As a lifelong Hitchcock fan, Dial M for Murder has always been one of my comfort film thrillers - the kind of tightly wound mystery where every glance, every pause, and every seemingly harmless detail becomes a loaded clue. I’m a sucker for a well-crafted whodunnit, especially the kind that balances elegance with danger and wit with dread. That’s why October feels like a gift for mystery lovers: a chance to watch Frederick Knott’s classic story step off the screen and onto the stage in Glenview, where its suspense sharpens and its twists land with fresh immediacy.

Although Hitchcock’s 1954 film remains the most widely known version of the story - with Ray Milland’s suave menace, Grace Kelly’s cool radiance, and John Williams’ unforgettable turn as Inspector Hubbard - Dial M for Murder began its life onstage. Knott’s play premiered in 1952 at London’s Westminster Theatre before transferring to Broadway later that year, where its tight structure and chamber thriller design quickly earned acclaim. It’s easy to forget that Knott’s play came first, but remembering its theatrical origins makes Oil Lamp Theater’s staging feel like a return to the story’s true form rather than just a nod to the famous film.

Oil Lamp Theater’s production of Dial M for Murder, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher and sharply directed by Daniel King, taps into into that live wire energy. The plot remains deliciously tense - Tony Wendice’s meticulous plan to murder his wife Margot, the hired killer who fumbles the job, and the spiraling cover up that follows - but Hatcher’s adaptation trades Hitchcock’s cool, camera-controlled precision for something more intimate and kinetic. Without the film’s polished detachment, the danger unfolds mere feet away, every shift in tone or tactic happening in real time. Character motivations sharpen, pacing tightens, and the unraveling of Tony’s scheme feels more visceral, more human, and far less theoretical than it does on screen.

(L to R) John Chambers and Robert Austin Love in Dial M for Murder at Oil Lamp Theater.

The result is a sleek, modernized thriller that honors Knott’s original structure while embracing the momentum and immediacy only theatre can deliver. Oil Lamp Theater transforms a familiar classic into an edge of your seat experience - one that rewards Hitchcock devotees, satisfies whodunnit purists, and proves that some mysteries are even better when you can feel the strain in the room. It’s outstanding.

This is a dialogue driven thriller, and the ensemble handles its quick witted, fast paced exchanges with remarkable ease, building off one another so fluidly that the charge and rhythm feel almost effortless. The production finds its center of gravity in the icy cool poise and controlled calculation of Tony Wendice, played with crisp precision by John Chambers – Roger Moore-esque charm and all. His performance has an almost surgical sharpness - every pivot, every adjustment in tone feels intentional - making Tony’s manipulations both believable and unsettling. Chambers gives the show its spine, grounding the thriller in a performance that’s quietly dangerous and consistently compelling.

Margot Wendice emerges as far more than a plot device thanks to Paige Klopfenstein, who brings emotional clarity and a welcome sense of agency to the role. Her Margot is vulnerable without ever seeming fragile, and Klopfenstein’s grounded presence deepens the stakes of Tony’s scheme. The unease in her scenes feels lived in, giving the unraveling mystery a human pulse.

Adding a modern spark, Charlotte Foster’s Maxine Hadley offers wit, intelligence, and a refreshing directness. Foster leans into the character’s independence, making Maxine feel like a genuine complication in Tony’s carefully engineered world rather than a narrative accessory. Her scenes crackle with contemporary energy that complements Hatcher’s adaptation. Hatcher’s decision to gender swap the film’s Mark Halliday into Maxine shifts the dynamic in a fresh, contemporary way, transforming the romantic outsider into a sharper, more dynamic presence without altering the story’s core tension.

(L to R) Paige Klopfenstein and Charlotte Foster in Dial M for Murder. Production Photos by Gosia Matuszewska/Gosia Photography.

Robert Austin Love’s Lesgate brings grit and unease to the production. He captures the desperation of a man who knows he’s in over his head but can’t resist the lure of Tony’s offer. There’s a standout moment when what begins as an innocent visit to purchase an automobile suddenly twists into a realization that he’s being backed into a treacherous corner, and Love plays that shift with gripping precision. His tense exchanges with Chambers are among the show’s most suspenseful moments, adding texture to the thriller’s middle stretch.

And then there’s Inspector Hubbard - perhaps my favorite character to watch throughout - played with warm, grounded intelligence by James Sparling. It’s a role forever associated with John Williams’ cool, amused detachment in Hitchcock’s film, but Sparling wisely avoids imitation. Instead, he offers a more human, quietly charismatic take that suits the intimacy of Oil Lamp Theater. His Hubbard is observant, methodical, and confident without showiness, proving the character can be just as brilliant without echoing the film’s iconic performance.

The mid-century modern set design instantly establishes the play’s refined, high-stakes ambience, transforming the theater’s cozy space into a stylish apartment in one of London’s ritziest neighborhoods. Scenic designer Spencer Donovan leans into clean lines, warm woods, and period perfect décor to create a room that feels both elegant and quietly confining - an ideal environment for a thriller that unfolds entirely within this single space. Rachel D. Hemm’s lighting sculpts the atmosphere with strategic shadows and crisp highlights, guiding the audience through every shift in power, while Taylor Pfenning’s costumes reinforce the era’s sophistication with subtle, character driven detail. Rick Reid’s sound design is spot on, adding just the right atmospheric touches to heighten suspense without ever overwhelming the room. Ellen Markus’ meticulous props complete the illusion, grounding the world in tactile authenticity. The design team crafts a mid-century setting that not only sets the mood but becomes an active part of the unfolding drama. Oil Lamp’s finely scaled space is a perfect match for this particular thriller.

Mystery lovers and Hitchcock devotees should make a point of catching this production while it’s still onstage. Dial M for Murder at Oil Lamp Theater delivers all the elegance, tension, and twisty satisfaction of the classic story, but with the added thrill of watching the entire scheme unfold in an intimate space where every glance and shift in strategy feels immediate. It’s a rare chance to experience a whodunnit not from the safe distance of a screen, but right in the room as the danger tightens around the characters. Playing through November 1st, this is exactly the kind of smart, tightly crafted thriller that makes you grateful to see the story come alive just a few feet away.

Highly recommended - one of my personal standout productions of the year, driven by a stellar cast, precise direction, pitch‑perfect design, and pacing that keeps you on your toes from start to finish.

For tickets and/or more information, visit https://www.oillamptheater.org/mainstage-productions/dial-m-for-murder.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHTS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ABOUT ARTEMISIA

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

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

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

Visit www.artemisiatheatre.org to learn more.

 Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble (CDE) is pleased to announce its 2026 - 2027 season. CDE will open this artistic season with Copestic Vibrations: A Music Festival, Friday, Nov. 13 and Saturday, Nov. 14, followed by a fully staged production of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf, Feburary 26 - March 13, 2027 and the season concludes with the return of the "Full Circle Festival," May 7 - 23, 2027. The 2026 - 2027 programming season includes "Passages," an intergenerational arts cohort, Sunday, Oct. 25; "Day of Healing," Sunday, Dec. 6 and the Playwrights Cohort & New Stage Play Development, led by Timothy David Rey, monthly from November 2026 through February 2027.

All performances and special events take place at Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble, 1650 W. Foster Ave. For additional information on this upcoming season and to purchase tickets, visit DanzTheatre.org.

"As Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble enters its 25th year of building commUNITY through the arts, our programming is centered around our slogan of 'one story, one voice, one person.' For Colored Girls will be reinvisioned for a new generation, our femme-focused playwrights cohort and Full Circle Festival will develop new performance works, while Copestic Vibrations will showcase the best of new talent. CDE really is the home of multidisciplinary performances and we hope that audiences will come and explore all that we offer and support our renters and their performances," shared CDE Founder and Artistic Director Ellyzabeth Adler.

The 2026 - 2027 Artistic Season Includes: 

Copasetic Vibrations: A Music Festival

Friday, Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 14 at 5 p.m.

Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble Auditorium, 1650 W. Foster Ave.

Tickets: $30 single-day pass | $50 Weekend pass

A music festival highlighting up-and-coming Chicagoland musicians:

GO79MAN, Bonatto, Kacie Brown & The Vision, Pisano, Shamik, Poor Thing,

Jamie Demeny's 4-Player Game, Pablo alto, Andy's Critical Hits!, Lakewaves Trio,

dicot, Bardware, Electric Mothership, and Sonic Healing

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf

Directed by Aja Singletary

February 26 - March 13, 2027

Performance Schedule: Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.

Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble Auditorium, 1650 W. Foster Ave.

Tickets: $35-50

Capturing the brutal, tender and dramatic lives of contemporary Black women, For Colored Girls... offers a transformative, riveting evening of provocative dance, music and poetry.

About the Director

Aja Singletary is a director, choreographer, and actor originally from Philly. Her directing credits include: Primary Occupant by Ashley Neal (Bramble's Festival of Unfinished Works), Short Changed by Jordan Gleaves (Redtwist Playfest), White by James Ijames (Walk Up), Evil Perfect by Spencer Huffman (AD, Bramble), Remembrance by Ben F. Locke (Bramble's FOUW), The Whole Sheamus Thing by L.C Bernadine and Ben Auxier (Bramble's FOUW), and On the Greenbelt (AD, Strawdog).She has also worked at various theaters including Lyric Opera, Goodman, Writers, Steppenwolf and Timeline. Offstage, you'll catch Aja quoting Spongebob, singing Disney songs, taking a boxing class and liking food videos! She thanks CDE and the For Colored Girls team for their warm welcome and for the opportunity to direct a full length production! Training: Fordham College at Lincoln Center. Representation: Gray Talent Group  

A Quote from the Director

"Shange's words carry lineage and power. They take you on a rollcoaster. I'm excited for the cast and myself to hear the music within Shange's play." Aja Singletary

Full Circle Festival

May 7 - 23, 2027

Performance Schedule: Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m. Sundays at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble Auditorium, 1650 W. Foster Ave.

Tickets: $15-25

Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble has reimagined its annual Full Circle Festival, featuring physical, fringe and dance theater works between 30 and 60 minutes in length. For eight years, CDE had produced this eclectic festival for works under 15 minutes. Since reopening four years ago after being closed due to the pandemic, they have responded to the needs of the performance community even more and have found that there is a need to present longer works.

The 2026 - 2027 season special programming and events include:

Passages

Sunday, October 25 from 2 - 4 p.m.

Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble Auditorium, 1650 W Foster Ave

Tickets:

"Passages" is an intergenerational multidisciplinary arts cohort that has been working together during the summer months to build relationships between 20-25 and 65+ generations. Starting with the question of what is a rite of passage and how we grow as people, each pair has created a performance. 

Day of Healing

Sunday, December 6 at 5 p.m.

Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble Auditorium, 1650 W Foster Ave

Tickets: suggested donation

How does one heal or move forward? This Day of Healing comes on the 30th anniversary of our founder's suicide attempt. For many years, she kept silent, ashamed of her choice and the domestic abuse relationship that brought her here.  She healed in silence and only 10 years ago began talking about her journey. Now 30 years later, breaking the silence to help others know they are not alone, we will have a day of storytelling, meditation and music.  Like-minded nonprofits and resources will be on display at the event.

Playwrights Cohort & New Stage Play Development

November 2026 - February 2027

Applications Due September 20

Staged Reading: March 7  2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble Auditorium, 1650 W Foster Ave

Tickets: free

Led by Timothy David Rey, this year's cohort celebrates the bold, powerful voices of femme playwrights. Inspired by and connected to our production of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf, the cohort will explore storytelling, identity, and the transformative power of femme-centered narratives.

ABOUT CHICAGO DANZTHEATRE ENSEMBLE

Founded in 2001, Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble (CDE) is Chicago's only multidisciplinary arts organization dedicated to social justice and socially conscious work that builds community through the arts "one voice, one story, one person at a time." CDE's mission is to engage, inspire, and challenge the community, both onstage and in the classroom, through innovative and collaborative multidisciplinary storytelling to illuminate aspects of social issues. We do this in the genre of Tanztheatre, "which unites all art media to achieve an all-embracing, radical change in humankind." Through our school-based art and performance programs, CDE helps students in Chicago schools explore their own creativity, supporting their social and emotional learning. CDE provides a physical and emotional space where community conversation and cultural change can happen.

For our performance series, CDE is dedicated to creating performances that blend together dance, theatre and visual art to tell stories about the human condition. We give an artistic voice to those who are not always heard.

• Dedicated since our founding to diverse casting of age, body type and ethnicity
• Consistently listed as a "Top Theater and Dance Performance to See" by New City and Chicago Reader
• Unique collaborations with the Veterans Art Museum, Poetry Center Chicago, Cantigny Museum, Neighborhood Writing Alliance, Voice of the City and numerous dance and theater companies

• MacArthur Award Grantee for International Collaborations.  

Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble (CDE) is pleased to announce its 2026 - 2027 season. CDE will open this artistic season with Copestic Vibrations: A Music Festival, Friday, Nov. 13 and Saturday, Nov. 14, followed by a fully staged production of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf, Feburary 26 - March 13, 2027 and the season concludes with the return of the "Full Circle Festival," May 7 - 23, 2027. The 2026 - 2027 programming season includes "Passages," an intergenerational arts cohort, Sunday, Oct. 25; "Day of Healing," Sunday, Dec. 6 and the Playwrights Cohort & New Stage Play Development, led by Timothy David Rey, monthly from November 2026 through February 2027.

