Buzz Center Stage

Wednesday, 09 April 2025 13:49

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces a Bold 2025/26 Season of 12 productions

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) Artistic Director Edward Hall and Executive Director Kimberly Motes announce today the 2025/26 Season. As the nation's largest year-round theater dedicated to the works of Shakespeare, CST is committed to creating vivid, entertaining theatrical experiences that invigorate and engage people of all ages and identities by illuminating the complexity, ambiguity, and wonder of our world. This season, CST will produce two world premieres, three North American premieres, six Shakespeare and Shakespeare-adjacent productions, and present work from England, Ethiopia, and New Zealand for a total of 12 productions across all three stages. CST is deepening its commitment to its namesake playwright: out of a total of 358 performances this season, more than 50% are written or inspired by Shakespeare, including the return of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

The 2025/26 Season begins this summer with high-flying entertainment for audiences of all ages with Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian Dreams; the world premiere of Billie Jean, a new play from Lauren Gunderson about sports icon and equality champion Billie Jean King; and free performances of Shakes in the City: A Midsummer Night's Dream in green spaces and neighborhood events throughout Chicago. The fall kicks off with a major new production of the musical revue Ain't Misbehavin': The Fats Waller Musical Show as Richard Maltby, Jr. and André De Shields reinvent this Tony Award-winning celebration of the music and spirit of Fats Waller. CST will produce the world premiere of Q Brothers Collective's satirical new "add-rap-tation" of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Rome Sweet Rome. Just in time for Halloween, CST launches the North American premiere of Paranormal Activity: A New Story Live on Stage, a thrilling new play from Chicago's Levi Holloway inspired by the world of Paramount Pictures' global horror phenomenon. For the holidays, Shakespeare's wittiest rom-com Much Ado About Nothing sparks joy in a new staging from acclaimed director Selina Cadell. Artistic Director Edward Hall directs Short Shakespeare! Hamlet for nearly 20,000 students in addition to public performances. The Royal Shakespeare Company returns as part of CST and RSC's ongoing artistic partnership with Hamnet, launching a US tour. CST produces Shakespeare's glorious comedy The Merry Wives of Windsor, staged by leading Shakespeare director Phillip Breen. Direct from New Zealand, audiences are invited to Mrs. Krishnan's Party, an immersive experience from Indian Ink Theatre. CST closes the season with the North American premiere of a new play: Brokeback Mountain, the heartbreaking love story based on the novella that inspired the Academy Award-winning film.

"Here at CST, we draw so much inspiration from the stories of Shakespeare and our Chicago community," said Edward Hall, Artistic Director. "In thinking about our 2025/26 Season, I was reminded of the quote from Cymbeline, 'boldness be my friend.' It says so much about looking outward, reaching for something ambitious, trying to create and build and serve something bigger than yourself. This upcoming season is bold—and promises to entertain, invigorate, and engage you with unforgettable stories that remind us of our shared humanity."

"Chicago Shakespeare Theater has a rare geographic vantage point which inspires a wide perspective," shared Kimberly Motes, Executive Director. "We look out at the expanse of Chicago and its 77 neighborhoods—and it challenges us to create work that reflects this vibrant city. And to the other side, we see the horizon line of the gorgeous Lake Michigan, encouraging us to look beyond—bringing the world to Chicago and sending Chicago out into the world. Our 2025/26 Season reflects this exactly with the work we are producing and the breadth of voices we share on our stages."

The 2025/26 Season

The world-famous Circus Abyssinia comes to Chicago Shakespeare Theater this summer for a limited engagement. Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian Dreams (July 10–August 3, 2025 | The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater) astounds with heart-stopping acrobatics, stunning feats of juggling, high-flying hilarity, and death-defying tricks—all set to the irresistible beats of Ethiopian music. Inspired by the story of its creators, brothers Mehari "Bibi" Tesfamariam and Binyam "Bichu" Shimellis, the tale follows Little Bibi and Little Bichu who dream of joining the circus. Throughout their journey, they are joined by a host of circus dreamers whose acts of acrobatic daring call up a world of rushing adventure that awakens the possibility of the first Ethiopian circus made by and for Ethiopian artists. This soaring spectacle is the perfect, unforgettable outing for audiences young and old alike. The Times (UK) gave it four stars, calling it "sensational entertainment." TheaterMania declares, "Some of the most talented jugglers, tumblers, and contortionists you're likely to ever see...a journey worth taking."

Creators Mehari "Bibi" Tesfamariam and Binyam "Bichu" Shimellis shared, "We're beyond excited to partner with Chicago Shakespeare Theater to share the joy, energy, and magic of Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian Dreams with new audiences. This show is a celebration of Ethiopian culture, storytelling, and breathtaking circus artistry—an unforgettable journey filled with heart-pounding acrobatics and boundless dreams."

Beginning in July, Chicago Shakespeare Theater produces the world premiere of Billie Jean (July 18–August 10, 2025 | The Yard), an electrifying new play about Billie Jean King: a visionary, a pioneer, a woman who changed the world. Following her path to becoming a sports icon, from her record-breaking victories to her relentless fight for equal pay and equal rights, Billie Jean explores the cost of public battles and private struggles—bringing us closer than ever before to a woman whose battle for identity and equality inspired and continues to inspire generations. This new play is written by Lauren Gunderson, one of the most-produced playwrights in America and two-time winner of the Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award (I and You, The Book of Will). Marc Bruni—director of Broadway's The Great Gatsby and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical—stages this empowering new look at a living legend who shattered glass ceilings on and off the court.

Playwright Lauren Gunderson said, "CST is the perfect place to launch this new play about Billie Jean King, her activism, and her ongoing impact on the world. Her story is a hero's journey, and the house of Shakespeare's heroes is a fitting home for this theatrical debut about excellence, equality, and heart. We want this play to be an exploration of contrast: instantly recognizable and also deeply surprising; athletic and also theatrical; heartfelt and heroic. I am honored and thrilled to have Billie Jean be a part of CST's season."

Shakespeare's dreamiest romantic comedy is brought to vibrant new life with free performances and activities in green spaces, neighborhood festivals, and events across the city with Shakes in the City: A Midsummer Night's Dream (July 19–August 17, 2025 | sites across Chicago). Now in the second year of the annual free initiative, join Puck and his feisty fairy band for Shakespeare at his most whimsical and fun—packed into just 45 minutes! A quartet of love-sick young people are joined by a motley crew of theatricals, a fairy King and Queen in an epic showdown, and a talking donkey to boot. Delight in the exhilaration and hilarity of young love as the chaos of magic and enchantment turns the world upside down. Adapted and originally staged by CST Artistic Director Edward Hall, who brings his signature clarity in storytelling and a playful staging to the comedy, this Midsummer treat now comes directly to Chicagoans across the city after a successful run played for students this winter. Dates, locations, and special programming to be announced soon.

Edward Hall stated, "Taking this vivacious, energetic and life affirming comedy onto the streets and into the neighborhoods of Chicago is a dream for Shakespeare's Dream. I am so looking forward to renewing our relationship with the many different communities of Chicago, a city that explodes with summer energy and life whenever the sun shines and people gather."

Richard Maltby, Jr.—Tony, Olivier, and Outer Critics Circle Award winner and the production's original creator and director—teams up with André De Shields—Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award winner and member of the original 1978 Broadway cast—to reimagine, reframe, and direct a new production of the Tony Award-winning musical, Ain't Misbehavin': The Fats Waller Musical Show (September 3-28, 2025 | The Yard). Set in the golden age of the Harlem Renaissance in the '20s and '30s, this infectiously joyful Fats Waller tribute celebrates the enduring spirit of Black artistry as a multi-talented cast of five performs more than 30 hit songs from Waller and other artists—including "The Joint is Jumpin'," "Honeysuckle Rose," and the title track "Ain't Misbehavin'." CST produces this fresh, new production that goes straight to the heart of Waller's music, brought to life by the extraordinary artists who began it all. The New York Times declared that the revue, "moves with the zing and sparkle of a Waller recording—filled with bright melodies and wonderfully lighthearted rhythms, counterpointed by the comments and asides."

Co-director Richard Maltby, Jr. said, "The creation of Ain't Misbehavin', often referred to as the greatest musical revue of all time, was marked by so many accidents, coincidences, and magical surprises that, even while it was happening it felt to us creating it that the show was somehow blessed. What was intended to be pure entertainment turned out—because it was based on Fats Waller's life, art, and gargantuan personality—to suddenly have acquired a deeper significance that transcended a mere revue, and conjured up the story, the humanity, and the entire zeitgeist of the Harlem Renaissance. Now, nearly 50 years later, André De Shields and I are grateful to the Chicago Shakespeare Theater for the opportunity to release the magic to happen again as we bring a brilliant new cast into the creative process and reimagine the show for audiences today."

