Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation's premier ensemble theater company, is pleased to present Noah Diaz's whimsical, wild, unpredictable and deeply moving Chicago premiere of You Will Get Sick, directed by Artistic Director Audrey Francis (Noises Off, POTUS–Director), playing June 5 – July 13, 2025 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theater, 1650 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. Single tickets starting at $20 are now on sale at steppenwolf.org or the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. 

Renowned ensemble member Amy Morton, a Tony Award nominee for August: Osage County and Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, returns to the Steppenwolf stage for the first time in nearly a decade, joined by fellow ensemble members Cliff Chamberlain (The Minutes, Superior Donuts) and Namir Smallwood (Pass Over, True West, Bug). Rounding out the cast are Jordan Arredondo (Steppenwolf debut) and Sadieh Rifai (First Look Repertory of New Work).

About the Production:

A young man with a secret. An older woman who will listen. A predatory flock of birds. An upcoming audition for The Wizard of Oz. Welcome to You Will Get Sick, a wildly imaginative new play that traces the hilarious and deeply moving saga of one man's illness and his unlikely caretaker's pursuit of her dreams. Admired as "lively, surreal and surprising" by the New York Times, Noah Diaz's Chicago debut is equal parts buddy-comedy, form-bending experiment and sober meditation on mortality.

The creative team includes Andrew Boyce (Scenic Design), Raquel Adorno (Costume Design), Jen Schriever (Lighting Design), Willow James (Sound Design), Skylar Fox (Magic and Illusions Design), Kate DeVore (Vocal Coach), Bryar Barborka (Dramaturg), Patrick Zakem (Creative Producer), Tom Pearl (Producing Director), JC Clementz, CSA (Casting), Laura D. Glenn (Production Stage Manager) and Kathleen Barrett (Assistant Stage Manager). For full cast and creative team bios, click here.

Production Details:

Title: You Will Get Sick – Chicago Premiere!
Playwright: Noah Diaz
Director: Artistic Director Audrey Francis
Cast: Ensemble members Cliff Chamberlain (#4). Amy Morton (#2) and Namir Smallwood (#1) with Jordan Arredondo (#5) and Sadieh Rifai (#3)

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

Dates: Previews: Thursday, June 5 – Saturday, June 14, 2025
Opening: Sunday, June 15, 2025 at 6 pm
Regular run: Tuesday, June 17 – Sunday, July 13, 2025

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, June 10, Thursday, June 19, Friday, July 4 or Tuesday, July 8; there will be an added 2 pm matinee on Wednesday, July 2.

Tickets: Single tickets for You Will Get Sick ($20 - $116.50*) 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. Classic memberships starting as low as $160 are also on sale for Steppenwolf's 2025/26 Season. *Pricing includes an $8.50 handling fee

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

Accessible Performance Dates:

Audio-Described and Touch Tour: Sunday, June 29 at 3 pm (1:30 pm touch tour)
Open-Captioned: Thursday, June 26 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, July 5 at 3 pm
ASL-Interpreted: Friday, July 11 at 7:30 pm

Education and Engagement:

Throughout the 2024/25 season, Steppenwolf continues its commitment to the next generation of theatre learners, makers and appreciators with robust education and engagement programming. During the school year, programming includes dedicated student matinee performances for four of the five Membership Series productions, 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. During You Will Get Sick, Steppenwolf will host a dedicated "Teen Takeover" performance and continue expanding its community engagement through new public programming, our traditional Vet's Night performance and additional opportunities for deeper explorations for audiences. For additional information about Steppenwolf's Education and Engagement programming and to register your school for a field trip visit steppenwolf.org/education-and-engagement/steppenwolf-field-trip-series.

Artist Biographies:

Noah Diaz (Playwright) is a playwright and screenwriter from the Iowa/Nebraska border. Productions include You Will Get Sick (Roundabout Theatre, NYT Critic's Pick), Richard & Jane & Dick & Sally (co-production The Playwrights Realm/Baltimore Center Stage) and The Swindlers (Baltimore Center Stage). Commissions from La Jolla Playhouse, Roundabout Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club/Sloan, Baltimore Center Stage, Audible/Amazon Studios and Arena Stage. His work has been developed with Berkshire Theatre Group, Two River Theater, The Sol Project, First Floor Theater and The Playwrights Realm, where he was a Page One Resident Playwright. Noah is a recipient of the ASCAP Cole Porter Prize, a five-time recipient of playwriting awards from The Kennedy Center, and a nominee for the Outer Critics Circle's John Gassner Award. In television, he has written on Nine Perfect Strangers (Hulu), Up Here (Hulu), Joe vs. Carole (Peacock), and has developed projects for ABC, Hulu, 20th Television, The Walk-Up Company, Nyle DiMarco and the team at Eva Longoria's UnbeliEVAble Entertainment. MFA: Yale School of Drama.

Audrey Francis (Director) currently serves as Artistic Director of Steppenwolf Theatre, alongside Glenn Davis, where she has been an Ensemble member since 2017. She is an actor, director, educator and coach. Audrey directed POTUS in Steppenwolf's 23/24 season, and her Steppenwolf performing credits include: Noises Off (also Geffen Playhouse), The Thanksgiving Play, The Herd, Between Riverside and Crazy, The Fundamentals, The Doppelgänger (an international farce) and Dance Nation. TV credits include Power Book IV: Force, Justified: City Primeval, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire and Empire. Film credits include Perpetrator, Knives and Skin, Later Days and Distant Learners. She has taught acting in New York, LA, Toronto, Sydney and Melbourne, as well as at The University of Chicago and The Theatre School at DePaul. Audrey is a professional acting coach for Showtime, NBC, Fox and Amazon, and is the co-founder of Black Box Acting.

Jordan Arredondo (#5) Chicago: SS! Midsummer Night's Dream (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); In The Heights, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Marriott Theatre); Guys and Dolls, Grease (Drury Lane Theatre); Sweat, Fun Home (Paramount Theatre); Laura and the Sea (Rivendell Theatre); First Love is the Revolution (Steep Theatre); American Jornalero, Romeo and Juliet (Teatro Vista); Waiting for Godot (Tympanic Theatre). Regional: American Mariachi (Two River Theatre); Sanctuary City (Cincinnati Playhouse); A Christmas Carol (Milwaukee Repertory Theater). Film: Killing Eleanor. Television: Chicago Fire (NBC). "All the love to my family, Addie, & the Gray Talent fam! For Chris." @jordanayee

Cliff Chamberlain (#4) joined the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble in 2018. Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Fool for Love, The Minutes, Belleville, Clybourne Park, Theatrical Essays, Superior Donuts. Chicago: The Seagull (Goodman Theatre); The Sparrow (The House Theatre of Chicago). Broadway: The Minutes, Superior Donuts. Television: Homeland, Altered Carbon, The Act, Dirty John: Betty, Easy, State of Affairs, Chicago PD, Paper Girls, The Chair. Film: The Wise Kids, Win it All and Netflix's upcoming RIP. Cliff trained at UCSB and The School at Steppenwolf. "Love to R + E + E + C."

Amy Morton (#2) ) is an actor and director. She has performed in or directed many plays at Steppenwolf including: Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Tony nomination), August: Osage County (Tony nomination), One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (also on Broadway), Hir, Cherry Orchard, The Berlin Circle, Three Days of Rain, The Unmentionables, Space, The Royal Family and many others. She has directed Guards at the Taj (both Atlantic Theatre and Steppenwolf), Glengarry Glen Ross, Clybourne Park, American Buffalo, The Dresser, The Pillowman, Topdog/Underdog, Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Alliance Theatre), Awake and Sing (Northlight Theatre), and many others. Film: Rookie of the Year, 8MM, Falling Down, Backdraft, Up in the Air, Bluebird, It Ends With Us. Television: The Bear, Bluebloods, Girls, Homeland, currently a regular on Chicago PD as Sgt. Trudy Platt. Before joining Steppenwolf, Amy was a member of the Remains Theatre for 15 years.

Sadieh Rifai (#3) Steppenwolf Theatre Company: August: Osage County (u/s), Ski Dubai (First Look). Chicago: Do You Feel Anger, An Evening at the Talk House, Grey House (A Red Orchid Theatre); Support Group for Men, Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre); The Humans, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Speech and Debate (American Theatre Company); The Nativity Variations (Milwaukee Repertory Theatre). Film: The Wise Kids, Nate and Margaret, Olympia, All Happy Families. Television: Bettendorf Talks, The Red Line, Patriot, Shining Girls, Somebody Somewhere. Sadieh received the Princess Grace Award in 2011 and is a graduate of The School at Steppenwolf. For Mom, Doug and Adal.

