Secrets, sisterhood and solving crime take center stage this fall in the world premiere co-production of Dead Girl's Quinceañera by Miami native playwright Phanésia Pharel. Director Melia Bensussen's ensemble cast includes Carmen Berkeley (Hartford Stage's Romeo and Juliet), Ariana Burks (A Christmas Carol), Andrea Ferro (Columbia Lenfest Center's Big Love) and Jacqueline Guillén (Off-Broadway, Torera). Understudies will be announced at a later date. Co-produced with Barrington Stage Company and Hartford Stage, Dead Girl's Quinceañera appears in the Owen Theatre September 26 – November 1. For tickets ($34 - $79; on sale August 7), call 312.443.3800 or visit GoodmanTheatre.org/Quince. The Goodman is grateful for the support of Conagra Brands Foundation (Corporate Sponsor Partner), The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust (Lead Sponsor of IDEAA Programming) and Bold Ventures (Production Support).

"Dead Girl's Quinceañera is a celebration of young women's imagination, initiative and courage," said director Melia Bensussen, who is also Artistic Director of Hartford Stage. "Although all four identify as Latina, each one arrives with a different personal experience and history.  In their collaboration and friendship, we see our own journeys reflected – as they harness their power and agency, we too, watching them, celebrate our own transformations and those of our neighbors. ¡Que feliz estar haciendo este trabajo en Chicago!" 

FACT: Maria was last seen at her Quinceañera. FACT: The party ended early due to an unknown emergency. FACT: Maria has not responded to any messages in 19 hours. Now, her three best friends—armed with confidence, questionable clues and zero adult supervision—are on the case, racing against the clock to find out what happened. The pressures of Latine girlhood punctuate the joy ride through the power and pleasure of adolescent friendships in this comic thriller. 

"I'm in awe that my play appears at The Goodman at the start of their 101^st Season and second century," playwright Phanésia Pharel said. "I wrote this play for my best friend, to celebrate how much our relationship changed my life. It's been a beautiful experience to see this coming-of-age story resonate with people who may have never been to Miami and/or who might not be of Hispanic descent. It reminds me that even at this moment where forces are hoping to divide us, theater can connect us all to our true humanity."

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Phanésia Pharel (Playwright) is a Haitian-American playwright and screenwriter from a dragon fruit farm in Miami. She is the daughter of an immigrant teacher and farmer. She recently made her Off-Broadway debut at the WP Theater with her play The Waterfall. She is the Playwriting Fellow (2025-2027) at Emory University, where she serves as a visiting professor and has a new play produced by their repertory company. Her plays have been developed at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's National Playwrights Conference, New Harmony Project, Playwrights' Center, New York Stage and Film, SolFest, Thrown Stone, Shattered Globe and Echo Theater Company. She has received commissions from the Atlantic Theater, Lucille Lortel (Alcove), La Jolla Playhouse, Miranda Family Fund, Hero Theatre, City Theatre Miami and the Latinx Playwrights Circle. Pharel is a member of the Obie-winning EST/Youngblood group and The Wish Collective. As a screenwriter, she is a member of Lena Waithe's Hillman Grad Screenwriting Lab. Her honors include The Kilroys Web, five awards from the Kennedy Center and an A is For Playwriting Award recipient. She holds a BA in Urban Studies from Barnard College of Columbia University and an MFA in Playwriting from the University of California San Diego. 

Melia Bensussen (Director) is an award-winning director, teacher and artistic leader who has directed extensively at leading theaters throughout the country. The first woman to lead Hartford Stage, she has been its Artistic Director since the summer of 2019. Devoted to new work as well as to classic texts, she was appointed Artistic Director of the National Playwrights Conference at the O'Neill Theater Center in 2024. Raised in Mexico City, Bensussen is fluent in Spanish and has translated and adapted a variety of texts, including her edition of the Langston Hughes translation of Federico Garcia Lorca's Blood Wedding, published by Theater Communications Group. Among her credits developing and premiering new works, she co-conceived and directed, alongside playwright Kirsten Greenidge, the theatrical adaptation of Anthony J. Lukas' Pulitzer Prize winning Common Ground, which premiered at the Huntington Theater in Boston. A graduate of Brown University, Bensussen serves on the Arts Advisory Board for the Princess Grace Foundation, and on the executive board of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC). Prior to her position at Hartford Stage, she was Chair of the Performing Arts Department of Emerson College, in Boston. She is the recipient of an OBIE Award for Outstanding Direction, as well as the Statue Award from the Princess Grace Foundation for Excellence in Directing. 

Company of Dead Girl's Quinceañera
By Phanésia Pharel 
Directed by Melia Bensussen
A World Premiere Co-Production with Barrington Stage Company and Hartford Stage 

Carmen Berkeley...Ensemble
Ariana Burks...Ensemble
Andrea Ferro...Ensemble
Jacqueline Guillén...Ensemble

Creative Team

Set Designer...Sara Brown
Lighting Designer...Dan Kotlowitz
Sound Designer...Salvador Zamora
Costume Designer...Raquel Adorno
Movement Choreographer...Mayte Natalio
Dialect Coach...Cynthia Santos Decure
Associate Director...Ludmila de Brito
Assistant Director...Lorenzo Rush, Jr.
Assistant Set Designer...Daniel Prosky
Assistant Lighting Designer...Emma Berry
Assistant Sound Desiger...Harper Justus
Line Producer...Malkia Stampley
Second Line Producer...Sarah Slight

Casting by Alaine Alldaffer, CSA, Lisa Donadio and Lauren Port, CSA.

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

ASL-Interpreted...October 16 at 7:30pm – An ASL interpreter signs the action/text as played. 
Audio-Described...October 17 at 2pm; Touch Tour; 12:30pm – Action audibly enhanced via headset. 
Spanish-Subtitled...October 17 at 7:30pm – Spanish-translated dialogue via LED sign. 
Open-Captioned...October 18 at 2pm – LED sign presents dialogue in sync with the performance. 

ABOUT THE GOODMAN

Since 1925, The Goodman has been a theatrical home for artists and a gathering space for Chicagoland, where bold stories spark connection, conversation and change. Now, as it enters its second century, The Goodman builds on that legacy with an eye toward the future. Under the leadership of Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins, the theater continues to champion new work—following hundreds of plays developed and a national reputation for commissioning and premiering original stories by living writers—while reimagining classics and produce large-scale musicals.

But The Goodman's reach today extends beyond its home in the heart of the Loop. From the intimate magic of The Magic Parlour, now in its third year, to the boundary-pushing world of Theater of the Mind—an immersive experience that blurs the lines between science, storytelling and sensation—and from citywide initiatives like 100 Free Acts of Theater to partnerships with artists and companies across Chicago and around the world, The Goodman is expanding what theater can be, and where it can live.

At its core, The Goodman is driven by a belief that a more empathetic, more connected city is built one story at a time. Generation-spanning productions and programs offer theater for a lifetime—from babies and young children to teens, adults and seniors—including Theater for the Very Young (ages 0–5) and the beloved annual A Christmas Carol, which has welcomed audiences for five decades. Education and Engagement programs, led by Clifford Director Jared Bellot and based in the Alice Rapoport Center, use the tools of theater to spark imagination, reflection and belonging—reaching thousands each year, the majority from underserved communities.

With nearly 200 world or American premieres, two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and nearly 200 Joseph Jefferson Awards, The Goodman remains a defining force in American theater—and the first to produce all 10 plays of August Wilson's American Century Cycle. The theater also frequently serves as a production partner—from national and international companies to Chicago's Off-Loop theaters—to help amplify a wide range of theatrical voices.

Founded by William O. Goodman and his family in memory of playwright Kenneth Sawyer Goodman, the theater carries forward a legacy of artistic ambition and civic generosity. With the help of Mr. Goodman's descendants—Albert Ivar Goodman and his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton—that spirit continues to shape its future as The Goodman expands its impact across Chicago and beyond. Marsha Cruzan is Chair of the Goodman Theatre Board of Trustees; Diane Landgren is Women's Board President; and Kelli Garcia is president of the Scenemakers Board for Young Professionals.