Co-director André De Shields added, "We artists/activists, who embrace the discipline of theater as a way to life, understand that the journey is taken in search of the eternal. Our souls are nourished and our senses informed by the unique communities we either encounter or create as we seek. When, in June of 1978, Ain't Misbehavin' opened on Broadway—winning the Tony Award for Best Musical—it was confirmation of the journey I had begun nearly a decade earlier in Chicago during the summer of 1969. I return to Chicago to celebrate. Lesson: theater as a way of life is finite; theater as a way to life is in-finite."

CST is excited to partner with Q Brothers Collective (GQ, JQ, JAX & POS) to debut their satirical new "add-rap-tation" of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Rome Sweet Rome (September 23–October 19, 2025 | The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater), created and directed by Q Brothers Collective (GQ, JQ, JAX & POS). The Collective returns once again to Chicago Shakespeare Theater after more than a decade of successful collaborations, including Othello: The Remix, Funk It Up About Nothin', and Q Brothers' Christmas Carol. Hailed by MTV as "nothing short of brilliant," their work blends hip hop and theater—adapting classic stories with a wholly original style of performance that has amassed a cult following of fans in Chicago and beyond. Igniting Julius Caesar with the pulse of '90s hip hop and New Jack Swing, Rome Sweet Rome infuses Shakespeare's political intrigue with bold satire and electrifying beats. Razor-sharp wit collides with revolutionary rhythm, proving that power struggles never go out of style.

Q Brothers Collective (GQ, JQ, JAX & POS) shared, "We're excited to be back home at Chicago Shakes. Rome Sweet Rome is just us doing what we love—celebrating and satirizing Shakespeare, and the world at large."

In October, Chicago Shakespeare Theater launches the North American premiere of Paranormal Activity: A New Story Live on Stage (October 15–November 2, 2025 | The Yard). An original story set in the world of Paramount Pictures' terrifying film franchise, James and Lou move from Chicago to London to escape their past—and the rest is to be revealed. The haunting thriller is written by celebrated Chicago-based playwright Levi Holloway, a Red Orchid Theare ensemble member whose Tony-nominated Grey House premiered on Broadway in 2023. The production is directed by Felix Barrett, pioneering founder and artistic director of the acclaimed Punchdrunk—whose immersive Sleep No More played more than 5,000 performances in a record-breaking 14-year run. Paranormal Activity's UK premiere was hailed "a delicious mix of fear and excitement" (North West End)—urging "make sure you have someone's hand to hold" (Yorkshire Times). CST's North American premiere production is perfectly timed for the lead-up to Halloween, and audiences can turn up their fear factor with a special late night showing on October 31. Paranormal Activity is produced in a co-production with Center Theatre Group, American Conservatory Theater, and Shakespeare Theatre Company.

Playwright Levi Holloway shared, "Writing Paranormal Activity for the stage, collaborating with Felix Barrett in London—working to create an actual nightmare—has been a dream. We strived to create something impossible, mixing the familiar with the uncanny, heart with horror. Chicago audiences have a nose for honesty on stage and little patience for anything else. They'll find it here, right alongside all the mischief we've made to trouble their sleep."

Just in time for the festive holiday season, CST stages Shakespeare's original rom-com, Much Ado About Nothing (November 16–December 21, 2025 | The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater). CST welcomes back acclaimed director Selina Cadell, who most recently staged the record-breaking solo theatrical performance of Hamlet from Eddie Izzard, which played to sold-out houses at CST in 2024 as well as in NYC and London. One of the most sought-after directors in the UK, Cadell's extensive directing credits include Charles Dickens' Great Expectations (New York and London), Love for Love (RSC), and The Life I Lead (West End). In this wittiest of comedies, we meet Beatrice and Benedick: two ferociously independent individuals who have steadfastly avoided sharing their lives with anyone but themselves. Set against the backdrop of romantic Italy, they both finally fall for each other despite their best efforts to remain single. It's a warm-hearted ode to the power of love and the joy of partnership.

Director Selina Cadell stated, "In a turbulent world, where charm turns on a dime to hot headed decisions and disproven assumptions, Much Ado About Nothing is a play for our times, reflecting the tangles of a powerful patriarchy and the wrongful accusations made when power and reputation take precedent over listening and truth. Shakespeare balances this tragic lens with comedy and compassion, as Beatrice and Benedick guide themselves and us through the obstacles that can thwart enduring love."

CST will welcome nearly 20,000 middle and high school students from across the region to 35 student matinee performances of Short Shakespeare! Hamlet (January 27–February 28, 2026 | The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater). Directed by Artistic Director Edward Hall, this production marks CST's first-ever abridged staging of William Shakespeare's most famous play. Reeling from grief, the young Prince of Denmark navigates the loss of his father, his mother's betrayal, and relationships torn apart—offering a chance for today's young people to see themselves and their experiences reflected through a 400-year-old story. CST's education programming extends the performance's impact into the classroom with dedicated teacher workshops and curriculum resources designed to support the development of students' crucial skills, including social-emotional competencies, critical literacy, and meaningful collaboration. In addition to the five-week run of school matinees, this 75-minute production will offer 6 additional public performances on Saturdays.

Edward Hall noted, "Hamlet was written at a time of such great uncertainty and turbulence, making this an electric moment to delve back into his story of family, politics, and identity. After my experience directing Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night's Dream, I relish the opportunity of sharing Hamlet with a young audience that has so much to teach me about the world in which I live."

The world-renowned Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) returns to CST as part of our ongoing artistic partnership to launch the US tour of their acclaimed Hamnet (February 10–March 8, 2026 | The Yard). When the plague steals 11-year-old Hamnet from his loving parents, Agnes and William Shakespeare, they must each confront their loss alone. And yet, out of the greatest suffering, something of extraordinary wonder is born. Experience the US premiere of the Royal Shakespeare Company's "elegant and beguiling" (London's Evening Standard) stage adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's best-selling novel, adapted by award-winning playwright Lolita Chakrabarti (whose Hymn opens at CST in May 2025), and directed by Erica Whyman. Pulling back a curtain on the story of the greatest writer in the English language and the woman who was the constant presence and purpose of his life, Hamnet is a love letter to passion, birth, grief, and the magic of nature. The RSC's production originally opened in the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2023 and transferred to the Garrick Theatre in London's West End.

RSC co-Artistic Directors Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey shared, "We are delighted to be returning to Chicago Shakespeare Theater where we were welcomed so warmly when we brought Shakespeare's Pericles to audiences on Navy Pier last year, marking the RSC's first visit to the city in 30 years. It's wonderful to be coming back in 2026 with Lolita Chakrabarti's beautiful adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's Hamnet, which offers a compelling new perspective on Shakespeare through the eyes of Agnes Hathaway and their children. We can't wait to share this intimate and moving story with US audiences."

Playwright Lolita Chakrabarti added, "I am so excited to bring Hamnet to CST. As a theater steeped in Shakespeare and new work, this play offers both in one show. Hamnet brings to life the Shakespeare family—William, his sister and their parents, Agnes, his wife, and their three children. You will see why William went to London and discovered the theater, how his family lived without him and how the profound loss of a child gave us one of the most important plays in the western world. Hamnet is a heartwarming and heartbreaking exploration of family, loss, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive."

In the spring, audiences will delight in Shakespeare's glorious comedy The Merry Wives of Windsor (April 2–May 3, 2026 | The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater). The production is directed by foremost Shakespeare authority Phillip Breen, who has quite literally written the book on Merry Wives. His seminar for the Shakespeare Institute—Walking in A Windsor Wonderland: Some Ramshackle Reflections on Directing Shakespeare's Greatest Comedy—examines his creative sensibilities around a story that he considers exemplary of Shakespeare's comedic genius. An Associate Artist at the RSC, Breen's eclectic range of work expands beyond theater to encompass opera, musicals, and cabaret, as well as being a regular collaborator with Vivienne Westwood for London Fashion Week. In the middle-class and very English hamlet of Windsor, joyous revelry abounds as the ladies of the town—the ebullient Mistress Page and Mistress Quickly—band together to have the last laugh over the lewd, but loveable, Falstaff.

Director Phillip Breen shared, "I am thrilled to be making my debut at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, one of the great Shakespeare Theaters of the world, under exciting new artistic directorship. Edward Hall is a director whose work I have greatly admired for a very long time, I am hugely looking forward to collaborating with him and the whole CST team. Merry Wives is by far Shakespeare's funniest play, mainly because it is his most subversive, as well as being his most (egregiously and erroneously) underrated. It smuggles heresy into its chocolate box English setting like a late Elizabethan copy of Samiszdat. You know... all the things you shouldn't talk about in public. Sex. Class. Money. Politics. Can there have been a better time to examine the repressed sadism of the monied bourgeoisie?"

