Displaying items by tag: Chicago events

JK Entertainment is thrilled to announce the complete lineup for Season 2: When We Were Young and Unafraid and gods: A Musical Rampage. Individual tickets will go on sale at a later date. Subscriptions for the season will go on sale tomorrow, September 1, at www.jkentertainment.org/season-subscription. Season subscriptions start at $70. There will be three tiers of subscriptions that include benefits such as behind the scenes content, exclusive early updates from the company, and special event invitations.

WHEN WE WERE YOUNG AND UNAFRAID
November 12 - November 29, 2026
Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.

When We Were Young and Unafraid by Sarah Treem is set in 1972 at a bed-and-breakfast turned sanctuary for women escaping abuse. As the characters navigate their individual traumas, they form unexpected bonds, challenging societal norms and confronting their fears. This thought-provoking play offers a powerful look at feminism, survival, and solidarity as these women wrestle with their pasts while fighting for a better future.

JK Entertainment will donate $1 of every ticket sold to Connections for Abused Women and their Children.

WHEN WE WERE YOUNG AND UNAFRIAD is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Week 1
Thursday, November 12 - 7:30PM
Friday, November 13 - 7:30PM
Saturday, November 14 - 2:30PM
Saturday, November 14 - 7:30PM
Sunday, November 15 - 2:30PM

Week 2
Thursday, November 19 - 7:30PM
Friday, November 20 - 7:30PM
Saturday, November 21 - 2:30PM
Saturday, November 21 - 7:30PM
Sunday, November 22 - 2:30PM

Week 3
Friday, November 27 - 7:30PM
Saturday, November 28 - 2:30PM
Saturday, November 28 - 7:30PM
Sunday, November 29 - 2:30PM

GODS: A MUSICAL RAMPAGE
April 22 - May 23, 2027
Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.

After receiving rave reviews from it's Act 1 debut at Elgin Fringe Fest 2025, the full production of gods: A Musical Rampage will make its world premiere with JK Entertainment next year.

In this brand new musical by Kyle Reid Hass, a gay whore and his activist lover plot to murder a homophobic pastor. But their rebellion doesn't go unnoticed - they may have just pissed off a pantheon of ancient deities who aren't ready to be sidelined. Blending biting satire, queer chaos, and divine reckoning, gods is a furious, funny, and fearless piece of new musical theatre. 

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Week 1
Thursday, April 22 - 7:30PM
Friday, April 23 - 7:30PM
Saturday, April 24 - 2:30PM
Saturday, April 24 - 7:30PM
Sunday, April 25 - 2:30PM

Week 2
Thursday, April 29 - 7:30PM
Friday, April 30 - 7:30PM
Saturday, May 1 - 2:30PM
Saturday, May 1 - 7:30PM
Sunday, May 2 - 2:30PM

Week 3
Thursday, May 6 - 7:30PM
Friday, May 7 - 7:30PM
Saturday, May 8 - 2:30PM
Saturday, May 8 - 7:30PM
Sunday, May 9 - 2:30PM

Week 4
Thursday, May 13 - 7:30PM
Friday, May 14 - 7:30PM
Saturday, May 15 - 2:30PM
Saturday, May 15 - 7:30PM
Sunday, May 16 - 2:30PM

Week 5
Thursday, May 20 - 7:30PM
Friday, May 21 - 7:30PM
Saturday, May 22 - 2:30PM
Saturday, May 22 - 7:30PM
Sunday, May 23 - 2:30PM

ABOUT JK ENTERTAINMENT
JK Entertainment is a Chicago-based nonprofit producing theatre, film, music, and other media for audiences who think differently. Founded by Jonathan James, Kyle Reid Hass and Olivia Kaye Da Silva, in the wake of a sold-out Chicago run of The Outsiders, the company champions bold, boundary-pushing work at the intersection of art and activism.

To learn more about JK Entertainment and keep up with future projects visit jkentertainment.orgFollow JK Entertainment on Instagram, TikTok, and  Facebook  #jkentertainment

A Red Orchid Theatre is pleased to announce full casting for its Chicago premiere of Will Arbery's politically-charged drama Heroes of the Fourth Turning, directed by Ensemble Member dado*.

The talented line-up includes Ensemble Member Kirsten Fitzgerald* with Magdalena Dalzell, Isa Grofsorean, Beck Nolan and Nate Santana.

Launching A Red Orchid's 34^th Season, exploring the theme of "world on fire," Heroes of the Fourth will play October 29 – December 6, 2026 at 1531 N. Wells St. in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood. Single go on sale Tuesday, September 29, 2026 at aredorchidtheatre.org or by calling (312) 943-8722. Season subscriptions are currently available.

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), Omar Fernandez (Assistant Director), JC Widman (Stage Manager), Kira Nutter (Production Manager), Tom Daniel (Technical Director), Faith Locke (Assistant Stage Manager) and Duncan Hon (Master Electrician).

*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 go on sale Tuesday, September 29, 2026 at aredorchidtheatre.org or by calling (312) 943-8722. Season subscriptions are currently available. *Ticket prices include a processing fee.