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

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation's premier ensemble theater company, is pleased to launch its 51st Season with Suzan-Lori Parks' Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Topdog/Underdog, helmed by Tony Award-winning director Kenny Leon, who returns to Steppenwolf following his hit production of King James. Ensemble members Glenn Davis (Windfall, Purpose–Chicago/Broadway, King James) and Namir Smallwood (Windfall, The Book of Grace, Bug–Chicago/Broadway) go head-to-head in this highly-anticipated revival, more than two decades after the company's celebrated 2003 production.

Topdog/Underdog will play a limited engagement September 17 — November 1, 2026 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theater, 1650 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. Single tickets go on sale Thursday, July 9, 2026 at steppenwolf.org or the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. 

About the Production:

Brothers Lincoln and Booth, named in jest, are two Black men living in America just trying to get by. Lincoln dresses like his namesake, reenacting his assassination for money and laughs. Booth stays stuck in their apartment, working tirelessly on his three-card hustle. Sibling rivalry and a lifetime of resentment come to a head in this fast-paced and ferocious thrill ride. The deck is stacked with a Tony Award-winning director, a Pulitzer Prize-winning script and a tour-de-force showdown for ensemble members Glenn Davis and Namir Smallwood. "Take thuh cards and show me whatcha got!" 

The creative team includes Arnulfo Maldonado (Scenic Design), Dede Ayite (Costume Design), Lee Fiskness (Lighting Design), Justin Ellington (Sound Design), Patrick Zakem (Creative Producer), Elise Hausken (Production Manager), JC Clementz, CSA (Casting), Laura D. Glenn (Production Stage Manager) and Jaclynn Joslin (Assistant Stage Manager). For full cast and creative team bios, click here.

Production Details:

Title: Topdog/Underdog
Playwright: Suzan-Lori Parks
Director: Kenny Leon​ 
Cast: ensemble members Glenn Davis (Lincoln) and Namir Smallwood​ (Booth)

Understudies: Anthony Fleming III (Lincoln) and Patrick Newson Jr. (Booth)

Location: Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theater, 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago

Dates: Previews: Thursday, September 17 – Saturday, September 26, 2026
Regular run: Tuesday, September 29 – Sunday, November 1, 2026
Curtain Times: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 3 pm & 7:30 pm; and Sundays at 3 pm. Please note: there will not be 7:30 pm performances on Tuesday, September 22, Thursday, October 1, Tuesday, October 6, Tuesday, October 13, Wednesday, October 21 or Thursday, October 22; there will be an added 2 pm matinee on Wednesday, October 21.

Tickets: Classic Memberships starting as low as $165 are now on sale for Steppenwolf's 2026/27 season at steppenwolf.org/myseason. Single tickets for Topdog/Underdog ($20 – $124*) go on sale Thursday, July 9, 2026 at steppenwolf.org and the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. Steppenwolf Flex Memberships are currently on sale: Black Card Memberships with six tickets for use any time for any production and RED Card Memberships for theatergoers under 30. *Pricing includes an $8.50 handling fee

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

Accessible Performance Dates:

Audio-Described and Touch Tour: Sunday, October 25 at 3 pm (1:30 pm Touch Tour)
Open-Captioned: Thursday, October 8 at 7:30 pm & Saturday, October 17 at 3 pm
ASL-Interpreted: Friday, October 16 at 7:30 pm

Education and Engagement:

Throughout the 2026/27 season, Steppenwolf continues its commitment to the next generation of theatre learners, makers and appreciators with robust education and engagement programming. Programming includes dedicated student matinee performances during four of the five Membership Series productions including Topdog/Underdog, Adirondack Chair Circle, The Comeuppance and Ellen B., in-school residencies in partnership with Chicago Public schools, workshops, panels and events specifically geared towards teens, as well as professional development trainings and resources for educators. Additionally, Steppenwolf is reimagining their community engagement and will pilot new public programming, continue accessibility programming and offer opportunities for deeper explorations for audiences throughout the season. For additional information about Steppenwolf's Education and Engagement programming and to register your school for a field trip visit steppenwolf.org/education-and-engagement/steppenwolf-field-trip-series.

Artist Biographies:

Suzan-Lori Parks (Playwright) is a multi-award-winning writer and musician. She is the first African-American woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Topdog/Underdog, which recently won the 2023 Tony Award for Best Revival. Her other plays include Sally & Tom (2024), Plays for the Plague Year (Drama Desk Award, Best Music, 2023) and Father Comes Home From The Wars (2014). Parks' first marathon-writing "micro diary plays," 365 Days/365 Plays were produced worldwide in what was the largest grassroots collaborative theatre project to date. She is a MacArthur "Genius" Fellow, a novelist: Getting Mother's Body (Random House); and a screenwriter: Girl 6, Genius: Aretha, and The United States vs Billie Holiday. Parks also writes songs and fronts her band "SLP& The Joyful Noise," with her punk-couture medicine show, The Tune Up, world-premiering this summer. As a college student Parks is grateful to have studied creative writing with James Baldwin, who encouraged her to write for the theatre.

Kenny Leon (Director) is a Tony Award-winning director. Broadway: The Balusters, Othello, Our Town, HOME, Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch, Topdog/Underdog, Ohio State Murders, A Soldier's Play, American Son, Children of a Lesser God, Holler If Ya Hear Me, A Raisin in the Sun, The Mountaintop, Stick Fly, August Wilson's Fences, Gem of the Ocean and Radio Golf. Off-Broadway: The Conversation (Astor Place Theatre), This World of Tomorrow (The Shed), King James, The Underlying Chris, Everybody's Ruby, Emergence-See! (The Public), Smart People (Second Stage). Opera: Amahl and the Night Visitors, Margaret Garner. Television: Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia, Colin in Black & White, 4400, Amend: The Fight for America, American Son (adapted for Netflix), Hairspray Live!, The Wiz Live!, Steel Magnolias, Dynasty, In My Dreams. Author: Take You Wherever You Go. Artistic Director Emeritus: Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company. Senior Resident Director: Roundabout Theatre Company. Awards: Obie, Actors Fund Medal of Honor, George Abbott Lifetime Achievement for American Theatre, Jason Robards Award for Excellence in Theatre.

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

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

Accessibility:

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

Sponsor Information:

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

About Steppenwolf Theatre Company:

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation's premier Ensemble Theater with 50 members who are among the top actors, playwrights and directors in the field. Thrilling, powerful, groundbreaking productions have made this theatre legendary. From the early phenomenon of Balm in Gilead, to The Grapes of Wrath, August: Osage County, Downstate, The Brother/Sister Plays, and more recently, the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Purpose, Steppenwolf Theatre has had a long-running and undeniable impact on American Theatre and Chicago's cultural landscape. Founded in 1974 by Terry Kinney, Jeff Perry and Gary Sinise, Steppenwolf started as a group of friends in their teens and early 20s performing in the basement of a school in Highland Park, Illinois. Today, the company's artistic force remains rooted in the original vision of its founders: an artist-driven theatre, whose vitality is defined by its appetite for bold and innovative work. Every aspect of Steppenwolf is rooted in its Ensemble ethos, from the intergenerational artistic programming to the multi-genre performance series LookOut, to the nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf Education and Engagement which serves nearly 15,000 teens annually. While grounded in the Chicago community, more than 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Steppenwolf also holds accolades that include the National Medal of Arts, 14 Tony Awards, two Pulitzer Prize-winning commissions and more. Led by Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, Executive Director E. Brooke Flanagan and Board of Trustees Chair Keating Crown — Steppenwolf continually redefines the boundaries of live theater and pushes the limits of acting and performance.

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

Chicago Magic Lounge welcomes back acclaimed magician David Parr as its Fall Artist in Residence with David Parr: Time Traveler, a new theatrical experience that uncovers the places where history, mystery and magic collide. A winner of the coveted Penn & Teller: Fool Us trophy and the Lounge's first Artist in Residence, Parr returns Wednesdays at 7 p.m., October 7 – December 16, inviting audiences to explore forgotten legends, remarkable true stories and unexplained mysteries—where history is often stranger than fiction.

History has secrets. Magic helps uncover them.