Eos Theatre Company is pleased to announce their second production with Lucas Hnath's horror play The Thin Place, directed by JC Clementz (Steppenwolf's Director of Casting and Artistic Operations), playing February 5 - 28, 2027 in Bramble Arts Loft's Beatrice Theater, 5545 N Clark Street in Chicago. Tickets go on sale October 13th at www.eostheatre.org.

The Thin Place will feature Eos Theatre Company co-Artistic Directors Ashway Lawver and Rachel Sledd, with additional casting to be announced shortly.

About the Production:
The "thin place" is a place where the line between this world and another one is very thin; where the living and the dead can reconnect. Ever since she was a very little girl, Hilda tried to make contact with that "other place" by listening very carefully, not with her ears but with the space just behind and a little above her eyes. She was never all that sure that the things she could hear were real, until she met Linda, a professional psychic, who can talk to the dead. That's what Hilda wants to do, and so she befriends Linda. But as their friendship deepens, Linda unveils some uncomfortable truths. The Thin Place is a horror story about what's really going on in the space just behind and a little above your eyes.

The Production Team includes Eric Watkins (Lighting Design), Rachel Sledd (Costume Design), Ashway Lawver (Costume Design), Christopher Kriz (Sound Design), William Hughes (Set Design), Morgan Burkey (Assistant Director), and Michael Lesko (Stage Manager).

Production Details:
The Thin Place by Lucas Hnath
Directed by JC Clementz
Presented by Eos Theatre Company

Cast: Ashway Lawver (Hilda), Rachel Sledd (Slyvia). Additional casting to be announced.

Location: Bramble Arts Loft, 5545 N Clark Street, 2nd Floor, Chicago

The Thin Place Poster

Dates:
Preview: February 5, 2027, at 7:30pm
Press opening: February 6, 2027, at 7:30pm
February 11, 12, 13 15, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 2027, at 7:30pm
February 7, 14, 21, 28, 2027, at 2:00pm

Ticket Prices:
General Admission: $45
Student: $15
Industry: $20
Group (10 or more): $30
Thursday performances: pay what you can

Artist Biographies:
Lucas Hnath's most recent play, Dana H., was at the Vineyard Theatre in New York. Lucas received a 2017 Tony Award nomination for Best Play with A Doll's House, Part 2. Hnath's other plays include Hillary and Clinton, The Thin Place, Red Speedo, The Christians, A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney, Isaac's Eye and Death Tax. He has been produced on Broadway at the John Golden Theatre and Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop, Playwrights Horizons, Soho Rep and Ensemble Studio Theatre. His plays have also premiered at the Humana Festival of New Plays, Victory Gardens and South Coast Repertory. He is a New York Theatre Workshop Usual Suspect, a member of Ensemble Studio Theatre and an alumnus of New Dramatists. Awards: Whiting Award, Guggenheim Fellowship, Kesselring Prize, Outer Critics Circle Award for Best New Play, Obie Award for Playwriting, Steinberg Playwright Award and the Windham-Campbell Literary Prize. 

JC Clementz is the Director of Casting and Artistic Operations at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Over the past decade, he has cast productions out of Chicago and New York including the Pulitzer- and Tony-winning Best Play Purpose by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. Other Broadway credits include Little Bear Ridge Road starring Laurie Metcalf, Bug starring Carrie Coon, Linda Vista, Pass Over, and The Minutes. As a director, his credits include the Associate Director for the pre-Broadway tryout of The Devil Wears Prada: A New Musical (Broadway in Chicago), director of The Nerd, The All Night Strut!, Murder for Two, and many other productions at Milwaukee Rep, Waiting: A Song Cycle (Cherry Lane, NYC), and Murder for Two (Merrimack Rep). Proud member of SDC and the Casting Society.

Ashway Lawver is co-Founder and co-Artistic Director of Eos Theatre Company; she played Hecuba in the company's inaugural production of The Trojan Women at Bramble Arts Loft, April 2026. Recent theatre credits: The Pavilion, Sweat (The Loop Players); Murder on the Orient Express (Milwaukee Repertory Theatre); Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Lindiwe (Steppenwolf). Ashway started her stage career in NYC; highlights include performing Off-Broadway, at Radio City Music Hall and in National/International tours. She can be seen in several national commercials and feature/independent films; including Long Division (Roku, Tubi) and Promises (Amazon Prime). A transplant from Los Angeles, Ashway has her BA in Theatre/Dance (Wheaton College, MA) and is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf. Ashway is a member of SAG and is represented by Talent X Alexander. IMdb.me/AshwayLawver

Rachel Sledd is a co-Founder and co-Artistic Director of Eos Theatre Company; she directed the company's inaugural production of The Trojan Women at Bramble Arts Loft, April 2026. Recent theatre credits include Highway Patrol (Goodman Theatre) and Junk (Milwaukee Repertory Theatre). TV/Film credits include NBC's Chicago Med, Chicago PD, the pilot's Burn and You've Got Gail, and Bride of Frankie, which has screened at over 100 film festivals internationally and for which Rachel won Best Actress in a Short at the Sydney Indie Film Festival. Rachel earned an M.F.A. from the University of Washington's Professional Actor Training Program in Seattle and teaches theatre at Harold Washington College. She is represented by DDO Artists Chicago.  

Eos Theatre Company Mission Statement:
Eos Theatre Company is a vibrant new women-led theatre company based in Chicago, dedicated to shining light into the darkness of the human experience through transformative storytelling. We strive to amplify female voices and narratives, producing bold, diverse, and thought-provoking works that challenge and inspire audiences. We believe that live theatre fosters connection, community, empathy, and understanding; we are committed to increasing access to live theatre for young people and marginalized communities. Eos is building an inclusive artistic community that promotes equity, excellence and dialogue. Through performance, education, and community partnerships, we harness the power of storytelling to inspire change and empower future generations of women in American Theatre. Created by a collective of women theatre artists with extensive experience in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and beyond, Eos aims to deliver Chicago storefront theatre of the highest caliber.

In the 2019 film Yesterday, a struggling musician wakes up in a world where The Beatles never existed. A similar theatrical case study could be done with every musical that might not exist without Hamilton; Operation Mincemeat should be first on the list.

That is not to say it is not enjoyable. In fact, Operation Mincemeat is exactly the kind of show that benefits from being seen in person. The score, written by SpitLip members David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts, is rarely the main attraction. Its appeal lies instead in the comedy, characterization and ingenuity required for five actors to tell the true story of an outlandish World War II operation involving a corpse, a fabricated identity and strategically planted documents.

Director Robert Hastie and choreographer Jenny Arnold build that story out of controlled theatrical chaos. Many of the funniest sequences have the spirit of “Make ’Em Laugh”: fast, physical bits driven by props and exaggerated reactions. Some jokes get a wonderfully disproportionate amount of production value – “Monty the Musical,” for example, is infinitely funnier because the show commits so completely to the bit.

