Displaying items by tag: Chicago

The year is 1952. Television is rapidly gaining popularity over radio, to the delight of some and the disgust of others. Senator Joseph McCarthy has just been re-elected and is accusing hundreds of people of having connections to the Communist Party, provoking a nationwide climate of paranoid hysteria. Thousands of people, particularly in the mass media, are being blacklisted and expelled from their jobs. One would think (hope!) the lessons of this Red Scare might relieve us of government overreach and of accusations due to differing ideologies … sadly, not so much, as attested to by Stephen Colbert.

CHANGING CHANNELS opens in a backstage dressing room at the DuMont Television Network, a dressing room tenanted by Maggie Carlin (Kat Evans) for her popular comedy show. Kat Evans as Maggie Carlin and Orion Lay-Sleeper as her comedic partner Eddie Gilroy are both absolutely terrific. I don’t generally like comedy; a television laugh track is like fingernails on a blackboard to me, but as CHANGING CHANNELS takes place on the set of a comedy TV show, some jokes are inevitable. Happily, they are truly good jokes. We all know the sound of an audience trying to laugh cos they know it’s expected, as opposed to honestly breaking up over a droll line delivered skillfully, and in CHANGING CHANNELS even I was LOL! And later when the script turned serious, Evans and Lay-Sleeper both demonstrated superior range.

Skyler Tipton played Maggie’s husband Peter Bell, a truly stellar spouse, unswerving in his devotion and succor (I love using the word ‘succor’ – it’s like getting away with talking dirty). Andrew Pappas plays the handyman Kenny, a role that might have been a bit part but turns out to be pivotal. It’s not easy to flesh out a character from only a handful of appearances and lines, but Pappas succeeds in making Kenny real, a person whom one might like to have around.

Eddie’s lawyer, misfortunately (albeit appropriately) named Bullets, is played by Johnny Moran. The lawyer arrives bearing tidings of great joy – a breakthrough advance for Maggie and Eddie’s show! Next, however, he has to deliver the caveat: in order to accept the promotion they must sign a document that amounts to a loyalty pledge. Here is the crux around which the story turns: refusal to sign is not so much what anyone wants to do; it’s being expected to sign that rankles.

The set, designed by Joe Larkin, was inspired. The entire show takes place in Maggie’s backstage dressing room, giving the performance a pleasing sense of intimacy – Maggie can make all her many costume changes right onstage behind the big dress/costume rack – it is, after all, her dressing room! The wall is hung with posters showing some of Maggie and Eddie’s performances, and I was delighted to see on the coffee table a vintage copy of True Confessions – brilliant prop, Meg X McGrath! Emily McConnell’s costumes were spot on, totally in sync with the characters and the period, as well as a shining testament to Chicago’s resale shops! Lighting by Liz Cooper and Sound by Petter Wahlbeck combined to form an effective vintage milieu. And the overall smooth production is a testament to Stage Manager Tseela Sokolin-Maimon’s skill.

Why did I like CHANGING CHANNELS so much, given my dislike of comedy theatre? Well, CHANGING CHANNELS isn’t truly a comedy show – the comic repartee is because the characters are comediennes. The play itself, while very funny at times, is actually political commentary, and the raillery serves to lighten and brighten what might otherwise have been a heavy-handed delivery of the message. To my mind this serves to make the message more powerful as well as more accessible.

Edmund Burke said:” The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men [sic] to do nothing.” Hear hear!

CHANGING CHANNELS plays at City Lit Theatre, 1020 W Bryn Mawr Ave, through April 12

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

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

Physical Theater Festival Chicago is proud to announce the full lineup for its 13th anniversary celebration, June 1 - 7. The Festival kicks off Monday, June 1 and Tuesday, June 2 with two nights of local artists’ showcasing new work, at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. The Festival continues with five days of international and national performances, workshops and conversations also at Theater Wit and The Dance Center at Columbia College Chicago, 1306 S. Michigan Ave. Artists and companies scheduled to perform during the seven-day special event include: the Chicago return of Argentinian’s physical chameleon Luciano Rosso; the United States premiere of Peruvian mask theater ensemble Compañia de Teatro Físico; Korean-American powerhouse Sora Baek and Portland’s all ages clown duo A Little Bit OFF. The Physical Theater Festival of Chicago also announces a new partnership with The Dance Center at Columbia College Chicago which will host the premiere of award-winning Belgian company Chaliwaté. Tickets for individual shows at Theater Wit are $36, (general admission); $23, (industry/students/seniors/veterans) and for The Dance Center at Columbia shows: $40, (general admission);$26, (industry/students/seniors/veterans). Festival passes for all out-of-town shows are $159 (general admission) and $89, (industry/students/seniors/veterans). Tickets and passes may be purchased at PhysicalFestival.com.

Physical Theater Festival Chicago brings to Chicago audience-beloved, ​award-winning and critically acclaimed new dramas, comedies and dramedies from around the world that inspire theatergoers and local artists to reimagine what a live theater experience can be and do across cultures, languages and genres. Showcasing a variety of genres, including Clown, Mime, Improv, Puppet and Object Theater, Circus, Dance and Street Theater, ​award-winning and critically acclaimed new dramas, comedies and dramedies, the Physical Theatre Festival also includes workshops and post-show discussions building a connection between audiences and artists. 

“Every show we are bringing this year is filled with hope, humanity, joy and beauty. They celebrate the very best of the human spirit in a spectacular and original way, brought to the stage by these extraordinary artists and companies,” said Artistic Director Alice da Cunha. “Each year, we do our best to host a theater celebration, and I am so excited to gather with our audiences, new and old, and experience the 13th edition together.”

“We’re taking a big step forward this year with a new partner – The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago. Together, we’ll be hosting a world-class company from Belgium called Chaliwaté in the South Loop. We’re also thrilled to continue our partnership with Lakeview East’s Theater Wit for the fourth year. We’ll be hosting incredible shows there from Chicago to Peru all week long. As always, we’re excited to celebrate physical theater in a community-forward way with cultural exchange at the forefront,” added Executive Director Marc Frost.

13TH PHYSICAL THEATER FESTIVAL CHICAGO CALENDAR OF EVENTS

(Information on companies and individual artists may be found at PhysicalFestival.com. Workshops, post-show discussions and classes will be announced in April.)

Performances at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave.

Monday, June 1 at 7 p.m. 

Scratch Night

Scratch Night is a curated theater showcase of works-in-progress featuring innovative local theater makers. Scratch Night features six previews of original contemporary, visual and physical theater by different Chicago artists to foster their development. Produced by local curators, Scratch Night aims to provide a social space for community, conversation and collaboration.

Tuesday, June 2 at 7 p.m.

Being Made in Chicago Night

Being Made in Chicago will spotlight two new works from Chicago-based artists and companies who have previously performed at Scratch Night. Join us as we celebrate the creativity and resilience of our local physical theater community right in sweet home, Chicago!

Wednesday, June 3, Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 7 at 2 p.m.

