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The Chicago Metropolitan area has a soft spot for a beautiful disaster, and The Play That Goes Wrong delivers the kind of exquisitely engineered chaos that feels tailor‑made for this theater‑loving region. What begins as a straightforward 1920s whodunit quickly mutates into a full‑throttle demolition derby of missed cues, mutinous props, collapsing scenery, and actors clinging to their dignity by the frayed edges of their costumes. Still, this play-within-a-play has the Cornley Drama Society charging through their staging of Murder at Haversham Manor with heroic - if spectacularly misguided - determination, clinging to the illusion of control even as the entire production disintegrates with spectacular enthusiasm.

That staunch commitment - part boldness, part sheer delusion - is exactly where the comedy ignites. Each disaster tops the last, creating a giddy, snowballing momentum that captures the thrill of live theater at its most unpredictable: anything can happen, and in this gloriously unhinged production, absolutely everything does.

Now this wonderful wreckage has landed in the northwest suburbs, with Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in downtown Arlington Heights offering Chicago‑area audiences a prime view of just how fabulously wrong things can go - and how deliriously right it all becomes.

Adeptly directed by Jahanna McKenzie Miller, the production becomes a finely tuned symphony of disarray - each mishap landing with surgical precision, each failing set piece detonating like a perfectly timed punchline. What unfolds is a relentless cascade of comic disaster, the kind that sends laughter rolling through the audience in unstoppable waves and showcases just how artful a well‑executed trainwreck can be.

Ryan Armstrong (left) as Chris Bean / Inspector Carter and Ryan Michael Hamman as Max Bennett in The Play THat Goes Wrong at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre.

To pull off such a bang-bang comedy, it all starts with the cast - and we’ve got a good one here.

Ryan Armstrong leads the beautifully controlled bedlam with a performance steeped in delicious self‑importance, giving Chris Bean - director, actor, and self‑appointed guardian of “proper theatre” - a pompous grandeur that’s as funny as it is precise, while his turn as Inspector Carter unravels in a perfectly paced crescendo of exasperation. Eric Amundson’s Charles Haversham is a riot of physical comedy, playing a corpse who refuses to stay still (hilarious!), and Casey Ross leans into Thomas Colleymoore’s melodrama with booming gusto, turning every line into a wonderfully overwrought declaration.

David Blakeman’s Perkins is a standout of earnest incompetence, mangling lines and props with lovable sincerity, while Ryan Michael Hamman’s Max Bennett steals scenes with wide‑eyed enthusiasm, overacting and shameless audience‑wooing as Cecil Haversham and Arthur the Gardener.

Even the sound and light operator becomes a crucial player in the unfolding disorder. Richaun Stewart turns Trevor Watson into a wonderfully frayed bundle of barely contained madness, playing the chronically overtaxed tech operator whose deadpan, slow‑burn panic becomes one of the evening’s most dependable laugh generators. Teah Kiang Mirabelli dazzles as Florence Colleymoore, embodying Sandra Wilkinson’s diva bravado with such gleeful abandon that each unhinged beat lands bigger than the last.

Rounding out the cast, Natalie Henry turns Annie Twilloil into the production’s unlikely center of gravity in the second act, charting a sharp, hilarious rise from hesitant stagehand to full‑blown spotlight thief.

Together, this ensemble builds a beautifully calibrated disaster - each actor contributing a distinct flavor of chaos that makes the entire production detonate with joy.

And then there’s the set, an impressive spectacle in its own right. Scenic designer Angela Weber Miller, properties designer Gigi Wendt, and technical director David Moreland push the production well beyond a typical farce, each adding a distinct layer of precision and controlled mishaps. The set functions as a full-fledged character, engineered to collapse, misfire, and betray the actors with such precision that its breakdowns become part of the comedy’s rhythm. Each wobbling wall, treacherous platform, and ill-timed malfunction gives the performers a fresh obstacle to hurl themselves against, turning physical comedy into a kind of athletic endurance test. The design doesn’t just support the charade - it actively conspires in it, creating a living, booby‑trapped environment that amplifies every pratfall and heightens the sense that the entire world of the play is gleefully turning against its inhabitants.

Written by Henry Lewis, Henry Shields and Jonathan Sayer, the Olivier Award-winning The Play That Goes Wrong is the kind of theatrical joyride that reminds audiences why live performance is irresistible: it’s unpredictable, it’s explosive, and it’s crafted with such precision that the turmoil becomes its own kind of art. This production delivers laugh after laugh through fearless physical comedy, razor‑sharp timing, and a cast fully committed to the magnificent meltdown unfolding around them. It’s the rare show that guarantees a good time - whether you’re a seasoned theatre goer or someone who just needs a night of pure, cathartic laughter.

For tickets and/or more show information, visit https://www.metropolisarts.com/event/the-play-that-goes-wrong/. Through March 29^th.

Recommended.

Tickets: Regular $49, Preview $35, Students $25
Pay What You Can: February 25, 7:30 pm
Previews: Evenings, February 25 – February 27. Matinee, February 28.
Opening: February 28, 7:30 pm

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

CHICAGO THE MUSICAL is BACK IN TOWN and is still the one musical with everything that makes Broadway shimmy-shake: a universal tale of fame, fortune, and all that jazz, with one show stopping song after another and the most astonishing dancing you’ve ever seen.

With a legendary book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, CHICAGO is the #1 longest-running American musical in Broadway history -- and it shows no sign of ever slowing down!

There’s never been a better time to experience CHICAGO, Broadway’s razzle-dazzle smash. This triumphant hit musical is the recipient of 6 Tony Awards®, 2 Olivier Awards, a Grammy®, and thousands of standing ovations. You’ve got to come see why the name on everyone’s lips is still…CHICAGO.