Namir Smallwood (#1) joined the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble in 2017. Steppenwolf: The Book of Grace, Seagull, Bug, True West, BLKS, Monster, Man In Love, The Hot L Baltimore, Last Night and the Night Before. Broadway: Pass Over. Off Broadway: Pipeline, Pass Over (Lincoln Center). Chicago: Primary Trust (Goodman); Charm (Northlight Theatre); The Grapes of Wrath (The Gift Theatre); East Texas Hot Links (Writers Theatre). Regional: Marin Theatre Company, Pillsbury House Theatre, Ten Thousand Things, Guthrie Theater. International: True West (Galway International Arts Festival). Television: Chicago Fire, Betrayal, Elementary, American Rust (Showtime/FreeVee); Power Book IV: Force (STARZ). Film: Rounding, About Time, Bailey's Blues.

Accessibility:

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

Sponsor Information:

You Will Get Sick is supported in part by CNA, Jenner & Block and PNC. United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf. Steppenwolf salutes lead sponsors Allstate Insurance Company, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Crown Family Philanthropies, Caroline and Keating Crown, Good Chaos, John Hart and Carol Prins, Joyce Foundation, Lefkofsky Family Foundation, Northern Trust, Anne and Don Phillips, Pritzker Traubert Foundation, Shubert Foundation, Inc, Walder Foundation, and Zell Family Foundation. Steppenwolf also acknowledges generous support from premier sponsors ArentFox Schiff, Andrew and Amy Bluhm, Ann and Richard Carr, Chicago Community Trust, Conagra Brands Foundation, Steven and Nancy Crown,  CRC Group, Julius Frankel Foundation, FROST CHICAGO, Kirkland & Ellis, Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, The Orlebeke Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, Sacks Family Foundation, Smart Family Foundation of Illinois, Gary Sinise Foundation, and Vinci Restaurant. Steppenwolf also acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council. This project is partially supported by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.   

About Steppenwolf Theatre Company:

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation's premier Ensemble Theater with 49 members who are among the top actors, playwrights and directors in the field. Thrilling, powerful, groundbreaking productions — from Balm in Gilead and Grapes of Wrath to August: Osage County, Downstate and The Brother/Sister Plays — have made this theatre legendary. Founded in 1976, Steppenwolf started as a group of teens performing in the basement of a church. 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, 12 Tony Awards, two Pulitzer Prize-winning commissions and more. Led by Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, Executive Director Brooke Flanagan and Board of Trustees Chair, Keating Crown — Steppenwolf continually redefines the landscape 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.

Definition Theatre is proud to present the world premiere of Black Bone, a bold new satire by Chicago playwright Tina Fakhrid-Deen and the first full production to emerge from the company's Amplify Series. Directed by Carla Stillwell, Black Bone will run from May 30 to June 29, 2025 at Definition @ 55th (1160 E. 55th St, Chicago, IL) with a press opening on Thursday, June 5 at 7:30pm. Tickets start at $25 and are on sale now.

A winner of Amplify Series Two, Black Bone is a sharp satirical fantasy that blurs the line between game show theatrics and real life. The story follows a group of Black academics at a predominantly white institution who uncover a shocking truth: one among them has been "passing" as Black. What begins as disbelief quickly spirals into mutiny, paranoia, and chaos—with consequences that turn deadly. As tensions rise, Black Bone fearlessly interrogates who gets to define Blackness, and what it means to belong.

"I did not get into Amplify the first time that I applied," says playwright Tina Fakhrid-Deen. "It only motivated me to tighten up and resubmit a better script. I'm so thankful that Definition Theatre started this fantastic Amplify program to help lesser known, local playwrights like me to develop our work and feel supported and seen. And to be the first Amplify winner to have a production is an extraordinary honor. This process has taught me to #stayinit because dreams don't work unless you do!"

The cast for Black Bone includes Ensemble Member Martasia Jones as Nella, with Melanie Hubbard as Dean Ivory, Matthew Lolar as Cruz, Patrick Newson Jr. as Woodfence, and Marlene Slaughter as Keisha.

Now in its fifth iteration, the Amplify program is Definition Theatre's new works initiative dedicated to uplifting Chicago-based playwrights through professional development, readings, and production opportunities. Black Bone marks a major milestone in the program's evolution and Definition's commitment to cultivating bold new theatrical voices.

Carla Stillwell directs this with support by Assistant Director Michelle Renee Bester and Production Manager Zavarie Z. Irons. The stage is managed by Ariel Beller, with casting by AJ Links and casting coordination by Carley Cornelius. The visual world was brought to life by Scenic Designer Isa Noe, Technical Director Jason Scott Clark, Costume Director Kotryna Hilko, Lighting Designer Garrett Bell (assisted by Emily Curran and Lead Electrician Louis Lothan), Sound Designer Satya Chavez, Props Designer Paloma Locsin, and Projections Designer Eme Ospina-Lopez. Dramaturgy was provided by Lydia Moss.

Definition Theatre is also excited to announce the return of its annual Amplify New Play Festival (ANPF) this July at the Reva & David Logan Center for the Arts in Hyde Park, 915 E 60th St, Chicago, IL 60637. This vibrant community celebration brings together emerging voices in theater through a fusion of creative development classes, film and live performance.

The 2025 festival spotlights the Amplify Series Five winners under the theme "Rhythm & Resonance"— this series challenged writers to explore how rhythm, tone, and language shape storytelling, fusing poetry and music into a symphony of meaning. The festival will feature film screenings of the Series Five finalists, providing a dynamic platform for new and diverse storytellers.

The finalists for Amplify Series Five are Bristen Baity, Dawn Bless, Isis Elizabeth, Faylita Hicks, Lip Lewis, Jessica F. Morrison, Jamaque Newberry, and walker lee.

The Festival will showcase filmed scenes from all 8 finalists alongside additional programming including readings from Amplify Series Four winners, showcasing the continued development of Chicago's most promising new work. Attendees will also have access to introductory artist workshops led by industry professionals, offering hands-on learning opportunities for aspiring creatives of all backgrounds.

Events will occur throughout July 2025, with full programming hosted at the Logan Center for the Arts.

Fact Sheet/Black Bone

Title: Black Bone

By: Tina Fakhrid-Deen

Directed by: Carla Stillwell

Featuring: Ensemble Member Martasia Jones as Nella, with Melanie Hubbard as Dean Ivory, Matthew Lolar as Cruz, Patrick Newson Jr. as Woodfence, and Marlene Slaughter as Keisha.

Dates: May 30 – June 29, 2025

Press Opening: June 5, 2025 at 7:30pm

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

Tickets: On sale now at definitiontheatre.org

ABOUT DEFINITION THEATRE

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

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

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

Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce that HADESTOWN, the winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards^® including Best New Musical and the 2020 Grammy^® Award for Best Musical Theater Album, is now playing at Broadway In Chicago’s CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe St.). HADESTOWN is playing for a limited two-week engagement through May 18 only. HADESTOWN is the most honored show of the 2018-2019 Broadway season. In addition to the show’s eight Tony Awards^®, it has been honored with four Drama Desk Awards, six Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Outstanding New Broadway Musical, and the Drama League Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical.
 