Combining captivating storytelling with masterful sleight of hand, David Parr: Time Traveler uncovers remarkable moments from the past where fact and folklore blur together. Audiences will encounter a 16th-century book on magic so controversial it was ordered destroyed by a king, pull up a chair at Deadwood's legendary Dead Man's Hand poker game, glimpse Thomas Edison's fascination with the paranormal, and even venture into the mysteries of fortune telling and prophetic dreams.

Every performance is a reminder that the world is still full of surprises and mysteries, and that history is often far stranger than the version we learn in school.

"This show is like finding a box full of cool stuff in a forgotten corner of the attic," said Parr. "It's a reminder that we live in a world of surprises and mysteries. Beyond that, it reminds us that history is much weirder than the version we learn in school."

David Parr: Time Traveler plays Wednesdays at 7 p.m., October 7 – December 16, 2026. Tickets are $44 (Standard) and $50 (Front Row), plus applicable fees. Tickets for all Chicago Magic Lounge performances are available at the box office, (312) 366-4500 or online at chicagomagiclounge.com.

Each evening begins with close-up magic performed right at guests' tables by Chicago Magic Lounge's talented house magicians. Between performances, audiences can enjoy craft cocktails, small plates and the vintage ambiance of the Harry Blackstone Cabaret.

About David Parr
David Parr is a winner of the coveted Penn & Teller: Fool Us trophy and creator of one of Chicago's longest-running magic shows, recognized by the Travel Channel as one of the nation's top magic shows. He performs regularly at the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood and was the first Artist in Residence at Chicago Magic Lounge. Parr is also the author of several acclaimed books on the art of magic, and his original creations are performed by magicians around the world.

Special One-Night-Only Series This September
Before David Parr begins his residency in October, Chicago Magic Lounge will kick off its fall season with One Night Only, a five-week series featuring a different acclaimed magician every Wednesday evening. Each special engagement showcases a distinct voice in contemporary magic—from impossible mind reading and world-class sleight of hand to theatrical storytelling and grand illusion—giving audiences five unique performances, each presented for one night only.

Mark Toland
September 2
Mark Toland knows what you're thinking—and proves it—in The Mystery Show, his fast-paced, interactive mind-reading performance. As featured on NBC, ABC, FOX, WGN, TEDx, NPR and CBS, and winner of the Chicago Theatre Award for Best Special Event, Toland dazzles audiences with psychological illusions and mysteries of the mind.

Trent James
September 9
Award-winning magician Trent James combines astonishing sleight of hand, sharp humor and infectious enthusiasm to create an unforgettable live experience. Having performed around the world and headlined renowned venues including Chicago Magic Lounge and the Magic Castle, his mission is simple: to make audiences fall in love with magic.

Paige Thompson
September 16
Known for her captivating stage presence, quick wit and refreshingly offbeat approach to magic, Paige Thompson is a resident company member of Chicago Magic Lounge. She has appeared on Penn & Teller: Fool Us and performed for audiences around the world, from luxury cruise ships to some of magic's most celebrated stages, creating experiences that feel personal, surprising and full of genuine wonder.

Walter King Jr. "The Spellbinder"
September 23
Known as "The Spellbinder," Walter King Jr. is an award-winning illusionist and Chicago native whose pioneering career has spanned nearly four decades. Blending illusion with hip-hop music, dance and theatrical storytelling, he creates larger-than-life experiences that showcase both his innovative artistry and enduring passion for wonder.

Benjamin Barnes
September 30
Benjamin Barnes is an acclaimed magician, producer and Entertainment Director of Chicago Magic Lounge. Combining world-class sleight of hand with a warm, engaging stage presence, he has become a favorite of audiences nationwide, with appearances on Masters of Illusion, Penn & Teller: Fool Us (where he fooled the hosts), and some of magic's most celebrated stages.

Tickets for One Night Only are $44 (Standard) and $50 (Front Row), plus applicable fees.

New at Chicago Magic Lounge: The Bewitching Hour

Chicago Magic Lounge also introduces The Bewitching Hour, a new happy hour experience offered exclusively in The Performance Bar every Monday through Wednesday from 8–10 p.m.

Guests can enjoy specially priced cocktails, a rotating seasonal cocktail, featured wines and the close-up bar magic that makes an evening at Chicago Magic Lounge unlike anywhere else. No reservations or tickets are required. The Performance Bar is reserved for guests 21 and over, with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Also Happening at Chicago Magic Lounge

The Close-Up Show
Mondays at 7 p.m.
Tickets: General Admission $37

The Showcase
Tuesdays at 7 p.m.
Tickets: Standard $39; Front Row $44

The Signature Show
Thursdays–Sundays at 7 p.m.; Fridays & Saturdays at 10 p.m.

Tickets: Front Row $95–$103; Premium Main Floor $84–$95; Standard $74–$84; Mezzanine $63–$68

Tickets for all Chicago Magic Lounge performances are available at the box office, (312) 366-4500 or online at chicagomagiclounge.com. Chicago Magic Lounge is a 21+ venue. Guests ages 16 and older may attend ticketed evening performances when accompanied by a legal guardian.

For a complete schedule of performances and more information about Chicago Magic Lounge, resident and guest performers, please visit chicagomagiclounge.com.

Today, Goodman Theatre achieves a new milestone in its 100th anniversary season: Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins announce that Iceboy! or The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O'Neill Came to Write "The Iceman Cometh" starring Emmy Award winners Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman with music by Mark Hollmann, lyrics by Mark Hollmann and Jay Reiss, and book by Erin Quinn Purcell and Jay Reiss, has become the theater's all-time best-selling production. Running at 99% capacity, Iceboy! has welcomed more than 53,000 audience members from across the nation and 23 countries—breaking previous top attendance records held by War Paint (52,851 in 2016) and The Who's Tommy (50,980 in 2023)—with two weeks remaining in its three-time extended run. This success joins that of the downtown debut of Raven Theatre's Octet (extended through August 2) and the improv stand TJ & Dave (tonight, July 31, August 1)—both of which have gone clean. In addition, free outdoor performances of the family-friendly The Lizard y El Sol have drawn record crowds—more than 1,200 people—during the first week of its 12-park tour with destinations from Ashburn Park to Norwood Park, prompting a four-performance extension at Chicago Public Libraries (Little Italy, Uptown, Altgeld Gardens and McKinley Park). The Goodman's productions of Dennis Watkins' The Magic Parlour and David Byrne and Mala Gaonkar's Theater of the Mind continue extended runs. For tickets and more information about each offering, visit GoodmanTheatre.org.

"This week alone, The Goodman will serve 13,000 Chicagoans with programs in neighborhoods all over the city. This is The Goodman at 100, meeting audiences in this moment, and we could not be more proud," said John Collins, Executive Director. "By design, the goal of this Centennial Season—expertly curated by Susan Booth and executed by our world-class Artistic, Education and Engagement, Production and Administrative teams—was to push past what was previously thought possible in order to serve more audiences, in more neighborhoods with more programs than ever before. As we look to begin 'our second century' this fall, we hope to build on this success achieved together with our audiences and supporters." 

Iceboy! or The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O'Neill Came to Write "The Iceman Cometh," appears in the 856-seat Albert Theatre through August 16. For tickets ($74 - $259, subject to change) call 312.443.3800 (12 noon- 5pm) or purchase online at GoodmanTheatre.org/Iceboy. Looking for tickets to a sold-out performance? A limited number of $75 stand-by tickets are available for purchase on the day of performance (by telephone only). Additionally, a limited number of $20 tickets are offered through a daily lottery; visit TodayTix.com/Iceboy for details. The Goodman is grateful for the support of its Iceboy! sponsors: Edgerton Foundation (New Play Award), Mayer Brown (Lead Corporate Sponsor) and Athletico (The Official Physical Therapy Provider for Goodman Theatre).

