrast gives the play its darker edge.

The girls are dealing with situations that are far more adult than they are. Salma's television education has taught her that mysteries have clues and crimes have solutions. But real life doesn't necessarily follow the rules of a television show.

The four girls come from distinctly different cultural backgrounds. Salma is Cuban, Este is Salvadorian, Phoebe is Dominican/Haitian, and her cousin Maria is Dominican. Their different cultural experiences shape their ideas about family, friendship, behavior and what it means to grow up American, while their interactions allow Pharel to explore questions of identity, belonging and how young people see one another across economic and cultural lines. Yet they share something equally important: they are all approximately fifteen years old, and they are all American.

Pharel doesn't present Latino identity as one uniform experience. Instead, she allows the girls' differences to shape their relationships and their understanding of the world. They are negotiating family expectations, cultural identity and American teenage life simultaneously.

Dead Girl’s Quinceañera is ambitious, culturally layered and unapologetically youthful. Pharel gives us four girls who may come from different places, but who share the complicated experience of growing up American while carrying the histories, expectations and family secrets that shape who they are. As those secrets begin to surface, friendship is tested, identities are questioned, and the girls are forced to confront realities far beyond their years.

Ultimately, this is a play about friendship, identity and agency—and about young women discovering that sometimes the most important story is the one they have the courage to uncover for themselves.

RECOMMENDED

When: Through Nov. 1 (Extended through November 8th!)

Where: Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St.

Tickets: $34-$79

Info: www.goodmantheatre.org

Box Office: 312-443-3800

Mud Life, a world premiere drama by Chicago writing duo G. Riley Mills and Willie Round, drawn from Round’s life experiences as an emerging writer, rapper and producer, opens Collaboraction Theatre’s 2026-27 season, October 21 - November 15.

Round and Mills are the Emmy Award-winning writing team behind Collaboraction’s acclaimed immersive docudrama, Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till. Set in North Lawndale, Mud Life is a powerful new play exploring  the bonds that hold us together, the forces that keep us stuck, and what we’re willing to risk for the chance at a better life.

Mud Life follows Roc and his cousin Tae, two aspiring hip-hop artists from Chicago’s West Side, struggling to build a future while under the thumb of a manipulative strip-club owner named Littles. When a mysterious outsider offers Roc and Tae a rare opportunity to break free, loyalties fracture, ambitions collide, and they are forced to make choices that will alter the course of their lives forever. 

“For our 31st season, Collaboraction is eager to open our new House of Belonging to Chicagoans to cultivate new knowledge, empathy, dialogue, and action by writing partners and Collaboraction Company Members, G. Riley Mills and Willie Round,” said Collaboraction Artistic Director Anthony Moseley. “Set in a worn down recording studio on Chicago’s West side and drawn from  Willie's actual life, audiences can expect a raw, revealing look at the hopes and dreams of escaping poverty and scarcity through music.” 

In addition to co-writing the play, Willie Round leads the cast as Anthony “Roc” Harris, and Round’s new hip-hop single “Bottom to the Top” is featured in Mud Life (listen to an excerpt on Tidal.) The cast also features DeMorris Burrows as Devontae “Tae” Shields, Simeon Henderson as Malcolm “Littles” Gardner and Carina Lastimosa as Casey Reyes. 

The full production team includes G. Riley Mills and Willie Round, playwrights; Anthony Moseley, director; Martine Kei-Green Rogers, Dean, The Theatre School at DePaul University, dramaturg; Isabella Bradley, assistant director; John Wilson, set design; Crystal Bryant, costume design; Destiny Garner, lighting design; Harper Justus, sound design; Liviu Pasare, projection design; Sam Lancaster, props design; Alivia Arizaga, associate producer and production manager; and, Sam Burkett, stage manager. 

Mud Life runs October 21-November 15 at Collaboraction’s new House of Belonging in the Kimball Arts Center, 1757 N. Kimball Ave. in Humboldt Park. Previews are Wednesday through Saturday, October 21-24 at 7:30 p.m. Performances run through November 15: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm; Sunday at
3 p.m. No show Saturday, October 31. Industry Night is Monday, November 2 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15-$50 and on sale at collaboraction.org. Each show includes a pre-show lounge, performances and an open mic. Mud Life is recommended for ages 13 and up.

Note: The Luminaries, featuring alums of Collaboraction’s The Light youth ensemble, invites young audiences to a special version of their Radiate open mic series every Friday during the run starting at 6 p.m. Participants will be given comp tickets to attend the show, if available. This special Friday night Radiate open mic series is led by Linda Sol, Earl Hester and Bigg Ceno.

Free and nearby street parking is available near the Kimball Arts Center. For CTA riders, the 82 Kimball-Homan bus stops right in front of the building. The theater is also a short walk from the Kimball stop on the 72 North and 73 Armitage bus lines. For bikers and pedestrians, the Kimball trailhead on The 606 leads directly to the Kimball Arts Center. 

Mud Life first entered Collaboraction’s orbit in 2019 as the seven-minute short play Broke Down Drone in Collaboraction’s Peacebook Festival. That experience spawned an award-winning short film in 2022 of the same name. Round and Riley continued developing the script, which received workshops earlier this year at both Bramble Theatre and Definition Theatre in Chicago.