The 2025-26 touring cast of CHICAGO features Ellie Roddy in her return to the cellblock as Roxie Hart, Claire Marshall making her debut as Velma Kelly along with Max Cervantes as Billy Flynn, Marc Christopher as Amos Hart, Illeana “illy” Kirven returning as Matron “Mama” Morton and J. Clanton as Mary Sunshine.

The cast also includes Tim Canali, Genevieve Hall, Jared Houde, Jaiden Jones, Amy Knips, Lacey Kohn, Helena Laing, Michael Mottram, Chandler James Pettus, Jake Siffert, Anna Speer, Nick Traficante, and returning cast members Terryn Cuozzo, Josh England, Serena Kozusko, Ryan McInnes and Angelliz M. Rosado Ramos. 

CHICAGO is the winner of six 1997 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Cast Recording.   
  
This tour will be directed by David Hyslop with choreography by Gregory Butler based on the original direction by Tony Award winner Walter Bobbie and original choreography by Tony Award winner Ann Reinking. CHICAGO features scenic design by Tony Award winner John Lee Beatty, costume design by Tony Award winner William Ivey Long, lighting design by Tony Award winner Ken Billington, sound design by Scott Lehrer, Supervising Music Director Robert Billig and casting by ARC.

The CHICAGO band will be led by Music Director and Conductor Andy Chen, Associate Conductor Chase Anderson and will include Erik Wakar, Jason Whitmore, Heather Kriesel, Matt TenBroek, Jordan Webb, Amanda Bateman, Landon Gaddis, Troy Bashor, Garrett Sullivan and Aaron Kan.

The stage management team is led by Sofia Rose Itskovich and Elspeth Bustard. The company management team is led by Marc Ciemiewicz and Jess Fernando. 

Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, CHICAGO is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who maliciously murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today’s tabloids.

It’s no surprise that CHICAGO has wowed audiences from Mexico City to Moscow, from Sao Paulo to South Africa. The show has been seen in 36 different countries and seen by 33 million people worldwide and now it’s coming to your town!

Whether you're looking for your first Broadway musical, whether you've seen the Academy Award®-winning film and want to experience the show live on stage or whether you've seen it before and want to recapture the magic, CHICAGO always delivers!

CHICAGO is a production not to be missed. And all the reviewers agree.

TIME Magazine calls it “A Triumph,” Newsweek raves “Smashing” and Entertainment Weekly sums it up by calling CHICAGO “Broadway’s Most Electrifying Show.”

Come on, babe! Head to CHICAGO! We’re hotter than ever.

Connect with us on social:
https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoOnTour

https://www.tiktok.com/@chicagotour

https://www.instagram.com/ChicagoOnTour/

For more CHICAGO information: www.ChicagoOnTour.com


PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesday, May 5 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 6 – 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 7 – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, May 8 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 9 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 10 – 1:00 p.m.

TICKET INFORMATION (As of February 19, based on availability and subject to change)
Individual tickets for CHICAGO THE MUSICAL will go on sale Friday, February 20 and range from $40.00 - $115.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. Ticket price listed is when purchased in person at the box office. Additional fees apply for online purchases. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

ABOUT THE AUDITORIUM
The Auditorium, located at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive in Chicago, is an Illinois not-for-profit organization committed to presenting the finest in international, cultural, community, and educational programming to all of Chicago and beyond as The Theatre for the People. The organization is also committed to the continued restoration and preservation of this National Historic Landmark that originally opened in 1889. For more information on The Auditorium please visit AuditoriumTheatre.org.

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

For more information and tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
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The Gift Theatre, led by Artistic Directors Brittany Burch and Jennifer Glasse, announces its 25^th Anniversary "Homecoming" Season. The landmark 2026 season features the return of the company's signature short play festival, a major Chicago premiere, and a new work by ensemble member Netta Walker, staged at iconic venues across the city including A Red Orchid Theatre, Steppenwolf's 1700 Theater, and a return to Jefferson Park at the Copernicus Center.

The 25^th Season includes the annual short play festival TEN 25^th, March 25-April 4, 2026, to take place at A Red Orchid Theatre. The Chicago Premiere of Marble by Marina Carr, August 2-30, 2026, will mark a return to the company's home neighborhood. Hayward, a world premiere by new ensemble member Netta Walker, October 14-November 22, will be presented at Steppenwolf's 1700 Theater. The season will close with a one-night event in December, the 25th Anniversary Benefête Performance at Jefferson Park's Copernicus Center.

Artistic Directors Brittany Burch and Jennifer Glasse comment, "As we look ahead, we're recommitting to our origins in Jefferson Park and actively exploring pathways to bring The Gift home again. Our 25th Anniversary 'Homecoming' season reflects that spirit—beginning with a winter gala and continuing this spring with TEN 25th at A Red Orchid Theatre and continuing with Marina Carr's captivating drama Marble, and Hayward, a new play by one of The Gift's newest ensemble members Netta Walker. We celebrate 25 years of intimate, ensemble-driven work by coming home—to our artists, audiences, and the neighborhoods that shaped the company."

Subscription packages are now on sale at thegifttheatre.org or by calling 773-283-7071. The Homecoming Subscription Package, $105, includes TEN 25^th, Marble and Hayward. The Homecoming Subscription Package+ Subscription Package, $170, includes TEN 25^th, Marble, Hayward and the 25th Anniversary Benefête Performance.  Subscribers save up to 15% off regular ticket prices, priority seating, free ticket exchanges and guaranteed seating to limited-run productions.