Bringing the world to Chicago, CST presents Indian Ink Theatre's joyfully immersive Mrs. Krishnan's Party (April 7–26, 2026 | Carl and Marilynn Thoma Upstairs Studio) from New Zealand. Step into the back room of Mrs. Krishnan's corner shop where garlands decorate the ceiling, music flows, and Mrs. Krishnan is throwing a party like no other. Food simmers on the stove, laughter abounds, and strangers become friends in this celebration of life created by Jacob Rajan and Justin Lewis, who also directs. The actors juggle cooking, music, and guests in an unfolding drama where no two nights are the same. The New Zealand Herald raved, "the show's generous spirit offers a timely reminder that live theater is a gift which engenders connection, sharing, and celebration of community" and Waikato Times called it "so original, so creatively fresh, and so much fun no one wanted to go home." This production marks the Chicago debut of New Zealand's acclaimed Indian Ink Theatre Company, which for more than two decades has mined the collision of East and West to create spirited, artful storytelling under the creative partnership of Rajan and Lewis.

The show's co-creators Jacob Rajan and Justin Lewis said, "We're thrilled to bring Mrs. Krishnan's Party to Chicago Shakespeare Theater. This show breaks the fourth wall, the fifth wall, and probably a few rules—all in the name of joy, connection, and an almighty good time. It's not every day theater serves food for the belly and the soul. I mean, where else can you experience heart-in-your-mouth storytelling and dancing on tables in the same night?"

CST closes the season with the North American premiere production of Brokeback Mountain (May 28-June 28, 2026 | The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater), Ashley Robinson's new adaptation of Annie Proulx's captivating novella that inspired the Academy Award-winning film. The story is set in Wyoming 1963, a wild landscape of extreme rural poverty and insular conservative communities. When Ennis and Jack take jobs on the isolated Brokeback Mountain, all their certainties of life change forever as they flounder in unexpected emotional waters of increasing depth. Directed by Jonathan Butterell, this intense tale of an irresistible and hidden love spans 20 years and is interwoven with soulful, original Country Western songs by Dan Gillespie Sells (Everybody's Talking About Jamie), performed live onstage. The play's 2023 debut on London's West End was a runaway hit, called "electrifying" by the Sunday Express, and "compelling" by The Guardian.

Playwright Ashley Robinson said, "I'm thrilled that Chicago Shakespeare will host the US Premiere of Brokeback Mountain. Chicago is the perfect city in which to premiere this working-class story of star-crossed lovers. I'm looking forward to bringing the play home, at a time when this beloved story feels more resonant and needed than ever."

Author of the novella Annie Proulx shared, "Brokeback Mountain has been recreated in several different forms, each with its own distinctive moods and impact. Ashley's script is fresh and deeply moving, opening sight lines not visible in the original nor successive treatments. The story has always projected a sense of the difficult fated solitudes that echo in Wyoming's tawny landscapes. The joinery of script, actors, director, theatre, audiences becomes a complex watershed of dozens of mountain streams finally merging into a river of sensibility."

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is a leading international theater company and the nation's largest year-round theater dedicated to the works of Shakespeare. Under the visionary leadership of Artistic Director Edward Hall and Executive Director Kimberly Motes, the Regional Tony Award recipient is committed to creating vivid, entertaining theatrical experiences that invigorate and engage people of all ages and identities by illuminating the complexity, ambiguity, and wonder of our world. Each year, nearly a quarter of a million people experience CST's artistry through more than 12 productions and 356 performances and events each year.

CST exemplifies theatrical excellence. Shakespeare is at the heart of the artistic work, illuminating the 400-year-old playwright as a modern writer for our modern world. CST also produces compelling, contemporary stories from fresh artistic voices of today. CST brings the world to Chicago and sends Chicago out into the world as Chicago's foremost presenter of international theater, and consistent producer of North American and world premieres. Productions originating from Chicago Shakespeare have gone on to Broadway, national and international tours, garnering three Tony Awards, three Olivier Awards, and two Grammy nominations.

The Theater fosters a lifelong relationship with the arts by providing transformational experiences for multigenerational audiences. Serving more students and teachers than any theater in the city, CST annually welcomes more than 20,000 high school and middle schoolers to attend 50+ daytime matinee performances and participate in after-school programs like Chicago Shakespeare SLAM. Professional development opportunities for teachers include the year-long Bard Core intensive for Chicago Public Schools educators. CST's initiatives support the development of young people's crucial skills, including social-emotional competencies, critical literacy, and meaningful collaboration. Learners of all ages deepen their engagement through PreAmble talks and post-show discussions. The $30 under 30 discounted ticket program for young adults and students reduces barriers to participation for thousands of first-time attendees.

CST activates its campus with three best-in-class venues: The Yard, a robust 700-seat space with flexible configurations and expansive proscenium; the Jentes Family Courtyard Theater, an intimate 500-seat thrust theater where the audience surrounds the stage on three sides; and the Carl and Marilynn Thoma Upstairs Studio, a 200-seat black box theater. Situated along the picturesque shore of Lake Michigan, CST is the cultural anchor of the iconic Navy Pier, one of the top Midwest tourism destinations attracting 9 million visitors annually.

Fueled by the vitality of the city of Chicago, CST contributes significantly to the vibrancy and economic impact of the arts and culture ecosystem. CST's reach extends beyond the theater's walls with free programs like Shakes in the City, which brings performances and workshops to parks, festivals, and shared community spaces across Chicago's 77 neighborhoods.

For nearly four decades, CST has distinguished itself with a spirit of innovation, dynamism, and ambitious vision. Shared humanity and unforgettable stories—now THIS is Chicago Shakespeare. chicagoshakes.com

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER'S 2025/26 SEASON

CIRCUS ABYSSINIA: ETHIOPIAN DREAMS

Co-Created & produced by Mehari "Bibi" Tesfamariam
Co-Created & directed by Binyam "Bichu" Shimellis
Written by Cal McCrystal
Choreography by Kate Smyth
The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater
July 10–August 3, 2025

World Premiere

BILLIE JEAN

By Lauren Gunderson
Directed by Marc Bruni
The Yard
July 18–August 10, 2025

SHAKES IN THE CITY: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

By William Shakespeare
Adapted and originally staged by Edward Hall
Free performances across Chicago
July 19–August 17, 2025

AIN'T MISBEHAVIN'

The Fats Waller Musical Show

Created and originally directed by Richard Maltby, Jr.
Conceived by Richard Maltby, Jr. and Murray Horwitz
Directed by Richard Maltby, Jr. and André De Shields
The Yard
September 3–28, 2025

World Premiere

ROME SWEET ROME

Created and Directed by Q Brothers Collective (GQ, JQ, JAX & POS)
Based on Shakespeare's Julius Caesar
The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater
September 23–October 19, 2025

North American Premiere

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

A NEW STORY LIVE ON STAGE

Written by Levi Holloway
Directed by Felix Barrett

In co-production with Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Center Theatre Group, American Conservatory Theater, and Shakespeare Theatre Company
Based on the Paranormal Activity films, first written and directed by Oren Peli and brought to the screen by Blumhouse and Solana Films
Produced by arrangement with Paramount Pictures and Simon Friend Entertainment
TM & © 2025 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved

The Yard
October 15–November 2, 2025

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

By William Shakespeare
Directed by Selina Cadell
The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater
November 16–December 21, 2025

SHORT SHAKESPEARE! HAMLET

By William Shakespeare
Directed by Edward Hall
The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater
January 27–February 28, 2026

The Royal Shakespeare Company and Neal Street Productions present
Maggie O'Farrell's

HAMNET

Adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti
Directed by Erica Whyman
The Yard
February 10–March 8, 2026

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR

By William Shakespeare
Directed by Phillip Breen
The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater
April 2–May 3, 2026

From New Zealand: Indian Ink Theatre's

MRS. KRISHNAN'S PARTY

By Jacob Rajan and Justin Lewis
Directed by Justin Lewis
Carl and Marilynn Thoma Upstairs Studio
April 7–April 26, 2026

North American Premiere

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN

By Ashley Robinson
Songs by Dan Gillespie Sells
Based on Annie Proulx's short story
Directed by Jonathan Butterell

Originally produced @sohoplace by Nica Burns, Adam Blanshay Productions, Lambert Jackson Productions, and Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainment

The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater
May 28–June 28, 2026

Published in Upcoming Theatre

Tagged under

Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Wednesday, 16 April 2025 13:32

THE LOVE OF THREE KINGS Returns and Kicks Off the Opera Festival of Chicago, May 9 and 11

The Opera Festival of Chicago announces the cast and creative team for The Love of Three Kings (L’Amore dei tre Re), with music by Italo Montemezzi, a libretto by Sam Benelli, directed by Sasha Gerritson, conducted by Uff. Emanuele Andrizzi with a cast of more than 40 performers and an orchestra of 39 musicians. Performances are Friday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 11 at 2 p.m. at the Athenaeum Center, 2936 N. Southport Ave. Single tickets are $25 - $50 with subscriptions available at OperaFestivalChicago.org.