Playwright biographies

G. Riley Mills is an Emmy Award-winning producer and writer based in Chicago. His musical, The Hundred Dresses, (co- written with Grammy-nominee Ralph Covert), premiered Off-Broadway at The Atlantic Theatre Company, starring Academy Award-nominee Stephanie Hsu. He and his frequent writing partner, Willie Round, co-adapted Collaboraction’s award-winning hit docudrama Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till. Their play, Lift Every Voice, also co-written with Round, was published by Dramatic Publishing and won the 2022 “Distinguished Play Award” from the American Alliance for Theatre and Education. He has twice won the Jeff Citation for Best New Work (Sawdust and Spangles in 1997 and Streeterville in 2001). His plays have been produced at such theatres as TimeLine, Mixed Blood, The Children’s Theatre Company, Prop Thtr, Orlando Rep, Birmingham Children’s Theatre, Royal George Theatre, Apollo Theatre, and many more. His new book, “Synergy and Sparks” was published by John Wiley & Sons and won a 2026 International Impact Book Award. grileymills.com

Willie Round is a Chicago-born playwright, actor, filmmaker, songwriter, and community- centered storyteller from North Lawndale. A graduate of Central State University with a B.A. in Mass Communication, Round creates work rooted in the history, culture, resilience, and lived experiences of Chicago’s West Side. His works include Mud Life, a stage play inspired by his life and experiences growing up in North Lawndale; Lawndale King, which explores Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1966 campaign in Chicago; and the published work Lift Every Voice. Round is also a co-writer of Trial in the Delta, a three-time regional Emmy Award-winning production centered on the Emmett Till murder trial. His artistry extends across theater, film, music, acting, and videography. As hip-hop artist MudLife Roc, he has opened for artists including Gucci Mane and Lil Wayne. He is also the founder of Mud Life Entertainment LLC. Round’s mission is to authentically represent Chicago’s West Side, preserve its stories and history, and inspire the next generation through art. Round’s music is available on all platforms under MudLife Roc.

In December 2022, Round and Mills won an Emmy for co-creating and co-producing The Lost Story of Emmett Till: Trial in the Delta for Collaboraction and NBC5 Chicago. The subsequent immersive live stage adaptation, Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till, has since gone on to two critically acclaimed runs at The DuSable Museum, was the inaugural production at Collaboraction’s new House of Belonging in February, 2026, and will be remounted by Collaboraction February 3-March 14, 2027. Tickets are already on sale at collaboraction.org.

About Collaboraction

Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026, Collaboraction is an award-winning Chicago theater company that uses immersive, socially conscious performance to spark change and build equity. Across all platforms, Collaboraction uses its KEDA methodology - Knowledge, Empathy, Dialogue, and Action - to spark changes in behavior and attitudes that manifest social change.

Collaboraction’s past work includes NBC Chicago’s three-time Emmy Award-winning The Lost Story of Emmett Till: Trial in the Delta, the resulting live stage play film, Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till, live productions of Crime Scene, Moonset Sunrise, A Blue Island In the Red Sea, its annual Peacebook and Sketchbook festivals, and its youth ensembles, The Light and The Luminaries.

Collaboraction receives generous operating support and program funding from the Joseph and Bessie Feinberg Foundation, the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Marc and Jeanne Malnati Family Foundation, Gary Grube, the Lester and Hope Abelson Fund for the Performing Arts at the Chicago Community Trust, Naperville Rotary Club, Field Foundation, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

Collaboraction is led by Darlene Jackson, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director; Anthony Moseley, Chief Programming Officer and Artistic Director; and a dedicated board, company members and staff.  For more information, visit collaboraction.org or follow Collaboraction on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or TikTok.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation's premier ensemble theater company, is pleased to launch its 51st Season with the world premiere of Chicago playwright Stephanie Alison Walker's biting satire Adirondack Chair Circle, directed by Tony Award winner Pam MacKinnon (Downstate, Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?), playing October 22 — December 6, 2026 in Steppenwolf's Ensemble Theater, 1646 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. Single tickets are now on sale at steppenwolf.org or the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. The press opening is Sunday, November 1, 2026 at 6 pm.

The Adirondack Chair Circle cast features a stellar lineup of talent including ensemble member Caroline Neff, who returns to the Steppenwolf stage, adding to her extensive Steppenwolf credits including Mr. Wolf, Fool for Love, POTUS and Another Marriage. She is joined by David Darrow, who dazzled Steppenwolf audiences as Mozart in last season's record-breaking Amadeus. Broadway favorite Katrina Lenk, who received Tony and Grammy Awards for her turn in The Band's Visit, returns to Steppenwolf for the first time since 2005's Lost Land. Making her Steppenwolf debut is Chicago actor Wendy Mateo, while Sadieh Rifai returns to Steppenwolf after captivating audiences in last year's You Will Get Sick.

 About the Production:

A gaggle of suburban moms, armed with pickleball paddles and hard kombucha, are ready to take on the school board in the fight of their lives: attempting to ban the controversial books available to their kids in the school library. But is this trusted inner circle all on the same page? A piercing world premiere from a Chicago playwright, Stephanie Alison Walker's Adirondack Chair Circle exposes the hilarious hypocrisy of the causes we claim and the company we keep. And has a damn good time doing it.

The creative team includes Todd Rosenthal (Scenic Design), Izumi Inaba (Costume Design), Barbara Samuels (Lighting Design), Mikhail Fiksel (Sound Design), Nicholas Hussong (Projection Design), Steph Paul (Choreographer), Kate DeVore (Vocal Coach), Bryar Barborka (Dramaturg), Patrick Zakem (Creative Producer), Elise Hausken (Production Manager), JC Clementz, CSA (Casting), Michelle Medvin (Production Stage Manager) and Kathleen Barrett (Assistant Stage Manager). For full cast and creative team bios, click here.

Production Details:

Title: Adirondack Chair Circle
Playwright: Stephanie Alison Walker
Director: Pam MacKinnon
Cast: ensemble member Caroline Neff (Evelyn Grace) with David Darrow (Crow), Katrina Lenk (Banna), Wendy Mateo (Winona) and Sadieh Rifai (Libby).
Understudies: Tiffany Bedwell (Banna), Brittany Burch (Evelyn Grace), Alexandra Casillas (Winona), Warren Duncan (Crow) and Erinn Fredin (Libby).

Location: Steppenwolf's Ensemble Theater, 1646 N. Halsted St., Chicago

Dates: Previews: Thursday, October 22 – Saturday, October 31, 2026
Press performance/Opening: Sunday, November 1, 2026 at 6 pm
Regular run: Tuesday, November 3 – Sunday, December 6, 2026
Curtain Times: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 3 pm & 7:30 pm; and Sundays at 3 pm. Please note: there will not be 7:30 pm performances on Tuesday, October 27, Thursday, November 5, Tuesday, November 10, Wednesday, November 18, Wednesday, November 25, Thursday, November 26 and Tuesday, December 1; there will be an added 2 pm matinees on Wednesday, November 25 and Wednesday, December 2.

