Displaying items by tag: Chicago events

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.

Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest is one of the greatest farces ever written. His wordplay caricatured high society, and clever pay-offs are hilarious when executed properly. The play was first performed on February 14, 1895 (Valentine's Day). The premiere took place at the historic St James's Theatre in London. Wilde famously subtitled the work “A Trivial Comedy for Serious People,” a reminder that its brilliance lies in treating absurdity with absolute sincerity. Unfortunately, No Dogs in the Kitchen Theatre Company’s recent production, directed by Genevieve Corkery, misses the mark when bringing this beloved play to the stage.

For those unfamiliar, the classic comedy follows two high-society bachelors, Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, who invent secret personas to escape the boredom of everyday life. Trouble arises, however, when Jack (going by the name of “Ernest”) proposes to Gwendolen, who is intent on only marrying a man with that specific name. Matters are complicated further when the carefree, mischievous Algernon also dons the moniker “Ernest” to woo Jack’s ward, Cecily, who shares the exact same romantic obsession with the name. To find happiness, the lovers must quickly untangle a web of ridiculous misunderstandings and mistaken identities. The true brilliance of Wilde’s script lies in its wordplay and sharp societal satire, taking the audience on a wild, hysterical ride where the utterly absurd is treated with the utmost importance.

Founded in 2023, No Dogs in the Kitchen is still a young company, and a certain learning curve is both natural and expected as they continue shaping their artistic identity. Their past work has already shown a clear interest in bold, unconventional staging, often embracing heightened physicality and playful absurdism. That adventurous spirit is a defining part of their aesthetic, and it’s evident the ensemble values experimentation and a willingness to push familiar texts in unexpected directions. While this production didn’t always find harmony between those impulses and Wilde’s finely tuned verbal wit, the company’s enthusiasm, imaginative framework, growing technical confidence, and emerging vision suggest they have the tools to grow into a distinctive and compelling presence within Chicago’s storefront theatre scene.

The cast of No Dogs in the Kitchen’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” at Facility Theatre.Photo: Alex Albrecht

That said, where this production struggles is in its apparent distrust of the script, adding jumbled and superfluous elements that only serve to undercut the humor it tries so hard to generate. It is as if the creative team didn't believe the script was funny enough on its own, choosing instead to pile on unnecessary subtext that needlessly deviated from - and was unsupported by - Wilde’s text.

This staging regularly undermines its own comedic timing with added, cartoonish sound effects that reduce wit to silly gags. From boinging springs to breaking plates, it felt as if someone was trying to use every button on a soundboard. Furthermore, a heavy hand of physical humor frequently distracts from the brilliant dialogue. During several monologues, cast members distracted the audience with routines like fighting on a sofa. Another oddity occurred in the final act when multiple cast members broke the fourth wall to deliver lines - a trick they hadn't used up until that point. It’s unclear why there was such distrust in the source material, and why a surplus of additions was believed to be the solution.

The performances also suffered from this same directive, often relying on over-the-top delivery. Mitch Karmis, who played two different butlers, mugged for the audience and utilized an almost cartoon-like physicality. David Lovejoy portrayed Lady Bracknell as a Mommie Dearest caricature instead of the formidable, sophisticated society matriarch who delivers scathing lines with dry, icy wit. The performance moved between widely contrasting vocal registers, creating an uneven tone that often felt out of step with Lady Bracknell’s traditionally controlled presence. It was also unclear why, in the final act, Lady Bracknell suddenly transformed into a flirtatious aggressor who growled at Jack and threw herself at the butler. Another odd decision was to have Dr. Chasuble played by Sara Corkery in a rubber race mask.

Amidst these choices, there was a bright spot in Garret Weigel’s Jack. For the most part, Weigel found the right balance between inventive character choices and a respect for the script. Jack could easily be played as a boring straight-man when up against the whimsical Algernon, but Weigel added a distinct flair to his interpretation without straying too far from the original play.

It is genuinely unfortunate that the production chose to deviate so drastically from the text. When done faithfully, The Importance of Being Earnest is a true theatrical gem. While there were moments that elicited genuine laughter, they occurred when the text was allowed to speak for itself, rather than being buried under extraneous gags.

While this hyper-stylized, over-the-top version might appeal to theatergoers seeking a radical, alternative spin on a classic, those looking for a faithful, witty adaptation of Wilde’s masterpiece will likely find this production is not the one.

The Importance of Being Earnest runs through July 26th at Facility Theatre. For more information and/or tickets, visit https://nodogsinthekitchen.org/.

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

Overshadowed Theatre Productions brings fresh energy to one of musical theatre’s most enduring classics, offering a spirited and thoughtful take on My Fair Lady. This production leans into the story’s sharp contrasts - class and aspiration, control and independence - and invites audiences to see Eliza Doolittle’s transformation with new clarity. It’s a familiar tale, but Overshadowed’s staging makes it feel newly engaged and unexpectedly resonant.

Taking place in 1912, Edwardian London, My Fair Lady is the story of Eliza Doolittle (Kimberly Nicolosi), a resilient young woman who sells flowers for tuppence and whose Cockney accent marks her as invisible to the upper-class Londoners who pass her by. When she crosses paths with Henry Higgins (John Hacker), a brilliant but insufferably arrogant linguist, he boasts that he can remake her into someone society will accept - someone who can pass as a duchess at an embassy ball. What begins as a bet between scholars becomes a transformation that neither fully anticipates.

As Eliza endures Higgins’ relentless drills and dismissive temperament, she begins to outgrow the very mold he tries to force her into. Her ascent exposes the absurdity of class performance, the fragility of male ego, and the uncomfortable truth that respectability often demands erasing the people who need it most. By the time Eliza steps into high society, she is no longer Higgins’ creation but her own person - one who refuses to be spoken for, spoken over, or spoken down to.

The musical’s enduring tension lies in the question it never answers neatly: whether transformation is liberation or simply another form of confinement. My Fair Lady may dazzle with its elegance, but its heart beats in Eliza’s insistence that dignity is not something granted by others - it’s something claimed.

Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady entered the musical theatre canon in 1956, following its development in 1955–56 and a Broadway premiere led by Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison. The story later reached an even wider audience with the 1964 film adaptation, starring Audrey Hepburn as Eliza and Rex Harrison reprising his stage role as Higgins, released on October 21, 1964.

Overshadowed’s current production of this defining musical is anchored by Kimberly Nicolosi, whose Eliza Doolittle grows with steady assurance and a clear emotional arc that makes her transformation feel genuinely earned. Nicolosi is an absolute whirlwind of conviction, with vocals that match her intensity beat for beat, and a charm that makes her Eliza impossible to resist. Opposite her, John Hacker offers a thoughtfully restrained Henry Higgins, capturing both the character’s intellectual rigidity and the subtle shifts that reveal his dependence on Eliza, and his performance brings a compelling, understated complexity to the role. They shape the show’s strongest and most engaging dynamic. Surrounding them, Glen Lindemann brings gentle dignity to Colonel Pickering, while Madeline Frederick’s composed Mrs. Pierce adds welcome stability to Higgins’ household. Brad Holloman provides lively humor as Alfred P. Doolittle, and the Eynsford-Hill family - Sharon Lindemann as Mrs. Eynsford-Hill and Aren Dawson as Freddy - adds a touch of sweetness and refinement. Anita Silvert’s poised Mrs. Higgins offers a calm counterbalance to her son’s bluster, and she delivers a few of the play’s most pointed one-liners with crisp, knowing precision. Under Reba Hervas’ direction, the ensemble works together with easy cohesion, and Hervas guides the production with a steady, confident hand that keeps the storytelling clear, warm, and consistently engaging.

Though wrapped in Edwardian charm, My Fair Lady carries a clear feminist undercurrent, rooted in Eliza’s fight for self-determination. Her journey is not simply one of refinement but of agency - choosing to reshape her life, challenge the limitations imposed by class and gender, and ultimately assert her independence from Higgins’ control. The production highlights how her transformation belongs to her alone, not to the men who presume to mold her, allowing the story’s critique of patriarchal entitlement and its celebration of female autonomy to resonate beneath the musical’s elegance.

The production’s musical backbone shines through beloved highlights such as “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly,” “The Rain in Spain,” “I Could Have Danced All Night,” and “On the Street Where You Live,” each handled with care under Karen Archbold’s attentive music direction. The staging moves with an easy flow thanks to Katy Smith’s well-shaped choreography, which keeps the transitions light and the ensemble well-coordinated. These elements honor the classic craftsmanship of Alan Jay Lerner, who penned the book and lyrics, and Frederick Loewe, whose score remains one of musical theatre’s most enduring treasures.

The set design stands out as one of the production’s most impressive achievements, delivering a level of polish that will surprise audiences unfamiliar with Overshadowed’s work. Thoughtfully constructed and visually cohesive, it creates an environment that supports the storytelling without ever overwhelming it. This marks the first production by the company to utilize a massive video board, and its use is highly successful - enhancing the world of the play with vivid, effective projections that expand each location with striking clarity. The video board works in concert with well-crafted props and scenic pieces that are seamlessly brought in when needed, creating transitions that feel both fluid and purposeful. The scenic and projection work by Yohannan Lee adds depth and atmosphere, giving each setting a sense of place and intention. Complementing the world onstage, Megan Wilburn’s costume design brings the period to life with authenticity, from the tailored silhouettes to the women’s elaborate Edwardian picture hats, which add a flourish of social detail and visual charm. All of these design choices elevate the production with a craftsmanship that feels both ambitious and warmly inviting.

Stepping back from the production itself, Overshadowed Theatre reveals a company with a purpose that complements the kind of storytelling seen on their stage. I was struck by how deeply rooted their mission is in creating a welcoming, family-friendly space where storytelling and community go hand in hand. Their history reflects a commitment to mentorship and faith-centered values, with an emphasis on giving young performers a place to grow while offering audiences productions that uplift rather than overwhelm. Overshadowed cultivates an environment built on encouragement, accessibility, and shared experience. The company resides within Jubilee Bible Church in Medinah, IL, and the theatre is fully ADA accessible, with vast and easy parking, spacious corridors, and plentiful concessions that make the audience experience comfortable from the moment you arrive.

Audiences can also look forward to a whimsical shift in tone as the company prepares to stage A Midsummer Night’s Dream, bringing Shakespeare’s mischievous magic, tangled romances, and fairy-filled forest to life. Following that, their upcoming season offers a wide range of titles: Flame of Fire (Sep 18–Oct 10, 2026), an original play written and directed by Artistic Director Reba Hervas. Based on the true 1956 story of Operation Auca, the production recounts the lives of missionaries Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Pete Fleming, Ed McCully, and Roger Youderian, who were killed while attempting peaceful contact with the isolated Huaorani tribe in Ecuador. The play also explores the extraordinary aftermath, as their wives chose to return to the jungle to forgive the tribe and continue living among them. The season continues with It’s a Wonderful Life (Nov 27–Dec 19, 2026), James and the Giant Peach (Jan 22–Feb 6, 2027), The Stranger by Agatha Christie (Mar 12–20 and Apr 1–10, 2027), and Titanic the Musical (July 9–31, 2027). It’s an ambitious slate that blends classic storytelling, family favorites, and dramatic intrigue, promising a season with something for every kind of theatre-goer.

Overshadowed Theatre’s My Fair Lady emerges as a thoughtful production with a clear point of view, delivered with care both onstage and behind the scenes.

Recommended.

For more show information and tickets, visit https://www.overshadowed.org/.

In the sharp-tongued world of Sarah Burgess’s Dry Powder, presented by Gwydion Theatre Company at the Greenhouse Theater Center, the pursuit of money is a blood sport. The play centers on a high-stakes private equity firm caught in a massive public relations nightmare after laying off thousands of grocery store workers the same week its co-founder threw a flashy engagement party featuring an elephant – but it was just one elephant!

All hope isn’t lost for their reputation, however. A potential way out comes thanks to a struggling, American-made luggage company that believes the firm can save them. Of course, as the firm weighs the acquisition, their definition of “help” may not align with the company’s. At the helm is Rick, the ultimate decision-maker, who has two distinct angels on his shoulders: Seth, the optimistic partner who brought the deal to the table, and Jenny, his cold-hard-cash counterpart. From Seth’s perspective, the deal is a perfect fit; they can rescue an American brand without layoffs and emerge as heroes. For Jenny, this luggage company is just baggage—unless it can be downsized, moved overseas, and engineered into something it once stood against.

Directed with precision by Ellie Thomson, Dry Powder completes Gwydion Theatre’s season, which has explored themes of class, money, and power, and how all three can entangle the soul. The production asks what happens to our humanity when everything is reduced to a column on a balance sheet.

The production thrives on the electric, friction-filled chemistry of its cast, anchored by a series of standout performances.

Carol Kelleher delivers a masterclass performance as Jenny. Playing the de facto villain of the piece, Kelleher crafts a remarkably complex and compelling performance that is utterly enjoyable to watch. She doesn’t just play the role; she completely becomes the character, infusing Jenny’s brutal, unrelenting perspective of greed with a sharp humor. Her performance ensures that even at Jenny’s most calculating, you cannot look away.

As the firm’s head, Rick Yaconis turns in a powerful performance, deftly striking the balance between a paternal mentor and a greasy titan. He shifts effortlessly between a ruthless opponent and a pat-you-on-the-back salesman. 

Grayson Kennedy, a founding member of Gwydion Theatre, brings immense depth to Seth, the firm’s supposedly earnest, morally grounded partner. His clean-cut delivery fits the role perfectly. 

Tommy Thams, co-founder of the theatre company, rounds out the dynamic as Jeff, the CEO of the targeted luggage company. Thams infuses Jeff with the relaxed, easygoing charm of an old buddy, making the audience root for the company’s success and feel genuinely betrayed by what unfolds in the final act.

Burgess’s script is complex, mining dark humor from the shifting dynamics and war of words between these characters. 

Ultimately, Dry Powder leaves the audience reflecting inward. It might be easy to dismiss this play if we aren't personally in a position to dismantle - or attempt to save - a multimillion-dollar company, but the narrative transcends the boardroom. The play holds up a mirror and forces us to look closely at ourselves: Are we good or are we just being nice?

As Jenny pointedly notes, she never lies to the client. Her emotions, her greed, and her hawkish nature are never disguised. Seth, conversely, hides behind a comforting “nice guy” persona, genuinely believing he occupies the moral high ground. But in trying to appease both sides – a greedy firm and a company that needs help – is he actually better or just deceiving himself?

It’s these thought-provoking questions that make Gwydion Theatre’s production a gripping triumph that lingers long after the final blackout.

Dry Powder plays at the Greenhouse Theater until July 26. Tickets and show information here.

It is possible that Oak Park Festival Theatre’s production of Oscar Wilde’s 1895 “trivial comedy for serious people,” The Importance of Being Earnest, was suffering from some opening night jitters and that the actors will settle in and trust the verbal comedy in the script, but on this beautiful evening under the stars, there was too much mugging and nudging going on. Nevertheless, Wilde’s play, about two young men, Algernon (August Forman) and Jack (Chad Bay), who have both invented alibis - Algernon an invalid friend named Bunbury in the country and Jack a degenerate younger brother in town--to allow them to indulge their socially questionable whims, leading to the difficulty of having to explain why neither is Ernest, is still funny. And, despite the excesses on display, this staging still holds many delights for fans of Wilde, verbal comedy, and, particularly in the second act, some smartly choreographed slapstick. What is missing from much of the evening is earnestness. Many of the actors seemed to be in search of motivation and the stakes that propel them through this admittedly effervescent frolic.

Working with a talented cast of regional stage actors, director Kathryn Walsh has not created a secure world for her creative team to inhabit, resulting in an often funny but not dynamic production, with shrill delivery and broad physical comedy undermining human-scale relationships. The tone and gestures of the various characters range wildly, as do the design elements. The whimsical, vaguely Victorian costumes, while fun, support the cartoonish elements of the production, while not always clearly defining the characters. The lighting design by Devin Cameron is appropriately warm and effectively saturated but also deploys unnecessary flourishes to support the comedic business. The scenic design by Evan Frank likewise captures the locations of the play and allows the actors to find many levels - literally - as they shift allegiances and stratagems. Justin Cavazos’s sound design and compositions lend unobtrusive support, except for one hilariously developed cue that draws attention to itself in a good way. Overall, Walsh’s production would be better served by trusting the script and the audience, especially in the first act, when we are getting to know the characters and their desires. That said, both Walsh’s direction and her cast fully commit to the amorous and combative collisions at the beginning of the second act, which showcases the physical and verbal comedic gifts of all to uproarious effect.

As part of the Oak Park Festival Theatre's 51st season (left to right) August Foreman, Barbara Zahora, Aurora Pennepacker, Drew Bos, Sonia Goldberg and Chad Bay in The Importance of Being Earnest at Austin Gardens.

One of the things that makes The Importance of Being Earnest work is the moral certitude that the characters bring to their pronouncements, no matter how absurd they are or whether their actions correspond to their words. This certitude also grounds the characters in their truths and forms the foundation of their interactions, but too often the actors are checking in with the audience to see if they got the joke (especially when many of Wilde’s observations still resonate) or negotiating with the lines. By the middle of the second act, the characters begin to define themselves, but much opportunity for connection is lost in the first. August Forman as Algernon flings himself into the role with wild abandon and invites the audience along for the ride. An adept comedian, Forman’s strategy often pays off but undermines Algernon’s insecurity as he balances his needs with society’s demands. All that aside, his Algernon’s compulsion for muffins is not to be missed. As his friend Ernest, who is actually Jack, Chad Bay does a good job of playing the less self-aware of the friends and playing up the character’s completely unjustified horror at Algernon’s embrace of Bunburyism. As Jack’s romantic interest, and Algernon’s cousin, Gwendolen, Sonia Goldberg at times overplays her character’s pretensions, some of which Gwendolen is still struggling to master, making Goldberg’s characterization overwhelmingly self-possessed at times. Conversely, Barbara Zahora lacks the imperiousness of many Lady Bracknells, giving the character an interesting warmth, but making her power solely transactional, which could be an interesting choice if it were played more fully. Aurora Pennepacker as Cecily strikes the most effective balance between the verbal and physical comedy, making the most of the opportunities to show Cecily’s willingness to exploit others’ assumptions about her character and her real understanding of her powerlessness without this ability. In Jodi Gage’s performance, Ms. Prism is a refreshingly insightful tutor to Cecily, while doggedly hanging onto youthful romanticism. Gabriel Armstrong is a very youthful Reverand Chasuble, celebrating his sudden relevance in parish life. Drew Bos may be the youngest actor to play the dual roles of Lane and Merriman in a professional production and wisely focuses on the class commentary afforded by the butlers of their respective households. His droll Lane gives Algernon food for thought in Act I, while his Merriman, already suffering from the physical strain of servitude despite his youth, effectively times his long-suffering pauses at each new demand (though Bos may need a visit to a chiropractor after the run). The experienced cast expertly and clearly delivers Wilde’s witticisms, which are always worth revisiting and occasionally resonate with the current social dynamics.

As the run continues, the production will most likely settle in and allow the script to propel the pacing and action more fully, especially in the more expository first act. There is much to appreciate in Oak Park Festival Theatre’s The Importance of Being Earnest, including a smart cast who find both the verbal and physical humor inherent to the play. Director Kathryn Walsh and her cast also explore fresh takes on the characters, some more successful than others, but always welcome. For those unfamiliar with Wilde’s play, this production is a solid introduction.

The Importance of Being Earnest runs in repertory with Hamlet, through August 14, outdoors in Austin Gardens in Oak Park, Illinois. Visit Season 51 | Oak Park Festival Theatre or call (708) 300-9396 for tickets and more information. Note: a number of the actors perform in both Earnest and Hamlet, and Oak Park Festival Theatre is offering discounted tickets for audiences who want to see both.

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.