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Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation's premier ensemble theater company, is pleased to announce full casting for its world premiere of Windfall, a gripping new work by Academy Award-winning ensemble member Tarell Alvin McCraney, directed by Awoye Timpo.

Windfall reunites ensemble members Alana Arenas, Glenn Davis and Jon Michael Hill, who starred in Steppenwolf's Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Purpose, joined by ensemble member Namir Smallwood, direct from his Broadway turn in Bug. Rounding out the cast, Steppenwolf welcomes Esco Jouléy (Dying for Sex) and Michael Potts (The Wire, The Piano Lesson–Broadway), both in their Steppenwolf debuts.

Continuing Steppenwolf's 50^th Anniversary Season, Windfall will play April 9 – May 31, 2026 in Steppenwolf's Ensemble Theater, 1646 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. Single tickets are now on sale at steppenwolf.org or the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. 

About the Production:

This is a story about money. Don't let them fool you otherwise. When a father loses his child in a clash with the police, he is visited by three strangers who advise him to take the city's cash settlement, relocate and forget his grief – or else remain, haunted by memories of the world his child fought so hard to protect. This lyrical world premiere is a vital and timely look at the spirit of activism set against the most indifferent system of them all: the almighty dollar.

Steppenwolf Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis comment, "When we commissioned ensemble member Tarell Alvin McCraney to write a new play specifically built for our in-the-round Ensemble Theater as a centerpiece of Steppenwolf's 50th season, we weren't sure what he'd create. But, given that Tarell is one of the most talented writers of his generation, we were not at all surprised that he delivered a stunning, lyrical and undeniably bold script. This is a play for our moment, for our city, tailor-made for an ensemble cast and this unique venue. We eagerly anticipate sharing this vital Chicago story with our community."

The creative team includes Andrew Boyce (Scenic Design), Qween Jean (Costume Design), Jason Lynch (Lighting Design), Willow James (Sound Design), Marie Ramirez Downing (Dialect and Voice Coach), Bryar Barborka (Dramaturg), Patrick Zakem (Creative Producer), Tom Pearl (Producing Director), JC Clementz, CSA (Casting), Michelle Medvin (Production Stage Manager) and Kathleen Barrett (Assistant Stage Manager). For full cast and creative team bios, click here.

Production Details:

Title: Windfall
Playwright: ensemble member Tarell Alvin McCraney
Director: Awoye Timpo
Cast: ensemble members Alana Arenas (First Lady, Second Wife, Miss Second, The Last One) Glenn Davis (Marcus), Jon Michael Hill (Nurse, Cori) and Namir Smallwood (Officer, Brother 1) with Esco Jouléy (Eli) and Michael Potts (Henri 'Mr. Mano' Tamaño).

Location: Steppenwolf's Ensemble Theater, 1646 N. Halsted St., Chicago

Dates: Previews: Thursday, April 9 – Saturday, April 18, 2026
Opening: Sunday, April 19, 2026 at 6 pm
Regular run: Tuesday, April 21 – Sunday, May 31, 2026

Curtain Times: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 3 pm & 7:30 pm; and Sundays at 3 pm. Please note: there will not be 7:30 pm performances on Tuesday, April 14, Wednesday, April 22, Tuesday, April 28, Tuesday, May 5, Saturday, May 9 (Steppenwolf Gala) and Tuesday, May 26; there will not be at 3 pm performance on Saturday, May 9 (Steppenwolf Gala);; there will be an added 2 pm matinee on Wednesday, May 20.

Tickets: Single tickets for Windfall ($20 – $148.50*) are now on sale at steppenwolf.org and the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. Steppenwolf Flex Memberships are currently on sale at steppenwolf.org/memberships: Black Card Memberships with six tickets for use any time for any production and RED Card Memberships for theatergoers under 30. *Pricing includes an $8.50 handling fee

Steppenwolf offers 20 tickets for $20 (no added fees) for each performance of every membership series production. Use promo code 20FOR20 to redeem this offer online, available in advance until they're sold out for every main series show. Limit 2 tickets per person. You can also purchase by phone at (312) 335-1650 on the day-of show at 12 pm for main series performances. Limit 2 tickets per person.

Accessible Performance Dates:

Audio-Described and Touch Tour:  Sunday, May 24 at 3 pm (1:30 pm Touch Tour)
Open-Captioned: Saturday, May 16 at 3 pm & Thursday, May 21 at 7:30 pm
ASL-Interpreted: Friday, May 29 at 7:30 pm

Education and Engagement:

Throughout the 2025/26 season, Steppenwolf continues its commitment to the next generation of theatre learners, makers and appreciators with robust education and engagement programming. Programming includes dedicated student matinee performances during four of the five Membership Series productions including Mr. Wolf, Amadeus, The Dance of Death and Windfall, in-school residencies in partnership with Chicago Public schools, workshops, panels and events specifically geared towards teens, as well as professional development trainings and resources for educators. Additionally, Steppenwolf is reimagining their community engagement and will pilot new public programming, continue accessibility programming and offer opportunities for deeper explorations for audiences throughout the season. For additional information about Steppenwolf's Education and Engagement programming and to register your school for a field trip visit steppenwolf.org/education-and-engagement/steppenwolf-field-trip-series.

Artist Biographies:

Tarell Alvin McCraney (Playwright, he/him) is Artistic Director of Geffen Playhouse. In this role, he is responsible for identifying, developing and programming new works and re-envisioned classics. He sets the strategic artistic course for the Geffen's Gil Cates and Audrey Skirball Kenis Theaters. McCraney is an award-winning writer, producer and educator, best known for his acclaimed trilogy, The Brother/Sister Plays. His script In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue is the basis for the Oscar–winning film Moonlight directed by Barry Jenkins, for which McCraney and Jenkins also won a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar. He is an ensemble member at Steppenwolf Theatre and a member of Teo Castellanos D-Projects in Miami, a graduate of New World School of the Arts, The Theatre School at DePaul University and the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Warwick. He was recently Co-Chair of Playwriting at the David Geffen School of Drama, where he remains on faculty. He is an associate at the Royal Shakespeare Company, London, and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Writers Branch).