Los Regalos/The Gifts by Compañia de Teatro Fisico (Peru)

The international section of the festival opens with this beloved multi-award winning show from Peru. A father and his two sons live alone in a house without women.The most routine of tasks such as preparing breakfast, bathing

or housework turns into real adventures when tackled by three inexperienced men and their fear of now knowing what they are doing. The journey that the elder brother needs to make in order to leave home, and the fear of saying goodbye to the ones we love, will be the starting point of our story.

The June 3 performance of Los Regalos/The Gifts will be followed by a meet and greet and talk back with the artists and a Peruvian reception sponsored by Tanta Chicago and the Consulate General of Peru in Chicago.

Wednesday, June 3 at 9:00 p.m., Saturday, June 6 at 5 p.m. and Sunday, June 7 at 11 a.m.

Beau and Aero by A Little Bit OFF (Seattle, USA)

Multi-award winning Beau and Aero ask the question, “What if the Wright brothers went wrong?” Beau and Aero is an acrobatic, slapstick, latex-heavy comedy featuring two incompetent aviators on their quest for flight. Pompous pilot Beau and his clueless co-pilot Aero have crash landed. The unlikely aeronautic duo tries everything to get back into the air - from propellers and parachutes, to balloons of all sizes, but to no avail. Distracted by their own imaginations, and the notably unhelpful contents of their emergency supply crate, the two tumble through hijinks and comedic conundrums, before emerging out the other side. The show blends clown with elements of acrobatics, mime, and puppetry, with wordless humor that will tickle audiences of all ages and languages. A strong vintage aesthetic paired with the duo’s ridiculous antics onstage is a nostalgic nod to timeless classics of old American Vaudeville. It’s like Charlie Chaplin meets Amelia Earhart. 

Thursday, June 4 at 7 p.m. and Friday, June 5 at 7:30 p.m.

SELL ME: I am from North Korea by Sora Baek (South Korea/USA)

A sold-out hit at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe and performed in the United States. Capitol Center, this powerful, fast-paced solo piece is inspired by the true stories of courageous North Korean women defectors. On her fifteenth birthday, Jisun, a North Korean girl, decides to sell herself to an old man to buy medicine for her dying mother. After risking her life crossing into China, she learns her body is considered worthless. Will she survive in a merciless foreign land where her very existence is illegal?

Thursday, June 4 - Saturday, June 6 at 9 p.m. 

Apocalipsync by Luciano Rosso (Argentina/France)

The Argentine actor from Un Poyo Rojo (Physical Theater Festival 2025), takes audiences on an extravagant journey with his one-man show Apocalipsync. Born during the spring 2020 pandemic, this show offers a reflection on isolation, creativity and a cartoon-like view of our contemporary world. Luciano Rosso brilliantly embodies around forty eccentric and witty characters who accompany him on an endless journey within the solitude of his apartment. On stage, he uses his elastic body to showcase his many talents: dance, clowning, contortion and especially lip sync. It is an exhilarating and hilarious performance about the many inventive ways we find to escape boredom.

Performances at The Dance Center At Columbia College

​​1306 S. Michigan Ave.

Thursday, June 4 and Friday, June 5 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, June 6 at 2 and 6 p.m. 

Jetlag by Chaliwaté (Belgium)

Jetlag is, above all, an emotional journey—one that is constantly out of step.

Moving between airports, from crowded transit zones to the confined cabin of an airplane, a man struggles to keep his loneliness at bay. Caught between exhilaration and confusion as he travels from one place to the next, space and time begin to blur, and he dreams of a new beginning. Yet as he moves forward in his quest, he comes to realize that things may not unfold as he had hoped.

ABOUT ALICE DA CUNHA, CO-FOUNDER and ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Alice de Cunha is a Chicago-based Brazilian and Portuguese actress, director and producer. She co-directed with Sandra Marquez the multi-award winning Teatro Vista show The Dream King. Acting credits include Steppenwolf Theatre, Remy Bumppo, Theater 503, as well as House Theater for which she received a Jeff Award for Best Ensemble for United Flight 232.

She is the artistic director and co-founder of Chicago’s Physical Theater Festival, an annual festival committed to present in our city international acts that represent the future of what theater can be and do. She has extensive experience in the international theater festival sector and has worked, among other festivals at CASA (UK), Shortcutz London, TODOS (Portugal) and the Chicago Latino Film Festival. De Cunha is an artistic consultant to Theater Unspeakable and an adjunct professor at Loyola University.

ABOUT MARC FROST, CO-FOUNDER and EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Marc Frost is an actor, deviser, educator and Chicago native who has performed and produced work in Brazil, Ireland, Spain, the United States and the United Kingdom. He created Theater Unspeakable as a platform for original works of devised, physical theater. Based in Chicago, the award-winning company has toured nationally, performing at venues including Lincoln Center Education (NY) and Kennedy Center (DC). He currently teaches at Roosevelt University. Frost is also a proud graduate of the Commercial Theatre Institute’s 14-Week Training Program for Commercial Theatre Producers in New York City.​​

ABOUT PHYSICAL THEATER FESTIVAL CHICAGO

Physical Theater Festival Chicago brings to Chicago audience-beloved, virtuosic live performances from around the world that inspire theatergoers and local artists to reimagine what a live theater experience can be and do across cultures, languages and genres. Launched in 2014 by Alice da Cunha and Marc Frost the festival was founded to introduce a more progressive, physical approach to theater-making in Chicago.

Now in its 13th year, the festival showcases award-winning, ensemble-created works spanning traditions such as clown, mime, improv, puppetry, object theater, circus, dance and street performance, while also highlighting outstanding artists and Chicago companies.

The 2026 Festival partners include Chicago Latino Theater Alliance, International Latino Cultural Center Of Chicago, The Dance Center At Columbia College, Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center, Theater Unspeakable, Consulate General Of Argentina and Consulate General Of Peru.

Nearly 30 years after its box-office-record-setting 1997 Chicago premiere production, August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom returns to The Goodman, helmed by Chicago legends Chuck Smith (Director) and Harry J. Lennix (Associate/Music Director). Get a peek into the rehearsal room of Smith's all-Chicago cast, including E. Faye Butler (Fat Ham), Al'Jaleel McGhee (Revolution(s)), Scott Aiello (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's Hamlet), David Alan Anderson (Writers Theatre's Stick Fly), Matt DeCaro (The Cherry Orchard), Marc Grapey (The Iceman Cometh), Tiffany Renee Johnson (Holiday), Jabari Khaliq (Toni Stone), Kelvin Rostin Jr. (Gem of the Ocean) and Cedric Young (Inherit the Wind). Understudies include Wydetta Carter (Court Theatre's Porgy and Bess), Robert Cornelius (Lottery Day), Isis Elizabeth (Paramount Theatre's Brighter Future), Patrick Newson Jr. (BUST), Joseph Primes (BUST) and Ron E. Rains (Holiday). Special events related to the production include Ma Rainey's Black Affinity Night (April 10) and College Night (April 22). More details below. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom appears March 28 through April 26 in the 856-seat Albert Theatre; opening night is April 6. For tickets ($34-$104, subject to change), visit the Box Office (170 N. Dearborn), call 312.443.3800 or visit GoodmanTheatre.org/MaRaineys. The Goodman is grateful for the support of Allstate Insurance Company (Lead Corporate Sponsor), The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust (Lead Sponsor of IDEAA Programming), The National Endowment for the Arts (Production Support), PAXXUS (Corporate Sponsor Partner) and WBEZ Chicago (Media Sponsor).

