Through music, documentary video, sound, photos and live actors, “SANCTUARY STORIES: A JOURNALISM THEATER PROJECT” captures in words and images the lives and communities deeply connected with — and affected by — immigration in Chicago. 

This “living documentary” is a unique and unprecedented adventure in multimedia storytelling that brings journalism to life. 

The stories presented by the actors are based on extensive reporting, told verbatim from interview transcripts. And they are complemented with vivid documentary video and sound, illustrating the thoughts and storytelling, showing the Chicagoans behind the stories.

The project returns after an incredibly successful run in January that sold out in its first weekend.

Among those portrayed are clergy who have stepped forward to help immigrants; a veteran Immigration Court judge who resigned over a changed system; a politician driven to join demonstrators; a young immigrant who frets that the successful life she has found can be instantly swept away; and a refugee who cannot sleep or smile because of the torture he suffered for years as he made his way to the U.S.

The evening also features insights from visual journalists who’ve been covering the crackdown, as well as original music by Chicago singer-songwriter Flo Estes.

After the premiere showing on Northwestern’s campus, one former Chicago Tribune journalist wrote: “Just when you think there are no new ideas... this ‘journalism theater project’ called SANCTUARY STORIES comes along from Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism.”

The production is the work of Emmy award-winning documentarian Craig Duff, a former video journalist at CNN, the New York Times and Time Magazine. Duff is now a journalism professor at Northwestern University’s Medill School. He is also an actor and theater artist. Stephen Franklin, a former Chicago Tribune journalist, Borderless Magazine contributor and trainer for Chicago’s immigrant and minority news media, conducted the reporting and interviews.

Performing the stories is a cast of talented Chicago actors: Gabriela Barrios, George Dougherty, Amber Dow, Flo Estes, Jean Marie Koon, Lori Navarrete, Matt Specht and Caonguyen Vu. 

Duff serves as narrator and created the documentary video elements, and Jeff Award-winning Petter Wahlbäck crafted the sound design and music. Riley Bulson serves as stage manager and Brenden Marble will design the lighting for the Athenaeum shows.

The performances also feature two original songs, including “I Come From the World,” by Flo Estes, who will perform it live to video accompaniment with Emily Haden Lee on supporting vocals.

The project attempts to create a Chicago story in the way that the great storyteller Studs Terkel immortalized our everyday lives. It honors Chicago’s history as a national leader as a Sanctuary City, begun with the drive in the 1980s to give sanctuary to Central Americans fleeing wars and violence. It is a tribute to the vibrant and imaginative theatre community that draws inspiration from Chicago's vibrant life.

LISTING INFORMATION

SANCTUARY STORIES: A JOURNALISM THEATER PROJECT

Devised and directed by Craig Duff, Based on interviews conducted by Stephen Franklin

Original Music by Petter Wahlbäck

October 9-18, 2026

Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays at 3:00 pm, with an additional matinee on Saturday, October 17 at 2pm. 

Studio B, The Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture

2936 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60657.

Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at https://athenaeumcenter.org/events/2026/sanctuary-stories-a-journalism-theater-project/

Additional information can be found at https://sanctuarystories.org and on Instagram @sanctuarystorieschicago

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Red Theater is thrilled to announce the cast and production team of the world premiere of Church Hurt by Brynne Frauenhoffer and directed by Jessica Love, running October 24 - November 21, 2026 at The Edge Off Broadway in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood, 1133 W. Catalpa Ave. Tickets are available now at www.redtheater.org.

When Mar gets hired at the church she grew up in, she’s reunited with her onetime youth group besties Faith, who has become head of People Operations, and Julie, who serves as an outspoken volunteer with progressive goals. Though the three once bonded over Relient K songs and scripture, now they must reconcile very different faith journeys in the intervening years. Old wounds and new points of view disrupt ministry efforts as queerness and the non-denominational movement collide. - New Play Exchange

The production features Alice Wu as Faith, Sara Sadjadi as Mar, and Laura Michele Erle as Julie. Understudies include Mindy Shore for Faith, Sara BenBella for Mar, and Hailey Hance for Julie.

Comments Artistic Directors Clare Brennan and Wyatt Kent, “Church Hurt is our third world premiere from a Chicago playwright in as many seasons, and we’re so fortunate to be collaborating with Brynne for the first time. This tight-knit narrative features two stalwarts of the storefront scene, as well as Sara Sadjadi’s debut on Chicago’s stage after a season with Door Shakespeare and Milwaukee Rep. With director Jessica Love back at the helm after her incredible work on last season’s The Pilon, this production will pull you into this story of queerness, faith, female friendship, and stress-tested trust.”

The production team includes Emily Marrazzo (assistant director), Sarah Patisaul (stage manager), Rose Johnson (scenic design), Suzanne Barnes (props design), Amina Gilbert (lighting design), kClare McKellaston (costume design), Kate Schnetzer (sound design), Skyler Simpson (poster design), Faith Decker (photographer), Daniel Bird Tobin (audience experience dramaturg), AJ Mueth (technical director), Becca Holloway (casting director), Cailyn Murray (casting associate), Hunter Baumann-Cole (director of production), Wyatt Kent and Clare Brennan (co-artistic directors).

PRODUCTION DETAILS

Title: Church Hurt

Playwright: Brynne Frauenhoffer

Director: Jessica Love

Cast: Alice Wu (Faith), Sara Sadjadi (Mar), Laura Michele Erle (Julie), Mindy Shore (u/s Faith), Sara BenBella (u/s Mar), and Hailey Hance (u/s Julie).

Production Team: Emily Marrazzo (assistant director), Sarah Patisaul (stage manager), Rose Johnson (scenic design), Suzanne Barnes (props design), Amina Gilbert (lighting design), kClare McKellaston (costume design), Kate Schnetzer (sound design), Skyler Simpson (poster design), Faith Decker (photographer), Daniel Bird Tobin (audience experience dramaturg), AJ Mueth (technical director), Becca Holloway (casting director), Cailyn Murray (casting associate), Hunter Baumann-Cole (director of production), Wyatt Kent and Clare Brennan (co-artistic directors).

Location: The Edge Off Broadway, 1133 W. Catalpa Ave, Chicago

Opening night: Saturday, October 24, 2026 @ 7:30P

Previews: Wednesday, October 21, Thursday, October 22, & Friday, October 23, 2026 @ 7:30P

Run dates: Saturday October 24 - Saturday November 21, 2026

Curtain times: Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays @ 7:30P, Sundays @ 3P

Tickets: General admission tickets are $35. As part of Red’s mission to make theater by putting people first, a limited number of $10 access tickets are available for students, artists, or anyone on a tight budget. Purchasing a ticket at our $50 pay-it-forward tier helps us sustain Red’s accessibility efforts. Tickets are currently available at www.redtheater.org. A limited number of access tickets are available for every performance. Use code ACCESS at checkout for $10 tickets. Monday nights are Industry Nights! Artists and service industry professionals can use code RELIENTK for half price tickets.

Direct Box Office Link: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35021/production/1284321

The Auditorium (Chicago's landmark stage at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive) continues its 2026-27 Dance Season titled North American Dance with the Chicago debut of the internationally renowned Canadian company Ballets Jazz Montréal (BJM). BJM will perform an evening length tribute to the artistry of fellow Montrealer, singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen on the 10-year anniversary of Cohen's death (November 7, 2016). The one-night-only presentation is Saturday, November 7 at 7:30 PM at The Auditorium, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Dr. Tickets are $44-$154 and are available at auditoriumtheatre.org or by calling The Auditorium's Ticket Service Center at 312.341.2300.

Dance Me: The Music of Leonard Cohen is a creation inspired by the rich and profound work of Montréal- based poet, artist and songwriter, Leonard Cohen. Approved by Cohen during his lifetime, BJM has the exclusive rights to present this work. Dance Me was created under the artistic direction of Louis Robitaille and with bold and compelling staging by Eric Jean. This riveting homage evokes the grand cycles of existence, love, loss, hope, and renewal—inviting audiences to pause, reflect, and be deeply inspired.