Awoye Timpo (Director) is a Brooklyn-based Director and Producer. She recently directed Ngozi Anyanwu's Leroy & Lucy at Steppenwolf. Her recent New York credits include The Swamp Dwellers by Wole Soyinka (TFANA), Syncing Ink by NSangou Njikam (Apollo Theater), Elyria by Deepa Purohit (Atlantic Theater), Wedding Band by Alice Childress (Theatre for a New Audience), In Old Age by Mfoniso Udofia (New York Theatre Workshop), Carnaval by Nikkole Salter (National Black Theatre), Good Grief by Ngozi Anyanwu (Vineyard Theatre and Audible) and The Homecoming Queen by Ngozi Anyanwu (Atlantic Theater Company). Regionally she has directed at the Huntington, Studio Theatre, Paradise Blue, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Berkeley Rep, Marin Theatre Company. Other projects include concert performances for independent artists as well as for the NBA, Ndebele Funeral (59E59, Edinburgh, South African Tour), "Black Picture Show" (Artists Space/Metrograph), and Bluebird Memories (Audible). Awoye is a Creative Arts Consultant for the African American Policy Forum and the Founding Producer of Classix, a collective of 5 artists created to explode the classical canon through an exploration of dramatic works by Black writers and Black performance history, theclassix.org .

Alana Arenas (First Lady, Second Wife, Miss Second, The Last One) joined the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble in 2007. She most recently appeared in Steppenwolf's world premiere of Purpose by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins in Chicago and on Broadway (Tony Award – Best Play). Alana also created the role of Pecola Breedlove for the Steppenwolf for Young Adults production of The Bluest Eye, which also played at the New Victory Theater Off-Broadway. Recent Steppenwolf appearances include: the Steppenwolf for Young Adults production of Monster, The Fundamentals, Marie Antoinette, Tribes, Belleville, Head of Passes, Good People, Three Sisters, The March, Man in Love, Middletown, The Hot L Baltimore, The Etiquette of Vigilance, The Brother/Sister Plays, The Tempest, The Crucible, Spare Change and The Sparrow Project. Broadway: Purpose. Other theatre credits include Disgraced (American Theater Company), The Arabian Nights (Lookingglass Theatre Company, Berkeley Repertory Theatre and Kansas City Repertory Theatre), Eyes (eta Creative Arts), SOST (MPAACT), WVON (Black Ensemble Theater) and Hecuba (Chicago Shakespeare Theater). Television and film credits include David Makes Man, Canal Street, Crisis, Boss, The Beast, Kabuku Rides and Lioness of Lisabi. She is originally from Miami, Florida, where she began her training at the New World School of the Arts. Alana holds a BFA from The Theatre School at DePaul University.

Glenn Davis (Marcus) is an actor, producer and Artistic Director of Steppenwolf Theatre Company, alongside Audrey Francis, where he has been an ensemble member since 2017. He most recently appeared in Steppenwolf's world premiere of Purpose by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins in Chicago and on Broadway (Tony Award – Best Play, Tony nomination – Best Featured Actor). Other Steppenwolf credits include Downstate, The Christians, You Got Older, The Brother/Sister Plays, Head of Passes, King James (also Mark Taper Forum), Describe the Night. Broadway credits include: Purpose; Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (also Kirk Douglas Theatre, Mark Taper Forum). Off-Broadway credits include Transfers (MCC Theatre), Wig Out! (Vineyard Theatre), Downstate (Playwrights Horizons, Outer Critics Circle Nomination) and King James (MTC). Other regional credits include Moscow x6 (Williamstown Theatre Festival). International credits include Downstate (National Theatre, UK); Edward II, The Winter's Tale and As You Like It (Stratford Festival); Othello (The Shakespeare Company). Television credits include Billions, 24, The Unit, Jericho and The Good Wife. Glenn is an Artistic Associate at the Young Vic in London and at the Vineyard Theatre in New York. He is also a partner in Cast Iron Entertainment, a collective of artists consisting of Sterling K Brown, Brian Tyree Henry, Jon Michael Hill, Andre Holland and Tarell Alvin McCraney. Cast Iron is currently in residence at The Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. In 2021, Glenn founded The Chatham Grove Company along with his producing partner Tarell Alvin McCraney.

Jon Michael Hill (Nurse, Cori) joined the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble in 2007. He most recently appeared in Steppenwolf's world premiere of Purpose by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins in Chicago and on Broadway (Tony Award – Best Play, Tony nomination – Lead Actor). Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Leroy and Lucy, True West (also Galway Arts Festival), Pass Over, Constellations, Head of Passes, The Hot L Baltimore, The Tempest, Kafka on the Shore, The Unmentionables. Broadway: Purpose, Superior Donuts, Pass Over. Off-Broadway: The Refuge Plays (New York Theatre Workshop) Pass Over (Lincoln Center). Film: Pass Over, Widows, In The Radiant City, No Pay, Nudity. Television: A Man in Full (Netflix), Elementary (CBS), Detroit 1-8-7 (ABC), Eastbound and Down (HBO), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC) and Person of Interest (CBS).

Esco Jouléy (Eli) won over audiences as "Sonya" in the Emmy-nominated FX series Dying for Sex, alongside Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate, and previously starred in the Sundance anthology series, State of the Union, opposite Patricia Clarkson and Brendan Gleeson. Esco recently returned to the stage for the sold-out, Off-Broadway run of Trophy Boys at MCC Theater. On stage, Esco also received rave reviews for their "magnetic" performance in New York Theater Workshop's production of Merry Me, as well as their award-winning turn in Wolf Play.