Tickets: Classic Memberships starting as low as $165 are now on sale for Steppenwolf's 2026/27 season at steppenwolf.org/myseason. Single tickets for Adirondack Chair Circle ($20 – $149*) are now on sale at steppenwolf.org and the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. Steppenwolf Flex Memberships are currently on sale: Black Card Memberships with six tickets for use any time for any production and RED Card Memberships for theatergoers under 30. *Pricing includes an $8.50 handling fee

Steppenwolf offers 20 tickets for $20 (no added fees) for each performance of every Main Series production. Use promo code 20FOR20 to redeem this offer online, available in advance until they're sold out for every main series show. Limit 2 tickets per person. You can also purchase by phone at (312) 335-1650 on the day-of show at 12 pm for main series performances. Limit 2 tickets per person.

Accessible Performance Dates:

Audio-Described and Touch Tour: Sunday, November 22 at 3 pm (1:30 pm Touch Tour)
Open-Captioned: Saturday, November 7 at 3 pm, Thursday, November 19 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, November 28 at 3 pm
ASL-Interpreted: Friday, December 4 at 7:30 pm

Education and Engagement:

Throughout the 2026/27 season, Steppenwolf continues its commitment to the next generation of theatre learners, makers and appreciators with robust education and engagement programming. Programming includes dedicated student matinee performances during four of the five Main Series productions including Topdog/Underdog, Adirondack Chair Circle, The Comeuppance and Ellen B., in-school residencies in partnership with Chicago Public schools, workshops, panels and events specifically geared towards teens, as well as professional development trainings and resources for educators. For additional information about Steppenwolf's Education and Engagement programming and to register your school for a field trip visit steppenwolf.org/education-community/school-teacher-programs/field-trips.

Artist Biographies:

Stephanie Alison Walker (Playwright) is an internationally-produced, award-winning playwright whose work is known for the personalization of the political, humor in darkness and the dramatization of the resilience of women. She is a native Chicagoburbian who has lived all over including London, Buenos Aires, San Juan Island and fifteen years in Los Angeles. She received her Bachelors in English/Creative Writing and Spanish from the University of Colorado and her Master of Professional Writing from the University of California. She began writing plays while working for Fox Theatricals in Chicago. Her play about the housing crisis, American Home, was the inaugural winner of American Blues Theatre's Blue Ink Award. Her play about the mothers of the disappeared in Argentina, The Madres, received a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere at Teatro Vista in Chicago, Skylight Theatre Company in L.A., Moxie Theatre in San Diego and Shrewd Theatre Company in Austin. It was the 2019 Winner of the Francesca Primus Prize, winner of the Ashland New Plays Festival, the Generations Prize and semi-finalist for the CTG/ Humanitas Prize for playwriting. Her follow-up play The Abuelas, premiered at Teatro Vista and was recently adapted into a short film titled The Birthday Gift. The Art of Disappearing was a finalist for the Primus Prize and enjoyed critical praise for the world premiere in Chicago by 16th Street Theater in 2015. Friends with Guns, her play about liberals and gun ownership was an O'Neill Finalist, winner of Best New Play at the 2019 Valley Theatre Awards, and had its Chicago premiere by A Short Leap Theatre Company in 2025. Sophia Hayden Deserves Better tells the story of the architect of the Woman's Building at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago and was recently a part of Gglassfest by Lookingglass Theatre in Chicago. The Ordeal of Water, inspired by the first women to work as Longshoremen at the Port of Los Angeles, was most recently a part of Bay Street Theater's New Works Festival. Adirondack Chair Circle, her play that tackles suburban book-banning moms, was developed at The Inkwell Theater Company and A Red Orchid's Studio at A Red Orchid. Her short plays have been anthologized by Smith & Kraus. Her full-lengths are published by Broadway Publishing, Inc. In addition to writing plays, she is currently adapting Friends with Guns and The Abuelas as features while raising two spirited boys and selling real estate in the suburbs of Chicago. She is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America, Honor Roll Playwrights, NNPN Affiliated Artist, and a proud alumni of the Playwrights Union. stephaniealisonwalker.com

Pam MacKinnon (Director) is a Tony, Drama Desk and multi-Obie Award winning director. She is the artistic director of American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. She has directed more than eighty productions. Her Tony Award-winning production of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? originated at Steppenwolf. Her production of Bruce Norris's Downstate (Steppenwolf, National Theatre and Playwrights Horizons) was celebrated with several Jeff Awards and won Pam her second Obie. She served as president of SDC, the national Union of choreographers and directors.

David Darrow (Crow) Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Amadeus; Off-Broadway: Memnon (Classical Theatre of Harlem), All Is Calm (Drama Desk Award), The Revival (Project Y Theatre); Regional: Over ten productions at The Guthrie including A Little Shop Of Horrors, Juno And The Paycock  and The Tempest; Sweat (ACT); Ragtime, Sweeney Todd, Fiddler on the Roof (Asolo Repertory Theatre); Lookinglass Alice, Twelfth Night (Baltimore Center Stage); Romeo And Juliet (Ten Thousand Things); Television: RJ Decker, Ballard and Cupertino; Education: MFA Grad Acting – Tisch School of the Arts. David has written several musicals which have been developed/produced at theatres around the country.

Katrina Lenk (Banna) Broadway: Company, The Band's Visit (Tony, Grammy, Lucille Lortel Award), Indecent, Once, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, The Miracle Worker. Additional theater credits include: High Spirits (New York City Center Encores!), Indecent (Vineyard, La Jolla Playhouse, Yale Rep), iWitness (Mark Taper Forum), Lost Land (Steppenwolf), Lovelace: A Rock Opera (L.A./Edinburgh). Television: Cupertino, Apples Never Fall, Ozark, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Little Voice, The Good Fight, The Village, Tommy, Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order, et al.