Three internationally renowned choreographers were entrusted with putting movement to Cohen's legendary songs: Andonis Foniadakis, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Ihsan Rustem. Their powerful and profound choreographic world reflective of Cohen's singular work is brought to life by Ballets Jazz Montréal's 14 performing artists. Dance Me combines scenic, visual, musical, dramaturgical, and choreographic writing crafted by a team of celebrated designers to pay tribute to Montréal's greatest ambassador.

Some of Cohen's most iconic hits are featured in the work including Hallelujah, Suzanne,

So Long, Marianne, Famous Blue Raincoat, Everybody Knows and Dance Me To The End of Love.

"Leonard Cohen is one of the world's greatest singer/songwriters, and Dance Me is a beautiful and deeply moving tribute to his extraordinary life and work," said The Auditorium CEO Rich Regan. "Earlier this year, The Auditorium had the opportunity to bring a group of our Dance Partners to Montréal to experience a special performance of Dance Me performed by Ballets Jazz Montréal. It was an unforgettable experience, and sitting together in that audience, our entire dance affinity group knew we had to bring this remarkable company and production to The Auditorium stage. We believe Dance Me will be a spectacular experience for dance lovers who come to witness the brilliance of Ballets Jazz Montréal, as well as for music enthusiasts and devoted Cohen fans who will experience his extraordinary music in an entirely new way. Our dance season this year is titled North American Dance, and throughout 2026–27 we're proud to showcase some of the most innovative and inspiring dance companies from across the continent. Representing Canada is Ballets Jazz Montréal—a bold, boundary-pushing company whose Chicago debut is long overdue. We are thrilled to welcome them to The Auditorium and share Dance Me with Chicago audiences."

About Ballets Jazz Montréal
Hailed for its explosive original performances, Ballets Jazz Montréal pushes the boundaries of contemporary dance with its signature hybrid style—melding ballet's precision with the raw energy of modern movement. Known worldwide for commissioning daring new works from celebrated choreographers, the company brings emotionally charged, human-centered storytelling to the stage with electrifying artistry. Thanks to the unwavering faith of Geneviève Salbaing and Eva Von Gencsy, the company, known for its vitality, has been making its mark for 54 years. A cultural ambassador to the world, BJM has embodied freedom, creativity, originality, and excellence for over five decades. The company's distinctive signature lies in the unique personalities of its performers. With their eclectic training, these artists from diverse backgrounds represent the soul of BJM. Through the quality of their performances, they invariably captivate audiences and critics alike, both locally and internationally. With Alexandra Damiani as its artistic director since 2021, the company is updating itself while preserving the essence of the company. For more information visit bjmdanse.ca

About The Auditorium

The Auditorium, a National Historic Landmark in the heart of downtown Chicago, is a nonprofit cultural institution dedicated to bringing people together through extraordinary performances, education, and community engagement. Since opening in 1889, The Auditorium has been a defining part of Chicago's cultural and architectural legacy, presenting world-class music, dance, theater, and a broad range of artistic and civic programming within its iconic building designed by legendary architects Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler. Located at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive - the center of Chicago, The Auditorium is committed to preserving and protecting its extraordinary historic home through ongoing preservation, restoration, stewardship, and care. Honoring its remarkable past while creating new experiences for audiences today, The Auditorium continues to inspire and connect people from Chicago and around the world.  For more information and a complete calendar of events, visit AuditoriumTheatre.org.

A Red Orchid Theatre is pleased open its 34^th Season, exploring the theme of "world on fire," with the Chicago premiere of Will Arbery's politically-charged drama Heroes of the Fourth Turning, directed by Ensemble member dado*, playing October 29 – December 6, 2026 at 1531 N. Wells St. in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood. Single tickets are now on sale at aredorchidtheatre.org or by calling (312) 943-8722. Season subscriptions are currently available.

Heroes of the Fourth Turning features Ensemble Member Kirsten Fitzgerald* with Magdalena Dalzell, Isa Grofsorean, Beck Nolan and Nate Santana.

About the Production:

It's nearing midnight in Wyoming, where four recent graduates have gathered to celebrate their beloved mentor and professor Gina, newly inducted as president of their tiny Catholic liberal arts college. The reunion spirals into spiritual chaos, clashing generational politics and a vicious fight to be understood. Offering grace and disarming clarity, this haunting play speaks to the torn heart of a country at war with itself.

The production team includes Ensemble Member Grant Sabin* (Scenic Designer), Madeleine Shows (Costume Designer), Josiah Croegaert (Lighting Designer), Ethan Korvne (Composer & Sound Designer), Eel Black (Props Designer), Chels Morgan (Violence & Intimacy Director), Caroline Michele Uy (Dramaturg), Omar Fernandez (Assistant Director), Kira Nutter (Production Manager), Tom Daniel (Technical Director), Mark Brown (Master Electrician), JC Widman (Stage Manager) and Faith Locke (Assistant Stage Manager).

*Denotes A Red Orchid Theatre Ensemble Member

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Title: Heroes of the Fourth Turning

Playwright: Will Arbery
Director: Ensemble member dado*
Cast: Ensemble Member Kirsten Fitzgerald* (Gina) with Magdalena Dalzell (Emily), Isa Grofsorean (Teresa), Beck Nolan (Kevin) and Nate Santana (Justin).

Understudies: Rachel Ives (Emily & Teresa), Kyle Ringley (Justin & Kevin) and Sarafina Vecchio (Gina).

Location: A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells St., Chicago

Dates: Previews: Thursday, October 29 at 7 pm, Friday, October 30 at 7 pm, Sunday, November 1 at 3 pm, Thursday, November 5 at 7 pm and Friday, November 6 at 7 pm

Opening: Sunday, November 8 at 6 pm

Regular run: Thursday, November 12 – Sunday, December 6, 2026
Curtain Times: Thursdays and Fridays at 7 pm; Saturdays 3 pm & 7 pm; and Sundays at 3 pm. Please note: there will not be performances on Saturday, October 31 at 7 pm (Halloween) or Thursday, November 26 (Thanksgiving); there will be an added Industry Night performance on Monday, November 23 at 7 pm.

Tickets: Previews: $33 – $44*. Regular run: $55*. Access, student, senior, and group discounts available. Single tickets are now on sale at aredorchidtheatre.org or by calling (312) 943-8722. Season subscriptions are currently available. *Ticket prices include a processing fee.

Lookingglass Theatre Company today announced a new leadership structure that brings together four longtime members of its acclaimed ensemble and new Board leadership, marking an exciting next chapter for the Tony Award-winning Chicago theater company.

Ensemble Members Ericka Ratcliff and David Catlin have been elected Co-Artistic Directors. Former Lookingglass Creative Producer Philip R. Smith will become Executive Director and Ensemble Member and co-founder David Schwimmer will serve as Producing Director. Most recently, Ratcliff was Literary Manager at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. David Catlin was the founding co-Artistic Director of Lookingglass, then served as Artistic Director from 2003-2010 and is a tenured Associate Professor and Head of Acting at Northwestern University. Philip R. Smith has been the Associate Director of Advancement at Writers Theatre after decades of working in multiple leadership roles at Lookingglass.

Lookingglass also welcomes new leadership to its Board of Directors, with Marci Masur serving as Board President and Deann Bayless as Board Chair.

The transition comes as Ensemble Member Kasey Foster completes her three-year term as Artistic Director, during which Lookingglass emerged from its post-pandemic pause, returned to producing and laid the groundwork for an ambitious new era for the company. Artistic Directors at Lookingglass are elected by the company's ensemble to three-year terms.

