Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, opens its new theater in Evanston with The Front Page, Jeffrey Hatcher's world premiere adaption of the rapid-fire classic comedy that also inspired the 1940 film His Girl Friday. The play, based on the original by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur and directed by Artistic Director BJ Jones, runs September 9-October 18, 2026, at the company's new home at 1012 Church Street in Downtown Evanston. The opening is Friday, September 18 at 7:30pm.

Tickets, starting at $36, are now available at northlight.org or 847.563.8400. Season subscriptions are also available at northlight.org/subscribe or 847.563.8400. With its wide range of ticket prices, discounted subscription packages and complimentary parking at the 1800 Maple Garage, Northlight remains of one of the best theatrical values in Chicagoland. Package options include traditional 5-Play Subscriptions and 4-Ticket Flex Passes.

In a 1930s Chicago press room, wise-cracking reporters are abuzz with the latest news: ace reporter Hildy Johnson is quitting her job and getting married. Editor Walter Burns has no intention of letting her go– out of the newsroom, or into the arms of another man. When a death row convict manages a daring escape, Walter wrangles Hildy into covering one last irresistible story, a tangle of rival reporters, crooked politicians, and a scoop too big to ignore!  

The cast features Kate Fry (Hildy Johnson), Timothy Edward Kane (Walter Burns), Joe Dempsey (McCue), William Dick (Sheriff Hartman), John Drea (Earl Williams), Cindy Gold (Mrs. Hefflefinger), Mark David Kaplan (Bensinger), Tim Kazurinsky (Pincus), John Lister (The Mayor), Peter Moore (Brad Hefflefinger), Sadieh Rifai (Molle Malloy), Kelan Smith (Kruger), and Guy Van Swearingen (Endicott).

The creative team Jeff Kmiec (set design), Izumi Inaba (costume design), JR Lederle (lighting design), and Andre Pluess (sound design). The stage manager is Katie Klemme, resident properties supervisor is Nick Bartleson, and the resident violence and intimacy coordinator is Jyreika Guest.

BJ Jones comments, "To open our new home in Evanston, we are celebrating our roots with a brand new adaptation of The Front Page, a nearly 100-year-old play set in Chicago, by Chicago playwrights and with local stars, including Evanston residents Kate Fry, Tim Kane and Tim Kazurinsky. The play is refreshed and adapted by one of America's most produced playwrights Jeffrey Hatcher, who also wrote the adaptation of Dial M for Murder seen at Northlight in 2023."

The new state-of-the-art facility is a major component in the arts and cultural scene in Chicagoland and the North Shore and features approximately 285 comfortable seats with excellent sight lines, state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems, a dedicated box office and contemporary bar in the lobby, a second floor rehearsal and event space, and lounge and gathering areas on the first and second floors. Located in the heart of downtown Evanston, with easy, nearby access to parking and public transportation via CTA and Metra, Northlight will contribute to a vibrant local economy and will serve as an economic driver for downtown Evanston.

Convenient, free parking is available for all Northlight patrons at the 1800 Maple Self Park Garage. Details and locations, including ADA parking, are available at northlight.org/location.

The 2026-27 Season is sponsored in part by Paul Epner and Janet Gans Epner. 

Northlight's production of The Front Page is sponsored in part by Sandra and Bill Farrow, Donna and Gene Frett, Susan and Henry Gaud, Barbara Goodman and Seth Weinberger, Joan and Guy Gunzberg, Paul and Leslie Lehner, Ginny Noyes, Bob Regan and Cindy Clark, Bob and Charlene Shaw, Anne and Greg Taubeneck.

The World Premiere of The Front Page 

Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher 

From the original by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur 

Directed by BJ Jones 

Dates: September 9 - October 18, 2026 

Cast: Kate Fry (Hildy Johnson), Timothy Edward Kane (Walter Burns), Joe Dempsey (McCue), William Dick (Sheriff Hartman), John Drea (Earl Williams), Cindy Gold (Mrs. Hefflefinger), Mark David Kaplan (Bensinger), Tim Kazurinsky (Pincus), John Lister (The Mayor), Peter Moore (Brad Hefflefinger), Sadieh Rifai (Molle Malloy), Kelan Smith (Kruger), and Guy Van Swearingen (Endicott).

Creative team: Jeff Kmiec (set design), Izumi Inaba (costume design), JR Lederle (lighting design), and Andre Pluess (sound design). The stage manager is Katie Klemme, resident properties supervisor is Nick Bartleson, and the resident violence and intimacy coordinator is Jyreika Guest.

Tickets:

Box Office: 1012 Church Street in Evanston, northlight.org, 847.563.8400

Previews (September 9-September 17): start at $36

Regular run (September 19-October 18): start at $50

Season-long discounts, subject to availability:

Student tickets: $20

Rush seats for evening performances available at 3pm daily: $20

Evanston resident discount: 10% off Friday performances

Schedule:

Tuesdays: 7:30pm

Wednesdays: 2:00pm and 7:30pm

Thursdays: 7:30pm

Fridays: 7:30pm

Saturdays: 2:00pm and 7:30pm

Sundays: 2:00pm and 7:30pm

Accessible Performances:     

Audio Description/Touch Tour: Saturday, October 3 at 2:00pm

Open Captioning: Friday, October 2 at 7:30pm and Saturday, October 3 at 2:00pm

Notes of Interest:

• Northlight Theatre's new theater, education, and community space is a major component in the arts and cultural scene in Chicagoland and the North Shore and features 287 comfortable seats with excellent sight lines, state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems, a dedicated box office and contemporary bar in the lobby, a second floor rehearsal and event space, and lounge and gathering areas on the first and second floors. Located in the heart of downtown, with easy, nearby access to parking and public transportation via CTA and Metra, Northlight will contribute to a vibrant local economy and will serve as an economic driver for downtown Evanston.
• The opening of Front Page follows a series of opening events for Northlight's new home, including a ribbon cutting ceremony on July 28, 2026, and the Grand Opening Gala, "Celebrating our Past, Building our Future," on Saturday, August 15, marking the culmination of the company's 50^th Anniversary Season and the beginning of a new era in Evanston.
• BJ Jones, Kate Fry, Timothy Edward Kane, Tim Kazurinsky, and John Lister are all Evanston residents and frequent artists at Northlight.
• Married couple Kate Fry and Timothy Edward Kane, who lead the cast of The Front Page, previously performed together in Birthday Candles and The Miser. Kate also appeared at Northlight in Mother of the Maid, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, and Outside Mullingar. Timothy has also been seen at Northlight in Gaslight, Faceless, Lost in Yonkers, and She Stoops to Conquer.

About the Artists

BJ Jones (Director and Northlight Artistic Director) is entering his 27th season as Artistic Director of Northlight. Mr. Jones is a two-time Joseph Jefferson Award-winning actor and a three-time nominated director. He's directed the world premieres of First Lady of Television, Brooklyn Laundry, Charm (Jeff Award Best New Play), The Outgoing Tide (Jeff Award Best New Play), White Guy on the Bus (Jeff Nominated Best New Play), Chapatti (Jeff Nominated Best New Play), Better Late, and Rounding Third. Notably, he has directed productions of Outside Mullingar, Grey Gardens, The Price, The Lieutenant of Innishmore, Andy Warhol in Iran, and The Beauty Queen of Leenane. As a producer, he has guided the three world premieres of The Christmas at Pemberley trilogy, Shining Lives, The Last Five Years, and Studs Terkel's The Good War. Additional directorial credits include Pitmen Painters (Timeline, Jeff Award Best Production); 100 Saints You Should Know (Steppenwolf); Glengarry Glen Ross (Alliance Theatre, Atlanta, Suzi Bass nomination Best Director); The Lady with All the Answers (Cherry Lane, New York); Animal Crackers (Baltimore Center Stage); Three Musketeers, The Tempest, Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing (Utah Shakespeare Festival), and four productions at the Galway International Arts Festival. As a performer, he has appeared at Northlight, Goodman, Steppenwolf, Court, and other theatres throughout Chicago. Film/TV credits include The Fugitive, Body Double, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Early Edition, Cupid, and Turks, among others.