Michael Potts (Henri 'Mr. Mano' Tamaño) is an award-winning actor whose prolific career on stage and screen has resonated with audiences for over four decades. Michael starred in the Broadway production of August Wilson's The Piano Lesson (which he received an Outer Critics Circle nomination) and he then reprised his role of 'Winning Boy' to great acclaim in the Netflix adaptation, written and directed by Malcolm Washington opposite Samuel L. Jackson, Daniel Deadwyler and Corey Hawkins. Potts alongside the star studded cast were awarded the Tribute Award at the Gothams in 2024 for their cinematic artistry. Potts' long line of screen credits include: Highest 2 Lowest (Apple TV, Spike Lee, dir.), Rustin (Netflix, George C. Wolfe, dir.), Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Netflix, Geore C. Wolfe, dir.), Change in the Air, Cicada and Here and Now. Next up on television, Potts will be seen co-starring in Courtney Kemp's Nemesis for Netflix and in the new FOX medical drama Best Medicine from Liz Tuccillo, opposite Josh Charles. His other significant roles in television include: Law & Order, East New York, The First Lady, Prodigal Son, Madam Secretary, Law & Order SVU, Show Me a Hero, Gotham, True Detective, Damages and 'Brother Mouzone' in The Wire. On stage, Michael's career spans plays and musicals that endure in the lexicon of the American theater. Those include Jitney (NY Drama Critics Circle Special Citation), Grey Gardens, The Book of Mormon, The Iceman Cometh, The Prom, 1984 and Lennon. Off-Broadway he's appeared in Richard II (Shakespeare in the Park), The America Play (Obie Award), Overtime (NY City Center), Mud River (Playwrights Horizons), Arms and the Man (Gramercy Theatre), Once Around the City (Second Stage), Twelfth Night (Shakespeare in the Park), The Mysteries (Classic Stage Company) and many more memorable turns.

Namir Smallwood (Officer, Brother 1) joined the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble in 2017. He is currently starring in ensemble member Tracy Letts's Bug on Broadway opposite ensemble member Carrie Coon. Steppenwolf: Mr. Wolf, You Will Get Sick, The Book of Grace, Seagull, Bug, True West, BLKS, Monster, Man In Love, The Hot L Baltimore, Last Night and the Night Before. Broadway: Pass Over, Bug. Off Broadway: Pipeline, Pass Over (Lincoln Center). Chicago: The Lost Boys of Sudan (Victory Gardens Theater); Charm (Northlight Theatre); The Grapes of Wrath (The Gift Theatre); East Texas Hot Links (Writers Theatre). Regional: Marin Theatre Company, Pillsbury House Theatre, Ten Thousand Things, Guthrie Theater. International: True West (Galway International Arts Festival). Television: Chicago Fire, Betrayal, Elementary, American Rust (Showtime/FreeVee); Power Book IV: Force (STARZ). Film: Rounding.

Accessibility:

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

Sponsor Information:

Windfall is supported in part by Conagra Brands Foundation, Laurents/Hatcher Foundation, and CNA. United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf. Steppenwolf is also grateful for the significant season support from lead sponsors Allstate Insurance Company, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Crown Family Philanthropies, Caroline and Keating Crown, Julius Frankel Foundation, Lefkofsky Family Foundation, Northern Trust, Anne and Don Phillips, John Hart and Carol Prins, Shubert Foundation, Inc, Walder Foundation, and Zell Family Foundation. Steppenwolf also acknowledges generous support from premier sponsors Anonymous, Andrew and Amy Bluhm, Michael and Cathy Brennan, Ann and Richard Carr, Chicago Community Trust, Conagra Brands Foundation, Rich and Margery Feitler, FROST CHICAGO, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Orlebeke Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, Sacks Family Foundation, Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Thoma Bravo, Bryan Traubert and Penny Pritzker, and Vinci Restaurant. Steppenwolf also acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council and the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

About Steppenwolf Theatre Company:

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation's premier Ensemble Theater with 50 members who are among the top actors, playwrights and directors in the field. Thrilling, powerful, groundbreaking productions have made this theatre legendary. From the 1980 phenomenon of Balm in Gilead, to The Grapes of Wrath, August: Osage County, Downstate, The Brother/Sister Plays, and now, the 2025 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Purpose, Steppenwolf Theatre has had a long-running and undeniable impact on American Theatre and Chicago's cultural landscape. Founded in 1975 by Terry Kinney, Jeff Perry and Gary Sinise, Steppenwolf started as a group of young people in their teens and early 20s performing in the basement of a church. Today, the company's artistic force remains rooted in the original vision of its founders: an artist-driven theatre, whose vitality is defined by its appetite for bold and innovative work. Every aspect of Steppenwolf is rooted in its Ensemble ethos, from the intergenerational artistic programming to the multi-genre performance series LookOut, to the nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf Education and Engagement which serves nearly 15,000 teens annually. While grounded in the Chicago community, more than 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Steppenwolf also holds accolades that include the National Medal of Arts, 14 Tony Awards, two Pulitzer Prize-winning commissions and more. Led by Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, Executive Director E. Brooke Flanagan and Board of Trustees Chair Keating Crown — Steppenwolf continually redefines the boundaries of live theater and pushes the limits of acting and performance.

Steppenwolf's Mission: Steppenwolf strives to create thrilling, courageous and provocative art in a thoughtful and inclusive environment. We succeed when we disrupt your routine with experiences that spark curiosity, empathy and joy. We invite you to join our ensemble as we navigate, together, our complex world. steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.

The Oscars might be over, but this “Best Actress” is just getting started. Welcome to the weird world of the Grelley Duvall Show, or Alex Grelle. His unique approach to cabaret has amassed quite a fanbase over the years. Suffice it to say, there’s nothing else quite like it. In two acts, Grelle and his team blend his favorite female performances with highly choreographed musical numbers set to toe-tappin’ hits performed by a live band. 

