Theatre with a side of life
Studebaker Theater, P3 Productions and Audible, in collaboration with Teatro Vista Productions, present the Chicago premiere of the groundbreaking, award-winning new hip-hop musical MEXODUS. In the mid 1800s, several thousands of slaves escaped to freedom going south. History classes fail to teach that a section of the underground railroad went from Texas to Mexico. Brian Quijada ...
A Red Orchid Theatre presents the Chicago Premiere of HEROES OF THE FOURTH TURNING. Four graduates of a conservative Catholic college return to their alma mater to celebrate a favorite professor being named President. Their reunion is a booze soaked existential crisis. Justin wrestles with the sins of his past. Emily is tortured by physical and ...
Babes with Blades presents KING LEAR. King Lear wants to be idolized by his daughters. He goads them into a public competition to determine who loves him best. Wanting their father’s favor and a chunk of his kingdom, Goneril and Regan lay it on thick with speeches of devotion. In contrast, Cordelia shares her measured affection ...
Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents THE WINTER’S TALE. King Leontes of Sicilia is under the illusion Queen Hermoine is cheating on him. And he dogmatically maintains she is pregnant by King Polixenes of Bohemia. In his irrational jealousy, he imprisons his wife and conspires to kill Polixenes. When Camillo tips off Polixenes, the duo flee to Bohemia. ...
Remy Bumppo presents MUD ROW. Four women want a better life. Elsie dreams of marrying up. Frances fights for civil rights. Toshi yearns to return home. Regine wishes for her husband’s optimism. Two sets of sisters separated by decades are bound together as family. The past and present collide as the women grapple with poverty, trauma, ...
Music Theater Works presents JIMMY BUFFETT’S ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE. Rachel is a career-focused scientist. Tammy is a dieting bride-to-be. When winter turns brutal in Cincinnati, the friends escape to Margaritaville. They arrive on the island to find the tequila flowing, the people chilling and the wifi missing. The vibe is warm and welcoming! Tammy quickly befriends ...
Goodman Theatre, along with Barrington Stage and Hartford Stage, present the World Premiere of DEAD GIRL’S QUINCEAÑERA as part of the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance’s 9th annual Destinos Chicago International Latino Theater Festival. Maria celebrated turning 15 with a festive quinceañera. No one has seen her since the party. She’s not responding to texts. Her friends ...
Broadway in Chicago presents Tony and Olivier Award-winning OPERATION MINCEMEAT: A New Musical. It’s 1943. British Intelligence needs a plan to bring down Hitler. When the hapless Charles Cholmondeley gets pushed aside and the cocky Ewen Montagu gets rejected, an improbable scheme makes an unlikely comeback. The duo want to plant a corpse with fake Top ...
Lookingglass Theatre presents a Brando Beginnings production of KOWALSKI. It’s the summer of 1947. Tennessee Williams has completed his script for “A Streetcar Named Desire.” He has selected Jessica Tandy to play Blanche. He needs to decide on an actor to play Stanley. His director sends a newbie to him for an audition. Williams is already ...
Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents PLAY ON! Viola is a songwriter. Her dreams take her to New York where the Duke is king. To meet her idol, Viola disguises herself as a guy. The Duke is impressed by Vy-man and coerces him (Viola) to woo his estranged muse, Lady Liv. Vy-man’s persuasion works too well. Lady Liv ...