Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to continue its 2024/25 Season with the world premiere of Scary Town, Artistic Director David Cerda's semi-autobiographical tale about growing up, seeing things differently and questioning your very existence – as told through the lens of a little brown bunny. Directed by Cheryl Snodgrass, Scary Town will play April 9 – May 11, 2025 at Handbag's intimate artistic home The Clutch, 4335 N. Western Ave. in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood. Tickets are currently on sale at handbagproductions.org or buytickets.at/hellinahandbagproductions/1618086. 

Merry Town is the happiest town where all the animals live in harmony and wear cute outfits. Deven Bunny has lived there all his life and has always been taught it's the best place ever. But he's not a child anymore (he's turning 13) and suddenly he starts seeing things differently. When Deven discovers a deep dark family secret, it changes everything he thought knew about everything. Part Richard Scarry storybooks, a dash of soap opera and a loving touch of David Lynch for good measure, Scary Town is an adult children's play about growing up in a lie and living not so happily ever after.

The cast includes ensemble members Grant Drager*, Ed Jones*, Stevie Love*, Scott Sawa* and Danne W. Taylor* with Colin Callahan, Sophia Dennis, Al Duffy and Jerod Turner. Understudies include: Kelly Anchors, Wendy Hayne, Brandon Nelson, TJ O'Brien and Jack Oleg.

Comments Artistic Director and playwright David Cerda, "I've wanted to tell my story for what seems like forever, but I kept putting it off because I didn't want to write a traditional dysfunctional family drama. I wanted to capture the melodramatic nature of my life where ridiculousness is reality, and reality is ridiculous. Sharing my childhood story through the lens of some of my favorite storybook characters helped me discuss some complex and painful experiences without dragging everyone into an abyss of despair. I know people expect to laugh when they see one of my shows and I hope they do – but I also want to tell my truth, which isn't always pleasant."

The production team includes Marcus Klein (Scenic Designer), Rachel M. Sypniewski (Costume Designer), Liz Cooper (Lighting Designer), DJ Douglass (Sound Designer), Maggie O'Brien (Props Designer), Jabberwocky Marionettes (Puppet Designer), Syd Genco* (Makeup Design), Keith Ryan* (Wig Designer), Tom Daniel (Technical Director), Michael S. Miller* (Graphic Designer) and Veronica Kostka* (Stage Manager).

*Denotes Handbag Ensemble Member

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Title: Scary Town

Playwright: Artistic Director David Cerda*
Director: Cheryl Snodgrass
Cast (in alphabetical order): Colin Callahan (Deven Bunny), Sophia Dennis (Betsy Bunny, Trixie Bunny) Grant Drager* (Mrs. Fox, Benny Bunny) Al Duffy (Penelope Porcupine), Ed Jones* (Mrs. Wanda Water Buffalo), Stevie Love* (Mrs. Betty Bunny), Scott Sawa* (Officer Aardvark, Uncle Brian Bunny), Danne W. Taylor* (Granny Bunny) and Jerod Turner (Willie Worm). Understudies include: Kelly Anchors, Wendy Hayne, Brandon Nelson, TJ O'Brien and Jack Oleg.

Location: The Clutch, 4335 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL 60618

Previews: Wednesday, April 9 at 7:30 pm, Thursday, April 10 at 7:30 pm and Friday, April 11 at 7:30 pm
Press performances: Saturday, April 12 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, April 13 at 3 pm
Regular run: Thursday, April 24 – Sunday, May 11, 2025
Curtain Times: Thursday, Fridays and Saturday at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 3 pm & 7 pm. Please note: there will be an added performance on Monday, May 5 at 7:30 pm (Industry Night); there will not be a 7 pm performance on Sunday, May 11.

Tickets: Previews: $22. VIP reserved previews: $30. General admission: $35. VIP reserved: $43. Tickets are now on sale for all performance at handbagproductions.org or buytickets.at/hellinahandbagproductions/1618086.

About the Artists:

David Cerda (Playwright) is a founding member and Artistic Director of Hell in a Handbag Productions, now celebrating its 23^rd  year anniversary. As resident playwright, he has written many Handbag productions as well as acted in them. His play, The Drag Seed was recently produced at LaMaMa Experimental Theater and his Golden Girls Lost Episodes parody shows have been produced around the country and was featured in Golden Con: Thank you for being a Fan, the world's first fan convention dedicated to all things Golden Girls at Chicago's Navy Pier. Cerda is a proud inductee into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame and recipient of a Jeff Award for lifetime achievement for his 23 years (and counting) of work and service to the community. He lives in Chicago with his partner, Christopher.

Cheryl Snodgrass (Director) is an alumni ensemble member of Hell in a Handbag and returns to her artistic home for Scary Town. This is her ninth directing project with HIAH (Die Mommie!  Die!, Haywire, Rip Nelson's Halloween Spooktacular, SCARRIE: The Musical, L'Imitation of Life, The Birds, The Drag Seed and A Fine Feathered Murder) and her sixth David Cerda scribed show. Cheryl has worked extensively as a visiting artist at Mill Mountain Theatre and Studio Roanoke (Roanoke, VA). She has also directed for Sweetback, Glass Apple, Trap Door, The Foundlings, Tellin' Tales, Jonny Staxx Presents, Filet of Solo and Penobscot Theatre Company (Bangor, ME). 

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.

A.B.L.E.—Artists Breaking Limits & Expectations—a Chicago-based nonprofit that creates theatre and film for, with, and by individuals with Down syndrome and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) is thrilled to return to Chicago Shakespeare Theater with a re-imagining of the gothic classic Frankenstein running April 25-27, 2025.

The production will transform the Upstairs Studio into a run-down punk club called The Arctic. Music journalist Roberta Walton (played by Ryan Foley) is on site to cover the closing of the club, but instead finds a disoriented Victor Frankenstein (played by Marissa Bloodgood and Andrew Kosnik) and a much more interesting story! The neurodiverse ensemble - composed of 9 actors with varying disabilities and a team of facilitators - will play multiple characters as they bring Frankenstein's memories to life. The production blends music, movement, and scenes devised by the group into a powerful exploration of ambition, isolation, and the balance between the head and the heart. 

Writer and co-director Lawrence Kern, anchored this version of Frankenstein in the punk world to honor the rebellious spirit of the disability community. "Most people have a very clear picture in their head of what this story looks like with green makeup and neck bolts," says Kern. "We always want to challenge assumptions at A.B.L.E., to surprise our audiences, and leave room for our actors to put their own spin on things."

Through the 10-week rehearsal process, Kern and co-director Katie Yohe led a highly collaborative process that included actors developing their own choreography, infusing personal reflections and storytelling into the script, and developing scenes in the manner that best suited each individual performer. The result is a deeply personal production. "The Creature is really misunderstood and I know how that feels," says actor Zach Wandel. "When you move through the world with a disability, people treat you like a kid. And when you're an artist, like me, people don't take you seriously, or think your art is less than. But we deserve a chance." 

Before the show on Saturday April 26th, the public is invited to participate in a free 75-minute interactive workshop with the ensemble to learn more about how A.B.L.E. developed this adaptation. Audiences can experience some of the games and activities A.B.L.E. used to bring their ideas to the stage, get a touch tour of key costume pieces and props, and try A.B.L.E.'s signature "dropping in" method. This exclusive opportunity is only available to 20 ticket holders - space can be reserved when purchasing tickets.

A.B.L.E. is committed to ensuring everyone feels they belong in the theatre. In addition to supporting disabled actors onstage and backstage, all 3 performances include numerous accessibility supports for audience members of all ages and abilities. Open captioning is integrated into the design of the show. All performances are relaxed, and audience members will receive a social story before the show to help audience members know what to expect from their trip to the theatre. The performance on April 27th will be dual ASL interpreted. Yohe says,  "We hope we can set an example for our community of what true inclusion looks like both onstage and off."

Performances:

Friday April 25 at 7pm
Saturday April 26 at 2pm (free pre-show workshop at 10:30am)
Sunday April 27 at 2pm (ASL interpreted)

Run-time approximately 90 minutes

Chicago Shakespeare's Courtyard Theater
800 East Grand Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611

Tickets: Pay-what-you-can general admission ranging from $15-$45
Online: chicagoshakes.com/frankenstein
Phone: 312.595.5600
In person: at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater Box Office

Accessibility at all performances:

• Open captioning
• Relaxed performance including a designated movement zone
• Sensory support tools
• Wheelchair Access
• Masks are required for all attendees out of consideration for our immunocompromised community members

Frankenstein is sponsored by Charcoalblue. A.B.L.E.'s 2024-2025 Season is partially supported by The Arts Work Fund for Organizational Development, The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, FunFund, Fs Foundation, The Illinois Arts Council, The LaChapelle Family Foundation, The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, The Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ Ministry Fund, The National Endowment for the Arts, and generous individuals like you!

ABOUT A.B.L.E.