The 25^th Anniversary Homecoming Season is:

TEN 25^th

The Gift's Ten-Minute Play Festival of New Work

at A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N Wells St. in Chicago

March 25 – April 4, 2026

Tickets, $25, thegifttheatre.org and (773) 283-7071

TEN 25th features the work of Gift ensemble members Cyd Blakewell, Erica Weiss, Gregory Fenner, Jennifer Glasse, Jennifer Rumberger, John Gawlik, Kenny Mihlfried, Pat Weber, Paul D'Addario and Shanésia Davis.

TEN 25th features 10-minute world premiere plays from Chicago playwrights John Gawlik, Jennifer Rumberger, Gregory Fenner, Kimberly Dixon-Mays, Dolores Diaz, Stephanie Alison Walker, Emilio Williams, Jermaine Jenkins, and Brett Neveu.

MARBLE
Chicago Premiere by Marina Carr

at Copernicus Center – Kings Hall, 5216 W Lawrence Ave in Chicago

August 2 – August 30, 2026

Tickets, $45-$50, thegifttheatre.org and (773) 283-7071

individual tickets will be on sale this spring

Marble follows two married couples, Ben and Catherine, and their friends Art and Anne, whose comfortable lives begin to splinter after a shared dream triggers suspicion and desire.

A surreal and haunting exploration of two couples whose lives collide through shared dreams, this production anchors the company's homecoming to the neighborhood where it was founded.

HAYWARD

World Premiere by ensemble member Netta Walker

Directed by AmBer Montgomery

featuring ensemble members Shanesia Davis and Gregory Fenner

at Steppenwolf's 1700 Theater, 1700 N. Halsted St in Chicago

October 14 – November 22

Tickets, $45-$50, will be available this summer through the Steppenwolf box office.

A reimagining of the classics Hamlet and Electra. The play follows the main character Luna, who on the day of her father's funeral, confesses to her siblings that she has seen her father's ghost. Staged in Steppenwolf's intimate 1700 Theater, this production continues The Gift's commitment to ensemble talent and bold new narratives.

25th ANNIVERSARY BENEFÊTE PERFORMANCE

at Copernicus Center — Gateway Theatre 5216 W. Lawrence, Chicago, IL

December 7th 2026

Tickets $75, thegifttheatre.org and (773) 283-7071 tickets will be available this spring

The season will close out with a spectacular, one-night-only celebration honoring a quarter century of The Gift Theatre. This 25th Anniversary Benefête Performance, will be a night featuring our favorite scenes from over the years performed by ensemble members —the artists who have shaped this theatre across generations.

About The Gift Theatre
The Gift Theatre is a storefront nonprofit founded in Chicago's Jefferson Park neighborhood, committed to creating accessible, inclusive, and impactful theatrical experiences. Our identity is defined by intimacy, collaboration, and a belief that live storytelling can inspire and transform both artist and audience. Our programming isn't bound by genre but guided by character-driven, emotionally rich storytelling rooted in truth. Whether surreal or starkly naturalistic, each play we share reflects our commitment to creating spaces of deep connection—among artists, between artist and audience, and within our community.

The Gift Theatre ensemble includes its newest members Jennifer Aparicio, Shanésia Davis, Angela Morris, Jennifer Rumberger, Netta Walker and Patrick Weber. They join fellow ensemble members Daniel Ahlfeld, Cyd Blakewell, Brittany Burch, Hillary Clemens Harbor, Jenny Connell Davis, John Kelly Connolly (in memoriam), Paul D'Addario, Brendan Donaldson, Will Eno,

James D. Farruggio, Gregory Fenner, Ed Flynn, Gabriel Franken, John Gawlik, Maggie Andersen Gawlik, Emjoy Gavino, Jennifer Glasse, Andrew Hinderaker, Chika Ike, Evan Michael Lee, Sarah Luse, Marti Lyons, Alexandra Main, Martel Manning, Laura Marks,Kenny Mihlfried, Benjamin Montague, William Nedved, Darci Nalepa, Keith Neagle, Lynda Newton, Sheldon Patinkin (in memoriam), Maureen Payne-Hahner, David Preis, David  Rabe, Mary Ann Thebus (in memoriam), Michael Patrick Thornton, Hannah Toriumi, Erica Weiss, Jay Worthington, and Kyle Zornes.

Trap Door Theatre is thrilled to continue its mainstage work of their 32nd season with a production of Trap Door's favorite playwright Stanislaw Witkiewicz's The Cuttlefish, or the Hyrcanian Worldview, directed by Nicole Wiesner. The Cuttlefish will play March 19 – April 25, 2026 at Trap Door Theatre, 1655 W Cortland St. in Chicago. Tickets are now on sale at trapdoortheatre.com or by calling (773)-384-0494. 

Part philosophical farce, part surreal fever dream—Witkiewicz's The Cuttlefish, or the Hyrcanian Worldview is a razor-sharp satire of art under pressure. In a world where creativity is consumed by control and individuality is crushed beneath the weight of conformity, an artist spirals into crisis—torn between integrity and survival, freedom and obedience. Witkiewicz exposes the seductive dance between artist and authority, where every act of creation risks becoming an act of submission. Decades ahead of its time, this anarchic comedy lays bare the modern artist's impossible choice: stay true to your vision, or surrender it for comfort and applause.

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Title: The Cuttlefish, or the Hyrcanian Worldview

Author: Stanisław I. Witkiewicz

Translator: Daniel Gerould

Director: Nicole Wiesner

Cast (in alphabetical order): Venice Averyheart (Grumpus/Mother), Emily Lotspeich (Pope Julius II), David Lovejoy (King Hyrcan IV), Keith Surney (Statue of Alice d'Or), Gus Thomas (Ella), and Nicole Wiesner (Paweł Rockoffer).

Location: Trap Door Theatre, 1655 W. Cortland St. Chicago, IL 60622

Dates: Regular Run: Thursday, March 19th –Saturday, April 25th, 2026

Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8:00 pm, and Sundays 4/12 and 4/19 at 3PM.