About the Artists:Will Arbery (Playwright, Heroes of the Fourth Turning, he/him) is a playwright and screenwriter from Texas. His play Heroes of the Fourth Turning premiered at Playwrights Horizons in 2019 and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist and the winner of an OBIE, Lucille Lortel and New York Drama Critics Circle Award, among other honors. It was named one of the "new canon" plays by American Theatre. Other plays include: You Hateful Things (upcoming London premiere), Spite House (upcoming New York premiere), Corsicana (Playwrights Horizons), Evanston Salt Costs Climbing (The New Group), Plano (Clubbed Thumb) and Wheelchair (3 Hole Press). He was the recipient of a Whiting Award in 2020. Will wrote on the fourth season of Succession, for which he won the WGA Award for Episodic Drama. He is the creator of two upcoming shows with FX: Seven Sisters (starring Elizabeth Olsen) and The Marriage Plot (starring Sadie Sink). Texas Monthly flagged him as one of the most influential cultural figures of the past 50 years out of Texas, and The New Yorker has called him the playwright of the moment.dado (Director, Heroes of the Fourth Turning, she/her) last directed the world premiere of JoJo Jones' Veal at A Red Orchid, and before that Six Men Dressed Like Joseph Stalin by Dianne Nora. In 2025 dado directed Lobster by Kallan Dana for the Wirtz Center at Northwestern and Dance Nation by Clare Barron for UIC, where she currently serves on the faculty. Other projects dado has directed are Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. by Alice Birch with The Feast Collective, Right Now by Catherine Anne Toupin (Facility Theatre), Anny Ouyang Moench's In Quietness at A Red Orchid and The Lover by Harold Pinter (with Yasen Peyankov at Facility Theatre). She has also directed The Ruse of Medusa by Erik Satie (Facility Theatre) and Killing Game by Eugene Ionesco (A Red Orchid). Next spring she will direct The Cherry Orchard for UIC's mainstage.Kirsten Fitzgerald (Gina, she/her) is a proud member of the Ensemble at A Red Orchid Theatre and has served as the Artistic Director since 2008. As an actor Kirsten has originated roles in the world premieres of The Targeted, The Cave, Grey House, Traitor, Pilgrim's Progress, Weapon of Mass Impact, and more at A Red Orchid; Swing State, I Hate It Here (Goodman); Lettie, Appropriate (Victory Gardens); Mary Page Marlowe, The Qualms (Steppenwolf). TV: Dark Matter, Shining Girls, Somebody Somewhere, The Exorcist, Sirens, The Big Leap, Chicago Med/Fire/Justice, Underemployed, ER. Film: Rain Reign, Widows, Working Man. Directing credits include Birds of North America (Jeff Award for Best Production and Best Director of a Play-Midsize) and The Moors (Jeff Award for Best Production and Best Director of a Play-Midsize) at A Red Orchid, the world premiere of Gorgeous by Keiko Green at Raven Theatre and Dance Nation at Northwestern University's Wirtz Center. Kirsten is represented by Grossman & Jack Talent.Magdalena Dalzell (Emily, she/her) is so excited to make her Red Orchid debut! Recent acting credits include The Seagull (Red Theater), Beatrix Potter Holiday Tea Party (Chicago Children's Theatre), Meet Me at Dawn, Fefu and Her Friends and Eurydice (Snails on a Bike), and Chicago P.D.. She is a founding ensemble member of Snails on a Bike, a site-specific and found space theatre collective, and the bookstore manager at The Understudy. Magdalena studied theatre and Russian language and literature at Northwestern University, as well as the Moscow Art Theatre School. Rep: Talent X Alexander | IG: @maggie_.grace.

Isa Grofsorean (Teresa, she/her) is an actor hailing from Ann Arbor, Mi and is thrilled to be making her debut at A Red Orchid Theatre! Credits include: Strawdog Theatre Company, The Guthrie Theater, Montana Shakespeare in the Schools, Theatre L'Homme Dieu, The Gremlin Theatre and Summit Theatre Project. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota-Guthrie Theater BFA Actor Training Program. 

Beck Nolan (Kevin, he/him) is a Chicago-based actor making his Red Orchid debut. Theatre: Keerah, Television: Widows Bay, Win or Lose, Too Much. Film: Mouse, System of Colors, Big Time, Slay, Line Cooks, Good Guy with a Gun. Beck is a graduate of The Theater School at DePaul University.

Nate Santana (Justin, he/him) is an Artistic Collective Member at Teatro Vista Productions and Artistic Affiliate at American Blues. Directing credits: Romeo and Juliet, American Jornalero (Teatro Vista); Lobby Hero (Jeff Award Best Director and Best Play – Shattered Globe). Selected acting credits: Taming of the Shrew (Court); Things with Friends (American Blues); Ironbound (Raven) The Thanksgiving Play, Ironbound (Steppenwolf); Legend of Georgia McBride (Northlight); Balm in Gilead, Golden Boy (Griffin); The Abuelas, White Tie Ball, Momma's Boyz (Teatro Vista); The Rainmaker (BoHo); References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot (Phoenix). Television credits: Chicago Med, Chicago PD, Suits and The Exorcist.  

Production sponsors: Terrance and Carol Coleman and Dawn and Jim Kink.

About A Red Orchid Theatre:A Red Orchid Theatre has served as an artistic focal point in the heart of the Old Town community of Chicago since 1993 and was honored with a 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. Over the past 33 years, its Resident Ensemble has welcomed into its fold an impressive array of award-winning actors, playwrights and theatre artists with the firm belief that live theatre is the greatest sustenance for the human spirit. A Red Orchid is well known and highly acclaimed for its fearless approach to performance and design in the service of unflinchingly intimate stories.A Red Orchid Theatre is: Karen Aldridge, Lance Baker, Kamal Angelo Bolden, Esteban Andres Cruz, Dado, Mike Durst, Sherman Edwards, Myron Elliott, Jennifer Engstrom, Kirsten Fitzgerald, Joseph Fosco, Steve Haggard, Levi Holloway, Mierka Girten, Larry Grimm, John Judd, Karen Kawa, Karen Kessler, Travis A. Knight, Danny McCarthy, Shade Murray, Brett Neveu, Sadieh Rifai, Grant Sabin, Michael Shannon, Guy Van Swearingen, Doug Vickers and Natalie West.Sponsor Information:A Red Orchid Theatre remains grateful for the support of our board, donors and loyal audience who continue to champion our ambitious and powerful storytelling. These sponsors help to create a platform for our talented Ensemble to reach new audiences, and ensure that we remain a source for honest, compassionate, and aesthetically rigorous theatre-making.A Red Orchid Theatre's 34^th Season is sponsored by The Bayless Family Foundation and Heidi Hoblit Graham. Heroes of the Fourth Turning is sponsored by Terrance and Carol Coleman and Dawn and Jim Kink.Interested in sponsoring a production? By partnering with us as a sponsor, you will help to take our work to the next level of artistic excellence, while also receiving deeper access to our artists and the creative process. To learn more, please contact Development Director Stephanie Shum at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (312) 943-8722. 

What happens when three young people discover hip-hop and realize they might have something to say? Idris Goodwin’s How We Got On, directed by Definition Theatre Artistic Director Tyrone Phillips, answers that question with rhythm, humor, attitude and plenty of heart. Think of it as a mixtape for the stage - a collection of voices, beats, dreams and memories that takes us back to the 1980s, when hip-hop was still growing and figuring out what it could become.

Jamal Turner’s Hank is ambitious, curious and hungry to find his place. He’s a young guy who discovers that writing rhymes gives him a voice and a way to express what he may not always be able to say out loud. Turner makes Hank likable, funny and real. You can see the excitement in him as he begins to realize that maybe he has something special.

Tony Garcia’s Julian brings a completely different flavor. He is confident, competitive and determined to prove himself. Garcia gives Julian plenty of swagger, but there is vulnerability underneath it. His chemistry with Turner makes their friendship and competition fun to watch.