A.B.L.E. - Artists Breaking Limits & Expectations - is celebrating their 9th anniversary of creating theatre and film for, with, and by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Whether in person or online, all A.B.L.E. programs strive to foster agency, and nurture lifelong skills like communication, collaboration, and creativity. A.B.L.E.'s ensembles have produced more than 30 projects for the stage and screen, ranging from original work devised by the group, to Shakespearean classics, to award-winning feature films. A.B.L.E. also shares their unique approach for creative arts programming through workshops and residences with schools, community centers, and other organizations that serve people with disabilities, and also disability inclusion training for businesses. By placing disability in the spotlight, A.B.L.E. strives to shift societal preconceptions, and build more inclusive, empathetic communities.  Watch past shows, meet the team, and go behind the scenes at ableensemble.com

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER

A Regional Tony Award recipient, Chicago Shakespeare Theater produces a bold and innovative year-round season that includes Shakespeare, original plays, musicals, family programming, and international theatrical events. CST is committed to serving as a cultural center across its three stages—the 700+ seat Yard, 500-seat Jentes Family Courtyard Theater, and the 200-seat Carl and Marilynn Thoma Theater Upstairs as well as in classrooms, neighborhoods, and venues around the world. CST has a deep commitment to education and lifelong learning with robust programming for students, teachers, and lifelong learners, and engagement with communities across the city. Onstage, in classrooms and neighborhoods across the city, and in venues around the world, Chicago Shakespeare is a multifaceted theatre—inviting audiences, artists, and community members to share powerful stories that illuminate the complexities, ambiguities, and wonders of our world. www.chicagoshakes.com.

About Face Theatre announces the return of Re/Generation Studio, a weekend of community building, education, and performance to help build the future of queer theater. Re/Generation Studio will be held March 28-30, 2025, with free events at The Alice at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St and About Face Theatre HQ, 1922 W. Irving Park Rd.

All events and workshops are free and open to the public. Re/Generation Studio is recommended for ages 12 and older. Attendees are encouraged to register in advance at aboutfacetheatre.com/regeneration/, or in-person at the events. Early registration is encouraged to help About Face prepare space and food, and some events may reach capacity. See individual event listings below for more details.

Re/Generation Studio 2025 is a powerful expression of the About Face mission to advance LGBTQ+ equity through community building, education, and performance. Through a dynamic series of events, attendees can participate in new play development, dreaming and planning sessions, a wellness circle, intentional meetups and discussions, and other opportunities to connect and learn. 

"Re/Generation Studio was born out of vulnerable, passionate, and hopeful exchanges in the Fall of 2021. The pilot year was organized around a series of Saturday afternoon play readings. One of those plays, Lavender Men, was so well received we decided to move it forward into full production in our 22-23 season. The second time around, the Re/Gen schedule was expanded into a festival format adding workshops and intentional community gatherings. One of the devising sessions led to a new model for developing work and that has been a major focus of our current season. Building on this remarkable trajectory, we are thrilled to introduce our third round of Re/Gen Studio with special thanks to our generous colleagues at The Goodman," comments Artistic Director Megan Carney. "At About Face we are dedicated to ongoing evolution for the field and our culture. Re/Generation Studio is one of those bright spots in our theatre ecology."

About Face first premiered Re/Generation Studio in February 2023. It was envisioned as a space for reconnecting and re-imagining after the social and creative isolation of the pandemic. The first iteration of Re/Generation Studio included five play readings and workshops, featuring a wide variety of playwrights, directors, actors, and audience members. The overwhelmingly positive response to these workshops proved that Chicago's creative communities are eager for a chance to rebuild community bonds and engage in collective dreaming and creating.

The current Re/Generation Studio 2025 schedule follows. Additional events will be announced soon.

New Play Reading Workshop: Phases of the Moon

Written by Bryna Turner

Directed by Keira Fromm

Friday, March 28 at 6:00pm

The Alice at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn Street

Before she mastered the art of losing, the poet Elizabeth Bishop was a socialist vegetarian in a peacoat at Vassar College during the Great Depression. Following "Bishie" and her friends over a single lunar cycle during their senior year, Phases of the Moon begins with a ceremony gone awry and asks what's real under all the pretending.

Creative Sound Play for All

A Music and Wellness Workshop with Zahra Baker and Dionne Addai

Saturday, March 29, 2:00pm-2:45pm

The Alice at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn Street

Join us for a 45-minute workshop on practicing how to use your voice amidst community. We'll experiment with sounds and learn about the ways that sounds and reverberation can be used for self-soothing and regulation. All ages and experience levels are invited to engage in this workshop and wellness circle.

New Play Reading Workshop: Untitled Queer Romance or The Subject of You

Written by Michael Turrentine

Directed by Catherine Miller

Saturday, March 29 at 3:00pm

The Alice at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn Street

Matthew and Pat have met, gone on a few dates, and are awkwardly adorable. Autumn and Talia have been together for years and still have a spark about them. Lyle and Deja are about to embark on a journey neither are ready for. However, while we see Matthew and Pat in the midst of starting their relationship, Autumn and Talia are going from their ending to their beginning. "Untitled Queer Romance" is an exploration of how and why we connect, what differences we choose to highlight over our similarities, and makes us ask the question "Why are we here, together?"

Town Hall for Theater Directors and Makers: What do we need now?

Saturday, March 29, 5:00pm-6:00pm

The Alice at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn Street

As our producing landscape evolves and career development paths can feel murky, what support and opportunities do we need in order to grow in our craft? What kinds of community and institutional support would help? Directors and theatre artists of ALL experience levels are welcome − whether you've been directing and creating for years, or maybe you're curious about doing it someday − We want to hear from you! Please join us for this town hall discussion at Re/Gen 2025 to identify ways we can close gaps, share resources, and level up our field to sustain the people paving the way for the future of theatre. LGBTQ+ directors and makers will be centered though everyone is welcome at this Town Hall. About Face plans to organize and uplift our findings to the larger Chicago theatre community to help build the future.

New Play Reading Workshop: An Army of Lovers

Written by R. Eric Thomas

Directed by Mikael Burke

Saturday, March 29 at 6:00pm

The Alice at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn Street

Page Freemont, an aging queer activist is invited to the sleek, enclosed campus of a global communications company, by Chuck Dillahunt, an estranged friend from her early days. The company wants to give her an award at their first Pride celebration. She accepts but she does not come in peace. An Army of Lovers is a play about radical acts of existence, corporate culture as an oxymoron, and the freedom to be public.

Theatre for Learning and Liberation

Sunday, March 30 at 2:00pm

The Alice at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn Street

Calling all students, teaching artists, organizers, and educators! What makes a space inclusive and affirming? How are you navigating systems to connect in a meaningful way? What's working and what do you need? Let's connect, share resources, and strategize for the moment. This session is a space to share tips, games, and techniques about theatre as a tool for teaching and learning. No matter where you are in your teaching artist, peer educator, mentor, or student journey, we hope you'll come out for this interactive and fun session. Please plan to stick around to participate in About Face Theatre's interactive touring show, Life Out Loud: Voices of Pride starting at 3pm.

Performance and Discussion: Life Out Loud: Voices of Pride

Based on original writing and stories from the archives

Directed by Dionne Addai

Theatrical Consultation by Lexi Saunders

Featuring Haven A.J. Crawley, Sharon Pasia, and Ua Smith

Sunday, March 30 at 3:00pm

The Alice at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn Street

Three friends journey through a gallery filled with stories from LGBTQ folks from the past and present. Together we'll look back to move forward, gathering inspiration to inform our current choices, and build confidence in our voices. This interactive play uses monologues and improv to introduce the audience to gender expansive and inclusive vocabulary as well as healthy coping mechanisms and boundary setting.

Life Out Loud: Voices of Pride is one of our current touring programs. Since 1995, About Face has reached thousands of people each year by taking the power of theatre on the road to support personal and organizational growth. We provide touring workshops and performances that combine fun, interactive, and accessible theatre-based activities to increase a sense of belonging, invite brave dialogue, and move individuals and groups toward action. Join us for this session to enjoy some theatre for social change in action!

Trans Workplace Inclusion in 2025

Sunday March 30 at 4:30pm-6:00pm

The Alice at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn Street

In light of the current political climate, there have been questions about the state of workplace DEI initiatives and a targeting of the trans community. This 90-minute training is offered as part of the Trans-Inclusive Chicago Campaign from Chicago Therapy Collective and will focus on creating or maintaining practices that build a safe and welcoming workplace for trans employees. This session will explore hiring and workplace best practices, bystander intervention, and individual and institutional allyship. We look forward to seeing you there and collaborating to transform workplaces across our city

READING WORKSHOP ARTIST BIOS

Phases of the Moon Artists:

Bryna Turner (they/them)

Playwright

Bryna Turner is a Brooklyn-based playwright originally from Northern California. Their play At the Wedding had its world premiere at LCT3 at Lincoln Center Theater. It received the Laurie Foundation's Theatre Visions Fund Award, a NY Times Critic's Pick, and was featured in the NYT Best of 2022 "Unforgettable Theatrical Moments" category. Their play Bull in a China Shop also premiered at LCT3 and was a NY Times Critic's Pick. Other plays include Phases of the Moon and How to Separate Your Soul from Your Body (in ten easy steps!).

Keira Fromm (she/her)

Director

Keira is a Chicago-based, Jeff Award-nominated freelance director. She is a proud artistic associate at About Face Theatre where she's directed The Brightest Thing in the World, Bull in a China Shop, Significant Other, Bright Half Life, and A Kid Like Jake. Other recent favorite directing credits include: The Liar, The Moors, and A Doll's House (American Players Theatre), Mary's Wedding (Peninsula Players Theatre), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Milwaukee Chamber Theatre); The Last Match (Writers Theatre); Top Girls and hang (Remy Bumppo); The Columnist (American Blues Theatre); The How and the Why (TimeLine Theatre), Charles Ives Take Me Home (Strawdog), Broadsword (Gift Theatre), and Fallow (Steep Theatre). Keira received her MFA from DePaul University, is a Lincoln Center Directors Lab alum, and is a member of SDC, the professional directors union.