Tickets: $32 with 2-for-1 admission on Thursdays. Tickets are currently available at https://our.show/the-cuttlefish or by calling (773) 384-0494.

Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre, the Evanston theatre company that has been thrilling audiences with stories of the Black American and African diaspora experience since 1979, today announced its programming for the 2026 season. Tim Rhoze, the company's Producing Artistic Director since 2010, unveiled the slate of three plays, all of which were written by women and premiered in the 21^st Century. 
 
The season will open in May with GEE'S BEND, the 2008 play by Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder, which follows a family —Alice, her daughters Sadie and Nella, and Sadie's husband, Macon — from 1939 to 2000 as they experience segregation, family strife, and the Civil Rights movement. The play is set in the real-life community of Gee's Bend – an isolated community in central Alabama which has become known for the hand-stitched quilts made by generations of its women. DC Theater Arts said, "GEE'S BEND weaves the essence of the quilt into a theatrical experience that exalts universal themes of family, faith, and overcoming adversity in a deeply moving way. " GEE'S BEND was commissioned and produced by the Alabama Shakespeare Festival and has been performed at Denver Center, Cleveland Playhouse, Kansas City Rep, Northlight Theatre, Philadelphia's Arden Theatre, and Hartford Stage, among others. The FJT production will play from May 23 through June 7. 
 
The season will continue in July with the Pulitzer Prize-nominated IN THE CONTINUUM —  a play that tells the parallel stories of two Black women, one in Los Angeles and one in Zimbabwe, who discover they are pregnant and HIV positive. It was written by the playwright and actress Danai Gurira (author of Broadway's ECLIPSED and cast member of HBO's THE WALKING DEAD) and the OBIE Award-winning actress and writer Nikkole Salter. It premiered at New York's Primary Stages in 2005 and was later produced at Chicago's Goodman Theatre, Washington D.C.'s Woolly Mammoth Theatre, and in Zimbabwe and South Africa. THE NEW YORK TIMES called it "A moving, smart, spirited and powerfully funny production."  It will be performed by Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre from July 25 through August 9. 
 
The season closer will be THE NICETIES, by Eleanor Burgess. This two-character play follows a 20-year-old Black college student meeting with her white professor to discuss the student's term paper about slavery's effect on the American Revolution. The paper's thesis is that the revolution would not have succeeded without the contributions of black slaves. The professor disagrees, and what begins as a polite clash in perspectives explodes into an urgent debate about race, history, and power. The world premiere of THE NICETIES, directed by Chicago's Kimberly Senior, was co-produced during the 2018-2019 season by the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston, Massachusetts; Manhattan Theatre Club in New York, New York; and McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, New Jersey. THE NEW YORK TIMES said it was "a bristling, provocative debate play about race and privilege in the United States, and it begs to be argued with." DC THEATER ARTS called it "a brilliant and important play." It will be performed by Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre from October 31 through November 15. 
 
Fleetwood–Jourdain Theatre will also produce the third annual Gloria Bond Clunie Playwright's Festival on July 18 and 19. The festival, named for the founder of Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre and acclaimed playwright Gloria Bond Clunie, will present professional staged readings of three new plays. Titles and playwrights to be announced.
 
Premium Gold Membership cards, priced at $90.00 and including four reserved seats that can be used in any combination throughout the season, are on sale now at https://app.amilia.com/store/en/cityofevanston/shop/memberships/70643 . The card also includes the added benefit of an automatic bonus seat, along with access to other exclusive specials during the season. Tickets to individual plays will be offered later in the year.
 
LISTING INFORMATION
 
GEE'S BEND
by Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder
Directed by Tim Rhoze
May 23 – June 7, 2026
Saturdays at 7 pm, Sundays at 3 pm
Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre in the Noyes Cultural Arts Center
927 Noyes St., Evanston
Tickets $32.00, Students $10.00. On sale later this year at www.fjtheatre.com
Phone 847-866-5914
 
GEE'S BEND is the story of the Pettway women, quilters from the isolated community of Gee's Bend, Alabama. Beginning in 1939, the play follows Alice, her daughters Sadie and Nella, and Sadie's husband, Macon, through segregation, family strife, and the Civil Rights movement. Throughout their lives, the women's extraordinary quilts provide a respite from the turmoil around them. In the last act of the play, it is the year 2000; the quilts have been discovered as folk art and have become very valuable. Sadie is pleased with the recognition, but despite the lure of the big city, she returns to Gee's Bend and continues to quilt. Wilder's play explores the resilience of the human spirit, especially as it is expressed in art. 
 
IN THE CONTINUUM 
by Danai Gurira & Nikkole Salter
Directed by Tim Rhoze
July 25 – August 9, 2026
Saturdays at 7 pm, Sundays at 3 pm
Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre in the Noyes Cultural Arts Center
927 Noyes St., Evanston
Tickets $32.00, Students $10.00. On sale later this year at www.fjtheatre.com
Phone 847-866-5914
 
IN THE CONTINUUM puts a human face on the devastating impact of AIDS in Africa and America through the lives of two unforgettably courageous women. Living worlds apart, one in South Central LA and the other in Zimbabwe, each experiences a kaleidoscopic weekend of life-changing revelations in this story of parallel denials and self-discoveries.
 
THE NICETIES
by Eleanor Burgess 
Directed by Tim Rhoze
October 31 – November 15, 2026
Saturdays at 7 pm, Sundays at 3 pm
Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre in the Noyes Cultural Arts Center
927 Noyes St., Evanston
Tickets $32.00, Students $10.00. On sale later this year at www.fjtheatre.com
Phone 847-866-5914
 
Zoe, a Black student at a liberal arts college, is called into her white professor's office to discuss her paper about slavery's effect on the American Revolution. What begins as a polite clash in perspectives explodes into an urgent debate about race, history and power.
 