In Iceboy!, Broadway's brightest star of 1939, Vera Vimm (Megan Mullally), is at the top of her game. But when she adopts a 40,000-year-old Neanderthal discovered frozen in the Arctic, the spotlight begins to shift. As Iceboy (Grey Henson) thaws, he unexpectedly becomes a theatrical sensation, inspiring the "father of the American drama" Eugene O'Neill (Nick Offerman) and challenging Vera for center stage. A "highly original, frothy nightcap to a Centennial Season of successful productions, and a nice way to kick off The Goodman's next act" (Newcity), Iceboy! features music by Mark Hollmann, lyrics by Mark Hollmann and Jay Reiss, and book by Erin Quinn Purcell and Jay Reiss—the Tony Award-winning creators behind Urinetown (Hollmann, with Greg Kotis) and The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Reiss, with Rachel Sheinkin and William Finn). Marc Bruni directs and JoAnn M. Hunter choreographs. The cast also includes Cedric Yarbrough (Comedy Central's Reno 911!), Tony Award nominee Sarah Stiles (Broadway's Tootsie) and Alex Goodrich (Marriott Theatre's Hero: The Musical), together with Donterrio (Nightbirds), Melanie Brezill (A Christmas Carol), Will Koski (Paramount Theatre's Into the Woods), Linda Mugleston (Broadway's The Music Man), Shawn Pfautsch (The Matchbox Magic Flute), Andrea San Miguel (The Penelopiad), Will Lidke (Theo Ubique's Hedwig and the Angry Inch), Leah Morrow (Marriott Theatre's Heartbreak Hotel) and Jeff Parker (Betrayal).

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Megan Mullally (Vera Vimm) created the role of Karen Walker on Will & Grace, a role for which she went on to win two Emmys and four SAG awards. On Broadway, she has starred in How to Succeed in Business, Young Frankenstein, and Grease, in addition to Guys and Dolls at Carnegie Hall, opposite Nathan Lane. On-screen credits include Chasing Summer, Dicks: The Musical, The Righteous Gemstones, Party Down, Reservation Dogs, Bob's Burgers, Childrens Hospital, Parks and Recreation, and the upcoming film Goodbye Girl. She tours worldwide with her band Nancy And Beth as creator, lead singer and choreographer.

Nick Offerman (Eugene O'Neill) returns to The Goodman, where he debuted as The Keeper/Fight Captain in Richard II (1994). Offerman's credits include the Emmy award-winning role of Bill in The Last of Us (HBO), Ron Swanson on NBC's Parks and Recreation, Forest in Devs (FX), and Jinx in Margo's Got Money Troubles (Apple). Stage credits: A Confederacy of Dunces (Huntington Theatre), Annapurna, opposite Megan Mullally (The Odyssey/Evidence Room in LA & Off-Broadway), and Chicago credits at Defiant Theatre (Founding Member), Steppenwolf, A Red Orchid, Wisdom Bridge and Chicago Shakes. Recent: Death by Lightning (Netflix), Sovereign, Civil War (by Alex Garland), Origin (by Ava DuVernay), Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, Fargo (FX), The Umbrella Academy (Netflix), and NBC's Making It. He hosts the WNYC radio series A Wonder Is What It Is, dedicated to the poetry of Wendell Berry.

Grey Henson (Iceboy) was most recently seen as Bigfoot in Bigfoot! The Musical Off-Broadway, for which he earned a Drama League Award nomination. Broadway credits include Buddy in the 2024 revival of Elf The Musical (Drama Desk Award nomination), Damian in Mean Girls The Musical (Tony and Drama Desk nominations), Storyteller 2 in Shucked, and Elder McKinley in The Book of Mormon, a role that he originated on the first national tour. Other credits include Michael in tick, tick... BOOM! at the Kennedy Center and Tate in the Netflix series Girls5Eva. Carnegie Mellon University Drama.

Cedric Yarbrough (Floyd Richards) is a multi-hyphenate performer recently seen in Clint Eastwood's latest film Juror #2, the Netflix film Unfrosted and the AMC series Lucky Hank. He starred in ABC's Speechless, The Goldbergs, CBS' Carol's Second Act, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Key and Peele. The Minnesotan began his career with 8 seasons of Comedy Central's hit Reno 911! as "Deputy S. Jones." He was seen in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, The House, The Boss and Black Dynamite. Yarbrough is also a talented voice-over artist whose work includes Bob's Burgers, Family Guy, Bojack Horseman, Kung Fu Panda 4 and the Peabody Award-winning The Boondocks.

Sarah Stiles (Lambert) is a two-time Tony Award-nominated actor for Tootsie and Hand to God. Other Broadway: On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, Avenue Q and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Off-Broadway: The Imaginary Invalid (Red Bull); Into the Woods (Delacorte); Vanities (Second Stage). Stiles stars opposite Kevin James in the Netflix comedy The Crew, is Gladys in the critically acclaimed EPIX Original Series Get Shorty and Bonnie on Showtime's Billions. She voices Spinel in Steven Universe (Cartoon Network) and Mimzy in Hazbin Hotel (Amazon). Film: Transformers: Rise of the Beast, This Will Never Work, Unsane. 

Alex Goodrich (Frankenstein) is thawed to make his Goodman Theatre debut! Chicago credits include several shows at Court Theater, Marriott Theater, Chicago Shakespeare, Northlight, Royal George, Drury Lane and Writers Theater. He's been nominated several times for a Jeff award and won once. TV credits include Chicago Fire and Shining Girls on Apple TV+. 

Mark Hollmann (Music and Lyrics) won the Tony Award®, the Obie Award, and the National Broadway Theatre Award for his music and lyrics to Urinetown The Musical, which went from the 1999 New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC) to receive 10 Tony Award® nominations and 11 Drama Desk Award nominations and win the Outer Critics Circle, the Drama League and the Lucille Lortel Awards for best musical.  His other shows as composer/lyricist include The Sting (Paper Mill Playhouse), ZM (Village Theatre Beta Series), Yeast Nation (FringeNYC), Bigfoot and Other Lost Souls (Perseverance Theatre), and The Girl, The Grouch and The Goat (University of Kansas Theatre and Chance Theatre).  For TV, he has written songs for the Disney Channel's Johnny and the Sprites.  He received his A.B. in music from the University of Chicago, where he won the Louis J. Sudler Award in the Performing and Creative Arts.  He has taught at Princeton University, Columbia College Chicago and the Dramatists Guild Institute.  He is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) and the Dramatists Guild of America, and has served on the council of the Dramatists Guild as well as on the Tony Award® Nominating Committee. 

Jay Reiss (Book and Lyrics) is one of the creators of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which won two Tony awards, and made his Broadway acting debut as the Bee's word pronouncer, Vice Principal Douglas Panch. He co-wrote the screenplay for The Oranges, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, and starred Hugh Laurie, Allison Janney, Oliver Platt and Catherine Keener. He wrote the documentary New Wave: Dare To Be Different, about legendary NY radio Station WLIR. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and later on Showtime. Reiss is a graduate of The Juilliard School's playwriting program. 

Native Illinoisan Erin Quinn Purcell (Book) has been a mainstay in New York's downtown theater scene for more than 30 years. She was one of the founding members of the critically acclaimed adobe theatre company, and participated as an actor, writer and/or director in countless productions. Writing credits include Duet! A Romantic Fable (Broadway Play Publishing), The Fiona Apple Kwanzaa Explosion (PSNBC), the musical A Fish Story (Jonathan Larson Foundation award) and the Russ Meyer inspired Go-Go Kitty, Go! (Outstanding Play, 2005 New York Fringe Festival). 

Marc Bruni (Director) helmed The Great Gatsby (Broadway, West End, Korea) as well as the Tony, Grammy, and Olivier Award-winning Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Broadway, West End, US and UK Tours, and in Australia- Helpmann Award Best Director). Other credits include Billie Jean (Chicago Shakes), The Sound of Music (Chicago Lyric), Bull Durham (Paper Mill), A Little Night Music (Geffen Hall), Trevor: The Musical (Stage 42, Disney+), Bye Bye Birdie, Guys and Dolls, The Music Man, How to Succeed in Business..., 50 Years of Broadway (Kennedy Center), and Hey, Look Me Over!, Paint Your Wagon, Pipe Dream and Fanny (City Center Encores!), Tale of Despereaux (Old Globe, Berkeley), Love All (La Jolla), The Explorers Club (MTC), Ordinary Days (Roundabout), 9 shows for the St. Louis MUNY.  

