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The Artistic Home's 2025-26 season — its 25^th  — will conclude with the US premiere of THE SUGAR WIFE, a 21^st Century drama from Ireland by Elizabeth Kuti. It premiered at the Rough Magic Theatre Company in Dublin in 2005, was staged in London in 2006, and was revived in 2024 at Dublin's prestigious Abbey Theatre. Set in 1850, the play follows a Quaker woman who is torn between her work with the city's poor and her husband's prospering business built on the exploitation of the poor. They are visited by an English philanthropist and an African American tainted by the horrors of America's deep south. The visit begins with the best of intentions; but a collision is unavoidable. The UK theater website THE STAGE said "Elizabeth Kuti's drama set in famine-stricken Ireland speaks eloquently to our own turbulent times" THE SUGAR WIFE will be performed from March 28 through May 3 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont. 
 
Company member Kevin Hagan, whose directing credits include AH, WILDERNESS! and HAUNTING JULIA for Eclipse Theatre Company, will direct and lead a cast and production team that collectively has 48 Jeff Award nominations. Hagan, with fifteen Jeff nominations and two wins for scenic design, will design THE SUGAR WIFE sets in addition to directing the production. Hagan's cast, entirely composed of The Artistic Home ensemble members, will feature Annie Hogan, a Jeff Award nominee in 2019 for The Artistic Home's REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT, in the title role of Hannah Tewkley. Todd Wojcik, who recently earned his third Jeff nomination for The Artistic Home's HEDDA GABLER, winning in 2022 for THE PAVILION, will be Hannah's businessman husband Samuel. Ashayla Calvin, who played the title role in The Artistic Home's BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK, will be the African American visitor Sarah Worth. John LaFlamboy, a Jeff nominee for his makeup design of REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT, is playing the visiting philanthropist Alfred Darby. Two-time Jeff nominee Kristin Collins will be Martha Ryan, an impoverished woman who receives help from Hannah.

When Raven Theatre’s artistic staff decided to include Caryl Churchill’s Top Girls in their current season, they could not have predicted that the opening would coincide with major eruptions in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Now, with the former Prince Andrew in jail and the President of the United States bloviating his innocence, this 1982 British play stings harder than ever.

Lucky Stiff’s smooth handling of a fine cast for Raven’s mainstage makes it clear why the play deserves its status as a feminist classic. From an informal angle, the reaction of a mostly youthful audience watching mostly youthful actors confirms that the stage is still the right place to comment mercilessly on societal injustice.

Nonlinear, nontraditional Top Girls premiered in the first years of Margaret Thatcher’s leadership – an imaginative treatment of the complexities of gender roles. How do you become a “top girl” in a man’s world without losing your soul? Depending on your politics, Thatcher either ran a country with necessary tough love and cooked dinner for her husband too; or she hacked away at Britian’s safety net while using taxpayer-funded help to maintain her Superwoman household.

In Act I, Marlene, the dynamic central character played by Claire Kaplan, hosts a dinner to celebrate her recent promotion at an employment agency. She gathers five historical women at a posh restaurant, sparely and elegantly designed by Joonhee Park, where they pour out their pain along with copious amounts of wine.

As Waitress (Colin Quinn Rice) serves with dispassionate efficiency, the women – explorer Isabella Bird (Susaan Jamshidi), Flemish folklore’s Dull Gret (Yourtana Sulaiman), Japanese courtesan Lady Nijo (Hannah Kato), 9^th Century’s Pope Joan (Morgan Lavenstein), and Chaucer’s Patient Griselda (Luke Halpern) – recount episodes of shocking male cruelty. Multiple accents and overlapping dialogue make the individual stories a little hard to follow. But each cast member creates such a distinct personality that a strong vibe emerges even if some details are lost.

In Act II, Churchill leaves fantasy behind and enters the very real working-class home of single mom Joyce (Jamshidi) and her 16-year-old daughter Angie (Sulaiman) who literally wants to kill her bitter mother. Spoiler alert, Angie flees to her Aunt Marlene’s office in London without doing the deed. There, female staffers interview other females for job placement. As one frustrated woman laments to Marlene, who now leads the department, “I have had to justify my existence every minute.” Centuries may have passed but talented women still fight for recognition.