Directed by Kasey Foster, “Best Actress” tells the origin story of the Grelley Duvall Show and what inspired a young Alex Grelle and his creative partner Jesse Morgan Young. Their obsessive knowledge of pop culture as seen through the lens of queer millennials is unmatched. They throw anything from a given day on cable TV in the 1990s into the blender and it’s up to the audience to keep up. The irreverent humor, costumes, and slickly produced video segments add up to an evening of hilarious deep cuts and surprise cameos.

To be honest, not all experimental cabaret style theatre is good. Rest assured Best Actress is not that. Rather it’s a 2-hour musical extravaganza with solid gold choreography by Erin Kilmurray and Kasey Alfonso and a kick-ass band led by (and featuring the vocals of) Aunt Kelly. Alex Grelle is a certified triple threat: he can sing, he can dance and he can kick. The team he’s assembled for this production has made something really special for anyone really, but especially for the pop culture obsessed, vintage shopping community.

Joining Grelle onstage is a powerhouse ensemble - Kara Brody, Madigan Burke, Lolly Extract, Darling Shear, Patrick Stengle, and Mary Williamson - plus a handful of puppets that feel like characters in their own right. And make no mistake: Grelle isn’t the only one throwing kicks. This cast matches his energy beat for beat, putting on quite a show. Again, Killmurray and Alfonso’s choreography is killer.

Grelley Duvall Best Actress is one of those shows it’s almost best to not know much about going in. It’s also one of those shows that should just run open-ended for a while, because once you see it, you’ll be trying to explain to people for weeks what exactly it was. 

Through April 12 at the Chopin Theatre. 1543 W Division St. 773-278-1500

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

“I just want to be entertained. Isn’t that the point?” asks the narrator of The Drowsy Chaperone. And if that indeed is the point, Theo Ubique’s rendition hit the bullseye.

This fun production follows a neurotic musical theatre fan (played by Steve McDonagh) who puts on his favorite record and talks about its fictional history. Thanks to Theo’s inventive seating – a front row made of sofas – the audience feels as if they’re actually in his living too, getting an intimate evening full of laughs as he and the rest of the cast break the fourth wall – even entering and exiting through closet.

The show-within-a-show follows a famous star, her fiancé, and the kooky cast of characters who try to help or hurt the impending nuptials for their own reasons. The result is a musical which never takes itself seriously, as it pokes fun at Broadway shows and troupes.

Everyone turns in a polished performance with each artist getting their moment to shine, whether it’s in a tap-dancing number (expertly accomplished by Trey Pluntnicki and Kevin Chlapecka), a silly vaudeville routine (Jenny Rudnick does enough spit takes to lose count), or a ballad about bunnies – yes, bunnies (sung by Kelsey MacDonald with all the heart and sincerity it needed).

As the “Man in the Chair,” McDonagh anchors the show in reality, but each performer holds the reigns of these larger-than-life characters with precision. Darian Goulding, embodies the Latin lover, Aldolpho, with inspired hilarity from his subtle gestures to that elevated accent. Jimmy Hogan and Chase Wheaton-Werle also stood out as gangsters posing as pastry chefs. Their playful banter and cohesion as a team elevated their numbers and helped sell the silly side plot. Colette Todd, who played the titular character, the Drowsy Chaperone herself, delivered a powerhouse tune with the perfect balance of comedy and chops.

From start to finish, it was clear that the actors were having fun, and their joy was certainly contagious. Directing this production is L. Walter Stearns, and his love of this show was clear in the care in which he handled the material, perhaps because directing The Drowsy Chaperone was a dream come true. In 2004, Stearns had the opportunity to attend an early reading of musical with Sutton Foster, who went on to star in the Broadway cast.

Written by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison (music and lyrics) with a book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar, The Drowsy Chaperone is not a deep musical, and it isn’t meant to be. Instead, it’s a reminder that comedy brings connection, and sometimes it’s okay to just want to be entertained.

The Drowsy Chaperone runs through April 19 at Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre. For tickets and/or more information, click here.

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

Award-winning Redtwist Theatre announces the cast and creative team for 'night Mother, April 16 - May 24, by Marsha Norman and directed by Executive Artistic Director Dusty Brown, at Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. Previews are Thursday, April 2 - Saturday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3:30 p.m. with a total running time of 90 minutes with no intermission. There will be two understudy performances on Sunday, April 19 at 3:30 p.m. and Thursday, April 30 at 7:30 p.m. Single tickets are now on sale for $10 - $60 at RedtwistTheatre.org with discounts available for seniors, students and veterans with pay-what-you-can for all Friday night performances. 

Life has been difficult for Jessie and her hope for the future has faded. Spiraling between a failed marriage and caretaker fatigue due to her criminal son and aging mother, Jessie is determined to take control of her life in the only way left to her. When society and technology isolate Jessie, when the world turns to chaos around her and a promised future fades away: Jessie digs up her father's old pistol with the intention to end her life. Marsha Norman's Pulitzer Prize-winning play launches audiences through a mother and daughter's darkest night together.

The 'night Mother cast includes Anne Sheridan Smith (she/her, Jessie) and Kathy Ruhl* (she/her, Thelma).

The 'night Mother production team includes Dusty Brown* (they/them, director/executive artistic director); Ashley O'Neill (she/her, asst. director); Meredith Ernst (she/her, dramaturg); Madeleine Shows (she/her, costume designer); Nick Barletson (he/him, props designer); Harper Justus (they/them, sound designer); Bobbie Buie (he/him, scenic designer); Jeff Brain (he/him, technical director); Piper Kirchhofer (she/her, lighting designer) and Ruby Lowe (they/them, master electrician).