Ben Stones’s scenic and costume designs are simple, endlessly adaptable and essential to the production’s speed. The set provides a flexible framework for the show’s constant transformations, while a change in silhouette or single accessory can distinguish one of the cast’s many secondary characters in seconds. The quick changes are thoughtfully constructed and flawlessly executed.

The cast meets that challenge of executing the creative team’s boisterous visions with tireless commitment. Katie Kleiger makes Ewen Montagu charming and exactly the right amount of insufferable, while Jake Bentley Young’s anxious, endearingly dorky Charles Cholmondeley feels like the most genuinely lived-in character. That sincerity makes Young’s quick steps in and out of secondary roles even funnier. Erin Ramirez gives Jean Leslie the intelligence and brightness needed to infiltrate the operation’s boys’ club, even if the writing leaves her less developed than she deserves.

Luke Antony Neville is the standout as no-nonsense secretary Hester Leggatt, finding comedy in her restraint before delivering the show’s most emotionally complete moment in “Dear Bill.” Neville performs with such clarity and tenderness that the musical briefly stops displaying its own cleverness and simply lets a person be heard, allowing Hester’s pain to reverberate throughout the theatre. Mariah Copeland is less successful when Colonel Johnny Bevan’s military pressure tips into overplaying but shines as the wildly funny Spanish consul Salvador Gómez-Beare and throughout her other transformations.

The Broadway Company of Operation Mincemeat. Photo by Matt Crockett.

The casting conceit is harder to assess. Every performer plays across gender, age, and nationality while cycling through their many roles, a choice fundamental to both the comedy and the show’s perspective on who is permitted to lead, fight, and be remembered. Yet some passages sound as though the score does not sit comfortably in the performer’s range. Since the tour preserves the original production’s basic character assignments, those rough spots feel less like an unavoidable cost of flexible casting than vocal challenges left unsolved.

Other problems are more practical. Between inconsistent diction, accents that could occasionally be pulled back, and uneven sound mixing, too many lines disappear. The dense exposition and distinctly British frame of reference already ask an American touring audience to keep up; every lost lyric risks taking a historical detail or joke setup with it.

The first act starts shakily, with bits that overstay their welcome and subplots that could be trimmed. Then, at some imperceptible point, I realized I was invested. Act II has stronger momentum, but its influences become more distracting. Escalating military conflict is repeatedly conveyed through punishingly paced, rapid-fire rap that feels less like character-driven storytelling than a theater kid channeling Christopher Jackson’s George Washington. Another number veers so close to the sound and structure of Six’s “Ex-Wives” that the resemblance is difficult to ignore.

The attempt to reckon with Montagu’s disregard for Glyndwr Michael, the real man whose body made the operation possible, also falls flat. The show wants to restore dignity to someone its characters treated as a prop, but that reckoning feels nearly as incidental to the musical as Michael initially does to Montagu – an unfortunate gap in a story about whose humanity history overlooks.

Still, Operation Mincemeat succeeds where it most needs to: in the room. This may not be a score I rush home to hear again, nor a musical that escapes the long shadow of its influences, but it is a tremendously inventive live performance. Its best moments come from what five gifted performers and an incredible creative team can make happen before our eyes.

Operation Mincemeat is running at the CIBC Theatre through October 11, before continuing its tour across North America through July 2027. Tickets are available at Broadway In Chicago.

Red Theater is thrilled to announce the cast and production team of the world premiere of Church Hurt by Brynne Frauenhoffer and directed by Jessica Love, running October 24 - November 21, 2026 at The Edge Off Broadway in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood, 1133 W. Catalpa Ave. Tickets are available now at www.redtheater.org.

When Mar gets hired at the church she grew up in, she’s reunited with her onetime youth group besties Faith, who has become head of People Operations, and Julie, who serves as an outspoken volunteer with progressive goals. Though the three once bonded over Relient K songs and scripture, now they must reconcile very different faith journeys in the intervening years. Old wounds and new points of view disrupt ministry efforts as queerness and the non-denominational movement collide. - New Play Exchange

The production features Alice Wu as Faith, Sara Sadjadi as Mar, and Laura Michele Erle as Julie. Understudies include Mindy Shore for Faith, Sara BenBella for Mar, and Hailey Hance for Julie.

Comments Artistic Directors Clare Brennan and Wyatt Kent, “Church Hurt is our third world premiere from a Chicago playwright in as many seasons, and we’re so fortunate to be collaborating with Brynne for the first time. This tight-knit narrative features two stalwarts of the storefront scene, as well as Sara Sadjadi’s debut on Chicago’s stage after a season with Door Shakespeare and Milwaukee Rep. With director Jessica Love back at the helm after her incredible work on last season’s The Pilon, this production will pull you into this story of queerness, faith, female friendship, and stress-tested trust.”

The production team includes Emily Marrazzo (assistant director), Sarah Patisaul (stage manager), Rose Johnson (scenic design), Suzanne Barnes (props design), Amina Gilbert (lighting design), kClare McKellaston (costume design), Kate Schnetzer (sound design), Skyler Simpson (poster design), Faith Decker (photographer), Daniel Bird Tobin (audience experience dramaturg), AJ Mueth (technical director), Becca Holloway (casting director), Cailyn Murray (casting associate), Hunter Baumann-Cole (director of production), Wyatt Kent and Clare Brennan (co-artistic directors).

PRODUCTION DETAILS

Title: Church Hurt

Playwright: Brynne Frauenhoffer

Director: Jessica Love

Cast: Alice Wu (Faith), Sara Sadjadi (Mar), Laura Michele Erle (Julie), Mindy Shore (u/s Faith), Sara BenBella (u/s Mar), and Hailey Hance (u/s Julie).

Production Team: Emily Marrazzo (assistant director), Sarah Patisaul (stage manager), Rose Johnson (scenic design), Suzanne Barnes (props design), Amina Gilbert (lighting design), kClare McKellaston (costume design), Kate Schnetzer (sound design), Skyler Simpson (poster design), Faith Decker (photographer), Daniel Bird Tobin (audience experience dramaturg), AJ Mueth (technical director), Becca Holloway (casting director), Cailyn Murray (casting associate), Hunter Baumann-Cole (director of production), Wyatt Kent and Clare Brennan (co-artistic directors).

Location: The Edge Off Broadway, 1133 W. Catalpa Ave, Chicago

Opening night: Saturday, October 24, 2026 @ 7:30P

Previews: Wednesday, October 21, Thursday, October 22, & Friday, October 23, 2026 @ 7:30P

Run dates: Saturday October 24 - Saturday November 21, 2026

Curtain times: Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays @ 7:30P, Sundays @ 3P

Tickets: General admission tickets are $35. As part of Red’s mission to make theater by putting people first, a limited number of $10 access tickets are available for students, artists, or anyone on a tight budget. Purchasing a ticket at our $50 pay-it-forward tier helps us sustain Red’s accessibility efforts. Tickets are currently available at www.redtheater.org. A limited number of access tickets are available for every performance. Use code ACCESS at checkout for $10 tickets. Monday nights are Industry Nights! Artists and service industry professionals can use code RELIENTK for half price tickets.