When Angie shows up unannounced, she gets pushback instead of a warm welcome from Marlene. The teen desperately wants to acquire her role model’s independence, resources and, above all, confidence that mom-figure Joyce so obviously lacks. Marlene can’t hold back the sharp elbows and judges Angie accordingly, a girl who may not have what it takes to survive.

Act III moves even farther away from the play’s stylized opening with an extended scene that’s straight from the kitchen sink realism of post-World War II drama. Occurring a year prior to Act II, Marlene pays an unexpected visit to Joyce’s humble home and presents Angie with a dress that’s straight out of the traditional girlie playbook.

When it comes to success, “I’m not clever,” Marlene insists, “just pushy.” How Marlene has pushed herself to the top is clear by now. What she has pushed aside in the process tumbles out as the three women open their hearts in ways that leave them vulnerable. It is almost frightening. Four decades after Churchill penned Top Girls, news reports of Jeffrey Epstein’s atrocities only seem to confirm her point that womanhood is neither safe nor easy.

Top Girls runs through March 21^st at Raven Theatre. For tickets and information, go to www.raventheatre.com/stage/topgirls.

Recommended.

This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com.

Broadway In Chicago and Kokandy Productions announced that the critically acclaimed revival of the 10-time 2025 Jeff Award–nominated musical JEKYLL & HYDE will make its Broadway In Chicago debut at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut St.), September 8—October 25. The engagement follows last year’s completely sold-out and extended Chicago run — which marked the musical’s first staging in the city in more than 15 years. Directed by Producing Artistic Director Derek Van Barham with music direction by Nick Sula and choreography by Brenda Didier.

JEKYLL & HYDE will be included in the next Broadway In Chicago season package, on sale this April. Groups of 10 or more may purchase tickets now by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling 312-977-1710. See below for additional ticket and performance schedule information.

The entire original cast will return for the Broadway Playhouse run, including Jeff Award nominees David Moreland (Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde), Ava Lane Stovall (Lucy Harris), and Emily McCormick (Emma Carew).

The full design team and orchestra are expected to return with all the specific elements for the Broadway Playhouse production to be announced at a later date.

Murder and chaos are pitted against love and virtue in this sweeping gothic musical.

The epic struggle between good and evil comes to life on stage in the musical phenomenon, Jekyll & Hyde. Based on the classic story by Robert Louis Stevenson and featuring a thrilling score of pop rock hits from multi-Grammy- and Tony-nominated Frank Wildhorn and double-Oscar and Grammy-winning Leslie Bricusse, Jekyll & Hyde has mesmerized audiences the world over.

Lou Raizin, President and CEO of Broadway In Chicago, said, “This collaboration with Kokandy Productions reflects what makes Chicago’s theatre community so powerful — artists and institutions working together to elevate bold storytelling and expand access to exceptional live performance. JEKYLL & HYDE is a thrilling example of the depth of talent in our city, and we are proud to bring this acclaimed production to the Broadway Playhouse for a broader audience.”

Scot Kokandy, Executive Producer of Kokandy Productions, added, “To say we are excited is an understatement. Last year’s production of JEKYLL & HYDE was the most ambitious production we have attempted to present, and we are ecstatic and honored to partner with Broadway In Chicago to bring it back this fall.”

Derek Van Barham, Producing Artistic Director of Kokandy Productions and Jeff Award-nominated Director of JEKYLL & HYDE, noted, “We were overwhelmed by the initial response to our JEKYLL & HYDE.  Clapping, cheering, standing ovations in the middle of the show — it was like being at a rock concert for everyone's favorite band. Directing this amazing cast at the Broadway Playhouse and seeing our production grow on this stage means the world to me. And that it’s returning during the Halloween season makes it a wickedly delicious treat for Chicago.”