*indicates Redtwist Theatre Ensemble Member

ABOUT MARSHA NORMAN, playwright

Marsha Norman is a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and co-chair of playwriting at Juilliard. She won a Tony for The Secret Garden and another nomination for The Color Purple. Her first play, Getting Out, received the John Gassner Playwriting Medallion, the Newsday Oppenheimer Award and a citation from the American Critics Association. Other plays include The Laundromat, The Pool Hall, Loving Daniel Boone, Trudy Blue and her newest play, Last Dance. Published collections of her works include "Four Plays, Collected Works of Marsha Norman, Vol. 1," and a novel, "The Fortune Teller." She has also worked extensively in television and film and has an upcoming play for the United Nations about trafficking and violence toward women. She is a member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers, a former advisory member of the Sewanee Writers Conference and current vice president of The Dramatists Guild of America. She serves on the boards of the New York Foundation for the Arts and the Independent Committee for Arts Policy. Norman was elected to the Agnes Scott College Board of Trustees in 2003. She lives with her two children in Monterey, MA and New York City.

ABOUT DUSTY BROWN, director

Dusty Brown is the executive artistic director of Redtwist Theatre. They began their career as a stage hand in Atlanta, Georgia, working on everything from Shakespeare to new works and everything in between. They received their MFA in directing from Ohio University in 2021. Notable productions include: Steve Yockey's Wolves at Redtwist and Pluto at Ohio University; William Shakespeare's Macbeth at Three Crows and Ohio University; Tracy Letts' Bug at Ohio University; Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd at DramaTech in Atlanta; Uffizi at Bottled Lightning in Atlanta and Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park at Vox Populi Productions in Chattanooga.

ABOUT REDTWIST THEATRE

Redtwist, now celebrating its 21st anniversary, is an award-winning theatre company that stages up close and personal contemporary dramas annually in its intimate black box theatre housed proudly within the heart of Edgewater's Bryn Mawr Historic District. 

Intimate performances at Redtwist are designed to place the theatre patron in the midst of the stories being told, making them accessible and riveting. Redtwist strives for excellence with every project and endeavors to take risks while offering opportunities for up-and-coming actors, designers and directors to work with established talent. Redtwist provides the very best Chicago storefront theatre experience from excellence on stage, to warm hospitality in a clean, friendly environment.

Award-winning Redtwist Theatre announces the cast and creative team for 'night Mother, April 2 - May 10, by Marsha Norman and directed by Executive Artistic Director Dusty Brown, at Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. The performance schedule is Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3:30 p.m. with a total running time of 90 minutes with no intermission. There will be two understudy performances on Sunday, April 19 at 3:30 p.m. and Thursday, April 30 at 7:30 p.m. Single tickets are now on sale for $10 - $60 at RedtwistTheatre.org with discounts available for seniors, students and veterans with pay-what-you-can for all Friday night performances. 

Comedy Dance Chicago is bringing their family-friendly show to The Second City! (Fun fact: this group was born out of a Second City Training Center class back in 2014). The show is a high-energy laugh-riot for ages 5 to 95. Comedy Dance Chicago's joyful mashup of sketch comedy, physical humor, music, and dance is sure to have you (and your kids and their grandparents) smiling, laughing, and bopping in your seats! These dancin' fools bring relatable situations to life... anything from the importance of hugs to a good old-fashioned staring contest. And who knows, you might even find yourself on stage! Don't miss this joy-filled experience, perfect for anyone in need of a laughter boost.

People often ask "What is Comedy Dance?" Here's what audiences say:

     "It's one of the funniest, most enjoyable hours you'll spend on a Friday night."
-Chicago Reader

     "My face hurts from smiling!" & "That was so joyful!"

     ""We had SO much fun and Olivia giggled her little head off the whole time."
            -Blair (parent)

Comedy Dance Chicago presents HAPPY DANCE, Saturdays March 21, April 4, April 18, May 2, May 16, May 30 at 2:00pm at The Second City in the e.t.c Theater (230 W. North Ave., Piper's Alley, Chicago, IL). Show runs 60 minutes with no intermission. Tickets are $35 for adults and $29 for kids.

Notable credits include: "8-BITS" and "Oh, the Mundanity!" at The iO Theater; Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival, Charlotte's Queen City Comedy Experience; San Francisco Sketchfest; Laugh Out Loud Schaumburg; I AM Fest at House of Blues; Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival; Chicago Women's Funny Fest, Stevenson High School Odyssey Festival; among others. 

About Comedy Dance Chicago

Comedy Dance Chicago. A different kind of comedy show. A different kind of dance show. Unique entertainment for Chicago and beyond. But... what is comedy dance?! In Layman's terms: they dance, you laugh. Still confused? You'll just have to see it.

Comedy Dance Chicago has been delighting and entertaining audiences for over 10 years.  They are a turnkey option for performing arts venues, K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and corporate events looking to add joy to their next event. Company members bring a range of comedy and dance styles to the show and have trained with the Second City Training Center, iO Chicago, American Theatre Conservatory, Accademia dell'Arte, among others. Having performed at the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival (Stage 773), iO Chicago, Dance Chicago (The Athenaeum Theatre), Woodstock Opera House, the Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor Conference, and (that one time) at the House of Blues, Comedy Dance Chicago is thrilled to share laughs and spread the love of comedy dance to the rest of the US. 

From the Tony Award-winning author of The Band's Visit comes a provocative new play about identity, loyalty, and the complexities of unity.

A finalist for the 2025 Pulitzer Prize, The Ally, written by Itamar Moses (Completeness, Dead Outlaw), directed by Jeremy Wechsler (Prayer for the French Republic), will receive its Midwest Premiere at Chicago’s Theater Wit in March. Moses’ newest play is a darkly funny and deeply human new play that asks: just whose side are you on?