Joe Dempsey (McCue) is so very happy to be in the inaugural production at Northlight's new home. Past Northlight shows include The First Lady of Television, The Mousetrap, Faceless, Inherit the Wind, and All in the Timing. He's also worked at Goodman, Chicago Shakespeare, Lookingglass, Court, Paramount, Theatre Wit, Remy Bumppo, many others, and most recently at Drury Lane Oak Brook, performing the titular role in Father of the Bride. Joe is an alum of the Neo-Futurists and The Second City National Touring Company. Congrats to BJ, Tim, and the Northlight staff on the new digs!

John Drea (Earl Williams) Northlight: Little Women (Jeff Nomination). Chicago: Little Bear Ridge Road (Steppenwolf), The Sound Inside (Goodman), The Da Vinci Code (Drury Lane), A Lie of the Mind (Raven). Broadway: Death of a Salesman, Little Bear Ridge Road. Regional: American Players Theatre, Constellation Stage & Screen. Television: Monster. Film: Patient.

William Dick (Sheriff Hartman) Northlight: The First Lady Of Television, The Book Of Will, The Odd Couple; Steppenwolf: Amadeus, Choir Boy (Jeff Award-Ensemble); Goodman: Inherit The Wind, A Christmas Carol, Bernhardt/Hamlet, Father Comes Home From The Wars, Blind Date; Chicago Shakespeare: The Comedy of Errors, All's Well That Ends Well, among many; TimeLine: The Pitmen Painters (Jeff Award-Ensemble). Regional: Guess Who's Coming To Dinner, The Little Foxes (Asolo Repertory); Henry IV, 1&2 (Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival); plus Milwaukee Repertory, Madison Repertory, and Los Angeles Theatre Center. TV: Dark Matter, Emperor of Ocean Park, A League of Their Own, 4400, Fargo, Chicago Fire, Empire. Film: Fred Claus, Stranger Than Fiction, The Break Up, The Merry Gentleman, Oz the Great and Powerful, The Company.

Kate Fry (Hildy Johnson) Northlight: Birthday Candles, Mother of the Maid, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Outside Mullingar, and The Miser. Chicago: The Cherry Orchard, The Winter's Tale, Ah, Wilderness! (Goodman); The Belle of Amherst, Electra, The Hard Problem and others (Court); Leopoldstadt, Marjorie Prime, Hedda Gabler, A Minister's Wife, Oh Coward! (Writers); and productions with Victory Gardens, Chicago Shakespeare, Apple Tree Theatre, and Marriott Theatre. Regional: Center Theatre Group, McCarter Theatre Center, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, and Lincoln Center. TV credits include: Empire (Fox), Boss (Starz), Chicago PD (NBC), and Proven Innocent (Fox). She has received four Joseph Jefferson awards, the local Sarah Siddons award, the After Dark award, and Chicago Magazine's actress of the year. Kate is married to actor/teacher Timothy Edward Kane; they have two sons.

Cindy Gold (Mrs. Hefflefinger) Chicago credits: The First Lady of Television, Pride and Prejudice, Jekyll and Hyde, Mothers and Sons, and Awake and Sing (Northlight); The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington (Steppenwolf); Measure for Measure, Christmas Carol (Goodman); Wipeout (Rivendell); Indecent (Victory Gardens); Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Drury Lane); Taming of the Shrew (Chicago Shakespeare), Showboat, My Fair Lady (Lyric Opera). Regional: The Cake (Asolo Theatre); Showboat, Daughter of the Regiment (The Kennedy Center); Music Man (Glimmerglass Opera); and several summers with Peninsula Players. She won a Jeff Award for her performance in Loving Repeating. Recent TV appearances include Work in Progress, Empire, Chicago Fire, and Leverage. Film: Ghostlight, I Used to Go Here. Cindy is Professor Emeritus of Theatre at Northwestern University. Represented by Stewart Talent.

Timothy Edward Kane (Walter Burns) is pleased to return to Northlight, having previously appeared in Gaslight, Birthday Candles, Faceless, Lost in Yonkers, The Miser, and She Stoops to Conquer. Other Chicago credits include work with Court Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Writers Theatre, Rivendell, TimeLine, Goodman, and Steppenwolf. International and Regional credits: The Royal Shakespeare Company (UK), The Mark Taper Forum, Notre Dame Shakespeare, Peninsula Players, and the Illinois Shakespeare Festival. TV: Chicago P.D. (NBC), Chicago Fire (NBC), and Empire (FOX). Awards: two Jeff Awards, AfterDark, and Chicago Magazine's actor of the year. Mr. Kane is married to actress Kate Fry, with whom he has two sons; he is an Assistant Professor of Theatre at Loyola University Chicago.

Mark David Kaplan (Bensinger) has received three Joseph Jefferson Awards – for Les Misérables, Ragtime, and Forbidden Broadway. Select theatre: First Lady of Television and Mr. Dicken's Hat (Northlight); The Diary of Anne Frank (People's Light); Fiddler on the Roof (Drury Lane/Lyric Opera); Titanic (Marriott); No Man's Land (Steppenwolf); Clue (Mercury); The Band's Visit (TheatreSquared); Kinky Boots (Paramount); and premieres with Chicago Shakespeare, About Face, Goodman, and Skylight Theatres. Concert appearances: She Loves Me (w/Bryce Pinkham); Cabaret (Gulf Coast Symphony); and Ragtime  - opposite Ashley Brown (Cincinnati Pops). Mark toured the US as Zazu in The Lion King. TV: Utopia (Amazon); Chicago Fire (NBC). Film: Adult Children and the upcoming Patient. Mark is a part of Season of Concern, an organization that supports those who work in the performing arts.

Tim Kazurinsky (Pincus) got his start at Chicago's Second City Theatre. Movie appearances include Neighbors, Somewhere in Time, and three Police Academy films.  A former cast member of NBC's Saturday Night Live, Tim came home to Chicago to co-write such screenplays as My Bodyguard, About Last Night..., The Cherokee Kid, and For Keeps. He was nominated for a BAFTA and Writers' Guild Award for his screenplay for Strange Relations, starring Julie Walters, Paul Reiser, and dear friend George Wendt. Tim still loves performing and has appeared on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Still Standing, and According to Jim in guest star roles. He has previously appeared at Northlight in The Odd Couple and Funnyman. Tim lives in Evanston with his wife Marcia, kids Zoe & Pete, and Zippy the dog.