"When The Goodman was in the process of producing all ten plays in the August Wilson cycle for the first time, I had the opportunity to direct only one—Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, featuring Harry Lennix as Levee. Now, I've got Harry as Music Director and sound designers Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen with me to do it again," said Goodman Family Resident Director Chuck Smith, who directed The Goodman's acclaimed 1997 production. "One person I miss having in the room is August Wilson, who was there in 1997. His work and advice led to the creation of a very special production that set a box office record at that time. I know we will all work to make something like that happen again. I'm feeling very good about what's happening here already!"

"There are few legacies in American theater that rival Chuck Smith's. Actor, educator, theater founder, director—Chuck has spent decades enriching the theater scene in Chicago and beyond," said Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth. "And while his repertoire as a director is wide, it is when he takes on the work of another legend—August Wilson—that the measure of his impact is most deeply felt. To have him revisit this seminal Chicago work in our theater's Centennial Season feels right in every way."

It's 1927 Chicago, and Ma Rainey (E. Faye Butler), "The Mother of the Blues," takes her time getting ready to record. Tensions and temperatures rise as the musicians recount tales of rage, joy, betrayal and faith in astonishing stories and a heart-stopping climax. Chicago legends Chuck Smith and Harry J. Lennix reunite to make magic again with a "genuine American masterpiece" (Chicago Reader).

SPECIAL EVENTS

Ma Rainey's Black Affinity Night
April 10 | 6pm
Tickets: $50 (event + show admission)

This pre-show event is designed for those who identify as Black and offers a unique opportunity to explore the cultural roots and musical legacy that shaped the 1920s—and beyond. The evening will feature a Live DJ Set and conversation with Rae Taylor (DJ Rae Chardonnay), the 2025 DJ Scholar-in-Residence for the Renaissance Project. Use code BLACKAFFINITY when purchasing a ticket for this performance online.

College Night
April 22 | 6pm
Tickets: $13 (reception + show admission)

For less than the price of a movie ticket, college students are invited to experience Ma Rainey's Black Bottom—along with a pre-show reception including all-you-can-eat pizza, soda and a discussion with a member of Goodman's Artistic Team. Use code COLLEGE when purchasing a ticket for this performance online; a valid college ID will be required to pick up tickets at will call.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

August Wilson (April 27, 1945–October 2, 2005) authored Gem of the Ocean, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, The Piano Lesson, Seven Guitars, Fences, Two Trains Running, Jitney, King Hedley II and Radio Golf. These works explore the heritage and experience of African Americans, decade-by-decade, over the course of the twentieth century. His plays have been produced at regional theaters across the country and all over the world, as well as on Broadway. In 2003, Mr. Wilson made his professional stage debut in his one-man show, How I Learned What I Learned. Mr. Wilson's works garnered many awards including Pulitzer Prizes for Fences (1987)and The Piano Lesson (1990); a Tony Award for Fences; Great Britain's Olivier Aware for Jitney; as well as eight New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Fences, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, The Piano Lesson, Two Trains Running, Seven Guitars, Jitney and Radio Golf. Additionally, the cast recording of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom received a 1985 Grammy Award, and Mr. Wilson received a 1995 Emmy Award nomination for his screenplay adaptation of The Piano Lesson. Mr. Wilson's early works included the one-act plays The Janitor, Recycle, The Coldest Day of the Year, Malcolm X, The Homecoming and the musical satire Black Bart and the Sacred Hills. Mr. Wilson received many fellowships and awards, including Rockefeller and Guggenheim Fellowships in Playwrighting, The Whiting Writers Award, 2003 Heinz Award, was awarded a 1999 National Humanities Medal by the President of the United States and received numerous honorary degrees from colleges and universities, as well as the only high school diploma ever issued by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. He was an alumnus of New Dramatists, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a 1995 inductee into the American Academy of Arts and Letters and on October 16, 2005, Broadway renamed the theater located at 245 West 52nd Street The August Wilson Theatre. Additionally, Mr. Wilson was posthumously inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame in 2007.

Chuck Smith is The Goodman Family Resident Director, Board of Trustees member and resident director at the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe in Sarasota. Mr. Smith's Goodman credits include Objects in the Mirror, Two Trains Running, Pullman Porter Blues, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark and The Amen Corner, among many others. He also served as dramaturg for the Goodman's world-premiere of August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean. Regionally and locally, he has directed at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Seattle Repertory Theatre, MPAACT, American Blues, Black Ensemble Theatre, and Congo Square Theatre Company, among others. Mr. Smith is an Emmy Award-winner, a recipient of the Paul Robeson Award and was the 2001 Chicago Tribune Chicagoan of the Year.  

Harry J. Lennix is a distinguished film, television stage actor and producer. He returns to Goodman Theatre following productions of Inherit the Wind, August Wilson's How I Learned What I Learned (produced by Congo Square in association with The Goodman) and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, directed by Chuck Smith. Recently at Steppenwolf Theatre, he appeared in Purpose. He also appeared in Purpose on Broadway and was Tony-nominated in the Lead Actor in a Play category. He starred for 10 seasons on NBC's The Blacklist. Moviegoers know Lennix from The Justice League, Man of Steel, Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice, The Matrix: Reloaded, The Matrix: Revolutions, Ray and The Five Heartbeats. Lennix also recurred for 7 seasons on the Showtime series Billions. Lennix made his Broadway debut in Radio Golf. He has directed A Small Oak Tree Runs Red, The Five Heartbeats and The Glass Menagerie. He has starred in King Hedley II at the Mark Taper Forum and in 2001 he played in Cymbeline for Theatre for a New Audience at the Royal Shakespeare Company. In July 2014, Lennix created Exponent Media Group.

Cast of August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (in alphabetical order)

Directed by Chuck Smith

Associate/Music Director Harry J. Lennix

Scott Aiello...Policeman/US Sturdyvant 
David Alan Anderson...Cutler 
E. Faye Butler...Ma Rainey 
Matt DeCaro...Sturdy 
Marc Grapey...Irvin 
Tiffany Renee Johnson...Dussie Mae 
Jabari Khaliq...Sylvester 
Al'Jaleel McGhee...Levee 
Kelvin Roston Jr....Toledo 
Cedric Young...Slow Drag

Understudies include Wydetta Carter (Ma Rainey), Robert Cornelius (Toledo), Isis Elizabeth (Dussie Mae), Patrick Newson Jr. (Levee/Sylvester), Joseph Primes (Slow Drag/Cutler) and Ron E. Rains (Irvin/Policeman).