Company of Iceboy! or The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O'Neill Came to Write The Iceman Cometh

Music By Mark Hollmann

Lyrics by Mark Hollmann and Jay Reiss

Book by Erin Quinn Purcell and Jay Reiss

Directed by Marc Bruni

Choreographed by JoAnn M. Hunter

Alex Goodrich...Frankenstein 
Grey Henson... Iceboy 
Megan Mullally...Vera Vimm 
Nick Offerman...Eugene O'Neill
Sarah Stiles...Lambert 
Cedric Yarbrough...Floyd Richards
Donterrio, Melanie Brezill, Will Koski, Linda Mugleston, Shawn Pfautsch, Andrea San Miguel...Ensemble 
Will Lidke, Leah Morrow, Jeff Parker...Swing

CREATIVE TEAM

Set Designer...Paul Tate dePoo III 
Lighting Designer...Jen Schriever 
Costume Designer...Linda Cho 
Wig & Hair Designer...Charles "Chuck" LaPointe 
Sound Designer...Connor Wang 
Music Director/Conductor/Pianist/Additional Arrangements...Vadim Feichtner 
Orchestrations...Bruce Coughlin 
Music Preparation...John Blane 
Voice & Dialect...Michelle Lopez-Rios 
Violence & Intimacy...Chels Morgan 
Associate Director...Keira Fromm 
Associate Sound Designer...Emily Hayman 
Associate Choreographer...Liz Ramos 
Associate Costume Designer...Patrick Bevilacqua 
Associate Wig & Hair Designer/Makeup Designer...Rachael Geier 
Associate Lighting Designer...Paul Vaillancourt 
Associate Set Designer...Kaitlyn Peterson 
Assistant Director...Lo Williams 
Assistant Music Director and Cover Conductor...Jo Ann Daugherty 
Music Assistant...Jordan Klein 
Assistant Sound Designer...Emily Lynch 
Assistant Lighting Designer...Emma Berry
Assistant Set Designer...Ben Hirschfield
Script and Production Assistant...Molly Rosen 
Production Assistant...Tuesday Thacker 
Line Producer...Malkia Stampley 
Second Line Producer...Adam Belcuore

Casting by Lauren Port, CSA and NY Casting by Jim Carnahan, CSA and Jason Thinger, CSA. Jennifer Gregory is the Production Stage Manager. Nikki Blue and Beth Koehler are the Stage Managers.

ABOUT THE GOODMAN

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kevin McCollum & Lucas McMahon and Mike Lavoie & Carlee Briglia, along with Broadway In Chicago announced today that Tony Award® winner J. Harrison Ghee will star as “Mary Todd Lincoln” when Oh, Mary! comes to Chicago for a strictly limited engagement from January 19— February 7, 2027, at Broadway In Chicago’s CIBC Theatre. Additional casting will be announced in the coming months.

Reservations for groups of 10+ are available now by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling 312-977-1710. Additional fees apply for online purchases. Individual tickets, with a select number of premium seats available, will go on sale to the public at a later date but audiences can register online at https://cloud.response.broadwayinchicago.com/oh-mary-email-sign-up to receive first access when tickets become available. Subscribers may add tickets to their subscription by clicking here  or calling (312) 977-1717. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

“I have seen Oh, Mary! three times and relished the beauty of this show—how different people shine so brightly in these roles, and yet you see the influence of Cole all over the production. The opportunity to get a crack at Mary Todd Lincoln is beyond a dream come true,” said J. Harrison Ghee. “We all possess so much within us. If we surrender to circumstances, we will find the possibility for expansion beyond belief. We are going to set the road on fire with this electrifyingly hilarious play.”

Written by Tony and Olivier Award winner Cole Escola and directed by Tony Award winner Sam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary! opened on Broadway on July 11, 2024, and continues to play at the Lyceum Theatre, where it became the first show in the theatre’s 121-year history to gross more than $1,000,000 in a single week.

Oh, Mary! has since broken its own box office record thirteen times and became the first show of the 2024-25 Broadway season to recoup its investment. Oh, Mary! opened to rave reviews in London’s West End on December 18, 2025, and won the 2026 Olivier Award for Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play.

Oh, Mary! is a dark comedy about a miserable, suffocated Mary Todd Lincoln in the weeks leading up to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Unrequited yearning, alcoholism, and suppressed desires abound in this one-act play that finally examines the forgotten life and dreams of Mrs. Lincoln through the lens of an idiot (playwright Cole Escola).

The full creative team includes dots (Scenic Designer), Holly Pierson (Costume Designer), Cha See (Lighting Designer), Daniel Kluger (Sound Design and Original Music), Drew Levy (Sound Designer), Leah J. Loukas (Wig Designer), Addison Heeren (Props Supervision), and David Dabbon (Musical Arrangements). Casting by Henry Russell Bergstein, CSA.

Oh, Mary! is produced by Kevin McCollum & Lucas McMahon and Mike Lavoie & Carlee Briglia with Bob Boyett, The Council, Jean Doumanian Productions, Nicole Eisenberg, Jay Marcus & George Strus, Irony Point, Richard Batchelder/Bradley Reynolds, Tyler Mount/Tommy Doyle, Nelson & Tao, Palomares Miller & Rosenberg, and ShowTown Productions.
 

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT OH, MARY!

“You’ll be losing your mind with joy.” —The New York Times, Critic’s Pick

"The funniest show on Broadway.” —New York Post

“★★★★★ The funniest play in years. Oh, Mary! is dizzyingly, breathtakingly funny, the kind of funny that ambushes your body into uncontained laughter.” —Time Out New York

“A singular work of virtuoso comedy that is as inventive and shrewd as it is absolutely stupid.” —The Daily Beast

“There’s funny, there’s very funny, and then there’s Oh, Mary!” —Deadline

“80 minutes of almost uninterrupted laughter. A work of genius.” —The Hollywood Reporter

“Unquestionably the funniest, gayest, campiest play Broadway has seen in years.” —Variety

“Oh, Mary!‘s sharp writing, breakneck pace, and campy performances keep the theater in hysterics until the curtain falls.” —Queerty
 

CONNECT WITH OH, MARY!
@OhMaryPlay
OhMaryPlay.com

Lake Forest’s Citadel Theatre has announced the full cast and crew for its season opener - the satirical comedy EUREKA DAY, which examines the frequently contradictory practices of a fictional, highly progressive private school located in Berkeley, California. The play, which premiered in Berkeley in 2018, deals with topical subjects like vaccinations, privilege, and communication, utilizing sharp wit, farce, and intense dialogue to create laughter. It was produced on Broadway in the 2024-25 season and won the 2025 Tony Award for Best Revival of Play. Scott Westerman, the director of such Citadel hits as MISERY, A JUKEBOX FOR THE ALGONQUIN, THE MOUSETRAP, THE CHRISTIANS, and SEX WITH STRANGERS, will direct. 

Leading Westerman’s cast as Don, a member of the school’s board who tries to keep the peace when the debate over whether or not the school should require vaccinations becomes heated, will be Steve McDonagh, who recently earned raves for his performance as “Man in Chair” in Theo Ubique’s THE DROWSY CHAPERONE. The school’s founder, Suzanne, will be played by Jennifer Ruffner, seen earlier this year in Citadel’s ADMISSIONS. Cast as Carina, the parent of a black student at the school, is Alexis Primus, who appeared in TUTA Theatre’s THE LONG CHRISTMAS DINNER in 2024 and 2025. Ethan Check, of 2023’s GODS AND MONSTERS at Theater Wit, has the role of Eli, a stay-at-home dad. Carmen Liao (Raven Theatre’s A DOLL’S HOUSE) will be Meiko – a single mother who deeply opposes vaccinations.  Kristin Weed, seen recently on the North Shore in HAIRSPRAY with Uptown Music Theatre, will play Winter – one of the parents on the school’s executive committee. Understudies are Jason Clark (u/s/ Don), Amy Yulish (u/s Suzanne), Kristin Weed (u/s/ Carina), Austin Rambo (u/s/ Eli), and Stephanie Fongheiser (u/s/ Meiko).