Untitled Queer Romance or The Subject of You Artists:

Michael Turrentine (he/him)

Playwright

Michael Turrentine is excited to workshop his newest play with About Face. Mainly an actor in the city working at many theaters including The Gift Theater, Steppenwolf, The Lyric Opera, Marriott, Paramount, Drury Lane, and many more, Michael has also written several plays, podcasts, and shorts including Mare (workshopped at Broken Nose Theater) and If Only Once (workshopped at Commission Theatre).

Catherine Miller (they/them)

Director

Catherine has been casting for AFT since Mosque4Mosque, in addition to dramaturging The Brightest Thing in the World and acting as artistic producer of the 2024 Re/Gen Studio. Catherine is the resident casting director for Raven Theatre and American Musical Theatre Project at Northwestern University, in addition to having recently cast productions for Chicago Childrens Theatre, Theatre Wit, Backstitch Arts, and Jackalope Theatre, among many others. Additionally, Catherine has done dramaturgy and gender consulting work for Paramount Theatre, Diversionary Theatre, Cygnet Theatre, and Actors Theatre of Louisville, while also guest lecturing/teaching at Acting Studio Chicago, Northwestern University, The Theatre School, Notre Dame University, Roosevelt University, Columbia College, among others. They were a 2021 3Arts Make A Wave recipient and was featured in American Theatre Magazine's Role Call. They were also on NewCity Magazine's 2020 + 2019 Players: The Fifty People Who Really Perform for Chicago and the Windy City Times' 30 Under 30 list. Catherine has a BFA in Dramaturgy/Criticism from The Theatre School at DePaul. 

An Army of Lovers Artists:

R. Eric Thomas (he/him)

Playwright

R. Eric Thomas is delighted to be working with About Face again after 2018's production of his play Time Is On Our Side. He is the winner of the Barrymore Award for Best New Play, the Dramatists Guild Lanford Wilson Award, and the Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Drama. He is also the "Eric" of Asking Eric, the popular nationally syndicated daily advice column found in over 100 newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times. A proud member of the WGA, he was on the writing staff for the Peabody Award-winning series Dickinson (AppleTV+) and Better Things (FX) and is currently developing multiple projects for film, television, and stage. His books include the national bestseller Here For It, Kings of B'More, a 2023 American Library Association Stonewall Honor Book, and Congratulations, The Best Is Over!, an instant USA Today Bestseller.

Mikael Burke (he/him)

Director

Mikael Burke is a black queer director, deviser, and educator based in Chicago. A Princess Grace Award recipient in Theatre (2017) and Joseph Jefferson Award-winning Director (2024), his recent credits include: Milo Imagines the World by Christian Magby, Christian Albright, & Terry Guest (Rolling World Premiere, Chicago Children's Theatre, Chicago, IL & Children's Theatre Company, Minneapolis, MN); King James by Rajiv Joesph (Forward Theatre, Madison, WI); Oak by Terry Guest (World Premiere, Urbanite Theatre, Sarasota, FL); Othello by William Shakespeare (Theatreworks Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO); Short Shakes! Romeo & Juliet (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Chicago, IL); Notes From the Field by Anna Deveare Smith (TimeLine, Chicago, IL); The Salvagers by Harrison David Rivers (World Premiere, Yale Repertory Theatre, New Haven, CT); Tambo & Bones by Dave Harris (Refracted Theatre, Chicago, IL, winner of 8 Joseph Jefferson Awards); Blues For an Alabama Sky by Pearl Cleage (Remy Bumppo, Chicago, IL); Clyde's by Lynn Nottage (Theaterworks Hartford, Hartford, CT, winner of 1 CCC Award); The Magnolia Ballet by Terry Guest (About Face Theatre, Chicago, IL, winner of 2 Joesph Jefferson Awards). Mikael has also been recognized with a Black Theatre Alliance Award for Directing (2022), and as one of New City Magazine's 50 Players of Chicago in 2023 & 2025. Mikael is an Artistic Associate at Remy Bumppo Theatre Company in Chicago, as well as at About Face Theatre, where he previously served as Associate Artistic Director. He's also an adjunct faculty member at DePaul University and Roosevelt University, and a proud member of SDC. MFA Directing, The Theatre School at DePaul University. 

About Face Theatre has a long history of building community and engaging with its audiences through touring shows, educational workshops, and play readings. AFT's education programs first started in 1999 with About Face Youth Theatre. Re/Generation Studio is part of the company's continuing evolution to respond to the needs of its community to advance LGBTQ+ equity.

ABOUT FACE THEATRE advances LGBTQ+ equity through community building, education, and performance. AFT envisions an affirming and equitable world in which all LGBTQ+ individuals are thriving and free from prejudice and discrimination. About Face Theatre is also dedicated to being an intentionally and increasingly anti-racist organization. Due to the intersectionality of our identities, we understand our work to advance LGBTQ+ equity as directly connected to movements for racial justice.

Fresh off her critically acclaimed and Tony-nominated run in Broadway's Days of Wine and Roses, Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Mark Cortale are pleased to present Tony Award winner and musical theatre icon Kelli O'Hara with Music Director Dan Lipton, performing a program of beloved American Songbook classics and modern Broadway favorites. O'Hara will play three performances only April 18 & 19, 2025 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theater, 1650 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. Tickets ($89 - $139) are now on sale at steppenwolf.org/kelliohara or by calling the Box Office at (312) 335-1650.

Hailed by the New York Times as "Broadway musical's undisputed queen," O'Hara will perform highlights from her incredible body of work which spans twelve Broadway productions. In addition to riveting musical performances, O'Hara will share stories and personal memories drawn from her landmark stage career in an intimate setting.

Performance schedule:

Friday, April 18, 2025 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 19, 2025 at 3 pm
Saturday, April 19, 2025 at 7:30 pm

About the Artists:

Kelli O'Hara has established herself as one of Broadway's greatest leading ladies. The Tony Award winner, Emmy, SAG and Grammy-nominated actress has appeared in twelve Broadway shows for which she has garnered eight Tony Award nominations.

She won the 2015 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, along with Grammy, Drama League and Outer Critics nominations for her portrayal of Anna Leonowens in The King and I. O'Hara's other Broadway credits include Kiss Me Kate, The Bridges of Madison County, Nice Work if You Can Get It, South Pacific, The Pajama Game, The Light in the Piazza, Sweet Smell of Success, Follies, Dracula and Jekyll & Hyde.

O'Hara received an Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Katie Bonner in Topic's hit web series, The Accidental Wolf, and can currently be seen on HBO's The Gilded Age, which was nominated for a SAG award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for Season 2. Additional film and television credits include Showtime's Master of Sex, 13 Reasons Why, Blue Bloods, All My Children, All the Bright Places, Peter Pan Live!, Sex & The City 2, Martin Scorsese's The Key to Reserva, The Good Fight, N3mbers and Car Talk.

In 2015, she made history as the first artist to make the crossover from Broadway to Opera when she made her Metropolitan Opera debut in Lehar's The Merry Widow opposite Renee Fleming and in 2018 returned as Despina in Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte. She was last seen at The Metropolitan Opera in the world premiere of Kevin Puts' The Hours, as Laura Brown, which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Opera Recording.

O'Hara is a frequent performer on PBS's live telecasts, The Kennedy Center Honors and performs often alongside The New York Philharmonic and The New York Pops. Along with her two Grammy nominations, her solo albums, Always and Wonder in the World, are available on Ghostlight.

O'Hara recently completed a critically-acclaimed limited Broadway engagement of the new musical Days of Wine and Roses, which also garnered rave reviews during its Off-Broadway run at The Atlantic Theatre Company last summer. She won the Outer Critics Circle Award and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Musical in addition to receiving Tony and Drama League Nominations for her role. Upcoming projects include Season 3 of The Gilded Age.

Dan Lipton conducted The Band's Visit and Sting's musical The Last Ship on Broadway. He's arranged music and led bands for Sutton Foster, Kelli O'Hara, Mandy Gonzalez, Brian d'Arcy James, Judy Kuhn, John Lithgow, Martha Plimpton and Audra McDonald, performing at the White House, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, on Live with Kelly Ripa, The Today Show, PBS Great Performances, Late Show with David Letterman and with major symphony orchestras across the country.

Music supervision and orchestrations: An Officer and a Gentleman (U.S. tour), The Other Josh Cohen (Off-Broadway), The Drama Desk Awards. Music direction and onstage musician: Twyla Tharp's How Long Blues (Little Island) under T Bone Burnett, The Coast of Utopia by Tom Stoppard (Broadway), The Bridge Project (BAM, Old Vic) with Ethan Hawke directed by Sam Mendes, Herringbone with BD Wong directed by Roger Rees (La Jolla Playhouse).

He scored the feature film All These Small Moments (Orion Classics) starring Molly Ringwald and provided music for the podcasts Arts Educators Save the World (Story Pirates) and The Key of Love (Emerald Audio Network) from bestselling author Jenna Blum.

Pianist on three Grammy-nominated albums, he can be heard on piano in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime Video) and Rebecca Hall's award-winning film Passing (Netflix). His latest collection of jazz-pop covers with singer Colby Beserra, Jukebox Saloon Vol. 2, is streaming everywhere.

Accessibility:

Steppenwolf is committed to making the theatergoing experience accessible to everyone. Assistive listening devices (ALDs) 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. If you have questions or would like to make a specific request, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call our box office at 312-335-1650.

Sponsor Information:

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 the Presenters:

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, and more. Led by Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, Executive Director E. Brooke Flanagan and Board of Trustees Chair, Keating Crown —Steppenwolf continually redefines the 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.