BIOS

Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder (Writer, GEE'S BEND) has written THE FURNITURE OF HOME, which deals with the Gulf Coast recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and premiered at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival in 2009. Her play THE FLAG MAKER OF MARKET STREET followed at ASF in 2011. THE BONE ORCHARD was commissioned by the Denver Center Theatre and workshopped at the Perry Mansfield New Works Festival. Other plays include FRESH KILLS (Royal Court/London), THE FIRST DAY OF HUNTING SEASON (EST), and THE SPIRIT OF ECSTASY. 
 
Danai Gurira (Co-playwright, IN THE CONTINUUM) Is an award-winning playwright and actress. As a playwright, her works include Broadway's ECLIPSED (NAACP Award; Helen Hayes Award: Best New Play; Connecticut Critics Circle Award: Outstanding Production of a Play), IN THE CONTINUUM (OBIE Award, Outer Critics Award, Helen Hayes Award), and THE CONVERT (six Ovation Awards, Los Angeles Outer Critics Award). Danai's play FAMILIAR received its world premiere at Yale Rep in 2015. She is a recipient of the Whiting Award, a Hodder Fellow, and has been commissioned by Yale Rep, Center Theatre Group, Playwrights Horizons, and the Royal Court. She is currently developing a pilot for HBO. As an actor, she has appeared in the films THE VISITOR, and MOTHER OF GEORGE. She also played Isabella in NYSF's MEASURE FOR MEASURE (Equity Callaway Award) and currently plays Michonne on AMC's THE WALKING DEAD. She holds an MFA from Tisch, NYU. She was born in the US to Zimbabwean parents and raised in Zimbabwe. She is the co-founder of Almasi Arts, which works to give access and opportunity to the African Dramatic Artist.
 
Nikkole Salter (co-playwright, IN THE CONTINUUM). This Los Angeles-born, OBIE Award-winning actress and writer arrived on the professional scene with her co-authorship and co-performance (with Danai Gurira) of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated play, IN THE CONTINUUM. As a dramatist, Ms. Salter has written eight full-length plays, been commissioned for full-length work by six institutions, been produced on three continents in five countries, and has been published in 12 international publications. Her work has appeared in over 20 Off-Broadway, regional, and international theatres. Ms. Salter is also the co-librettist with composer/lyricist Nolan Williams Jr. of the musical GRACE and made her directorial debut opening the 2023/24 season of Baltimore Center Stage with a production of LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR AND GRILL. 
 
Eleanor Burgess (playwright, THE NICETIES). In addition to THE NICETIES, Eleanor Burgess's plays include WIFE OF A SALESMAN, START DOWN, CHILL, SPARKS FLY UPWARD, and GALILEE, 34.  Her work has been produced at theaters across the United States, including Manhattan Theatre Club, South Coast Rep, Geffen Playhouse, McCarter Theatre Center, Huntington Theatre Company, Writers Theatre, Milwaukee Rep, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Geva Theatre Center, InterAct Theatre, Portland Stage, the Alliance Theatre and the Contemporary American Theatre Festival, as well as the Finborough Theatre in London. She has also written for film and television, including work on PERRY MASON for HBO, WE CRASHED for Apple TV+, INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE for AMC, and screenplays for Bad Robot, Amblin, and Anonymous Content. Originally from Massachusetts, she studied history at Yale College and Dramatic Writing at NYU/Tisch.
  
Tim Rhoze (Director, Producing Artistic Director) Tim Rhoze has been the Producing Artistic Director of Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre since 2010. His directing credits include: THE BALDWIN | GIOVANNI EXPERIENCE, PASS OVER, HONEYPOT: BLACK WOMEN WHO LOVE WOMEN, UNTIL THE FLOOD, FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE/ WHEN THE RAINBOW IS ENUF, 1619: THE JOURNEY OF A PEOPLE, THIS BITTER EARTH, THE LIGHT, AMERICAN SON, HOME, TWILIGHT: LOS ANGELES 1992, THE MEETING, FIRES IN THE MIRROR, BLACK BALLERINA (co-writer),  NUTCRACKER(ISH), CROWNS, HAVING OUR SAY, FROM THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA, WOZA ALBERT!, GOING TO ST. IVES, SINGLE BLACK FEMALE, A SONG FOR CORETTA, YELLOWMAN, SWEET, LADY DAY AT EMERSON BAR & GRILL, BEAR COUNTRY, NOBODY, FENCES, PIANO LESSON, AIN'T MISBEHAVIN, K2, THE GLASS MENAGERIE, and others. Tim is also the writer/director of WHY NOT ME? A SAMMY DAVIS JR. STORY, and MAYA'S LAST POEM, both produced at FJT; and BLACK BALLERINA, produced at FJT and Pittsburgh Public Theatre. He was also co-writer and director of THE BALDWIN | GIOVANNI EXPERIENCE and A HOME ON THE LAKE. His performances in August Wilson's PIANO LESSON (1997) and JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE (2024) at the Goodman Theatre were nominated for Jeff Awards.
 
ABOUT FLEETWOOD-JOURDAIN THEATRE 

Founded in 1979, Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre is a professional, award-winning theatre company that has been thrilling audiences with over four decades of unique, inspirational, and invigorating Black American and African Diaspora-centered storytelling. The company has been honored by the Black Theatre Alliance/Ira Aldridge Awards and is frequently listed as a top-rated Chicago theatre company. From original plays to the best of Broadway, Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre has remained committed to supplying the very best in theatre. "Umoja!! ....Working Together in Unity" is the foundation from which FJT began and continues to thrive!
 