The production team is Scott Phelps (Producer), Ellen Phelps (Producer), Kate Espinoza (Stage Manager), Bob Knuth (Set Design), kClare McKellaston (Costume Design), Jodi Williams (Lighting Design), Petter Wahlbäck (Sound Design), Mitchell Pollitt (Master Carpenter), Randy Rozler (Properties Design), Kira Nutter (Intimacy Director), Devon Carson (Assistant Director), Kristin Weed (Run Crew).

Season subscriptions are available for the full four-show season at $140.00, or as flex passes that can be used for the patron’s choice of either three shows for $115.00 or two shows for $80.00. Preview flex passes are also available for $45 (two shows), $55 (three shows), or $65 (four shows). Subscriptions and single tickets priced at $50 (plus ticketing fees) are now on sale at www.citadeltheatre.org.

Citadel Theatre is in residence in the West Campus of the Lake Forest School District at 300 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest. Further information and ticketing is available on the company’s website at www.citadeltheatre.org.

LISTING INFORMATION

EUREKA DAY

By Jonathan Spector

Directed by Scott Westerman

Friday, September 11 – Sunday, October 11, 2026

(Preview September 9 at 7:30 pm)

Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sunday matinees at 3 pm, Wednesday matinees at 1 pm on September 16 and 30. Understudy performance Wednesday, September 30 at 6:30 pm.

No performances Friday, September 18; Friday, October 2; or Saturday, September 26.

Preview ticket prices $27.15 including ticketing fee. Regular run prices $53.40 including  ticketing fee. Discounts available for groups, seniors and students.

Citadel Theatre, located in the West Campus building of the Lake Forest School District, 300 S. Waukegan Rd., Lake Forest, IL. 60045

Tickets available online at www.citadeltheatre.org or by phone at 847-735-8554, ext. 1

In this hilarious 2025 Tony Award-winning satire, an elite private school is thrown into crisis when a mumps outbreak divides parents and board members over vaccines. As debates intensify and facts grow slippery, every solution only deepens the conflict. EUREKA DAY asks us to fully recognize the humanity of those we disagree with.

BIOS

Scott Westerman (Director) makes, does, and teaches theatre and film in and around Chicago. At Citadel, he has directed MISERY, A JUKEBOX FOR THE ALGONQUIN, THE MOUSETRAP, THE CHRISTIANS and SEX WITH STRANGERS. Scott is the founding Artistic Director of Go To Productions, a 501©3 nonprofit which develops projects that explore the nexus between theatre and film. He created and directed the web series HAMLET & OPHELIA which won Best Picture at the New York Film Awards, Best Web Series at the LA Film Awards, and Best Mobile Series at the 2022 New Media Film Festival. Scott has directed stage productions for The Artistic Home, ChiArts, City Lit Theatre, Chimera Theatre Company, Citadel Theatre, Beyond This Point, Barter Theatre, Stage Left Theatre, The Smithsonian Institution, American Theatre Company (Bridge), National High School Institute (Cherubs), and Reverie Theatre Company. Scott is a member of the Screen Actors Guild, an ensemble member with The Artistic Home, represented by Gray Talent Group, and a teaching artist with Writers Theatre and The Theatre School at DePaul University. He has an MFA from The Shakespeare Theatre Academy. As an actor, Scott has worked with Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Lookingglass, Northlight, The Shakespeare Theatre and Ford’s Theatre in DC, Everyman Theatre in Baltimore, the Warehouse Theatre in South Carolina, and the Barter Theatre in Virginia to name a few. On Camera credits include MACHINE GUN PREACHER, PRISON BREAK, and HEIST 88. More about Scott can be perused at www.ScottWesterman.org.

Jonathan Spector  (Playwright) is a Tony Award-winning playwright based in Oakland, California, whose work has been produced on and off-Broadway, regionally and internationally. His plays include EUREKA DAY (2025 Best Revival: Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Drama League Award & Dorian Award); THIS MUCH I KNOW (Edgerton Award, Glickman Award, BATCC Award); BIRTHRIGHT; BEST AVAILABLE; SIESTA KEY; and GOOD. BETTER. BEST. BESTED. Jonathan’s work has been produced with Manhattan Theatre Club, the Old Vic/Sonia Friedman Productions, Pasadena Playhouse, Hampstead Theatre, Miami New Drama, Colt Coeur, Theater J, Syracuse Stage, Asolo Rep, Aurora Theatre, Marin Theatre and Mosaic Theater, among others. He has been a MacDowell Fellow, Playwrights Foundation Resident Playwright, TheatreWorks Core Writer, Playwrights Center Core Writer, SPACE on Ryder Farm Resident and PlayPenn Haas Fellow. Jonathan is currently under commission with Manhattan Theatre Club, Roundabout Theatre Company and La Jolla Playhouse.

Scott Phelps (Artistic Director) is in his 24th year as the Artistic Director at Citadel. He’s acted in and directed dozens of Citadel productions for over two decades since founding this North Shore theatre in 2002 with his friend and lifelong companion, Ellen. In 2025, Scott co-starred with Ellen in MISERY, and the two played husband and wife in 2023’s THE CHRISTIANS. He has acted/directed in NYC, and in his home state of California; trained as an actor at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Santa Maria, CA; received his BFA from the University of Utah and did an apprenticeship at the Actors Theatre of Louisville. For 18 years Scott worked for a promotional company and raised his three daughters and his son in Lake Forest. Recently he has been taking on the next chapter of his life — the role of “Beepa” to his grandchildren. Although he is unsure if he is old enough to play that part, he’s been enjoying the challenge.

Citadel Theatre is one of Chicagoland’s premier live theatres, producing hundreds of performances annually and inspiring audiences for nearly 24 years. Founded by Scott and Ellen Phelps in 2002, Citadel Theatre is comprised of its Main Stage performances and its theatre acting classes for children. A proud member of the League of Chicago Theatres and the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff ArtsLink, Citadel Theatre offers a unique intimate theatre experience that transports you to another setting and leaves you feeling exhilarated and wanting more. A recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization, Citadel can accept tax-deductible donations. For more information, ticketing, and to donate, please visit Citadel online at www.CitadelTheatre.org or call 847.735.8554.

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Chicago's only professional theater that seeks to advance women through the power of storytelling, announces the cast for the final world premiere of its 30th Anniversary season, Bonnie's Last Flight by Eliza Bent (The Regulars, Karen, I Said), directed by Rivendell Ensemble member Devon de Mayo (The Tasters, Laura and the Sea & Scientific Method). Bonnie's Last Flight runs September 12 – October 17, 2026, as part of Rivendell's 30^th Anniversary Season of new plays. 

The 30^th Anniversary Season takes place at Rivendell's home, 5779 N. Ridge Avenue in Chicago. Tickets are $28 for previews and $38 for regular performances. Angel and Sponsor tickets are $58 and $88 and include a donation. Discounts are available for seniors, students, and military. Tickets and more information at rivendelltheatre.org/bonnieslastflight or (773) 334-7728.

It's Jan's retirement flight. Everyone knows, except for Greig, Jan's best friend and coworker of many years. As Greig waxes nostalgic, Jan worries about life post-retirement. LeeAnne, a klutzy newbie flight attendant with a dark past, must avoid her ex on the plane while Captain, a waggish pilot with a weakness for Bloody Marys, is caught in a love triangle. Erik, the co-pilot with a heart of gold, can't get a word in edgewise. Presiding over the flight is the OG of travel: Mark Twain.

In a comedy set on everyone's least favorite mode of transit, we must reckon with our crew's dreams and regrets and ask ourselves: What does it take to really start living?

Artistic Director Tara Mallen comments, "The final production in our 30th anniversary season, Bonnie's Last Flight, is exactly the kind of groundbreaking new work we champion at Rivendell. Eliza Bent's quirky comedy helmed by longtime ensemble member Devon de Mayo features an extraordinary cast anchored by four of Rivendell's most gifted ensemble members and joined by the multi-talented actor, playwright and Tony Award-winning producer Paul Oakley Stovall. We are delighted to introduce Eliza's fresh and singular voice to Chicago audiences and share this wonderfully offbeat play that reminds us that it's never too late to chart a new course."