JEKYLL & HYDE JEFF NOMINATED CREATIVE TEAM
Derek Van Barham (Director) is the Producing Artistic Director of Kokandy Productions. Directing credits include Children of Eden in Concert (Broadway In Chicago), Amélie, Into the Woods, Alice by Heart, Sweeney Todd, American Psycho, Head Over Heels (3 Jeff Awards and 2 Jeff nominations, Kokandy); Spring Awakening (Flint Rep); Rock of Ages (Metropolis); The View Upstairs (Circle Theatre); Miracle by Dan Savage, Poseidon (Hell in a Handbag); Carrie, Bat Boy, Merrily We Roll Along (CCPA/Roosevelt University). Choreography credits include Evil Dead (Jeff nomination), Coraline the Musical, Ghost Quartet and Shockheaded Peter (Black Button Eyes). He was previously named one of Windy City Times’ 30 Under 30, and one of Newcity Magazine’s 50 Players 2024. MFA: CCPA/Roosevelt University. IG: @dvbarham

Nick Sula (Music Director) is an award-winning pianist and music director, proud to return to Kokandy Productions where he served as music director for the Jeff Award-winning productions of Sweeney Todd (Jeff Award for Outstanding Music Direction), Into the Woods (Jeff Awards for Outstanding Music Direction and Orchestrations), as well as the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival. Other Chicago theatre music direction credits include: Anything Goes (Jeff nomination) with Porchlight Music Theatre; Ghost Quartet (Jeff nomination), Mary Rose, Nevermore, Amour and Coraline with Black Button Eyes Productions; Myths & Hymns, The Glorious Ones (Jeff nomination), Hello Again, La Cage aux Folles and Pippin with BoHo Theatre. As a professor of musical theatre he serves as a music director, instructor and vocal coach at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.

Brenda Didier (Choreographer) is thrilled to collaborate with Derek (DVB) for the first time and to return to Kokandy after choreographing Grand Hotel in 2018 (Jeff nomination). Direction and/or Choreography credits include work with: Chicago Shakespeare Theater, The Goodman, Marriott, Paramount, Porchlight Music Theatre, Mercury Theater, Theo and many others. Tour: Kenny Rogers Christmas Tour, Cirque Shanghai: Navy Pier Skyline Stage and productions in Atlantic City, Las Vegas and the New Victory Theatre in New York. Ms. Didier made her TV Choreography debut with T-Mobile's national holiday commercial "Home for the Holidays." She is a multiple Jeff Award recipient in both Direction and Choreography (Equity and Non-Equity wings) and Artistic Director/Founder of The Lincolnshire Academy of Dance, now in its 28th Season. "Thank you to Derek, Nick, Shane, Scot and our incredible cast, design team, band and crew! Thank you for supporting live theatre! Love to Mike, Mom, family and friends!”

TICKET INFORMATION & PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
JEKYLL & HYDE will be included in the next season package, on sale this April. Current subscribers can add tickets to their season package when renewing by visiting BroadwayInChicago.com or calling 312-977-1717. Groups of 10 or more may be purchased now by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling 312-977-1710. Individual on-sale dates and performance schedules to be announced this spring.

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 26 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at The Auditorium.

For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com .
Follow @BroadwayInChicago on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , Bluesky #BroadwayInChicago

ABOUT KOKANDY PRODUCTIONS
Founded in 2010, Kokandy Productions seeks to leverage the heightened reality of musical theatre to tell complex and challenging stories, with a focus on contributing to the development of Chicago-based musical theatre artists, and raising the profile of Chicago's non-Equity musical theatre community.

The company's artistic staff is comprised of Derek Van Barham (Producing Artistic Director), Scot Kokandy (Executive Producer), Nicholas Reinhart (Associate Producer), and Adrian Abel Azevedo & Leda Hoffman (Artistic Associates). The Board of Directors includes Preston Cropp, Scot Kokandy, Danielle Sparklin and Katie Svaicer. 

For additional information, visit www.kokandyproductions.com . 