Mark Cortale is currently lead producing Table 17 by Douglas Lyons starring Tony Award Winner Kara Young that opened Off-Broadway at MCC on September 6, as well as the Broadway musical Floyd Collins by Adam Guettel and Tina Landau that opens at Lincoln Center Theater on April 21, 2025 at The Beaumont. Last season Mark produced the critically acclaimed three-time Tony nominated new musical Days of Wine and Roses starring Kelli O'Hara and Brian d'Arcy James, with music and lyrics by Adam Guettel, book by Craig Lucas and directed by Michael Greif. He also produced the Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel nominated Off-Broadway musical Midnight at the Never Get by Mark Sonnenblick in 2018. He recently celebrated his twelfth and final season as Producing Artistic Director of The Art House in Provincetown where he presented artists that included Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, Sutton Foster, Jessie Mueller, Christine Ebersole and Megan Mullally. Mark is the Producing Artistic Director of the developmental theatre lab New Works Provincetown which he founded in 2020. In conjunction with producing partners Jonathan Murray and Harvey Reese, he has commissioned five works to date including the following shows currently in development: Maiden Voyage with book and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein and music by Carmel Dean, Beautiful Little Fool with book by Mona Mansour and music and lyrics by Hannah Corneau, Love is Strange, with book by Craig Lucas, music by Daniel Messé and lyrics by Nathan Tysen & Daniel Messé and Table 17 by Douglas Lyons.

Theater Wit, in collaboration with the Crown Family Center for Jewish Studies at Northwestern and Northlight Theatre, hosts CityTalk: A Series of Conversations on Assimilation, Antisemitism and Culture. This free, unprecedented series of curated talks and convenings with distinguished experts in Jewish history will be presented throughout the Chicago area, March 23 – May 9, 2025. 

The events are free, and advance registration is required. For more information and registration, visit https://citytalkchicago.org/.

CityTalk crafts public conversation to create live, inclusive events to bring people together and encourage a humane perspective about safety, security and fundamental human rights for all. CityTalk invites everyone to take part and brings curiosity, courage and compassion to the table as we explore how the stories of our past shape the possibilities of our future.

CityTalk features presentations and discussions by nationally renowned scholars, artists and thought leaders, acting as a springboard for a space as nuanced and thoughtful as Prayer for the French Republic. These programs will explore historical, social and cultural themes of Jewish assimilation, integration and identity across America and Europe centered in an academic, humanistic, and intersectional perspective.

Jeremy Wechsler comments, "The questions raised by Prayer for the French Republic are too urgent, too layered, to be confined to a single production—even the largest in Theater Wit's history. We need a city-wide conversation. CityTalk is our way of making that happen, offering Chicagoans a rare chance to grapple with the present through the lens of history. In this moment, Americans are being confronted with fundamental questions about safety, identity, and the nature of our society. We cannot navigate the choices ahead without understanding the peril. History and conversation is our best ally in the days to come."

Winner of the 2022 Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best New Off-Broadway Play, Prayer for the French Republic explores the profound and often painful intersections of faith, family, culture, and country — and what it means to be Jewish in the 21st century. Set in the shadow of Marine Le Pen's far-right political rise, the play's themes resonate deeply with the current cultural and political climate in America, where questions of assimilation, identity, and safety remain deeply urgent.

The CityTalk schedule is as follows: 

Rebuilding Jewish Life in France After the Holocaust: American Jewish Aid and the Choice to Stay

Laura Hobson Faure, University Professor; Chair, Modern Jewish History at University Paris 1-Panthéon- Sorbonne

Date: March 26, 2025 at 7:00pm

Location: Mah Tovu Chicago, 7315 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60645

Laura Hobson Fauer's book, A 'Jewish Marshall Plan': The American Jewish Presence in Post-Holocaust France examines the complex interactions, exchanges, and solidarities created between American and French Jews following the Holocaust. Through financial aid, cultural support, and institution-building, American Jewish organizations played a pivotal role in revitalizing French Jewish life. Yet, the decision to stay in France—rather than emigrate to Israel or the United States—was not just about material recovery. It was a deliberate act of reclaiming identity, belonging, and a future in the country that had betrayed so many of its Jewish citizens.

Jewish Identity and Edmond Fleg: Lessons for Today

Sally Charnow, Professor of Modern European and Postcolonial History, Jewish Studies, Women and Gender Studies at Hofstra University

Date: April 9, 2025 at 7:00pm

Location: Theater Wit

In this lecture, historian Sally Charnow explores the diverse forms of Jewish resistance in wartime France, drawing from her book, Edmond Fleg and Jewish Minority Culture in Twentieth-Century France (2021), to highlight how cultural survival became a form of defiance.

Antisemitism in France: Past, Present, and Future

with Maurice Samuels, Betty Jane Anlyan Professor of French and Chair at Yale University

Date: April 11, 2025 at 7:00pm

Location: Theater Wit

Drawing from his extensive research on 19th-century French Jewish history, including his award-winning book The Right to Difference: French Universalism and the Jews, Samuels examines the evolution of antisemitism from the post-revolutionary era to the present. He will discuss the rise of the so-called "new antisemitism," characterized by its distinct features in contemporary France, and analyze the nation's responses to this persistent issue.

The Arc of Memorial Vernacular: Holocaust Memory and the Evolution of Public Memorials

James E. Young, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Founding Director of the Institute for Holocaust, Genocide, and Memory Studies at University of Massachusetts at Amherst

Date: April 24, 2025 at 2:00pm

Location: North Suburban Synagogue Beth El 

Drawing from his book The Stages of Memory: Memorial Art, Loss, and the Spaces Between (2016), as well as his latest research, Young will explore how the design, intent, and reception of memorials continue to shift in response to historical and political currents. What should a memorial do? Who is it for? And how do different societies confront their pasts through public art? By placing Holocaust memory in conversation with other forms of memorialization, this lecture provides a framework for understanding how historical trauma is remembered—and reinterpreted—in contemporary society.

Assimilation After Revolution: Jewish Emancipation in Post-Revolutionary France

Adi Saleem, Assistant Professor of Romance Languages and Literatures and Judaic Studies at University of Michigan

Date: May 1, 2025 at 7:00pm

Location: Segal Visitors Center Auditorium, Northwestern Evanston Campus, 1841 Sheridan Rd

In this lecture, historian Adi Saleem examines the complex and often contradictory role of assimilation in French history by comparing two key moments: the debates surrounding the emancipation of Jews before, during, and after the French Revolution, and the shifting legal status of Algerian Jews and Muslims in the early colonial period.

Yiddish Paris: Jewish Cultural Pluralism and Antifascism in Interwar France

Nick Underwood, Assistant Professor of History and Chair of Judaic Studies at The College of Idaho

Date: May 3, 2025 at 2:00pm

Location: Theater Wit

Underwood explores the ways in which Yiddish-speaking Jews in interwar France navigated questions of belonging, pluralism, and political engagement. Drawing from his book Yiddish Paris: Staging Nation and Community in Interwar France (Indiana University Press, 2022), Underwood highlights key institutions—Yiddish theaters, cultural associations, and intellectual networks—that flourished during this period, fostering a unique synthesis of Jewish and French identity.

French Intellectuals and the Jewish Question: Antisemitism, Universalism, and the Shifting Politics of Jewish Identity

Jonathan Judaken, Goldstein Professor of Jewish History and Thought at Washington University in St Louis

Date: May 4, 2025 at 10:00am

Location: Congregation Rodfei Zedek - 5200 S Hyde Park Blvd in Chicago

In this lecture, historian Jonathan Judaken traces the evolving discourse around the "Jewish Question" in French intellectual life, exploring how key moments—such as the French Revolution, the Dreyfus Affair, the rise of fascism, and the Holocaust—have influenced national debates on Jewish inclusion, nationalism, and political belonging. As antisemitism resurges and political alignments shift, understanding these historical patterns provides essential insight into today's challenges of Jewish identity, political belonging, and the broader struggle for justice.

Medieval Jewish Paris: A Virtual Tour

David Shyovitz, Associate Professor of History and Religious Studies, Director of the Crown Family Center for Jewish and Israel Studies at Northwestern University

Date: May 7, 2025 at 7:00PM

Location: Theater Wit

Long before the Jewish expulsion from France in 1394, Paris was home to a thriving Jewish community, deeply embedded in the city's intellectual, economic, and religious life. Though much of that history has been obscured by time, its traces remain in medieval records, archaeological discoveries, and the streets of Paris itself. In this immersive virtual tour, historian David Shyovitz reconstructs the world of medieval Jewish Paris, exploring its vibrant culture, its struggles under Christian rule, and the forces that ultimately led to its disappearance. Drawing on historical texts, maps, and contemporary scholarship, this talk will bring medieval Jewish Paris to life, and explore broader themes of persecution, resilience, and the shifting place of Jews in medieval Europe.

American Jews, the Melting Pot, and Cultural Pluralism: Then and Now

Daniel Greene, Historian, US Holocaust Memorial Museum; Adjunct Professor of History at Northwestern University

Date: May 8, 2025 at 7:00pm

Location: Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation - 303 Dodge Ave in Evanston

Historian Daniel Greene explores the evolution of the melting pot metaphor and its alternatives, tracing the emergence of cultural pluralism—which envisions the nation as a federation of diverse ethnic groups, each maintaining its heritage while participating in a shared civic culture. Drawing from his book, The Jewish Origins of Cultural Pluralism: The Menorah Association and American Diversity, Greene examines how American Jews helped shape ideas of pluralism and influenced present-day debates about national identity, multiculturalism, and diversity.

ABOUT PRAYER FOR THE FRENCH REPUBLIC

CityTalk is presented in conjunction with the Northlight Theatre and Theater Wit co-production of Joshua Harmon's celebrated play Prayer for the French Republic, directed by Theater Wit's Artistic Director Jeremy Wechsler, running April 10 – May 11, 2025, at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie. Tickets are now on sale through the box office, 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie; 847.673.6300; northlight.org.