Forty years after conquering Altura, the blind king Archibaldo faces growing resentment from its people. He recalls the conquest as a thrilling victory, likening it to winning a beautiful woman. His son, Manfredo, is married to the Alturan princess Fiora, who secretly loves another Alturan prince, Avito. Though Archibaldo suspects Fiora’s infidelity, his blindness and uncooperative servants leave him without proof.

Amid love duets and tense confrontations, Archibaldo grows increasingly enraged and strangles Fiora at the end of the second act. In the final act, Fiora’s body lies in a crypt as the Alturans mourn. Archibaldo poisons her lips, intending to trap her lover. Avito kisses Fiora and dies, revealing their affair to Manfredo, who, in grief, also kisses her and succumbs. Archibaldo enters to confirm his scheme but is devastated to hear the voice of his dying son.

In addition to The Love of Three Kings (L’amore dei tre re), the Opera Festival continues with its Young Artists program performing a delicious program featuring songs inspired by food in opera, Delicatessen Recital, June 5, the Opera Festival of Chicago's leading artists then appear in concert for Love is a Triangle, June 14, with the season concluding with Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, June 27 and 29.

“The 2025 Festival, our fifth season, is going to be a season of celebration here at the Opera Festival of Chicago. This organization began forging its path in the opera world in 2021 with the mission of presenting Italian opera masterworks that rarely-if ever- grace the stage in the United States,” said General Director Sasha Gerritson. “These fully staged productions featured star-studded casts and have included several United States and Chicago premieres. We look forward to welcoming audiences from all over the Chicagoland area to this year’s season, which is based on a powerful theme, “Love is a Triangle,” and continues our mission in 2025 with concerts and two Italian masterworks.”

The cast of The Love of Three Kings features Andrea Silvestrelli (bass, King Archibaldo); Maria Kanyova (soprano, Fiora); Franco Pomponi (baritone, Manfredo); Andrew Morstein (tenor, Avito); Matthew DiBattista (tenor, Flaminio); Aldo Alan Navarette (Giovanetto/Fanciulo); Jade Dashá (soprano, Ancella/Giovanetta) and Viktoria Vizin (mezzo-soprano, Una Vecchia).

In addition, there will be a chorus including Floriana Bivona; Lizzie Broeker; Melanie Budreck, Winifer Castaneda; Jorie Clark; Brooke Craig; Ryan Daly (cover, Avito); Angela DeVenuto (cover, Fiora); Katrina Dubbs; Theresa Egan; David Green; Abigail Greer Arcamona; Lauren Ingebretsen; Marlina Karimi; Ally Lewkowski; Joe Lodato (cover, Manfredo); Jake Luellen; Samantha Mcgonigal (cover, Una Vecchia); Margaret Meierhenry; Grisella Milla; Chimerie Obianom; Jennifer Parr (cover, Ancella/Giovanetta); Brian Pember; Leah Rockweit, Pamela Spann; Meg Thomas-Cary; Leo Radosavljevic (cover, Archibaldo);

Jose Vargas Ramirez; Carmen Vizin-Esquivel; Kevin Wheatle and Jonathan Wilson (cover, Manfredo).

The creative team for The Love of Three Kings includes Uff. Emanuele Andrizzi (conductor); Sasha Gerritson (director/supertitle design); Richard Robbins (chorus master); Catherine O’Shaunessy (assistant conductor); Darren Brown (production manager); Bill Morey (costume designer); Erzebet Schneider (costumes supervisor); Shane Cinal (set designer); Andres Fiz (projections designer); Mike Goebel (lighting designer); Mary Mazurek (recording engineer); Melanie Saso (hair and wigs designer); Errin Austin (makeup designer); Hannah Zizza (supertitle operator); Gisella Milla (assistant to the director); Sebastian Medina (master electrician); Hannah Wein (assistant lighting designer); Rachel Rock (stage manager); James Juliano (SHOUT!) (publicity director); Lorenzo Formosa (house manager); Natalie Zoia (orchestra manager); Emily Zwijack (social media); Jacob Little (production assistant); Kaylea Meyers (production assistant); Irina Feoktistova (accompanist) and Leo Radosavljevich (chorus accompanist)

ABOUT SASHA GERRITSON, GENERAL DIRECTOR

Sasha Gerritson is a highly sought after opera and musical theater stage director who directs for many local and regional companies, specializing in traditional productions of believed repertoire. For the Opera Festival of Chicago, Gerritson received rave reviews for her production of Assassinio nella Cathedrale (2023). She also is regularly involved with Music Theater Works where she recently directed Guys and Dolls (March 6 - 30, 2025), Lerner & Loewe’s Brigadoon (2023) and Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (2022) both to great critical acclaim.

Gerritson served as the Opera and Music Theatre director of Northeastern Illinois University from 2010-2022, has directed for Musica Nelle Marche (Urbino, Italy), Opera Piccola, DePaul University, the Cherub Music Theatre program for Northwestern University, in addition to various other summer programs in the area.

In addition to her stage direction work, she is a choral conductor and singer, serving as the director of music ministries for the Park Ridge Community Church. She also proudly serves on a number of boards city-wide, including The Brookfield Zoo, the Navy Pier Foundation, the Goodman Theatre and DePaul University, for which she is vice chair.

Gerritson lives in Glenview with her husband, Eugene Jarvis, and their two sons.

ABOUT OPERA FESTIVAL OF CHICAGO

The Opera Festival of Chicago presents world-class standard productions of Italian opera masterpieces in Chicago that rarely grace the stage in the United States. In doing so the Opera Festival of Chicago aspires to: generate an inquisitive operatic appetite within Chicago audiences; make its work – and its cultural context – accessible to a wide audience; provide a stimulating and inspirational environment of Italian opera for artists and audiences alike; provide a vital opportunity for young artists entering the profession to uphold the high integrity and demands of Italian opera with artists and musicians who are established professionals and to highlight and celebrate the immense talent that has originated from the Chicagoland area.

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Wednesday, 16 April 2025 13:29

See Chicago Dance Announces the Return of Chicago Dance Month, May 31 - June 28, 2025

Ajumma Rising + Friends, ChiBuck Movement from 2023 Chicago Dance Month.

See Chicago Dance, the dance industry's nonprofit service organization celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025, is proud to announce that its popular annual offering, Chicago Dance Month, will return May 31 - June 28. Now in its 12th year, Chicago Dance Month provides numerous opportunities for artists and companies to celebrate the myriad talents that make Chicago’s dance scene so strong. This summer celebration, featuring many free events, begins with a Chicago Dance Month Kickoff Celebration, Saturday, May 31 at 3 p.m. at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave.

“It’s going to be an amazing June for Chicago’s dance community as we celebrate 20 years of See Chicago Dance and 12 years of presenting Chicago Dance Month,” said See Chicago Dance Executive Director Julia Mayer. “This year’s CDM artists were selected by our inaugural Community Curatorial Committee, a marvelous group of dance leaders whose insights helped to lift up new voices and further diversify our program offerings.”

In addition to the events listed below, See Chicago Dance will highlight the work of scores of artists and organizations during this citywide celebration. Chicago Dance Month events and Hot Deal discount offers will be added to future releases and updated regularly on the organization’s newly re-designed, state-of-the-art website, SeeChicagoDance.com.

EVENTS CURRENTLY SCHEDULED INCLUDE*:

Chicago Dance Month Kickoff Celebration

Navy Pier’s Lake Stage, 600 E. Grand Ave.

Saturday, May 31

3 - 5 p.m.

FREE

Chicago Dance Month begins with an opening celebration at Chicago’s Navy Pier featuring a dynamic mix of performances from companies and artists that span genres and cultural traditions. Audiences are encouraged to bring a blanket, have a picnic and enjoy the performances.

Pier Dance

Navy Pier’s Wave Wall Platform, 600 E. Grand Ave.

Wednesdays, June 4 - 25

6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

FREE

Enjoy free dance lessons on Navy Pier’s Wave Wall Platform every Wednesday in June. These sessions are great for those who love socializing, learning new dances and being outdoors. Make it a date night or social event by sticking around for Navy Pier’s iconic fireworks display every Wednesday night following these exciting dance classes.

Wave Wall Moves

Navy Pier’s Wave Wall Platform, 600 E. Grand Ave.

Saturdays, June 7 - 28

4 - 5 p.m.

FREE

In partnership with Navy Pier, dance comes to the Wave Wall stage, located across from the iconic Ferris Wheel grand staircase, with pop-up performances from a rotating roster of dance companies every Saturday in June.

On the Move

Palmisano Park, 2700 S. Halsted St.

Tuesdays, June 17 and 24

5:30 - 7 p.m.

FREE

A series of short, site-specific performances that winds its way through public parks, inviting audience members to discover hidden pockets of movement.

Tuesday, June 17 at 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, June 24 at 5:30 p.m.

*Performers, companies and programs are subject to change.