And then there’s Luann, played by Anuoluwa T. Awolola. Luann is a talented rapper who has almost everything under control. She has the confidence, the skills and the flow. Her one problem is that she’s a girl trying to make it in a male-dominated hip-hop world. Awolola gives Luann the confidence of someone who knows exactly what she can do - and isn’t waiting for anyone’s permission to do it.

Maya Vinice Prentiss is a standout as the Selector, shifting effortlessly between narrator, DJ and several different characters. She is our guide through this musical journey, constantly reminding us that this isn’t just a story being told - it’s a story being spun.

Sydney Lynn Thomas’s set design gets the vibe right from the start. A wall filled with different beatboxes immediately transports us into the world of early hip-hop. It feels like walking into someone’s bedroom, record shop or neighborhood hangout where the next great track might be created.

Adding another visual dimension is Chicago artist John Vergara’s art installation. His colorful work, influenced by graffiti, portraiture and Chicago’s street culture, fits naturally alongside the production’s celebration of hip-hop and self-expression.

The show does have some pacing issues. There are moments when the energy drops, but once the rhythm kicks back in, How We Got On is hard not to enjoy.

This is a mixtape for the stage - a lively blend of music, memories, friendship and youthful ambition. It reminds us that before hip-hop became a worldwide cultural force, it was young people with something to say, a beat to work with and the courage to get on the mic.

RECOMMENDED

When: through September 27th

Where: Definition Theatre@55th, 1160 E. 55^th Street., Chicago, Il.

Running time: 90 minutes no intermission

Tickets: Start at $25

312-469-0390

definitiontheatre.org

Northlight Theatre opened its new venue with Jeffrey Hatcher’s smart, rejuvenated adaptation of The Front Page. Commissioned by Artistic Director BJ Jones, this world-premiere production is the first play to be performed in their new Evanston home and proves to be the ideal piece to launch the company’s exciting new era. Built at a cost of roughly $32 million, the modern and sleek new facility looks beautiful inside and out, featuring an intimate 285-seat theater space alongside dedicated rehearsal rooms and gathering spaces. Classic chandeliers hang gracefully inside, while wide-open windows showcase its elegant new design and invite the outside world in.

Set in the high-stakes press room of 1930s Chicago, The Front Page follows the chaotic, fast-talking world of newsroom journalists scrambling to cover the impending execution of Earl Williams, convicted for killing an officer. When Williams unexpectedly escapes police custody, the press room explodes into a frenzy of rival reporters and corrupt politicians desperate to save face before an election. At the center of the storm is Hildy Johnson, an ace journalist who intends to quit the business in order to marry. However, her relentless editor - and ex-flame - Walter Burns has no intention of letting his best reporter walk away.

The Front Page was originally penned by playwright Ben Hecht alongside his frequent collaborator and fellow former reporter Charles MacArthur. Together, they mined real-life experiences covering the rowdy police beats and Chicago pressrooms to write the play. The piece has been adapted several times, including its most famous screen adaptation, His Girl Friday, starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell, which was the first to change the gender of Hildy Johnson into a female lead. Hatcher’s sharp adaptation draws inspiration from His Girl Friday and services the original text while still carving a path of its own. In this version, Hildy also has a romantic history with her boss, but while there are sparks, this Hildy is wise enough to look for commitment rather than be carried away by emotion. Hatcher weaves in several clever nods to Chicago, making it feel like this rejuvenated piece has found its perfect home.

The production itself is a masterclass in ensemble comedy, anchored by real-life married couple Kate Fry and Timothy Edward Kane. Fry is excellent as Hildy Johnson because she is able to blend in with her tough journalist equals while still retaining her femininity and moral core. She delivers lines with sizzle and wins the audience over with her charm and wit. Kane plays Burns with fantastic energy, riding the line perfectly between a meddling boss and a sly, emotionally manipulative pal. The newsroom reporters played by Mark David Kaplan, Guy Van Swearingen, Kelan Smith, and Joe Dempsey each add a different flavor to the room - flavors that blend together well and build the framework for the comedy to succeed. John Drea adds gentle humor to his mixed-up criminal Earl Williams, playing the unstable, confused man with hilarity, especially as he falls for Mollie, portrayed by Rae Gray, whose husky voice was made for this role. Tim Kazurinsky plays Pincus, a courier, and while it’s a minor role, his meek, overly literal character steals every scene he’s in. Cindy Gold also delivers comedy gold as the stern mother-in-law-to-be.

Another exquisite element of this magnificent show is the beautiful set crafted by Jeff Kmiec. It wonderfully captures the vintage feel of the press room with its warm tones set against hints of Chicago in the background.

The Front Page is a thoroughly fun time. This show is not to be missed and is the perfect inaugural production for Northlight’s beautiful new space.

Through October 25^th - https://northlight.org/series/the-front-page/

Overshadowed Productions’ Flame of Fire revisits one of the most polarizing true stories in mid‑century missionary history, and the result is a tense, deeply human portrait of faith, conviction, and consequence. Written by Artistic Director Reba Hervas, the play draws not only from the well‑known documentary Beyond the Gates of Splendor and Elisabeth Elliot’s landmark book Through Gates of Splendor, but also from factual accounts, personal testimonies, and historical insights provided by Wheaton College scholars. The play traces the 1956 Operation Auca mission, in which five young missionaries - Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Pete Fleming, Ed McCully, and Roger Youderian - travel into the Ecuadorian jungle determined to make peaceful contact with the isolated Huaorani tribe. Their optimism is met with tragedy when all five men are killed, an event that reverberated across the world and became a defining moment in evangelical culture. But Flame of Fire doesn’t stop at the violence. It follows the wives and families who later returned to the same tribe, choosing forgiveness over fear and reshaping the narrative into one of radical grace. Hervas frames the story with a clear‑eyed awareness of its complexities, allowing audiences to sit with both the aspiration and the cost. The production leans into the emotional weight of the material without sensationalizing it, offering a thoughtful, layered retelling of a chapter that still resonates today.

The play opens in 1945, grounding the audience in a postwar world where hope and hardship collide, and where five young men feel an urgent, almost electric calling to spread the gospel to places untouched by Western faith. Flame of Fire takes its time introducing each missionary as he meets the woman who will become his partner in life and in purpose, framing these courtships not as sentimental detours but as the emotional backbone of the story. Their marriages are depicted with sincerity and momentum, fueled by a shared passion to carry Christianity into remote corners of the world no one in their circles had ever seen. It’s a gentle beginning that underscores the idealism, devotion, and innocence that will later be tested, making the eventual tragedy feel all the more profound.