Direct Box Office Link: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35021/production/1284321

The Auditorium (Chicago's landmark stage at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive) continues its 2026-27 Dance Season titled North American Dance with the Chicago debut of the internationally renowned Canadian company Ballets Jazz Montréal (BJM). BJM will perform an evening length tribute to the artistry of fellow Montrealer, singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen on the 10-year anniversary of Cohen's death (November 7, 2016). The one-night-only presentation is Saturday, November 7 at 7:30 PM at The Auditorium, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Dr. Tickets are $44-$154 and are available at auditoriumtheatre.org or by calling The Auditorium's Ticket Service Center at 312.341.2300.

Dance Me: The Music of Leonard Cohen is a creation inspired by the rich and profound work of Montréal- based poet, artist and songwriter, Leonard Cohen. Approved by Cohen during his lifetime, BJM has the exclusive rights to present this work. Dance Me was created under the artistic direction of Louis Robitaille and with bold and compelling staging by Eric Jean. This riveting homage evokes the grand cycles of existence, love, loss, hope, and renewal—inviting audiences to pause, reflect, and be deeply inspired.

Three internationally renowned choreographers were entrusted with putting movement to Cohen's legendary songs: Andonis Foniadakis, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Ihsan Rustem. Their powerful and profound choreographic world reflective of Cohen's singular work is brought to life by Ballets Jazz Montréal's 14 performing artists. Dance Me combines scenic, visual, musical, dramaturgical, and choreographic writing crafted by a team of celebrated designers to pay tribute to Montréal's greatest ambassador.

Some of Cohen's most iconic hits are featured in the work including Hallelujah, Suzanne,

So Long, Marianne, Famous Blue Raincoat, Everybody Knows and Dance Me To The End of Love.

"Leonard Cohen is one of the world's greatest singer/songwriters, and Dance Me is a beautiful and deeply moving tribute to his extraordinary life and work," said The Auditorium CEO Rich Regan. "Earlier this year, The Auditorium had the opportunity to bring a group of our Dance Partners to Montréal to experience a special performance of Dance Me performed by Ballets Jazz Montréal. It was an unforgettable experience, and sitting together in that audience, our entire dance affinity group knew we had to bring this remarkable company and production to The Auditorium stage. We believe Dance Me will be a spectacular experience for dance lovers who come to witness the brilliance of Ballets Jazz Montréal, as well as for music enthusiasts and devoted Cohen fans who will experience his extraordinary music in an entirely new way. Our dance season this year is titled North American Dance, and throughout 2026–27 we're proud to showcase some of the most innovative and inspiring dance companies from across the continent. Representing Canada is Ballets Jazz Montréal—a bold, boundary-pushing company whose Chicago debut is long overdue. We are thrilled to welcome them to The Auditorium and share Dance Me with Chicago audiences."

About Ballets Jazz Montréal
Hailed for its explosive original performances, Ballets Jazz Montréal pushes the boundaries of contemporary dance with its signature hybrid style—melding ballet's precision with the raw energy of modern movement. Known worldwide for commissioning daring new works from celebrated choreographers, the company brings emotionally charged, human-centered storytelling to the stage with electrifying artistry. Thanks to the unwavering faith of Geneviève Salbaing and Eva Von Gencsy, the company, known for its vitality, has been making its mark for 54 years. A cultural ambassador to the world, BJM has embodied freedom, creativity, originality, and excellence for over five decades. The company's distinctive signature lies in the unique personalities of its performers. With their eclectic training, these artists from diverse backgrounds represent the soul of BJM. Through the quality of their performances, they invariably captivate audiences and critics alike, both locally and internationally. With Alexandra Damiani as its artistic director since 2021, the company is updating itself while preserving the essence of the company. For more information visit bjmdanse.ca

About The Auditorium

The Auditorium, a National Historic Landmark in the heart of downtown Chicago, is a nonprofit cultural institution dedicated to bringing people together through extraordinary performances, education, and community engagement. Since opening in 1889, The Auditorium has been a defining part of Chicago's cultural and architectural legacy, presenting world-class music, dance, theater, and a broad range of artistic and civic programming within its iconic building designed by legendary architects Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler. Located at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive - the center of Chicago, The Auditorium is committed to preserving and protecting its extraordinary historic home through ongoing preservation, restoration, stewardship, and care. Honoring its remarkable past while creating new experiences for audiences today, The Auditorium continues to inspire and connect people from Chicago and around the world.  For more information and a complete calendar of events, visit AuditoriumTheatre.org.

A Red Orchid Theatre is pleased open its 34^th Season, exploring the theme of "world on fire," with the Chicago premiere of Will Arbery's politically-charged drama Heroes of the Fourth Turning, directed by Ensemble member dado*, playing October 29 – December 6, 2026 at 1531 N. Wells St. in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood. Single tickets are now on sale at aredorchidtheatre.org or by calling (312) 943-8722. Season subscriptions are currently available.

Heroes of the Fourth Turning features Ensemble Member Kirsten Fitzgerald* with Magdalena Dalzell, Isa Grofsorean, Beck Nolan and Nate Santana.

About the Production:

It's nearing midnight in Wyoming, where four recent graduates have gathered to celebrate their beloved mentor and professor Gina, newly inducted as president of their tiny Catholic liberal arts college. The reunion spirals into spiritual chaos, clashing generational politics and a vicious fight to be understood. Offering grace and disarming clarity, this haunting play speaks to the torn heart of a country at war with itself.

The production team includes Ensemble Member Grant Sabin* (Scenic Designer), Madeleine Shows (Costume Designer), Josiah Croegaert (Lighting Designer), Ethan Korvne (Composer & Sound Designer), Eel Black (Props Designer), Chels Morgan (Violence & Intimacy Director), Caroline Michele Uy (Dramaturg), Omar Fernandez (Assistant Director), Kira Nutter (Production Manager), Tom Daniel (Technical Director), Mark Brown (Master Electrician), JC Widman (Stage Manager) and Faith Locke (Assistant Stage Manager).

*Denotes A Red Orchid Theatre Ensemble Member

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Title: Heroes of the Fourth Turning

Playwright: Will Arbery
Director: Ensemble member dado*
Cast: Ensemble Member Kirsten Fitzgerald* (Gina) with Magdalena Dalzell (Emily), Isa Grofsorean (Teresa), Beck Nolan (Kevin) and Nate Santana (Justin).