Wendy Mateo (Winona) is beyond thrilled to make her Steppenwolf debut. Wendy is the Artistic Director of Teatro Vista Productions (TVP) and a Chicago-based actor, director and filmmaker. An iO and Second City alum, she has been seen on stage in Beyond Caring and Big Lake Big City (Lookingglass Theatre). Her directing work includes The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Goodman Theatre); ¡Bernarda! (TVP); Mojada (upcoming at Court Theatre). Her TV/film acting credits include Chicago Med, Station Eleven and Widows, while her filmmaking credits include Good Mothers and Hair.

Caroline Neff (Evelyn Grace) is a Steppenwolf ensemble member. At Steppenwolf, she was last seen in Mr. Wolf, Fool for Love, POTUS, Another Marriage, Describe the Night, Seagull, Dance Nation, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, You Got Older, Linda Vista (also Taper Forum and Broadway), The Fundamentals, The Flick, Airline Highway (also Broadway), The Way West, Three Sisters, Annie Bosh is Missing and Where We're Born. Select theatre credits include: Lettie (Jeff Award Best Actor, Victory Gardens Theater); Uncle Vanya (Goodman Theatre); A Brief History of Helen of Troy (Jeff Award for Best Actress), The Knowledge, Harper Regan, In Arabia We'd All Be Kings (Steep Theatre); The Downpour (Route 66 Theatre); Port (Griffin Theatre); 4000 Miles (Northlight Theatre); Moonshiner (Jackalope Theatre). Regional credits include: Peerless (Yale Repertory Theatre). Film and television credits include: Parallax (upcoming Apple tv) FBI, Three Women, Let the Right One In, The Red Line, Chicago P.D., Chicago Fire, Open Tables and Older Children, and heard in multiple Audible Projects such as: Song of the Northwoods, Crowded Hours, Denali and Boar's Nest. She is a proud company member of Steep Theatre and holds her BA from Columbia College.

Sadieh Rifai (Libby) Steppenwolf Theatre: You Will Get Sick, August: Osage County (u/s). The Targeted, Do You Feel Anger, An Evening at the Talk House, Grey House (A Red Orchid). She's performed at theaters such as Goodman, American Theatre Company, Chicago Shakespeare and Milwaukee Repertory. Film: Block Party, Hekla, The Wise Kids, Nate and Margaret, Olympia, All Happy Families. Television: Bettendorf Talks, The Red Line, Chicago Med, Patriot, Shining Girls and Somebody Somewhere. Sadieh received the Princess Grace Award in 2011 & The Princess Grace Fellow in 2026. She's a graduate of The School at Steppenwolf and is represented by Venture and Paonessa Talent.

Accessibility:

As a commitment to make the Steppenwolf experience accessible to everyone, performances featuring American Sign Language Interpretation, Open Captioning and Audio Description are offered during the run of each STC production. Assistive listening devices (ALDs), large-print programs and Braille programs are available for every performance and all our spaces are equipped with an induction hearing loop. Our building features wheelchair accessible seating and restrooms, push-button entrances, a courtesy wheelchair and all-gender restrooms, with accessible counter and table spaces at our bars. For additional information regarding accessibility, visit steppenwolf.org/plan-your-visit/accessibility or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Sponsor Information:

Adirondack Chair Circle is a recipient of the Edgerton Foundation New Play Award. United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf. Steppenwolf is also grateful for the significant season support from lead sponsors Allstate Insurance Company, Paul Angell Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Crown Family Philanthropies, Caroline and Keating Crown, Julius Frankel Foundation, Lefkofsky Family Foundation, Northern Trust, Anne and Don Phillips, John Hart and Carol Prins, Shubert Foundation, Inc, and Zell Family Foundation. Steppenwolf also acknowledges generous support from premier sponsors Anonymous, Andrew and Amy Bluhm, Michael and Cathy Brennan, Ann and Richard Carr, Chicago Community Trust, Rich and Margery Feitler, FROST CHICAGO, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Jessica and Dominic Green Family Fund, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Orlebeke Foundation, Sacks Family Foundation, Gary Sinise Foundation, Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Thoma Bravo, and Bryan Traubert and Penny Pritzker. Steppenwolf also acknowledges support from the National Endowment for the Arts, Illinois Arts Council, and the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.   

About Steppenwolf Theatre Company:

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation's premier Ensemble Theater with 51 members who are among the top actors, playwrights and directors in the field. Thrilling, powerful, groundbreaking productions have made this theatre legendary. From the early phenomenon of Balm in Gilead, to The Grapes of Wrath, August: Osage County, Downstate, The Brother/Sister Plays, and more recently, the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Purpose, Steppenwolf Theatre has had a long-running and undeniable impact on American Theatre and Chicago's cultural landscape. Founded in 1974 by Terry Kinney, Jeff Perry and Gary Sinise, Steppenwolf started as a group of friends in their teens and early 20s performing in the basement of a school in Highland Park, Illinois. Today, the company's artistic force remains rooted in the original vision of its founders: an artist-driven theatre, whose vitality is defined by its appetite for bold and innovative work. Every aspect of Steppenwolf is rooted in its Ensemble ethos, from the intergenerational artistic programming to the multi-genre performance series LookOut, to the nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf Education and Engagement which serves nearly 15,000 teens annually. While grounded in the Chicago community, more than 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Steppenwolf also holds accolades that include the National Medal of Arts, 14 Tony Awards, two Pulitzer Prize-winning commissions and more. Led by Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, Executive Director E. Brooke Flanagan and Board of Trustees Chair Keating Crown — Steppenwolf continually redefines the boundaries of live theater and pushes the limits of acting and performance.

Steppenwolf's Mission: Steppenwolf strives to create thrilling, courageous and provocative art in a thoughtful and inclusive environment. We succeed when we disrupt your routine with experiences that spark curiosity, empathy and joy. We invite you to join our ensemble as we navigate, together, our complex world. steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.

Chicago’s Theater Wit is now offering new, state-of-the-art closed captioning service, marking a dramatic improvement in making live theater more accessible for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Until now, captioning typically involved a staff person backstage, projecting the text of the script on the set, or on patrons’ cell phones, thus allowing audiences to read along in real time. Captioning is traditionally offered at select performances only, and sometimes required users to sit in a specific section of the theater.

No more. Now, at Theater Wit, patrons can engage with closed captioning at almost every regular performance, from any seat in the house, free of charge.