Though Jim Elliot is often the first name associated with this story - largely due to Life Magazine’s coverage that reached 30 million readers at the time - Hervas centers the narrative on pilot Nate Saint, portraying him as the driving force behind Operation Auca, its planner, organizer, and steady motivator. By the early 1950s, the missionaries had already arrived in Ecuador and were serving in various regions, ministering to other Indigenous communities and building relationships that laid the groundwork for the efforts that would eventually become Operation Auca. Their work during these years established the practical experience, cultural understanding, and collaborative momentum that shaped the mission long before contact with the Huaorani was ever considered.

That operation truly begins in 1955 after Saint spots an isolated Indigenous community during one of his flights, a discovery that sets everything that follows into motion. The Huaorani tribe, known for both hostility and intense internal warfare that threatened their own survival, had a population of only about 500 when the missionaries first attempted contact. Their initial introduction came through gifts dropped from Saint’s plane, a cautious gesture meant to build trust from a distance.

Though Saint emerges as the central figure of the mission, Elliot’s influence is still woven throughout the narrative, especially in his declaration that he is God’s “flame of fire,” a metaphor for his calling to spread the gospel with absolute conviction. The play also incorporates several of Elliot’s writings, later collected by his wife Elisabeth after his death, including his well‑known line: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” In the context of the story, the quote underscores Elliot’s belief that sacrificing one’s earthly life in service of faith is not a loss, but an exchange for something eternal - a sentiment that becomes hauntingly resonant as the mission unfolds.

Overshadowed’s ensemble brings sincerity and cohesion to Flame of Fire, with each missionary paired thoughtfully with the woman who shares his calling. Justin McHugh and Leah Johansen anchor much of the story as Jim and Elisabeth Elliot, while Jacob Starr and Emily Starr bring warmth and resolve to Nate and Marjorie Saint. Andrew Dille and Madelyn Jones portray Pete Fleming and Olive Ainslie with gentle conviction, and Alex Kretschmer and Olivia Orsag give Ed and Marilou McCully a grounded, earnest presence. Benjamin Nelson and Betsy Richman round out the group as Roger and Barbara Youderian, offering a steady, heartfelt partnership. Together, the cast forms a unified portrait of faith, devotion, and the human ties that shaped this historic mission.

Jacob Starr’s portrayal of Nate Saint is especially striking. From his first entrance, standing across the stage with the other missionaries, he flashes a wide, earnest smile that feels genuine, full of promise, and quietly selfless. Even though Saint is known as “the man who could fix anything” and often carries himself with a no‑nonsense, mission‑first focus, that smile keeps returning, reminding us of his deep excitement and unwavering joy in the work he feels called to do. And in the moments after his death, when he appears again among the group, the smile remains - a subtle, moving reassurance that he died doing exactly what he believed in most: sharing God’s work with those who had never heard it.

The cast of Flame of Fire by Reba Hervas by Overshadowed Theatrical Productions.

The set design, led by Scenic, Projection, and SFX Designer Yohannan Lee, adds an impressive layer of storytelling to Flame of Fire. Act I moves fluidly through key locations, beginning at Wheaton College where Jim and Elisabeth first meet, then shifting to other formative moments in the missionaries’ early lives. These transitions are made seamless by a massive video board at the rear of the stage, which Lee uses to create crisp, immersive backdrops that keep the narrative visually anchored. But it’s Act II that truly transports the audience: once the story reaches Ecuador, the stage blossoms into a lush rainforest environment. Towering exotic trees, dense shrubs, and textured greenery surround the missionaries’ campsite, blending physical foliage with atmospheric projection work to evoke the depth and isolation of the jungle. The result is a vivid, enveloping world that makes the shift from American college life to the Amazon feel both dramatic and authentic.

Though criticisms have been brought to light in recent years, particularly in cases where missionary work aligned with power, assimilation, or cultural disruption through colonial empires, governments, or corporations, Flame of Fire shows that another side of missionary history exists, revealing a contrasting perspective defined not by dominance but by unselfish people driven by a sincere passion to share the gospel and help communities in need. The missionaries in this story are portrayed as embracing and appreciating Huaorani culture rather than seeking to overwrite it. Their stated purpose, “We are not here to impose, but to show them a new way,” reflects a posture of humility rather than dominance. The production underscores the practical support they offered as well: medical care for infections and injuries, assistance with childbirth, treatment for illnesses, and help navigating crises that had long gone unaddressed. In this telling, their faith is expressed through service as much as through preaching, and their motives are framed as deeply personal rather than political.

The play also widens its scope to reveal the larger forces threatening the Huaorani people in the 1950s. The courage of the wives is made unmistakably clear, returning to the very people who speared their husbands to death with a resolve that feels almost unimaginable. Big oil companies, working with the Ecuadorian government, coveted Huaorani land for new oil fields and expected the tribe’s internal conflicts to wipe them out - and if not, planned to forcibly remove them. That trajectory changed when the missionaries’ wives returned after the killings, some choosing to live among the Huaorani. Their presence helped foster peace, reduce violence, and stabilize the community in ways the play presents as lifesaving. Anthropological research often confirms that the Waodani (the tribe’s self‑name) spearing feuds were unsustainable and that the tribe actively chose to end the killings once introduced to the concept of forgiveness. The population grew instead of disappearing. And in one of the story’s most powerful arcs, the very men who killed their husbands later became Christians themselves, forming lifelong bonds with the missionaries’ families, relationships depicted as genuine, mutual, and rooted in grace. In Flame of Fire, the positive motives of these missionaries are made unmistakably clear, offering a portrait of faith expressed through compassion, reconciliation, and enduring human connection.

Flame of Fire is a moving, meticulously crafted production that balances historical weight with heartfelt storytelling, offering audiences a rare look at the compassion, conviction, and humanity behind a famously tragic chapter of missionary history. Overshadowed Productions brings sincerity, artistry, and emotional clarity to every corner of the stage, creating a piece that resonates long after the final scene. This is a powerful, beautifully rendered play that deserves to be seen, discussed, and remembered. Flame of Fire runs through October 10th and can be experienced at Jubilee Bible Church in Medinah, and comes recommended.