Understudies: Rachel Ives (Emily & Teresa), Kyle Ringley (Justin & Kevin) and Sarafina Vecchio (Gina).

Location: A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells St., Chicago

Dates: Previews: Thursday, October 29 at 7 pm, Friday, October 30 at 7 pm, Sunday, November 1 at 3 pm, Thursday, November 5 at 7 pm and Friday, November 6 at 7 pm

Opening: Sunday, November 8 at 6 pm

Regular run: Thursday, November 12 – Sunday, December 6, 2026
Curtain Times: Thursdays and Fridays at 7 pm; Saturdays 3 pm & 7 pm; and Sundays at 3 pm. Please note: there will not be performances on Saturday, October 31 at 7 pm (Halloween) or Thursday, November 26 (Thanksgiving); there will be an added Industry Night performance on Monday, November 23 at 7 pm.

Tickets: Previews: $33 – $44*. Regular run: $55*. Access, student, senior, and group discounts available. Single tickets are now on sale at aredorchidtheatre.org or by calling (312) 943-8722. Season subscriptions are currently available. *Ticket prices include a processing fee.

Lookingglass Theatre Company today announced a new leadership structure that brings together four longtime members of its acclaimed ensemble and new Board leadership, marking an exciting next chapter for the Tony Award-winning Chicago theater company.

Ensemble Members Ericka Ratcliff and David Catlin have been elected Co-Artistic Directors. Former Lookingglass Creative Producer Philip R. Smith will become Executive Director and Ensemble Member and co-founder David Schwimmer will serve as Producing Director. Most recently, Ratcliff was Literary Manager at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. David Catlin was the founding co-Artistic Director of Lookingglass, then served as Artistic Director from 2003-2010 and is a tenured Associate Professor and Head of Acting at Northwestern University. Philip R. Smith has been the Associate Director of Advancement at Writers Theatre after decades of working in multiple leadership roles at Lookingglass.

Lookingglass also welcomes new leadership to its Board of Directors, with Marci Masur serving as Board President and Deann Bayless as Board Chair.

The transition comes as Ensemble Member Kasey Foster completes her three-year term as Artistic Director, during which Lookingglass emerged from its post-pandemic pause, returned to producing and laid the groundwork for an ambitious new era for the company. Artistic Directors at Lookingglass are elected by the company's ensemble to three-year terms.

The new leadership structure comes at a moment of renewed artistic and institutional momentum for Lookingglass, building on nearly four decades of boundary-pushing work while setting the stage for an ambitious future. In 2026, Lookingglass celebrated two successful productions in its recently renovated space and hosted the most successful gala in its history. The company also recently signed a new 20-year lease at the Water Tower Water Works, securing its home for the next generation of Lookingglass artists and audiences, while exploring expanded programming, partnerships and earned-revenue opportunities designed to support continued artistic and institutional growth.

Ratcliff and Catlin will share responsibility for the artistic vision and programming of Lookingglass, extending the company's deeply collaborative approach to its artistic leadership. Together, the four leaders bring decades of experience as artists, directors and producers at Lookingglass, pairing deep institutional knowledge with distinct perspectives and a shared commitment to the company's defining values of collaboration, transformation and invention as they build on Lookingglass's artistic legacy and shape what comes next.

"What excites me most about stepping into this role is the sheer range of talent in this Ensemble, and the opportunity to figure out together how we can continue to create the settings for risk, experimentation and ambitious work that might feel impossible anywhere else," comments Ratcliff. "That is the unique power of Lookingglass. The impossible is the point, but the purpose is what makes the risk matter. We want to honor the history and DNA of Lookingglass and continue to push it forward, giving our artists and collaborators room to make work that surprises us, challenges us and feels deeply connected to this city."

"Collaboration is a core value that courses deep in the veins of Lookingglass– nearly four decades deep," says Catlin.  "Kasey, alongside our incredible staff and board, led us through unprecedented challenges so that we can take the baton and steward Lookingglass' signature immersive, transformative, and inventive storytelling, to ignite the imaginations of Chicago audiences in their favorite castle on Michigan Avenue."   

As Producing Director, Schwimmer will build on his renewed involvement with Lookingglass, focusing on producing, partnerships, fundraising and expanding opportunities for the company's work and artists. Earlier this year, the Lookingglass co-founder described his renewed commitment to the company as "doubling down," as he expanded his involvement and efforts to strengthen the theater's long-term sustainability.

"I'm thrilled to join this 'Dream Team' in a more official capacity," notes Schwimmer. "Lookingglass cannot have asked for a more experienced, passionate, fun and tenacious group of go-getters to grab the helm. To quote the White Queen from Through the Looking-Glass, this gang not only believes in 'as many as six impossible things before breakfast' — but DOES them."

As Executive Director, Smith will oversee the company's administrative and organizational operations, working alongside Ratcliff, Catlin and Schwimmer to support Lookingglass's artistic ambitions and long-term institutional growth. Smith has been involved in the artistic leadership of Lookingglass since 2000 and has helped produce more than 70 productions for the company.

"What has kept me rooted at Lookingglass for more than three decades is its willingness to imagine what might seem impossible—and then find a way to make it possible," says Smith. "That is what draws so many people to this great theatre. My goal, with this remarkable team in place, is to lift up and bring together their singular imagination, care, and experience around a clear vision: to build a sustainable and thrilling producing model that gives Lookingglass the freedom to do its most ambitious and distinctive work and then to share it with Chicago's unrivaled audiences."

Lookingglass also welcomes new leadership to its Board of Directors, with Marci Masur serving as Board President and Deann Bayless as Board Chair. Masur and Bayless bring extensive experience spanning business, philanthropy, civic engagement and Chicago's arts community and will work alongside the company's new leadership team as Lookingglass continues to strengthen its institutional foundation and expand its reach.

"Lookingglass reflects Chicago at its best: inventive, collaborative and unafraid to try something no one has seen before. That spirit has been part of the company's heartbeat for nearly four decades. This leadership team knows it deeply and has the vision to carry it forward. The more people we bring into that experience, the stronger Chicago's creative future becomes," notes incoming Board President Marci Masur.

ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP TEAM

ERICKA RATCLIFF, Co-Artistic Director
Ericka Ratcliff has performed at Lookingglass in Black Diamond, Around the World in 80 Days and Peter Pan (A Play), as well as assistant-directed and dramaturged Thaddeus and Slocum: A Vaudeville Adventure. Her additional credits include work with The Second City, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Northlight Theatre, Alliance, Milwaukee Rep, Pittsburgh Playwrights Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Congo Square Theatre, The House Theatre of Chicago and others. She most recently served as Coordinating Producer for Goodman Theatre's 100 Free Acts of Theater and as Literary Manager at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, following her time as Artistic Director of Congo Square Theatre.