It is our mission to present powerful, thought-provoking, Theater Arts programming with a commitment to diversity and creative excellence. We are dedicated to providing a nurturing and creative environment for directors, playwrights, actors, designers, and stage managers. In this positive environment, they can further develop their creative skills and share their artistic expressions. The Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre is funded by the City of Evanston and in part by the Illinois Arts Council, A State Agency.

The Den Theatre today announced its lineup of April 2026 comedy shows at the theatre's Wicker Park stages at 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., This month's highlights include Sammy Obeid on April 3 – 4 and April 6; Mohanad Elshieky on April 10; Sugar Sammy on April 11; Young Black & Funny on April 16; Adam Conover: Special Taping on April 18; Sarper Güven on April 19, Emma Grede on April 21, Michael Longfellow on April 24 – 25; Tinder Live With Lane Moore on April 26; and Dewayne Perkins on April 30. Tickets are now on sale at www.thedentheatre.com or by calling (773) 697-3830.

Sammy Obeid

Friday, April 3, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 4, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Monday, April 6, 2026 at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets: $31 – $75

Sammy Obeid is a Lebanese-Palestinian American comedian born in Oakland, California. He double majored in business and mathematics at UC Berkeley before turning down a job at Google to pursue comedy full-time. Now the host of Netflix's 100 Humans, he has also appeared on NBC's Last Comic Standing and America's Got Talent, as well as TBS's Conan. He is best known for his world record of performing comedy 1,001 nights in a row, a story featured in Time magazine and The New York Times.

Mohanad Elshieky

Friday, April 10, 2026 at 7:15 p.m. Tickets: $22 – $40

Mohanad Elshieky is a New York-based, Libyan-born comedian who made his national TV debut on Conan and has been featured on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Don't Tell Comedy and Comedy Central. He has toured with Pop Up Magazine and is currently a writer/consultant for the hit podcast Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! He previously wrote for Lovett or Leave It and was one of the hosts of Lemonada's podcast I'm Sorry, where each week they unraveled the latest Twitter gaffes, petty beef and not-so-subtle shade.

He has also been featured in Kumail Nanjiani's Little America book. In 2024, Mohanad was selected as one of the SF Sketchfest Dozen, a spotlight series for comics on the verge of becoming the next big thing. In 2018, he appeared in an episode of Epix's Unprotected Sets and was listed as one of Thrillist's "50 Best Undiscovered Comics." Mohanad was also a digital producer on Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.

Elshieky combines a deceptively laid-back demeanor with a whip-smart perspective on politics and culture. The Portland Mercury called him "an undisputed genius of comedy," and he has been featured on podcasts including Lovett or Leave It, Pod Save The People and Harmontown. He has toured across the country with the critically acclaimed storytelling show Pop Up Magazine. Elshieky zeroes in on topics that seem off limits — then surprises you with how hard you're laughing.

Sugar Sammy

Saturday, April 11, 2026 at 7:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Tickets: $25 – $55

Sugar Sammy is one of the hottest comedians on the international circuit. The New York Times calls him "a fearless comic with a talent for provoking both laughter and outrage." He has performed more than 2,300 shows in 32 countries.

Described as "fluent in funny" by The Washington Post, he tackles cultural, social and political themes with charm and finesse. He is a master of crowd work and audience interaction.

Sugar Sammy's international television credits include specials broadcast on HBO Canada, Comedy Central Asia, Comedy Central India, CTV, The Comedy Network, The Comedy Channel, Dutch TV and Showtime Arabia. A television star on both sides of the Atlantic, he currently serves as a judge on La France a un Incroyable Talent, France's version of America's Got Talent.

Additional praise includes:

"A fearless comic with a talent for provoking both laughter and outrage." — The New York Times

"Fluent in Funny." — The Washington Post

"Sugar Sammy is a provocateur." — The Guardian

"The funniest man in France is a Quebecer." — GQ France

"Master of the punchline, rhythm and improv." — Télérama

"Comedy's new rock star." — Quotidien

Young Black & Funny

Thursday, April 16, 2026 at 7:15 p.m.

Tickets: $22 – $40

This show is produced by Jasmine Burton and Benny Nwokebia.

Jasmine Burton is a barred attorney from Los Angeles living and working in Washington, D.C. She has performed stand-up throughout the DMV, including Room 808, Hotbed, DC Comedy Loft, The Port and DC Improv, and has opened and hosted for Matt Rife, Lil Rel, Zainab Johnson, Tony Woods, Aida Rodriguez, Earthquake and Stavros Halkias, among others seen on Netflix, HBO and Comedy Central. A blend of West Coast and East Coast swagger, Burton is best known for her high energy, punchlines and infusion of the law and her life experience into her comedy. She brings an edgy, witty and intellectual humor that keeps audiences at the edge of their seats — or falling out of them.

Born in Washington, D.C., Benny Nwokebia is half Nigerian and half Ethiopian and grew up overseas in Geneva, Switzerland. He has performed in New York City (Broadway Comedy Club, Stand NY, Greenwich and others), Washington, D.C. (DC Improv, Comedy Loft, Hotbed, Drafthouse and others), and internationally in Switzerland, Mexico and Canada (Zoo Fest, Just for Laughs). He has worked with Matt Rife, DeRay Davis, Nate Jackson, Zainab Johnson, Josh Johnson, Ian Lara and Tony Woods, among others. Most recently, he took second place in the 2023 Seattle International Comedy Competition. He was named runner-up in the Magooby's 2022 Comedian of the Year competition and winner of DC Improv's Comedy Kumite competition.