The new leadership structure comes at a moment of renewed artistic and institutional momentum for Lookingglass, building on nearly four decades of boundary-pushing work while setting the stage for an ambitious future. In 2026, Lookingglass celebrated two successful productions in its recently renovated space and hosted the most successful gala in its history. The company also recently signed a new 20-year lease at the Water Tower Water Works, securing its home for the next generation of Lookingglass artists and audiences, while exploring expanded programming, partnerships and earned-revenue opportunities designed to support continued artistic and institutional growth.

Ratcliff and Catlin will share responsibility for the artistic vision and programming of Lookingglass, extending the company's deeply collaborative approach to its artistic leadership. Together, the four leaders bring decades of experience as artists, directors and producers at Lookingglass, pairing deep institutional knowledge with distinct perspectives and a shared commitment to the company's defining values of collaboration, transformation and invention as they build on Lookingglass's artistic legacy and shape what comes next.

"What excites me most about stepping into this role is the sheer range of talent in this Ensemble, and the opportunity to figure out together how we can continue to create the settings for risk, experimentation and ambitious work that might feel impossible anywhere else," comments Ratcliff. "That is the unique power of Lookingglass. The impossible is the point, but the purpose is what makes the risk matter. We want to honor the history and DNA of Lookingglass and continue to push it forward, giving our artists and collaborators room to make work that surprises us, challenges us and feels deeply connected to this city."

"Collaboration is a core value that courses deep in the veins of Lookingglass– nearly four decades deep," says Catlin.  "Kasey, alongside our incredible staff and board, led us through unprecedented challenges so that we can take the baton and steward Lookingglass' signature immersive, transformative, and inventive storytelling, to ignite the imaginations of Chicago audiences in their favorite castle on Michigan Avenue."   

As Producing Director, Schwimmer will build on his renewed involvement with Lookingglass, focusing on producing, partnerships, fundraising and expanding opportunities for the company's work and artists. Earlier this year, the Lookingglass co-founder described his renewed commitment to the company as "doubling down," as he expanded his involvement and efforts to strengthen the theater's long-term sustainability.

"I'm thrilled to join this 'Dream Team' in a more official capacity," notes Schwimmer. "Lookingglass cannot have asked for a more experienced, passionate, fun and tenacious group of go-getters to grab the helm. To quote the White Queen from Through the Looking-Glass, this gang not only believes in 'as many as six impossible things before breakfast' — but DOES them."

As Executive Director, Smith will oversee the company's administrative and organizational operations, working alongside Ratcliff, Catlin and Schwimmer to support Lookingglass's artistic ambitions and long-term institutional growth. Smith has been involved in the artistic leadership of Lookingglass since 2000 and has helped produce more than 70 productions for the company.

"What has kept me rooted at Lookingglass for more than three decades is its willingness to imagine what might seem impossible—and then find a way to make it possible," says Smith. "That is what draws so many people to this great theatre. My goal, with this remarkable team in place, is to lift up and bring together their singular imagination, care, and experience around a clear vision: to build a sustainable and thrilling producing model that gives Lookingglass the freedom to do its most ambitious and distinctive work and then to share it with Chicago's unrivaled audiences."

Lookingglass also welcomes new leadership to its Board of Directors, with Marci Masur serving as Board President and Deann Bayless as Board Chair. Masur and Bayless bring extensive experience spanning business, philanthropy, civic engagement and Chicago's arts community and will work alongside the company's new leadership team as Lookingglass continues to strengthen its institutional foundation and expand its reach.

"Lookingglass reflects Chicago at its best: inventive, collaborative and unafraid to try something no one has seen before. That spirit has been part of the company's heartbeat for nearly four decades. This leadership team knows it deeply and has the vision to carry it forward. The more people we bring into that experience, the stronger Chicago's creative future becomes," notes incoming Board President Marci Masur.

ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP TEAM

ERICKA RATCLIFF, Co-Artistic Director
Ericka Ratcliff has performed at Lookingglass in Black Diamond, Around the World in 80 Days and Peter Pan (A Play), as well as assistant-directed and dramaturged Thaddeus and Slocum: A Vaudeville Adventure. Her additional credits include work with The Second City, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Northlight Theatre, Alliance, Milwaukee Rep, Pittsburgh Playwrights Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Congo Square Theatre, The House Theatre of Chicago and others. She most recently served as Coordinating Producer for Goodman Theatre's 100 Free Acts of Theater and as Literary Manager at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, following her time as Artistic Director of Congo Square Theatre.

DAVID CATLIN, Co-Artistic Director
David Catlin is a founding Ensemble Member, actor, writer, director and former Artistic Director, Managing Director, and Director of Artistic Development at Lookingglass. Catlin's extensive directing and acting credits at Lookingglass span the company's history including Lookingglass Alice, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Moby Dick. Catlin is an Artistic Associate with Actors Gymnasium and is Head of Acting at Northwestern University.

DAVID SCHWIMMER, Producing Director
David Schwimmer is a co-founder of Lookingglass and an actor, director and producer in theater, television and film. His Lookingglass directing credits include his adaptations of Studs Terkel's RACE and Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. His television and film credits include Friends, for which he received an Emmy Award nomination; American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson, for which he received a second Emmy nomination; Band of Brothers, Curb Your Enthusiasm, the Madagascar films and, most recently, Goosebumps for Disney+. His extensive directing career spans theater, television and film.

PHILIP R. SMITH, Executive Director
Phil Smith is a longtime Lookingglass Ensemble Member who has been involved in the artistic leadership of the company since 2000 as Casting Director, Artistic Director, Producing Director and Creative Director, helping to produce more than 70 plays. As Creative Producer, he co-served as Casting Director, produced many of the annual galas, and acted as a primary artistic liaison to the Development Department.

Prior to joining this new Lookingglass team, Phil spent two years as Associate Advancement Director at Writers Theatre in Glencoe, where he played a leading role in securing $1.3M in production support for the Jeff Award-winning production of Leopoldstadt.

In his return to Lookingglass in this new leadership role, he is especially energized by working together with this great community to help generate the structure, resources and momentum needed to create and present the bold, inventive, and deeply engaging work that has long been a Lookingglass trademark.

MARCI MASUR, Board President
Marci Masur is a strategic executive and civic leader known for advancing complex, high-impact initiatives at the intersection of business, philanthropy, and Chicago's civic community. Most recently, as a Managing Director at a leading financial services firm, she oversaw a global real estate portfolio and led a significant investment in its Chicago headquarters. Her career has centered on organizational strategy, operational transformation, major capital projects and building partnerships across the corporate, government and nonprofit sectors. A committed advocate for Chicago, Masur has helped strengthen institutions that shape the city's future.

DEANN BAYLESS, Board Chair
Deann Bayless is one of the nation's foremost women restaurateurs. Together with her husband, Rick Bayless, she opened Chicago's Frontera Grill in 1987, followed by Topolobampo, with both restaurants earning the James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Restaurant award. Bayless has served on the boards of Chicago Public Media and Women Chefs & Restaurateurs and, with Rick Bayless, established the Bayless Family Foundation to support Chicago's theater community.

THE LOOKINGGLASS ENSEMBLE
The Ensemble includes: Atra Asdou, Kareem Bandealy, Walter Briggs, Mara Blumenfeld, J. Nicole Brooks, David Catlin, Thom Cox, Larry DiStasi, Kevin Douglas, Christine Mary Dunford, Laura Eason, Anthony Fleming III, Raymond Fox, Kasey Foster, Joy Gregory, Doug Hara, David Kersnar, Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi, Anthony Irons, Louise Lamson, Wendy Mateo, Dan Ostling, Andre Pluess, Ericka Ratcliff, David Schwimmer, Joey Slotnick, Phil Smith, Heidi Stillman, Tracy Walsh, Andy White, Temple Williams III, Matthew C. Yee and Mary Zimmerman.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Lookingglass welcomes David Reifman, Melanie Pickett, Michael Costabile and David Quinn to its Board of Directors. They join current Board members Steve Armstrong, Deann Bayless, Alexandra Bradbury, Chanon DiCarlo, Charlie Frankel, Lee Golub, Mike Harrington, Turiya Luzadder, Marci Masur, Nina Nashif, James Oh, Jennifer O'Neill, Bob Palffy, Carolyn Ravichandran, Abbie Roth, M.D., Yasmeen Soin, Catie Walsh Headtke, Steve Weiss, David Catlin, Ericka Ratcliff and David Schwimmer.