John Lister (The Mayor) returns for his sixth production with Northlight, having previously appeared in Tom Jones, She Stoops To Conquer, Inherit The Wind, Red Herring, and Lady Windermere's Fan. Theatre credits include numerous productions with Steppenwolf, Writers, The Goodman, Chicago Shakespeare, APT, and Lyric Opera. Film and TV credits include Public Enemies (Universal), Animals (Oscilloscope), The Secret Santa (TLC), Never Not Yours (Adult Children), Chicago Fire (NBC), Chicago Med (NBC), Patriot (Amazon), easy (Netflix), The Red Line (CBS), and Dark Matter (Apple TV+). John is a proud union member, represented by Stewart Talent Management. He is especially excited to be working for the first time with Artistic Director BJ Jones.

Peter Moore (Brad Hefflefinger) Is a founding member and Artistic Director of Steep Theatre where he has performed in numerous productions over the last 25 years, including A Slow Air, The Writer, Light Falls, Pomona, Birdland, Brilliant Adventures, Harper Regan, If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet, A Brief History of Helen of Troy, and some other impossibly long titles. Other credits: I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, The Crucible, and August: Osage County (U/S) (Steppenwolf); Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Writers); In the Canyon (Jackalope); The Downpour, (Route 66 Theatre). Film & TV: Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, Chicago Med, Chicago Justice (NBC); Emperor of Ocean Park (MGM+); The Red Line (CBS); and the Bollywood blockbuster Dhoom 3. Pete is represented by Gray Talent Group.

Sadieh Rifai (Mollie Mallory) is a Chicago-based actor, playwright, and graduate of The School at Steppenwolf. A recipient of the prestigious 2011 Princess Grace Award, she is an ensemble member at A Red Orchid Theatre, where her credits include The Targeted, Do You Feel Anger?, An Evening at the Talk House, and the world premiere of Grey House. She is making her Northlight Theatre debut and has performed across major regional stages, appearing in You Will Get Sick (Steppenwolf); Support Group for Men, A Christmas Carol (Goodman); The Nativity Variations (Milwaukee Repertory); and the world premiere of The Humans (American Theatre Company). Film: All Happy Families and The Wise Kids. Television: Shining Girls, Somebody Somewhere, Patriot, The Red Line, and Bettendorf Talks.

Kelan M. Smith (Kruger) is thrilled to return to Northlight for this exciting world premiere! Chicago credits include The Porch on Windy Hill (Northlight); Spring Awakening, Pump Boys and Dinettes (Porchlight); Jekyll and Hyde, Amélie (Kokandy); Million Dollar Quartet Christmas, Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story (Marriott); Sunny Afternoon, The Lord of the Rings (Chicago Shakespeare); Ring of Fire (Drury Lane); The Choir of Man (Apollo); Camp Rock (The Beautiful City Project); Bright Star (Boho Theatre), Haymarket (Underscore Theatre). Regional/International credits include The Lord of the Rings (Auckland Civic Theatre); Plaid Tidings, Lost Highway, Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story (Timber Lake Playhouse); and Once (Bristol Valley Theatre). Love to Kara, and his late brother Riley.www.kelanmsmith.com

Guy Van Swearingen (Endicott) Northlight Theatre debut. Off-Broadway: The Opponent (59E59). Select Regional: Berlin, Arsenic and Old Lace (Court); Sweat (Huntington); Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window (Goodman); Simpatico (McCarter); The Time of Your Life (Steppenwolf, Seattle Rep, A.C.T.); Taking Care (Steppenwolf); Trouble In Mind (Timeline); Cleansed (Defiant); Eleven Rooms of Proust (Lookingglass, About Face, Goodman); Mann ist Mann (Famous Door). Founder of A Red Orchid with over 15 performance credits. TV: The Bear (FX); Power Book IV: Force (Starz); Chicago Fire (NBC); Fargo (F/X); The Red Line (CBS); Boss (Starz); The Beast (A&E). Film: Captive State (Lionsgate); Take Shelter (Sony); The Dilemma (Universal Pictures); The Merry Gentleman (Samuel Goldwyn); The Weatherman (Paramount); Ali (Sony Pictures). Former Chicago Fire Department Lieutenant. Agency: Paonessa Talent; Management: WEG Talent, NYC.

Northlight is supported in part by generous contributions from BMO; Bulley & Andrews; Byline Bank; ComEd, An Exelon Company; Dr. Scholl Foundation; Eckenhoff Saunders Architects, Inc.; Evanston Community Foundation; Franklin Square Foundation; Full Circle Foundation; Grumman Butkus Associates; Hagerty Consulting; Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; John R Halligan Charitable Fund; Kirkland & Ellis; LionBird; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; Mabadi Realty; Mammel Family Foundation; Modestus Bauer Foundation; Northwestern University; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; The Revada Foundation of the Logan Family; Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Foundation; The Schubert Foundation, Inc.; SLOAN; The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; The Sullivan Family Foundation; Tom Stringer Design Partners.

Northlight Theatre aspires to promote change of perspective and encourage compassion by exploring the depth of our humanity across a bold spectrum of theatrical experiences, reflecting our community to the world and the world to our community.

Founded in 1974 with its inaugural season in 1975-76, the organization has mounted over 250 productions, including more than 45 world premieres. Northlight has earned 238 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and 37 Awards, as well as 11 Edgerton Foundation for New Play Awards. As one of the area's premier theatre companies, Northlight is a regional magnet for critical and professional acclaim, as well as talent of the highest quality.

Oil Lamp Theater, currently at 1723 Glenview Road, announces its new future home will be at the former Ten Ninety Brewing Co. in Downtown Glenview, 1025 Waukegan Road. The opportunity to move to a larger performance space, that is adjacent to Oil Lamp Academy, became possible due to the founder of the Negaunee Foundation, client of Virginia Trux, who purchased the property as a personal project and looks forward to years of joy with Oil Lamp Theater. This new location pursues the goals of the “Light the Way” fundraising campaign that was announced in September of last year. The campaign included a 2028 opening of the new venue, a $5 Million fundraising goal, the expansion of its arts education, strengthening essential staff and establishing a larger performance venue with the goal of remaining in downtown Glenview. For more 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..

At approximately 11,000 square feet, this new home will feature a warm and welcoming lobby, a flexible theater with seating for up to 150+ guests and thoughtfully designed spaces by Future Firm that will serve Oil Lamp’s artists, students and community. 

MORE FROM OIL LAMP THEATER:

I Love You Because

August 14 – September 13, 2026

Book and Lyrics by Ryan Cunningham

Music by Joshua Salzman

Directed by Scott Shallenbarger

Music Directed by Aaron Kahn

Preview Performances: Friday, Aug. 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday Aug. 15 at 3 p.m .

Opening Night: Saturday, Aug. 15 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 Aug. 19 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday September 2 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; and Wednesday September 9 at 7:30 p.m.

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

Dial M for Murder

October 2 – November 1, 2026

Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the original play by Frederick Knott

Directed by Daniel King

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

Opening Night: Saturday, Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m. 

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

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

It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play

November 20 - December 27, 2026

Adapted by Joe Landry

Directed by Becca Holloway

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

Opening Night: Saturday, Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m. 

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

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

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

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

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.

Full cast and production team have been announced for City Lit's season-opening production of SHANE, Mark Pracht's World Premiere adaptation of the classic Western novel by Jack Schaefer. The story, which richly depicts the transition of the American frontier from individualism to community, has been an enduring favorite ever since the novel's publication in 1949 and its 1953 Academy Award-winning film adaptation. Pracht, a Jeff Award-nominated writer (for his play THE HOUSE OF IDEAS, produced by City Lit in 2024) and one of City Lit's first class of Artistic Associates, will direct. SHANE will play through Sunday, October 4.
 
