Wednesday, 26 August 2026 11:41
Following Obama Center premiere, Manual Cinema's acclaimed productions return to Chicago's Studebaker Theater
Written by Buzz Center Stage
Chicago-based Emmy Award-winning performance collective and film/video production company Manual Cinema premiered two new hand-animated films at the Obama Presidential Center Museum earlier this year. Now, the company is bringing two of its acclaimed live-action productions back to Chicago's historic Studebaker Theater at the Fine Arts Building, where audiences can witness Manual Cinema's handmade magic…
Published in
Upcoming Theatre
Tuesday, 25 August 2026 19:25
Playmakers Lab’s That’s Weird Grandma’s 25th Birthday is a fine place to giggle
Written by Susan Lieberman
If you need an energy boost, skip the can of Monster and get yourself, plus loved ones of any age, to Playmakers Lab’s tasty birthday cake of a show. The very first edition of That’s Weird, Grandma, culled from Chicago elementary school students’ stories, occurred in the spring of 2001.…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Tuesday, 25 August 2026 15:10
The Humanities - Victory Gardens Theater - Through October 4th
Written by Buzz Center Stage
Victory Gardens Theater (2433 N. Lincoln Avenue), an historic incubator for new play development, proudly announces the World Premiere staging of The Humanities, a contemporary new work by acclaimed playwright Zayd Ayers Dohrn, directed by veteran Chicago talent Eddie Torres. The Humanities is a provocative, ripped-from-the-headlines story that explores the events after a controversial speaker is…
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Now Playing
Tuesday, 25 August 2026 14:54
Kowalski - Lookingglass Theatre - Through October 25
Written by Buzz Center Stage
Joining the previously announced stars of Kowalski Johnny Galecki ("The Big Bang Theory," "The Little Dog Laughed") as Tennessee Williams and Jacob Moskovitz ("Elle") as Marlon Brando are Alison Cimmet as Margo Jones, Reece Dos Santos as Pancho and Ellie Ricker as Jo. The celebrated new play by Gregg Ostrin, directed by Colin Hanlon, will come to Chicago's Lookingglass Theatre Company at the historic Water Tower…
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Now Playing
Friday, 21 August 2026 14:12
Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces Two Shakespeare Productions in Repertory beginning October 13 - January 3
Written by Buzz Center Stage
Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces the cast and creative team for the company's fall Shakespeare Repertory productions, an unforgettable theatrical event at the heart of our 40th Anniversary Season. Under the creative leadership of CST Artistic Director Edward Hall and taking inspiration from Shakespeare's own company and CST's roots as the Shakespeare Repertory, one company of 14…
Published in
Upcoming Theatre
Monday, 24 August 2026 13:56
Babes With Blades's announces William Shakespeare's KING LEAR, October 15 - November 21
Written by Buzz Center Stage
Babes With Blades Theatre Company’s (BWBTC), now presenting the world premiere of yo ho. through August 29 at The Edge Off-Broadway, shares the cast and creative team for the final production in its 2026 season, William Shakespeare’s King Lear, directed by Alison Dornheggen and fight choreography by Jess Pennachio, October 15 - November 21 in Theatre 3 at Theater Wit,…
Published in
Upcoming Theatre
Thursday, 20 August 2026 15:03
McHenry Outdoor Theater: Nostalgia With a Modern Heartbeat
Written by Ken Payne
There was a particular kind of magic to seeing a movie outside when I was a kid in 1970s Chicago - a feeling that lived somewhere between summer air and pure possibility. Back then, drive-ins still dotted the map, and a couple sat right at the city’s edge: the Bel…
Published in
Theatre Buzz
Tuesday, 18 August 2026 11:25
Por’ Knockers - Greenhouse Theater’s Studio 44 - Through October 4th
Written by Buzz Center Stage
This narrative tracks five individuals within the "People’s Diasporatic Party"—outfitted in corporate attire—as they take refuge in a desolate East New York residence While the group anticipates the fallout from an orchestrated bombing, hysteria takes hold, exposing the rift between their brutal insurgent schemes and abstract revolutionary principles. Cast: Kwame:…
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Now Playing
Tuesday, 18 August 2026 13:05
‘Anatomy of a Suicide’ Is Hard to Watch, But Not Because of the Subject
Written by Bill Esler
Perhaps surprisingly, Anatomy of a Suicide is not an overwhelmingly emotionally gripping play, nor is it horrifying. Instead, it vividly portrays the slow drip of suffering for Carol, a woman in the grip of depression, living always with suicidal tendencies. It also presents the impact of an intergenerational transference of…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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Monday, 17 August 2026 10:06
Broadway In Chicago presents Waitress at JAMES M. NEDERLANDER THEATRE OCTOBER 13 – 18, 2026
Written by Buzz Center Stage
Broadway In Chicago is delighted to announce that single tickets for the upcoming engagement of the 10th Anniversary tour of the hilarious hit Broadway musical WAITRESS are on sale now. Featuring music and lyrics by Grammy® Award-winning singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, WAITRESS will play Broadway In Chicago’s James M. Nederlander Theatre (24 W. Randolph St.), October 13-18. Single…
Published in
Upcoming Theatre
Monday, 17 August 2026 10:58
League of Chicago Theatres hosts 2026 Spotlight Gala: Unmask the Night, Embrace the Drama October 19
Written by Buzz Center Stage
The League of Chicago Theatres will host its annual benefit, the 2026 Spotlight Gala: Unmask the Night, Embrace the Drama at City Hall – Recess, 838 W. Kinzie St. on Monday, October 19, 2026. The evening will celebrate the rich legacy of Chicago theatre. More than 300 friends of Chicago theatre are expected to attend to…
Published in
Theatre Buzz
Monday, 17 August 2026 12:40
Hail Mary/Maria at Theater Wit – A Welcome New Slant on Crossing Over into Adulthood
Written by Mitchell Oldham
Coming of age stories resonate more profoundly when they mirror the lived reality of a real person. That’s why the firecracker of a play, Hail Mary/Maria, that’s just begun its far too short run at Theater Wit, is must-see theater for just about anybody who counts themselves as a member…
Published in
Theatre in Review
Monday, 17 August 2026 14:36
Oil Lamp's I Love You Because has heart, despite lukewarm romance
Written by Angelo Campos
Finding love has always been a challenge. In Jane Austen’s day, a time governed by strict rules of courtship, couples had to avoid mistakes that could potentially ruin a reputation. One might think that the complexities of dating would have eased over time, yet modern romance remains just as fraught…
Published in
Theatre in Review
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Latest Articles
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Operation Mincemeat: A Smart, Scrappy Musical That Shines When Its Cast Takes the Wheel
Written by Maddie BurroughsIn the 2019 film Yesterday, a struggling musician wakes up in a world where The Beatles never existed. A similar theatrical case study could be done with every musical that might not exist without Hamilton; Operation Mincemeat should be first… -
MAMMA MIA! and HADESTOWN Return to Chicago in Spring 2027
Written by Buzz Center StageBroadway In Chicago is excited to announce two fan-favorite shows are returning to our stages this year: MAMMA MIA! and HADESTOWN. Current subscribers can add these to their season package when renewing by clicking here or calling (312) 977-1717. Group… -
SANCTUARY STORIES - A JOURNALISM THEATER PROJECT October 9-18 at the Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture
Written by Buzz Center StageThrough 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…
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Red Theater presents the world premiere of CHURCH HURT October 24 - November 21, 2026
Written by Buzz Center StageRed 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…
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