ABOUT JULIA MAYER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SEE CHICAGO DANCE

Julia Mayer, who was named Executive Director of See Chicago Dance in 2020, has been involved in and influencing Chicago’s cultural scene in a variety of capacities for more than 25 years, having worked at 3Arts Inc., The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, Chicago Humanities Festival, Morrison-Shearer Foundation, and Museums In the Park. In addition, she has chaired and served on numerous committees from Links Hall to Chicago Dancemakers Forum to the Chicago Park District. Mayer has been a choreographer, teacher or consultant at Columbia College, University of Chicago and in Indiana at Valparaiso University and Saint Mary’s College. She has a master of fine arts degree in dance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics from the University of Chicago.

ABOUT SEE CHICAGO DANCE

See Chicago Dance is a nonprofit service organization with the mission to advocate for the dance field and strengthen a diverse range of dance organizations and artists through services and programs that build and engage audiences. Its vision is to fearlessly inspire an ever-growing inclusive community to share in and spread the power of dance in Chicago.

See Chicago Dance is the source for all things dance with the city’s most comprehensive resource for dance information and one of the largest websites in the United States dedicated to the art form. Its two-pronged approach focuses on building audiences while developing a more cohesive dance community.

For audience members, See Chicago Dance offers a dynamic calendar of dance performances and experiences, Hot Deal ticket discounts, professionally written reviews and previews, and listings for more than 200 dance organizations.

For dance artists and organizations, See Chicago Dance provides a full range of Programs and Industry Resources to help build audiences, improve skills, and foster appreciation of dance in all its forms.

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Thursday, 17 April 2025 12:26

The Artistic Home presents CUT TO THE CHASE festival of one-act plays May 1-4 at The Den Theatre

The Artistic Home Studio will present the 2025 edition of its annual CUT TO THE CHASE festival of new one act plays, from May 1-4, 2025, in the Upstairs Mainstage at the Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Six plays by six different authors and helmed by six directors will approach questions of perception and reality under the theme "What is Real?" Now in its 22^nd year, the festival has become a Chicago fan favorite, premiering new work from Chicago playwrights as well as well-known talent from across the country.

The show runs as one program running approximately 90 minutes in total, with the six plays performed back-to-back, Five of the plays are world premieres and one is a Chicago premiere. The plays are by Nina Dellaria, Jillian Blevins, Siah Berlatsky, Will Dunne, Greg A. Smith, and Chelyn Cousar. They will be directed by Jenna Steege Ramey, Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary, Jared Shelton, Jacob Watson, Risha Tenae, and JJ Gatesman.

The casts are Lynne Baker and Daphne Beckett, Whitney Minarik and David Stobbe, Kendal Romero and Olivia Gregorich, Jared Goudsmit and Dakota Pariset, John Dooley, Ernest Henton, and Jordyn Birden; and Rebecca Zissok and John Wehrman.

Tickets for CUT TO THE CHASE 2025 are $22 and are on sale now through The Den Theatre Box Office www.thedentheatre.com.

The Artistic Home performs at The Den Theatre and also maintains an acting studio and rehearsal space at 3054 N. Milwaukee Avenue in the Avondale/Logan neighborhood.

CUT TO THE CHASE 2025 PLAYS
"Little Women"
by Nina Dellaria
A World Premiere
Directed by Jenna Steege Ramey
Featuring Lynne Baker and Daphne Beckett
Assistant Director: Annie Hogan

"Postpartum"
by Jillian Blevins
A World Premiere
Directed by Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary
Featuring Whitney Minarik and David Stobbe
With sound composition by Joseph Buechel

"The Princess and the Pirate"
by Will Dunne
A World Premiere
Directed by Jared Sheldon
Featuring Kendal Romero and Olivia Gregorich

"Psychoanalysis!"
By Siah Berlatsky
A World Premiere
Directed by Jacob Watson
Featuring Jared Goudsmit and Dakota Pariset

"Schrödinger's Gun"
by Greg A. Smith
A Chicago Premiere
Directed by Risha Tenae
Featuring John Dooley, Ernest Henton, and Jordyn Birden

"Your Host"
by Chelyn Cousar
A World Premiere
Directed by JJ Gatesman
Featuring Rebecca Zissok and John Wehrman

LISTING INFORMATION

CUT TO THE CHASE 2025
One-act plays by Nina Dellaria, Jillian Blevins, Siah Berlatsky, Will Dunne, Greg A. Smith, and Chelyn Cousar.
Directed by Jenna Steege Ramey, Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary, Jared Shelton, Jacob Watson, Risha Tenae, and JJ Gatesman.
May 1-4, 2025
Thursday and Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm, and Sunday at 3:00 pm.
The Den Theatre, Upstairs Mainstage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago
All seats $22.00
Tickets available now at https://thedentheatre.com/performances/2025/5/1/cut-to-the-chase-the-den-theatre-comedy-club, or by phone at 773-697-3830
More information at www.theartistichome.org

A staple of Chicago theater for over two decades, CUT TO THE CHASE presents six new plays as one fun night of theater. This year's show holds the theme: "what is real?" Come see how six playwrights approach questions of perception and reality. With a cast of 13, this year's CUT TO THE CHASE is a perfect taste of dynamic theater in an intimate space.

The show runs as one program, with the six plays back-to-back, running approximately 90 minutes. Five are world premieres and one is a Chicago premiere.

ABOUT THE ARTISTIC HOME

The Artistic Home is noted for their innovative and intimate presentations of rarely produced classics as well for developing new works. During the 2024-25 season, they produced BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK by Lynn Nottage and Ibsen's HEDDA GABLER, in a new translation/adaptation by Mark O'Rowe. The company has been frequently honored in the Jeff Awards. In the most recent awards, recognizing productions that opened in 2024, they earned two nominations for BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK. For 2023, they received nine nominations for WITCH and DYING FOR IT, including a nomination for Production of a Play (DYING FOR IT) and a win for Kevin Hagan's scenic design of DYING FOR IT. In 2022, they received nine nominations and two wins – one for New Work (MALAPERT LOVE, written by ensemble member Siah Berlatsky) and one for Supporting Actor in a play (Todd Wojcik – in THE PAVILION). The company's 2022 nominations also included two for Best Play production (MALAPERT LOVE and THE PAVILION). The Artistic Home was one of the big winners in the 2019 Jeff Awards, with four awards including Production of a Play, Director of a Play, Principal Performer in a Play, and Sound Design, all for REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT. Brookelyn Hebert won a Jeff as Principal Performer in a Play for the company's 2020 production of ADA AND THE ENGINE. The company was nominated for Jeff Awards in 2019 for ROCK 'N' ROLL, and in 2018 for HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE.

Other memorable productions of recent years include 2017's WEDDING BAND, BY THE BOG OF CATS and THE SCHOOL FOR LIES; their Jeff-nominated productions of THE SEAGULL, WATCH ON THE RHINE, MACBETH and THE LATE HENRY MOSS; and their 2013 Jeff Award-winner THE GODDESS. Other Artistic Home productions include the Jeff-Award-winning production of JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK, which also received three After Dark Awards, the Jeff-Nominated SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH, THE TALLEST MAN, LANDSCAPE OF THE BODY, NATURAL AFFECTION, FIVE WOMEN WEARING THE SAME DRESS, AFTER THE FALL and PEER GYNT (which also received an After Dark award for Direction).

For more than 26 years, The Artistic Home has consistently produced compelling theatre in Chicago. First formed in 1998 with the belief that the actor is at the heart of great theater, the company strives to give birth to unforgettable moments; to touch audiences who are increasingly distanced from human contact; to readdress the classics and explore new works with passion.

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Thursday, 17 April 2025 12:20

Chopin Theatre & Gwydion Theatre present "Theatre of the Absurd" festival Eight Darkly Comedic Tales May 2 – May 25, 2025 | Chopin Theatre Studio

In an era that often defies reason, Chopin Theatre and Gwydion Theatre launch the first annual Theatre of the Absurd Festival, bringing together eight works of absurdist theater May 2-May 25, 2025.

The Theatre of the Absurd traces its roots to post-war/Cold War disillusions in Europe. The name was coined by critic Martin Esslin in his essay of the same name. It describes European playwrights in the 1950s and 60s whose work was "an exploration of existential disarray, dark comedy, and the absurdity of human existence" or  'seeks to represent the absurdity of human existence in a meaningless universe by bizarre or fantastic means" or "life has no meaning".

Chopin's Zygmunt Dyrkacz, reflecting on today's similarities to his youth, shared the idea of the festival with Gwydion Theater who became enthusiastic partners. They present four ensemble directed plays during the first two weeks, followed by Chopin Theatre's collaborations with Columbia College Chicago and Northern Illinois University.