Tickets at https://www.overshadowed.org/flame-of-fire#story

Fleetwood -Jourdain Theatre, an award-winning theatre company that has been thrilling audiences with over four decades of unique, inspirational, and invigorating Black American and African Diaspora-centered storytelling, has announced the cast and production team for the final production of its 2026 season. THE NICETIES, a two-character play by Eleanor Burgess, follows a 20-year-old Black college student in a meeting with her white professor to discuss the student's term paper about slavery's effect on the American Revolution. The paper's thesis is that the revolution would not have succeeded without the contributions of black slaves. The professor disagrees, and what begins as a polite clash in perspectives explodes into an urgent debate about race, history, and power. 

Fleetwood-Jourdain Producing Artistic Director Tim Rhoze, who will direct the play and design the set, announced his cast today. Appearing as the student, Zoe, will be Georgerinna Farley, whose stage and television credits include IN THE CONTINUUM for Pegasus Theatre and SEND HELP for AMC Networks.  Janine, the professor, will be played by Jesi Mullins, who is currently appearing in ADVANCE MAN for Strawdog Theatre Company, and has extensive television credits that include CHICAGO MED. THE NICETIES will be performed at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre in the Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes Street in Evanston, from October 31 through November 15. 

The world premiere of THE NICETIES, directed by Chicago's Kimberly Senior, was co-produced during the 2018-2019 season by the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston, Massachusetts; Manhattan Theatre Club in New York, New York; and McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, New Jersey. THE NEW YORK TIMES said it was "a bristling, provocative debate play about race and privilege in the United States, and it begs to be argued with." DC THEATER ARTS called it "a brilliant and important play." 
 
The production team for FJT'S THE NICETIES, in addition to Rhoze as Director and Set Designer, includes Brenden Marble (Lighting Designer), Rick Sims (Sound Designer), Kate Parker-Burrows (Costume Designer), Shane Rogers (Technical Director), Phil Timberlake (Vocal Coach), Bria Walker-Rhoze (Artistic Associate, Dramaturg), Tara Malpass (Stage Manager), and Joe Ciresi (Assistant Stage Manager).
 
Tickets to THE NICETIES are $33.00, Seniors $22.00, Students $10.00  at the box office on the day of performance with ID. Tickets are on sale at www.fjtheatre.com.
 
LISTING INFORMATION
 
THE NICETIES
by Eleanor Burgess 
Directed by Tim Rhoze
October 31 – November 15, 2026
Saturdays at 7 pm, Sundays at 3 pm
Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre in the Noyes Cultural Arts Center
927 Noyes St., Evanston
Tickets $33.00, Students $10.00. On sale at www.fjtheatre.com
Phone 847-866-5914
 
Zoe, a Black student at a liberal arts college, is called into her white professor's office to discuss her paper about slavery's effect on the American Revolution. What begins as a polite clash in perspectives explodes into an urgent debate about race, history, and power.
 
BIOS

Eleanor Burgess (playwright). In addition to THE NICETIES, Eleanor Burgess' plays include WIFE OF A SALESMAN, START DOWN, CHILL, SPARKS FLY UPWARD, and GALILEE, 34.  Her work has been produced at theaters across the United States, including Manhattan Theatre Club, South Coast Rep, Geffen Playhouse, McCarter Theatre Center, Huntington Theatre Company, Writers Theatre, Milwaukee Rep, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Geva Theatre Center, InterAct Theatre, Portland Stage, the Alliance Theatre and the Contemporary American Theatre Festival, as well as the Finborough Theatre in London. She has also written for film and television, including work on PERRY MASON for HBO, WE CRASHED for Apple TV+, INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE for AMC, and screenplays for Bad Robot, Amblin, and Anonymous Content. Originally from Massachusetts, she studied history at Yale College and Dramatic Writing at NYU/Tisch.
  
Tim Rhoze (Director, Artistic Director) Tim Rhoze has been the Producing Artistic Director of Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre since 2010. His directing credits include: IN THE CONTINUUM, GEE'S BEND, THE BALDWIN | GIOVANNI EXPERIENCE, PASS OVER, HONEYPOT: BLACK WOMEN WHO LOVE WOMEN, UNTIL THE FLOOD, FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE/ WHEN THE RAINBOW IS ENUF, 1619: THE JOURNEY OF A PEOPLE, THIS BITTER EARTH, , THE LIGHT, AMERICAN SON, HOME, TWILIGHT: LOS ANGELES 1992, THE MEETING, FIRES IN THE MIRROR, BLACK BALLERINA (co-writer),  NUTCRACKER(ISH), CROWNS, HAVING OUR SAY, FROM THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA, WOZA ALBERT!, GOING TO ST. IVES, SINGLE BLACK FEMALE, A SONG FOR CORETTA, YELLOWMAN, SWEET, LADY DAY AT EMERSON BAR & GRILL, BEAR COUNTRY, NOBODY, FENCES, PIANO LESSON, AIN'T MISBEHAVIN, K2, THE GLASS MENAGERIE, and others. Tim is also the writer/director of WHY NOT ME? A SAMMY DAVIS JR. STORY, and MAYA'S LAST POEM, both produced at FJT; and BLACK BALLERINA, produced at FJT and Pittsburgh Public Theatre. He was also co-writer and director of THE BALDWIN | GIOVANNI EXPERIENCE and A HOME ON THE LAKE. His performances in August Wilson's PIANO LESSON (1997) and JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE (2024) at the Goodman Theatre were nominated for Jeff Awards.
 
Georgerinna Farley (Zoe) is an actor in the Chicago area who is passionate about real, raw, and authentic stories. She holds an MFA in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University, as well as a BA in Theatre Performance from Rhode Island College, where she became a part of the Lin-Manuel Miranda Family Fellowship. Her work spans across stage and screen, including SEND HELP (AMC Networks), IN THE CONTINUUM (Abigail) at Pegasus Theatre, JULIUS CAESAR (Mark Antony), and RENT (Mimi Marquez). 
 
Jesi Mullins (Janine) is delighted to make her Fleetwood-Jourdain debut! Theatre: ADVANCE MAN (Strawdog Theatre), RACECAR RACECAR RACECAR (Bramble Theatre Company), A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Metropolis), FAIRVIEW (Definition Theatre), MARYS SEACOLE (Griffin Theatre), THE SECRETARIES (First Floor Theater), BACHELOR - THE UNAUTHORIZED PARODY MUSICAL, LOVE ACTUALLY? THE UNAUTHORIZED MUSICAL PARODY (Apollo Theater), MACBETH (Spectrum Shakespeare), EXIT THE KING, NEIGHBORHOOD 3: REQUISITION OF DOOM (The Theatre School at DePaul). TV: CHICAGO MED (NBC). Film: NOTHING'S GOING ON WITH ME AND SANDRA (Big C Creative), RETURN TO START (908 Media). Co-host of FYI: The Murphy Brown Podcast (featured on CNN's TV ON THE EDGE). MFA, The Theatre School at DePaul University. Jesi is a certified actor combatant and dialect coach.
 