STAFF
The Lookingglass staff includes: Philip Smith (Executive Director), David Catlin (Co-Artistic Director), Ericka Ratcliff (Co-Artistic Director), David Schwimmer (Artistic Producer),  Olivia Tritschler (General Manager), Kasey Foster (Outgoing Artistic Director), Molly Bunder (Director of Education and Engagement), Katie Tuttle (Interim Director of Development), Scott Letscher (Director of Ticketing and Audience Services), Mark Bracken (Director of Production), Kate Sullivan Coombs (Managing Producer), Mantra Radhakrishnan (Grant Manager), Spencer Diedrick (Donor Relations and Data Associate, Front of House Associate), Annaliese Baker (Marketing Manager), Kimberly Lawson (Sales & Partnership Coordinator), Libby Lane (Scene Shop Coordinator), Skate Ehling (Technical Director), Dan Machalinksi (Technical Director), Savana Nix (Costume Director), Ally Perparos (Sound Supervisor), and Aaron Lichamer (Lighting Supervisor). Front of House: Gabriella Ashlin (House Manager Lead),Tamara Becker (Concessions Lead), Spencer Diedrick (Front of House Associate), Ashley Keys (Front of House Associate), Delaney Spielman (Front of House Associate), Ashley Keys (Front of House Associate), Kosi Achife (Front of House Associate), M.J. Krystosek (Front of House Associate), Nathan Short (Front of House Associate), Paulette Maher (Front of House Associate), Sage Peacock (Front of House Associate), Ty Bonneville (Front of House Associate). Teaching Artists: Katy Boza, Isabella Bradley, Melissa Briskman, Molly Bunder, Milo Christner, Claudio Jean Carlos, Fay Florence-Steddum, Larry Grimes, Claribel Gross, Ariya Hawkins, Risha Hill, Juliet Kang Huneke, Louise Lamson, Ellie Levine, Michelle Moe, Laura Murillo Hart, Kelly Nesheim, Edmund O'Brien, Michaelyn Oby, August Petry, Austin Rambo, Ky Rambo, Alyssa Ramos, Sivan Spector, Myra Su, Autumn Thelander, Oskar Westbridge, Scott Westerman and Matthew Yee.

ABOUT THE LOOKINGGLASS 2026/27 SEASON
Lookingglass Theatre's 2026/2027 Season is currently underway with the Chicago presentation of Kowalski, featuring Johnny Galecki and Jacob Moskivitz, followed by two signature Lookingglass world premieres: Ensemble Member and Tony Award winner Mary Zimmerman's adaptation of The Yearling and Ensemble Member J. Nicole Brooks' second play in a planned trilogy about Chicago mayors, Prince Hal.  Subscription and Memberships are available now for purchase at lookingglasstheatre.org or by phone at 312.337.0665. The Lookingglass box office is located at Water Tower Water Works, 163 E Pearson St at Michigan Ave.

Subscribers unlock special discounted tickets, priority seating, and a range of additional benefits. Lookingglass three show Subscription Series pricing starts at $224.00.  Lookingglass Memberships offer exclusive perks, including access to Premium Center Seats, VIP ticketing, priority access to limited-run experiences, invitations to exclusive rehearsal events as well as many other benefits. Pricing and details of benefits for both Members and Subscribers can be found at https://lookingglasstheatre.org/join-us/membership/.

ABOUT LOOKINGGLASS THEATRE COMPANY
Founded in 1988 by graduates of Northwestern University, Lookingglass Theatre Company is a nationwide leader in the creation and presentation of new, cutting-edge theatrical works and in sharing its ensemble-based theatrical techniques with Chicago-area students, teachers and organizations through Education and Community Programs. Guided by an artistic vision centered on the core values of collaboration, transformation and invention, Lookingglass seeks to capture audiences' imaginations, leaving them changed, charged and empowered.

Recipient of the 2011 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, Lookingglass has built a national reputation for artistic excellence and ensemble-based theatrical innovation. Notable world premieres include Mary Zimmerman's Tony Award-winning Metamorphoses and The Odyssey, J. Nicole Brooks' Her Honor Jane Byrne, David Schwimmer's adaptation of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and Studs Terkel's Race: How Blacks and Whites Think and Feel about the American Obsession, Matthew C. Yee's Lucy and Charlie's Honeymoon, Heidi Stillman's Cascabel, created in collaboration with renowned Chef Rick Bayless, and David Catlin's Moby Dick and Lookingglass Alice.

The League of Chicago Theatres announces the return of It's Theatre Season, a campaign inviting Chicagoans and visitors to discover something new on stages across the city and suburbs while supporting the theatres that make Chicago one of the country's great theatre communities. Through the campaign, the League brings together the collective strength of its 200+ member theatres to expand access, reach new audiences and celebrate the breadth of live performance across Chicagoland.

Now in its second year, It's Theatre Season includes a promotion featuring buy one, get one half-price tickets to select shows on Hot Tix. It's Theatre Season tickets are available at HotTix.org from October 1 - October 31, 2026, for select performances October 6 -December 2, 2026. For a complete list of more than 50 participating productions and to purchase tickets, visit https://hottix.org/itstheatreseason/. Use promo code SEASON for the buy one, get one half-off offer.

More than a ticket promotion, It's Theatre Season reflects the League's larger work to support, promote and advocate for Chicago's theatre industry. Representing more than 200 member theatres, the League connects audiences with a community that spans storefront and small-to-midsize companies, major resident institutions and touring productions. By making it easier and more affordable to experience that range of work, the campaign encourages attendance this fall while creating opportunities for theatres of all sizes to connect with new patrons.

"We invite all of Chicago to take a seat this fall, to see something brand new or step into a storefront venue you have never visited before," said Marissa Lynn Jones, Executive Director of the League of Chicago Theatres. "The goal with It's Theatre Season is to break down barriers to attendance, expand audiences, encourage opportunities for connection and discovery, and help theatres of all sizes to build long-term relationships with new patrons."

The broader economic impact of Chicago's creative sector is significant. According to Arts Alliance Illinois' 2026 The Creative Economy of Chicago & Illinois: Impact and Assets, Chicago's creative economy supports 212,875 jobs, generates $50 billion in economic output and $5.7 billion in tax revenue. Representing 11.3% of the city's economy, the creative sector ranks as Chicago's third-largest industry, underscoring the role that arts and culture play not only in the city's identity, but in its economic vitality. The League of Chicago Theatres' Impact Report is an indicator of the influence the League of Chicago Theatres has on the success of  the theatre industry. The report highlights the organization's ongoing role in supporting, marketing, and advocating for the diverse member theatres across the Chicago region. The organization drives local attendance, collaborates on policy advocacy, and administers financial grants to inclusive cultural projects.

Theatre is an important part of Chicago's cultural and economic life, supporting artists and jobs while contributing to the vitality of neighborhoods throughout the region. A night at the theatre can also become a way to experience more of Chicago: audiences can pair a performance with dinner or drinks, seek out spooky-season programming, plan a suburban outing or use a show as a reason to explore a neighborhood or venue they have never visited before. It's Theatre Season includes theatres of all sizes across the city and suburbs, giving audiences an affordable invitation to experience the range of work that makes Chicago theatre distinctive.

"The impact of theatre extends far beyond the performance itself. Theatre creates opportunities for connection, belonging and discovery, and the League helps strengthen the ecosystem that makes Chicago's theatre community one of a kind," comments Marissa Lynn Jones, Executive Director of the League of Chicago Theatres. "Chicago's theatre ecosystem is fundamental to the fabric of our city."