Previews are March 20-29: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.; Sunday at 2 p.m.  Performances run through May 2: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.; Sunday at 2 p.m. Exception: No show Thursday, April 2. Tickets are $18-$44. Run time is two hours with intermission. Purchase tickets at theaterwit.org, by calling (773) 975-8150, or in person at the Theater Wit box office. 

A student manifesto forces questions about identity and faith in The Ally

When Asaf’s student asks him to sign a petition condemning police brutality, he wants to do the right thing — until he realizes the manifesto turns out to be broader than he imagined, and every choice feels like betrayal. As the debate roars through his Midwestern campus and his ex-girlfriend takes the lead, Asaf is pulled into a political storm that tests his convictions and his sense of self. Will his fumbling entrée into activism help or hurt the cause? Who’s side is Asaf – and the audience – really on?

The Ally premiered off-Broadway at the Public Theater in February 2024. The New York Times called it “Important…Itamar Moses’ play offers eloquent arguments on all sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” New York Stage Review wrote “The Ally will most certainly give you the tools to wage a cogent, forceful argument, no matter what side you’re on.”

"I recognized myself in Asaf the moment I read this play," said Jeremy Wechsler, Theater Wit Artistic Director and director of The Ally. " Before October 7th, I — like a lot of American Jews on the left — held two ideas at once: that Israel was a haven and that the occupation was wrong. Itamar Moses saw, honestly before I did, that those two ideas were becoming impossible to hold simultaneously. But there are always two ways to answer the question ‘What do I believe?': what do I think, and what do I feel? Where we land on that spectrum is a constant negotiation between ourselves and the world around us. What The Ally asks — what it really demands — is that we face that negotiation honestly. Can we be good people when our hearts and our heads aren't aligned?”

The cast for Theater Wit’s Midwest Premiere of The Ally features Sharyon Culberson as Nakia, Eliyah Arman Ghaeini as Farid, Mira Kessler as Rachel, DeVaughn Asante Loman as Baron, Evan Ozer as Reuven, Jordan Lane Shappell as Asaf, and K Chinthana Sotakoun as Gwen.

Designers are Joe Schermoly (set), Matthew Eggers (costumes), Piper Kirchhofer (lights), Jonathan Berg-Einhorn (props), Joe Cerqua (composer and sound designer), Sarah Luse (stage manager), Matthew R. Chase (production manager) and Claire Simon (casting director).

Theater Wit is located at 1229 W. Belmont Ave., in the Belmont Theatre District in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. Convenient parking is available for $10 across the street from the theater in the lot behind Kubo restaurant (pay at the Theater Wit box office.) Neighborhood street parking is available, as are private paid lots (tip: book ahead and at a discount with Spothero). Theater Wit is also accessible via the CTA 77 Belmont bus, and is three blocks west of the CTA Belmont Red/Brown/Purple line stop.

To learn more, visit theaterwit.org or follow the company onFacebook or Instagram. 

Created in 1904, Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly has become one of the world’s greatest and most popular operas.  New York’s Metropolitan Opera alone had performed it 902 times prior to the beginning of its 2023-24 season.  Renowned for his gifts for melody, Puccini’s musical component is ravishingly beautiful.  His manner of intermixing cultural references into his orchestration also makes it exquisitely complex.  Enhanced with a gripping story about the power of trust and the fragility of love, Madama Butterfly qualifies as an irrefutable masterpiece. Throughout its existence though, the opera has also been an artistic triumph with issues.

An adaptation of a one-act play written in 1900, which itself was based on a short story by an American author, John Luther Long two years earlier, it’s been criticized as being a flawed fantasy.  One created by white men about the essence of another culture.  In this case, Japan.  In Madama Butterfly, an American, Lt. B. F. Pinkerton, arrives in the island country and soon begins a quest for love.  A love that he never plans to be lasting.  Once he returns state side, he’ll re-enter the mainstream and marry traditionally.

Since its origin, issues of perception and portrayal have always haunted Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.  He composed it in partnership with Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica who wrote the text or libretto.  For most of the opera’s existence, the way Japanese culture and its people were projected robbed them of dimension and ultimately diminished their humanity.  In both early productions of the opera and in virtually all that followed, Japanese men saw their virility erased while Japanese women watched their deference be reduced to an exaggerated docility.  As intrinsically lovely Madama Butterfly is as a creative jewel, for the Japanese people and many others of color, it has also been deeply problematic.

For Matthew Ozawa, Director and Chief Artistic Officer of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, it was as well.  As a Japanese-American director of operatic works, his relationship with Puccini’s masterpiece has been fraught.   He knew intrinsically as a director he could never present it in a conventional way.  If he were ever to take on the challenge of staging the piece, he would do it through more enlightened eyes.  The current production of Madama Butterfly he directs at the Lyric, running through April 12^th, shows how spectacular a 122-year-old classic can look and feel with a total makeover by a gifted artisan.

Ozawa’s Madama Butterfly, co-produced by the Cincinnati Opera, Pittsburg Opera, Detroit Opera and the Utah Opera, dismantles the old format and completely rebuilds it in a contemporary context.  The overhaul was so comprehensive, keeping the original orchestration and libretto unaltered and intact was a condition for greenlighting his vision.   

The Company of Madama Butterfly.

Like many men of his generation, Ozawa loved playing video games growing up.  It wasn’t a leap for him to envision Madama Butterfly taking on the features of a machine generated video game offering a portal to an alternate reality.  Pinkerton (tenor Evan LeRoy Johnson) would travel to Japan through his headset and begin a journey that would lead to the devastating consequences we all know will follow.

But first, like any talented leader, Ozawa needed to assemble a team to bring his concept to fruition.  Based on opening night’s performance at the Lyric, a better dream team probably doesn’t exist.  Recruiting all females as his key collaborators, who were either Japanese or Japanese-American, cultural accuracy and agency would no longer be a concern.  Each of them a heavy hitter in her respective craft, the composite experience they created was so remarkable it could easily be considered revelatory.  The superb impact of Kimie Nishikawa’s set designs and Yuki Nakase Link’s lighting talents made on the production’s visual potency and dynamism can’t be overstated. 