For some, an evening of Chekhov may sound like pure misery, but Red Theater’s “The Seagull” running at The Edge Off Broadway soars. The original adaptation by Red Theater cohort Ian Mayfield imagines Anton Chekhov’s emotionally searing dramady as a chamber play. Under his direction, this faithful version is a hidden gem of this winter’s storefront theatre scene.

Though known for depressing family melodramas, Chekhov did have a sense of humor, and perhaps in no other play is his cynical wit more on display than “The Seagull”. Any production is only as good as its neurotic, self-involved Arkadina. Anne Sheridan Smith is a captivating presence in the role of the celebrated actress. She brings an amusing larger-than-life performance that’s devilish to watch. Lovelorn and constantly drinking Masha played by Magdalena Dalzell delivers cutting physicality that’s also quite thrilling.

Jamie Herb is one of the production’s strongest assets in the role of Nina. Her performance takes full advantage of the closely drawn staging. She tells entire stories with haunting gazes. Her eventual breakdown feels more disturbing than the play’s actual tragic conclusion. However, perhaps no character is as pitiful as Medvedenko the schoolteacher. Ben Murphy plays the role with a subdued quietness that’s like whatever the opposite of “golden retriever boyfriend” energy is.

Original scoring by Jonathan Hannau lends to the chamber play atmosphere and elevates the ambiance. Maggie McGlenn’s sumptuous costumes combined with Hunter Cole’s minimal staging keep the focus on the action. As the actors move in and around the space, audiences will feel personally drawn in, as if they’re a silent guest at a party.

Red Theater’s “The Seagull” is a great example of what makes Chicago’s fringe and storefront scene so exciting. While many may look to the bigger institutions like Goodman or Steppenwolf to tackle major works by important playwrights, with the right talent in place a small theater can be just as impactful, if not more in some cases. Ian Mayfield’s version spends a lot of time dissecting Chekhov’s musings on artistic forms, and that curiosity about the craft of theatre feels evident in this cast. The result is a labor of love, and exactly what you want from a good night of theatre–that you lived through something. 

Through March 15 at Red Theater at The Edge Off Broadway. 1133 W Catalpa Ave. Tickets via www.redtheater.org

This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com. 

Chicago’s storefront and midsize theatres are in a moment of remarkable artistic urgency, and three current productions—Black Cypress Bayou at Definition Theatre, Admissions at Citadel Theatre, and The Lower Depths at Chopin Theatre—show exactly why. Each tackles a different facet of the world we’re living in, yet all three share a common thread: they refuse to let audiences sit passively. They provoke, unsettle, and spark the kind of conversation that lingers long after the house lights rise.

Black Cypress Bayou

Definition Theatre
Black Cypress Bayou isn’t just a Chicago premiere—it’s a humid, slow‑burning descent into the secrets families bury and the truths that refuse to stay submerged. Set against the thick Southern air of rural Louisiana, the play braids together folklore, mystery, and generational trauma with a confidence that feels both ancient and startlingly fresh. Reviewers and theatre goers have praised the production’s cultural specificity, its sly humor, and the emotional ferocity of the Manifold women, whose long‑hidden histories rise up like ghosts demanding to be heard. Definition Theatre’s intimate staging amplifies every revelation, every crack in the family’s façade, pulling audiences into a world where the past is never really past.

Through March 15^th.  TICKETS

Admissions

Citadel Theatre
Joshua Harmon’s Admissions hits with renewed force in 2026, when debates about equity, representation, and institutional responsibility are no longer abstract—they’re lived, daily realities. Citadel’s production has earned a wave of “highly recommended” notices for its sharp direction and its cast’s fearless willingness to sit in discomfort. The play exposes the gap between what we say we believe and what we actually do when our own interests are on the line. It’s funny, biting, and unflinchingly honest, the kind of show that makes an audience laugh in recognition one moment and wince the next. This is theatre that doesn’t let you off easy, and that’s exactly why it’s resonating so strongly right now.