Expanding access is also central to the League's work. Many participating theatres offer accessible and inclusive performance options, including American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation, audio description, open captioning and sensory-friendly performances. Hot Tix serves as a year-round affordable gateway to discovering theatre across Chicago and the region.

For a list of the participating productions and to purchase tickets during It's Theatre Season, visit: https://hottix.org/itstheatreseason/. Use promo code: SEASON to use the buy one, get one half-off offer. A select list of participating productions includes:

• The Front Page at Northlight Theatre (world premiere)
• Detroit '67, Pulse Theatre at eta Creative Arts
• Carmela Full of Wishes at Chicago Children's Theatre

• What the Constitution Means to Me at Ways and Means Theatre

• Memphis the Musical, The Seven Thirty Theatre at Studebaker Theater

• Eureka Day at Citadel Theater

• Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story at Drury Lane Theatre

The League of Chicago Theatres Fall Theatre Guide is a comprehensive list of theatre productions in the Chicago area. To view the Fall Theatre Guide, visit: https://chicagoplays.com/chicago-theatre-guide/.

Chicago's theatre industry is the leader in the U.S. with more than 250 theatres throughout Chicagoland, comprising a rich and varied community ranging from storefront, non-union theatres to the most renowned resident theatres in the country, including six which have been honored with Regional Tony Awards, and the largest touring Broadway organization in the nation. Chicago's theatres serve 5 million audience members annually and have a combined budget of more than $250 million. Chicago produces and/or presents more world premieres annually than any other city in the nation. Each year, Chicago theatres send new work to resident theatres across the country, to Broadway, and around the world. For more information and for a comprehensive list of Chicago productions, visit www.chicagoplays.com.

The League of Chicago Theatres' Mission Statement
Theatre is essential to the life of a great city and to its citizens. The League of Chicago Theatres is an alliance of theatres, which leverages its collective strength to support, promote and advocate for Chicago's theatre industry. Through our work, we ensure that theatre continues to thrive in our city.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation's premier ensemble theater company, is pleased to launch its 51st Season with the world premiere of Chicago playwright Stephanie Alison Walker's biting satire Adirondack Chair Circle, directed by Tony Award winner Pam MacKinnon (Downstate, Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?), playing October 22 — December 6, 2026 in Steppenwolf's Ensemble Theater, 1646 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. Single tickets are now on sale at steppenwolf.org or the Box Office at (312) 335-1650.

The Adirondack Chair Circle cast features a stellar lineup of talent including ensemble member Caroline Neff, who returns to the Steppenwolf stage, adding to her extensive Steppenwolf credits including Mr. Wolf, Fool for Love, POTUS and Another Marriage. She is joined by David Darrow, who dazzled Steppenwolf audiences as Mozart in last season's record-breaking Amadeus. Broadway favorite Katrina Lenk, who received Tony and Grammy Awards for her turn in The Band's Visit, returns to Steppenwolf for the first time since 2005's Lost Land. Making her Steppenwolf debut is Chicago actor Wendy Mateo, while Sadieh Rifai returns to Steppenwolf after captivating audiences in last year's You Will Get Sick.

About the Production:

A gaggle of suburban moms, armed with pickleball paddles and hard kombucha, are ready to take on the school board in the fight of their lives: attempting to ban the controversial books available to their kids in the school library. But is this trusted inner circle all on the same page? A piercing world premiere from a Chicago playwright, Stephanie Alison Walker's Adirondack Chair Circle exposes the hilarious hypocrisy of the causes we claim and the company we keep. And has a damn good time doing it.

The creative team includes Todd Rosenthal (Scenic Design), Izumi Inaba (Costume Design), Barbara Samuels (Lighting Design), Mikhail Fiksel (Sound Design), Nicholas Hussong (Projection Design), Steph Paul (Choreographer), Kate DeVore (Vocal Coach), Bryar Barborka (Dramaturg), Patrick Zakem (Creative Producer), Elise Hausken (Production Manager), JC Clementz, CSA (Casting), Michelle Medvin (Production Stage Manager) and Kathleen Barrett (Assistant Stage Manager). For full cast and creative team bios, click here.

Production Details:

Title: Adirondack Chair Circle
Playwright: Stephanie Alison Walker
Director: Pam MacKinnon
Cast: ensemble member Caroline Neff (Evelyn Grace) with David Darrow (Crow), Katrina Lenk (Banna), Wendy Mateo (Winona) and Sadieh Rifai (Libby).
Understudies: Tiffany Bedwell (Banna), Brittany Burch (Evelyn Grace), Alex Casillas (Winona), Warren Keith Duncan (Crow) and Erinn Fredin (Libby).

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

Dates: Previews: Thursday, October 22 – Saturday, October 31, 2026
Opening: Sunday, November 1, 2026 at 6 pm
Regular run: Tuesday, November 3 – Sunday, December 6, 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, October 27, Thursday, November 5, Tuesday, November 10, Wednesday, November 18, Wednesday, November 25, Thursday, November 26 and Tuesday, December 1; there will be an added 2 pm matinees on Wednesday, November 25 and Wednesday, December 2.

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 Adirondack Chair Circle ($20 – $149*) are now on sale 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 Main 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, November 22 at 3 pm (1:30 pm Touch Tour)
Open-Captioned: Saturday, November 7 at 3 pm, Thursday, November 19 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, November 28 at 3 pm
ASL-Interpreted: Friday, December 4 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 Main 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. For additional information about Steppenwolf's Education and Engagement programming and to register your school for a field trip visit steppenwolf.org/education-community/school-teacher-programs/field-trips.

Artist Biographies:

Stephanie Alison Walker (Playwright) is an internationally-produced, award-winning playwright whose work is known for the personalization of the political, humor in darkness and the dramatization of the resilience of women. She is a native Chicagoburbian who has lived all over including London, Buenos Aires, San Juan Island and fifteen years in Los Angeles. She received her Bachelors in English/Creative Writing and Spanish from the University of Colorado and her Master of Professional Writing from the University of California. She began writing plays while working for Fox Theatricals in Chicago. Her play about the housing crisis, American Home, was the inaugural winner of American Blues Theatre's Blue Ink Award. Her play about the mothers of the disappeared in Argentina, The Madres, received a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere at Teatro Vista in Chicago, Skylight Theatre Company in L.A., Moxie Theatre in San Diego and Shrewd Theatre Company in Austin. It was the 2019 Winner of the Francesca Primus Prize, winner of the Ashland New Plays Festival, the Generations Prize and semi-finalist for the CTG/ Humanitas Prize for playwriting. Her follow-up play The Abuelas, premiered at Teatro Vista and was recently adapted into a short film titled The Birthday Gift. The Art of Disappearing was a finalist for the Primus Prize and enjoyed critical praise for the world premiere in Chicago by 16th Street Theater in 2015. Friends with Guns, her play about liberals and gun ownership was an O'Neill Finalist, winner of Best New Play at the 2019 Valley Theatre Awards, and had its Chicago premiere by A Short Leap Theatre Company in 2025. Sophia Hayden Deserves Better tells the story of the architect of the Woman's Building at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago and was recently a part of Gglassfest by Lookingglass Theatre in Chicago. The Ordeal of Water, inspired by the first women to work as Longshoremen at the Port of Los Angeles, was most recently a part of Bay Street Theater's New Works Festival. Adirondack Chair Circle, her play that tackles suburban book-banning moms, was developed at The Inkwell Theater Company and A Red Orchid's Studio at A Red Orchid. Her short plays have been anthologized by Smith & Kraus. Her full-lengths are published by Broadway Publishing, Inc. In addition to writing plays, she is currently adapting Friends with Guns and The Abuelas as features while raising two spirited boys and selling real estate in the suburbs of Chicago. She is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America, Honor Roll Playwrights, NNPN Affiliated Artist, and a proud alumni of the Playwrights Union. stephaniealisonwalker.com

Pam MacKinnon (Director) is a Tony, Drama Desk and multi-Obie Award winning director. She is the artistic director of American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. She has directed more than eighty productions. Her Tony Award-winning production of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? originated at Steppenwolf. Her production of Bruce Norris's Downstate (Steppenwolf, National Theatre and Playwrights Horizons) was celebrated with several Jeff Awards and won Pam her second Obie. She served as president of SDC, the national Union of choreographers and directors.