In 1944, a Jewish couple in Paris desperately awaits news of their missing family. More than 70 years later, the couple's great-grandchildren find themselves facing the same question as their ancestors: "Are we safe?" Following five generations of a French-Jewish family, Prayer for the French Republic is a sweeping look at history, home, and the effects of an ancient hatred. Winner of the 2022 Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best New Off-Broadway Play, this celebrated work is from the author of Bad Jews and Significant Other.

The cast includes Janet Ulrich Brooks (Marcelee Salomon), Rom Barkhordar (Charles Benhamou), Rae Gray (Elodie Benhamou), Max Stewart (Daniel Benhamou), Lawrence Grimm (Patrick Salomon), Maya Hlava (Molly), Henson Keys (Pierre Salomon), Kathy Scambiatterra (Irma Salomon), Torrey Hanson (Adolphe Salomon), Alex Weisman (Lucien Salomon), and Nathan Becker (Young Pierre Salomon).

The creative team is Jeremy Wechsler (director), Joe Schermoly (set designer), Mara Blumenfeld (costume designer), JR Lederle (lighting designer), Joseph Cerqua (sound designer), Nicolas Bartleson (prop designer), Katie Klemme (stage manager), and Jyreika Guest (resident violence and intimacy coordinator).

About The Crown Family Center for Jewish and Israel Studies

The Crown Family Center for Jewish and Israel Studies at Northwestern University is a hub for transformational undergraduate and graduate education, innovative faculty and student research, and accessible and engaging communal programming. The Crown Center houses the Jewish Studies Program, an interdisciplinary unit of the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, which brings together faculty from across the humanities and social sciences. Undergraduate students can major or minor in Jewish Studies ​or Hebrew studies, and can choose from dozens of annual courses on the full gamut of Jewish thought, history, literature, and culture--from the ancient world of the Hebrew Bible to the modern history of the State of Israel. The Crown Center also houses the Jewish Studies Graduate Cluster, which offers graduate students across the university advanced training and research support for interdisciplinary work in Jewish Studies.

Faculty affiliated with the Crown Center are award-winning educators and scholars, who approach the fields of Jewish and Israel Studies from diverse chronological, geographic, and disciplinary vantage points. The Center hosts a steady stream of visiting professors and postdoctoral fellows from Israeli universities, and facilitates collaborative research between students and faculty at Northwestern and those in major Israeli universities.

The Center also serves a broader public audience through an extensive array of vibrant public programs. It hosts four annual lectureships, cultural and artistic performances, and other educational opportunities and events.

About Northlight Theatre

Northlight Theatre is proud to be among the largest and longest-running nonprofit theatres in the Chicago area. Founded in 1974, Northlight aspires to promote change of perspective and encourage compassion through its mainstage productions, dynamic education and community programs, and dedication to new work.

Now approaching its 50th Anniversary Season, the organization has mounted over 250 productions, including more than 45 world premieres. Northlight has earned 230 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and 36 Awards, as well as 11 Edgerton Foundation for New Play Awards. As one of the area's premier theatre companies, Northlight is a regional magnet for critical and professional acclaim, as well as talent of the highest quality.

About Theater Wit

Founded in 2004, Theater Wit is a cultural hub of the Chicago theater landscape, specializing in contemporary works of comedy, intellect and heart. Under a unique, playwright-centric second production process, Theater Wit has become a nationally recognized producer of new work by writers like Anne Washburn, Will Eno, Itamar Moses, Joshua Harmon and Madeleine George.

Under founding Artistic Director Jeremy Wechsler's leadership, Theater Wit has grown from a small $40K annual budget to a leader in the Chicago landscape with an annual budget of $750K. In 2007, he supervised and designed a new home for Theater Wit, a three-theater facility that hosts Wit's own award-winning work and gives a home to a number of Chicago's best neighborhood theaters with over 500 performances per year from 20+ companies in a typical season.

Lyric Opera of Chicago today announces the company's 2025/26 Season, its first complete season under the leadership of new General Director, President & CEO John Mangum. A rich mix of traditional operas and other live performances anchored by the incomparable Lyric Opera Orchestra and Lyric Opera Chorus, the season includes two world premieres, two Lyric premieres, three new-to-Chicago productions, an expansion of the sold-out Movie Nights at Lyric series, a solo recital by one of opera's most legendary stars, and performances by some of the biggest names in musical theater. Lyric also deepens its mission to be the cultural hub for live performance in Chicago by commissioning and producing the work of two iconic Chicago pioneers: alternative rocker Billy Corgan, who presents world-premiere concerts reimagining his era-defining album with The Smashing Pumpkins, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, for the operatic stage to celebrate its 30th anniversary; and Chicago Poet Laureate avery r. young, who writes and stars in the world-premiere musical work safronia.

"Next season is filled with a tremendous range of lavish and powerful opera productions that we are excited to share with our audiences," says John Mangum, General Director, President & CEO of Lyric Opera of Chicago. "I'm just as excited about a series of special performances and productions that open the aperture and expand the definition of opera and what an American opera company can be. The season clearly illustrates how this company continues to push the art form forward and create new work that can only happen in Chicago."

"I am also excited to continue the great partnership I share with Lyric's Music Director Enrique Mazzola, and to have Lyric audiences experience his electrifying musical leadership," continues Mangum. "Next season, Enrique will conduct the work of five different composers, an eclectic and wide-ranging list that includes Cherubini, Mascagni, Leoncavallo, Orff, and Mozart. Outside of the opera house, Enrique continues to be a strong advocate for our art form throughout the city and a champion for our city in his travels around the world. He has truly earned his title of 'Chicago's maestro-around-town.'"

The company's 71st anniversary season opens on Friday, October 10, 2025, with the Lyric Opening Concert & Gala. Continuing the event's tradition ushering in the start of Chicago's new cultural season, this special concert shines a spotlight on some of Broadway's most beloved talents and showcases a different side of the Lyric Opera Orchestra's vast musical expertise. More information will be announced soon.

The opera season continues the next evening with the Lyric premiere of Cherubini's tragedy of infidelity and vengeance, Medea, October 11–26, 2025. Conducted by Maestro Mazzola and presented in the Lyric coproduction directed by Sir David McVicar, Medea stars Chicago's hometown diva Sondra Radvanovsky, for whom this production was created, in the title role. Performances also feature returning Lyric favorites Matthew Polenzani as Giasone, Zoie Reams as Neris, and rising star Elena Villalón in her Lyric debut as Glauce.

Following its sold-out, one-night-only premiere with Singin' in the Rain earlier in the current season, the Movie Nights at Lyric series expands to include two performances of two beloved films, both steeped in the musical theater tradition, and each powered by the Lyric Opera Orchestra performing the score live on stage in harmony with the film shown on a huge screen above them. The first film is presented October 16 & 18, 2025, and the second film is presented on April 10 & 11, 2026; movie titles will be announced soon.

The season continues with a pair of Italian verismo one-act operas: Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana & Leoncavallo's Pagliacci, on stage November 1–23, 2025. Known together as Cav/Pag, opera's most thrilling double bill is conducted by Maestro Mazzola and presented in director Elijah Moshinsky's Lyric production by revival director Peter McClintock. Cavalleria rusticana stars Yulia Matochkina as Santuzza and SeokJong Baek as Turiddu in their Lyric debuts alongside Lyric favorite Quinn Kelsey as Alfio. Kelsey also appears as Tonio in Pagliacci together with returning favorites Russell Thomas as Canio and Gabriella Reyes as Nedda.

November also brings Orff's blazing cantata Carmina Burana to the stage, for three performances only, November 14–18, 2025. Conducted by Maestro Mazzola and with more than 225 artists on stage — the combined forces of the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Lyric Opera Chorus plus a large children's chorus from Uniting Voices Chicago and soloists Jasmine Habersham, David Portillo, and Ian Rucker — Orff's themes of the fickleness of fortune, the joys and sorrows of love, and the fleeting nature of existence are brought to vivid life.

A blockbuster month at Lyric continues with world-premiere performances celebrating the 30th anniversary of the decade-defining album by the legendary Chicago alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins: A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness, for seven nights only, November 21–30, 2025. Iconic frontman Billy Corgan reimagines his magnum opus by marshaling all of Lyric's technical and artistic forces — including the epic sound of the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus and special guest artists — for an immersively original sonic and visual experience that blurs the boundaries of opera, rock, and performance art. Featuring newly commissioned arrangements and orchestrations by Corgan and James Lowe, who also conducts, as well as costumes from House of Gilles by Gilles and Chloé Mendel Corgan, these historic performances promise to further magnify the legend of the original album and expand the definition and intention of opera.

"It is thrilling to collaborate with Lyric head John Mangum, my musical partner James Lowe, and all of the artists at Lyric in reimagining this very special and historic album, and to discover how Lyric's full operatic treatment is helping me experience my own compositions in powerful new ways," says Billy Corgan. "Opera and rock both tell stories of heightened emotions, and I am excited for both fans of my music and traditional opera fans to hear some truly inspired work; for the balance here is to honor both traditions in a magisterial way."

Tickets for A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness go on sale to the general public on Friday, April 11 at 10:00 a.m. at lyricopera.org and are available to Lyric subscribers now, as part of a subscription package.