Through March 15^th.  TICKETS

The Lower Depths

Chopin Theatre (Gwydion Theatre Company)
Gwydion Theatre Company’s world‑premiere adaptation of Gorky’s The Lower Depths plunges audiences into a raw, unvarnished portrait of people living on society’s edge. Buzz Center Stage’s Sarz Maxell has called it an “avalanche of anguish,” and the phrase fits—the production is relentless in its honesty, yet deeply humane in its portrayal of those who survive on hope, illusion, and each other. Staged in the atmospheric basement of the Chopin Theatre, the show surrounds you with its ensemble of characters, each clinging to dignity in a world that offers them little. In a moment when conversations about economic precarity and social invisibility are everywhere, this adaptation feels piercingly relevant.

Through March 8^th.  TICKETS

Why See Them Now?

Because each of these plays is wrestling with the world as it is—not as we wish it to be.
Because Chicago theatre is at its best when it’s bold, unflinching, and unafraid of complexity.
And because these three productions, taken together, offer a panoramic view of the pressures shaping American life: race, class, family, ambition, and the stories we tell to survive.

If you’re looking for theatre that challenges, engages, and refuses to let you off the hook, these are the shows to catch before they’re gone.

“The story of these characters has already begun.”

When you enter the Factory Theater space for Kubrickian, you will notice that the actors are already on stage. Lights are fully up, and the three actors are moving about the stage. One is stretching, another is pacing, and another is doing a mix of the two - even throwing in some light jogging. It’s clear that the three actors are in their own world, and we are simply here to observe.

Director AJ Schwartz warns us of this soft start in the program, and so it should not be a surprise. You might find that the choice is clever for a few reasons. On one level, Zack Peercy’s play takes place in a world that is meant to feel unfamiliar. Watching the actors move about for unclear reasons and without words appropriately sets us up for what we are about to see.

On another level, perhaps Schwartz’s choice gets at the root of what Kubrickian is about. Peercy’s play is about a lot of things. There is isolation and fear. Grief and loss. Even passion and hope. However, at its core, one might argue that this story is about the relationships between the men on stage.  Schwartz sets up a window into who these characters are to each other. As Schwartz notes in the program, their story begins before we arrive. We may not necessarily understand how they got there, but perhaps that’s not the point. We as an audience receive the gift of witnessing their relationships in the present – a brief window into who they are and how they grow before they continue on well after we have left.

Peercy’s world premiere takes place in an unknown white space in which three men find themselves trapped – Chris (Taylor Mercado Owen), Danny (Rio Soliz Ragazzone), and Howard (Ben Auxier). Scenic Designer Josh Philoon appropriately creates a world that feels ambiguous and unknown. Without any clear escape from their situation, Danny and Chris have no choice but to turn to conversation for entertainment. Over the course of the story, the discussions become more intimate, and Danny and Chris realize they may have more in common than they had originally thought.

Schwartz’s ensemble is strong. Peercy’s play is quite the undertaking for all involved. Auxier as Howard moves through the play without sound or motion – simply sitting in the back as the action happens around him. Considering the chaos that ensues around him, that is no small thing, and you might find that Auxier continues to catch your eye as you wonder when there might be a shift and he finally reacts.

Because Howard does not speak, most of this play exists as a two-hander between Danny and Chris – a challenge that Ragazzone and Owen tackle with grace. We quickly learn that Chris has a deep love for Stanley Kubrick films – a genre with which Danny unfortunately has little experience. While this creates an obstacle for much of the beginning, we hit a key moment where Danny encourages Chris to share the details of The Shining. As Chris begins to open up, something shifts in their dynamic. Peercy cleverly unlocks a very specific moment in a relationship where we witness the other’s passion for the first time. As Chris shares what he finds so inspiring about Kubrick’s work, Danny starts to see him in a whole new way. Ragazzone and Owen bring a beautiful authenticity to the scene. In this pressure-cooker of a world, they create a relationship that you want to see succeed. Something to offer a small semblance of hope when it’s unclear what their fate might bring.

The stellar performances and thought-provoking script alone make Kubrickian a play worth seeing. If you are one for a puzzle, then Peercy’s story is certainly a fit for you.

RECOMMENDED

Run Time: 90 minutes without intermission

Kubrickian runs through March 15, 2026 at the Factory Theater – 1623 W. Howard Street. For tickets and information, see the Factory Theater website.