A muted background would suddenly blaze in dramatic color and fill with subtly ornate splendor when Pinkerton donned the goggles that would transport him to Japan. There, Maiko Matsushima’s costume designs bowled you away with their texture, imagination, sophistication and beauty.

Even when we first finally meet Cio-Cio-San, Butterfly, played by Karah Son, we’re visited with the unexpected.  She’s as small and delicate as butterflies are, but in her words and carriage you sense the steel in her spine.  At 15, she may have become a geisha to support herself, but she’s clearly proud of the fact that she’s also “well-bred”.   That inner dignity is an ever-present element of her character. 

Son has played this crucial character in houses around the globe; in her native Korea, Warsaw, Berlin, Bologna, Los Angeles and San Francisco just to list a few.  This production marks her Lyric debut.  She knows this part.  From the excellence of her soprano Saturday night, and the flawlessness of her acting abilities, she is this part.   

Johnson, a wonderful tenor who’s also making his debut at the Lyric, makes a compelling Pinkerton.  He doesn’t quite comprehend the import of his words when Sharpless (Zachary Nelson) tells him to “Be Careful, she trusts you”, until it’s too late.  Finally realizing what that trust has cost releases his humanity.  But it can’t stop the payment deception exacts.

In the final scene, where only pathos is expected, this presentation all but blinds you with the complex beauty of real life through the fiction of a story.  Ozawa’s brilliant directing, Son’s gifts as a marvelous actress/vocalist and Puccini’s stunning score converge to cause the soul to quake.  

Puccini’s Madama Butterfly now truly soars.

Madama Butterfly

Through April 12, 2026

Lyric Opera of Chicago

20 N. Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL  60606

For more information and tickets:   https://www.lyricopera.org

Highly Recommended

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

MadKap Productions is pleased to present the Tennessee Williams' classic play A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE for 13 live performances at the Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave in Downtown Skokie from March 27 thru April 26, 2026, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 2:00 pm, with one Wed. matinee on April 15 at 1:30 pm. There are no performances April 3 - 5. Tickets are $42 general admission, $38 for seniors and students and can be purchased online at SkokieTheatre.org or by calling 847-677-7761

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE is considered to be one of the great classics of the American theatre.  When Blanche DuBois, a troubled woman with a dark past, moves in with her sister Stella and her volatile husband Stanley, she learns that genteel pretensions are no match for the harsh realities symbolized by her brutish brother-in-law.  It is an emotionally charged drama that explores desire, delusion, and the harsh realities of human nature

The play won both the Pulitzer Prize for drama and the Tony Award for Best Play.  The movie version won the Golden Globe for Best Picture.  Vivian Leigh won the Best Actress award for her portrayal of Blanche, a role originated by Jessica Tandy on Broadway.

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE stars Hailey Hance as Blanche, with Elyna Mellen as Stella, Nathaniel Kohlmeier as Stanley, and Denis Vorobyev as Mitch.  The cast also features AJ Carchi, Wyatt DeLair, Neil Figuracion, Kimmy Higginbotham, and Dee Dee Logan

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE is directed by Wayne Mell, who founded MadKap productions with producer Wendy Kaplan in 2012.  Set Design is by Brian Wasserman, with Lighting Design by Pat Henderson, Costume Design by Dame Erickson, Property Design by Michael Dwiggins and Sound Design by Elijah McTiernan.  Laine Rogers is the Assistant Director, with Intimacy Direction by Krista Retka and Fight Choreography by Brian Plocharczyk.

COMPANY is the final production in MadKap Productions' 11th season at Skokie Theatre, which started in July with A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM and included productions of PIPPIN, DEATHTRAP, .and most recently COMPANY.

For reservations or additional information, visit SkokieTheatre.org, or call the box office at 847-677-7761

About MadKap Productions

MadKap is celebrating its 11th year at Skokie Theatre and is the recipient of the 2019 Artistic Excellence award from the Village of Skokie Fine Arts Commission.  Wendy Kaplan and Wayne Mell formed MadKap Productions in 2011 and have premiered ground-breaking new plays like Clutter: The True Story of the Collier Brothers Who Never Threw Anything Out and Mr. Shaw Goes To Hollywood,  and Side Effects May Include, the semi-autobiographical account of Seinfeld writer Marc Jaffe's experiences with Parkinson's Disease which toured nationally, raising funds for Shaking With Laughter and The Michael J. Fox Foundation.  MadKap Productions was formerly a resident production company at the Greenhouse Theater Center in Chicago.  In February of 2014, MadKap Productions took over management of the Skokie Theatre with the goal of establishing a full-time performing arts center. 

About Skokie Theatre

The Skokie Theatre was originally built in 1912 and served as the local movie theatre for the people who lived in the Skokie area.  The building fell into disrepair, until 2006 when the Skokie Valley Music Foundation spent over 1.2 million dollars to refurbish it and create a music hall that is unlike any other in the area.  Its 140 comfortable seats, perfect acoustics, and elegant art deco architecture makes it a Skokie landmark.  MadKap Productions took over management of the building in February, 2014 with the goal of establishing a full-time performing arts center.  When not presenting plays, audiences can experience cabaret and concerts, dance, and comedy acts.

King Odysseus returns home to Ithaca after twenty years’ absence: ten years’ fighting the Trojan War (it takes time to build a big enough wooden horse), followed by a ten-year journey during which everything that could go wrong does go wrong: think rush-hour traffic on the Kennedy under construction. When he finally arrives, Odysseus finds yet another complication: in his absence a hundred men have undertaken to lay claim to his throne, actually taking up residence in Odysseus’ palace, scarfing down his harvests, seducing his servants, and harassing his wife.