“This is the same state-of-the-art closed captioning system used by large touring shows like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child , but we believe we’re the first small theater in the nation to roll out fully automated closed captioning service for dozens of productions,” said Theater Artistic Director Jeremy Wechsler. 

Following successful trial runs during the final weeks of Wit’s season-opening smash hit, Adolescent Salvation , the new system, called Watchword, will now be available during the regular run of all Theater Wit productions.

What’s more, Wit is making the service available for free to all of its resident and visiting companies, thereby expanding and improving traditional closed captioning in all three of its 99-seat theaters.

With Wit’s new system, the text of the play is loaded into the software as usual. The difference is Watchword actually “listens” to every live performance on stage, recognizing phonemes, or the smallest unit of sound that can change the meaning of a word. When paired with the pre-queued script, the system syncs its captions with the dialogue, lyrics and sound effects as they happen in real time, almost never losing track of what’s happening live, on stage.

Each of Wit’s three theaters now has a dedicated Watchword monitor installed, which listens to incoming audio while simultaneously watching sound and light cues. As a result, the system delivers written captions to users on a small tablet, modulating its timing at each performance to match the pace of the dialogue being spoken by the actors on stage. Best of all, it requires no human operator, making it easy to offer at every performance.

In addition to patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing, many neurodivergent people find that following text alongside audio helps them engage more fully with a performance. It’s also a valuable service for audiences who speak English as a second language.

“Patrons tested the technology the past few weeks at performances of Adolescent Salvation, and feedback was very positive,” added Wechsler. “I’m thrilled to say our resident companies Shattered Globe Theatre, with its new production, Vladimir, and Remy Bumppo’s Mud Row , are both offering Wit’s enhanced closed captioning service at regular performances starting this fall. We expect many other companies will take advantage of this technology throughout the theater season.”

Audiences who’d like to try Wit’s new free closed captioning service can do so with a click of a button while purchasing tickets online at theaterwit.org, or by calling the Theater Wit box office, (773) 975-8150. Theater Wit is located at 1229 W. Belmont Ave., in Chicago’s Lake View neighborhood.

The introduction of Wit’s new closed captioning technology is supported by a lead donation from a private individual (for more information about hearing loss visit hearingloss.org), with additional funding from The Saints. To learn more, visit theaterwit.org or follow the company on Facebook or Instagram. 

Artemisia Theatre is proud to announce the return of the WeWomen Play Festival, its annual celebration of new feminist work. This year’s festival features six playwrights and a slate of directors bringing their work to life through staged readings.

The 2026 WeWomen Play Festival runs November 16–18 at Bramble Arts Loft. Each evening will feature two staged readings, along with artist talkbacks and networking opportunities designed to bring Chicago’s theatre community together.

This year’s announced playwrights are Zeyy Fawaz with The Tenants, Lauren M. Gunderson with Paradise, Samantha Hurley with COUNTESS JOSEPHINE AND LADY

PHILOMENA du BOURBON TRY TO HIDE A BODY, Sonja Lynn Mata with White Thorn of Color, Elenna Stauffer with Woman’s Work, and Brandy Victoria with Holy Smoke.

The 2026 festival directors are Dinah Berkeley directing White Thorn of Color, Julia Farrell Diefenbach directing Paradise, Kayla Menz directing COUNTESS JOSEPHINE AND LADY PHILOMENA du BOURBON TRY TO HIDE A BODY, Zoë Nisam directing The Tenants, Stephanie Mattos directing Holy Smoke, and Denise Yvette Serna directing Woman’s Work.

The WeWomen Play Festival production team includes Julia Farrell Diefenbach (Producer), Ema Kester (Stage Manager), and members of their Artist Leadership Coalition: Whitney Dottery, Leanna Gianoutsos Oliveira, Samie Jo Johnson, Abigail Karr, Jabari Khaliq, Candice Mason, Grayson May, Dionna Ndlovu, Seoyoung Park, Sydni Charity Solomon, and Jessica Swim.

The festival schedule has networking events starting at 6 pm, with readings and talkbacks starting at 7 pm. On November 16, Woman's Work by Elenna Stauffer then Paradise by Lauren M. Gunderson. November 17 will have COUNTESS JOSEPHINE by Samantha Hurley and The Tenants by Zeyy Fawaz. And finally, November 18 will end the festival with Holy Smoke by Brandy Victoria and White Thorn of Color by Sonja Lynn Mata.

The 2026 WeWomen Play Festival will take place at Bramble Arts Loft, 5545 N. Clark Street, 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60640, in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood.
Single-day tickets are $23 and three-day passes are $48, and may be purchased online at artemisiatheatre.org.

Access: Bramble Arts Loft is located on the second floor of the building and is accessible by an ADA-accessible guest elevator. Guests with specific accessibility questions or accommodation requests are encouraged to contact Artemisia Theatre in advance of their visit.

Visit artemisiatheatre.org for more information, including content warnings, and news of special events. Find and follow the company on social media @artemisiatheatre on Facebook and Instagram

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHTS

Zeyy Fawaz (The Tenants, she/her) is a multilingual playwright, actress, and vocalist. A community organizer and activist, Zeyy weaves her advocacy into her artistic expression. Her body of work spans film, television, theater, commercial, and voiceover productions. A firm believer in art as a powerful political tool, Zeyy is committed to centering activism in her work, contributing to numerous productions that spotlight pressing social justice issues. In addition to holding a degree in the arts, she earned a master’s in International Relations and Development, with a concentration in Languages and Diaspora Studies. It is this unique intersection of diplomacy and artistry that informs and propels her creative and professional pursuits.