This world premiere production of Bonnie's Last Flight features ensemble members Rebecca Spence, Eric Slater, Jessica Ervin, and Glenn Obrero, with Paul Oakley Stovall.

Rivendell's 30th Anniversary Season is sponsored by Sharon I. Furiya.

FACTS / Bonnie's Last Flight

Bonnie's Last Flight

A world premiere by Eliza Bent

Directed by Devon de Mayo

September 12 – October 17, 2026

Creative Team: RTE members Regina García (Scenic Design) and Tanya Palmer (Dramaturg) with Saawan Tiwari (Costume Design), Garrett Bell (Lighting Design), and Satya Chávez (Sound Design). The Production Stage Manager is Anna Vu and Mia Maccarella is Asst. Stage Manager.

Dates:

Previews: September 12-19, 2026

Saturday, September 12 at 8pm

Sunday, September 13 at 3 pm

Thursday, September 18 at 8pm

Friday, September 19 at 8pm

Saturday, September 19 at 8pm

Gala Opening: Sunday, September 20 at 6pm

Regular Run: September 24 – October  17, 2026

Thursday-Saturday at 8pm; Saturday at 4pm

Added Sunday Matinees: September 13 & October 11 at 3pm

Industry Performance: Monday, September 28 at 8pm

Open Captioned performances:

Saturday October 10 at 4pm

Saturday October 17 at 4pm

About the Artists

Eliza Bent (Playwright) is the love-grandchild of Lily Tomlin, Pee Wee Herman, and Mr. Peanut. Bentertainments include plays (The Regulars), solo pieces (Karen, I Said, which the New York Times described as a "wicked satire"), adaptations, and hybrid affairs. Bent's works have been developed, workshopped, and produced at the Abrons Arts Center, JACK, the New Ohio, the Atlantic Theatre, the Bushwick Starr and New York Theatre Workshop's Next Door Series. Residencies: MacDowell, SPACE on Ryder Farm, New Georges, Target Margin Institute Fellow, Goodman Theatre Playwrights Unit. Bent's short film Summer's Last Swim was an official selection for Downtown LA's 2023 Film festival and a Chicago Filmmakers Best LGBTQ+. As a performer Bent has toured internationally with the Obie-award winning ensemble Half Straddle and Bent's stand-up special Penguin in Your Ear has bowed at the Brick in Brooklyn, the Elysian in LA, Crashbox in LA, Color Club in Chicago and Benson Theatre in Omaha, NE. A perennial guest of the Great Plains Theatre Commons, Bent has a BA in philosophy from Boston College and MFA in playwriting from Brooklyn College. Currently on faculty at Northwestern University's Radio TV & Film department.

Devon de Mayo (Director) is thrilled to be back at Rivendell where she has been an ensemble member since 2019 and has directed The Tasters, Laura and the Sea & The Scientific Method at Rivendell. Most recently, she directed Untitled Vampire Play at Lookingglass Theater. Directing credits include: The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (Gift Theatre); In Every Generation, If I Forget (Victory Gardens); First Love is the Revolution (Steep Theatre); Women Laughing Alone With Salad (Theatre Wit); The Burn (Steppenwolf Theatre); Harvey (Court Theatre); Sycamore (Raven Theatre); You on the Moors Now (The Hypocrites); Animals Out of Paper (Shattered Globe Theatre); You Can't Take it With You, and Lost in Yonkers (Northlight Theatre); Everything is Illuminated and Compulsion (Next); Roadkill Confidential, The Whole World is Watching, As Told by the Vivian Girls and The Twins Would Like to Say (Dog & Pony). Devon served as Resident Director on Prima Facie and The Audience (both on Broadway). She co-wrote and co-directed Guerra: A Clown Play, a collaboration with Mexico City-based artists La Piara (performances in New York, Chicago, Albuquerque, Mexico City and Bogota). Devon is an Assistant Professor and the Director of Performance in TAPS at the University of Chicago.

Jessica Ervin is an ensemble member at Rivendell where she originated the role of Annie in Rivendell's Jeff Award-winning production of Motherhouse. Other credits with Rivendell include: No Such Thing, Dry Land (Jeff Nomination – Actress in a Principal Role), I Wanna F*cking Tear You Apart, The Firebirds Take the Field, and understudying Pivot, Scientific Method, Alias Grace, and the tour of Women at War. Jessica's other theatrical work includes roles with Goodman, Audible's Minetta Lane (New York), Strawdog, A Red Orchid, Walkabout, Kalliope and Co., and Prop Thtr. On-screen, she has appeared on Chicago Fire (NBC), and in the films Regret Like That, Princess Cyd, Provo, Lucid, and Late Bloomer, in addition to other shorts and a commercial for CDW NetApp. Jessica is a graduate of The School at Steppenwolf and Ball State University. She is proud to be represented by the Actor's Talent Group. www.jessicaervin.com

Glenn Obrero is a member and Casting Associate of Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. Rivendell: Scientific Method, Wipeout, and Pivot. He was recently seen in The Targeted at A Red Orchid Theatre. Select Chicago Theater credits: The Great Leap (Steppenwolf Theatre), 20K Leagues Under The Seas (Lookingglass Theatre), The Chinese Lady (Timeline Theatre), Ironbound (Raven Theatre), and A Tale of Two Cities (Shattered Globe Theatre). Regional Theatre: Peninsula Players Theatre, Kitchen Theatre, and Asolo Repertory Theatre. Film: When Cats Fly (Wonderphil Ent), InIt2WinIt (Gnarly Naldo) and Wheelhouse (Protea). TV: Chicago Fire (NBC) and Next (FOX). Ensemble: Griffin Theatre. Representation: Gray Talent Group.

Eric Slater has been a member of the Rivendell Ensemble since 2005 and has worked on more than fifteen projects in that time including The Tasters, Cal In Camo, Alias Grace and Rasheeda Speaking. Slater was also the associate director of Pivot earlier this season. Some other Chicago credits include: Inherit the Wind, The Cherry Orchard, This Happened Once At The Romance Depot Off i-87 in Westchester, Support Group For Men, Smokefall, Feathers And Teeth (Goodman); The Doppelganger (an international farce) (Steppenwolf); Tiny Beautiful Things, Hand To God (Victory Gardens); Small Jokes About Monsters (16th Street). Off-Broadway: Juvenal Players (The Kitchen); The Dudley's: A Family Game! (Theatre for a New City); Our Greatest Year (Kraine & The Brick); Original cast of Gloryana (Workshop Production, The Public Theatre & The York Theater). Film: Regret Like That, In The Flood, You Don't Belong Here, Widows, The Try Out. TV:"Monster: The Ed Gein Story", "Emperor of Ocean Park", "Fargo", "Chicago Fire". This Spring he directed the critically acclaimed Spaceman by Leegrid Stevens with [producingbody]. Slater has also written and directed his first short film, Moon Thief, currently in post-production.

Rebecca Spence is a Rivendell ensemble member and was last seen on their stage in The Firebirds Take the Field. Other RTE credits: How the World Began, WRENS and These Shining Lives. Additional theatrical credits include work with Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Goodman Theatre, Court Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Remy Bumppo Theatre Company, Lookingglass, TimeLine Theatre Company, Windy City Playhouse and Theatre Wit. Film credits include: Candyman, Heist 88, Princess Cyd, Man of Steel, Contagion, The Dilemma, Public Enemies, Grace is Gone and The Break-Up. She may be seen currently as Liliana Weeks in the new Taylor Sheridan series The Madison (Paramount+), and in recurring roles in Dark Matter (AppleTV+); Mr. Throwback (NBC); Power Book IV: FORCE (Starz); 61st Street (CW) and Paper Girls (Amazon Prime). Other television roles include: Lady in the Lake, The Big Leap, Utopia, Empire, Easy, Boss, Crisis, Chicago Fire, Betrayal, The Mob Doctor, Detroit 1-8-7, The Chicago Code, The Beast and Prison Break.