Zoo Story by Edward Albee (Dir. Tommy Thams) – Two men meet on a park bench; one has a plan, the other has a
book, and neither will leave unchanged.
Action by Sam Shepard (Dir. Grayson Kennedy) – Everyday life: coffee, chores, paranoia, existential collapse.
Line by Israel Horovitz (Dir. Ellie Thomson) – Five strangers queue up for something that may not exist, proving
that order is just chaos in a straight line.
The Dumb Waiter by Harold Pinter (Dir. Jason Pavlovich) – Two hitmen in a basement receive mysterious
instructions, questioning authority and reality itself.
Catastrophe - Samuel Beckett's dedication to Vaclav Havel. Mistake - response by Havel years later.
Muzzled - Reza Shirmarz response to both. (Dir. Prof. Michael Brown, Columbia College). The compilation is
a beautiful conversation on the dynamics of power and oppression. Together 40 mins.
The Police by Slawomir Mrozek (Dir. Prof. Kay Martinovich, NIU Dekalb).  The comic masterpiece of
the last political dissident declaring obedience and leaving the police jobless. Premiere of new translation.
(Dr. Joanna Trzeciak Huss, Kent State. Translator of Nobel Laureate W. Szymborska).

Fridays & Saturdays – 3 rotating plays. Sundays – 2 plays + lecture + complimentary food.
Tickets: All day $45. Single show $25.   GwydionTheatre.org and ChopinTheatre.com

SCHEDULE

Friday, May 2
7p Action by Sam Shephard (Dir. Grayson Kennedy)
8p Zoo Story by Edward Albee (Dir. Tommy Thams)
915p Line by Israel Horovitz (Dir. Ellie Thomson)

Saturday, May 3
7p The Dumb Waiter by Harold Pinter (Dir. Jason Pavlovich)
8p Zoo Story
915p Action

Sunday, May 4
4p Action
445p Lecture by artist, director and Prof. Yasen Peyankov
530p Line

Friday, May 9
7p The Dumb Waiter
8p Zoo Story
915p Line

Saturday, May 10
7p Action
8p Zoo Story
915p The Dumb Waiter

Sunday, May 11
4p The Dumb Waiter
5p Lecture - TBD
545p Zoo Story

Friday, May 16
7p Action
8p Line
9p The Dumb Waiter

Saturday, May 17
7p Catastrophe by Samuel Beckett, Mistake by Vaclav Havel, Muzzled by Reza Shirmarz (Dir. Prof Michael Brown)
8p Line
9p The Police by Slawomir Mrozek (Dir. Prof. Kay Martinovich)

Sunday, May 18
4p The Police
5p Lecture - dir. K. Martinovich
545p The Dumb Waiter

Friday, May 23
7p The Dumb Waiter
8p Catastrophe; Mistake; and Muzzled
9p Action

Saturday, May 24
7p Zoo Story
8p The Police
915p Catastrophe; Mistake; and Muzzled

Sunday, May 25
4p Catastrophe; Mistake; and Muzzled
5p Lecture by director and Prof. Michael Brown
545p The Police

CAST

Zoo Story by Edward Albee
Grayson Kennedy (Jerry); Bob Webb (Peter)

Action by Sam Shepard
Tommy Thams (Jeep); Ellie Thomson (Lupe); Maddie Hillock (Liza); Caleb Petre (Shooter)

Line by Israel Horovitz
Grayson Kennedy (Stephen); Caleb Petre (Dolan); Annalie Ciolino (Molly); Jason Pavlovich (Arnall); Derek Ray (Fleming)

The Dumb Waiter by Harold Pinter
Caleb Petre (Ben); Kason Chesky (Gus)

Catastrophe by Samuel Beckett
Mistake by Vaclav Havel
Muzzled by Reza Shirmarz
Cast: To Be Announced

The Police by Slawomir Mrozek
Chris Anthony (Chief of Police); Paige Larkowski (Prisoner); Avery Bowne (Police Sergeant, Provocateur); Jamaque Newberry (The General); Ellen Campbell (Sergeant's Wife, Policewoman)

DIRECTORS, DESIGNERS, LECTURERS

Grayson Kennedy (Artistic Director, Gwydion Theatre) – Grayson is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Gwydion Theatre Company. He has previously appeared on stage with Gwydion Theatre as Dennis in This Is Our Youth and as Jerry in their flagship production of Zoo Story. Grayson's directing credits with Gwydion include Ascension Day and Waiting for Lefty.
Tommy Thams (Managing Director, Gwydion Theatre) – Tommy is thrilled to be collaborating with Chopin Theatre to produce the first Theater of the Absurd Festival. Along with acting, he is also the Cofounder and Managing Director of Gwydion Theatre Company. His recent credits include Oswald in Ghosts (Gwydion Theatre Company), Tommy Devito in Jersey Boys (Emerald Coast Theater Company), and Slim in Shane (Cincinatti Playhouse in the Park). He would like to thank the incredible ensemble of Gwydion for stepping up to the plate and pulling off this massive task.
Ellie Thomson (Ensemble, Gwydion Theatre) – Ellie is a founding ensemble member of Gwydion Theatre Company. She performed in their debut season in Chicago as Margherita in Can't Pay? Won't Pay! (Greenhouse Theater). Recent credits include Regina in Gwydion's adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts (Greenhouse Theater). She is very excited to be working with the Chopin Theatre on the Theater of Absurd Festival, making her directorial debut with Israel Horvovitz's Line. Other credits include Marie in Translations (AADA) and Peaseblossom in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Royal & Derngate).
Jason Pavlovich (Ensemble, Gwydion Theatre) – actor/writer/director that has worked across the Midwest. Born in New Orleans and raised in Cincinnati, where he received his BFA in acting from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Recent acting credits: Paris in Romeo & Juliet (Oak Park Festival Theatre), Conrad/Messenger in Much Ado About Nothing (Cincinnati Shakespeare Company), Luigi in Can't Pay? Won't Pay! (Gwydion Theatre Company). Directing credits: Treefall (Ego Death Theatre Collective). Protégé in Shattered Globe Theatre's 2023 Protégé Program and ensemble member with Gwydion Theatre.

Prof. Michael Brown (Assoc Prof. & Director European Devised Performance, Columbia College Chicago) – directed numerous productions in the US, UK, and China. Recent credits: Invitation to a Beheading, Chicago International Puppet Theatre Festival, Cicada Summer for Rough House Theatre, and an adaptation of Jason and the Argonauts for AFTEC theatre company in Hong Kong, China. Michael has also performed on stages across the US and the UK, in feature films including Dark Shadows and World War Z and has served as a movement artist and trainer for the international phenomenon War Horse and for the feature film Gravity. Currently on the theatre faculty at Columbia College Chicago
Dr. Kay Martinovich (Head of BFA Acting, Northern Illinois University) – is a professional theater director based in Chicago, where she has directed for Remy Bumppo Theatre, Trap Door Theatre, City Lit, Lifeline Theatre, and Irish Repertory of Chicago, among others. Kay is Associate Professor of Acting at Northern Illinois University. She is a proud member of SDC, the Stage Directors and Choreographers union.
Dr. Joanna Trzeciak Huss (Translator, Kent State University) - is professor of translation studies at Kent State University specializing in 20^th and 21^st century Polish and Russian literature and translation theory. Associate editor of The Polish Review. Her translations have appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Harpers, The Atlantic, Paris Review, The Hopkins Review, among others. Her books of poetry translation include Miracle Fair: Selected Poems of Wisława Szymborska (W.W. Norton) and Sobbing Superpower: Selected Poems of Tadeusz Różewicz (W.W. Norton). Her poetry translations were included in Best Literary Translations for 2024 and 2025 (Deep Vellum).
Eleanor Kahn (Visual & Scenic Consultant) - Eleanor Kahn has worked extensively as an international theatrical designer, as well as an experiential, immersive, event and community-focused artist and designer. Her portfolio can be viewed at www.eleanorkahn.com
Samuel Bessler (Lighting Design) - Sam is the Resident Lighting Designer at Gwydion Theatre Company and current student at Northwestern University. His portfolio can be viewed at https://sjblights.com/
Tommy Thams (Sound Design)
Yasen Peykanov (Head of Theatre & Music, University Illinois Chicago) – Yasen is an ensemble member with Steppenwolf Theatre Company and the Head of Theatre and Music at University of Illinois Chicago

ORGANIZERS

Gwydion Theatre Company serves as a platform for today's generation of theater artists, embracing Chicago's rich ensemble traditions and the experimental ethos of Grotowski's "Poor Theater." Their work confronts uncomfortable truths, pushes theatrical boundaries, and provokes critical discourse.

Chopin Theatre Productions is a non-profit arts presenter and producer, operating out of the historic Chopin Theatre. Since 1990, Chopin Theatre has hosted over 2,100 presentations as well as its own productions , ranging from theater and dance to music and literary events. It is known for showcasing international works and has been instrumental in fostering a vibrant arts community within Chicago, The theater's mission is to promote enlightened civic discourse through a diverse range of artistic programming.