Michael B. Woods, a Jeff Award winner for Performer in a Principal Role - Play for his title role in BoHo Theatre's  2018 production of CYRANO, will take on the title role of the mysterious outsider who rides into a Wyoming Valley and takes a job as a farmhand. The homesteading family who hires him – Joe and Marian Starrett and their son Bob – will be played by Josh Odor, Whitney Minarik, and Bruce Holtman. Odor won a Jeff Award earlier this year as Performer in a Supporting Role – Play (Short Run) for his performance as the villainous father in the American Premiere of GANGSTA BABY with Open Space Arts. In SHANE, he will play the much kinder father and husband Joe. Minarik has appeared in NETWORK and THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH with Invictus Theatre. Holtman was last seen at City Lit in SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CHRISTMAS CLOWNS and also appeared in Theo Ubique's THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS. City Lit Artistic Associate Sean Harklerode, whose City Lit work includes roles in NIGHT OF THE HUNTER, MURDER IN THE CATHEDRAL, and all three entries in THE FOUR-COLOR TRILOGY, will play Fletcher – the cattle baron who tries to scare the Starretts off their land. The ruthless professional gunslinger Stark Wilson, who threatens to kill the homesteaders who refuse to leave, will be played by Jay Donley, whose experience with violence includes creating fight and intimacy design for Chicago productions as diverse as CAROUSEL (Music Theater Works) and ANGELS IN AMERICA (Invictus).
 
Also in Pracht's SHANE cast are Brandon Boler (Ernie Wright), Ross Childs (Curly), Chuck Munro (Grafton), Frank Nall (Shipstead), and Andrew Pappas (Chris). Understudies are Anthony Augustin (Curly/Shipstead U/S), Marshall Kious (Joe Starrett/Fletcher U/S), Zach Kunde (Grafton/Wright U/S), Payton Nesci (Bob/Chris U/S), Chase Wheaton-Werle (Shane/Ledyard-Wilson U/S), and Mary Eliza Willingham (Marian Starrett U/S).

The SHANE production team will include Jeremiah Barr (Scenic Designer/Technical Director), Beth Laske Miller (Costume Designer), Petter Wahlbäck (Sound Designer/Composer), Josiah Croegaert (Lighting Designer), G. "Max" Maxin IV (Projection Designer), Jim Terry (Projection Artwork), Jeff Brain (Props Designer), Vic Bayona and Richard Gilbert of R & D Choreography (Violence Designers), Courtney Abbott (Intimacy Director), Michael Lesko (Stage Manager), Leigh Barrett (Assistant Director), Mateo Gutierrez   (Production Manager).
 
All performances will be at City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue, Chicago, on the second floor of the Edgewater Presbyterian Church. City Lit Season 46 subscriptions are available at $112.00, good for all performances, or $88.00 for preview performances. Subscriptions may be ordered online at www.citylit.org or purchased over the phone by calling 773-293-3682. Single tickets for Season 46 are priced at $32 for previews and $40 for regular performances and are on sale now. Senior prices are $5 off the applicable ticket prices. Students and active military are $22.00 for all performances.

SHANE 
Based on the novel by Jack Schaefer
Adapted and directed by Artistic Associate Mark Pracht 
World Premiere Adaptation of the classic Western. 
August 21 - October 4, 2026
Previews August 21 – 28, 2026
Regular run August 29 - October 4, 2026
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 3 pm

Plus two Mondays, September 21 (Understudy show) and September 28 at 7:30
Tickets $32 for previews and $40 for regular performances. Seniors $5.00 off all prices. Students and active military are $22.00 for all performances. Groups are $30 per person. Prices include all fees and taxes.
Tickets available online at www.citylit.org or by phone at 773-293-3682.
All performances at City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr, on the second floor (accessible via elevator) of the Edgewater Presbyterian Church.
 
In this World Premiere adaptation of the classic western, Shane, a mysterious stranger, shows up at the Starrett homestead in the Wyoming Territory in 1889. Though he seems to be hiding a dangerous past, he's offered a job as a farm hand and settles in with the Starretts: Joe, his wife Marian, and his son Bob, our narrator. When Joe refuses to sell his land to open range rancher Fletcher, it sets up a deadly showdown that alters the fates of everyone involved. 

PrideArts' 2026-27 season will open in August with the world premiere of Chicago-based playwright Matt Schutz's WINDOWS, a comedy of LGBT Gen Z-ers finding their ways through career and relationship challenges. WINDOWS was developed through PrideArts' Queery Playwrights Lab, in which 33 scripts with an LGBTQ focus were submitted for consideration and six were selected for further development. Scenes from those six scripts were performed publicly, and with the audience's help, WINDOWS was chosen for this full production, to be directed by with QUEERY Festival Director Taylor Pasche. WINDOWS will play through August 23 in the Hoover-Leppen Theatre at Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, Chicago.
 
Pasche announced the cast and crew for WINDOWS today. Playing Olivia, a once-promising soccer player recovering from a career-ending injury who spends her days watching her neighbors and imaging what might be going on in their lives, will be Lucabella Sangin. Sangin is a recent BFA graduate of Emerson College in Boston making her Chicago debut. Olivia's partner Natalie, who is frustrated with her part-time job at a furniture store, will be played by Vinita Dixit. Dixit is another recent arrival to Chicago, having earned her BFA from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. In Chicago, she has performed with Theatre Momentum and the queer sketch comedy group Fun House. The third member of WINDOW's trio of GenZ-ers is Natalie's roommate Clay, who is hoping to receive a long-awaited job promotion and is conflicted about his feelings toward the ex-boyfriend who has unexpectedly reentered his life. River Ruiz, a theatre and screen actor from Humboldt Park whose credits include understudying the title role in LOBBY HERO with Shattered Globe Theater and the Netflix series EASY, will be Clay.
 
Playing multiple roles as the neighbors this trio observes, and others, are David Lipschutz and Ashley Kramer. Lipschutz's credits include productions by Hell in a Handbag, Kokandy, Broken Nose, Victory Gardens, and Black Button Eyes, most recently as the understudy for the sole role of the one-actor play ST. NICHOLAS.  Kramer is a recent BFA graduate of the University of Michigan making her Chicago acting debut. Understudies are Claire Thompson (u/s Olivia), Colin Callahan (u/s Clay and Actor 1), and Elyssa Treviño (u/s Natalie and Actor 2).

The production's designers are Hayley E Wallenfeldt (Scenic Designer), Emily N. Brink (Costume Designer), Lea Davis (Lighting Designer), Valerio (Val) T. Gardner (Sound Designer), Maddi Waneka (Props Designer), and Paulina Martz (Intimacy Director). Also on the production team are Corbin Paulino (Stage Manager), Inaija Butler (Production Manager), Reese Sheldahl (Technical Director), and Eve Pahoresky (Assistant Stage Manager). 
 

WINDOWS
By Matt Schutz
WORLD PREMIERE
Directed by Taylor Pasche
August 7 - 23, 2026
Previews Friday, August 7 at 7:00 pm and Sunday, August 9 at 3:00 pm
Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:00 pm, Sundays at 3:00 pm
Hoover-Leppen Theatre in Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, Chicago 60613
Tickets $35 for regular performances, $25 for previews. Seniors and students receive a $5 discount off all performance prices. Tickets and more information at www.pridearts.org.
773-661-0770
 
Olivia is a former soccer player still recovering from a career-ending injury. Her girlfriend, Natalie, is stuck in a job she's not passionate about, caught between finding her own happiness and caring for Olivia's. Meanwhile, Natalie's roommate Clay is trying to take the next step in his life – towards a new promotion, away from a past relationship, and into his own power. As all three maneuver through the ever-present reality of Olivia's injury, they find escape however they can.