CREATIVE TEAM

Co-Sound Designer...Michael Bodeen 
Co-Sound Designer...Rob Milburn 
Costume Designer...Evelyn Danner 
Lighting Designer...Jared Gooding 
Set Designer...Linda Buchanan 
Intimacy and Violence...Greg Geffrard
Vocal Coach...Marie Ramirez Downing
Bass Coach...Anderson Edwards 
Line Producer...Malkia Stampley 
Intimacy and Violence Assistant...Chels Morgan 
Assistant Director...Lo Williams 
Assistant Lighting Designer...Trey Brazeal

Casting is by Lauren Port, CSA. Neena Arndt is the Dramaturg. Angela Adams is the Production Stage Manager. Imani Ross is the Stage Manager.

ENHANCED AND ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES

Visit GoodmanTheatre.org/Access for more information about The Goodman's accessibility efforts.

ASL-Interpreted...April 17 at 7:30pm – An ASL interpreter signs the action/text as played. 
Audio-Described...April 18 at 2pm; Touch Tour; 12:30pm – Action audibly enhanced via headset. 
Spanish-Subtitled...April 18 at 7:30pm – Spanish-translated dialogue via LED sign.
Open-Captioned...April 19 at 2pm – LED sign presents dialogue in sync with the performance.

ABOUT THE GOODMAN

Since 1925, The Goodman has been more than a stage. A theatrical home for artists and a gathering space for community, it's where stories come to life—bold in artistry and rich in history, deeply rooted in the city it serves.

Led by Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins, The Goodman sparks conversation, connection and change through new plays, reimagined classics and large-scale musicals. With distinctions including nearly 200 world or American premieres, two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and nearly 200 Joseph Jefferson Awards, The Goodman is proud to be the first theater to produce all 10 plays of August Wilson's "American Century Cycle." In addition, the theater frequently serves as a production partner—with national and international companies to Chicago's Off-Loop theaters—to help amplify theatrical voices.

But The Goodman believes a more empathetic, more connected Chicago is created one story at a time, and counts as its greatest legacy the community it's built. Generation-spanning productions and programs offer theater for a lifetime; from Theater for the Very Young (plays designed for ages 0-5) to the long-running annual A Christmas Carol, which has introduced new generations to theater over five decades, The Goodman is committed to being an asset for all of Chicago. Education and Engagement programs led by Clifford Director of Education and Engagement Jared Bellot and housed in the Alice Rapoport Center use the tools of theater to spark imagination, reflection and belonging. Each year, these programs reach thousands of people (85% from underserved communities) as well as educators, artists and lifelong learners across the city.

The Goodman stands on the unceded homelands of the Council of the Three Fires—the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations—and acknowledges the many other Nations for whom this land now called Chicago has long been home, including the Myaamia, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Wea, Kickapoo, and Mascouten. The Goodman is proud to partner with the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum (Gichigamiin-Museum.org) and the Center for Native Futures (CenterForNativeFutures.org)—organizations devoted to honoring Indigenous stories, preserving cultural memory, and deepening public understanding.

The Goodman was founded by William O. Goodman and his family to honor the memory of Kenneth Sawyer Goodman—a visionary playwright whose bold ideas helped shape Chicago's early cultural renaissance. That spirit of creativity and generosity endures today. In 2000, through the commitment of Mr. Goodman's descendants—Albert Ivar Goodman and his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton—The Goodman opened the doors to its current home in the heart of the Loop.

Marsha Cruzan is Chair of the Goodman Theatre Board of Trustees; Diane Landgren is Women's Board President; and Kelli Garcia is president of the Scenemakers Board for Young Professionals. 

[producingbody] is pleased to announce the Chicago premiere of Spaceman, by Leegrid Stevens and directed by Eric Slater, May 19 - June 13, at The Edge Off-Broadway, 1133 W. Catalpa Ave. The running time is 100 minutes with no intermission. Previews are Tuesday, May 19 and Wednesday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m., performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 5 p.m. Ticket prices are $15-45. Tickets go on sale Friday, April 3 at 12 p.m. at producingbody.com.

In Spaceman, the difficulties of interplanetary space travel are explored in exacting detail throughout this one-woman, sci-fi odyssey. Radiation exposure, long term weightlessness, low light, extensive communication delays and poor hygiene are just a few of the challenges astronaut Molly Jennis must face as the first human to visit Mars. But she soon finds nothing compares to the psychological effects of having so much time alone. Time spent mulling over the decisions she has made and what might be waiting for her when she finally reaches her destination.

The cast of Spaceman includes Ashley Neal (she/her, Molly Jennis); Allyce Torres (she/her, ensemble puppeteer/Ares) and Amy Carpenter (she/her, Molly Jennis U/S).

The production team includes Leegrid Stevens (he/him, playwright); Eric Slater (he/him, director); Amy Carpenter (she/her, executive producer); Taylor Dalton (she/her, executive producer/set design/costume design); Angela Joy Baldasare (she/her, sound designer) and Garrett Bell (he/him, lighting designer).  

ABOUT LEEGRID STEVENS, playwright

Leegrid Stevens is a Texas raised, Brooklyn based playwright, composer and sound designer. Leegrid’s recent productions include The Trojans (2025 @thecell), War Dreamer (2023 @wild project), A Peregrine Falls (2020 @wild project), Spaceman (2019 @wild project), The Dudleys! (2018 @herearts), Mesquite, NV (2017 @workshop theater) and The Twelfth Labor. Leegrid is the co-founder with Erin Treadway of Loading Dock Theatre which has received multiple awards over their history including two Drama Desk nominations for their production of Spaceman and 6x Henry Hewes design nominations for their most recent production, The Trojans. Leegrid is also an award-winning sound designer (B. Iden Payne Award & NYIT Award for The Dudleys, NYIT sound design for Spaceman). Hailed as “hugely gifted” by the New Yorker’s Helen Shaw, Leegrid is also the co-author of a fantasy novel series, “Fall”, with Craig Bridger.

ABOUT ERIC SLATER, Director

Eric Slater (Director/ Houston) is an actor, writer and director based in Chicago, and is truly honored to return to Spaceman for its Chicago Premiere. He was the voice of Houston in the play's inaugural production at The Martha Graham Studio in NYC. Chicago credits include: Inherit the Wind, The Cherry Orchard, This Happened Once At The Romance Depot Off i-87 in Westchester, Support Group For Men, Smokefall, Feathers And Teeth (Goodman); The Doppelganger (an international farce) (Steppenwolf); Tiny Beautiful Things, Hand To God (Victory Gardens); Small Jokes About Monsters (16th Street). Slater has been a member of the Rivendell Theatre Ensemble since 2005 and has worked on more than fifteen projects in that time including The Tasters, Cal In Camo, Alias Grace and Rasheeda Speaking. Off-Broadway: Juvenal Players (The Kitchen); The Dudley's: A Family Game! (Theatre for a New City); Our Greatest Year (Kraine & The Brick); Original cast of Gloryana (Workshop Production, The Public Theatre & The York Theater). Film: “Regret Like That”, “In The Flood”, “You Don’t Belong Here”, “Widows”, “The Try Out”. TV: ”Monster: The Ed Gein Story”, "Emperor of Ocean Park”, “Fargo”, “Chicago Fire”. He is a contributing member of the North Carolina based writing project; “The Nugents”. He has also written and directed his first film, “She Brought Us The Moon,” which is currently in post-production.