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Monday, 07 April 2025 13:37

Theo Ubique and CPA Theatricals to co-produce SENTINELS, a play with music celebrating the contributions of women over the past 80 years, August 1-10

CPA Theatricals and Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre today announced a co-production of the play with music SENTINELS, which imagines a secret society of women that supports and promotes each other's talents in the same way secret societies have provided powerful networks for men. The piece authored by Writers Theatre co-founder Marilyn Campbell-Lowe, with music by Kim D. Sherman and lyrics by Campbell-Lowe and Sherman, was commissioned by CPA Theatricals, the non-profit corporation founded by Larry Little in 2002 that is dedicated to the development of new plays and musicals. Little today announced the special limited engagement, which will open Theo's 2025-26 season in a two-weekend run from August 1 -10, 2025. Theo will announce the remainder of its upcoming season on April 23. Press is invited to review SENTINELS at any of the three performances opening weekend: Friday August 1 and Saturday, August 2 at 7:30 pm, or Sunday, August 3 at 3 pm.

In this play with music, the Sentinels are an all-women secret society of five graduate students at the fictional "Joan of Arc University" in Milwaukee. They have been meeting clandestinely in an abandoned university room since 1945. Over the years, the Sentinels have been secretly assisting Sentinel alumni who are key contributors to such monumental achievements as the NASA moon launch and the development of a polio vaccine. As the play begins, the present-day Sentinels are facing the dissolution of their society due to the impending razing of the building in which they've been meeting. Reviewing documents in their archives on what they fear will be their final evening together, they reflect on their society's history, looking back on events from 1945, 1952, 1967 and 1973. These were years in which women made lasting contributions to scientific advancement but were also turning points in progress for women – moments when they gained greater agency and autonomy and moved closer to full equality with men. In flashbacks to those five years, we see the developing sisterhood among the Sentinels of each era as they experience the societal sea changes of those periods.

The inspirational story of SENTINELS will be enhanced by original musical underscoring. Sherman's music will evoke the spirit of "ordinary women doing extraordinary things" and will also include an uplifting closing anthem with lyrics co-written by Sherman and Campbell-Lowe. Casting and production team will be announced later.

Performances for the two-weekend run from August 1 -10 will be Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 3 pm. Tickets are $30.00 and will be on sale beginning April 23 at www.theo-u.com.

LISTING INFORMATION

SENTINELS
A new play with music
A co-production of CPA Theatricals (Larry Little, lead producer and Nicholas Reinhart, Assistant Producer) and Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Written by Marilyn Campbell-Lowe, Music by Kim D. Sherman, Lyrics by Marilyn Campbell-Lowe and Kim D. Sherman
Story created for the stage by CPA Theatricals
Directed by Christopher Pazdernik
WORLD PREMIERE
August 1 -10, 2025
Performances Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 3 pm
Performances at Howard Street Theatre, 721 Howard Street, Evanston
Tickets $30.00, on sale beginning April 23 at www.theo-u.com

We've all heard about the all-male "secret society" at Yale. But, what if there was an all-female secret society that makes its home out of an abandoned dome room at a university in Milwaukee? Since 1945, this group of brilliant, courageous college women have made it their goal to ensure women are at every table where important stuff happens. From their refuge overlooking the campus, they've been involved with such monumental events such as the first Black woman to star at the Met Opera, the election of the first female leader of a Muslim country, and the discovery of polio vaccine. This is their story. The Sentinels.

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Monday, 07 April 2025 13:35

KIMBERLY AKIMBO On Sale

Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce individual tickets for KIMBERLY AKIMBO, winner of five 2023 Tony Awards including BEST MUSICAL and the most critically acclaimed musical of its season, will go on sale starting Tuesday, April 8. KIMBERLY AKIMBO will play Broadway In Chicago’s CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe St.) for a limited two-week engagement, June 10-22.

Three-time Tony Award nominee Carolee Carmello is playing Kimberly in the National Tour. Joining Carmello will be Miguel Gil (Original Broadway Company of KIMBERLY AKIMBO), Jim Hogan (Original Broadway Company of KIMBERLY AKIMBO), Emily Koch (Wicked, Waitress), Laura Woyasz (Wicked, For the Girls), Grace Capeless (Disney’s The Lion King), Skye Alyssa Friedman (Original Broadway Company of KIMBERLY AKIMBO), Darron Hayes (Original Broadway Company of KIMBERLY AKIMBO) and Pierce Wheeler (Dear Evan Hansen National Tour). Sarah Lynn Marion, Regene Seven Odon, Marcus Phillips, Bailey Ryon and Brandon Springman will be the understudies, and Valerie Wright will be the Kimberly standby.

Kimberly is about to turn 16 and recently moved with her family to a new town in suburban New Jersey. In this “howlingly funny heartbreaker of a show” (The New Yorker), Kim is forced to navigate family dysfunction, a rare genetic condition, her first crush…and possible felony charges. Ever the optimist, she is determined to find happiness against all odds and embark on a great adventure.

Named BEST MUSICAL by the Tony Awards, New York Drama Critics Circle, The Drama Desk Awards, The Lucille Lortel Awards, and The Outer Critics Circle Awards, KIMBERLY AKIMBO is also the winner of four additional Tony Awards: Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, Best Score (David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori), and Best Book (David Lindsay-Abaire). With her win for KIMBERLY AKIMBO, Jeanine Tesori made history as the first female composer to win two Tony Awards for Best Score.

KIMBERLY AKIMBO features scenic design by David Zinn, costume design by Sarah Laux, lighting design by Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew, sound design by Kai Harada, projection design by Lucy MacKinnon, and wig, hair, and make-up design by J. Jared Janas. The production’s Music Supervisor is Chris Fenwick and the Music Director is Leigh Delano. KIMBERLY AKIMBO features orchestrations by Tony Award nominee John Clancy, with additional orchestrations by Macy Schmidt. The Production Supervisor is Arabella Powell, the Production Stage Manager is Shawn Pennington, and casting is by The Telsey Office, Craig Burns, CSA.

The North American Tour of KIMBERLY AKIMBO is produced by David Stone, The Atlantic Theater Company, James L. Nederlander, LaChanze, John Gore, Patrick Catullo, and Aaron Glick.

KIMBERLY AKIMBO opened on Broadway to unanimous rave reviews on November 10, 2022, following its world premiere at the Atlantic Theater Company in November 2021. Upon closing on Broadway, KIMBERLY AKIMBO played 32 previews and 612 performances.

For more information, please visit KimberlyAkimboTheMusical.com

Please follow: @akimbomusical

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesday, June 10 at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, June 11 at 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, June 12 at 7:00 p.m.
Friday, June 13 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 14 at 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 15 at 1:00 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 17 at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, June 18 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, June 19 at 7:00 p.m.
Friday, June 20 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 21 at 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 22 at 1:00 p.m.

TICKET INFORMATION
Individual tickets for KIMBERLY AKIMBO will go on sale to the public on Tuesday, April 8 and range from $35.00 - $125.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. 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 25 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.
Facebook @BroadwayInChicago ● Instagram @broadwayinchicago ● TikTok @broadwayinchicago ●
Bluesky @BroadwayInChicago ● #broadwayinchicago

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Wednesday, 09 April 2025 11:31

TWILIGHT In Concert Comes to Chicago

GEA Live and Broadway In Chicago in association with Lionsgate, today announced the highly-anticipated 60-city national tour of the first-ever TWILIGHT IN CONCERT ( www.twilightinconcert.com) will visit in association with Lionsgate, today announced the highly-anticipated 60-city national tour of the first-ever TWILIGHT N CONCERT (www.twilightinconcert.com) will visit Broadway In Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph St.) for two days only, November 7 and November 8. As the novel, “Twilight”, celebrates its 20th anniversary, the live-to-film cinematic experience featuring the original movie accompanied by a 12-piece ensemble of rock and orchestral musicians on stage will transport audiences on a journey deep into the heart of this romantic story. Whether you’re Team Edward, Team Jacob, or Team Bella, TWILIGHT IN CONCERT promises an unforgettable evening for fans of the beloved The Twilight Saga film franchise -- and music enthusiasts alike.

Set in an enchanting candlelit setting, TWILIGHT IN CONCERT offers a unique opportunity for audiences to relive the film that started it all in a cinematic live-to-film experience with a sensational live band. Musicians will take the stage to perform the beloved film score in perfect synchronization with the original movie, presented in its entirety on a massive cinema screen. Audiences will be completely captivated by the magical atmosphere with more than one thousand twinkling candles illuminating the grand stage, creating an ambiance that sets the tone for a truly romantic evening.

For more information, tickets, and tour dates visit www.twilightinconcert.com and follow @TwilightMovie on Facebook, and @Twilight on Instagram and X.

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Wednesday, 09 April 2025 12:28

Tickets on sale April 11 for A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness

Tickets go on sale Friday, April 11 at 10 a.m. Central time for the world-premiere performances of A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness — a historic event produced by Lyric Opera of Chicago in partnership with Billy Corgan that celebrates the 30th anniversary of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, the era-defining album from The Smashing Pumpkins — on stage at Lyric for seven performances only, November 21–30, 2025.