David Darrow (Crow) Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Amadeus; Off-Broadway: Memnon (Classical Theatre of Harlem), All Is Calm (Drama Desk Award), The Revival (Project Y Theatre); Regional: Over ten productions at The Guthrie including A Little Shop Of Horrors, Juno And The Paycock  and The Tempest; Sweat (ACT); Ragtime, Sweeney Todd, Fiddler on the Roof (Asolo Repertory Theatre); Lookinglass Alice, Twelfth Night (Baltimore Center Stage); Romeo And Juliet (Ten Thousand Things); Television: RJ Decker, Ballard and Cupertino; Education: MFA Grad Acting – Tisch School of the Arts. David has written several musicals which have been developed/produced at theatres around the country.

Katrina Lenk (Banna) Broadway: Company, The Band's Visit (Tony, Grammy, Lucille Lortel Award), Indecent, Once, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, The Miracle Worker. Additional theater credits include: High Spirits (New York City Center Encores!), Indecent (Vineyard, La Jolla Playhouse, Yale Rep), iWitness (Mark Taper Forum), Lost Land (Steppenwolf), Lovelace: A Rock Opera (L.A./Edinburgh). Television: Cupertino, Apples Never Fall, Ozark, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Little Voice, The Good Fight, The Village, Tommy, Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order, et al.

Wendy Mateo (Winona) is beyond thrilled to make her Steppenwolf debut. Wendy is the Artistic Director of Teatro Vista Productions (TVP) and a Chicago-based actor, director and filmmaker. An iO and Second City alum, she has been seen on stage in Beyond Caring and Big Lake Big City (Lookingglass Theatre). Her directing work includes The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Goodman Theatre); ¡Bernarda! (TVP); Mojada (upcoming at Court Theatre). Her TV/film acting credits include Chicago Med, Station Eleven and Widows, while her filmmaking credits include Good Mothers and Hair.

Caroline Neff (Evelyn Grace) is a Steppenwolf ensemble member. At Steppenwolf, she was last seen in Mr. Wolf, Fool for Love, POTUS, Another Marriage, Describe the Night, Seagull, Dance Nation, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, You Got Older, Linda Vista (also Taper Forum and Broadway), The Fundamentals, The Flick, Airline Highway (also Broadway), The Way West, Three Sisters, Annie Bosh is Missing and Where We're Born. Select theatre credits include: Lettie (Jeff Award Best Actor, Victory Gardens Theater); Uncle Vanya (Goodman Theatre); A Brief History of Helen of Troy (Jeff Award for Best Actress), The Knowledge, Harper Regan, In Arabia We'd All Be Kings (Steep Theatre); The Downpour (Route 66 Theatre); Port (Griffin Theatre); 4000 Miles (Northlight Theatre); Moonshiner (Jackalope Theatre). Regional credits include: Peerless (Yale Repertory Theatre). Film and television credits include: Parallax (upcoming Apple tv) FBI, Three Women, Let the Right One In, The Red Line, Chicago P.D., Chicago Fire, Open Tables and Older Children, and heard in multiple Audible Projects such as: Song of the Northwoods, Crowded Hours, Denali and Boar's Nest. She is a proud company member of Steep Theatre and holds her BA from Columbia College.

Sadieh Rifai (Libby) Steppenwolf Theatre: You Will Get Sick, August: Osage County (u/s). The Targeted, Do You Feel Anger, An Evening at the Talk House, Grey House (A Red Orchid). She's performed at theaters such as Goodman, American Theatre Company, Chicago Shakespeare and Milwaukee Repertory. Film: Block Party, Hekla, The Wise Kids, Nate and Margaret, Olympia, All Happy Families. Television: Bettendorf Talks, The Red Line, Chicago Med, Patriot, Shining Girls and Somebody Somewhere. Sadieh received the Princess Grace Award in 2011 & The Princess Grace Fellow in 2026. She's a graduate of The School at Steppenwolf and is represented by Venture and Paonessa Talent.

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/plan-your-visit/accessibility or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Sponsor Information:

Adirondack Chair Circle is a recipient of the Edgerton Foundation New Play Award. 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 Angell 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, 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, Rich and Margery Feitler, FROST CHICAGO, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Jessica and Dominic Green Family Fund, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Orlebeke Foundation, Sacks Family Foundation, Gary Sinise Foundation, Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Thoma Bravo, and Bryan Traubert and Penny Pritzker. Steppenwolf also acknowledges support from the National Endowment for the Arts, 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 51 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.

Innovation Arts & Entertainment, along with Broadway In Chicago, are thrilled to announce single tickets for ALL THINGS EQUAL: THE LIFE AND TRIALS OF RUTH BADER GINSBURG (www.allthingsequalrbg.com), will go on sale Friday, September 25. Produced by Scott Stander, the production that has toured more than 40 cities nationwide to date, is written by multiple Award-winner Rupert Holmes and directed by Laley Lippard. The production stars Michelle Azar who originated the role. Over the course of ninety fascinating and often funny minutes, the one-woman-production presents an intimate portrayal of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a true American original. ALL THINGS EQUAL: THE LIFE AND TRIALS OF RUTH BADER GINSBURG will play Broadway In Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut St., Chicago) for a limited three-day engagement, January 26 – 28.

“In creating this play about her richly-lived life and hard-fought struggles, I came to ever more deeply marvel at her strength, tenacity, sly wit, and compassion,” says Holmes. “Our play also reveals the love song that ran through her remarkable life and shares the music that was her giddy delight. ALL THINGS EQUAL offers each theatregoer the chance to better know this woman, her yearning for equality, and her love for this nation's precious institutions: Ruth ... Justice ... and the American way.”

In ALL THINGS EQUAL: THE LIFE AND TRIALS OF RUTH BADER GINSBURG , Supreme Court Justice “RBG” welcomes a friend of the family to her cozy chambers to convey, over the course of ninety fascinating and often funny minutes, a sense of her life and its many trials: losing her mother the day before she graduated as valedictorian of her Brooklyn high school; being one of only nine young women studying law at Harvard while also raising a daughter and helping her husband battle cancer; fighting for women's rights in the nineteen-seventies before condescending all-male courts; and taking courageous stands for human rights as a voice of reason amid a splintering and increasingly politicized Supreme Court. An evening with a great and compassionate icon of straight-thinking American justice emerges, an RBG who is not only “notorious” but victorious as she takes a stand for ordinary people facing the many challenges of a changing world.

"We couldn't be more excited to bring Ruth Bader Ginsburg's story to even more cities in 2027," says Producer Scott Stander. "Audiences across the country have responded to this show with laughter, tears, and a renewed appreciation for what one determined person can accomplish. Her story continues to resonate, and we can't wait to share it with new audiences everywhere we go."

“Bring your scrunchies, your hankies, your humor, and your heart to this entertaining and uplifting event,” says Holmes.

For more information, visit www.allthingsequalrbg.com. Follow All Things Equal: The Life and Trials of Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Instagram and Facebook.