ABOUT ASHLEY NEAL, “Molly Jennis”

Ashley is thrilled to be working with [producingbody] for the first time! She was recently seen in Pivot at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble where she is a long time ensemble member. Ashley is also an ensemble member with First Floor Theater where she appeared in Evanston Salt Costs Climbing and Plano. Other stage credits include: The Cave (A Red Orchid), Evil Perfect (Bramble Theatre Company) and The Singularity Play (Jackalope Theatre). At Rivendell, she has done numerous shows including Scientific Method, Cal in Camo, Alias Grace, Wrens, These Shining Lives and more. Other theater credits include Killing Game, The Nether and A Red Handed Otter (A Red Orchid Theatre); Eric Argyle (Steep Theatre); Men Should Weep, London Wall and Stage Door (Griffin Theatre) as well as many more. She has appeared in many films and TV episodes including “Stuck”, “The Chi”, “Chicago Fire”, and more. She is represented by Big Mouth Talent and is a member of SAG. All my thanks to Lloyd and Ida Mae.

ABOUT ALLYCE TORRES, ensemble puppeteer/“Ares” 

Allie is an actor and puppeteer from San Diego, CA. She has worked with companies such as Steep, Chicago Children’s Theatre, 16th Street Theatre, Cabinet of Curiosity, Teatro Vista, The Passage, Lookingglass, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre and Red. She is thrilled to be returning to [producingbody] and is proudly represented by Big Mouth Talent.

ABOUT [producingbody]

Established in 2021, [producingbody] is a for-profit theatre company co-founded by Amy Carpenter and Taylor Dalton here in Chicago. [producingbody]’s first and foremost goal is to assert that artists and the work we make are necessary and inherently valuable, which is why any profit made on our productions is re-invested into the next process. We are acutely interested in negotiating discomfort; in challenging our limits, our artists and our audiences in the work we produce. We are motivated by artistic impossibility, in responsibility, in creative risk and collective reward.

It’s been more than a decade since Chicago Children’s Theatre presented Goodnight Moon, the popular musical about a bunny who doesn’t want to go to bed, based on the beloved picture book by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrator Clement Hurd.

But this Spring, Bunny is coming back to Chicago Children’s Theatre in an all-new way. This time, to celebrate the company’s 20th Anniversary season finale, Bunny will be “in the house.”

CCT’s 20th Anniversary production of Goodnight Moon will feature an all-new, immersive scenic design that will invite audiences for a primary-colored play date right inside Bunny’s bedroom. There, on an environmental set, both kids and parents will enjoy catchy songs, delightful dancing, the humorous antics of a very nocturnal bunny, and the quiet poetry of the iconic tale.

Immerse YOUR family in the world of Goodnight Moon. Public performances are April 11-June 7, 2026, Saturday and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.* 

Tickets are $47.25 and on sale at chicagochildrenstheatre.org. Purchase early, as many shows will sell out. Goodnight Moon runs approximately 75 minutes. This show is recommended for all ages. Call CCT Guest Services, (312) 374-8835, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to learn about additional discounts for schools, playgroups, birthday parties and scouting groups. 

*Schedule exceptions: No 11:30 a.m. show Saturday, April 11. No 9:30 a.m. shows Sunday, May 3 and May 17. Added 2 p.m. matinee Sunday, May 3.)

New in 2025-26, Chicago Children’s Theatre has introduced a “20 tickets for $20” 20th Anniversary Lottery. Patrons can enter once per production and drawings will happen each week with the winners receiving their special offer (maximum four tickets per patron).

Chicago Children’s Theatre, a “no shushing” theater, is located at 100 S. Racine Ave., at Monroe, in the heart of Chicago's West Loop, minutes from
I-90 and I-290, downtown and Ashland Avenue. Free, onsite parking is available on the south side of the building. Free street parking can be found nearby on weekends, or try the Impark parking lot, 1301 W. Madison St.

Black Ensemble Theater opens its 50^th Anniversary Season with the return of the celebrated musical The Jackie Wilson Story, written and directed by Founder & CEO Jackie Taylor. The production runs March 7-April 26, 2026, at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago. 

Information and tickets are available at www.blackensemble.org, (773) 769-4451 and at the Black Ensemble Theater Box Office, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago.

Founder, CEO and writer/director of The Jackie Wilson Story Jackie Taylor states, "Throughout the past 50 years, Black Ensemble Theater has welcomed audiences to celebrate Black excellence, history, and artistry through music and storytelling. The season opens with one of our trademark productions—The Jackie Wilson Story, showcasing the story, music, and dance moves of one of our greatest entertainers.  As one of Black Ensemble's biggest hit productions of the past five decades, we welcome back old friends and encourage new audiences to discover the life and legacy of Jackie Wilson.

Originally premiering at Black Ensemble Theater in 2000, The Jackie Wilson Story began a highly successful national tour in 2002, including a record-breaking run at the legendary Apollo Theater in New York. In 2012, The Jackie Wilson Story made history once again by opening the new Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center.

The Jackie Wilson Story chronicles the rise and fall of the legendary R&B singer, known as "Mr. Excitement," from his early hits like "Reet Petite" to his tragic death in 1984. With Black Ensemble's signature live band, the musical features over 20 classics, including "Lonely Teardrops," "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher," "To Be Loved," and "Baby Workout." This award-winning production continues its remarkable legacy as it opens the 50th Anniversary Season. Experience this thrilling tribute to the most dynamic and electrifying entertainer of all time,

The cast includes: Jaitee Thomas (Jackie Wilson), Destin Warner (BB), Rhonda Preston (Eliza Mae Wilson), Britt Edwards (Freda/Ensemble), Solomon Langley (Sam Cooke/Ensemble), Dennis Dent (Ensemble), Vincent Jordan (Ensemble), Michaela Dukes (Harlene /Ensemble), Raeven Carroll-Lavern (Baker/Ensemble), Ben Woods (Ensemble), Kelcy Taylor (understudy) and Courtney Driver (understudy).

The musicians are: Musical Director Robert Reddrick (drums), Adam Sherrod (keys), Oscar Brown Jr (guitar), Walter Harrington (bass), Corey Wilkes (trumpet), Bill McFarland (trombone), and Mark Felton (saxophone).

Performances are Fridays at 8:00pm, Saturdays at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $69 (fees included). Valet parking is available for $13 (cash only).