The winter brings a pair of operas that examine the romantic passions of women through startlingly different lenses. Salome, Richard Strauss's explosive opera of obsession and depravity, returns to Lyric for the first time in nearly 20 years, January 25–February 14, 2026. Conductor Tomáš Netopil, the incoming Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Prague Symphony Orchestra, makes his Lyric debut leading a supersized Lyric Opera Orchestra through Strauss's groundbreaking score. Sir David McVicar's decadent and provocative production, revived by Julia Burbach, is set in 1940s fascist Italy and is presented in North America for the very first time. The demanding title role of Salome is sung by Elena Stikhina in her Lyric debut; returning stars Brandon Jovanovich and Tanja Ariane Baumgartner play her demented parents, Herod and Herodias; and Nicholas Brownlee makes his Lyric debut as the object of her deadly affection, Jochanaan.

In repertory with the dark and demanding Salome is Mozart's lighthearted romantic comedy Così fan tutte, on stage February 1–15, 2026. Maestro Mazzola conducts Mozart's sparkling score, and Michael Cavanagh's new-to-Chicago production, set in a 1930s-era seaside country club, is revived by Roy Rallo. The opera — the second in Lyric's exploration of the Mozart/Da Ponte trilogy of operas, following the current season's The Marriage of Figaro — stars Jacquelyn Stucker as Fiordiligi, Cecilia Molinari as Dorabella, and Anthony León as Ferrando, all in their Lyric debuts, along with Ian Rucker as Guglielmo, Ana María Martínez as Despina, and Rod Gilfry as Don Alfonso.

International superstar Renée Fleming makes her much-anticipated return to the Lyric stage for one night only on Thursday, February 5, 2026, with a program based on her 2023 Grammy-winning album and performed with pianist Inon Barnatan. Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene, created in partnership with the National Geographic Society, which designed the recital's captivating video elements, blends classic Romantic-era works and contemporary selections in a program that captures the evolution of the human experience in nature.

The unforgettable music of Puccini returns to Lyric when Madama Butterfly takes the stage, March 14–April 12, 2026. Conducted by Domingo Hindoyan and presented in a beautiful new-to-Chicago production from Lyric's own Matthew Ozawa, this critically acclaimed presentation reckons with the opera's outdated stereotypes and challenges audiences to reconsider their point of view while respecting the opera's beloved scenic and musical traditions. Karah Son, one of the leading Butterflys of our time, makes her Lyric debut in the title role; the opera also stars Evan LeRoy Johnson as Pinkerton and Nozomi Kato as Suzuki, both in their Lyric debuts. Ozawa's striking new vision for the opera's traditional Japanese setting is executed by an all-female and all-Japanese design team, bringing new dimensions to the age-old story.

Paired with the classic Madama Butterfly is an acclaimed contemporary Spanish-language opera in its Lyric premiere: El último sueño de Frida y Diego (The Last Dream of Frida and Diego), by composer Gabriela Lena Frank and the librettist Nilo Cruz (librettist for Lyric's world premiere Bel Canto in the 2015/16 Season), March 21–April 4, 2026. Conductor Roberto Kalb and director Lorena Maza, reprising their roles from the work's 2022 world premiere and both in their Lyric debuts, lead this colorful, surrealist production in which Frida and Diego's art comes to life on stage, powered by Frank's lush, evocative music inspired by Mexican folk music traditions. Daniela Mack stars as Frida, and Alfredo Daza makes his Lyric debut as Diego. Ana María Martínez returns for a second appearance in the season as Catrina, and the rising star countertenor Key'mon W. Murrah makes his Lyric debut as Leonardo.

Lyric concludes its opera season with another world premiere: safronia, an Afro-surrealist opera featuring music and libretto by Chicago Poet Laureate avery r. young, for two performances only, April 17 & 18, 2026. safronia is young's moving story of the Great Migration, told through the eyes of a family returning from the northern U.S. to their southern hometown to reckon with the ghosts of their past. First conceived following young's galvanizing appearance in Lyric's Twilight: Gods in the 2020/21 Season, safronia marries folklore, poetry, and history with gospel, blues, funk, and soul. These vibrant, immersive, concert-style performances are directed by visionary storyteller Timothy Douglas in his Lyric debut.

"safronia is a deeply personal story to me — it is my story, but it is also our story, and I am honored to tell our story in our city's great temple of culture," says young. "When words and music combine in opera, their powers take on even greater resonance and meaning. I can't wait for Chicago to meet safronia and to come along on her operatic journey."

Continuing Year-Round Programs at Lyric

The excitement of its current 50th anniversary season will continue as The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, Lyric's world-class artist-development program, marks another season of excellence in the 2025/26 Season. Members of the Ryan Opera Center Ensemble will appear in a variety of onstage roles, and several notable alumni of the program — including Matthew Polenzani, Quinn Kelsey, Lauren Decker, Ryan Capozzo, and Ian Rucker (who is finishing his tenure in the Ensemble this season) — will return to Lyric next season. The Ryan Opera Center Final Auditions, at which more than 20 finalists representing the world's finest emerging artists audition for a spot in the Ryan Opera Center's 2026/27 Ensemble, will be held Sunday, September 14, 2025. Rising Stars in Concert, the program's annual showcase of its current Ensemble, will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2026.

Ryan Opera Center artists and members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra come together to signal a new cultural season is ahead with one of the city's most anticipated free events: Sunday in the Park with Lyric, an annual concert conducted by Maestro Mazzola in the Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park, will be held Sunday, September 7, 2025.

Lyric Unlimited, the company's Learning & Civic Engagement division, is dedicated to education and community initiatives that connect Lyric to the city of Chicago through collaborative programming. One of Lyric Unlimited's most popular events for Chicago families — Explore Your Lyric, a day of fun and adventure for all ages at the Lyric Opera House —  is set for Saturday, April 18, 2026.

          Lyric Unlimited's Opera in the Neighborhoods program also returns in the 2025/26 Season with both school and public performances of a powerful opera for young audiences. Katie: The Strongest of the Strong — An opera for all —  composed by Faye Chiao with a libretto by Anton Dudley, is inspired by the true story of Katie Sandwina, a circus strongwoman in the early 1900s who helped lead the women's suffrage movement. Opera in the Neighborhoods performances reach more than 5,000 students and their families each season through Lyric's longstanding annual tours that include both school-based and public performances.

Lyric also plans an expansion of its existing program of Student Dress Rehearsals in the 2025/26 Season. In the current season, more than 2,000 Chicago students will attend dress rehearsals of operas, and current goals are to double student participation at dress rehearsals in the next season.

"All year long — whether on the stage with our world-class performances, backstage with our renowned artist-training programs and topflight design shops, or out in the community in classrooms, parks, and other spaces around the city — Lyric is the cultural hub for all of Chicago," says Mangum. "We look forward to continuing to bring Chicago audiences together to see and hear universal stories told through the singular power of live music and the human voice."

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation's premier ensemble theater company, is pleased to continue its 49th season with the Chicago premiere of The Book of Grace, an incendiary family portrait by Suzan-Lori Parks, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of Topdog/Underdog. Directed by Steve H. Broadnax III, The Book of Grace will play March 27 – May 18, 2025 in Steppenwolf's Ensemble Theater in Honor of Helen Zell, 1646 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. The press opening is Sunday, April 6, 2025 at 6 pm.

The Book of Grace will feature ensemble member Namir Smallwood (Steppenwolf: Bug, True West–also Galway Festival, Seagull. Broadway/Off-Broadway: Pass Over. TV: American Rust) with Jerome Preston Bates (Broadway: Seven Guitars, Stick Fly, Jitney. TV: All My Children) and Zainab Jah (Broadway: Eclipsed. Off-Broadway: School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play. TV: Only Murders in the Building).

About the Production:

Grace looks for the good in everything: in her husband's rules, in the border he patrols, in the return of his estranged son. But a want for goodness cannot unwind the past, as this taut family reunion explodes in all directions. Witness this startling reminder that the search for common ground can be bloody and brutal, leaving casualties on every side of the divide.

Steppenwolf is thrilled that the Chicago premiere of The Book of Grace offers playwright Suzan-Lori Parks an opportunity to revisit this "companion" to Topdog/Underdog, deepening and expanding the world of her play for the present day.

The creative team includes Arnel Sancianco (Scenic Design), Raquel Adorno (Costume Design), Jason Lynch (Lighting Design), Curtis Craig (Sound Design & Original Music), Rasean Davonté Johnson (Projection Design) Kate DeVore (Vocal Coach), Jonathan L. Green (Dramaturg), Patrick Zakem (Creative Producer), Elise Hausken (Production Manager), JC Clementz, CSA (Casting), Michelle Medvin (Production Stage Manager) and Jaclynn Joslin (Assistant Stage Manager). For cast and creative team bios, click here.

Production Details:

Title: The Book of Grace
Playwright: Suzan-Lori Parks
Director: Steve H. Broadnax III
Cast: Ensemble member Namir Smallwood (Buddy) with Jerome Preston Bates (Vet) and Zainab Jah (Grace),

Location: Steppenwolf's Ensemble Theater in Honor of Helen Zell, 1646 N. Halsted St., Chicago

Dates: Previews: Thursday, March 27 – Saturday, April 5, 2025
Press performance/Opening: Sunday, April 6, 2025 at 6 pm
Regular run: Thursday, April 10 – Sunday, May 18, 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 performances on Tuesday, April 1 at 7:30 pm, Tuesday, April 8 at 7:30 pm, Wednesday, April 9 at 7:30 pm, Tuesday, April 22 at 7:30 pm, Wednesday, April 23 at 7:30 pm, Wednesday, May 7 at 7:30 pm, Saturday, May 10 at 3 pm or 7:30 pm; Sunday, May 11 at 3 pm or Tuesday, May 13 at 7:30 pm; there will be an added matinee performance on Wednesday, May 7 at 2 pm.