Following a critically-acclaimed, sell-out run of Just For Us at Steppenwolf Theatre and around the globe, Tony and Emmy Award-winning comedian Alex Edelman returns with another hilarious and thought-provoking dissection of identity: What Are You Going to Do, playing five performances only August 12 – 16, 2026 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theater, 1650 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. Tickets ($54* – $94*) are now on sale at steppenwolf.org or by calling the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. *includes $10 processing fee

This all-new show finds the Bostonian sweetheart asking different and more unsettling questions. Primarily, should he spend his time doing something else? Should he be saving lives like his physician father? Should he be trying to return to the sense of community he experienced growing up among Israelis and Palestinians? In a show that reckons with the effects of time spent in trauma, Edelman deftly weaves in and out of examinations of faith broadly – not just Judaism – and wonders if, perhaps, there might be better things out there for him.

Performance Schedules:

Wednesday, August 12 at 7:30 pm
Thursday, August 13 at 7:30 pm
Friday, August 14 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, August 15 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, August 16 at 3 pm

Artist Biography:

One of the most critically hailed comedians of his generation, Alex Edelman is best known for solo shows that blur the line between his stand-up comedy roots and narrative-driven storytelling. His last offering, Just For Us, played more than 500 performances all over the world - including acclaimed runs off- and on-Broadway. It premiered as an HBO original comedy special in April of 2024, earning him a place on the Time 100 list, a Tony Award and an Emmy Award for Best Writing for a Variety Special. Edelman appeared in Jerry Seinfeld's directorial debut for Netflix, Unfrosted. Beyond stand-up, he writes regularly for TV and can be seen starring in Peacock's The Paper, a Greg Daniels-helmed spiritual successor to The Office. He also writes on the show as a Consulting Producer. 

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 M. Angell Family 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, Walder Foundation, 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, Conagra Brands Foundation, Rich and Margery Feitler, FROST CHICAGO, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Orlebeke Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, Sacks Family Foundation, Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Thoma Bravo and Bryan Traubert and Penny Pritzker. Steppenwolf also acknowledges support from the 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 50 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.

Get ready to have the time of your life! Broadway In Chicago is pleased to announce that single tickets for DIRTY DANCING: THE MUSICAL – a new stage production based on Lionsgate’s beloved film Dirty Dancing – are now on sale. DIRTY DANCING: THE MUSICAL will play Broadway In Chicago’s James M. Nederlander Theatre (24 W. Randolph St.) for a limited two-week engagement, September 9 – 20.

Set against the unforgettable summer of 1963, DIRTY DANCING: THE MUSICAL follows Frances “Baby” Houseman as she discovers love, passion, and independence through her relationship with charismatic dance instructor Johnny Castle. With live music from the original film, DIRTY DANCING: THE MUSICAL is the feel-good escape audiences have been craving, alive with the pulse of electrified dancing, the thrill of secret encounters, and the allure of forbidden romance.

DIRTY DANCING: THE MUSICAL will be directed by Tony Award^® nominee, Obie Award^® winner, and two-time Emmy Award^® winner Lonny Price (Sunset Boulevard, Sweeney Todd), who played Neil Kellerman in the original Dirty Dancing film, with choreography by Darrell Grand Moultrie (Fat Ham, Beyonce’s World Tour). Bringing to the stage the celebrated story from Eleanor Bergstein — the original screenwriter of the film — the musical captures the pulse, romance, and youthful urgency that have defined Dirty Dancing for nearly four decades. This follows Lionsgate’s announcement that the Dirty Dancing sequel starring Jennifer Grey – from The Hunger Games producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson– will begin production this year.

With a fresh creative approach to the timeless love story, this new production will tour North America with an aim to reconnect audiences with the heart, heat, and rebellious spirit that made Dirty Dancing a worldwide sensation.

Dirty Dancing is an enduring cultural phenomenon that began with the iconic film that grossed over $200 million at the worldwide box office and went on to launch two multiplatinum soundtrack albums, numerous #1 hit singles, won an Academy Award^® for Best Original Song and a Grammy^® Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The original film is one of Lionsgate’s all-time best-selling library titles. This new North American stage tour aims to honor that legacy while reinventing the live experience for a new era.

DIRTY DANCING: THE MUSICAL is produced by The Path Entertainment Group in conjunction with Lionsgate and Magic Hour Productions.

The creative team includes set design by Brett J. Banakis, costume design by Emily Rebholz, lighting design by Japhy Weideman, sound design by two-time Tony Award® winner Kai Harada, and video design by David Bengali. Casting is by The TRC Company / Claire Burke, CSA & Peter Van Dam, CSA, with music supervision and arrangements by Joseph Joubert. Alchemy Production Group serves as General Manager.

FOLLOW US
@DirtyDancingMusical
DDMusical.com

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Wednesday, September 9 – 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, September 10 – 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Friday, September 11 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, September 12 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, September 13 – 1:00 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, September 15 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, September 16 – 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, September 17 – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, September 18 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, September 19 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, September 20 – 1:00 p.m.

TICKET INFORMATION (As of July 13, based on availability and subject to change)
Individual tickets for DIRTY DANCING: THE MUSICAL are on sale now and range from $40.00 - $135.00 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.
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#broadwayinchicago

Under the leadership of Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director Avery Willis Hoffman and Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre, Court Theatre proudly presents the Spotlight Reading Series. The Spotlight Reading Series will run from Friday, August 7, through Saturday, August 22, at venues throughout Chicago. Curated by Director of Engagement Kamilah Rashied, this is the tenth anniversary of the acclaimed and transformative program created by Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson in 2016.

"This year's Spotlight Reading Series is a legacy project," shares Rashied. "It honors Court's Resident Artist, Ron OJ Parson, who began this acclaimed program ten years ago. It celebrates a century of Black artistry and activism that has shaped our nation. And it is a love letter to the resilience, resistance, creativity, and innovation of the city of Chicago—Black Chicago, specifically."

Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director Avery Willis Hoffman adds: "The Spotlight Reading Series is an exceptional example of how we at Court put the classics in conversation with our current times. Activating a variety of artistic mediums, texts, and formats, Spotlight is an invitation to engage—with us, with each other, with history, with our city, and with art itself—and ideate our collective future. As America marks 250 years, this program represents civic discourse at its best."

Featuring the most ambitious programming to date, this year's landmark Spotlight Reading Series is organized around the theme "A Century of Black Progress." The tenth-anniversary celebration arrives on the heels of the centennial of Black History Month, which began in 1926 as Negro History Week, and looks ahead to the conclusion of August Wilson's American Century Cycle with Court Theatre's 2027 production of Joe Turner's Come and Gone.

By weaving together the past, present, and future of Black storytelling through a series of immersive events, the Spotlight Reading Series celebrates the soul of Chicago's cultural ecosystem and pays tribute to one hundred years of cultural excellence and resilience.

This year's Spotlight Reading Series is comprised of the following events:

• Friday, August 7: It's Nation Time: An Evening of Black Cinema
• Sunday, August 9: Kuumba Theatre Archive Unfurling
• Wednesday, August 12: Staged Reading of August Wilson's How I Learned What I Learned, featuring Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson
• Thursday, August 13: A Womanist Trilogy: Hurston, Richards, and Kennedy
• Friday, August 14: are you ready to smash white things? by Ireon Roach, a collaboration with Definition Theatre
• Saturday, August 15: Praise and Protest Exhibition Tour
• Saturday, August 15: Harsh Readers Circle
• Wednesday, August 19: Blackstone Book Club
• Saturday, August 22: The Chicago Critics Circles

All events are free and open to the public, and reservations are required. Reservations can be made online atCourtTheatre.org or by calling the Box Office at (773) 753-4472.

Accompanying the live events of the Spotlight Reading Series, Court Theatre—in partnership with Aaron Mays, Tribble, and Respair Media—is proud to present Spotlight Turns Ten, the Spotlight Reading Series companion podcast. Reflecting on the history of the Spotlight Reading Series and a century of Black progress and creativity, Spotlight Turns Ten will feature artists, creatives, and Court collaborators who have contributed to the series over the past decade.

The Spotlight Reading Series is presented in partnership with Arts + Public Life at the University of Chicago, Chicago Public Library, Definition Theatre, and the University of Chicago's Film Studies Center.

It's Nation Time: An Evening of Black Cinema

Experience the power of Black liberation cinema through William Greaves's Nationtime and Skip Norman's Cultural Nationalism—a vital double feature that explores the depth, defiance, and diverse aesthetics of Black liberation cinema and captures the relentless pursuit of self-determination. Presented in partnership with the University of Chicago's Film Studies Center.

Date:                            Friday, August 7, 2026

Time:                            6:30pm Doors, 7:00pm Screening

Location:                       Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, Room 201 (915 E 60th St, Chicago,

IL 60637)

Participant:                   Dr. Aymar Jèan "AJ" Escoffery (lecturer)

Kuumba Theatre Archive Unfurling

Discover the radical legacy of Chicago's Black Arts Movement at this exclusive Harold Washington Library archival unfurling event. Drawing from Special Collections that showcase the Kuumba Workshop, a revolutionary theatre company founded in 1969 by Val Gray Ward to pioneer "ritual theatre" as a tool for community liberation. Attendees will get an up-close look at original photographs and ephemera that celebrate Kuumba's enduring blueprint for Black art as activism. Presented in partnership with Chicago Public Library.

Date:                            Sunday, August 9, 2026

Time:                            2:00pm

Location:                       Harold Washington Library Center Reading Room (400 S State St, Chicago, IL

60605)

Participants:                 Pemon Rami (guest speaker), Nix Mendy (archivist facilitator), Johanna Russ

(archivist facilitator)

How I Learned What I Learned by August Wilson, Featuring Ron OJ Parson

Experience a legendary theatrical collision as acclaimed director and Court Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson steps onstage to portray the master playwright in August Wilson's autobiographical solo masterpiece, How I Learned What I Learned. Presented as a one-night-only event for Court Theatre's 2026 Spotlight Reading Series 10th Anniversary Festival.

Date:                            Wednesday, August 12, 2026

Time:                            6:00pm Doors, 6:30pm Reading

Location:                       Rubenstein Forum, Friedman Hall (1201 E 60th St, Chicago, IL 60637)

Creative Team:             Aaron Mays (director), Charles Andrew Gardner (associate director)

Cast:                            Ron OJ Parson (actor)

A Womanist Trilogy: Hurston, Richards, and Kennedy

Experience an extraordinary triple feature with A Womanist Trilogy: Hurston, Richards, and Kennedy. This powerful evening unites Zora Neale Hurston's Color Struck, Beah Richards's A Black Woman Speaks, and Adrienne Kennedy's She Talks to Beethoven to explore the interior lives of Black women. Moving from rural folk drama and fiery poetry to avant-garde surrealism, this vital trilogy offers a breathtaking testament to the enduring power of Black feminist voices in American theater across the 20th century.

Date:                            Thursday, August 13, 2026

Time:                            6:00pm Doors, 6:30pm Reading

Location:                       Rubenstein Forum, Friedman Hall (1201 E 60th St, Chicago, IL 60637)

Creative Team:             Kemati Janice Porter (director)

are you ready to smash white things? by Ireon Roach

Join us for a thrilling staged reading of are you ready to smash white things? by multi-talented Chicago artist and playwright Ireon Roach, a celebrated former winner of Definition Theatre's Amplify series. This fierce, brilliant, and deeply contemporary work uses sharp wit and unflinching honesty to interrogate institutions, dismantle systemic structures, and explore the visceral realities of Black liberation and identity. Presented in partnership with Definition Theatre.

Date:                            Friday, August 14, 2026

Time:                            6:00pm Doors, 6:30pm Reading

Location:                       Rubenstein Forum, Friedman Hall (1201 E 60th St, Chicago, IL 60637)

Creative Team:             Ireon Roach (playwright), Charlique C. Rolle (director), Tyrone Phillips

(post-show moderator)

Praise and Protest Exhibition Tour

The exhibition Praise and Protest: Voices of the Chicago Black Renaissance invites visitors to explore a transformative cultural movement told through the rare archival records of the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection. This interactive gallery tour honors the extraordinary artists, scholars, and activists who reshaped American culture from the 1930s through the 1950s. This exhibition shines a light on understudied aspects of Black history and artistry whose seminal explorations of Black life remain as timely as they are extraordinary. Presented in partnership with Chicago Public Library.

Date:                            Saturday, August 15, 2026

Time:                            11:00am (Lunch provided from 1:00pm - 2:00pm)

Location:                       Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection at the Woodson Regional Library (9525 S

Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60628)

Participants:                  Courtney Becks (facilitator), Raquel Flores-Clemons (archivist facilitator)

Harsh Readers Circle

For 40 years, the Harsh Readers Circle has met monthly at the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection, located inside the Woodson Regional Library. Inspired by the legacy of Vivian G. Harsh herself, this staple book club is dedicated to reading and discussing the finest works of Black fiction and non-fiction. Join the Circle for this special convening as they explore their August selection: A Street in Bronzeville, the groundbreaking debut book of poetry by Chicago's own Gwendolyn Brooks. Presented in partnership with Chicago Public Library.

Date:                            Saturday, August 15, 2026

Time:                            2:00pm (Lunch provided from 1:00pm - 2:00pm)

Location:                       Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection at the Woodson Regional Library (9525 S

Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60628)

Participants:                  Courtney Becks (facilitator)

Blackstone Book Club

Court Theatre's Community Reads Series bridges page and stage by inviting audiences to explore foundational literature that mirrors the theatrical season. Anchoring the Spotlight Reading Series 10th Anniversary Festival, this year's book club selection is Harvey Young and Queen Meccasia Zabriskie's groundbreaking text, Black Theater is Black Life: An Oral History of Chicago Theater and Dance, 1970-2010. Filling a critical gap in the history of African American culture in Chicago, the book weaves together interviews with prominent artists who have shaped the city's cultural landscape over decades. Presented in partnership with Chicago Public Library.

Date:                            Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Time:                            5:30pm

Location:                       Blackstone Branch of the Chicago Public Library (4904 S Lake Park Ave,

Chicago, IL 60615)

Participants:                 Adia Sykes (facilitator)

The Chicago Critics Circles

Part I: Black Authorship

Co-presented in partnership with Arts + Public Life, this roundtable talk frames Black publications as vital sites of cultural production, political imagination, and narrative control. By examining how independent media, literary institutions, and emerging platforms document and interpret Black life, the panel highlights a crucial legacy of self-determination. This timely convening directly advances the Spotlight Festival theme through the essential lens of narrative sovereignty. Presented in partnership with Arts + Public Life.