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats remains one of musical theatre’s most distinctive creations - a sung‑through, dance‑driven spectacle that swaps traditional plot for atmosphere, character portraits, and pure theatrical immersion. Drawn from T. S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, the musical unfolds as a moonlit gathering of the Jellicle tribe, each feline stepping forward to claim the spotlight before the climactic “Jellicle Choice,” when one is chosen for rebirth into the Heaviside Layer – a new life. Its unconventional structure, eclectic score, and iconic choreography helped define the mega-musical era, earning Cats major awards and record‑breaking runs in both London and New York. And now it’s here!

To kick off their 2026 season, Music Theater Works brings Cats to the North Theatre in the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, offering Chicago audiences a fresh trip into the Jellicle universe. It’s the perfect time to pounce on this legendary musical - whether you’re drawn by its nostalgia, its high‑energy movement, or the simple delight of watching a community of cats chase belonging and second chances.

Cats has always been one of my very favorite Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals, and revisiting it reminds me why. Its blend of atmosphere, movement, and character‑driven storytelling creates a world that feels both whimsical and strangely profound – a world that is so easy to get lost in.

What continues to give Cats its staying power is the blend of spectacle and emotional resonance. While much of the evening plays as a parade of emotionally grounded ensemble-anchored numbers - playful, mischievous, or grand - the heart of the piece rests with Grizabella (magnificently played in this production by Ava Lane Stovall), the faded glamour cat whose ballad “Memory” became a global standard. The production’s emphasis on movement, atmosphere, and immersive world‑building over traditional linear storytelling makes Cats both polarizing and unforgettable, and its decades‑long staying power proves just how deeply that approach resonates across generations. Music Theater Works captures that essence beautifully, channeling the show’s dreamlike logic and ritualistic energy in a way that feels both faithful and freshly imagined.

Astutely directed and choreographed by Mandy Modic, Music Theater Works makes inventive use of the North Shore Center’s intimate space, transforming nearly every nook and cranny into part of the Jellicle playground. The result is a production where activity seems to spark from every direction, creating a sense of constant motion that borders on ingenious. From the moment the show begins - after a playful prelude of cat videos on a large TV - the cast emerges in the dark, parading down the aisles with glowing cat‑eye glasses that immediately pull the audience into their world. Throughout the performance, strategically placed perches and platforms scattered around the theater keep the action mere inches away, giving some audience members the rare thrill of being fully surrounded by the Jellicle tribe. Though I’ve seen Cats countless times in both the Chicagoland area and New York, this production may well be the one that connected with me the most.

(Center) Ethan Lupp as “Rum Tum Tugger” and members of the cast of CATS in CATS from Music Theater Works, now playing through March 29 at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie.

Sam Nachison brings a commanding warmth to Old Deuteronomy, balancing authority with compassion and grounding the production with a rich, resonant baritone in his self‑titled number. Stovall, meanwhile, delivers a vocally commanding, show‑stopping “Memory” in Act II - an emotional high point that pierced my heart and gave me chills. But what truly elevates this production is how deep the talent runs throughout the ensemble. Whether it’s the big, full‑company showstoppers, the sly, feline physicality woven into every corner of the stage, or the sheer joy of numbers like “Magical Mister Mistoffelees,” the cast proves endlessly engaging. Group sequences such as “Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats” and “Journey to the Heaviside Layer” showcase a company working in complete synchronicity, creating moment after moment that dazzles. The memorable beats are as abundant as the cats roaming the theater, each one adding to a production overflowing with energy, precision, and charm.

Throughout the performance, I found myself drawn to different performers at different moments, captivated by their vocals, their movement, and the sheer feline energy they brought to the stage. The ensemble’s commitment was so complete that no matter where I looked, someone was doing something compelling, clever, or beautifully in character. That sense of constant discovery carried straight into the show’s physical feats - from aerial acrobatics to Morgan Schoenecker’s crisp tap breaks as Jennyanydots and even the unexpected skating sequences led by Danny Spagnuolo as Skimbleshanks - making the production a steady stream of surprises. Add in the constant, playful eye contact from cats prancing through the aisles, and every moment feels enchanting - alive with movement, mischief, and immersive detail.

Nick Johnson’s Munkustrap grounds the entire production with a steady, commanding presence, guiding the ensemble and shaping the rhythm of the evening. He moves through the show with an effortless authority - part narrator, part guardian - setting both the emotional and musical pace while keeping the Jellicle world anchored. In doing so, he opens the door for the production’s standout moments to land with even greater impact - and never far from that spotlight is Emma Jean Eastlund’s Bombalurina, slipping in with charisma and precision alongside the rest of the talented ensemble.

Ava Lane Stovall as “Grizabella” in CATS from Music Theater Works. Phots by Brett Beiner.

Another moment that stayed with me was John Cardone’s moving rendition of “Gus: The Theatre Cat.” As Asparagus, he delivers this bittersweet, nostalgic reflection of an aging performer looking back on the glory days of his career. The ache of the number comes from the gap between who Gus once was and who he has become - an actor with a shabby coat, trembling paws, and memories of a time when he was the “terror to mice.” Cardone leans into that fragility with such sincerity that the song lands as both a tribute and a quiet heartbreak.

And from that intimate moment, the production expands back into the vibrant world of the Jellicles. The cats themselves are incredible - brought to life with remarkable clarity thanks to the production’s outstanding creative team. Much of that magic stems from the meticulous work of hair, wig, and makeup designers Megan E. Pirtle and Melanie Saso, whose transformations give each performer a distinct feline identity, and from the richly textured costumes crafted by kClare McKellaston and wardrobe head Kristen Brinati, which add depth, personality, and visual cohesion to the entire tribe. Together, their contributions shape a world so vivid and fully realized that the characters feel as if they’ve stepped straight out of Eliot’s imagination and into the audience’s laps. Credit belongs to every corner of the creative team, from scenic design to sound to lighting, all working together to shape an atmosphere that feels nothing short of Jellicle heaven. Their combined artistry turns the space into a fully realized world - mystical, inviting, and alive with detail - so the audience is immersed from the moment the first cat appears. Every technical element works in harmony to envelop the audience in this moonlit world - sets that invite exploration, sound that wraps around the room, and lighting that shifts the space from mystical to electric in an instant. The result is a production that manages to be both haunting and joyfully alive, lingering in the imagination long after the final note.

What I appreciated most about this rich and colorful production is how it reflects the moment we’re living in. At a time when the world feels unsteady, we’re each our own special kind of “cat,” carrying unique talents and flaws, and offering up our personal histories - our triumphs and our losses to each other our fellow "cats" - as the curtain of world seems to be falling around us. Yet, in that shared vulnerability, we find the strength to realize that as long as we keep supporting one another, the light never truly goes out.

Purr‑fect, meow‑velous, pawsitively delightful, downright meow‑gical - take your pick! Every one of them fits this production like a cat in a sunbeam.

Music Theatre Works’ Cats is being performed at the North Theatre in the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts through March 29^th. For tickets and/or more show information visit https://www.musictheaterworks.com/2026-season/cats/.

Highly Recommended.

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

Asian American Arts Chicago (AAAC) announces the Festival schedule and that tickets are now on sale for EVOLUTION: Asian American Arts Festival, Saturday, May 2 from 12 - 8 p.m. and Sunday, May 3 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. at the historic Lookingglass Theatre’s Water Tower Water Works, 163 E. Pearson St. at Michigan Ave. EVOLUTION: Asian American Arts Festival is a two-day celebration of the transformation and creativity of Asian American, Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiians in Chicago and includes more than 125 artists and performers, from a variety of disciplines including dance, theatre, interactive art displays, film and music and a food and craft market representing the community. The complete festival schedule is now available at AAAC.art with tickets, $25 - $120, online, in-person and Festival Passes, are available at AAAC.art. 

Asian American Arts Chicago’s mission statement is to support and amplify artistic expression from the Asian American diaspora in Chicago, Illinois. AAAC produces festivals, performances and supports a database of Asian American identified artists to provide better representation, equity and opportunity.

“Chicago has the fifth largest Asian American population in America and we’re the fastest growing group in Chicago and nationally. Yet, as a Korean American performing artist for more than 25 years in Chicago, I wasn't given the same opportunities as my peers,” said Executive Producer Mia Park. “This Festival creates space for Asian American, Pacific Island, and Native Hawaiian makers and creators to showcase their work and connect. The aim of the festival is to amplify and celebrate these voices.”

Producer Seoyoung Park adds, “As an Asian-identifying female artist based in Chicago, I’m excited that this festival will bring together Asian American, Pacific Island and Native Hawaiian artists and audiences to celebrate creativity and connection. It’s an important step toward building a stronger, more unified community.”

Highlights of Chicago’s brightest talents participating in EVOLUTION currently include:

Saturday, May 2

Festival hours: 12 - 8 p.m.

Upstairs 

12 - 8 p.m. 

Vendor/Music: Henna Zamurd Butt

12:15 p.m. (60+ minute showcase)

Spoken Word Showcase: Lisa Low, Randy Kim, Sofia Javed

1:45 p.m. (30+ minute showcase)

Theatre Showcase: Catherine Yu, Zihan Xiong, Zachary Series, Aqdas Aftab, Tanima

2:45 p.m. (45 minute performance)

Performance Lecture: Olivier 

4 p.m. (30 minute performance)

Multimedia Dance: Noori, Wannapa P-Eubanks

4:45 p.m. (40 minute performance)

Theatre: Rusty Allen

5:45 p.m. (40+ minute showcase)

Standup Comedy Showcase: William Paik, Bok Joy, Yzzy Zarate, Jerry Tran

6:45 p.m. (55 minute showcase)

Films by KT Wester, Leena Kurishingal, Christina Seo 

Downstairs

12:30 p.m. (45 minute performance)

Live Music: Sona Umbra

2 p.m. (45 minute performance)

Live Music: Kay tear

3 p.m. (30 minute showcase)

Dance Showcase: Preeti Veerlapati, Vrisa Odedra, Mustafa Anwar 

4:30 p.m. (15 minute performance)

Performance: AiRos 頌恩 medill

5 p.m. (40 minute performance)

Live Music: My Little Realities

6 p.m. (15+ minute showcase)

Drag: Twinka Masala, Tiffany Miller

Audiences are encouraged to bring dollar bills to tip the performers. 

7 p.m. (30 minute performance)

Live Music: Ochin Pakhi

Sunday, May 3, 2026

Festival hours: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Upstairs

10:15 a.m. (40 minute performance)

Theatre Solo Show: Lauren Kee

11 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

Pop-Up Book Workshop: Jaerin Son

11:30 a.m. (30 minute performance)

Theatre Solo Show: Huy Nguyen

12:30 p.m. (60 minute performance)

Theatre Solo Show: Kento Morita

2 p.m. (45 minute showcase)

Film Showcase: Hannah Ii-Epstein, Okyoung Noh, Asuka Lin

3 p.m. (40 minute showcase)

Spoken Word Showcase: Ada Cheng, Jeannie Hua, Ivy McPherson

4 p.m. (20 minute performance)

Solo Performance: Xiaolu Wang

4:45 p.m. (60 minute showcase)

Comedy Showcase: Becca Nix Tham, Mantra, Stir Friday Night 

Downstairs

Flashmob Dance: Ajumma Rising

10:15 a.m. (20+ minute performance)

Music: Treblemakers

11:30 a.m. (45 minute performance)

Music: Dawn Xiana Moon 

1 p.m. (40 minute performance)

Music: Steven Cristi Music 

2 p.m. (10 minute performance)

Tap Dance: Megan Davis, Martin Bronson, Tristan Bruns

3 p.m. (20 minute performance)

Dance: IS/LAND with Qū Jié, Olivia Lemmenes, Tuli Bera

4 p.m. (45 minute performance)

Music: Sierra Sikora Music 

5 p.m. (30 minute performance)

Music: SamaSama Project 

Highlighted performances include:

• Sierra Sikora is a 19-year old Filipino American guitarist and singer songwriter making huge waves

• Native Hawaiian Hannah Ii-Epstein is artistic director of Nothing Without a Company and presents her short film 

• Korean American puppeteer and artist Jaerin Son presents an interactive workshop teaching festival goers how to create their own pop-up books, and displays her handmade puppets

• Jerry Tran is a Vietnamese American comedian who produces and hosts comedy shows at First Sip Cafe, a longtime staple in Chicago’s historic Argyle neighborhood

• Twinka Masala is an award-winning drag king who hosts South Asian and Middle Eastern drag shows and facilitates drag workshops

• Kirin Kane is a queer multiracial AAPINH person who uses mixed media sculpture and installation to investigate the intricacies of cultural belonging.

2D/3D Art: Images of fine art will be displayed in rotation on a monitor in the upstairs lobby throughout the festival. Expect multiple images from these fine artists: Aireen Arellano, Kirin Kane, Bazigha Khan, Jenny Lam, Heather Marcum and Donna Noel.

Highlighted food and craft market vendors for EVOLUTION currently include:

• Food vendor Pink Mu makes fresh Korea kimbap, triangle kimbap and korean-style rice krispies daily

• Banato is a women-owned company making fruit based beverages and fruit based popsicles. Banato will sell out of their happy yellow food cart

• The Punk Rock Stitcher is Sam Riesmeyer who hand embroiders dragons using Chinese silk. Their designs are inspired by traditional Chinese art and contemporary tattoo artists

• Shayne Draws Food is craft vendor Shayne Chammavanijakul, a Thai-American food writer and illustrator whose work explores culture, identity, and nostalgia through the lens of food

• Henna Zamurd Butt is an East African Asian artist who sells small-batch functional and sculptural ceramics alongside a selection of cyanotype and hand-printed works.

*Performers, artists, vendors, etc. subject to change.

EVOLUTION: Asian American Arts Festival Ticket Information:

Limited tickets will be sold online and provide priority entrance to the Festival. All tickets include Festival souvenirs, access to live performances, interactive art displays and the food and craft market. If entry lines form due to venue capacity, online ticket holders will have priority entry. Walk-up tickets will be available as capacity permits. Guests may check the AAAC Instagram account story for live updates on festival admission at @AAArtsChicago. 

Online tickets

$120 VIP ticket includes handcrafted gourmet pastry, festival photograph, festival souvenirs, attendance to all performances, access to the food + craft marketplace and re-entry permitted

$65 One-day Pass includes festival photograph, festival souvenirs, attendance to all performances, access to the food + craft marketplace and re-entry permitted

$35 General Admission includes festival souvenirs, attendance to all performances, access to the food + craft marketplace with no re-entry permitted $30

Students ages 13 years and older with ID includes festival souvenirs, attendance to all performances, access to the food + craft marketplace with no re-entry permitted

$25 Children ages 5 - 12 years must be accompanied by an adult. Please note that there may be performances or art work intended for mature audiences. 

The EVOLUTION: Asian American Arts Festival Leadership includes:

Executive Producer Mia Park has been a polymath creative force in Chicago for over thirty years. Acting highlights include TV shows “Chicago Med,” “Chicago Fire,” “Chicago PD,” “Shameless,” and “Empire.” Theatre credits include Goodman Theatre and Court Theatre. Music credits include Chicago’s only Asian American female rock band, Kim, The Miyumi Project and Panda Panda. Creative producing credits include founding A-Squared Theatre Workshop, producing the national Asian American Theatre Festival, APIDA Arts Festival, Covers for Cover music fundraising series and Old Town School of Folk Music programming. Park teaches taiji and yoga, is an adjunct professor at The Theatre School at DePaul University and teaches acting at the Second City Training Center.

Producer Seoyoung Park is an actor, theatre director, educator and producer of AAAC’s EVOLUTION Festival. Born and raised in Seoul, she considers Chicago her second home. Recent acting credits include Seattle Rep’s The Heart Sellers, Northlight Theatre’s The Heart Sellers (2025 Jeff nomination, Performer in a Principal Role), and TUTA Theatre’s Attempts on Her Life (2024 Jeff, Best Ensemble), Tom&Eliza and The Long Christmas Dinner. She directed TUTA Theatre’s Lab Performance Three Horse Men. She is a member of TUTA Theatre Company, an Artistic Coalition member of Artemisia Theatre and the executive director of Alien Theatre Company. She holds an MFA in acting from DePaul University and a B.A. and M.A. in acting from Chung-Ang University. 

Other Festival leaders include photographer and film documentary director Kelly Ngo from Chromatone, a creative studio that specializes in the commercial space, particularly in food and beverages. Ngo is a Vietnamese-American photographer, storyteller and creative director based in Chicago and draws inspiration from quiet observation, color and form and the emotional undercurrents of everyday life.

Aimee Alker is the vendor manager for EVOLUTION and served on the play selection committee for the APIDA Arts Festival. A Chicago-based writer and editor, she's spent years immersed in the Asian American arts community, performing with Circa-Pintig, A-Squared Theatre Workshop and the Nara Movement Project. She’s currently working on a writing project and is thrilled to champion fellow AAPI artists to help shape a festival that feels vibrant and deeply rooted in the community.

Anthony Nguyen is a Vietnamese American concert/live performance photographer who served on the Festival Selection Committee. He is a staff photographer for Riot Fest and Chicago Theatre and an attorney with entertainment and business law experience.

ABOUT ASIAN AMERICAN ARTS CHICAGO

Asian American Arts Chicago is a not-for-profit organization. The mission of the Asian American Arts Chicago Festival is to amplify and unify Asian, Pacific Island and Native Hawaiian artists in Chicago by showcasing their work at premier cultural institutions, providing greater representation, equity and opportunity.

By showcasing and bringing together the creativity and imagination of Asian, Pacific Island and Native Hawaiian, AAAC Festival envisions a strong and sustainable AAPINH arts community that is an integral presence in Chicago’s culture - evocative of our past, declarative of our present and innovative towards our future. The programming includes a self-populated artist directory, networking events and a festival dedicated to AAAC.

Filament Theatre, the Northwest Side's premier theater for young audiences, is delighted to present the world premiere of Farewell Opportunity from May 2-17, 2026. Commissioned by Filament Theatre in 2019 and written by local Chicago playwright Georgette Kelly, Farewell Opportunity tells the story of Halley, who visits the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab and meets the Opportunity Mars rover. The two have something in common: a curious spirit and a shortened life expectancy. Halley and the NASA scientist in charge of the Mars mission find themselves transformed by an unlikely friendship—with each other, and with a rolling robot millions of miles away. With poetic language and magical realism, Farewell Opportunity explores the question "How do you keep on roving when you—or someone you love—faces a dust storm that threatens to block out the sun?"

Associate Director of Advancement, Julia Stemper, shares, "Filament is honored to showcase this gorgeous piece to young people. Communicating a message about life's temporariness to young audiences is both tremendously delicate and important. Georgette Kelly does this beautifully in her script – with wonder, magic, and creativity. We are looking forward to seeing the impact it has on both new and familiar families visiting Filament for this production."

Farewell Opportunity will be performed on Wednesdays at 10 AM, Saturdays at 11 AM & 2 PM, and Sundays at 2 PM & 6 PM.  Previews will be held April 25-April 29. All ages welcome, best enjoyed by ages 5+. School and community group pricing available. Tickets at www.filamenttheatre.org. To inquire about school field trips or group buy-outs, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Farewell Opportunity

By Georgette Kelly

Directed by Raquel Torre

ABOUT FILAMENT THEATRE: 

Filament Theatre, on Chicago's Northwest Side, has been creating innovative theater for young audiences since 2007, serving thousands of families annually, often at no cost, through theatre programming, camps, school residencies, and classes. The mission of Filament Theatre is to create a more equitable society by celebrating and amplifying the perspectives and experiences of young people through the performing arts. Creating immersive and site-specific theatre that inspires, empowers, and activates young people and their communities, Filament's unique production process welcomes young people into the room as essential collaborators.  Filament imagines a world where young people are the experts and adults are the allies working to build a more just world for all. As the only theatre of its kind in Chicago, Filament is a vital home for innovative artists and young people finding and using their power through the performing arts. Awards: TYA Artistic Innovation Award - FORTS: Build Your Own Adventure (2025), Chicago Tribune Best Off-Loop Theatre (2016), Illinois Theatre Association Award of Excellence in Theatre for Young Audiences (2020), Bayless Family Foundation Stepping Stone Grant Recipient (2022). 

Filament Theatre is partially supported by Mark Edelman Theater Fund at the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City, a CityArts grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Illinois Arts Council, and more.