“Scorching! Stunning! Both unmistakably timely and irresistibly entertaining.”
 Catey Sullivan, Chicago Sun-Times

The acclaimed new musical is by celebrated singer-songwriter and Tony Award^® winner Anaïs Mitchell and developed with original director and Tony Award^® winner Rachel Chavkin. HADESTOWN marks the first time in over a decade that a woman has been the solo author of a musical: writing the music, lyrics, and book, and is the fourth time in Broadway history a woman has accomplished this creative feat.“Mesmerizing! Hadestown arrives in smoldering fashion. Unfurling like a dream, the show achieves a fluidity of musical theater storytelling that makes an old tale seem startlingly new.”
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles TimesThe show opened at the Walter Kerr Theatre on Broadway (219 West 48^th Street, New York) on April 17, 2019, where it played sold-out houses nightly before performances were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. HADESTOWN resumed performances September 2, 2021 as one of the first musicals to reopen on Broadway where it continues to play today.The show originated as Mitchell’s indie theater project that toured Vermont which she then turned into an acclaimed album. With Chavkin, her artistic collaborator, HADESTOWN has been transformed into a genre-defying new musical that blends modern American folk music with New Orleans-inspired jazz to reimagine a sweeping ancient tale.Following two intertwining love stories — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — HADESTOWN invites audiences on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and Chavkin’s poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love. Performed by a vibrant ensemble of actors, dancers, and singers, HADESTOWN delivers a deeply resonant and defiantly hopeful theatrical experience.Welcome to the intriguing and beautiful world of “your next musical theater obsession.”
VogueHADESTOWN electrified audiences with its 2016 world premiere at New York Theatre Workshop, and is the longest-running show in that celebrated theater’s 40-year history. The production then received its Canadian premiere at Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre in 2017 and then a 2018 sold-out engagement at the London’s National Theatre. HADESTOWN was developed with funding from the Eli and Edythe Broad Stage at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center and was further developed by The Ground Floor at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. HADESTOWN was co-conceived by Ben t. Matchstick.The Grammy^® winning HADESTOWN Original Broadway Cast Recording is now available at Hadestown.com/music. The album is produced by David Lai, Sickafoose, and Mitchell on Sing It Again Records.For more information, please go to https://hadestownontour.com.PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Performances are Tuesday through Thursday at 7:00 p.m. (with Wednesday matinees at 1:00 p.m.), Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 1:00 p.m.TICKET INFORMATION
Individual tickets for HADESTOWN are on sale now. Tickets start at $40.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. 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 25 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.

The National Hellenic Museum is thrilled to host an exclusive in-person event on Greek mythology with cast members from the national tour of HADESTOWN this Thursday, May 8 at 10:30 a.m. at the museum, located at 333 S. Halsted Street in the heart of Chicago’s Greektown neighborhood.

Admission is free and limited tickets are available on Eventbrite HERE.

In this mythological panel discussion, UIC Classics and Mediterranean Studies Senior Lecturer Krishni Burns, PhD will be in conversation with HADESTOWN cast members about the timeless themes of the myths of Orpheus and Eurydice, and Hades and Persephone. Hear from performers in the Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning musical and learn why stories from Greek mythology remain so captivating and relevant today.

This event is presented in partnership with Broadway In Chicago.

Welcome to HADESTOWN, where a song can change your fate. Winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album, this acclaimed new show from celebrated singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and original director Rachel Chavkin (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) is a love story for today… and always. Intertwining two mythic tales—that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone—HADESTOWN is a haunting and hopeful theatrical experience that grabs you and never lets go. Playing May 6–18 at the CIBC Theatre. For tickets and information visit BroadwayInChicago.com.

The National Hellenic Museum (NHM) has a mission to share Greek history, art, culture and the Greek American story. NHM preserves the Hellenic legacy and makes this rich heritage relevant today through its extensive collection of more than 10,000 physical artifacts, hundreds of oral histories, exhibitions, educational programs and special events. Originally founded in 1983 and located in Chicago’s historic Greektown neighborhood since 2011, NHM provides lifelong learning for the community and sparks inquiry and discussion about the broader issues in our lives and society. Regular Museum hours are Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information, visit nationalhellenicmuseum.org or call 312-655-1234.

Chicago Opera Theater (COT), Chicago’s foremost producer of new and rarely staged  operas, proudly presents the world premiere of She Who Dared by acclaimed composer/librettist duo Jasmine Arielle Barnes and Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton. Featuring an all-Black female cast, the compelling, richly melodic, new opera shines a spotlight on the women who challenged segregation before and alongside Rosa Parks. COT will collaborate with the popular Chicago-based Black chamber music collective D-Composed which will serve as the orchestra for the production. This collaboration marks the first time the ensemble has gone from performing primarily as a quartet to an expanded orchestra of D-Composed collaborators and musicians in Chicago's Black classical community.  COT presents  She Who Dared in three performances only at the Studebaker Theater in the Fine Arts Building (410 S Michigan Ave.): Tuesday, June 3 at 7:30 PM; Friday, June 6 at 7:30 PM; and Sunday, June 8 at 3:00 PM Tickets start at $50.00 and are available at chicagooperatheater.org.

Everyone has heard of Rosa Parks, but she wasn’t the first to refuse to move. She Who Dared recenters the spotlight on the brave women who helped dismantle bus segregation in Montgomery, Alabama, leading to the landmark court case Browder v. Gayle. On March 2, 1955, fifteen-year-old Claudette Colvin was arrested for refusing to relinquish her seat to a white passenger. In the months that followed, four other women—Aurelia Browder, Susie McDonald, Mary Louise Smith, and Jeanetta Reese—were also arrested under similar circumstances. Colvin, Browder, McDonald, and Smith ultimately became plaintiffs in Browder v. Gayle, the federal case that challenged the constitutionality of segregated public transportation and led to a Supreme Court ruling that declared it unlawful. In She Who Dared, these trailblazing women step into the spotlight alongside other pivotal figures in the movement, including Rosa Parks and Jo Ann Robinson — each playing a crucial role in the fight for justice.

Barnes’ work has been described as “the best possible blend of Billie Holiday and Claude Debussy” by the Boston Globe. The highly melodic score for She Who Dared liberally references musical idioms of the time, including soul, gospel, and protest music. While often riotous and sometimes hilarious, She Who Dared demonstrates how everyday people have the power to challenge the systems around them and affect tangible change – if only they dare.

She Who Dared will feature COT debuts from sopranos Jasmine Habersham as Claudette Colvin, Jacqueline Echols as Rosa Parks/Ms. Nesbit/Prosecution Attorney, recent Ryan Opera Center graduate Lindsey Reynolds as Mary Louise Smith/Classmate, mezzo sopranos Chrystal E. Willams as Aurelia Browder, Deborah Nansteel as Jo Ann Robinson/Fred Gray, and Cierra Byrd as Jeanetta Reese/Classmate/Officer/Judge, alongside COT favorite, Chicago-based mezzo soprano Leah Dexter as Susie “Mama Sue” McDonald. Conductor Michael Ellis Ingram and director Timothy Douglas make their COT debuts at the helm of the world premiere production.

Commissioned by American Lyric Theater (ALT) and developed under the auspices of ALT’s Composer Librettist Development Program, She Who Dared follows up on the critically acclaimed success of Chicago Opera Theater and American Lyric Theater’s previous collaboration on the world premiere of Justine F. Chen and David Simpatico’s The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing in 2023. With this latest production, COT and ALT continue their shared commitment to developing and presenting innovative new operas that push the boundaries of the art form while championing composers and librettists that reflect the diversity of contemporary American society.

"As the first professionally staged opera written by two Black women, this production is a testament to the evolving landscape of American opera,” said Chicago Opera Theater Edlis Neeson General Director Lawrence Edelson, who also commissioned the opera in his role as Artistic and General Director at American Lyric Theater. “Yet, while this historic milestone is worth celebrating, She Who Dared stands on its own as a remarkable new addition to the repertoire. Jasmine and Deborah are two of the most exciting artists working in opera today. With an incredibly compelling story that speaks to resilience, justice, and the power of community and its rich, evocative score, She Who Dared is a gripping, revelatory work — one that exemplifies the power of opera to illuminate the past while speaking directly to the present.”

Related Programming: 

Sounds of Progress: Opera and the Civil Rights Movement – Free Concert

Saturday, May 10 at 2:00 PM

DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center - 740 E 56th Pl. in Washington Park

Leading up to the premiere of She Who Dared, COT is partnering with Chicago’s DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center for a free concert – Sounds of Progress: Opera and the Civil Rights Movement. This special community event is being presented as part of the Museum’s focus throughout the month of May on the people, places, and events that helped shape and define the era of The Civil Rights Movement. Through powerful music and storytelling, this concert will explore the role of opera in amplifying the voices of those who fought for civil rights, including a preview from She Who Dared alongside scenes from Loving v. Virginia (Damien Geter/Jessica Murphy Moo), Appomattox (Philip Glass/Christopher Hampton), X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X (Anthony Davis/Thulani Davis), Freedom Ride (Dan Shore), This Little Light of Mine (Chandler Carter/Diana Solomon Glover), and others. This concert is free, advanced registration is encouraged at chicagooperatheater.org/sounds-of-progress.