DAVID CATLIN, Co-Artistic Director
David Catlin is a founding Ensemble Member, actor, writer, director and former Artistic Director, Managing Director, and Director of Artistic Development at Lookingglass. Catlin's extensive directing and acting credits at Lookingglass span the company's history including Lookingglass Alice, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Moby Dick. Catlin is an Artistic Associate with Actors Gymnasium and is Head of Acting at Northwestern University.

DAVID SCHWIMMER, Producing Director
David Schwimmer is a co-founder of Lookingglass and an actor, director and producer in theater, television and film. His Lookingglass directing credits include his adaptations of Studs Terkel's RACE and Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. His television and film credits include Friends, for which he received an Emmy Award nomination; American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson, for which he received a second Emmy nomination; Band of Brothers, Curb Your Enthusiasm, the Madagascar films and, most recently, Goosebumps for Disney+. His extensive directing career spans theater, television and film.

PHILIP R. SMITH, Executive Director
Phil Smith is a longtime Lookingglass Ensemble Member who has been involved in the artistic leadership of the company since 2000 as Casting Director, Artistic Director, Producing Director and Creative Director, helping to produce more than 70 plays. As Creative Producer, he co-served as Casting Director, produced many of the annual galas, and acted as a primary artistic liaison to the Development Department.

Prior to joining this new Lookingglass team, Phil spent two years as Associate Advancement Director at Writers Theatre in Glencoe, where he played a leading role in securing $1.3M in production support for the Jeff Award-winning production of Leopoldstadt.

In his return to Lookingglass in this new leadership role, he is especially energized by working together with this great community to help generate the structure, resources and momentum needed to create and present the bold, inventive, and deeply engaging work that has long been a Lookingglass trademark.

MARCI MASUR, Board President
Marci Masur is a strategic executive and civic leader known for advancing complex, high-impact initiatives at the intersection of business, philanthropy, and Chicago's civic community. Most recently, as a Managing Director at a leading financial services firm, she oversaw a global real estate portfolio and led a significant investment in its Chicago headquarters. Her career has centered on organizational strategy, operational transformation, major capital projects and building partnerships across the corporate, government and nonprofit sectors. A committed advocate for Chicago, Masur has helped strengthen institutions that shape the city's future.

DEANN BAYLESS, Board Chair
Deann Bayless is one of the nation's foremost women restaurateurs. Together with her husband, Rick Bayless, she opened Chicago's Frontera Grill in 1987, followed by Topolobampo, with both restaurants earning the James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Restaurant award. Bayless has served on the boards of Chicago Public Media and Women Chefs & Restaurateurs and, with Rick Bayless, established the Bayless Family Foundation to support Chicago's theater community.

THE LOOKINGGLASS ENSEMBLE
The Ensemble includes: Atra Asdou, Kareem Bandealy, Walter Briggs, Mara Blumenfeld, J. Nicole Brooks, David Catlin, Thom Cox, Larry DiStasi, Kevin Douglas, Christine Mary Dunford, Laura Eason, Anthony Fleming III, Raymond Fox, Kasey Foster, Joy Gregory, Doug Hara, David Kersnar, Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi, Anthony Irons, Louise Lamson, Wendy Mateo, Dan Ostling, Andre Pluess, Ericka Ratcliff, David Schwimmer, Joey Slotnick, Phil Smith, Heidi Stillman, Tracy Walsh, Andy White, Temple Williams III, Matthew C. Yee and Mary Zimmerman.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Lookingglass welcomes David Reifman, Melanie Pickett, Michael Costabile and David Quinn to its Board of Directors. They join current Board members Steve Armstrong, Deann Bayless, Alexandra Bradbury, Chanon DiCarlo, Charlie Frankel, Lee Golub, Mike Harrington, Turiya Luzadder, Marci Masur, Nina Nashif, James Oh, Jennifer O'Neill, Bob Palffy, Carolyn Ravichandran, Abbie Roth, M.D., Yasmeen Soin, Catie Walsh Headtke, Steve Weiss, David Catlin, Ericka Ratcliff and David Schwimmer.

STAFF
The Lookingglass staff includes: Philip Smith (Executive Director), David Catlin (Co-Artistic Director), Ericka Ratcliff (Co-Artistic Director), David Schwimmer (Artistic Producer),  Olivia Tritschler (General Manager), Kasey Foster (Outgoing Artistic Director), Molly Bunder (Director of Education and Engagement), Katie Tuttle (Interim Director of Development), Scott Letscher (Director of Ticketing and Audience Services), Mark Bracken (Director of Production), Kate Sullivan Coombs (Managing Producer), Mantra Radhakrishnan (Grant Manager), Spencer Diedrick (Donor Relations and Data Associate, Front of House Associate), Annaliese Baker (Marketing Manager), Kimberly Lawson (Sales & Partnership Coordinator), Libby Lane (Scene Shop Coordinator), Skate Ehling (Technical Director), Dan Machalinksi (Technical Director), Savana Nix (Costume Director), Ally Perparos (Sound Supervisor), and Aaron Lichamer (Lighting Supervisor). Front of House: Gabriella Ashlin (House Manager Lead),Tamara Becker (Concessions Lead), Spencer Diedrick (Front of House Associate), Ashley Keys (Front of House Associate), Delaney Spielman (Front of House Associate), Ashley Keys (Front of House Associate), Kosi Achife (Front of House Associate), M.J. Krystosek (Front of House Associate), Nathan Short (Front of House Associate), Paulette Maher (Front of House Associate), Sage Peacock (Front of House Associate), Ty Bonneville (Front of House Associate). Teaching Artists: Katy Boza, Isabella Bradley, Melissa Briskman, Molly Bunder, Milo Christner, Claudio Jean Carlos, Fay Florence-Steddum, Larry Grimes, Claribel Gross, Ariya Hawkins, Risha Hill, Juliet Kang Huneke, Louise Lamson, Ellie Levine, Michelle Moe, Laura Murillo Hart, Kelly Nesheim, Edmund O'Brien, Michaelyn Oby, August Petry, Austin Rambo, Ky Rambo, Alyssa Ramos, Sivan Spector, Myra Su, Autumn Thelander, Oskar Westbridge, Scott Westerman and Matthew Yee.

ABOUT THE LOOKINGGLASS 2026/27 SEASON
Lookingglass Theatre's 2026/2027 Season is currently underway with the Chicago presentation of Kowalski, featuring Johnny Galecki and Jacob Moskivitz, followed by two signature Lookingglass world premieres: Ensemble Member and Tony Award winner Mary Zimmerman's adaptation of The Yearling and Ensemble Member J. Nicole Brooks' second play in a planned trilogy about Chicago mayors, Prince Hal.  Subscription and Memberships are available now for purchase at lookingglasstheatre.org or by phone at 312.337.0665. The Lookingglass box office is located at Water Tower Water Works, 163 E Pearson St at Michigan Ave.