Penelope has made every effort to discourage the putative suitors, her most recent gambit being a challenge to string Odysseus’ mighty bow, then use it to shoot an arrow through a line of a dozen axe handles. That’s pretty serious and, unsurprisingly, none of the opportunists manages. Everyone is amazed therefore when a stranger (Odysseus disguised as a beggar) nails it. The disappointed contenders aren’t happy about this, and are further aggrieved when the ‘beggar’ throws off his rags, identifies himself, and advises the intruders to hit the road.

Odysseus, legitimately vexed at the situation, answers their disgruntlement with violence and all hundred freeloaders are … well, the proper verb is in question, as it’s unclear whether Odysseus righteously executes or viciously murders them. This is the issue we explore in TRIAL OF ODYSSEUS: is Odysseus a champion, heroically defending his title, his home, and his family? Or is he a villain, goaded by jealous rage into a frenzy of unwonted slaughter?

TRIAL OF ODYSSEUS was … what to call it? to be honest it was not truly theater. TRIAL OF ODYSSEUS was presented as an actual trial, with Antonio M Romanucci and Daisy Ayllón of Romanucci & Blandin LLC prosecuting and Patrick M. Collins and Tinos Diamantatos of King & Spalding LLP arguing for the defense. A panel of four judges (Georgia M Alexakis, Sara L Ellis, Jeffrey G Chrones and Anthony C. Kyrikopoulos) and twelve jurors examined and cross-examined both the witness Phimeus (Leonardo Sfondouris) and Odysseus, played by Christos Vasilopoulos.

The final decision, however, was ours. Each audience member was provided with their choice of two tokens, blue for guilty and white for innocent. At the close of examination these tokens were collected and their count served as the verdict: Odysseus was found Not Guilty., I suspect that those voting Guilty did so from the viewpoint of twenty-first century law. I can’t believe anyone in the Bronze Age, roughly 1200 BCE, would not fully sympathize with Odysseus’ reaction, however grisly.

I’m totally ignorant of judicial matters, and someone better acquainted with legal procedure might have found problems with how the trial was portrayed, but I thought it was as credible as it was entertaining. For one, it certainly reflected the delay encountered in our modern magisterial system, as the event under arbitration occurred more than 3,000 years ago. A real trial for first-degree murder would probably incorporate less humor, but the Court had no difficulty drawing parallels across the three-millennium time difference; many of these comments were quite amusing and were certainly appreciated by the audience.

TRIAL OF ODYSSEUS was instructive, engaging, and just plain fun! The bad news is that it was a single production; there will be no further performances. But keep your eye on the National Hellenic Museum, as they offer regular events and exhibitions.

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

Get ready - those phones are about to explode, and Sam is already spinning like a top trying to catch every single one. It’s a full‑blown ring‑storm, and he’s diving into it with the hectic energy of someone who knows the chaos is coming and still can’t outrun it.

A brisk, razor‑funny powder keg of a play, Fully Committed tracks a single frantic day in the life of Sam, the lone reservationist at one of Manhattan’s most elite - and most impossible - restaurant. Becky Mode’s script is a full‑tilt high‑wire act, and Mike Newquist tears across nearly forty characters with the kind of breakneck precision that makes your head spin. As Sam, he’s already a live wire - but then he’s also snapping into entitled celebrities, neurotic assistants, tyrannical chefs, and every flavor of fine‑dining madness that dares to ring his desk. It’s dazzling, anxious, and wildly fun to watch him juggle it all without ever dropping the thread. The comedy snaps because each character is so sharply etched, and Newquist seamlessly shifts among them with the kind of finesse that turns mayhem into art.

At its heart, the nearly 90-minute play gleefully skewers the rituals of status and the agitated, almost feral hunger for exclusivity, exposing just how ridiculous people become when a reservation turns into a badge of power. Sam becomes the unseen fulcrum of that world, and his day unravels from merely hectic to outright surreal as he absorbs tantrums, negotiates impossible demands, and fights to keep a grip on his own sense of worth. Watching Newquist as Sam behind that reservation desk in a constant tinderbox had me instantly aware that I wouldn’t survive two hours in his shoes. His frantic charm and barely contained panic sells the chaos and sparks a whole new respect for the people who actually thrive in that kind of daily combustion.

Fully Committed lands as hard as it does because it’s rooted in real industry absurdity. Mode shaped these characters straight out of real restaurant‑world encounters, giving the show a mix of satirical whirlwind and a bite of truth that feels both sharply recognizable and wickedly real.

Throughout the play, I loved how Sam’s dad kept slipping into the heavy commotion with that gentle, grounding voice - just long enough to let the whole room exhale. Each time he called, Sam’s entire demeanor flipped in an instant; you could watch him go from frazzled to peaceful like someone had hit a reset switch. Those brief check-ins made it clear how a few steady words from a gentle, supportive father (or friend/family member) can cut straight through the noise, offering a tiny pocket of calm even when everything else is burning down around him.

Mike Newquist is pure kinetic joy onstage, delivering a commanding turn in Fully Committed. The Chicago‑based actor and improviser thrives in the city’s storefront trenches, bouncing between sharp‑edged comedy, character chameleon work, and the kind of ensemble disorder where anything can - and usually does - happen. He’s popped up with PrideArts, AstonRep, and The Comrades, tackling everything from contemporary drama to high-velocity comic mayhem. In Fully Committed, it’s his quick‑switch agility that makes him a blast to watch.

Directed by Derek Bertelsen, this Chicago staging arrives with a jolt of fresh energy and real immediacy. Newquist’s performance becomes the engine that drives the whole night, while Bertelsen keeps the momentum razor‑sharp, the pacing tight, and every character shift snapping cleanly into place.

The Den Theatre hosts the run March 13–28, 2026, with performances on Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for Fully Committed at The Den Theatre are just $26. For tickets and/or any more show information, click here.

Recommended.

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