Close Up with She Who Dared – Free Preview Event

Thursday, May 15 at 6:00 PM

The Newberry Library- Ruggles Hall - 60 W Walton St.

Composer Jasmine Arielle Barnes, librettist Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton, and COT General Director Lawrence Edelson lead a discussion about She Who Dared with excerpts from the opera performed live by members of the cast. Audiences get a sneak peek of the world premiere opera before its debut on June 3 and get a look behind the curtain into the development process of a new opera. This event is free, advanced registration is encouraged at chicagooperatheater.org/close-up-she-who-dared.

Opera For All – All School Showcase – Free Event

Tuesday, May 20 at 12:00 Noon

Studebaker Theater in the Fine Arts Building – 410 S. Michigan Avenue

She Who Dared librettist Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton has been working this season with COT’s Director of Education and Community Engagement, Veronica Chamberlain, to develop a supplement to COT’s Opera for All curriculum. Opera for all provides students in 24 classrooms in Chicagoland the opportunity to experience first-hand the power of bringing stories to life through opera. With Mouton’s guidance, this year, students have learned to tap into stories that are personally relevant to their history as the basis for their operatic works. Students will present the culmination of this year-long partnership during an all-school showcase on May 20, presented in partnership with the Fine Arts Building and the Studebaker Theater. To learn more about COT’s innovative education program Opera For All, visit chicagooperatheater.org/opera-for-all.

About Jasmine Arielle Barnes

Jasmine Arielle Barnes is an Emmy award winning composer and acclaimed vocalist who has performed and has had her music performed worldwide. Her music has been described as “refreshing.., engaging..., exciting” by San Francisco Classical Voice, "Beautifully lyrical" by The Telegraph (UK), and “the best possible blend of Billie Holiday and Claude Debussy” by the Boston Globe. The twice over graduate from Morgan State University is a recent recipient of Opera America’s Discovery Opera Grant for women. A distinguished member of The Blacknificent 7 Collective and aluma of American Lyric Theater’s Composer Librettist Development Program, she has been commissioned by numerous organizations such as NY Philharmonic, American Composers Forum, and Juilliard Pre College, San Francisco Symphony, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Carnegie Hall, Washington National Opera and the Kennedy Center, Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Aspen Music Festival and School, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Apollo Chamber Players, Baltimore Choral Arts, CityMusic Cleveland, LyricFest Philadelphia, among others. For more information visit jasminebarnescomposer.com.

About Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton

Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton is an award-winning author, playwright, director, performer, artist, and the first Black Poet Laureate of Houston, TX. Praised by the NY Times as an artist who “defies categorization”, her genre-bending works span from stage to page. She is the author of Newsworthy (Bloomsday Literary, 2019) which was translated into German (Berichtenswert, Elif Verlag, 2020), Black Chameleon (Henry Holt, 2023), and an upcoming children's book, Hush Hush Hurricane (Kokila Books). She’s penned stage works including Marian's Song (Houston Grand Opera), Atlanta: 1906 (Atlanta Opera) & On My Mind (Opera Theater St. Louis). Serving as Playwright/Director, she produced The World's Intermission, commissioned by Performing Arts Houston (Jones Hall), and Plumshuga: The Rise of Lauren Anderson, a choreopoem (Stages Theater) which made the cover of the NYT Culture section. Her recent memoir, Black Chameleon, which was awarded the Carr P. Collins award for Best Nonfiction through the Texas Institute of Letters (2024), examines Black womanhood through Afrofuturistic mythology. Stories that Mouton later adapted into a storybook opera (Lula, the Mighty Griot, HGO) and an independent short film (Headache & Heartthrob).  A former Resident Artist with the American Lyric Theater, Rice University, and the Houston Museum of African American Culture, her upcoming projects will debut at The Kennedy Center and Chicago Opera Theater. She resides in Houston, TX. For more information visit livelifedeep.com.

About Chicago Opera Theater

Chicago Opera Theater’s mission is to enrich the lives of those who live, work and play in Chicago by bringing rarely produced and contemporary operas to life, supporting gifted emerging artists, and providing hands-on experiences with opera that entertain, empower creativity, and cultivate a lasting and meaningful connection to the arts. COT serves Chicago through unique, relevant, and innovative opera experiences that reflect the aspirations of our city — dynamic, inclusive, and forward-thinking — fostering inspiration, dialogue and belonging. Since its founding in 1973, COT has grown from a grassroots community-based company to a national leader in an increasingly vibrant, diverse, and forward-looking art form. COT has staged over 160 operas, including over 90 Chicago premieres and 50 operas by American composers. COT is led by Edlis Neeson General Director Lawrence Edelson, who was appointed in 2023. For more information visit chicagooperatheater.org

The World Premiere Production of She Who Dared at Chicago Opera Theater has been made possible with generous leadership support from The National Endowment for the Arts and Ethel Gofen; with additional support from Fred and Phoebe Boelter the Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trusts, The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, the Amphion Foundation, and The Alice M. Ditson Fund. Sounds of Progress: Opera and the Civil Rights Movement has been made possible with generous support from the Robert & Isabelle Bass Foundation, Inc.

Chicago Opera Theater thanks Nancy Dehmlow and the Morse & Genius Operating Reserve Fund for their generous support of the 2024/25 season.

She Who Dared was commissioned by American Lyric Theater and developed under the auspices of ALT’s Composer Librettist Development Program. Workshop support for She Who Dared was generously provided by OPERA America’s Repertoire Development Grant Program, with support from The Helen F. Whitaker Fund; Lee Day Gillespie; Lloyd and Mary Ann Gerlach; The Mellon Foundation; The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation; and The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Jasmine Barnes’ commission fee has been underwritten in part by generous support from OPERA America’s Commissioning Grants for Women Composers, supported by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation. Additional developmental support for Jasmine Barnes has been provided by OPERA America’s Discovery Grant Program, supported by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.

The critically acclaimed Trinity Irish Dance Company (TIDC), a Chicago-based company whose internationally-celebrated versatility and percussive power have been hailed as “impossibly complex” (The New York Times) and “sophisticated and commanding” (Los Angeles Times), will launch its 35th Anniversary season at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) in May. Led by the consistent pioneering vision of Founding Artistic Director Mark Howard, the 35- year evolution of this company is leading to a flurry of major milestone moments - including the world premiere of groundbreaking work at the MCA, the company’s Jacob’s Pillow debut, and administrative and artistic expansion.

MCA 35th Anniversary Kick-Off: May 16-18

The highly anticipated main event will be the world premiere of The Sash, and its companion dance, Taking the Mick, which celebrated its premiere last spring at TIDC’s annual Auditorium Theatre performance.

Two years in the making, these companion works are inspired by the Irish on both sides of the pond: Taking the Mick, “whimsy meets percussive ferocity” (Chicago Reader) choreographed by Howard and Associate Artistic Director and dancer Chelsea Hoy, is set against a vaudevillian era narrative that dances amongst the madness between Irish immigrant insecurities, social mobility, one-upmanship and assimilation into America.

The Sash, choreographed by Founding Artistic Director Mark Howard, Associate Artistic Director and dancer Chelsea Hoy and guest contemporary choreographer Stephanie Martinez, founder and Artistic Director of Chicago’s PARA.MAR Dance Theatre, presents an unprecedented movement vocabulary that brings the virtuosity and versatility of TIDC’s artists to a new level. Fusing Irish precision, traditions, and history with contemporary flair, The Sash brings to life Northern Irish composer Kevin Sharkey’s dream inspired by his childhood during the “Northern Ireland Troubles,” and reminding audiences that unity is stronger than conflict.

Set to a rousing score by Sharkey, the world premiere also features dialogue from the hit television series Derry Girls as well as spoken text provided by acclaimed Irish actress Eva Birthistle of the famed television series Bad Sisters.

“These companion works and their range represent a sort of ‘Sergeant Pepper’ moment for us,” says Howard. “Ours is a company that continuously and seamlessly re-grows to meet its expanding potential. Our artists’ movement vocabulary and prowess are developing at breakneck speed, and as choreographers, we love nothing more than to create new landscapes and open up new portals for our company members to soar through.”

The program will be rounded out with audience favorites that showcase the range of TIDC’s genre-defying repertoire, including Howard’s Push, an explosion of hard-driving percussive power demonstrates the company’s consistent message of female empowerment; and Michelle Dorrance and Melinda Sullivan's American Traffic, a hybrid of Irish step and American tap that plays at the intersection of rhythmic sensibilities and rebellious histories, amongst others. The program will feature original live music performed by TIDC’s band, fronted by Killarney-raised, New York City-based Brenoshea; company member Francisco Lemus who was named in Dance Magazine’s 2025 “Top 25 to Watch,” and a prelude that will introduce audiences to ten international dancers that make up TIDC’s brand-new Training Company, showcasing the high- powered athleticism of these new artists hailing from the US, Mexico, and Canada.

The four-performance series at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave., May 16-18 will include:

• Friday, May 16: 7 m. - 11 p.m. - Opening night performance and 35th Anniversary gala celebration
• Saturday, May 17: 2 m. matinee and 7:30 p.m. performance
• Sunday, May 18: 1 m. matinee

The opening night performance and gala celebration will honor Trinity Warrior Award recipient Mark Kelly, former commissioner of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and Agnes Howard Award recipient Rie McGarry, who served as TIDC’s devoted costume manager and traveled with the company for more than a decade. The post- performance celebration will also feature drinks, light fare and celebrating with the artists.

Tickets for TIDC’s MCA engagement are on sale now and range from $40 to $80. Tickets for the opening night gala performance are priced at $275.

MAKING HISTORY - JACOB’S PILLOW

Following their MCA engagement, TIDC will celebrate their debut at Jacob’s Pillow, America’s longest running international dance festival, which celebrates its 93rd season in Summer 2025. Their engagement will feature six performances from July 10-13.

"Trinity Irish Dance Company embodies the spirit of tradition and innovation that we look for," said Jacob’s Pillow’s Executive and Artistic Director Pamela Tatge. “The company's commitment to blending the bold energy of Irish dance with contemporary sensibilities is unmatched. Their performances will mark the first time Jacob’s Pillow has presented a full program of Irish dance on the Ted Shawn Theatre stage. We can’t wait to celebrate their 35th Anniversary with their Jacob’s Pillow debut.”

For tickets and more information about their 35th Anniversary Season, please visit trinityirishdancecompany.com/performances.

EXPANSION

Leading into its 35^th Anniversary Season, TIDC is celebrating artistic and administrative expansion. The company recently welcomed a longtime leader in the Chicago dance community, former executive director of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and River North Dance Chicago, Gail Kalver, to their team as Development Manager and Board Liaison. In response to growing interest from elite dancers around the globe to join TIDC’s mission and study Howard’s unique movement genre, known as progressive Irish dance, TIDC launched a new Training Company this fall.

The Den Theatre today announced upcoming June 2025 shows at the theatre's Wicker Park stages at 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., including "Anatomy of Murder" Podcast on June 4; Beth Stelling on June 6–7; IMHO: The Show on June 8; Gabby Bryan on June 12; Grace Helbig: "Let Me Get This Off My Chest" on June 14; Steve Hofstetter on June 15; Leah & Andrew Rudick on June 22; Rob Kazi on June 25; Alex Edelman on June 26; and Melissa Villaseñor on June 27–28. Tickets are now on sale at www.thedentheatre.com or by calling (773) 697-3830. 

"Anatomy of Murder" Podcast

Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at 7:15 p.m.

Tickets: $27 - $50

"Anatomy of Murder" is a weekly true-crime podcast examining homicide cases and the paths to justice for victims. Former New York City homicide prosecutor and host of Investigation Discovery's "True Conviction," Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi, teams up with Emmy Award-winning investigative journalist and former deputy sheriff Scott Weinberger to take listeners behind the scenes for an insider's perspective on compelling cases from around the country. Each episode also features insight from a victim's family member, the prosecutor, or a member of law enforcement directly involved in the investigation.

Beth Stelling

Friday, June 6, 2025 at 7:15 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 7, 2025 at 7:15 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.

Tickets: $22 - $40

Beth Stelling is a comedian, writer, and actress based in Los Angeles. Her Netflix special "If You Didn't Want Me Then" topped several "Best of 2023" lists. She also appeared in the first season of Netflix's "The Standups." Conan O'Brien produced Stelling's previous hourlong special, "Girl Daddy," for HBO Max. She has written for television series including "Rick and Morty," "Strange Planet," "The Last O.G.," "I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman," "Another Period," and "Crashing" on HBO. A sought-after punch-up writer for feature films, she worked on Universal's hit "Good Boys" as an on-set writer. Stelling has guest-starred on Amazon's "Red Oaks," Comedy Central's "Corporate," and Peacock's "Rutherford Falls," where she played Ms. Fish. She also co-hosts the podcast "Sweethearts" with her best friend, Mo Welch.

IMHO: The Show

Sunday, June 8, 2025 at 7:15 p.m.

Tickets: $22 - $40

Darby Lynn Cartwright is a [redacted]-year-old drag queen with a heart of gold and arteries her doctors have called "worrisome." She hosts the YouTube series "IMHO: The Show" and the podcast "IMHO: The Podcast" with her best co-worker/acquaintance, Alexis Bevels. She also co-hosts the podcast "Twinnuendo" with her twin brother — spoiler: they are not fans of their dad.

Darby invented the concept of having a couch in front of her TV (she swears), allowing her to lie down while watching K-dramas about falling in love with demons — who are also horses, she thinks? She lives in Los Angeles, near Mark Hamill, and once almost hit him with her car while he was Luke jaywalking (yes, really). He was wearing large 1980s-style radio headphones with an antenna.

Darby has never seen a single "Star Wars" movie because she hates war...and space.

Alexis P. Bevels is a singing, dancing, twirling queen with a head full of air and a heart full of gold. She began her journey in musical theatre but didn't want to play just one part — she wanted to be the lead, director, costume designer and stage manager. Naturally, she became a full-time drag queen.

She lives in Los Angeles at the bottom of a hill, which worries her because...mudslides. When not living in constant fear, she's excited to report she has a boyfriend now — you can Google it. It's true.

You can also find Alexis on the award-winning YouTube series "IMHO: The Show" and the award-not-yet-winning podcast "IMHO: The Podcast." Otherwise, she's probably lying down somewhere, thinking about pogs.

IMHO: Live!

The ladies of IMHO are back in Chicago, gay people and others! Darby and Alexis return with a live show that is sure to make you say, "Oh, okay cool." There will be singing, sort-of dancing, comedy, trauma, and videos YouTube has called "not appropriate."

It's not just Darby and Alexis coming to town either — expect surprise guests from the IMHOCU (IMHO Cinematic Universe)! Also, the ladies promise not to make the show too long because they both have undiagnosed ADHD, so...they get it.

Gabby Bryan

Thursday, June 12, 2025 at 7:15 p.m.

Tickets: $22 - $37

Gabby Bryan is a New York-based stand-up comedian, actress, Emmy Award-winning producer and self-proclaimed girlie girl. This winter, she brought her Fringe hit "Billy and the Situation" to Union Hall, earning praise from The New York Times after a successful run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. She appeared alongside Olivia Wilde and Oscar Isaac in the film "Life Itself" (Amazon Prime), starred in the bilingual film "Ruta Viva" (HBO), and was featured in Ilana Glazer's special "Comedy on Earth" (Comedy Central). Bryan co-hosts "L'Podcast" with comedian Zack Signore, as well as "Let Me Ask My Dad" with musician and composer David Bryan. She has performed globally, with shows in London, Dublin, Los Angeles and Boston, and will launch her headlining tour, "Gabby Bryan Is My Best Friend," this fall. Bryan has built a large social media following of more than 270,000, sharing viral stand-up clips and comedy sketches. Follow her @gabbyisbryan on all platforms.

Grace Helbig: "Let Me Get This Off My Chest"

Saturday, June 14, 2025 at 7:15 p.m.

Tickets: $25 - $40

At 37, Grace Helbig was diagnosed with breast cancer — no family history, no pre-existing conditions. Her new show, "Let Me Get This Off My Chest," offers darkly humorous lessons and confessions from her unexpected journey through cancer treatment.

Steve Hofstetter

Sunday, June 15, 2025 at 7:15 p.m.

VIP Front Row Table + Meet & Greet: $150

Tickets: $25 - $55

One of YouTube's most popular comics with more than 225 million views and half a billion more on Facebook, Steve Hofstetter is also the host of "Finding Babe Ruth" on FS1. Hofstetter was the host and executive producer of "Laughs" (FOX) and has appeared on CBS' "The Late Late Show," E! "True Hollywood Story," "Comics Unleashed" and more. He has sold out shows in hundreds of cities and dozens of countries. Now is your chance to find out what the fuss is about during this no-holds-barred stand-up performance, featuring some of his unfiltered observations about life.

Leah & Andrew Rudick

Sunday, June 22, 2025 at 7:15 p.m.

Tickets: $25 - $45

Leah Rudick is an actor, writer and comedian whose viral comedy videos on TikTok and Instagram have amassed more than 1 million followers and counting. Best known for her "Wealthy Woman" character—an oblivious but lovable billionaire who delights in middle-class adventures—Rudick has cultivated a loyal fan base, with her videos topping 100 million views.

Springboarding off that success, she has spent the past year on the road, headlining and selling out top clubs across the country. Her unique brand of "weird girl" comedy has captivated audiences from all walks of life. Recent comedy festivals include Moontower JFL, San Francisco Sketchfest and Laughing Skull Fest.

Her TV appearances include HBO's "High Maintenance," IFC's "Commuters," and "Fast Company with James Corden." In 2024, she released her first one-hour comedy special, Spiraling, available to stream on Amazon and Apple TV.

"Going on flights of anxiety-fueled imagination, Rudick starts from a relative point of relatable normalcy, but simmers her way to as ridiculous a conclusion to a bit as she can conjure... The journey in this hour, richly colored by her unconscious, is akin to tasting your new favorite sweet treats in that you might be unsure what's happening at first, but get obsessed with the longer you savor it."

— The Comedy Bureau on Spiraling

"Stop reading and go follow Leah Rudick and then come right back."

— Vulture

"In a world of income disparity, class divides and rampaging Karens, how the heck did comedian Leah Rudick's TikTok sensation Wealthy Woman become so darn beloved?"

— Cracked

Andrew Rudick is a nationally touring stand-up comedian, writer and actor. One of the fastest-rising comedians in the Midwest, he has been featured on the nationally syndicated Bob and Tom Show. His debut comedy album debuted at the top of the Apple Music charts and can be heard regularly on SiriusXM.

Combining Midwestern charm with high-energy absurdism, Rudick's stand-up is a hit both onstage and across social media. His videos have earned tens of millions of views and more than 100,000 followers across platforms. His relatable energy landed him an appearance on HGTV's Design Fails.

He has performed at prestigious comedy festivals including Limestone Comedy Festival, North Carolina Comedy Festival, Alternating Currents, Whiskey Bear, Let's Fest, Crossroads, Brew HaHa and Devil's Cup Comedy Festival.

Rudick is currently playing to sold-out crowds across the country with his sister Leah on their Rudick Siblings Tour.

He also loves Fleetwood Mac and doesn't care who knows it.

Rob Kazi

Wednesday, June 25, 2025 at 7:15 p.m.

Tickets: $21 - $36

Hailing from New Orleans, Rob Kazi is one of today's most dynamic and talented comedic actors, captivating audiences both online and on stage.

Known for his infectious humor and quick-witted storytelling, Kazi has built an impressive following through his high-energy, short-form comedy content that consistently delivers laughs.

With a natural gift for comedic timing and undeniable charisma, Kazi has transcended the digital realm to find success in stand-up comedy and acting. He made history as the first local New Orleans comedian to headline and sell out the Joy Theater.

His talent doesn't stop there. Kazi performed at the "Super Bold" 50 Cent comedy show for the Super Bowl and joined comedy heavyweights including Mike Epps, Lil Duval and Corey Holcomb on the "We Them Ones" comedy tour. His latest viral sensation, the character "BB Hell," has taken social media by storm, racking up more than 13 million views on Druski's "Coulda Been Records."

Whether he's performing live or creating viral moments online, Rob Kazi never fails to leave his audience in stitches—solidifying his place as a comedic powerhouse and beloved New Orleans icon.

Alex Edelman: Not Just For Us

Thursday, June 26, 2025 at 7:15 p.m.

Tickets: $30 - $40

One of the most critically hailed comedians of his generation, Alex Edelman is best known for solo shows that blur the line between his stand-up comedy roots and narrative-driven storytelling. His most recent offering, "Just for Us," played more than 500 performances around the world before premiering as an HBO original comedy special in April 2024. Along the way, it made award-winning stops in Melbourne, Edinburgh and London, and completed numerous sold-out runs in New York, where Edelman joined a small group of comedians who have performed on Broadway with a three-month stretch at the Hudson Theatre.

He previously won the prestigious Foster's Best Newcomer Prize at the 2014 Edinburgh Fringe Festival for his debut one-man show, "Millennial," becoming only the second American ever to do so—and the first since 1997. In 2024, Edelman received a special Tony Award, was named to the Time 100 list of most influential people, and won an Emmy Award.

Edelman appeared in Jerry Seinfeld's directorial debut for Netflix, "Unfrosted," alongside Seinfeld, Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Amy Schumer, Hugh Grant and others. He is currently developing a film with A24 that he will write, direct and star in, with Marc Platt and Steven Levenson producing. His debut nonfiction collection, "I Don't Belong Here," recently sold to Avid Reader at auction.

Next, Edelman will be seen starring in Greg Daniels' spinoff of "The Office" for Peacock. He also serves as a consulting producer on the show.

Beyond his on-camera work, Edelman was a staff writer on "The Great Indoors" for CBS, a story editor on "Teenage Bounty Hunters" for Netflix, and head writer for "Saturday Night Seder," which raised more than $3.5 million for the CDC COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund and featured talent such as Andy Cohen, Billy Porter, Dan Levy, Fran Drescher, Idina Menzel, Jason Alexander, Rachel Brosnahan and more.

He has written for outlets including The Atlantic and The Believer, produced documentaries for the U.S. State Department and ESPN's "30 for 30" series, and spent more than a decade working as a speechwriter for both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox.

Melissa Villaseñor

Friday, June 27, 2025 at 7:15 p.m.

Saturday, June 28, 2025 at 7:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Tickets: $22 - $40

Melissa Villaseñor broke barriers as the first-ever Latina cast member of "Saturday Night Live." A comedic impressions expert, she got her start as a semifinalist on "America's Got Talent." Some of her most memorable SNL impressions include Owen Wilson, Lady Gaga and Dolly Parton.

An accomplished voice actor, Villaseñor has voiced characters on several television shows, including Nickelodeon's "OK K.O.!" and "Rock, Paper, Scissors," and in films such as "Toy Story 4" and "Ralph Breaks the Internet." She received a Golden Globe nomination for her work. She was also a guest on Jerry Seinfeld's "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" and appeared in "Barry," "Crashing," and "Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens," among others.

Her multihyphenate talents span even further. She hosted the 2021 Independent Spirit Awards, published a self-help journal titled Whoops, I'm Awesome, recorded two music albums, had a Netflix special, and creates fine art.

Villaseñor's accolades include Forbes 30 Under 30, Rolling Stone's 50 Funniest People Right Now and CNN's Women in Comedy.

Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to conclude its 2024/25 Season with the world premiere of QUEEN FOR A DAY written by ensemble member Tyler Anthony Smith* and directed by Stephanie Shaw. This gay fantasia on national themes... wait, wrong play. This one-act comedy/drama/cry for help about a diva (Queen Elizabeth I, previously played by Cate Blanchett), another diva (America's first superstar designer Halston) and a very sane normal person (Liza Minnelli) will play July 9 – August 3, 2025 at the Bramble Arts Loft – The Berry, 5545 N. Clark St. in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 9, 2025 at handbagproductions.org. The press opening is Saturday, July 12 at 7:30 pm.

Please note: QUEEN FOR A DAY replaces Handbag's previously-announced production of ANNIE COKELEY, which will be staged at a later date.

The cast includes ensemble member Tyler Anthony Smith with Dakota Hughes and Will Lidke. Understudies include Wendy Hayne, Cory McMenomy and Brandon Nelson.

About the Production:

American fashion designer Roy Halston Frowick (Will Lidke), known to the world simply as Halston, is down on his luck. He's packing up his chic-as-hell Olympic Tower office for reasons he doesn't want to discuss. To make matters worse, Elizabeth I (Tyler Anthony Smith*) is knocking on his door. Yes, Elizabeth I, whose reign as Queen of England spanned from 1558 to 1603. But it's 1984 in New York City. All that time spent at Studio 54 might be starting to catch up to the King of Minimalism's brain.

Elizabeth I demands that Roy (who hates being called that) make her a new gown to (she lets out a singular cough) die in. Oh, and she needs it by the end of the day, even though he seems to be in the midst of a breakdown. He takes her money and agrees, and the unlikely pair moves forward with the design of a lifetime. That is until Halston has to help his best friend, Liza Minnelli (Dakota Hughes), with her new act. Any questions?

The production team includes Taylor Dalton (Scenic Designer), Rachel M. Sypniewski (Costume Designer), Garrett Bell (Lighting Designer), Miranda Coble (Sound Designer), Maggie O'Brien (Props Designer), Syd Genco* (Make-up Designer), Keith Ryan* (Wig Designer), Jacob Sousley (Assistant Director), Tom Daniel (Technical Director), Tyler Anthony Smith* (Production Manager), Michael S. Miller* (Graphic Designer) and Jenna Raithel (Stage Manager).

*Denotes Handbag Ensemble Member

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Title: QUEEN FOR A DAY

Playwright: Tyler Anthony Smith*
Director: Stephanie Shaw
Cast (in alphabetical order): Dakota Hughes (Liza Minnelli), Will Lidke (Halston) and Tyler Anthony Smith* (Elizabeth I). Understudies: Wendy Hayne, Cory McMenomy and Brandon Nelson.

Location: Bramble Arts Loft – The Berry, 5545 N. Clark St., Chicago

Previews: Wednesday, July 9 at 7:30 pm, Thursday, July 10 at 7:30 pm and Friday, July 11 at 7:30 pm.
Regular run: Sunday, July 13 – Sunday, August 3, 2025
Curtain Times: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 4 pm & 7:30 pm; and Sundays at 4 pm. Please note: there will be an added performance on Monday, July 28 at 7:30 pm (Industry Night).

Tickets: Previews: $25. General admission: $35. VIP reserved: $43. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 9, 2025 at handbagproductions.org/

About the Artists:

Tyler Anthony Smith (Playwright) is the unwell Hell in a Handbag ensemble member responsible for creating last season's megamusical, Poor People! Some other Chicago companies Miss Smith has worked with include: Haven (Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Jeff Award, Performer in a Principal Role - Musical), [producing body], Curious Theatre Branch (Rhino Fest), Sweetback Productions, The Neo-Futurists and Eclipse Theatre Company. Tyler appeared Off-Off-Broadway at La MaMa via Hell in a Handbag. He/She/They is/is/are represented by DDO. Instagram: @judithnightlight

Stephanie Shaw (Director) has presented her original solo performance work for a wide range of venues in the Chicago area, as well as NYC. An alumni member of the Neo-Futurists, she wrote and performed regularly for Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind for five years. She has directed a number of Solo Shows for Live Bait Theatre, The New York Fringe, Sweetback Productions and the simple pleasure of Tyler Anthony Smith and his audiences. She directed Tyler's Poor People! The Parody Musical, Frankenstreisand and Out! Darn Spot for Hell In A Handbag, as well as his People Do Do Such Things, The Kindness of Mangers and I Know You Need My Verve. She has directed for The Neo-Futurists, The New York Fringe, Oak Park Festival Theatre, MirrorBox Theatre (Cedar Rapids) and over a dozen plays and musicals for the theatre department of Columbia College Chicago, where she is a Professor of Instruction. Once upon a time, she was a theatre critic for the Chicago Reader.

About Hell in a Handbag Productions:

Hell in a Handbag is dedicated to the preservation, exploration, and celebration of works ingrained in the realm of popular culture via theatrical productions through parody, music and homage. Handbag is a 501(c)(3) Not for Profit. For additional information, visit handbagproductions.org.

BrightSide Theatre, Naperville’s professional theatre company, has announced the cast for the final show of its 13^th season – the Stephen Schwartz/Roger O. Hirson musical PIPPIN. This tale of a prince who learns the true meaning of glory, love, and war ran for nearly five years in its original Broadway production, thanks to the captivating songs by Schwartz (songwriter of WICKED, GODSPELL, THE MAGIC SHOW and others), and the stunning staging and choreography by the legendary Bob Fosse. A Broadway-sized cast of 17 and an orchestra of seven will bring PIPPIN to life for BrightSide in a glorious, fully staged production at the company’s home venue of the Meiley-Swallow Hall at North Central College, from June 13 – 29. BrightSide Theatre’s Artistic Director Jeffrey Cass, whose more than 30 productions for BrightSide Theatre include such musicals as JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, CHESS IN CONCERT, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC and GYPSY, will direct. Phil Videckis, music director for BrightSide’s JEKYLL AND HYDE IN CONCERT and JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, will be music director for Schwartz’s marvelous score that includes the legendary opening number “Magic to Do,” the plaintive “Corner of the Sky,” and the comic “No Time at All.” Aria Brynne, a recent graduate of Columbia College Chicago, who recently created the dances for THE PROM with St. Paul Conservatory of the Arts, is Choreographer. 

BrightSide’s PIPPIN cast will include Kassidy Alderman (Player, Chicago), Matthew Andresen (Player, Greenfield WI), Stan Austin (Charles/Player, Winfield), Michelle Bolliger (Fastrada/Player, Roselle), Shane Alexander Brown (Player, Villa Park), Evelyn Dorough (Theo, Plainfield), Thomas Ferro (Lewis/Player, Chicago), Erol Ibrahimovic (Player, Chicago), Delaney Katz (Player, Lake Zurich), Meghan Kessel (Player, Chicago), Cheryl Newman (Berthe/Player, Naperville), Tommy O'Brien (Pippin, Chicago), Asia Posey (Leading Player, Chicago), Monica Romo (Player, Niles), Amy Steele (Catherine/Player, Naperville), Jubilee Tai (Player, Elk Grove Village), and Amanda Vinson (Player, Chicago).

The production team, in addition to Cass, Videckis and Brynne, includes Arabella Zurbano (Scenic Designer), Cheryl Newman (Costume Designer), Kurt Ottinger (Lighting Designer), Delaney Kosar (Props Designer), Gabe Seplow (Production Manager), and Jeff Sand (Technical Director). 

PIPPIN will be performed in the Theatre at Meiley-Swallow Hall, North Central College, 31 S. Ellsworth, Naperville. Tickets are $37.00 for adults and $32.00 for students and seniors and are on sale now at www.BrightSidetheatre.com or by phone at 630-447-TIXS (8497). 

LISTING INFORMATION 

PIPPIN

Book by Roger O. Hirson

Music & Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz

Directed by Jeffrey Cass

Music Direction by Phil Videckis

Choreography by Aria Brynne

June 13-29, 2025

Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 pm

Press Opening Friday, June 13 at 7:30 pm

Theatre at Meiley-Swallow Hall

North Central College, 31 S. Ellsworth in Naperville

Tickets $32 - $37, available at www.BrightSideTheatre.com or at 630-447-TIXS (8497)

From the Tony Award winning composer of WICKED and GODSPELL, Stephen Schwartz, comes a captivating tale of a prince who learns the true meaning of glory, love, and war that will sweep you off your feet. With its unforgettable music, dynamic choreography, and imaginative storytelling, PIPPIN is a feast for the senses. There’s magic to do as the young prince finds that happiness lies not in extraordinary endeavors, but rather in the unextraordinary moments that happen every day.

BIOS 

Jeffrey Cass (Artistic Director/Director) is a Joseph Jefferson Award Nominee and has successfully directed over 30 Productions for BrightSide Theatre, most recently JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, CHESS IN CONCERT, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC and GYPSY. He also played “Edna” in BST’s production of HAIRSPRAY. He holds a B.F.A. in Musical Theater Performance from Roosevelt University. He previously served as the Producing Director for Circle Theatre where he directed eight productions, including THE WHO’S TOMMY (6 Joseph Jefferson Nominations including Best Musical and Best Director).