ABOUT FLEETWOOD-JOURDAIN THEATRE 

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

Kokandy Productions’ Jekyll & Hyde, now presented by Broadway In Chicago at the Broadway Playhouse, arrives with the momentum of a bona fide Chicago phenomenon. After its run at Chopin Theatre was extended again and again - an almost unheard of feat for an intimate, homegrown musical - the show has now been picked up for a full commercial engagement, marking a major leap for the company and a testament to the production’s electric word of mouth. It is worth noting just how rare this is: Broadway In Chicago almost never transfers storefront productions, making this pickup one of the most significant Chicago theatre success stories in recent memory. Conceived for the stage by Steve Cuden and Frank Wildhorn, this staging proves how a storefront success can scale beautifully without losing its bite.

This reimagined take on The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, drawn from Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic story, uses Leslie Bricusse’s book and lyrics to follow Dr. Jekyll, a brilliant yet splintering scientist whose compassion fuels his most dangerous ideas. He turns to self‑improvement experiments - attempting to isolate and remove the darker impulses that plague human behavior. Only after the town council votes down his proposal to move forward does Jekyll test his theories on himself, unleashing a violent alter ego - Mr. Hyde - that refuses to stay contained and seeks revenge on those who dismissed his ideas as reckless.

While Jekyll’s experiments drive the plot, the production grounds his unraveling in two sharply drawn relationships: his earnest, hopeful romance with Emma and his complicated, magnetic connection with Lucy. Emma represents the future he’s desperate to protect, while Lucy embodies the vulnerability and desire he can’t fully control. Together, they give the story its emotional spine, showing how Jekyll’s transformation fractures not just his identity, but the lives of the women who care for him.

Kokandy dives into the duality with sharp humor, vivid theatricality, and a pulsing score that turns the transformation into both a spectacle and a psychological spiral. As Jekyll’s world cracks - friends endangered, morality blurred, identity slipping - the production keeps the tension taut, balancing gothic thrills with a surprisingly human core.

(center) David Moreland and the cast of Kokandy Productions’ production of Jekyll & Hyde.

What makes this staging stand out is its inventiveness: clever staging, bold physicality, and a cast that commits fully to the grotesque and the gorgeous – and, wow, can they sing. It’s no surprise audiences kept returning at Chopin, pushing the run far past its original closing date. That groundswell of audience demand is precisely what caught Broadway In Chicago’s attention - a level of traction strong enough to propel a storefront musical into a full commercial engagement. Seeing it now elevated to the Broadway Playhouse feels like the rare occasion when Chicago’s storefront originality gets the larger platform it deserves. In fact, upon entering, guests are handed stickers to mark how many times they’ve seen the show. Whether it’s their first visit or their seventh - the highest number I spotted - theatergoers wear it proudly, a small but telling sign of the cult‑like enthusiasm surrounding this production.

Directed by Producing Artistic Director Derek Van Barham, this production thrives on a razor‑sharp sense of style and drive. Van Barham shapes Jekyll & Hyde with the confidence of someone who knows exactly how to blend horror and heart into one seamless theatrical rhythm. A kinetic drive and deft wit run through the score thanks to Nick Sula’s music direction, ensuring crisp transitions and character‑focused vocal work. With a rare 15‑piece live orchestra on stage, the production’s musical power hits with a fullness and immediacy that elevates every passage. Brenda Didier’s choreography is the secret weapon — precise, playful, and radiating personality, it turns the show’s physicality into storytelling and amplifies the divide at the center of Jekyll’s collapse.

Kokandy’s ensemble fires on all cylinders, creating a production that feels both wickedly fun and sharply realized. David Moreland anchors the show with a riveting, shape‑shifting performance as Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Edward Hyde, his vocal work and physical transformations giving the story its ferocious pulse. Moreland delivers a performance of remarkable physical and emotional intensity, one that stands out among the strongest I’ve seen. With visceral depth and vocal heat, Ava Lane Stovall shapes Lucy Harris into a woman suspended between danger and desire, her performance threading vulnerability through every moment of volatility. She makes Lucy’s internal tug of war feel immediate, giving the role a current that’s both seductive and unsettling. Meanwhile, Emily McCormick’s Emma Carew delivers a beautifully grounded counterbalance, her warm, expressive songs reinforcing the production’s moral center and offering the steadiness Jekyll’s world so desperately lacks.

(center) Ava Lane Stovall with (left to right) Quinn Kelch and Ismael Garcia and (below) Quinn Simmons in Kokandy Productions’ production of Jekyll & Hyde.

As Simon Stride and Spider, Quinn Kech moves effortlessly between clipped propriety and feral swagger, pairing sharp character work with vocals that cut cleanly through the score. A steady moral throughline comes through in Kevin Webb’s Gabriel John Utterson, his warm baritone and grounded presence giving the story its emotional ballast. Nathan Calaranan brings a dignified, resonant authority to Sir Danvers Carew, shaping each turn with clarity and restraint. Around them, the ensemble meets the material with full‑throated commitment - singing with power, acting with specificity, and charging every scene with the kind of collective intensity that makes this production feel larger than its footprint. Led by Jeff Award winners Moreland, Stovall, and McCormick, the ensemble’s collective impact makes this Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde feel vividly, thrillingly alive. The extended applause throughout the night were frequent and fully deserved.

The reimagined score is one of the production’s greatest triumphs, built on Frank Wildhorn’s music, yet reshaped into something leaner, sharper, and far more theatrical. Kim Scharnberg’s orchestrations give the music its dark, muscular edge, while Jason Howland’s arrangements sharpen its modern undercurrent. The orchestrations feel slyly contemporary and richly atmospheric, giving the story a sonic identity that matches Kokandy’s confident staging. Sula ensures every number lands with intention, whether it’s a brooding solo that tightens like a vice or an explosive ensemble sequence that floods the stage with adrenaline. And the vocal performances? They’re extraordinary – out of this world, presented with a clarity and force that elevate every musical moment.