Tickets: Single tickets for The Book of Grace ($20 - $102) are now on sale at steppenwolf.org and the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. Steppenwolf Flex Memberships are also currently on sale: Black Card Memberships with six tickets for use any time for any production and RED Card Memberships for theatergoers under 30.

Accessible Performance Dates:

Audio-described and Touch Tour: Sunday, May 4 at 3 pm (1:30 pm touch tour)
Open-Captioned: Saturday, May 3 at 3 pm & Thursday, May 8 at 7:30 pm
ASL-Interpreted: Friday, May 16 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. Programming includes dedicated student matinee performances during four of the five Membership Series productions including Noises Off, Leroy and Lucy, Fool for Love and The Book of Grace, 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. Additionally, Steppenwolf is reimagining their community engagement and will pilot new public programming, continue accessibility programming and offer opportunities for deeper explorations for audiences throughout the season. 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:

Jerome Preston Bates (Vet) Broadway: Seven Guitars, Stick Fly, Jitney, American Son, Death of a Salesman. Off Broadway: The Refuge Plays (Roundabout Theatre Company), The Public, Beckett Theatre, Abingdon Theatre, Circle Rep, Playwrights Horizon, New Federal Theatre, Negro Ensemble Company. Regional: Seven Guitars (opposite Viola Davis, world premiere, Goodman Theatre), Yale Repertory, The Kennedy Center, Hartford Stage, Baltimore Center Stage, Arena Stage, Oregon Shakespeare Festival (Comedy of Errors, King Richard III), Old Globe (Macbeth), Folgers (King Lear in association with Classical Theatre of Harlem), Wilma Theater, Arden Theatre, Philadelphia Drama Guild, among others. Director: The Man in Room 304 (Luna Stage), Seven Guitars (Triad Stage), A Raisin in The Sun (Livingstone College), all 10 of the American Century Cycle at Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History. Writer: Electric Lady, Augusta Brown, Mr. Unemployed, Jimi Hendrix (screenplay). Film: Shaft (with Samuel L. Jackson), PEEPLES, Musical Chairs, Tio Papi, The Out of Towners. Television: All My Children, Oz, Law and Order, SVU, New York Undercover, Sesame Street, Lights Out, Notes from the Field with Anna DeVere Smith. Awards: seven time AUDELCO winner. Education/Training: LAMDA/London, University of Tennessee, Knoxville College, The New School, Professional Positions: Teaching Staff at Stella Adler School of Acting NY.

Zainab Jah (Grace) Broadway: Eclipsed, Venus, Boesman and Lena. Off Broadway: School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play (MCC); The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (Atlantic Theater Company). Regional: Hamlet (Wilma Theater); The Convert (LATC). Film: Reunion, Farewell Amor, All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, False Positive. Television: The Continental, The Blacklist, Only Murders in the Building, The Good Lord Bird, Deep State, Instinct, Blindspot, Elementary, Homeland.

Namir Smallwood (Buddy) joined the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble in 2017. Steppenwolf: 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.

Suzan-Lori Parks (Playwright) is a multi-award-winning American writer/musician and the first African-American woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Topdog/Underdog which recently enjoyed its twentieth anniversary Broadway revival. The production won the 2023 Tony Award, (Best Revival Of A Play). Last season she had new works which received world premieres, notably, at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Sally & Tom and, at Joe's Pub in New York City, Plays for the Plague Year (winner of The Drama Desk Award for Best Music in a Play). As a college student, Parks studied creative writing with James Baldwin, who encouraged her to begin writing for the theatre.

Steve H. Broadnax III (Director) Broadway: Thoughts of a Colored Man. Additional: Branden Jacobs- Jenkins's Appropriate at the Old Globe, Suzan-Lori Parks's Sally and Tom at the Public Theatre/ Guthrie Theatre (World Premiere), Katori Hall's Pulitzer Prize Premiere The Hot Wing King at Signature Theatre, Lee Edward Colston's The First Deep Breath, Geffen Theatre (Jeff Awards Best New Work), Dominique Morisseau's Sunset Baby at Signature Theatre and Blood at the Root at the National Black Theatre (Winner of Kennedy Center's Hip Hop Theater Creator Award) and William Jackson Harper's Premiere Travisville Ensemble Studio. Ensemble Studio Theatre member, Associate Artistic Director at People's Light Theatre, Professor of Theatre at Penn State University, and Head of MFA Directing.

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..

Chicagoland's longest running musical theatre, Marriott Theatre, continues its 50th Anniversary Season celebration with the epic production of Titanic The Musical, directed and choreographed by Connor Gallagher (Marriott Theatre debut! Broadway: Beetlejuice; Off-Broadway: The Big Gay Jamboree, The Robber Bridegroom, Into the Woods; Beauty and The Beast, Disney's Tale of Moana, Tangled) with Musical Direction by Jeff Award winner Ryan T. Nelson. Capturing the triumph and tragedy of the hopeful passengers on the ill-fated Ship of Dreams, Titanic The Musical previews on April 9, opens Wednesday, April 16 at 7pm, and runs through June 1, 2025. Based on the real people aboard the most legendary ship in the world, Titanic The Musical is a stirring portrait of the passengers on board the "unsinkable ship" and the tragedy that followed. With a soaring score by Maury Yeston and book by Peter Stone, the original Broadway production won five Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Score, and Best Book.

"As a child who discovered musical theatre in the '90s, Titanic was a formative show for me," said director Conor Gallagher. "The chance to bring it to life on the Marriott Theatre stage is a thrilling, daunting, and ultimately energizing task. Add to that the legendary actors of Chicago and one of the most haunting scores ever written, and I couldn't be happier to be collaborating on this production. I promise it will be unlike any Titanic you've seen before."

Titanic The Musical stars David Girolmo as "Captain E.J. Smith," Alex Goodrich as "J. Bruce Ismay," Christopher Kale Jones as "Thomas Andrews," Lillian Castillo as "Alice Beane," James Earl Jones II as "Edgar Beane/Fourth Officer Boxhall," Erica Stephan as "Kate McGowan,"  Garrett Lutz as "Jim Farrell,"  Eric Amundson as "Bellboy," Joel Gelman as "Second Officer Charles Lightoller/John Jacob Astor," Darian Goulding as "Frederick Barrett/Benjamin Guggenheim," Laura Guley as "Kate Murphey/Eleanor Widener," Kelli Harrington as "Charlotte Cardoza," Matthew Hommel as "Harold Bride/Joseph Bell/Bandmaster Wallace Hartley," Mark David Kaplan as "Isidor Straus/Quartermaster Robert Hitchens," George Keating as "First Officer William Murdoch," Heidi Kettenring as "Ida Straus," Will Lidke as "Charles Clarke/George Widener," Francesca Mehrotra as "Caroline Neville/Mme. Aubert," Victoria Okafor as "Kate Mullins/Stewardess/Madeleine Astor," Lucas Thompson as "Frederick Fleet," Kevin Webb as "Henry Etches/Third Officer Herbert Pitman," with Anna Louise Bramlett, Andrés Enriquez, David Gordon-Johnson, Michael Metcalf and Schyler Vargas.

The artistic team features Associate Director and Choreographer Katie Johannigman, Scenic Designer Collette Pollard, Costume Designer Sully Ratke, Wig, Hair & Makeup Designer Miguel Armstrong, Lighting Designer Jesse Klug, Sound Designer Michael Daly, Props Designer Sally Zack, Dialect Coach Adam Goldstein, Conductor Brad Haak and Stage Manager Colt Luedtke.

NEW FOR 2025 WEEKNIGHT PERFORMANCE TIMES, Titanic The Musical is scheduled to run Wednesdays at 1 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., Thursdays at 7:00 p.m., Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., with select Thursday 1:00 p.m. shows. Call for group, dinner-theatre, student, senior, and military discounts. To make a restaurant reservation, please call 847.634.0100. Free parking is available at all performances. To reserve tickets or become a Marriott Theatre subscriber during the 50th Anniversary season, please call the Marriott Theatre Box Office at 847.634.0200 or go to www.tickets.marriotttheatre.com. Visit www.MarriottTheatre.com for more information. Attendees are also invited to visit Three Embers Restaurant before the show to experience a pop-up experience that will coincide with Titanic The Musical, transporting guests to another realm while enjoying a themed food and beverage menu led by the culinary team at Three Embers Restaurant.

Cameron Mackintosh is delighted to announce that a revitalized new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary musical, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, will play Broadway In Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre December 11, 2025 – February 1, 2026, as part of a new multi-year North American Tour. Featuring Maria Björnson’s brilliant original design, this production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA was rapturously received by London critics when it reopened at its birthplace His Majesty’s Theatre in 2021. Both the acclaimed new London production and the forthcoming North American Tour are directed by Seth Sklar-Heyn , based on the celebrated original direction by Harold Prince with choreography by Gillian Lynne, recreated and adapted by Chrissie Cartwright.

Individual tickets will go on sale at a later date. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA delivers a theatrical experience unlike any other—one that Chicago theatergoers won’t want to miss—and can be added on to the next Broadway In Chicago season package, on sale this April. Groups (10+) are available now by calling (312) 977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . For more details, visit BroadwayInChicago.com.