Stephen Schwartz (Music and Lyrics). Stephen Schwartz wrote the music and lyrics for the current Broadway hit WICKED. In addition, he has contributed music and lyrics to GODSPELL, PIPPIN, THE BAKER’S WIFE, WORKING, CHILDREN OF EDEN, RAGS (music by Charles Strouse), SNAPSHOTS: A MUSICAL SCRAPBOOK, THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (music by Alan Menken) and THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, as well as two musicals for younger audiences, CAPTAIN LOUIE and MY SON PINOCCHIO. Mr. Schwartz has been inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame and has been given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Awards include three Academy Awards, four Grammy Awards, and a special Tony Award for his support of young theatre artists.

Roger O. Hirson (Book).  Awards and nominations: 1973 Tony Award® Best Book of a Musical Pippin [nominee] 1967 Tony Award® Best Musical Walking Happy [nominee] Productions: PIPPIN Book [Original, Musical, Comedy] (Oct 23, 1972 - Jun 12, 1977). WALKING HAPPY Book [Original, Musical] (Nov 26, 1966 - Apr 22, 1967).

ABOUT BRIGHTSIDE THEATRE

BrightSide Theatre (Jeffrey Cass, Artistic Director and Julie Ann Kornak, Executive Director) is committed to Enlighten, Educate, and Entertain through comedies and inspirational stories from across the globe.  A unique blend of award-winners, premieres, modern works and timeless classics meant to reflect upon and inform our community inhabit BrightSide’s stage. For more information on BrightSide Theatre, please visit www.BrightSidetheatre.com.

Eight Chicago artists from diverse backgrounds and disciplines have spent the last eight months in residence at the Chicago Puppet Lab, a program of the Chicago Puppet International Puppet Theater Festival, where they have been expanding their skill sets by creating new, original puppet theater works.

On May 29 through June 1, the 2024-25 Chicago Puppet Lab cohort will present their emerging works at the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center, 4046 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago.

The 2025 Chicago Puppet Lab Showcase includes two rotating group shows, each featuring diverse works in progress by Chicago artists. Program A features Irene Wa., madigan burke, Sam Lewis and Charlie Malavé. Program B showcases work by Ruby Que, Anthony-Michael Stokes, Robbie Lynn Hunsinger and Michele Stine.

Tickets to each program, $20 regular/$15 student and seniors, are now on sale at chicagopuppetfest.org.  Act fast to take advantage of a 20 percent early bird discount, or get 20 percent off with promo code LABAB when purchasing tickets to both programs. Follow the festival on Facebook, Instagram or Vimeo, hashtag #ChiPuppetFest. 

The Chicago Puppet Lab, led by co-directors Tom Lee and Grace Needlman, is the developmental arm of the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival. In addition to presenting the largest annual puppetry festival of its kind in North America, the Festival’s Puppet Lab is an education space that incubates new works of boundary-breaking puppetry in Chicago, expands equity in the field of puppetry, and encourages interdisciplinary experimentation in puppet theater. 

Program A – Friday, May 30 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, May 31 at 3 p.m.; and Sunday, June 1 at 7 p.m. – includes:

she is drying
By Irene Wa.

Two characters and an excess of strings come together in a dance that explores the restriction of movement and the tension of dependency. It delves into the inner self; an encounter, an appearance, a fantasy. Featuring a large scale marionette. Music by Kobe.

Irene Wa. is a Mexican interdisciplinary artist who works in drawing, sculpture, ceramics, video, and writing. She holds a Master’s in Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City.

Operating Theater
By madigan burke


Join madigan and Harvey, two highly qualified medical puppet professionals, as they perform a surgery. Featuring figurative puppets and live feed video puppetry.

Burke (they/them) is a genderqueer ex-mechanical engineer turned multidisciplinary artist who likes to draw cartoons, make funny films, and sometimes create edgy and endearing puppet characters.

Black Episcopalian
By Sam Lewis


Sam asks his mom about their origins in the Episcopal Church. The incredible answer takes Sam on a journey back to his birthplace in rural Tennessee, uncovering a history he could have never imagined. Featuring live feed multiplane projection.

Sam Lewis is an actor, poet, vocalist, and recently, an “accidental puppeteer” because, in the early 2000s, he came across a vintage Black Americana marionette in an attic, which started him on an unexpected puppetry journey. Lewis explores racial issues and negative iconography with that marionette, renamed Jus Hambone.

A Suite of Dreams
By Charlie Malavé

Images, sounds and feelings pulled directly from the dream world into the shared waking world. A dream story told in the language of symbols. Puppetry styles include projected and manipulated shadows and puppet miniatures.

Charlie Malavé (he/him) is a musician, multi-instrumentalist, performing artist, and video maker whose body of work has produced an array of unique instruments, compositions, music videos, webisodes and theatrical productions. He’s also one of the leaders of the Chicago band, Mucca Pazza.

Program B - Thursday, May 29 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, May 31 at 7 p.m.; and Sunday,
June 1 at 3 p.m. - features:

Touch
By Ruby Que

Touch plays with constructed invisibility to propose new ways of seeing and communicating using object puppetry, live sensor input from a puppet microphone and ice puppetry.

Ruby Que (they/them) is a multidisciplinary artist with a focus on site-specific intervention and expanded cinema performance. In their work they open portals and create hauntings.

Anansi - a Dispersal of Wisdom
By Anthony-Michael Stokes

The aspiring god of storytelling earns their title by being entrusted by the elder Sky God Nyame, with an impossible task of traveling the world and gathering all the stories and wisdom. A Griot storyteller, immersive, spiritual experience; his quest reveals that no one has more lessons to be learned than Anansi himself, a “Humanette” large scale solo puppet.

Anthony-Michael Stokes is a newly-arrived, Chicago-based multidisciplinary teaching artist and award-winning educator. Originally from El Paso, Stokes holds BFAs in music theater and dance and a masters in education. He has trained as a puppeteer with the Jim Henson Company and the Sesame Street Puppeteer workshop. He also presented The Scarecrow, his riff on The Wizard of Oz, at the 2025 Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival.

Shehnai Mist/Suona Flames
By Robbie Lynn Hunsinger
 
Transforming the moods and music of the Indian Shehnai and Chinese Suona into puppetry with translucent shadow puppetry, animations and wearable musical instrument puppets.

Robbie Lynn Hunsinger (she/her) is a professional classical oboist turned coder, multi-instrumentalist, composer, improviser, interactive installation artist and creative technologist. She specializes in live audiovisual performance and immersive interactive installations using motion, weight and sound activated triggers, robotics, responsive lights, custom circuits, multi-tracked audio and layered projections. 

AudioFile
By Michele Stine

A record player, a rotary phone, cassettes and ancient suitcases. The physical remnants of a life left behind, and the playground for someone to rediscover the joy of sound. Featuring object puppetry, crankie, figurative puppetry and solo.

Michele Stine (she/they) is an actor, clown and puppeteer. Stine spends time digging through trash alleys for materials, much to her mother’s dismay. They have performed with Rough House Theatre, Filament Theatre, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Theatre Unspeakable, Lifeline Theatre, Emerald City Theatre, Theatre SUMM, among others.

About the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival

Originally founded in 2015 as a project of Blair Thomas & Co., the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival has highlighted artists from nations including Belgium, Chile, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Mexico, Norway, Puerto Rico, Poland, Scotland and South Africa as well as from Chicago and across the U.S. with the goal of promoting peace, equality, and justice on a global scale. 

Already, the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival has grown to be the largest of its kind in North America. The seventh and most recent Festival in January 2025 spanned 12 days and dozens of Chicago venues, presenting an international pageant of puppet artists and more than 120 puppetry activities. This year’s Festival attracted a record 22,128 audience members from Chicago, the U.S. and around the world, and was named Best Performing Arts Festival by the Chicago Reader.

In 2022, under the leadership of Artistic Director and Festival Founder Blair Thomas and Executive Director Sandy Smith Gerding, the Festival moved from a biennial to an annual event, and tripled its footprint in Chicago’s historic Fine Arts Building. It opened an expanded office suite, debuted the Chicago Puppet Studio, which designs and fabricates puppets for theaters and events around the U.S., and launched the Chicago Puppet Lab, an education space and developmental residency designed to incubate more works of boundary-breaking puppetry in Chicago, expand equity in the field of puppetry, and encourage interdisciplinary experimentation in puppet theater.

The Chicago Puppet Lab and the Chicago Puppet Lab Showcase are generously supported by Kristy and Brandon Moran, the Pritzker Foundation and the Paul M. Angell Foundation.

For more information, visit chicagopuppetfest.org.