About Rupert Holmes, Playwright
Rupert Holmes was the first person in Broadway history to solely win Tony awards for Book, Music, and Lyrics, this for his creation The Mystery of Edwin Drood, which also won the Tony award for Best Musical. He has received five New York Drama Desk awards in the categories of Book (twice), Music & Lyrics, Orchestrations, and--most recently (2025)--for Best Adaptation. His Broadway shows include Curtains with Kander and Ebb (Tony noms to Holmes for Book and Additional Lyrics), Say Goodnight, Gracie (Tony nom to Holmes for Best Play), Accomplice (Edgar award from The Mystery Writers of America), his stage adaptation of John Grisham's A Time to Kill, and his recent Gilbert and Sullivan adaptation of Pirates! The Penzance Musical (Tony nomination, Best Revival). He has written over twenty musicals and plays performed at major venues regionally and internationally. Holmes is author of the recent New York Times Best Seller Murder Your Employer. His first novel Where the Truth Lies was adapted for film starring Colin Firth and Kevin Bacon. His musical novel Swing reached #24 of all books on Amazon.

Holmes contributed songs to the Golden Globe-winning score of A Star is Born. For television, he created and scripted all 55 episodes of AMC’s first original series Remember WENN. He has written, arranged & conducted numerous recordings for Barbra Streisand, including the platinum album Lazy Afternoon; his songs have been recorded by Barry Manilow, Dionne Warwick, Dolly Parton, Judy Collins, Britney Spears, Rita Coolidge, Renée Fleming, and countless others. Holmes is also the singer-songwriter of his own iconic #1 Billboard hit “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” featured in over fifty motion pictures and TV shows. He is recipient of the George M. Cohan Award from ASCAP and recently received an honorary doctorate from The Manhattan School of Music.

Michelle Azar, Actress (Ruth Bader Ginsburg)
Her performance background began in Chicago where she sang with the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s children’s choir. She received her BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and started working immediately as Janis Joplin in Beehive. Once moving to Los Angeles, she received Ovation awards for her roles in both dramatic and comedic roles and was the 2016 Stage Raw award winner for Best Actress in Eric Coble’s My Barking Dog directed by Michael Michetti. Most favorite stage credits: Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish! (Soraya Theatre) Bella in Lost in Yonkers, and Berte in Boeing, Boeing (La Mirada Theatre) and Masha in Mayakovsky and Stalin (Cherry Lane Theatre). Select television and film credits include: NCIS LA, How To Get Away With Murder, Criminal Minds, The Magicians, Aquarius, Community, and the upcoming short, CryBaby Michelle is no stranger to the one-woman show, as her own original piece, FROM BAGHDAD TO BROOKLYN, continues to tour around the country after its sold out premiere at the United Solo Festival in NYC.

Laley Lippard (she/her), Director
Lippard is a director, dramaturg, educator and producer dedicated to social justice through the arts. Lippard has developed new work and directed across the country at theaters such as Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Alliance Theater, Round House Theatre, Cleveland Play House, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, American Theater Company, Magic Theatre, The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Theater J, Kitchen Dog, Eaton Workshop, Dobama Theater, foolsFURY Theater, Z Space, Solas Nua, and Virginia Stage Company among others. Recently, she collaborated and trained throughout Japan, India and Greece on a premiere adaptation of Oedipus by Ellen McLaughlin which performed at ancient sites across Greece. Her site specific work has been noted in The New York Times (The Smuggler with Solas Nua) and her work was adapted to film which premiered in NYC’s 1st Irish Festival (In the Middle of the Fields - US premiere). Lippard was the co-founder and co-executive producer of The Chicago Home Theater Festival, a five-year city-wide artistic network and annual event that organized artists and neighbors to celebrate local culture, share a communal meal, experience diverse art forms in alternative spaces, and build intentional community across lines of difference. Other producing work includes Z/Magic Mondays at Magic Theatre as Artistic Associate, with The Welders as Interim Creative Producer, and as the Cleveland Play House inaugural Artistic Directing Fellow. She has artistically collaborated with HowlRound and the American Voices New Play Institute at Arena Stage, Guthrie Theater, Intersection for the Arts, American Conservatory Theater, Court Theatre, Syracuse Stage, and TheatreWorks. Lippard has taught, workshopped, and/or directed at Stanford University, Northwestern University, Kenyon College, Hampshire College, Carnegie Mellon University, and Case Western Reserve MFA Acting program. Lippard is a member of the National Directors Fellowship, the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab, an Associate Member of the SDC, and holds an MFA in Directing from Northwestern University.

Scott Stander, Producer
Stander has produced concerts and theatre attractions for the last 20 years including the Rocky Horror Picture Show Spectacular Tour with original cast members Barry Bostwick, Patricia Quinn and Nell Campbell, Clue: The Movie with original cast members Lesley Ann Warren and Tim Curry and “Judy Garland We Need A Little Christmas”, starring internet sensation Debbie Wileman. Upcoming: 40^th Anniversary of Little Shop of Horrors with original cast member Ellen Greene. He has also produced Debbie Wileman’s Happy 100th Birthday, Judy! concert and her debut CD: "I'm Still Here - The Songs Judy Would Sing". Past hits: The Rocky Horror Picture Show 50th Anniversary Tour starring Tim Curry, Barry Bostwick, Patricia Quinn and Nell Campbell; An Evening With Sophia Loren (10 city US tour - Spring 2016); Dance To The Movies starring Shirley Jones and Lesley Ann Warren (Spring 2016); Dancing With A Twist-mas (Christmas 2015); Ballroom With Twist – starring TVs Derek Hough, Cheryl Burke, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Karina Smirnoff, Tony Dovolani and Peta Murgatroyd (National Tour – 5 seasons) Broadway: If You Ever Leave Me I’m Going With You starring Renee Taylor and Joe Bologna (Broadway and Chicago Company and National Tour); Steve Allen and Phyllis Diller – Together Again For The First Time (12 city Concert Tour); An Evening With Shirley Bassey (10 city Concert Tour); Milton Berle’s 90^th Birthday Celebration (13 city tour); Breaking Legs starring Frank Gorshin (Off Broadway and tour); Say Goodnight Gracie (2^nd National Broadway Tour starring Don McArt – 3 year tour); Odd Couple – Female Version starring Barbara Eden and Rita McKenzie (National Tour – 3 seasons); Love Letters starring Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman and Hal Linden (National tour); Bermuda Avenue Triangle starring Renee Taylor, Joe Bologna and Lainie Kazan (National Tour); Ethel Merman’s Broadway starring Rita McKenzie (Off Broadway-John Houseman Theatre and National Tour).

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesday, January 26 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 27 – 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, January 28 – 7:00 p.m.

TICKET INFORMATION (As of September 24, based on availability and subject to change)
Individual tickets for ALL THINGS EQUAL: THE LIFE AND TRIALS OF RUTH BADER GINSBURG go on sale on Friday, September 25 and range from $30.00 - $80.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. Ticket price listed is when purchased in person at the box office. Additional fees apply for online purchases. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

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

For more information and tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
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Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma and Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Artistic Director Braden Abraham, continues its 35^th Anniversary Season with the highly-theatrical historical boxing drama The Royale from Marco Ramirez (Orange is the New Black, Buena Vista Social Club) and directed by Tyrone Phillips (Fat Ham; Byhalia, Mississippi). Inspired by the first Black world heavyweight champion and Chicagoan Jack Johnson, The Royale follows Jay "The Sport" Jackson as he fights for his place in history, The Royale will run October 22 – November 29, 2026 in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. 

Jay is a really good boxer, so good they call him "The Sport." He's won his last seventy-six fights and has his sights set on being crowned the next heavyweight champion. But it's 1905, and in the Jim Crow era, a Black man doesn't get to fight a reigning white champion. When a surprising chance at the title appears, Jay gears up for the fight of his life—where the stakes are staggeringly high inside the ring and out. Inspired by real-world boxer Jack Johnson, this adrenaline rush of a play by Marco Ramirez (Orange is the New Black, Buena Vista Social Club) is a kinetic and poetic portrayal of what it takes and what it costs to make history. 