"PHANTOM HAS NEVER LOOKED MORE SPECTACULAR" - Sunday Express

"THE SHOW HAS ONLY GROWN IN ITS ARTISTIC POWER" - Sunday Times

Cameron Mackintosh said, "I'm really delighted to bring Andrew Lloyd Webber's PHANTOM OF THE OPERA back to thrill American audiences once again after its phenomenal record-breaking run on Broadway. When I unveiled this new production in London after the pandemic many of our brilliant original creative team, including Hal Prince, Gillian Lynne and Maria Björnson, were sadly no longer with us. Our exciting new team, inspired by their predecessors’ glorious work, updated certain aspects of the production that resulted in a dazzlingly fresh version of the much-loved original, which was rapturously received by audiences and critics alike. So, in just a year’s time, when we raise our even more sensational chandelier, you can once again thrill to Andrew’s soaring music of the night and be swept away by a revitalized PHANTOM in all its glory!” 
 
Andrew Lloyd Webber said, “The Phantom made it very clear that it would not be long before his legend would, once again, be told in America. While Hal, Gillie and Maria are, sadly, no longer with us, they live on in the show we all created together. Love, passion and live theatre are what THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is all about. I still get goosebumps every time that chandelier comes alive and infuses the theatre with something that only happens when design, direction and music are completely at one. I am absolutely delighted that we are bringing this very special production back to audiences across North America.” 
 
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is widely considered one of the most beautiful and spectacular productions in history, playing to over 160 million people in 47 territories and 195 cities in 21 languages. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s romantic, haunting, and soaring score includes “The Music of the Night,” “All I Ask of You,” “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again,” “Masquerade,” and the iconic title song. It tells the tale of a disfigured musical genius known only as ‘The Phantom’ who haunts the depths of the Paris Opera House. Mesmerized by the talents and beauty of a young soprano, Christine, The Phantom lures her as his protégé and falls fiercely in love with her. Unaware of Christine’s love for Raoul, The Phantom’s obsession sets the scene for a dramatic turn of events where jealousy, madness, and passions collide. 
 
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, originally produced by Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group, has become one of the most successful shows in the world. The original London stage production is now the second longest-running musical ever. It opened on Broadway on January 26, 1988, directed by Harold Prince. It won seven 1988 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and reigned as the longest-running show in Broadway history since January 9, 2006, when it surpassed Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats , also produced by Cameron Mackintosh. The New York production played a staggering nearly 13,981 performances, been seen by 20 million people and grossed over $1.4 billion. After an unprecedented 35 record-breaking years, the Broadway production played its final performance on April 16, 2023. 
 
There have been three U.S. National Tours based on the original Broadway production.  The First National Tour played Los Angeles and San Francisco for a combined total run of almost 10 years, playing 3,902 performances to 6.6 million people.  The Second National Tour had an 8.5-year run playing 3,364 performances to 7.5 million people.  The Third National Tour had an 18-year run, playing 7,284 performances to 16.7 million people.  The three U.S. national tours played 216 engagements in 77 cities for an unprecedented total of 36.5 years and over 14,500 performances to 31 million people – making it the most successful and longest-running touring show in U.S. history.

The new North American tour of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA will premiere at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore, MD in November 2025. Casting will be announced at a later date. 

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is produced by Cameron Mackintosh and presented by Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group Ltd. Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics by Charles Hart, and Additional Lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. Book by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the novel ‘Le Fantôme de l’Opera’ by Gaston Leroux, with Orchestrations by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Musical Supervision is by Kristen Blodgette. The Production Design is by Maria Björnson, and the Set Design is adapted by Matt Kinley with Associate Costume Design by Jill Parker, Lighting is by Andrew Bridge with Associate Lighting Design by Warren Letton, Video Design is by George Reeve, Sound is by Mick Potter. The Musical Staging and Choreography is by Gillian Lynne, recreated and adapted by Chrissie Cartwright. Originally Directed by Harold Prince, this new production is Directed by Seth Sklar-Heyn.  
 
Please sign up for more information on the new North American production at ThePhantomOfTheOpera.com
 
Please follow: 
ThePhantomOfTheOpera.com 
facebook.com/thephantomoftheopera 
instagram.com/phantomtour 
tiktok.com/@phantommusical>  
YouTube.com/thephantomoftheopera 
#PhantomTour 
 
The Really Useful Group has launched The Box Five Club, a hub for fans of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musicals to explore unseen archives, behind-the-scenes moments, new videos, articles, and previews from new shows and music. Fans can sign up for free at boxfiveclub.com , which will subscribe them to the curated newsletter featuring first looks, news, articles, and video content, early access to tickets and events for all Lloyd Webber shows, including THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, as well as additional member benefits.  
 
Please sign up for more information at TheBoxFiveClub.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 .
 

For more information and tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
Follow @BroadwayInChicago on
Facebook ● Instagram ● TikTok ●Bluesky ● YouTube
#broadwayinchicago

Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre (CRDT) has leaped forward from its 25th Anniversary season with an undimmed commitment to its art and artists. New this year is CRDT II, the inaugural class of the organization's second company - expanding training opportunities for young professional dancers in a professional multicultural company and expanding engagements in communities and schools. CRDT is also proud to continue its innovative Inside/Out series and to announce the company's return to the Ruth Page Center for the 2025 Concert Series. For more information on the latest company updates and its 26th season go to CerquaRivera.org or follow @CerquaRivera on social media

"After reaching new heights in our 25th season - from completing our new works born from 'Stories from the West Side' to engaging with thousands of people across Chicagoland to celebrating our birthday in style at The Arts Club of Chicago - we proudly leaped into our 26th season," said Co-founder and Artistic Director Wilfredo Rivera. "This year audiences will experience even deeper connections through Inside/Out and community engagements and a larger company that mirrors the beautiful diversity of our hometown."

The Spring 2025 Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre season includes:

 Inside/Out with Wilfredo Rivera & American Catracho

Thursday, Feb. 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Old Town School of Folk Music (Myron Szold Hall), 4545 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago

Tickets are $20-22

Purchase tickets at CerquaRivera.org/schedule

Chicago's own Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre returns to Old Town School of Folk Music with their innovative Inside/Out series. This evening will unpack the second act of their landmark suite "American Catracho." Inspired by company Co-Founder Wilfredo Rivera's own personal journey, this signature work exploring immigration and the immigrant experience moves through themes of dislocation, assimilation, renewal and hope. At Inside/Out, audiences will not only preview sections of the piece in advance of the Spring Concert Series, but will also be invited inside the creative process through improvisation, conversation and participatory activities.

 Inside/Out with Shannon Alvis & Immense World

Sunday, March 9 at 3 p.m.

Epiphany Center for the Arts (The Sanctuary), 201 S. Ashland Ave., Chicago

Tickets are $20-35

Purchase tickets at CerquaRivera.org/schedule

Join this unique company in an exploration of our human sensory awareness of the world. In this first year developing "Immense World," the company is rooting its research in the rich and complicated heritage of the land where we live and contemplating our personal connections to nature in pastoral environments.

2025 Benefit

Thursday, April 16 at 6 p.m.

The Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario St., Chicago

Tickets $150-200, Sponsorships $2,500-10,000

Purchase tickets at CerquaRivera.org/schedule

For over a quarter century, Cerqua Rivera has been Bridging Communities through the Arts - centering the stories of Latinx, Black, & AAPI individuals, the LBGTQ+ community and women; sustaining a talented & diverse collective of artists; reaching audiences across Chicagoland and beyond in historic concert venues and community hubs. Benefit guests will celebrate Cerqua Rivera's 26th Season and help raise the funds needed for another season of innovative, soul-nourishing art. The evening will include a performance by members of the company and tributes to CRDT by special guests Annabel Armour, Eddy Ocampo and Nicholas Tremulis, as well as drinks, food and great company.
 

2025 Concert Series

Friday, June 6 at 7:30 p.m and Saturday, June 7 at 2 p.m.

Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., Chicago

Tickets are $39 - 79

Tickets on sale at CerquaRivera.org/schedule

CRDT will present a full production in one of Chicago's most distinguished dance performance venues.  The evening will include performances of original dance and music by the professional Dance Ensemble and Jazz Orchestra with stunning costumes and evocative lighting. Works by choreographers Wilfredo Rivera and Shannon Alvis as well as composers Joe Cerqua and James Sanders celebrating the Latinx diaspora, exploring the range of gender identity/ies and the experience of metamorphosis, and reflecting the immigrant experience and our common humanity.

Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre on Tour

CRDT continues traveling throughout Chicagoland and beyond. Events that are open to the public include ticket links below:

Current Tour Schedule includes:

Thursday, Feb. 27

Forest Park Public Schools, Forest Park, IL

Saturday, March 22

Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, Annapolis, MD

Tickets and more information

Friday, April 4

 Focus on the Arts, Highland Park, IL

 Tickets and more information

 Friday, April 11

 Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, IL

 Friday, May 10

Trifecta Dance Festival at Ruth Page Center for the Arts, Chicago, IL

 Tickets and more information

 ABOUT CERQUA RIVERA DANCE THEATRE

Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre combines dance, music and visual art to immerse audiences in performative storytelling. This unique company invites both performers and audiences to contemplate the beautiful differences in communities and explore the intersections of heritage, culture, and identity. For nearly three decades, Cerqua Rivera has been a seasoned staple of the Chicago dance community as well as a national touring organization. See Chicago Dance says the company "possesses a blended magic that is difficult to come by" and "creates a deeper sense of commitment and intimacy." New City Stage raves that Cerqua Rivera "speaks straight to the heart, feeding a hunger [you] may not even realize."

        # # #

The 2024-2025 season is partially supported by the National Endowment for the Arts; Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; The Farny R. Wurlitzer Foundation Fund (a Donor Advised Fund at the DeKalb County Community Foundation); Anne E. Leibowitz Fund; Weinberg Family Foundation; Richard G. & Diane Weinberg Foundation. Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.

This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by a grant awarded to the City of Chicago by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.