Date:                            Saturday, August 22, 2025

Time:                            2:00pm

Location:                       Green Line Performing Arts Center (329 E Garfield Blvd,

Chicago, IL 60637)

Participants:                 Adrienne Brown (moderator), Donna Rose Weems (speaker)

Part II: Claiming Space

Co-presented in partnership with Arts + Public Life, this roundtable explores how physical and social spaces act as incubators for Black cultural life and resistance. In a roundtable conversation, panelists will investigate how these environments are intentionally created, stewarded, and preserved. Presented in partnership with Arts + Public Life.

Date:                            Saturday, August 22, 2025

Time:                            4:00pm

Location:                       Green Line Performing Arts Center (329 E Garfield Blvd,

Chicago, IL 60637)

Participants:                 Tara Betts (speaker)

Winner of the 2022 Regional Theatre Tony Award, Court Theatre reimagines classic theatre to illuminate our current times. In residence at the University of Chicago and on Chicago's historic South Side, we engage our audiences with intimate and provocative experiences that inspire deeper exploration of the enduring questions that confront humanity and connect us as people.

Nonesuch Records releases Natalie Merchant’s Cabinet of Wonder—a digital collection of seventeen songs and accompanying videos from the acclaimed singer-songwriter’s collaboration with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) and Chicago Children’s Theatre (CCT)—on August 21, 2026. The seventeen songs on Cabinet of Wonder reimagine Mother Goose and her rhymes for a new generation of young children through modern interpretations of the classic children’s canon and three originals by Merchant—performed by Merchant, musicians from the CSO and special guests—in orchestral arrangements by Megan Gould.  Two songs from the album, “Little Miss Muffet” and “Peter Pumpkin Eater,” along with their videos, are available today.

All of the music was recorded at Chicago’s Electrical Audio with Grammy-winning chief audio engineer Ryan Freeland. Over the seventeen-track collection, myriad musical styles and instruments are introduced to young ears, from the elegant chamber arrangement of “Little Nut Tree” to the brassy Dixieland jazz of “Little Miss Muffet,” the Calypso swing of “Humpty Dumpty” to the Celtic rollick of “Hickory Dickory Dock” and the danceable “The Queen of Hearts.” Music videos highlight performances by Merchant, musicians from the CSO, shadow puppetry by the Chicago-based theater group Manual Cinema, and a cast of twenty-four Chicago children recruited from Chicago Children’s Theatre’s education program.

Designed as a free enrichment program that introduces music, poetry, and the dramatic arts to young children, Cabinet of Wonder represents three years of behind-the-scenes work among the project’s collaborators and the culmination of Natalie’s four decades of involvement in children’s arts and education. Merchant has been drawn to working with children since she was in high school and has continued to work with them throughout her life. But the seed for Cabinet of Wonder began germinating eight years ago, during Merchant’s time as artist-in-residence at an upstate New York Head Start preschool program. During her three years there, she began writing songs based on the classic nursery rhymes she had learned from her mother and had passed on to her daughter. Realizing the centuries-old verses could become powerful teaching tools, she built lessons around their delightful language and absurd imagery. 

“I wanted to find a way to share all that joyful learning I was witnessing,” she says. “I found wonderful partners in the CSO and Chicago Children’s Theatre. They assembled a remarkable team of creative collaborators, and together, we devised a way to do just that.”

“I’ve reached the point in my life where I’m considering what I’ll leave behind. I believe Cabinet of Wonder will be my legacy; every skill that I've acquired over the last forty-five years has gone into this project,” says Merchant—who not only composed, sang, and acted (a dual role as Mother Goose and a librarian-teacher figure named Miss Natalie) but also designed and stitched the costumes, wrote teaching guides, edited the videos with post-production company Abstrakt, and oversaw creative direction for its content-rich website. The site makes available to all, at no charge, all the rhymes, music, photographs, videos, sheet music, teaching guides, and other resources.

After a year of successful pilot programs in Chicago Public Schools (which culminated in concerts with Merchant for 3,000 children at Symphony Center in Chicago), the model is now ready for other school systems and orchestras to replicate.

Releasing in late summer, the digital album brings this unprecedented public arts project to a wider audience. In support, Merchant will spend the 2026-27 school year in partnership with the National Head Start Association, leading teacher training sessions, conducting site visits, attending educational conferences, and collaborating with early childhood education divisions of public and private schools, as the program launches nationwide. 

Cabinet of Wonder

Cabinet of Wonder (theme song)

Who is Mother Goose?

Humpty Dumpty

Peter Pumpkin Eater

Little Miss Muffet

Old King Cole

Little Nut Tree

Hickory Dickory Dock

Hey Diddle Diddle

The Queen of Hearts

Jack Be Nimble

Jack Sprat

The Cuckoo

Mary Had a Pretty Bird

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

A Crooked Man

Rhyming Town

The Goodbye Song

Over her forty-year career, Natalie Merchant has attained a place among America’s most respected recording artists.  She has earned a reputation for being a songwriter of quality and a captivating stage performer and has distinguished herself as a social justice and environmental activist.  Merchant began her musical career as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the pop music band 10,000 Maniacs and released six albums—including one platinum, two double-platinum, and one triple-platinum records—with the group: The Wishing Chair (1985), In My Tribe (1987), Blind Man's Zoo (1989), Hope Chest (1990), Our Time in Eden (1992), and 10,000 Maniacs MTV Unplugged (1993). Merchant left the band in 1994 and has subsequently released nine albums as a solo artist with combined sales of seven million copies: Tigerlily (1995), Ophelia (1998), Natalie Merchant Live (1999), Motherland (2001), The House Carpenter’s Daughter (2003), Leave Your Sleep (2010), Natalie Merchant (2014), Paradise Is There (2015), Butterfly (2017), and Keep Your Courage (2023).

Merchant has collaborated with a wide range of artists, including Billy Bragg, Gavin Bryars, David Byrne, The Chieftains, Cowboy Junkies, Philip Glass, Kronos Quartet, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Mavis Staples, REM, and Wilco.  She served on the New York State Council on the Arts from 2007–2011 at the appointment of Governor Elliot Spitzer and was recently appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Library of Congress’ American Folklife Center by New York State Senator Leader Chuck Schumer. Merchant’s awards include: The Library Lion Award from the New York Public Library (2011), The American Society of Authors Composers & Publishers (ASCAP) Champion Award (2019), and The John Lennon Real Love Award (2019). More information about Merchant’s career and philanthropic work may be found here.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is a global artistic leader, hailed as one of the most esteemed ensembles in classical music. Founded in 1891, the Orchestra cultivates the future of music while building upon its legacy. The CSO's acclaimed musicians command a deep, evolving repertoire, sharing their famous sound with music lovers in hundreds of concerts annually in Chicago and on tour throughout the United States and around the globe, as well as in its weekly syndicated radio broadcasts and a catalog of celebrated recordings. Through its Negaunee Music Institute, the CSO produces programming that nurtures lifelong engagement with music, including an ever-expanding suite of education concerts for young people, in-depth school partnerships and innovative online learning resources.