Lauren M. Gunderson (Paradise, she/her) has been one of the most produced playwrights in America since 2015, topping the list 4 times, including 2025/26. She is a two-time winner of the Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award for I and You and The Book of Will, the winner of the William Inge Distinguished Achievement in Theatre Award, the Lanford Wilson Award and a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Her plays have been translated into a dozen languages and produced across the world, and her anthology, “Revolutionary Women,” is published by Bloomsbury. LaurenGunderson.com and @LalaTellsAStory

Samantha Hurley (COUNTESS JOSEPHINE AND LADY PHILOMENA du BOURBON TRY TO
HIDE A BODY, she/her) is a Maine-raised, Chicago-based playwright. Her debut play, I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire, premiered Off-Broadway at Nancy Manocherian’s The Cell Theatre to critical acclaim and a sold-out run, followed by its international debut at London’s Southwark Playhouse. The play is published by Concord Theatricals and has been featured in Teen Vogue, Interview, and Pleaser. Her second full-length play, RE(VULVA), was an O’Neill Semifinalist, Princess Grace Award Semifinalist, and Relentless Award Honorable Mention. Her plays have been developed at the Cell Theatre, Pocket VR/Theatre L’Acadie, Impostors Theater Co, Two Chairs Theatre Company, and Avalanche Theatre. samhurleywrites.com

Sonja Lynn Mata (White Thorn of Color, she/her) is an actor-creator, clown, and playwright hailing from the suburbs of Chicago. She graduated with a BFA from Ohio University and has completed the Professional Training Program at Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theater. She has worked with the National Theatre of Ghana in their nation's capital, Accra and has toured nationally with Theater Unspeakable. Sonja is a year-round cyclist, an avid connoisseur of pizza and is currently working on her solo show: ¡Abuela más panqueques, por favor! IG: @sonjathepayasa or www.sonjalynnmata.com

Elenna Stauffer (Woman’s Work, she/her) is a NYC based playwright and actor. Her writing has been produced or developed by Thrown Stone, Detroit Rep, UC Davis, Second

Act New Works, Studio Theatre Tierra del Sol, Pittsburgh New Works, and the New York International Fringe Festival. Macha Distillery, Pegasus, and SWTP Finalist and O’Neill, WP Lab, Lanford Wilson, Hidden River, DVRF, and Frank Moffett Mosier Semi-finalist.

HYSTERICAL! and THE AUNTIE NETWORK are published/licensed by Broadway Play Publishing, and monologues appear in Smith+Kraus Best Monologues compendiums. Proud member AEA, SAG/AFTRA, Dramatists Guild, Climate Reality, and the 2025 PlayPenn Playwrights Cohort. Yale (BA) and Columbia (MFA).

Brandy Victoria (Holy Smoke, she/her) is a playwright, essayist, and performance artist whose work has been produced by the Obsidian Theatre Festival, the Fade to Black Reading Series, the Barter Theatre, and the Abingdon Theatre Company. In 2023, Brandy was named a Hurston/Wright Foundation Fellow and featured as a playwright in the literary publication Obsidian: Literature and Arts in the African Diaspora. She graduated from Temple University in Philadelphia, earning degrees in Film and Media Arts and African-American Studies. Learn more at brandyvictoria.com

ABOUT THE DIRECTORS
Dinah Berkeley (White Thorn of Color, they/them) is a Chicago-based theatre-maker, Arts Educator and Community Facilitator whose work is deeply rooted in the embodied practices of clown, mime, puppetry and dance. They seek out work that aligns with their values of centering authenticity, making space for curiosity, wonder, and awe as essential parts of process before product, and moving towards liberation through collective communal care, collaboration, and play. Directing credits include Everybody Thrashing The Cherubs program at Northwestern University, We Tell Each Other Stories, a workshop reading as part of A Red Orchid Theatre’s Incubator series, and they were a featured Director at Direct Address, produced by The Understudy Coffee Shop and Book Store. Additionally, Dinah has been a performer and deviser for over ten years; their work has been witnessed globally, from San Francisco to Edinburgh, NYC to El Bolsón. Dinah is delighted to be working with Artemisia Theatre for the first time during the WeWomen Play Festival. Take clown with them for free as part of the Healing Arts Chicago program, which seeks to bridge the gap between arts and health by providing free arts services across the city.
Julia Farrell Diefenbach (Paradise, she/her) is a director and dramaturg drawn to strange, dark, and unconventional stories. Recent directing credits include Kate Hamill’s Sense and Sensibility, The Haunting of Hill House (Twin City Players), and the sold-out Los Angeles production of One Exit (The Halogen Company). Other credits include work with Chicago Dramatists, Haven Chicago, Shattered Globe Theatre, Collaboraction, Midsommer Flight, and Citadel Theatre. Julia has a particular love for immersive work and for digging into historical stories to find what still feels urgent, messy, and recognizable today. She currently serves as Director of Marketing & Community Engagement at Shattered Globe Theatre and Managing & Marketing Director at

Artemisia Theatre. Julia is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago and is a proud member of LMDA.

Kayla Menz (COUNTESS JOSEPHINE AND LADY PHILOMENA du BOURBON TRY TO HIDE
A BODY, she/they) is a multidisciplinary theatre artist who primarily focuses in directing and intimacy directing these days. Recent directing credits include Radical Futures, The Sporting Life (Factory), The Meaningful Action Theatre Company Presents A Workshop Reading Of "Muffed: A Recounting Of Farmington, Maine's 43rd Annual Chester Greenwood Day Devised By The Members Of The Meaningful Action Theatre Company" (Factory, 3Bros), Lavinia Andronicus is YOUR Spin Instructor (Meat Machine), and Lincoln Lincoln Lincoln Lincoln (Impostors). They are a graduate of Cleveland State University and the directing apprenticeship program at Capital Stage in Sacramento. Connect with Kayla at www.kaylamenz.com or on Instagram @kaylabanana797.