This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com. 

Lifeline Theatre today announced the cast and crew of its upcoming rock musical world premiere, LOKI - THE END OF THE WORLD TOUR, with music and lyrics by George Howe, book by ensemble member Christina Calvit, developed with and directed by ensemble member Heather Currie, running May 3 - June 14, 2026 (previews April 24 - May 2) on the Rogers Park theatre's stage at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. Tickets ($45) at www.lifelinetheatre.com. 

Welcome to the greatest rock 'n' roll show not on Earth! LOKI arrives at Asgard, bringing chaos, comedy, and three monstrous (maybe) children. LOKI tangles with Odin, Thor, and the mysterious Freya; each with their own agenda; their own secrets—but all paths lead to one eternal question: In an us vs. them world, can we envision a new mythology? 

"After many years of work and even more years of hoping, getting to premiere LOKI - THE END OF THE WORLD TOUR at Lifeline Theatre truly feels like a homecoming," said playwright Christina Calvit. "This is a company that believes in bold literary adaptation, and this piece lets us blow the doors off mythology in the most thrilling way."

"The story may be hundreds of years old, but it plays like a warning for our time," added composer George Howe. "At its heart, it's a riotous rock spectacle. But underneath the glitter and gods, it's an exploration of how power corrupts, how fear divides us, and whether we're brave enough to imagine a new mythology."

The production features Jack Chylinski as the god Loki, with Scott Danielson (Odin), Janelle Sanabria (Freya), Peter Gertas (Baldur), Keenan Odenkirk (Thor), Kate McQuillan (Sigyn), Grace Reidenauer (Hel), Anthony Kayer (Fenris), Avery Thompson (Middy), Kelan Smith (Norn 1), Kara Olander (Norn 2), and Alek Boggio (Norn 3). Understudies are Mack Alexander, Jake Elkins, Felicia Niebel, Annalie Ciolino, and Travis Shanahan. 

The production team includes George Howe (Composer / Lyricist / Music Director), Christina Calvit (Playwright), Heather Currie (Director), Kelan Smith (Co-Music Director), Lindsay Mummert (Scenic Designer), Saskia Bakker (Props Designer), G. Max Maxin IV (Lighting Designer), Aly Amidei (Costume Designer), Emily Hayman (Sound Designer), Sheryl Williams (Fight Choreographer), Devin Meseke (Production Manager), Erin Galvin (Stage Manager), Harrison Ornelas (Technical Director), and Avery Spellmeyer (Lighting Supervisor).

LOKI - THE END OF THE WORLD TOUR

Music & Lyrics By: George Howe

Book by Christina Calvit* 

Developed With and Directed By: Heather Currie*

Cast: Jack Chylinski as the god Loki, with Scott Danielson (Odin), Janelle Sanabria (Freya), Peter Gertas (Baldur), Keenan Odenkirk (Thor), Kate McQuillan (Sigyn), Grace Reidenauer (Hel), Anthony Kayer* (Fenris), Avery Thompson (Middy), Kelan Smith (Norn 1), Kara Olander (Norn 2), and Alek Boggio (Norn 3). Understudies are Mack Alexander, Jake Elkins, Felicia Niebel, Annalie Ciolino, and Travis Shanahan. 

Production Crew: George Howe (Composer / Lyricist / Music Director), Christina Calvit* (Playwright), Heather Currie* (Director), Kelan Smith (Co-Music Director), Lindsay Mummert (Scenic Designer), Saskia Bakker (Props Designer), G. Max Maxin IV (Lighting Designer), Aly Amidei* (Costume Designer), Emily Hayman* (Sound Designer), Sheryl Williams (Fight Choreographer), Devin Meseke (Production Manager), Erin Galvin (Stage Manager), Harrison Ornelas (Technical Director), and Avery Spellmeyer (Lighting Supervisor).

* denotes Ensemble Member

Dates: May 3 - June 14, 2026 (Previews April 24 - May 2, 2026) 

Schedule: Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m.

Run Time: Approximately 2 ½ hours with one intermission

Location: Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

Tickets: General Admission: $45 (Preview: $30; Opening $55))

Military, student, and senior discounts available

Box Office:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone at 773-761-4477

I love when I’m surprised by a writer I assume is new to the scene, only to discover she has been honing her craft for years, quietly building a body of work the rest of us somehow missed. I love it even more when that discovery feels like striking gold. Such is the case with Kristen Adele Calhoun. A superior writer—assured, funny, emotionally and culturally precise—whose name, until now, had somehow eluded me. With Black Cypress Bayou, now receiving an unbelievable production at Definition Theatre, Calhoun announces herself (at least to Chicago audiences) as a major voice worthy of far more attention than she has received.

Under the smart, lively direction of Ericka Ratcliff, this production hums with comic electricity and emotional undercurrent. Ratcliff clearly trusts the text, allowing its humor to bloom organically while never losing sight of the deeper currents flowing beneath the laughter. The result is a staging that feels both buoyant and grounded—like the bayou itself, shimmering on the surface while concealing depth below.

The play centers on the Manifold women, and Ratcliff has assembled a quartet of actresses whose distinct comedic styles interlock beautifully. Michelle Renee Bester’s Ladybird Manifold anchors the evening with sharp timing and a steadiness that suggests stern resolve and steel. Bester understands that the funniest lines land best when rooted in truth.

Rita Wicks, as RaeMeeka Manifold-Baler, nearly steals the show with a performance that is riotously funny without tipping into excess. Her physical comedy is precise, her reactions razor-sharp. She seems to ride the rhythm of Calhoun’s language like a seasoned jazz musician, finding unexpected grace notes in throwaway lines. The audience’s laughter often arrives in waves when she’s onstage.

RJW Mays brings Vernita Manifold to life with a grounded warmth that balances the more explosive personalities around her. There is a generosity in Mays’ work—a listening quality—that allows scenes to breathe. Meanwhile, Jyreika Guest’s Taysha Hunter offers a refreshing contrast: contemporary, alert, and emotionally transparent. Guest navigates the character’s shifting loyalties and vulnerabilities with admirable nuance.

What makes this ensemble particularly thrilling is that each performer operates in a different comedic key, yet Ratcliff orchestrates them into harmony. The tonal blend—broad, dry, wry, heartfelt—shouldn’t work as seamlessly as it does. But here, it absolutely does.

In a production centering women both onstage and behind the scenes, there is an undeniable sense of cohesion and purpose. Scenic designer Alyssa Mohn, lighting designer Conchita Avitia, and sound designer Willow James conjure a fishing wharf deep in the bayou that feels at once literal and slightly mystical. Weathered wood textures, humid washes of light, and the subtle lapping of unseen water create a world that breathes. The environment is not mere backdrop; it is an active presence.

The costumes further ground the characters in time, economic reality, and personality. Fabric choices, silhouettes, and wear patterns quietly communicate history. We understand who these women are before they speak.

Ratcliff has described Calhoun as “tragically under produced.” After seeing Black Cypress Bayou, that phrase lands with force. If the rest of Calhoun’s catalog carries even half the wit, structural confidence, and emotional intelligence on display here, then Chicago theatres—and American theatres more broadly—have some catching up to do. Calhoun’s other plays, including works that explore Black Southern life, intergenerational memory, and the elasticity of family bonds, reportedly continue her signature blend of humor and haunting. One leaves this production not only satisfied, but curious—eager to track down everything else she has written.

Definition Theatre has given this play the gift every writer deserves: a production that listens, that elevates, that celebrates. Black Cypress Bayou is not simply entertaining, it is invigorating. It reminds us that discovery is one of theatre’s great pleasures. And sometimes, the most thrilling “new” voice is one who has been waiting patiently for us to catch up.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

When: through March 15th

Where: Definition Theatre@55th, 1160 E. 55^th Street., Chicago, Il.

Running time: 90 minutes no intermission

Tickets: Start at $25

312-469-0390

definitiontheatre.org

This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com.