"The Royale is inspired by the boundary-breaking boxer Jack Johnson and the price of his determination to get to the top, As Jay's obstacles grow, so does his determination, his pride, his discipline and the costs to the people who love him," comments says Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Artistic Director Braden Abraham. "Director Tyrone Phillips and his incredible ensemble of performers will conjure an entire world and its systemic tension using a captivating blend of rhythmic and percussive choreography. It's an invigorating way to continue our 35th season at Writers with a play built from a piece of American history too often left out of the story."

The cast of The Royale includes: La'Tevin Alexander (Jay), Scott Aiello (Max), Ajax Dontavius (Fish), James Vincent Meredith (Wynton), AnJi White (Nina). The understudies are Yomade Adefeso (Jay Understudy; Fish Understudy), Kristin Ellis (Nina Understudy), Joel Gelman (Max Understudy), Frederick Paul Williams (Wynton Understudy).

The creative team includes: Tyrone Phillips (Director), Rasell Holt (Movement Director), Lauren M. Nichols (Scenic Designer), Gregory Graham (Costume Designer), Jason Lynch (Lighting Designer), Stephanie Farina (Sound Designer) and Kenya Hall (Dramaturg). The stage manager is Imani M. Ross.

Single Tickets for The Royale start at $35 are now on sale at the Writers Theatre Box Office at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe, by calling 847-242-6000, and at www.writerstheatre.org.

About the Artists

Marco Ramirez (Playwright) has had plays produced at Lincoln Center Theater, The Kennedy Center, The Humana Festival, The Old Globe (San Diego), The Bush Theatre (London), American Theater Company (Chicago), Soulpepper (Toronto) and Center Theatre Group (LA). Honors include Helen Hayes and Drama Desk nominations, the Outer Critics Circle's John Gassner Playwriting Award, Juilliard's Lila Acheson Wallace Playwriting Fellowship, Lincoln Center's Le Comte du Nouy Award and TCG's Edgerton Foundation New Play Award. Marco is also a WGA and Emmy Award-nominated TV writer and producer, where his credits include Marvel's Daredevil (Netflix), Marvel's The Defenders (Netflix), Sons of Anarchy (FX), Orange is the New Black (Netflix) and Fear the Walking Dead (AMC).

Tyrone Phillips (Director) is the founding Artistic Director of Chicago's Definition Theatre. Recipient of the 2022 Alumni Award for Diversity and Inclusion, he is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has studied abroad at Shakespeare's Globe. As a first generation Jamaican-American, Tyrone is passionate about equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility in the fine arts industry and has completed advanced anti-racism training to lead change in our community. Select theater credits: Definition Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare, Goodman, Steppenwolf, Writers, Old Globe, Berkeley Rep, Milwaukee Rep, St. Louis Rep and Stage 42 (off-Broadway). Tyrone is currently adjunct faculty at DePaul University and serves on the Board of Directors for the League of Chicago Theaters. He is the recipient of the Inaugural Arts Midwest Peter Capell Award for Midwestern Creativity and Entrepreneurship and proud member of SDC, SAG-AFTRA and the NAACP. 

La'Tevin Alexander (Jay) is making his Writers Theatre debut. Regional credits include Joe Turner's Come and Gone as Herald Loomis (Penumbra Theatre); The Piano Lesson as Lymon (Milwaukee Rep and Cincinnati Playhouse In The Park); The Light as Rashad (Portland Center Stage); Paradise Blue as P-Sam (Portland Playhouse); A Christmas Carol as Scrooge (Portland Playhouse); Reggie Hoops as Muncie (Profile Theatre); and Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy as Jonathan Harker (Portland Center Stage). Film credits include Outdoor School (2025); Test Screening (2024); The Paper Tigers (2020); Marry, Fuck, Kill (2024); and Dearest Eva (2022). Television credits include: DELPHI (Prime); CHAD (TBS); The Wonderland Murders (ID); Portlandia (IFC); and Grimm (NBC). He has a BA from Florida A&M University.

Scott Aiello (Max) is returning to Writers Theater, where he previously appeared as Duke Frederick in As You Like It. Other Chicago Theater credits include: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Goodman), Hamlet (SS), A Midsummer Night's Dream (SS), Henry V and Richard III (Chicago Shakespeare), A View From the Bridge (Shattered Globe), Perfect Mendacity (Steppenwolf), Awake and Sing! (Timeline). T.V. and film: American Rust (Showtime, Recurring), Billions (Showtime, Recurring). Joseph Jefferson Awards- Leading Actor in a Play (A View From the Bridge, Shattered Globe, 2024), Supporting Actor in a Play (Broadway Bound, Pegasus Players, 2002) Scott has narrated over 300 audiobooks. Training: The Juilliard School.

Ajax Dontavius (Fish) is a Haitian-American actor. Recent credits include: Blues for an Alabama Sky (Seattle Rep and Remy Bumppo Theatre); Last Night and The Night Before (Steppenwolf Theatre); Measure for Measure (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Fences (American Blues Theater); and Middle Passage (Lifeline Theatre). Television: NCIS: Origins, Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., 61st Street. Education: B.F.A. Acting – Roosevelt University/Chicago College of Performing Arts.

James Vincent Meredith (Wynton) previously appeared at Writers Theatre in The Dutchess of Malfi and Othello. Broadway credits include Skin of Our Teeth (LCT), Book of Mormon (Eugene O'Neill, also National Tour), The Minutes, and Superior Donuts (both Music Box). Local credits include work at Chicago Shakespeare, Goodman, Court, Victory Gardens and Steppenwolf (ensemble member since 2007). Recent Television credits include Fargo (FX), Emperor of Ocean Park (MGM), Your Honor (Showtime), 61st Street (AMC/CW)

AnJi White (Nina) hails from the South Side of Chicago. She last appeared in Covenant and Fat Ham (Goodman Theatre). Some Chicago credits include East Texas Hot Links (Court Theatre, Jeff Award for Best Supporting Actress); For Colored Girls (Court Theatre Jeff Award for Best Ensemble); Sunset Baby (Black Theatre Alliance Award for Best Actress, TimeLine Theatre) and more. Regional credit: Paradise Blue (Studio Theatre in D.C., Helen Hayes for Outstanding Supporting Performer). TV credits include: Marvel's Ironheart, Fargo, 61st Street and more.

The Royale

Written by Marco Ramirez
Directed by Tyrone Phillips

Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre

October 22 – November 29, 2026

Cast: La'Tevin Alexander (Jay), Scott Aiello (Max), Ajax Dontavius (Fish), James Vincent Meredith (Wynton), AnJi White (Nina), Yomade Adefeso (Jay Understudy; Fish Understudy), Kristin Ellis (Nina Understudy), Joel Gelman (Max Understudy) and Frederick Paul Williams (Wynton Understudy).

Creative Team: Tyrone Phillips (Director), Rasell Holt (Movement Director), Lauren M. Nichols (Scenic Designer), Gregory Graham (Costume Designer), Jason Lynch (Lighting Designer), Stephanie Farina (Sound Designer), Kenya Hall (Dramaturg) and Imani M. Ross (Stage Manager).

Performance Schedule: 

Wednesdays: 2:00pm and 7:30pm 

Thursdays: 7:30pm  

Fridays: 7:30pm  

Saturdays: 2:00pm and 7:30pm  

Sundays: 2:00pm and 7:00pm 

Open Captioned Performance: Thursday, November 19 at 7:30pm 

ASL-Interpreted Performance: Saturday, November 14 at 2:00pm 

Pay-What-You-Can Performances: Thursday, October 22 at 7:30pm and Sunday, November 22 at 7pm

Location: Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe 

Prices: $35+

Discounts are available for students, educators, theater industry professionals, active military personnel, veterans, police officers, firefighters and their immediate families. Information is available at: https://www.writerstheatre.org/plan-your-visit/box-office-and-theatre-center/pricing--special-offers 

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe; 847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org 

Single tickets will go on sale Tuesday, September 1. Flex subscriptions and tickets are available online at www.writerstheatre.org, and at the Box Office by calling 847-242-6000.