Zoë Nisam (The Tenants, she/her) is very excited to work with Artemisia on this project! She is a recent graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University, where she studied Theatre Arts and Nonprofit Organization. Originally from Minneapolis, Zoë has called Chicago home for 4 years and has fallen in love with the arts scene here. Her work spans directing, dramaturgy, stage management, and teaching, and she is an ensemble member with Sub Rosa Theatre Company. Recent credits include The Snow Queen with The Impostors Theatre Co. (Stage Manager), In Pursuit Of with Sub Rosa (Dramaturg), Pinto with TTS and A Red Orchid Theatre (Asst. Director), and she is a teaching artist and administrative assistant with Creative Root. Learn more about her work here: https://sites.google.com/view/zoe-nisam/home

Denise Yvette Serna (Woman’s Work, she/her) is an award-winning theatre practitioner in Chicago, Illinois. Credits include productions and new play development with Teatro Vista Productions, Lyric Opera of Chicago, MCA Chicago, Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Neo-Futurists, Paramount Theatre, Bramble Theatre Company, Strawdog Theatre Company, Prop Thtr, and Global Hive Laboratories. Denise has facilitated international workshops, productions, readings, fundraisers, panels, and festivals to promote activism for racial equity, accessibility, climate justice, gender based violence, immigration, literacy, community collaboration, and collective joy. deniseyvetteserna.com

Stephanie “Stevie” Mattos (Holy Smoke, she/her) is an actor, fight director and combatant in Chicago and a member of the Society of American Fight Directors. BFA in Performance Arts - Acting, Western Kentucky University. Directing: Women of 4G (Asst. Director, Babes with Blades Theatre Co.), Lonely Hearts in Lockdown (Birch House Immersive), Twelfth Night (Midsommer Flight). Fight Direction: Do You Feel Anger (Here's The Exit Theatre Co.) Andy Warhol Presents: The Cocaine Play (Jackalope Theatre Co.), Black Cypress Bayou (Definition Theatre), A Lie of the Mind, Gorgeous, OAK and The Prodigal Daughter (Raven Theatre); Brothers from the Deep (Factory Theater), The Duchess of Malfi (Asst. Fight Director, Babes with Blades Theatre Co.). Film: Rent’s

Due, Go To the Body (Asst. Stunt Coordinator). Represented by Big Mouth Talent. Ensemble member of Midsommer Flight. www.stephaniemattos.com. IG: asmattering.

ABOUT ARTEMISIA

Artemisia produces plays that empower women, creating career-altering opportunities for ALL women theatre artists of all racial and ethnic backgrounds; sexual orientations and identities; economic status; ages and disabilities. We make women heroes of their own lives by sharing their stories and amplifying their voices. We invite anyone and everyone who wants to empower women to join us as artists and audience.

Artemisia aims to be at the forefront of the fight for women and their allies through outstanding performances that push the envelope. From world premieres to the virtual stage, our mission is and will always be to better our world for everyone.

Artemisia is led by a volunteer coalition of Chicago-based artists and administrators who are fully committed to the theatre’s mission and its core values of empowerment, diversity, and inclusion. The coalition creates a safe space for ALL Chicago artists while practicing pay equity, amplifying the voices of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ artists, and engaging the community in plays driven by the idea that her story empowers us all. If you are interested in joining the coalition, email artemisia.org for more info.

Visit www.artemisiatheatre.org to learn more.

Following last year's critically acclaimed, sell-out engagement, Steppenwolf Theatre Company is pleased to announce the return of John C. Reilly is Mister Romantic, playing four performances only December 10 – 13, 2026 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theater, 1650 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. Tickets cost $89* - $159*. A special Steppenwolf member pre-sale begins Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 12 pm. Tickets go on sale to the general public Thursday, October 8, 2026 at 12 pm at steppenwolf.org/romantic or by calling the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. *Pricing includes $10 handling fee

About the Show:

John C. Reilly's acclaimed vaudeville project Mister Romantic has emerged as one of his most personal and celebrated recent works. The intimate stage show has earned widespread praise for its sincerity, humor and emotional depth. The New York Times describes it as "wryly funny, sometimes tender and sad, but always sincere," while Vanity Fair calls it "fiercely funny" and declares Reilly "one hell of a singer." The Guardian has hailed it as "truly lovable." The live band-backed performance seamlessly blends classic songbook material, clowning, and audience interaction. Mister Romantic marks a new chapter in Reilly's career, showcasing his longtime musical instincts alongside his singular comedic and dramatic range. The project has been widely recognized as one of his most distinctive and heartfelt artistic statements to date.

About the Artist:

For over three decades, John C. Reilly has remained one of the most beloved and versatile actors of his generation, effortlessly navigating comedy, drama and musical theater with a rare blend of skill and charm. From his breakout roles in quirky comedies to more nuanced dramatic performances, he has proven himself a master of range, breathing life into a vast array of characters with both warmth and depth.

Reilly's career began with his film debut in Casualties of War, quickly establishing him as a sought-after actor among the most acclaimed American directors. He collaborated with Paul Thomas Anderson on Hard Eight, Boogie Nights and Magnolia, worked with Martin Scorsese on Gangs of New York and The Aviator, and joined Robert Altman for A Prairie Home Companion. Reilly earned Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for the movie musical Chicago, featuring his memorable performance of "Mister Cellophane," a major inspiration for Mister Romantic. He showcased his comedic mastery with two blockbuster films with Adam McKay, Step Brothers and Talladega Nights, while also blending his musical and comedic talents in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. His versatility led to international recognition in films such as We Need to Talk About Kevin (Lynne Ramsay), Carnage (Roman Polanski), The Lobster (Yórgos Lánthimos) and The Sisters Brothers (Jacques Audiard). More recently, he reunited with Adam McKay starring in HBO Max's Winning Time, the limited series about the Los Angeles Lakers.

In 2026, the acclaimed actor continues taking on a variety of compelling roles. In A Prayer for the Dying, Dara Van Dusen's adaptation of Stewart O'Nan's novel set in the 1870s, Reilly plays a town doctor in a community ravaged by a deadly plague. In Testa O Croce, a film directed by Italian filmmakers Alessio Rigo de Righi and Matteo Zoppis, he portrays the legendary Buffalo Bill. And this fall, he stars alongside Nicholas Hoult, Zoë Kravitz and Pete Davidson in the action-comedy heist film How To Rob A Bank, directed by David Leitch. 

Performance schedule:

Thursday, December 10, 2026 at 7:30 pm
Friday, December 11, 2026 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, December 12, 2026 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, December 13, 2026 at 3 pm

Accessibility:

Steppenwolf is committed to making the theatergoing experience accessible to everyone. Assistive listening devices are available for every performance and all our spaces are equipped with an induction hearing loop. Our building features wheelchair accessible seating and restrooms, push-button entrances, a courtesy wheelchair and all-gender restrooms, with accessible counter and table spaces at our bars. For additional information regarding accessibility, visit steppenwolf.org/access. If you have questions or would like to make a specific request, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call our box office at (312) 335-1650.