Adam Conover: Special Taping

Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 7:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Tickets: $25

Adam Conover is a comedian and the creator, writer and star of the hit series Adam Ruins Everything, an educational comedy that dispels common misconceptions. The New York Times calls it "one of history's most entertaining shows dedicated to the art of debunking" and refers to Conover as a "genial provocateur." On YouTube, his videos have amassed millions of views.

In 2022, his series The G Word premiered on Netflix. Produced in partnership with Barack Obama's Higher Ground Productions, it pulls back the curtain on how the federal government works using comedy and documentary storytelling.

Conover also hosted the Nickelodeon game show The Crystal Maze and recurs on the animated series BoJack Horseman and Tuca & Bertie. As a stand-up comedian, he performs regularly in top comedy clubs and colleges across the country.

Sarper Güven
Sunday, April 19, 2026 at 2:30 p.m., 5:00 p.m., and 7:15 p.m.
Tickets: $30 – $55

Sarper Güven first gained worldwide attention as a reality TV star on TLC's hit show 90 Day Fiancé, where his bold personality and unique humor made him an unforgettable cast member. His presence on the show built him a strong international fanbase that now follows him to the comedy stage.

​​Quickly breaking into the U.S. stand-up scene, Güven delivers nearly one-hour sets filled with sharp, unapologetic takes on relationships, the struggles of marriage and the cultural differences of American life. His high-energy, fearless style and international perspective have already made him one of the fastest-rising comedians to watch.

Emma Grede: Start With Yourself Book Tour

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 at 7:15 p.m.

Tickets: $22 – $70

Emma Grede is the ultimate modern mogul, turning big ideas into some of today's most influential consumer brands. She is the co-founder and CEO of Good American, a founding partner of SKIMS, the co-founder of Safely and Off Season, and the voice behind the Aspire with Emma Grede podcast.

A leader with purpose, Grede also lends her time and expertise to global impact organizations, serving on the board of directors for the Obama Foundation and Baby2Baby, and recently became a King's Trust Ambassador. Her journey proves that success and substance go hand in hand.

Grede lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Jens, and their four children.

Michael Longfellow

Friday, April 24, 2026 at 7:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 25, 2026 at 7:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Tickets: $22 – $40

Michael Longfellow is a comedian and stepson from Phoenix who completed three seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. Prior to SNL, he was one of eight comedians chosen for the inaugural "Netflix Introducing..." Next Stars of Comedy showcase at the Netflix Is a Joke Festival. He was also selected as one of TBS's "Comics to Watch" at the New York Comedy Festival and went on to make his late-night debut on Conan. He was a favorite on NBC's comedy talent series Bring the Funny. Longfellow regularly tours festivals and clubs around the country.

Tinder Live With Lane Moore

Sunday, April 26, 2026 at 7:15 p.m.

Tickets: $22 – $50

Tinder Live! With Lane Moore is the critically acclaimed comedy show where Moore projects her dating app onto a screen, swipes through profiles live on stage, and the audience votes whether she swipes right or left, to cathartic, hilarious and surprisingly kind results.

Tinder Live is known as one of the best comedy shows around, selling out shows across the United States and Canada, headlining festivals such as SF Sketchfest, and maintaining a long-running monthly residency in New York City. The show has been named a critics' pick for Best Comedy Show by The New York Times, The Atlantic, Spin, The Guardian, Paper, VICE, Paste, Fast Company, Cosmopolitan, The Washington Post, Entertainment Tonight, Good Morning America, New York Magazine, The New York Post, Time Out, HuffPost, CBS and New York Observer.

Tinder Live regularly features special guests including David Cross, Janeane Garofalo, Anna Faris, Paul F. Tompkins, Amber Tamblyn, Sasheer Zamata, Ed Solomon, Lamorne Morris, Busy Philipps, David Koechner, Jon Glaser, Hari Kondabolu, Aparna Nancherla, Mara Wilson, Stacy London, Ashley Nicole Black, Jo Firestone, Laura Benanti, Amanda Knox, Stephanie March, James Urbaniak, Lizz Winstead, Heather Matarazzo, Scott Adsit, Grace Helbig, Sondre Lerche, JD Samson, Jean Grae and more.

Praise for Tinder Live With Lane Moore includes:

"Truly addictive entertainment... it's ingenious. The way she manipulates tone and pace reveals an artist supremely confident in her form." — The New York Times

"Tinder Live is great, it's so funny. Fantastic. Highly recommend." — David Cross

"Consistently funny. One of the best comedy shows around." — Vulture

"Compassionate and hilarious... it's a smash." — Spin

"A hilarious comedy show. Moore isn't cynical about love; she's just put in a lot of time in the trenches." — New York Magazine

"Tinder Live captures all the magic of this truly ridiculous era in app-based dating in real time. You'll relate to Moore's live-swiping and laugh at her reactions and messages to would-be suitors." — Vulture

"Blisteringly hilarious. In anyone else's hands this could feel mean-spirited, but Moore makes it cathartic, a bracing comedic espresso shot." — Brooklyn Based

"Tinder Live makes light of just how absurd and soul-sucking swiping through an endless procession of other human beings can become. Moore expertly steers the crowd from mean-heartedness to substance with each match." — VICE

Dewayne Perkins: How Being Black And Gay Made Me Better Than You!

Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $22 – $40

Dewayne Perkins is a writer, producer, actor and comedian who has emerged as one of the most-watched Black creatives in film and television today. Named one of Variety's "Comics to Watch," Vulture's "Comedians You Should and Will Know," and one of The New York Times' "Queer Young Comics Redefining American Humor," Perkins has steadily built his comedic portfolio over the years. His work has earned him Emmy, WGA and NAACP Image Award nominations.