Tickets, starting at $59, will be available at lyricopera.org/melloncollie beginning Friday, April 11 at 10 a.m. Central time. Performance dates for A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness are November 21, 22, 25, 26, 28, 29, and 30. All performances begin at 7:30 p.m. at Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago.

Please note: Ticket buyers will need to have a current Lyric account to secure tickets. Creating an account in advance is highly encouraged and can be easily done at lyricopera.org/account, prior to the April 11 on-sale. In anticipation of great demand, a limit of nine tickets per order will be in effect. Lyric's Audience Services team is available to help with questions via a dedicated Mellon Collie hotline at 312.500.6380.

Please note: Lyric Opera of Chicago is the only authorized seller of official tickets to A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness. All sales are final. There will be no ticket refunds or exchanges for these performances. Digital tickets will be sent at least 48 hours prior to performances. Groups of 10 or more can secure their tickets by contacting Group Sales at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The Lyric Box Office at 20 N. Wacker Drive is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is now cashless, taking credit-card purchases only.

These one-of-a-kind performances will harness all of Lyric's technical and artistic forces — including the epic sound of the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Lyric Opera Chorus, with special guest vocal artists — for an immersive sonic and visual experience that blurs the boundaries of opera, rock, and performance art. The newly commissioned arrangements and orchestrations are by Corgan and James Lowe, who also conducts, and costumes are designed for the House of Gilles by Gilles and Chloé Mendel Corgan.

"It is thrilling to collaborate with Lyric head John Mangum, my musical partner James Lowe, and all of the artists at Lyric in reimagining this very special and historic album, and to discover how Lyric's full operatic treatment is helping me experience my own compositions in powerful new ways," says Billy Corgan. "Opera and rock both tell stories of heightened emotions, and I am excited for both fans of my music and traditional opera fans to hear some truly inspired work; for the balance here is to honor both traditions in a magisterial way."

"I'm excited that unique performances like A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness can open the aperture and expand the definition of opera and what an American opera company can be," says John Mangum, General Director, President & CEO of Lyric Opera of Chicago. "Lyric's next season clearly illustrates how this company continues to push the art form forward and create new work — like the Mellon Collie project — that can only happen in Chicago."

As commissioned and produced by Lyric Opera of Chicago, Corgan's hometown company, this unique collaboration was announced by Lyric as a highlight of the company's 2025/26 Season, its first complete season under the leadership of Mangum. In addition to A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness, Lyric's 2025/26 Season features a rich mix of traditional operas and other live performances, from Medea and Madama Butterfly to Carmina Burana and the world premiere of safronia, an Afro-surrealist opera featuring music and text by Chicago Poet Laureate avery r. young.

More information on A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness is at lyricopera.org/melloncollie.

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Wednesday, 02 April 2025 13:26

MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL is Now Playing

Welcome back to the Moulin Rouge! Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce the Tony Award® winning production, MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL is now playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph St.). MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL is playing for a limited three-week engagement through April 20 only. MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL is the winner of ten 2021 Tony Awards® including Best Musical, two Drama League Awards including Outstanding Production of a Musical, five Drama Desk Awards and ten Outer Critics Circle Award Honor citations including New Broadway Musical. The current North American tour cast is led by Arianna Rosario as “Satine” and Jay Armstrong Johnson as “Christian”; and features Robert Petkoff as “Harold Zidler,” Andrew Brewer as “The Duke of Monroth,” Jahi Kearse as “Toulouse-Lautrec,” Danny Burgos as “Santiago,” Kaitlin Mesh as “Nini,” and Jerica Exum in the role of the “Satine Alternate.” In addition the company includes Amara Berhan, Rodney Thompson, Renee Marie Titus , Carina R. Avila, Mateus Barbosa da Silva, Rhys Carr, Darius Crenshaw, Nicolas De La Vega, Nathan Fister, Jeremy Gaston, Collin Heyward, Nathaniel Hunt, Michał Kołaczowski, Charizma Lawrence, Katie Lombardo, Meghan Manning, Amanda Mitchell, Luke Monday, Tanisha Moore, Kenneth Michael Murray, Elyse Niederee, Omar Nieves, Luke Rands, Logan Gray Saad, Maia Schechter, Adéa Michelle Sessoms, Jeff Sullivan, Carmella Taitt, Jordan Vasquez, and Jerald Vincent.MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL opened to critical acclaim at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in the Summer of 2019 and reopened in September 2021 following the shutdown of Broadway due to the pandemic.“Spectacular! Euphoric! In MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL, life is beautiful,” raves The New York Times. “MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL is a fabulous new musical. The high begins the instant you walk into the theatre,” said the New York Post. Entertainment Weekly concludes that “it’s easy to believe that MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL could run for 50 years.”MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL is directed by Tony Award® winner Alex Timbers and with a book by Tony Award® winner John Logan, choreography by Tony Award® winner Sonya Tayeh and music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Tony Award® winner Justin Levine.The design team for MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL includes Tony Award® winner Derek McLane (sets), Tony Award® winner Catherine Zuber (costumes), Tony Award® winner Justin Townsend (lighting), Tony Award® winner Peter Hylenski (sound), Drama Desk Award winner David Brian Brown (wig and hair design), Sarah Cimino (Make-up design) and Tony Award® winner Matt Stine (Music Producer). Casting is by Jim Carnahan and Stephen Kopel.Enter a world of splendor and romance, of eye-popping excess, of glitz, grandeur and glory! A world where Bohemians and aristocrats rub elbows and revel in electrifying enchantment. Pop the champagne and prepare for the spectacular spectacular … Welcome to MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL.Baz Luhrmann’s iconic film comes to life onstage, remixed in a new musical mash-up extravaganza. MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL is a theatrical celebration of Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and - above all - Love. MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL is more than a musical; it is a state of mind.As in the film, MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL celebrates over 160 years of music – from Offenbach to Lady Gaga. The stage musical features many of the iconic songs from the movie, and also includes recent hits released since the movie premiered 21 years ago.MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL is produced by Carmen Pavlovic and Gerry Ryan OAM for Global Creatures and Bill Damaschke. General management is by Foresight Theatrical.Co-producers of the touring production include Aaron Lustbader, Hunter Arnold, Darren Bagert, Erica Lynn Schwartz/Matt Picheny/Stephanie Rosenberg, Adam Blanshay Productions/Nicolas & Charles Talar, Iris Smith, Aleri Entertainment, Sophie Qi/Harmonia Holdings, CJ ENM, Len Blavatnik, Ambassador Theatre Group, Endeavor Content, John Gore Organization, Spencer Ross, Gilad-Rogowsky/InStone Productions, AF Creative Media/International Theatre Fund, Nederlander Presentations/IPN, Cody Renard Richard, Jujamcyn Theaters, Eric Falkenstein/Suzanne Grant, Peter May/Sandy Robertson, Tom & Pam Faludy, Triptyk Studio, Carl Daikeler/Sandi Moran, Desantis-Baugh Productions, Red Mountain Theatre Company/ 42ND.CLUB, Candy Spelling/Tulchin Bartner, Roy Furman, Andrew & Ruby Ryan, Brent & Sarah Deboer and Michael Ryan.Released by 20^th Century Studios, Baz Luhrmann’s MOULIN ROUGE! premiered at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. At the 74th Academy Awards, the film was nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture, and won two.The Moulin Rouge of Paris, managed by Jean-Jacques Clerico (CEO), is a dazzling and spectacular universe, the symbol of the Parisian way of celebrating since 1889. Starting life as a popular cabaret and dance hall, the venue became an iconic music hall in the Roaring Twenties, and then a theatre where numerous famous French and international artists stepped out into the limelight. Today, the Moulin Rouge and its 60 artists present the Féerie revue show: two hours of amazement between cabaret and music hall styles where dance scenes and surprise acts intersperse – without forgetting the Moulin Rouge’s most emblematic dance, the French Cancan! Since its creation, the Moulin Rouge of Paris has always been an invitation to live and share all the emotions and effervescence of a unique party extravaganza. http://www.moulinrouge.fr/The Grammy-nominated MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL Original Broadway Cast Recording, produced by Baz Luhrmann, Justin Levine, Matt Stine & Alex Timbers, is now available by Baz Luhrmann’s label, House of Iona, and RCA Records. The album debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Cast Album chart.The book Moulin Rouge! The Musical: The Story of the Broadway Spectacular, a glittering backstage pass to MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL and its journey to Broadway, is now available from Rizzoli.Follow MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok
MoulinRougeMusical.com

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Wednesday, April 2 at 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 3 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Friday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 5 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 6 at 1:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.Tuesday, April 8 at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 9 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 10 at 7:00 p.m.
Friday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 12 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 13 at 1:00 p.m.Tuesday, April 15 at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 16 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 17 at 7:00 p.m.
Friday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 19 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 20 at 1:00 p.m.TICKET INFORMATION
Experience it again! Individual tickets for MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL are on sale now and range from $40.00 - $145.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. 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 25 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.
Follow @BroadwayInChicago on
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#broadwayinchicago