Sponsor Information: 

United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf. Steppenwolf is also grateful for the significant season support from lead sponsors Allstate Insurance Company, Paul Angell Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Crown Family Philanthropies, Caroline and Keating Crown, Julius Frankel Foundation, Lefkofsky Family Foundation, Northern Trust, Anne and Don Phillips, John Hart and Carol Prins, Shubert Foundation, Inc, and Zell Family Foundation. Steppenwolf also acknowledges generous support from premier sponsors Anonymous, Andrew and Amy Bluhm, Michael and Cathy Brennan, Ann and Richard Carr, Chicago Community Trust, Rich and Margery Feitler, FROST CHICAGO, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Jessica and Dominic Green Family Fund, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Orlebeke Foundation, Sacks Family Foundation, Gary Sinise Foundation, Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Thoma Bravo, and Bryan Traubert and Penny Pritzker. Steppenwolf also acknowledges support from the National Endowment for the Arts, Illinois Arts Council, and the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.     

About Steppenwolf Theatre Company:

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation's premier Ensemble Theater with 51 members who are among the top actors, playwrights and directors in the field. Thrilling, powerful, groundbreaking productions have made this theatre legendary. From the early phenomenon of Balm in Gilead, to The Grapes of Wrath, August: Osage County, Downstate, The Brother/Sister Plays, and more recently, the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Purpose, Steppenwolf Theatre has had a long-running and undeniable impact on American Theatre and Chicago's cultural landscape. Founded in 1974 by Terry Kinney, Jeff Perry and Gary Sinise, Steppenwolf started as a group of friends in their teens and early 20s performing in the basement of a school in Highland Park, Illinois. Today, the company's artistic force remains rooted in the original vision of its founders: an artist-driven theatre, whose vitality is defined by its appetite for bold and innovative work. Every aspect of Steppenwolf is rooted in its Ensemble ethos, from the intergenerational artistic programming to the multi-genre performance series LookOut, to the nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf Education and Engagement which serves nearly 15,000 teens annually. While grounded in the Chicago community, more than 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Steppenwolf also holds accolades that include the National Medal of Arts, 14 Tony Awards, two Pulitzer Prize-winning commissions and more. Led by Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, Executive Director E. Brooke Flanagan and Board of Trustees Chair Keating Crown — Steppenwolf continually redefines the boundaries of live theater and pushes the limits of acting and performance.

Steppenwolf's Mission: Steppenwolf strives to create thrilling, courageous and provocative art in a thoughtful and inclusive environment. We succeed when we disrupt your routine with experiences that spark curiosity, empathy and joy. We invite you to join our ensemble as we navigate, together, our complex world. steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.

The Saint Sebastian Players open their 45th season of travels to different places with A Murder is Announced, a classic Miss Marple mystery by Agatha Christie. Previews run October 23–25, with regular performances October 29–November 15 (no performance October 31), at SSP's home on the lower level of St. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey, Chicago. 
 
The residents of Chipping Cleghorn in England are baffled when a local newspaper publishes an advertisement inviting people to a "murder" at 6:30 p.m. at Miss Blacklock's Victorian home, Little Paddocks. When an unknown visitor dies under the prescribed circumstances, Miss Marple turns up to solve the case.
 
Aliza Feder makers her SSP directing debut. Some of her directing credits include La Trout Lily at New Moon Opera; Miss Julie (also adapter) at Fermat's Last Theater in Madison, Wisc.; and Held Together at 2nd Story. She served as assistant director for The Recommendation at Windy City Playhouse, The Night Season at Strawdog and Right to be Forgotten at Victory Gardens. She recently finished directing and editing her first short film, You Would. 

The cast of A Murder is Announced includes (top to bottom, left to right; photos courtesy of the actors) Abby McEntee as Miss Marple, Emilia Barrosse, Dawn Cole, Shelley DeHosse, Adam Hoak*, Sophie Marantette, Molly McGillivray-Smith, Eric S. Prahl*, Joleigh Reiss, Jill Chukerman Test* and Sam Waddell (*SSP company member). The production team includes SSP company members Emil Zbella as set designer; Sean Smyth as sound designer, stage manager and co-producer; and Jim Masini as co-producer. Grace M. Weir is costume designer, Lex Newman is lighting designer, and violence design is provided by R&D Choreography.
 
SSP's 45th season continues its travels to New York City in February 2027 with the Tony-nominated dramedy Next Fall by Geoffrey Nauffts and to rural Georgia in April and May 2027 with the riotously funny The Foreigner by Larry Shue. Three-play subscription packages are $85, $70 for seniors and children younger than 12, available at saintsebastianplayers.org.  
 
SSP began producing theatre in 1982 at its original home, the St. Sebastian parish, located at the corner of Halsted Street and Wellington Avenue on Chicago's North Side. When the parish closed in 1990, SSP relocated to its current home, St. Bonaventure, at 1625 W. Diversey. During its history, the company has produced original and previously produced dramas, comedies and musicals; original audience-participation mysteries for special events; and the Monologue Matchup Competition, as well as provided support for Sebastian Studio Projects produced by company members. For a complete production history, visit saintsebastianplayers.org/Production-History.
 

A Murder is Announced runs October 29–November 15, 
with previews October 23–25,
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.
Opening night is Thursday, October 29 at 7:30 p.m.; 
there is no performance October 31.
Performances take places at St. Bonaventure, 
1625 W. Diversey, at Marshfield west of Ashland, Chicago. 
Free parking is available in two lots. 
 
Tickets are $35 for the run, $30 for previews
and $30 for the run, $25 for previews for seniors
and children younger than 12 at ssp.booktix.com.
Students with valid IDs may purchase $30 tickets ($25 previews) at the door.
Group rates also are available.
 

All programming is subject to change. 
For information, visit saintsebastianplayers.org.