The set evokes the grit and pressure of 1880s London without ever changing, a circular playing space with elevated risers that let the cast surround the action and heighten every moment of tension. Scenic designer Sotirios Livaditis, U.S.A., builds a world that’s intentionally fixed yet remarkably flexible, giving the ensemble multiple levels and angles to push the story forward. G. “Max” Maxin IV’s lighting and Matt Reich’s sound design sharpen that sense of immersion, shaping mood, focus, and dramatic impact from scene to scene. This talented design team gives us a unified environment that feels alive in its stillness - a single space that transforms through performance rather than mechanics.

Jekyll & Hyde comes highly recommended, not only for its inventive reworking but for the sheer theatrical command Kokandy brings to the Broadway Playhouse stage. Presented by Broadway In Chicago, the production (already extended) runs through November 8, 2026 at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, with a runtime of 2 hours and 35 minutes including an intermission. It’s a bold, stylish, and wildly entertaining take on a classic tale - one that proves Kokandy’s storefront artistry can thrive beautifully on a commercial stage. I walked away from this production genuinely amazed, struck by how fully Kokandy has transformed a familiar title into something fresh, fearless, and alive. It’s a milestone not just for Kokandy, but for Chicago theatre itself - a reminder that the city’s most daring work can rise all the way to the downtown marquee.

https://www.broadwayinchicago.com/shows/jekyll-hyde/

Ghostlight Ensemble's production of American Son, written by Christopher Demos-Brown and directed by Ebby Offord, opens on Friday, September 18, at Friendship Community Place in Jefferson Park. 

The production is led by Ensemble Member Courtney Marie as Kendra and Ensemble Member Khenmu Menu-Ra as Lt. Stokes with Shane Novoa Rhoades as Scott and Derek Preston Ray as Larkin. Understudies are Terah Jene, Eric K. Roberts, Kyle Roth and Ryan Ken.

"American Son has been on my artistic bucket list for as long as I can remember. As a Black woman married to a white man, its themes are all too familiar, and as a GET Ensemble member, it's right on mission," Marie said. "I can't imagine a better time to tell this story."

In American Son, an estranged biracial couple must confront their feelings about race and bias after their son is detained by the local police following a traffic stop incident. 

The story unfolds over a single night as Kendra, a Black mother, desperately seeks answers about the whereabouts of her 18-year-old son, Jamal, who has gone missing after an encounter with the police. As tensions escalate, Kendra is joined by her estranged white husband, Scott, and their clashing perspectives expose deep-seated issues of race, privilege and systemic bias.

Set in a Florida police station, American Son is a gripping tale of two parents caught in our national divide, with their worst fears hanging in the balance. This tense and emotionally charged drama is a compelling exploration of contemporary social issues.

The show also ticks off a role on Menu-Ra's artistic wish list. 

"Personally, I've wanted to play a sort of no-nonsense cop since watching Andre Braugher as Lt. Frank Pembleton on NBC's cop drama Homicide back in the 90s," he said.

"It's exciting to finally step into this law enforcement role in a show as nuanced and layered as American Son. It's a pretty stark reflection of the real lives at stake in the volatile, reactionary world we're living through," Menu-Ra added. "We pose some challenging questions, and I look forward to sharing it with audiences."

The production team includes Stage Manager Hailey Piorek, Scenic and Props Designer Adri Andreolas, Sound Designer Jaden Leverett and Costume Designer Andrés Mota. The show is produced by Ensemble Members Justin Broom, Courtney Marie, Chad Wise and Holly Robison.

The production runs Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. September 18 through October 4, 2026, at Friendship Community Place (5150 N Northwest Highway, Chicago, IL 60630). There will be a preview performance on Thursday, September 17 and an understudy performance on Monday, September 28. The show runs about 90 minutes with no intermission.

Friendship Community Place is a non-profit organization that serves as a hyper-local neighborhood hub on Chicago's northwest side with partnerships that promote equity, justice and provides resources and public programming. The space is fully accessible with ADA restrooms and automatic doors. 

Tickets are pay-what-you-will, with an average donation of $25. Audience members who are financially able to donate more help offset the cost for those who can't afford to give. For the preview performance on Thursday, September 17, the suggested donation is $15. Tickets are available now.

American Son is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com.

The play premiered on Broadway at the Booth Theatre on November 4, 2018. Directed by Kenny Leon, the production featured Kerry Washington, Steven Pasquale, Jeremy Jordan and Eugene Lee. In 2019, Netflix produced a film adaptation of the play with the original Broadway cast reprising their roles. 

Look for details about the entire 2026-2027 season and Ghostlight Ensemble at GhostlightEnsemble.com.

Ghostlight Ensemble is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit theatre whose mission it is to ask questions that challenge the status quo through timeless stories, immersive environments and unconventional staging. As an ensemble-based theatre, Ghostlight is made up of individual artists who are dedicated to collaborative creation and committed to working together consistently over years to develop a distinctive body of work. We welcome you to learn more about us at GhostlightEnsemble.com.

Producer Jeffrey Seller and Broadway In Chicago have announced the world-premiere of the new musical THE PRINCESS BRIDE will begin performances in Chicago next summer at the James M. Nederlander Theatre, from July 19-August 22, 2027.

A miraculous blend of sword fights and satire, absurd fun and true romance, THE PRINCESS BRIDE has been both a beloved novel and celebrated film. Now, as you wish, it comes to enchanting life as a Broadway musical.

Like many timeless stories, this one asks the eternal question: Why does life have to be so complicated?

Journey to Florin, where a sweet-natured giant, a six-fingered (well technically 11-fingered) scoundrel, a vengeance-obsessed Spaniard, and an overconfident meanie all conspire to make things incredibly difficult for two young lovers just trying to live happily ever after. Prepare to die laughing and fall in love all at the same time, all over again.

The creative team features a book by Tony Award winner Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone) and Tony-nominated Rick Elice (Jersey Boys), music and lyrics by Oscar-winning composers Kristen Anderson-Lopez (Frozen) and EGOT winner Robert Lopez (Frozen, The Book of Mormon), direction by Tony Award winner Alex Timbers (Moulin Rouge!) and choreography by Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler (Hamilton, In the Heights).

Producer Jeffrey Seller is one of the most successful American producers of our time. He produced the Tony Award–winning musicals Rent, Avenue Q, In the Heights, and Hamilton. His shows have garnered twenty-two Tony Awards, including four for Best Musical. Jeffrey is the only producer to have mounted two Pulitzer Prize–winning musicals—Hamilton and Rent. He also revolutionized theater accessibility with the $20 ticket lottery for Rent, making theater affordable for all. 