Founded in 2005, the critically acclaimed Chicago Children’s Theatre focuses on the production of first-rate children’s theatre in Chicago, with top writing, performing, and directorial talent and high-quality design and production expertise. The company has built a national reputation for new work, producing 24 world premieres including Carmela Full of Wishes, Milo Imagines the World, Last Stop on Market Street, and Go Dog Go! • Ve Perro ¡Ve!. Chicago Children’s Theatre also produces The Red Kite Project, a multi-sensory interactive theatre program tailored specifically to the needs of children on the autism spectrum. In 2017, Chicago Children’s Theatre became the first theater for young audiences in the nation to win a National Theatre Award from the American Theatre Wing, creators of the Tony Awards. Chicago Children’s Theatre aspires to enrich its community through diverse and significant theatrical and educational programming that engages and inspires the child in all of us. 

The National Head Start Association (NHSA) is committed to the belief that every child, regardless of circumstances at birth, has the ability to succeed in school and in life. The opportunities offered by Head Start lead to healthier and empowered children and families and stronger, more vibrant communities. NHSA is the voice for more than 750,000 children, 250,000 staff and more than 1,600 Head Start grant recipients in the United States.

For more information, please visit publicity.noneusuch.com or contact:

Melissa Cusick This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For international enquiries, please contact:

Matthew Rankin, matthew.rankin@nonesuch>

For information about the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, please contact:

Hannah Sundwall, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For information about Chicago Children's Theatre, please contact:

Jay Kelly, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Oil Lamp Theater, currently presenting The Last Five Years, now extended through July 19, is proud to announce the cast and creative team for its next production, I Love You Because, August 14 - September 13, book and lyrics by Ryan Cunningham, music by Joshua Salzman and orchestrations by Larry Hochman, directed by Scott Shallenbarger and music directed by Aaron Kahn, at Oil Lamp Theater, 1723 Glenview Road. The schedule includes two preview performances Friday, Aug. 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday Aug. 15 at 3 p.m., with an opening performance Saturday, Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional Wednesday performances Wednesday, Aug. 19 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday Aug. 26 at 7:30 p.m. (Understudy Performance); Wednesday, Sept. 2 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Wednesday Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $30 for previews and $55 for the run at OilLampTheater.org.  

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

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

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

ABOUT SCOTT SHALLENBARGER, DIRECTOR

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

ABOUT AARON KAHN, MUSIC DIRECTOR

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

MORE FROM FROM OIL LAMP THEATER

Dial M for Murder

October 2 – November 1, 2026

Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the original play by Frederick Knott

Directed by Daniel King

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

Opening Night: Saturday, Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m. 

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

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

It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play

November 20 - December 27, 2026

Adapted by Joe Landry

Directed by Becca Holloway

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

Opening Night: Saturday, Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m. 

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

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

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

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

ABOUT OIL LAMP THEATER

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

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

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

This past September, Oil Lamp launched  Light The Way, a transformative fundraising campaign designed to expand arts education, strengthen essential staff and establish a larger performance venue with the goal of staying in downtown Glenview. Building on its roots as a scrappy storefront, Oil Lamp is evolving into a more robust organization—without losing the intimacy and warmth that define its theater experience. Oil 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..

Oil Lamp Theater, currently presenting The Last Five Years, now extended through July 19, is proud to announce the cast and creative team for its next production, I Love You Because, August 14 - September 13, book and lyrics by Ryan Cunningham, music by Joshua Salzman and orchestrations by Larry Hochman, directed by Scott Shallenbarger and music directed by Aaron Kahn, at Oil Lamp Theater, 1723 Glenview Road. The schedule includes two preview performances Friday, Aug. 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday Aug. 15 at 3 p.m., with an opening performance Saturday, Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional Wednesday performances Wednesday, Aug. 19 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday Aug. 26 at 7:30 p.m. (which is an understudy performance); Wednesday, Sept.. 2 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; and Wednesday Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $30 for previews and $55 for the run at OilLampTheater.org.  

Great Lakes Operetta is delighted to present its first full-length, fully-staged operetta, Jacques Offenbach’s seminal work, Orpheus in the Underworld!

Originally premiering as Orphée aux enfers, this musical spoof of the Orpheus myth was the Hadestown of 1858’s Paris and had a cultural impact comparable to Hamilton or Phantom of the Opera. It is often considered the first operetta and inspired many other composers, most notably Johann Strauss Jr. The original book was written in part by Ludovic Halévy, of Carmen fame, and the score introduced the now world-famous “can-can” (known in the show as the “Infernal Gallop”). The show is raucous, wacky, and surprisingly modern, and the score is one of Offenbach’s best, ensuring its continued popularity.

Orpheus was initially controversial: in this version, Orpheus and Eurydice can’t stand each other and there is no moral redemption for anyone (although there is a singing bug, pictured below). Offenbach actively lampoons the tropes of classicism – both the original Greek myths and the revered operatic versions of those myths, such as Gluck’s Orfeo (which is even quoted musically in a very meta moment). Critics of the day felt Offenbach was disrespecting the Arts and Culture of the past – among other things – but Parisian audiences couldn’t get enough and allegedly the show only closed after running for 2 years straight (unheard of at the time) because the cast was exhausted.

20 years later, Offenbach released what might now be called a “Special Edition” version, turning the original 2 act show into a 4 act extravaganza with multiple new ballet numbers, more characters, and special effects. Most modern productions, including Great Lakes Operetta’s version, are 2 act versions with some elements of the 1874 production retained.

Great Lakes Operetta’s production will be in a new (premiere) English translation by Francis Lynch, who has translated three other French operetta works for Evanston Chamber Opera. The production will be directed by GLO Artistic Director SarahAnn Sutter, music directed by Lindsey Baer, assistant music directed by Anna Therese George, and produced by Kristin Weed. The production will be fully staged and presented with a small chamber ensemble.  Tickets are on sale now and are available here; tickets will also be available at the door (while supply lasts).

Cast & Creative Team

Great Lakes Operetta’s Orpheus in the Underworld is presented by two outstanding casts, as follows. Whichever cast you choose to watch, you are in for a treat! (And you might enjoy it all so much that you come back to watch the other cast!)

Orpheus: Mason Montuoro  (All dates)

Eurydice: Gabrielle Goudard (July 11, 17, 19); Gabrielle Haigh (July 10, 12, 18)

Public Opinion: Jennifer Barrett (July 11, 17, 19); Isabella Daltoso (July 10, 12, 18)

John Styx: Solamada Pando Girard (All dates)

Pluto: Jonathon Joseph Larson (July 11, 17, 19); Sasha Tomasevich (July 10, 12, 18)

Jupiter: Alexander Quackenbush (All dates)

Diana: Halle Rosemond (July 11, 17, 19); Catherine Larson (July 10, 12, 18)

Cupid: Hillary Esqueda (July 11, 17, 19); Abigail Greer Arcomona (July 10, 12, 18)

Venus: Alexandra Kassouf (July 11, 17, 19); Val Beck (July 10, 12, 18)

Mercury: Kristin Weed (July 11, 17, 19); Kelly Killorin (July 10, 12, 18)

Minerva: Allison Mann (July 10, 11, 12); Eugenia Bouboudakis (July 17, 18, 19); 

Juno: Katarina Bakas (All dates)

Mars: Jonathan Rodney (All dates)

Bacchus: Lucas Gassmann (All dates)

Vesta: Solamada Pando Girard (All dates)

Location

Great Lakes Operetta is proud to present its first full-length, fully-staged production on the stage of the Beatrice Theatre at the beautiful Bramble Arts Loft in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago. Located on the second floor the historic Capital Garage building (with an ADA-accessible elevator!), this lovely, intimate space is one of Chicago’s newest performing arts venues.

For tickets, click here.