Paul Oakley Stovall makes his Rivendell debut! Paul is an accomplished theatre practitioner, winning his first Tony Award as a producer of A Strange Loop and performing the role of George Washington in the 1st national tour of Hamilton for over 4 years. He has also toured with Rent and Once On This Island and has performed regionally across the US and in Japan. He is a four-time Jeff nominee for his work in his hometown of Chicago as an actor, director and playwright. His film/tv appearances include Shameless (SHO), Chicago Fire (NBC), Empire (FOX), and the late Robert Altman's The Company, and his afro-futurism sci fi web series Tulsa can be seen on Amazon Prime. His play Immediate Family has been directed across the country by the legend Phylicia Rashad, and his co-adaptation of James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room which he also directed, garnered rave reviews, including making the New York Times best of theatre list in 2025. Paul was a proud advance associate lead and media logistics coordinator, traveling to over 15 countries for the two terms of forever First Lady Michelle Obama. He served as Executive Producer and Creative Director of the inaugural Juneteenth UnityFest, and of the 2024 NAACP Legal Defense Fund Annual Gala.

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble's 30^th Anniversary Season

It's Women's Work. And for 30 years, it has been our work.

Rivendell is celebrating three decades of groundbreaking, women-centered storytelling with three world premiere plays that embody its legacy of centering women's voices, sparking crucial dialogues and advocating for women. This season is both a celebration of Rivendell's award-winning past and an invitation to experience the bold narratives shaping the future. The 30^th season launched in February with a fully sold-out run of the world premiere of Alex Lubisher's Pivot directed by longtime ensemble member, Hallie Gordon. It was followed up with the  world premiere of Melissa Ross' Do Something Pretty, marking ensemble member Katherine Mallen Kupferer's Rivendell debut. The 2026 season concludes with this hilarious and offbeat new play Bonnie's Last Flight by Eliza Bent.

The 30th anniversary marks a pivotal moment for Rivendell — a time to celebrate all we've built and invest in what's next. This campaign fuels the next chapter of our work as a leader in new play development for women playwrights and a vital platform for emerging and established artists. As Chicago's only women-focused Equity storefront theatre, Rivendell has produced 57 acclaimed works, earned 16 Joseph Jefferson Awards and over forty nominations, and serves more than 250 artists and 4,000 audience members each year through partnerships, performances, and community engagement.  To learn more about our 30th Anniversary Season Campaign and how you can play a part, email Artistic Director Tara Mallen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For more information about Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, visit http://rivendelltheatre.org. Follow Rivendell on Facebook at Facebook.com/rivendelltheatre and on Instagram at @rivendelltheatre.

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble is supported by generous grants from: SIF Fund at The Chicago Community Trust; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Shubert Foundation; Bayless Family Foundation; Richard H. Driehaus Foundation; Illinois Arts Council Agency; The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Wintrust and Sara and the 2 C Dogs. Community support by: Amazing Edibles, Revolution Brewing and Tablescapes.

Definition Theatre is proud to present How We Got On, a mix-tape for the stage by playwright Idris Goodwin and directed by Tyrone Phillips. How We Got On will play a limited run from September 11– 27, 2026 at Definition Theatre (1160 E. 55th St, Chicago, IL) with previews September 11–12, 2026 and an opening on September 13 at 7:30pm. Tickets are $35 and are on sale now at definitiontheatre.org.

How We Got On tells the story of three suburban teenagers who discovered something that would change their lives forever. It's the 1980’s, and Hank, Julian, and Luann are determined to make their mark on the explosive new world of rap music. Armed with turntables, notebooks, and raw talent, they’ll navigate cultural isolation, family struggles, and fierce competition as they chase their dreams of becoming the next big thing.

But in the suburbs, far from hip-hop's birthplace, they'll have to fight twice as hard to prove they belong. Guided by a sultry DJ, the selector, who spins their stories with wit and wisdom, this electrifying production celebrates the passion, creativity, and determination of the generation that helped build hip-hop from the ground up—one beat, one rhyme, one battle at a time.

The cast features Jamal Turner, Tony Garcia, Anuoluwa T. Awolola, and Definition Ensemble Member Maya Vinice Prentiss.

The production team includes Director Tyrone Phillips, Assistant Director Lucy Whitehead, Production Manager Julie Jachym, Stage Manager Carissa Greene, Scenic Designer Sydney Lynn Thomas, Costume Designer Janelle Smith, Lighting Designer Garrett Bell, Lighting Design Intern Bria Hall, Sound Designer Kyle Cortes, and Movement Designer Breon Arzell.

Running in tandem with the production is The Sound Barriers Vol. 4, an installation of vintage boomboxes, paintings, and photography by Chicago muralist John Vergara. The exhibit is open Monday–Thursday from 5pm–9pm from Monday, September 14 – Thursday, Sept 24, 2026.

Chicago-based artist John Vergara time travels via boomboxes, the ultimate muse, in The Sound Barriers Vol. 4. Immersed in 1980’s Chicago hip-hop, funk, and house music, Vergara's vibrant brushstrokes, paint splatters, and graffiti work embody the movement of sound, while his cityscape photographs and portraits present music as a life form accompanying each person. Vergara has created more than 200 public murals, curated Chicago art shows for over 20 years, and is an advocate for the preservation of historical public art—work that helped lead to the founding of the City of Chicago Mural Registry.

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

How We Got On

Dates: September 11 – 27, 2026

Previews: September 11 – 12, 2026

Location: Definition @ 55th | 1160 E. 55th Street, Chicago, IL

Tickets: On sale now at definitiontheatre.org

EXHIBIT DETAILS

The Sound Barriers Vol. 4 by John Vergara

On View: September 14 – 24, 2026 (concurrent with How We Got On)

Hours: Monday – Thursday, 5pm – 9pm.

Location: Definition @ 55th | 1160 E. 55th Street, Chicago, IL

Admission: Free for How We Got On ticket holders, $15 for General Admission

ABOUT DEFINITION THEATRE

Definition Theatre has been a vibrant force for over a decade, celebrating stories created with, inspired by, and intended for people and communities of color. Through the act of making, Definition expands perspectives, stewards resources, and bridges the possibilities found at the intersection of art, innovation, and education. Known for bold and impactful productions, we’ve brought to life plays by Oscar-winner Tarell Alvin McCraney, Pulitzer Prize-winners James Ijames and Jackie Sibblies Drury, and Tony Award-winner Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. We strive to promote equity, foster empathy, and enhance the quality of life for our community members by offering opportunities for creative, entrepreneurial, and cultural expression. Our work emphasizes collaboration in theater-making and raises awareness of career paths in the arts. In 2024, Definition leased and equipped a storefront space in Hyde Park, enabling us to engage artists and expand programs as we prepare for our permanent home in Woodlawn on the southside of Chicago. This new theater, community center, and business incubator will amplify and preserve BIPOC voices, promote social justice, and empower the next generation of artists, entrepreneurs, and changemakers to drive positive progress through the transformative power of the arts.

Definition Ensemble members include: Adia Alli, Owais Ahmed, Ariel Beller, Jared Bellot, Carley Cornelius, Ari Craven, Julie Jachym, Willow James, Martasia Jones, Slick Jorgensen, Yeaji Kim, Kristy Hall, James Ijames, Julie Jachym, Willow James, Kiki Layne, Kelson Michael McAuliffe, Victor Musoni, Neel McNeill, Sophiyaa Nayar, Karyn Oates, Alexandra Oparka, Julian Parker, Maya Vinice Prentiss, Tyrone Phillips, Ireon Roach, Jacqueline Rosas, Christopher Sheard, and Dujon Smith.

Definition Artistic Advisory Board members include: director May Adrales, Steppenwolf ensemble member Alana Arenas, actress Shannon Cochran, actor Brandon Dirden, actor Jason Dirden, actor Jon Michael Hill, director Pam Mackinnon, Equity Quotient CEO Keryl McCord, professor JW Morrissette, director Ron OJ Parson, professor/lighting designer Kathy Perkins, media producer and host Troy Osborne Pryor, Tony Award-winning actress and stage director Phylicia Rashad, and Goodman Theatre director in residence Chuck Smith. Tyrone Phillips is the Artistic Director, Neel McNeill is the Executive Director, Willow James is the Civic Engagement Director. For additional information, visit definitiontheatre.org and @definitiontheatre on Facebook and Instagram #stayinit