Perkins currently stars opposite Seth Rogen in the critically acclaimed, award-winning Apple TV+ comedy series The Studio, which premiered March 26, 2025, and quickly emerged as one of the most celebrated freshman comedies of the year. The series made history as the most Emmy-winning first-season comedy series of all time, earning 13 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series. His role in The Studio followed his appearance opposite Keke Palmer and SZA in Sony's feature film One of Them Days, which was hailed by critics and earned a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

In 2023, Perkins co-wrote, produced and starred in the award-winning feature film The Blackening (Lionsgate), based on his Comedy Central digital short of the same name that went viral with more than 15 million views. The film premiered as a 2022 Toronto International Film Festival Midnight Madness selection and was theatrically released in June 2023. The Blackening earned nominations from the NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture, the GLAAD Media Awards for Outstanding Film and the Black Reel Awards for Outstanding Ensemble. Perkins received individual nominations for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture) and a Black Reel Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Performance. He is currently developing a sequel with MRC and Lionsgate alongside Tracy Oliver and E. Brian Dobbins.

Additional writing credits include Netflix's The Break with Michelle Wolf, Fox's Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Peacock's The Amber Ruffin Show, which earned him an Emmy nomination. He also holds producing credits on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Peacock's Saved by the Bell, and Amazon's Sausage Party.

As an actor, Perkins has appeared on Netflix's The Upshaws, Peacock's Saved by the Bell, and IFC's Sherman's Showcase. He has written for the WGA Awards, The Webby Awards and the White House Correspondents Dinner, where one of his jokes was listed in The New Yorker's "Best Jokes of 2018."

As a stand-up comedian, he has been named one of Comedy Central's "Up Next" comedians, a 2019 "New Face" at the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal, one of Time Out New York's "Breakout LGBTQ Comedians to Watch," and was a finalist on NBC's Stand Up. He has also performed at Comedy Central's Clusterfest, SF Sketchfest and NBC's Breakout Festival.

Perkins splits his time between New York and Los Angeles, where he continues to develop multiple projects.

Broadway In Chicago is is delighted to announce that tickets for SPAMALOT will go on sale on Friday, February 27. SPAMALOT will play Broadway In Chicago’s CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe St.) for a limited two-week engagement, May 19-31.SPAMALOT tour production photos here, rehearsal footage here, and B-roll hereSPAMALOT, which first galloped onto Broadway in 2005 after its 2004 world premiere in Chicago, features a book & lyrics by Eric Idle and music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle. The original Broadway production was nominated for fourteen Tony Awards and won three including Best Musical. Following its critically acclaimed 2023 Broadway revival at the St. James Theatre in NYC, SPAMALOT is now on an all-new North American tour. Under the direction and choreography of Josh Rhodes , the production was praised for its inventive staging, design, and exceptional performances, reaffirming the enduring appeal of Monty Python’s distinctly British wit and comedic brilliance. The Broadway revival now brings its celebrated production to audiences across the country. The tour will travel to more than 30 cities in its first year including Cleveland; Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; Las Vegas; San Francisco; Seattle; Denver; Atlanta; Dallas; New Orleans; St. Louis; Houston; Ft. Worth; Charlotte; Schenectady; St. Paul, Greenville; Rochester; Milwaukee; Hartford and Costa Mesa. For more information, please visit www.spamalotthemusical.com. 

The cast includes Major Attaway (Aladdin) as King Arthur, Sean Bell (Harmony) as Sir Robin, Chris Collins-Pisano (Forbidden Broadway) as Sir Lancelot, Ellis C. Dawson III (Hamilton) as Sir Bedevere, Leo Roberts (Les Misérables) as Sir Galahad, Amanda Robles as The Lady of the Lake, Blake Segal (Mary Poppins) as Patsy and Steven Telsey (The Book Of Mormon) as The Historian/Prince Herbert.The cast also includes Lindsay Lee Alhady, Delaney Benson, Jack Brewer, Connor Coughlin, L'ogan J'ones, Graham Keen, Claire Kennard, Ben Lanham, Nathaniel Mahone, Maddie Mossner, Emilie Renier, Mark Tran Russ and Meridien Terrell.  The creative team includes scenic and projection design by Paul Tate dePoo III, costume design by Jen Caprio, lighting design by Cory Pattak, sound design by Kai Harada & Haley Parcher, wig design by Tom Watson and music supervision by John Bell. Jonathan Gorst is the Musical Director/Conductor. The team also includes Matthew Brooks (Production Stage Manager), Anna K. Rains (Stage Manager) and Dani Berman (Asst. Stage Manager), James Neal (Company Manager) and Kat McIntyre (Asst. Company Manager). Derek Kolluri is the Associate Director, and Michael Fatica is the Associate Choreographer. Casting is by Geoff Josselson, CSA and RCI Theatricals serves as General Manager. SPAMALOT is produced by Jeffrey Finn.
 
Lovingly ripped off from the film classic, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, SPAMALOT has everything that makes a great knight at the theatre: from flying cows to killer rabbits, British royalty to French taunters, dancing girls, rubbery shrubbery, and of course, the Lady of the Lake. SPAMALOT features well-known songs including “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life,” “The Song That Goes Like This,” “Find Your Grail” and more that have become beloved classics in the musical theater canon.   
 

www.spamalotthemusical.com

CONNECT WITH SPAMALOT
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PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesday, May 19 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 20 – 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 21 – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, May 22 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 23 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 24 – 1:00 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.Tuesday, May 26 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 27 – 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 28 – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, May 29 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 30 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 31 – 1:00 p.m.TICKET INFORMATION (as of February 26, based on availability and subject to change)

Individual tickets for SPAMALOT will go on sale Friday, February 27 and range from $35.00 - $125.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. Ticket price listed is when purchased in person at the box office. Additional fees apply for online purchases. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Recommended.

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