The Princess Bride is based on the novel and Motion Picture written by William Goldman and the Motion Picture executive produced by Norman Lear and directed by Rob Reiner.

TICKET INFORMATION
THE PRINCESS BRIDE will be part of the next Broadway In Chicago season, on sale next month. Group tickets for 10 or more are on sale now by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Individual tickets will go on sale at a later date. 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, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at The Auditorium.

For more information and tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
 

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Marriott Theatre, Chicagoland's longest-running musical theatre, presents its 2027 subscription season featuring five thrilling and memorable musicals: Pippin, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Almost Heaven, Les Misérables and The Wiz. The season also includes three Theatre for Young Audiences productions and an engaging concert lineup. Beginning in 2027, Marriott Theatre will introduce new weekend performance times, with Saturday shows at 2pm and 7:30pm and Sunday performances at 1pm and 6pm.

The 2027 season kicks off with Stephen Schwartz's iconic musical masterpiece, Pippin, directed and choreographed by Jeff Award nominee Amber Mak (Marriott Theatre: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story, Disney's Finding Nemo). With an infectiously unforgettable score from four-time Grammy winner, three-time Oscar winner, Tony winner and musical theatre giant, Stephen Schwartz (Wicked and Godspell), Pippin is the story of one young man's journey to be extraordinary. Packed with iconic songs like "Corner of the Sky," "Magic to Do," "No Time at All" and "Morning Glow." Pippin starts performances January 27. 

Next on stage is A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, the knock-'em-dead, uproarious hit filled with unforgettable music and unending hilarity, directed and choreographed by Katie Spelman (Marriott Theatre: Come From Away, The Music Man). When the charming and penniless Monty Navarro discovers he's ninth in line for an earldom, he figures his chances of outliving his predecessors are slight and sets off to speed up the line of succession by using a great deal of charm... and a dash of murder. Best Musical Winner: Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, and Drama League Award. A wickedly witty romp of disguises, dalliances, and delightfully untimely deaths, starring Marriott Theatre favorite Alex Goodrich as the ENTIRE D'Ysquith Family! A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder starts performances April 14.

For summer, celebrate the legendary life and legacy of John Denver with Almost Heaven: Songs of John Denver, directed by James Vásquez (Marriott Theatre: In the Heights, Always Something There..., Damn Yankees). American musical icon John Denver's timeless melodies echo from Rocky Mountain highs to the Green Mountains of Vermont. Set against a backdrop of America in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Almost Heaven celebrates the life and times of this down-to-earth music man with dozens of chart-topping hits including: "Rocky Mountain High," "Sunshine on My Shoulders," "Annie's Song," "Take Me Home, Country Roads," "Leaving on a Jet Plane," "Calypso" and many more. Almost Heaven is a theatrical salute to the music that inspires us to dream of new roads and new destinations. Almost Heaven: Songs of John Denver starts performances June 16.

The epic Les Misérables takes the stage in 2027, directed by Jessica Fisch (Marriott Theatre: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Come from Away, Catch Me If You Can) and choreographed by Marriott Theatre Associate Artistic Director Katie Johannigman (Marriott Theatre: A Little Night Music, The Magic School Bus). Set against the backdrop of 19th century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. This epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history. The magnificent score of Les Misérables includes the songs "I Dreamed a Dream," "On My Own," "Bring Him Home," "One Day More," "Master of the House" and many more.  Packing an emotional wallop that has thrilled audiences all over the world, its powerful affirmation of the human spirit has made Les Misérables a cherished masterpiece. Les Misérables starts performances August 25.

When the holidays roll around, "ease on down the road" to the beloved Broadway gem, The Wiz, directed and choreographed by Deidre Goodwin (Marriott Theatre: director/choreographer of Heartbreak Hotel and Beehive, choreographer of Catch Me If You Can). Infusing L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with a dazzling mix of rock, gospel and soul music, this timeless tale of Dorothy's adventures through the land of Oz is an effervescent explosion of music, dance, magic, and delight. Winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, The Wiz is a fun, fresh, family-friendly musical. The Wiz starts performances November 10.

Marriott Theatre's commitment to family entertainment continues with a vibrant lineup of Theatre for Young Audiences productions throughout 2027. The season kicks off with the action-packed musical adventure The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, directed by Derek VanBarham and choreographed by Tommy Rivera-Vega, running February 19 through March 27. Young theatergoers will then delight in the heartwarming Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile: The Musical (a pilot production of the Theatre For Young Audiences edition), directed by Christopher Llewyn Ramirez and choreographed by Nich O'Neil, from July 9 through August 8. The final TYA production brings a fresh take on a classic fairy tale with the world premiere of Hansel & Gretel: Off The Grid, written by Johanna McKenzie Miller, Michael Mahler and Steven Strafford, directed by Miller and choreographed by Mandy Modic, running November 27 through January 9.

The 2027 Artists Lounge Live Concert Series will bring to the stage Hello Again: Eric Gutman Sings Neil Diamond on March 15-17, Good Vibrations: Michael Mahler Band Salutes The Beach Boys on September 13-14, Dream Lover: The Music of Bobby Darin and Connie Francis, starring Devin DeSantis and Anastasia Arnold on December 6-7, and Rockin' Down the Clock: 100 Years of Hits! on December 31.

Beginning Wednesday, September 16, audiences can purchase 2027 season subscriptions and single tickets to all upcoming shows and concerts. Current subscribers: your renewal packets will land in your mailbox shortly. Single ticket prices begin at $78 for mainstage productions, and $19.75 for Theatre for Young Audiences (plus tax and handling fees). For more information on Marriott Theatre or to purchase tickets to the current hit musical, Come From Away, please visit MarriottTheatre.com or follow the theatre on social media @marriotttheatre.

ABOUT MARRIOTT THEATRE

Founded in 1975, Marriott Theatre is known for presenting new and classic musicals, often direct from Broadway and has staged more than 260 productions before an estimated 12,000,000 people in its history. Marriott Theatre has received more than 600 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and has employed more than 6,000 artists. In addition to the presentation of classic American musical theatre, Marriott Theatre has become a driving force in the development of original and re-imagined musicals.

Pippin and A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder are presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

Almost Heaven is present by arrangement with Aruba Productions.

Les Misérables is presented through special by arrangement with Music Theatre International and Cameron Mackintosh LTD.

The Wiz and The Lightning Thief are presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals.