Artemisia announces it’s 13th season will open with a immersive soundscape production of GOODS by Lauren Ferebee, directed by Erin Nicole Eggers. Performances are July 8th - July 28th, 2024 at the Little Studio in the Fine Arts Building at 410 S Michigan Ave.  

Embark on an intergalactic journey with Marla and Sam, two resilient women navigating the cosmos as seasoned trash collectors in the year 2100. Amidst the vastness of space, their compact spaceship serves as a sanctuary from the chaos of Earth’s turmoil. As they commemorate two decades of partnership, their routine anniversary route takes an unforeseen turn, thrusting them into a confrontation with the pressing issues they’ve sought to escape, including societal collapse and personal demons. Join them on a poignant exploration of friendship, identity, and the weight of the world they carry among the stars.

“This season is very exciting to me,” says interim Artistic Director Willow James. “Now in our 13th season, I think it's about time we revisit a few of the projects that shaped who Artemisia is. Our We Women Festival will finally bring back our beloved new play festival that was an Artemisia staple for years, and Goods launched us into the pandemic and allowed us to reshape how we wanted to respond to the world we live in. After an amazing 12th season with To Love & Be Loved and Inda Craig-Galván's A Hit Dog Will Holler, I hope our community will join us this year as we produce our season in residence at The Fine Arts Building.”

The first preview for GOODS is Monday, July 8th at 7 p.m. Press opening is Thursday, July 11th at 7:00 p.m. Performances continue through July 28th: Thursday through Saturday at 7 p.m., Sunday at 2:30 p.m. All performances are Pay-What-You-Can. 

The GOODS production team includes Lydia Moss (Dramaturg), Kyle Anthony Cortes (Sound Designer), and Julie Jachym (Production Manager).

Artemisia is a resident company at the historic Fine Arts Building at 410 S Michigan Ave, Chicago IL, in downtown Chicago. All tickets to performances are Pay-What-You-Can. Purchase tickets online at artemisiatheatre.org

Access: All spaces within the Little Studio are accessible by wheelchair, with the exception of the restroom, which requires one step up to access. The nearest accessible restroom is on the sixth floor, which can be reached by elevator.

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

Steppenwolf Theatre is pleased to present Rachel Bloom's sell-out off Broadway hit Death, Let Me Do My Show, playing a limited engagement August 14 - 24, 2024 in the Downstairs Theater, 1650 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. A special Steppenwolf member pre-sale begins Tuesday, May 21 at 12 pm. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Thursday, May 23 at 12 pm. For tickets, visit steppenwolf.org/RachelBloom or call the Box Office at (312) 335-1650.

From the co-creator and star of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend comes a one-woman musical comedy that is definitely NOT about the ever-present specter of death. Directed by Seth Barrish, Bloom's new show is filled with raunchy and escapist material that will in NO way explore the pandemic and all the tumultuous events that ensued in her personal life. NOTHING will stop Rachel from partying like it's 2019!

Production Details:

Dates: Wednesday, August 14 - Saturday, August 24, 2024
Performance schedule: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 7:30 pm; Saturday at 3 pm & 7:30 pm; and Sunday at 3 pm.
Tickets: $59 - $109. A special Steppenwolf member pre-sale begins Tuesday, May 21 at 12 pm. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Thursday, May 23 at 12 pm. For tickets, visit steppenwolf.org/RachelBloom or call the Box Office at (312) 335-1650.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary season, The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, Lyric Opera of Chicago's premier artist-development program, is proud to announce its 2024/25 Ensemble. Dedicated to cultivating exceptional operatic talent, the Ryan Opera Center provides comprehensive training and extensive performance opportunities, including the chance for members to participate in Lyric's mainstage season.

This landmark year, launched on May 6, 2024, introduces nine new Ensemble artists: sopranos Adia Evans, Gemma Nha, and Emily Richter; tenor Daniel Espinal; baritone Sankara Harouna; bass-baritone Finn Sagal; conductor Chi-Yuan Lin; stage director Marinette Gomez; and stage manager Gemma DeCetra. Together with six returning members, they will engage in a rigorous season of professional growth that extends beyond the Lyric Opera House.

Dan Novak, Director of the Ryan Opera Center, reflects on the program's achievements: "It's truly remarkable to look back on the Ryan Opera Center's legacy of nurturing top operatic talent for five decades along with a longstanding commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and access. Hundreds of artists have participated in our Ensemble and have had a global impact on our art form's history and evolution—and that impact continues both now and into the future. Our alumni and current Ensemble members grace the world's leading opera stages, plus they play vital roles in Chicago's cultural community through concerts and events across the city. The recent addition of an Ensemble Pianist, Stage Director, Stage Manager, and Conductor demonstrates the Ryan Opera Center's leadership in encompassing the full range of operatic artistry and solidifies its standing as one of the most important artist-development programs in the world."

"We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the hundreds of Ryan Opera Center Board members and donors, whose generosity and support over the past five decades have made possible everything the program has accomplished. I'd also like to acknowledge and sincerely thank the brilliant administrators, faculty members and guest artists whose efforts have forged each step of the Ryan Opera Center's development. And, of course, we will always be grateful to Lyric's leadership for their vision, investment and advocacy to create the Opera Center 50 years ago and guide its growth and progress."

Ryan Opera Center Ensemble members, selected annually from hundreds of applicants worldwide, make Chicago home for two to three years. Under the leadership and guidance of Music Director Craig Terry and Director of Vocal Studies Julia Faulkner, they receive high-level training in the broad range of skills needed for performing operatic and song repertoire spanning hundreds of years: vocal technique, musical expression and style, performance practice and tradition, physical characterization, dramaturgical insight and theatrical interpretation, linguistic diction and comprehension, and other key elements. The artists also develop skills related to technology, recording, and the digital artistic landscape. During Lyric's mainstage season, Ensemble members participate as principal artists, understudies, music staff, and production staff, providing tremendously valuable opportunities to work with internationally acclaimed opera talents.

As part of the program's 50th anniversary celebrations, the Ryan Opera Center Ensemble will be featured in three high-profile performances. Set in iconic Chicago venues, they will showcase the extraordinary talents of the Ensemble while celebrating the enduring legacy and vibrant future of the Ryan Opera Center.

Celebratory Events:

• Ryan Opera Center & Civic Orchestra Concert– The public is invited to join the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and members of the Ryan Opera Center for a concert at Chicago's Symphony Center on June 3, 2024, at 7:30 p.m. The performance, featuring selections from Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, Puccini's La Bohème, and Offenbach's La Grand-Duchesse de Gérolstein, will be conducted by Roberto Kalb. Ticketsare available on a "pay what you wish" basis.

• Sunday in the Park with Lyric– Join Lyric at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park on August 25, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. for a delightful evening of music. This free concert features Ryan Opera Center artists and the Lyric Opera Orchestra, conducted by Music Director Enrique Mazzola. Enjoy selections from the upcoming season in a relaxed outdoor setting. Bring a blanket and snacks for this accessible introduction to opera.

• The Ryan Opera Center hosts its annual Rising Stars in Concert on April 25, 2025 on Lyric's mainstage. This special-edition showcase features the 2024/25 Ensemble with the Lyric Opera Orchestra, conducted by Music Director Enrique Mazzola and directed by Chief Artistic Administration Officer Matthew Ozawa. The concert celebrates 50 incredible years of nurturing the talents of many of opera's brightest stars, and some familiar faces will also be in attendance to pay tribute to the Ryan Opera Center's half-century legacy. Following the concert will be the Ryan Opera Center's 50th Anniversary Gala to raise funds in support of the program's work for the next five decades.

Details about other events taking place during the 2024/25 Season will be announced at a later date.

2024/25 Ensemble of The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center

Sopranos
Adia Evans (Baltimore, Maryland)
Gemma Nha (Sydney, Australia)
Emily Richter (Arlington, Virginia)

Mezzo-Sopranos
Lucy Baker (Wilmington, North Carolina)
Sophia Maekawa (Kyoto, Japan)

Tenors
Daniel Espinal (Sarasota, Florida)
Travon D. Walker (Hinesville, Georgia)

Baritones
Sankara Harouna (Chicago, Illinois)
Ian Rucker (Oshkosh, Wisconsin)

Bass-Baritones
Christopher Humbert, Jr. (Akron, Ohio)
Finn Sagal (La Cañada Flintridge, California)

Pianist
Michael Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa)

Conductor
Chi-Yuan Lin (Taoyuan, Taiwan)

Stage Director
Marinette Gomez (Jacksonville, Florida)

Stage Manager
Gemma DeCetra (Madison, Wisconsin)

For more information about the Ryan Opera Center and its 50th anniversary celebrations, please visit lyricopera.org/ryan-opera-center/.

Marriott Theatre brings the heat this summer with a rockin' tribute to the music of the 1960s, with BEEHIVE: THE 60'S MUSICAL. Directed and choreographed by Deidre Goodwin (Broadway: Spamalot, A Chorus Line, Chicago; Film: Chicago, Across the Universe, Half Nelson) with Music Direction by Jeff Award Winner Ryan T. Nelson, this musical celebrates the timeless classics of the powerful female voices of the 1960s and the indelible mark they left on the music industry. Previews begin June 19, opening on Wednesday, June 26 at 7:30pm and running through August 11, 2024.

Last summer audiences adored Buddy-The Buddy Holly Story, now the women take the spotlight! From Aretha Franklin and Janis Joplin to Diana Ross, The Supremes, Tina Turner and more, BEEHIVE: THE 60'S MUSICAL is the ultimate celebration of 1960's female empowerment! Featuring such timeless classics as "My Boyfriend's Back," "Be My Baby," "Son of a Preacher Man" and "Me and Bobby McGee," BEEHIVE: THE 60'S MUSICAL nostalgically recalls the days of miniskirts, transistor radios and flower power.

 "BEEHIVE is a love letter to the music of the 1960's," said Deidre Goodwin. "This summer, we invite families and friends of all ages to take a trip down memory lane and hear songs from your favorite girl groups and powerhouse solo artists while also reminiscing on all the fun hairstyles in between!"

BEEHIVE: THE 60'S MUSICAL will star Emma Grace Bailey (Marriott Theatre: The Music Man; Metropolis PAC: A Christmas Carol); Grace Bobber (Marriott Theatre: The Sound of Music, The Wizard of Oz; Paramount Theatre: Into the Woods); Lucy Godinez (Marriott Theatre: Big Fish, James and the Giant Peach; American Repertory Theatre: Real Women Have Curves); Miciah Lathan (Marriott Theatre debut; Black Ensemble Theatre: The Other Cinderella; Phoenix Theatre Company: Dreamgirls); Leah Morrow (Marriott Theatre: James and the Giant Peach, Madagascar; TV: Somebody Somewhere, neXt ); and Aisha Sougou (Marriott Theatre: Beautiful, University of North Carolina School of the Arts: Crow's Nest) with understudies Bridget Adams-King, Clare Kennedy, Tiyanna Gentry, and Savannah Sinclair. The onstage Beehive Band, led by Celia Villacres, features Karli Bunn, Stephanie Chow, Kellin Hanas, Camila Mennitte, and Lauren Pierce.

The artistic team features Scenic Designer Collette Pollard, Costume Designer Amanda Vander Byl, Lighting Designer Jesse Klug, Sound Designer Michael Daly, Wig Designer Miguel A. Armstrong, Props Designer Sally Zack, and Associate Director/Choreographer Shanna VanDerwerker, with Production Manager Meg Love, Stage Manager Jessica Banaszak, and Assistant Stage Manager Richard Strimer.

BEEHIVE: THE 60'S MUSICAL is scheduled to run Wednesdays at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., with select Thursday 1:00 p.m. shows. Ticket prices start at $60 (excluding tax and handling fees). Call for student, senior, and military discounts. To make a restaurant reservation, please call 847.634.0100. Reservations are strongly recommended, please ask about the new Theatre Prix Fixe menu. Free parking is available at all performances. To reserve tickets, please call the Marriott Theatre Box Office at 847.634.0200 or go to www.tickets.marriotttheatre.com. Visit www.MarriottTheatre.com for more information. 

International sensation The Choir of Man today announces a second season following the completion of its initial run on May 26, 2024. The Chicago production will return to the Apollo Theater stage in September 2024 to resume performances at the start of Chicago's fall theater season. Updated ticket information and performance schedules will be announced over the summer.

"We're extremely proud of the nonstop energy and stellar performances our incredible cast, crew, and band have delivered night after night during our spring run here in Chicago. Audiences have welcomed us with open arms, and for that, we are so grateful," notes director Nic Doodson. "We look forward to raising a glass with old friends and making new ones when we return to Chicago this fall."

Tickets to the final week of the spring run are available at Ticketmaster.com, by calling (773) 935-6100, or by visiting the box office at the Apollo Theater, located at 2550 N Lincoln Ave. Group reservations (10 or more people) are currently available through Group Tix and Tours at 312-423-6612 orwww.grouptixandtours.com.

Welcome to The Choir of Man, the best pub in the world. It's a party. It's a concert. It's a theater experience unlike any you've had before. Featuring pop, classic rock, folk melodies, and pub anthems, The Choir of Man has something for everyone. A cast of nine (extra)ordinary and multi-talented guys combines hair-raising harmonies, foot-stomping singalongs, world-class tap dance, and poetic meditations on the power of community in this riotously enjoyable homage to that popular gathering place—your favorite local pub. With a real working bar on stage, come ready to drink in the excitement. Raise a glass with us! Cheers!

The Choir of Man is an uplifting celebration of community and friendship where everyone is welcome. It's 90 minutes of feel-good, foot-stomping entertainment unlike anything else in Chicago! Brimming with hits from artists such as Adele, Paul Simon, Katy Perry, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Luther Vandross and more, the cast features world-class tap dancers, singers, and instrumentalists, ensuring that there is something for everyone in this feel-good show.

The cast of The Choir of Man includes Marc Akinfolarin, Paul Deegan, RJ Griffith, Ifan Gwilym-Jones, Norton James, Cal T King, George Knapper, Benji Lord, Mark Loveday, Shane McDaid, Kristian Morse, and David Shute.

Bringing the music to life each night is an incredible live band, including Rafe Bradford (Bass), Seth Pae (Violin, Viola, Keys), Scott Simon (Drums), and Kelan M. Smith (Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin).

 A mug-clinking success, The Choir of Man comes from the creative minds of Andrew Kay (Soweto Gospel Choir, Bluey's Big Play, and the award-winning North by Northwest) and Nic Doodson (The Magnets, Gobsmacked, and Noise Boys), with lead producers Stephen Lindsay and Brett Sirota, Scott Prisand and Matthew Weaver (Rock of Ages and Soul Train) and The Everywhere Group. The music is arranged and orchestrated by the show's Musical Supervisor, Jack Blume, while dialogue takes the form of spoken word monologues written by performance poet Ben Norris. The movement direction and choreography is by original cast member and tap dancer Freddie Huddleston.

The complete creative team includes Andrew Kay (Creator & Producer), Nic Doodson (Creator, Director & Producer), Jack Blume (Musical Supervisor, Vocal Arranger & Orchestrator), Freddie Huddleston (Movement Director & Choreographer), Ben Norris (Monologues Writer), Oli Townsend (Scenic Designer), Verity Sadler (Costume Designer & Co-Scenic Designer), Richard Dinnen (Lighting Designer), Sten Severson (Sound Designer), Norton James (Resident Associate Director), Michael McBride (Resident Musical Director), Debbie O'Brien (Casting Director UK), and Claire Simon (Casting Director, USA).

The Choir of Man was first presented at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017 and has since been performed at venues around the world, including the Sydney Opera House and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Since 2018, The Choir of Man has been a resident show on board the Norwegian Escape and Norwegian Encore cruise ships. The West End production now in its second year was nominated for a 2022 Olivier Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play.

For more information, visit www.choirofmanchicago.com. Follow the guys on Instagram (@choirofmanchicago) and Facebook (/choirofman).  

Fact Sheet / The Choir of Man

Title: The Choir of Man

Created by: Andrew Kay and Nic Doodson

Produced by:  Andrew Kay and Nic Doodson, Stephen Lindsay and Brett Sirota, Scott Prisand and Matthew Weaver, and The Everywhere Group with Rob Kolson, Andy & Wendy Barnes, Winston Hatta, and Madison Wells Live.

Cast: Marc Akinfolarin, Paul Deegan, RJ Griffith, Ifan Gwilym-Jones, Norton James, Cal T King, George Knapper, Benji Lord, Mark Loveday, Shane McDaid, Kristian Morse, and David Shute.

Creative Team:     Andrew Kay (Creator & Producer), Nic Doodson (Creator, Director & Producer), Jack Blume (Musical Supervisor, Vocal Arranger & Orchestrator), Freddie Huddleston (Movement Director & Choreographer), Ben Norris (Monologues Writer), Oli Townsend (Scenic Designer), Verity Sadler (Costume Designer & Co-Scenic Designer), Richard Dinnen (Lighting Designer), Sten Severson (Sound Designer), Norton James (Resident Associate Director), Michael McBride (Resident Musical Director), Debbie O'Brien (Casting Director UK), and Claire Simon (Casting Director, USA).

Dates:  through May 26, 2024

                to resume September 2024

Schedule through May 26:                 

Tuesday: 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday: 7:30 p.m.

Thursday: 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Friday: 7:30 p.m.

Saturday: 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Sunday: 2 p.m.

Location: Apollo Theater, 2550 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago

Tickets: $35 – $109

Group reservations (10 or more people) are currently available through Group Tix and Tours at 312-423-6612 orwww.grouptixandtours.com.

Box Office: Apollo Theater, 2550 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago; (773) 935-6100 or Ticketmaster.com

The Joffrey Ballet announces the programming for the Joffrey for All free performance, which will feature a mixed repertory program in Millennium Park by Joffrey Company Artists and students from the Joffrey Academy of Dance Community Engagement programs. The program is comprised of a series of powerful performances by the most pioneering choreographers from around the globe, including Cathy Marston, Justin Peck, Yuri Possokhov, Christopher Wheeldon, and 2024 Winning Works Choreographer Manoela Gonçalves. The Joffrey Ballet for All free performance kicks off with family-friendly movement classes featuring partner organizations, including the Poetry Foundation and Ensemble Español, starting at 4:15pm on the lawn, followed by the mixed rep program at 5:30pm on Sunday, June 16, 2024.

The Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director Ashley Wheater MBE says, "The Joffrey for All free performance is truly a gift to the people of Chicago, offering the opportunity to see works by powerhouse choreographers, in addition to pieces illustrating the breadth of our Academy and Community Engagement programs. I am especially delighted to share an excerpt from Carousel: A Dance by Christopher Wheeldon, which will be the final performance by retiring artist Christine Rocas, who celebrates 20 illustrious years at the Joffrey. Audiences will also see works from our upcoming 2024-2025 season: Yuri Possokhov's Andante and Cathy Marston's Heimat (a preview of the beauty to come in our season opener, Atonement)."

Joffrey President and CEO Greg Cameron says, "The first-ever Joffrey for All free performance took place in June 2023, opening our arms to over 7,500 Chicagoans in the heart of the city. This year, with gratitude to our Producing Sponsor, Gallagher, we are planning an even larger celebration by partnering with community organizations for free dance workshops to allow everyone to experience the joy of dance. The Joffrey for All free performance reflects the collaborative spirit of the city of Chicago and the power of the arts to bring people together."

The Joffrey for All free performance features world-class works that are captivating for audiences of all ages. Highlights include Yuri Possokhov's Andante, a pas de trois set to Shostakovich's Piano Concerto #2; Cathy Marston's Heimat, which paints a halcyon picture of a family in the Swiss countryside; an excerpt from Carousel: A Dance by Christopher Wheeldon, the internationally renowned choreographer of the Joffrey's perennial favorite, The Nutcracker; and The Times Are Racing, a modern piece by West Side Story and Illinoise choreographer Justin Peck, set to the last four tracks of Dan Deacon's expansive 2012 album, America.

The program also features a moving new solo by 2024 Winning Works choreographer Manoela Gonçalves, Benteveo (saudade), set to a score by Nina Simone. Benteveo, named after the famous Latin American bird known for its singing, is Gonçalves's tribute to her late father, who she describes as "the inspiration for this piece. His freedom could only be represented by a bird following the melody of its own song."

The Joffrey Ballet is grateful for the support of the Joffrey for All free performance Producing Sponsor Gallagher, and Presenting Sponsors The Chicago Free for All Fund through the Chicago Community Trust, Anne L. Kaplan, The Negaunee Foundation, The Women's Board of The Joffrey Ballet, and Zell Family Foundation.

Co-Chairs: AARP Illinois, Abbott, Crain's Chicago Business, Brendan Fernandes, Sonja and Conrad Fischer, ITW, Kovler Family Foundation, Willie and Nichelle Mayberry, and Sarah Wills.

About Joffrey for All

The Joffrey Ballet's Joffrey for All free performance commemorates the Joffrey's mission to create a Joffrey for All. In the last decade, Joffrey has launched several initiatives to welcome dancers of all backgrounds into the Chicago dance community. These include offering more than $500,000 in scholarships and financial aid annually to increase access to professional and educational opportunities regardless of financial barriers, and a state-of-the-art studio space at 1920 S. Wabash to expand the Company's access to students from Chicago's south and west sides.

The Joffrey for All strategic plan forms pathways for every person to experience the joy of dance. Launched in summer 2023, Dancing with Parkinson's, offered by the Joffrey Ballet's Community Engagement division in partnership with Northwestern Medicine, is a supportive space to explore dance for people with Parkinson's and their caregivers. The Joffrey Academy of Dance also offers Adaptive Dance programs for neurodivergent students and students with diverse movement abilities to improve their mind and body awareness while engaging in creative expression. 

About The Joffrey Ballet­­

The Joffrey Ballet is one of the premier dance companies in the world today, with a reputation for boundary-breaking performances for more than 65 years. The Joffrey repertoire is an extensive collection of all-time classics, modern masterpieces, and original works.

Founded in 1956 by pioneers Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino, the Joffrey remains dedicated to artistic expression, innovation, and first-rate education and engagement programming. The Joffrey Ballet continues to thrive under The Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director Ashley Wheater MBE and President and CEO Greg Cameron.

The Joffrey Ballet is grateful for the support of its 2023–2024 Season Sponsors: Abbott Fund, Alphawood Foundation Chicago, Daniel and Pamella DeVos Foundation, Anne L. Kaplan, The Florian Fund, and Margot and Josef Lakonishok.  

Live Music Sponsors: Sandy and Roger Deromedi, Sage Foundation, Robert and Penelope Steiner Family Foundation, The Marina and Arnold Tatar Fund for Live Music. The Joffrey also acknowledges our Season Partners: ATHLETICO, Chicago Athletic Clubs, and Jewell Events Catering. 

For more information on The Joffrey Ballet and its programs, visit joffrey.org. Connect with the Joffrey on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation's premier ensemble theater company, is pleased to conclude its 48th season with the world premiere of Little Bear Ridge Road, a comic, cosmic and intimate drama by MacArthur Fellow Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale, A Bright New Boise), directed by Tony Award winner Joe Mantello (Wicked, Airline Highway). This highly-anticipated new work will play June 13 – July 21, 2024 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theater, 1650 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. Single tickets starting at $20 are now on sale at steppenwolf.org or the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. The press opening is Sunday, June 23, 2024 at 6 pm.

Tony and Emmy Award-winning ensemble member Laurie Metcalf (The Conners, Three Tall Women – Tony Award) comes home to Steppenwolf, joined by John Drea (Steppenwolf debut), Meighan Gerachis (POTUS, Domesticated) and Micah Stock (Steppenwolf debut, It's Only A Play – Tony Award nomination).

In the outer limits of rural Idaho, the last two members of the Fernsby family tree, an estranged aunt and nephew, reunite to sort the mess left behind after a troubled father's passing. They now face an uncomfortable and universal question: how do we deal with other people? And is connection more trouble than it's worth? As their relationship begins anew, the two reluctant Fernsbys – separated by age and experience – start to understand the joys and perils of letting someone else into your own story, even if only for a moment. 

The creative team includes Scott Pask (Scenic Design), Jessica Pabst (Costume Design), Heather Gilbert (Lighting Design), Mikhail Fiksel (Sound Design), John Baker (Dramaturg), Gigi Buffington (Voice and Text Coach), Patrick Zakem (Creative Producer), Tom Pearl (Producing Director), JC Clementz, CSA (Casting), Laura D. Glenn (Production Stage Manager) and Jaclynn Joslin (Assistant Stage Manager). For full cast and creative team bios, click here.

Production Details:

Title: Little Bear Ridge Road
Playwright: Samuel D. Hunter
Director: Joe Mantello
Cast (in alphabetical order): John Drea (James/Kenny) Meighan Gerachis (Paulette/Vicki) Laurie Metcalf (Sarah) and Micah Stock (Ethan).

Location: Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theater, 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago

Dates: Previews: Thursday, June 13 – Saturday, June 22, 2024
Opening: Sunday, June 23, 2024 at 6 pm
Regular run: Tuesday, June 25 – Sunday, July 21, 2024
Curtain Times: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursdays and Friday at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 3 pm & 7:30 pm; and Sundays at 3 pm. Please note: there will not be performances on Tuesday, June 18, Thursday July 4 or Tuesday, July 16; the performance on Tuesday, July 10 begins at 2 pm (there will not be an evening performance).

Tickets: Single tickets for Little Bear Ridge Road ($20 - $138) are now on sale at steppenwolf.org and the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. Steppenwolf Flex Memberships are also currently on sale: Black Card Memberships with six tickets for use any time for any production and RED Card Memberships for theatergoers under 30.

Accessible Performance Dates:

Audio-described and touch tour: Sunday, July 7 at 3 pm (touch tour at 1:30 pm, curtain at 3 pm)
Open-captioned: Saturday, July 13 at 3 pm and Thursday, July 18 at 7:30 pm
ASL-interpreted: Friday, July 12 at 7:30 pm

Artist Biographies:

Samuel D. Hunter (Playwright) grew up in Moscow, Idaho and lives in New York City with his husband and daughter. His plays include The Whale (Drama Desk Award, Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play, GLAAD Media Award, Drama League and Outer Critics Circle nominations for Best Play), A Case for the Existence of God (New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play, Hull-Warriner Award), A Bright New Boise (Obie Award, Drama Desk nomination for Best Play), Greater Clements (Drama Desk nomination for Best Play, Outer Critics Circle Honoree), Lewiston/Clarkston (Drama Desk nomination for Best Play), The Few, A Great Wilderness, Rest, Pocatello, The Healing and The Harvest, among others. His screenplay adaptation of The Whale, directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Brendan Fraser, was nominated for the 2023 BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and received two Oscars, including Best Actor. He was also a writer and producer on all four seasons of FX's Baskets. He is the recipient of a 2014 MacArthur "Genius Grant" Fellowship, a 2012 Whiting Writers Award and an honorary doctorate from the University of Idaho. He holds degrees in playwriting from NYU, The Iowa Playwrights Workshop and Juilliard.

Joe Mantello (Director) recently directed David Ives and Stephen Sondheim's Here We Are at the Shed. Broadway directing credits include: Grey House, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Hillary and Clinton, Three Tall Women (Tony nom.) The Boys in the Band, Blackbird, The Humans (Tony nom.), Airline Highway, The Last Ship, Casa Valentina, I'll Eat You Last, The Other Place, Other Desert Cities, Pal Joey, 9 to 5, Laugh Whore,  November, The Ritz, Three Days of Rain, The Odd Couple, Glengarry Glen Ross (Tony nom.), Wicked, Assassins (Tony Award), Take Me Out (Tony Award), Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, Love! Valour! Compassion!  (Tony nom.) Off-Broadway: Dogfight, The Pride, A Man of No Importance, The Vagina Monologues, bash, Corpus Christi. As an actor he has appeared in American Horror Story: NYC (FX), Hollywood, The Watcher (Netflix), The Normal Heart (HBO, Emmy Nom.)  and upcoming FEUD Season 2: Capote vs. The Swans (FX) Broadway: The Glass Menagerie, The Normal Heart (Tony nom.), Angels in America (Tony nom.) Recipient of Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Clarence Derwent, Obie, Joe A. Callaway and SDCF "Mr. Abbott" awards. Member of the Theatre Hall of Fame.

Laurie Metcalf (Sarah) received Tony Awards for her performances in Three Tall Women and A Doll's House, Part 2. Tony nominations include November, The Other Place, Misery and Hillary and Clinton. Metcalf received three Emmy Awards for her work on the television series Roseanne and also for her role on Hacks. Other Emmy nominations were for Third Rock from the Sun, Monk, Desperate Housewives, The Big Bang Theory, Horace and Pete and Getting On. Films include Lady Bird (National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress, Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress), Somewhere in Queens, Desperately Seeking Susan, Leaving Las Vegas, Uncle Buck, JFK, Internal Affairs and the Toy Story series. She is an original member of Steppenwolf Theater Company in Chicago.

John Drea (James/Kenny) Steppenwolf Theatre Company debut. Chicago: The Sound Inside (Goodman Theatre); Solaris (Griffin Theatre, Jeff Nomination); Chagall in School (Grippo Stage Company, Jeff Nomination); Twelfth Night, Cymbeline (Midsommer Flight); American Psycho (Kokandy Productions); Skunk and Badger, Whose Body? (Lifeline Theatre); A Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado About Nothing (Goodly Creatures Theatre); Free Space (Possibilities Theatre). Off-off Broadway: OneIronaut (The Outer Loop). Regional: Deathtrap (Constellation Stage). Television: Ashley Green, The Onion. He is represented by Big Mouth Talent. @johndrea1998

Meighan Gerachis (Paulette/Vickie) Steppenwolf Theatre Company: POTUS, Domesticated, Our Town and The House on Mango Street. Chicago: The Malignant Ampersands, Small Mouth Sounds, Solstice (A Red Orchid Theater) Roe, The Wolves, A Christmas Carol, New Stages: Blue Skies Process and Graveyard Shift (Goodman Theatre); Admissions, Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England (Theater Wit); MOTHERHOUSE, The Electric Baby, Precious Little, The Walls, Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue, Indulgences at the Louisville Harem, Factory Girls, My Simple City, Wrens (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble); Measure for Measure (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); Cloud Nine (About Face Theatre); Cigarettes and Moby Dick and Che Che Che (Latino Chicago); The Underpants (Noble Fool Theatricals). Regional: Charm (Mixed Blood Theatre); Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue (Stageworks). Film/TV: Somebody Somewhere, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, At Any Price, Virginia. Chicago P.D., Crisis, Bobby & Iza, Sirens and Battleground.

Micah Stock (Ethan) Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Debut. Broadway: The Front Page, It's Only A Play (Tony Nom). Off-Broadway: Moscow x6 (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Hamlet (Waterwell), World Premiere of Terrence McNally's And Away We Go (The Pearl). Film: Maggie Moore(s), Brittany Runs a Marathon, Life Itself, Newly Single, King Kelly (Official Selection: SXSW, PiFan Film Festivals). TV: Kindred, The Right Stuff, Amazing Stories, Compliance, Bonding. Education: BFA, SUNY Purchase Conservatory.

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

Sponsor Information
Little Bear Ridge Road is supported in part by Zell Family Foundation, AARP Illinois, CNA, The Orlebeke Foundation, and PNC. 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, Crown Family Philanthropies, Caroline and Keating Crown, Good Chaos, Joyce Foundation, Lefkofsky Family Foundation, Ron and Paula Mallicoat, Northern Trust, Anne and Don Phillips, John Hart and Carol Prins, Robert Rivkin and Cindy Moelis, Shubert Foundation, Inc, Walder Foundation, and Zell Family Foundation. Steppenwolf also acknowledges generous support from premier sponsors Anonymous, ArentFox Schiff, Andrew and Amy Bluhm, Michael and Cathy Brennan, Ann and Richard Carr, Chicago Community Trust, Conagra Brands Foundation, Steven and Nancy Crown,  CRC Group, Rich and Margery Feitler, Julius Frankel Foundation, FROST CHICAGO, Goldman Sachs, Shmaila Tahir and Asheesh Goel, Bob and Amy Greenebaum, Kirkland & Ellis, Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Christopher and Eileen Murphy, The Orlebeke Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, Bryan Traubert and Penny Pritzker, Sacks Family Foundation, Smart Family Foundation of Illinois, Gary Sinise Foundation, Elliot A. Stultz, and Vinci Restaurant. Steppenwolf also acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. This project is partially supported by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is a Chicago theater that is home to America's ensemble. The company began performing in the mid-1970s in the basement of a Highland Park, IL church—today Steppenwolf is the nation's premier ensemble theater with 49 members who are among the top actors, playwrights and directors in the field. Deeply rooted in its ensemble ethos, the company is committed to equity, diversity, inclusion and making the Steppenwolf experience accessible to all. Groundbreaking productions from Balm in Gilead and August: Osage County to Downstate and Pass Over—and accolades that include the National Medal of Arts and 12 Tony Awards—have made the theatre legendary. Artistic programming includes a membership series; a Steppenwolf for Young Adults season; and LookOut, a multi-genre performance series. The nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf Education engages nearly 15,000 participants annually in Chicagoland communities promoting compassion, encouraging curiosity and inspiring action. While firmly 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. 2021 marked the opening of Steppenwolf's landmark Lefkofsky Arts & Education Center—deepening the company's commitment to Chicagoland teens and serving as a cultural nexus for Chicago. Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis are the Artistic Directors and Brooke Flanagan is Executive Director. Keating Crown is Chair of Steppenwolf's Board of Trustees.

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.

Sarz Maxwell