Subscribers unlock special discounted tickets, priority seating, and a range of additional benefits. Lookingglass three show Subscription Series pricing starts at $224.00.  Lookingglass Memberships offer exclusive perks, including access to Premium Center Seats, VIP ticketing, priority access to limited-run experiences, invitations to exclusive rehearsal events as well as many other benefits. Pricing and details of benefits for both Members and Subscribers can be found at https://lookingglasstheatre.org/join-us/membership/.

ABOUT LOOKINGGLASS THEATRE COMPANY
Founded in 1988 by graduates of Northwestern University, Lookingglass Theatre Company is a nationwide leader in the creation and presentation of new, cutting-edge theatrical works and in sharing its ensemble-based theatrical techniques with Chicago-area students, teachers and organizations through Education and Community Programs. Guided by an artistic vision centered on the core values of collaboration, transformation and invention, Lookingglass seeks to capture audiences' imaginations, leaving them changed, charged and empowered.

Recipient of the 2011 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, Lookingglass has built a national reputation for artistic excellence and ensemble-based theatrical innovation. Notable world premieres include Mary Zimmerman's Tony Award-winning Metamorphoses and The Odyssey, J. Nicole Brooks' Her Honor Jane Byrne, David Schwimmer's adaptation of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and Studs Terkel's Race: How Blacks and Whites Think and Feel about the American Obsession, Matthew C. Yee's Lucy and Charlie's Honeymoon, Heidi Stillman's Cascabel, created in collaboration with renowned Chef Rick Bayless, and David Catlin's Moby Dick and Lookingglass Alice.

Susan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog, the Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, is the kind of play that changes depending on when—and how many times—you see it. Directed by Kenny Leon, this revival stars Tony nominee Glenn Davis as Lincoln and Namir Smallwood as Booth, two brothers whose names alone tell us that Parks is preparing to play a very dangerous game with her audience.

The play was originally produced in Chicago by Steppenwolf Theatre Company in 2003, directed by ensemble member Amy Morton, with ensemble member K. Todd Freeman as Booth and David Rainey as Lincoln. More than two decades later, this revival demonstrates just how much material Parks packed into the story of two brothers living on the edge of survival.

Parks begins her own version of Three-Card Monte by giving us the names Lincoln and Booth. We already know the historical ending: John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln. Parks puts that card on the table immediately—and then spends the rest of the play moving it around.

Lincoln and Booth are not historical figures, of course, but the names become a psychological trap. Lincoln works as an Abraham Lincoln impersonator, repeatedly allowing strangers to “assassinate” him as part of the act. The brothers themselves simulate the murder, turning history into performance and performance into something increasingly dangerous.

That is where Parks’ Three-Card Monte becomes so effective. We know the card. We know what is coming. Yet Parks keeps moving our attention elsewhere—to money, women, abandonment, brotherly rivalry, masculinity and the desperate need to survive. The audience is watching closely, thinking we know exactly where Parks is going. But like the mark in a Three-Card Monte game, we can never be completely sure which card we are actually watching.

The brilliance is that Parks gives us the ending and still manages to create suspense.

The question isn't simply, “Will Booth kill Lincoln?” We already know that story. Instead, Parks asks us to consider how and why these two brothers arrive at that moment. By the time the real gun is fired, we have become so invested in these men that the historical inevitability becomes a genuine emotional shock.

Having seen Topdog/Underdog several times, I’ve gained new insight into Lincoln and Booth with each production. I’ve always imagined these brothers as relatively young men—perhaps somewhere between 21 and 35 at the oldest. There is something about their desperation, their dreams and their constant jockeying for position that feels connected to men still trying to figure out who they are.

Seeing older actors inhabit these roles changes the equation. This production brings a greater sense of history and introspection to Lincoln and Booth. These aren't simply two young men making bad decisions. They feel like men who have accumulated years of disappointment, mistakes and missed opportunities. Their arguments have the weight of history behind them.

That being said, the acting is first-rate.

Glenn Davis delivers some of the best work I have seen in his storied career. His Lincoln carries weariness beneath the humor, as though every card trick, every performance and every attempt to maintain dignity has taken something from him. Davis understands that Lincoln is not simply trying to make a living; he is trying to hold onto an identity.

There is an extraordinary sadness to his Lincoln because he has found a way to make a living by pretending to be someone who, historically, has already been dead for generations. Every night he puts on the stovepipe hat, becomes Abraham Lincoln and allows strangers to reenact his assassination. The joke is that he survives the murder every night—until, of course, the night he doesn't.

Namir Smallwood is equally compelling as Booth. Smallwood has the remarkable ability to morph into whatever character is placed before him, and here he creates a Booth whose swagger and insecurity exist simultaneously. Booth wants to be seen, respected and successful, but beneath that ambition is a brother desperate to prove himself.

Their relationship is the heart of the play. They love each other, resent each other, depend on each other and compete with each other. They are simultaneously brothers and adversaries. One minute they can make each other laugh; the next, they are fighting over money, women or the invisible scorecard of who has accomplished more.

Arnulfo Maldonado’s set—a room in a New York City boarding house—captures the basic circumstances of their existence, but for me, it is far too sanitized for the gritty New York City world Parks has created.

Rooms like this were common, particularly in neighborhoods such as Hell’s Kitchen. They were tight. Space was at a premium. They were not necessarily neat or clean. These were places where people lived because they had few alternatives. The room should feel less like a place where two men are actually struggling to survive.

That distinction matters because Lincoln and Booth are in survival mode. The room is not simply their home; it is a pressure cooker. Every inch of space should remind us that there is nowhere for these brothers to escape—not from each other, not from their past and ultimately not from the consequences of their choices.

Kenny Leon's direction keeps the focus where it belongs: on two brothers trapped between history, memory and survival. He allows Parks' language, humor and repetitions to accumulate rather than rushing toward the inevitable conclusion.

Ultimately, Topdog/Underdog remains a remarkable piece of American theatre because Parks refuses to let history stay in the past. She takes two names everybody recognizes, places them on two Black brothers living in New York, and transforms a familiar historical tragedy into an intimate story about family, survival, masculinity and fate.

We may enter the theatre believing we know who Lincoln and Booth are and how their story ends. But Parks makes us see them as brothers first—two men desperately trying to survive each other, their circumstances and the histories they have inherited.

By the time the final card is played, the tragedy is no longer about Abraham Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth. It belongs entirely to these two brothers. And that is Parks’ greatest trick: she makes us think we are watching history repeat itself, when what we are really watching is the heartbreaking collapse of an American family.

Highly Recommended

When: Through Nov. 1

Where: Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St.

Running time: 2.5 hours (15 minute intermission)

Tickets: $20 -$142.50 

312-335-1650 

www.steppenwolf.org