Displaying items by tag: Chicago events

Under the leadership of Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director Avery Willis Hoffman and Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre, Court Theatre proudly presents the Spotlight Reading Series. The Spotlight Reading Series will run from Friday, August 7, through Saturday, August 22, at venues throughout Chicago. Curated by Director of Engagement Kamilah Rashied, this is the tenth anniversary of the acclaimed and transformative program created by Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson in 2016.

"This year's Spotlight Reading Series is a legacy project," shares Rashied. "It honors Court's Resident Artist, Ron OJ Parson, who began this acclaimed program ten years ago. It celebrates a century of Black artistry and activism that has shaped our nation. And it is a love letter to the resilience, resistance, creativity, and innovation of the city of Chicago—Black Chicago, specifically."

Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director Avery Willis Hoffman adds: "The Spotlight Reading Series is an exceptional example of how we at Court put the classics in conversation with our current times. Activating a variety of artistic mediums, texts, and formats, Spotlight is an invitation to engage—with us, with each other, with history, with our city, and with art itself—and ideate our collective future. As America marks 250 years, this program represents civic discourse at its best."

Featuring the most ambitious programming to date, this year's landmark Spotlight Reading Series is organized around the theme "A Century of Black Progress." The tenth-anniversary celebration arrives on the heels of the centennial of Black History Month, which began in 1926 as Negro History Week, and looks ahead to the conclusion of August Wilson's American Century Cycle with Court Theatre's 2027 production of Joe Turner's Come and Gone.

By weaving together the past, present, and future of Black storytelling through a series of immersive events, the Spotlight Reading Series celebrates the soul of Chicago's cultural ecosystem and pays tribute to one hundred years of cultural excellence and resilience.

This year's Spotlight Reading Series is comprised of the following events:

• Friday, August 7: It's Nation Time: An Evening of Black Cinema
• Sunday, August 9: Kuumba Theatre Archive Unfurling
• Wednesday, August 12: Staged Reading of August Wilson's How I Learned What I Learned, featuring Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson
• Thursday, August 13: A Womanist Trilogy: Hurston, Richards, and Kennedy
• Friday, August 14: are you ready to smash white things? by Ireon Roach, a collaboration with Definition Theatre
• Saturday, August 15: Praise and Protest Exhibition Tour
• Saturday, August 15: Harsh Readers Circle
• Wednesday, August 19: Blackstone Book Club
• Saturday, August 22: The Chicago Critics Circles

All events are free and open to the public, and reservations are required. Reservations can be made online atCourtTheatre.org or by calling the Box Office at (773) 753-4472.

Accompanying the live events of the Spotlight Reading Series, Court Theatre—in partnership with Aaron Mays, Tribble, and Respair Media—is proud to present Spotlight Turns Ten, the Spotlight Reading Series companion podcast. Reflecting on the history of the Spotlight Reading Series and a century of Black progress and creativity, Spotlight Turns Ten will feature artists, creatives, and Court collaborators who have contributed to the series over the past decade.

The Spotlight Reading Series is presented in partnership with Arts + Public Life at the University of Chicago, Chicago Public Library, Definition Theatre, and the University of Chicago's Film Studies Center.

It's Nation Time: An Evening of Black Cinema

Experience the power of Black liberation cinema through William Greaves's Nationtime and Skip Norman's Cultural Nationalism—a vital double feature that explores the depth, defiance, and diverse aesthetics of Black liberation cinema and captures the relentless pursuit of self-determination. Presented in partnership with the University of Chicago's Film Studies Center.

Date:                            Friday, August 7, 2026

Time:                            6:30pm Doors, 7:00pm Screening

Location:                       Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, Room 201 (915 E 60th St, Chicago,

IL 60637)

Participant:                   Dr. Aymar Jèan "AJ" Escoffery (lecturer)

Kuumba Theatre Archive Unfurling

Discover the radical legacy of Chicago's Black Arts Movement at this exclusive Harold Washington Library archival unfurling event. Drawing from Special Collections that showcase the Kuumba Workshop, a revolutionary theatre company founded in 1969 by Val Gray Ward to pioneer "ritual theatre" as a tool for community liberation. Attendees will get an up-close look at original photographs and ephemera that celebrate Kuumba's enduring blueprint for Black art as activism. Presented in partnership with Chicago Public Library.

Date:                            Sunday, August 9, 2026

Time:                            2:00pm

Location:                       Harold Washington Library Center Reading Room (400 S State St, Chicago, IL

60605)

Participants:                 Pemon Rami (guest speaker), Nix Mendy (archivist facilitator), Johanna Russ

(archivist facilitator)

How I Learned What I Learned by August Wilson, Featuring Ron OJ Parson

Experience a legendary theatrical collision as acclaimed director and Court Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson steps onstage to portray the master playwright in August Wilson's autobiographical solo masterpiece, How I Learned What I Learned. Presented as a one-night-only event for Court Theatre's 2026 Spotlight Reading Series 10th Anniversary Festival.

Date:                            Wednesday, August 12, 2026

Time:                            6:00pm Doors, 6:30pm Reading

Location:                       Rubenstein Forum, Friedman Hall (1201 E 60th St, Chicago, IL 60637)

Creative Team:             Aaron Mays (director), Charles Andrew Gardner (associate director)

Cast:                            Ron OJ Parson (actor)

A Womanist Trilogy: Hurston, Richards, and Kennedy

Experience an extraordinary triple feature with A Womanist Trilogy: Hurston, Richards, and Kennedy. This powerful evening unites Zora Neale Hurston's Color Struck, Beah Richards's A Black Woman Speaks, and Adrienne Kennedy's She Talks to Beethoven to explore the interior lives of Black women. Moving from rural folk drama and fiery poetry to avant-garde surrealism, this vital trilogy offers a breathtaking testament to the enduring power of Black feminist voices in American theater across the 20th century.

Date:                            Thursday, August 13, 2026

Time:                            6:00pm Doors, 6:30pm Reading

Location:                       Rubenstein Forum, Friedman Hall (1201 E 60th St, Chicago, IL 60637)

Creative Team:             Kemati Janice Porter (director)

are you ready to smash white things? by Ireon Roach

Join us for a thrilling staged reading of are you ready to smash white things? by multi-talented Chicago artist and playwright Ireon Roach, a celebrated former winner of Definition Theatre's Amplify series. This fierce, brilliant, and deeply contemporary work uses sharp wit and unflinching honesty to interrogate institutions, dismantle systemic structures, and explore the visceral realities of Black liberation and identity. Presented in partnership with Definition Theatre.

Date:                            Friday, August 14, 2026

Time:                            6:00pm Doors, 6:30pm Reading

Location:                       Rubenstein Forum, Friedman Hall (1201 E 60th St, Chicago, IL 60637)

Creative Team:             Ireon Roach (playwright), Charlique C. Rolle (director), Tyrone Phillips

(post-show moderator)

Praise and Protest Exhibition Tour

The exhibition Praise and Protest: Voices of the Chicago Black Renaissance invites visitors to explore a transformative cultural movement told through the rare archival records of the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection. This interactive gallery tour honors the extraordinary artists, scholars, and activists who reshaped American culture from the 1930s through the 1950s. This exhibition shines a light on understudied aspects of Black history and artistry whose seminal explorations of Black life remain as timely as they are extraordinary. Presented in partnership with Chicago Public Library.

Date:                            Saturday, August 15, 2026

Time:                            11:00am (Lunch provided from 1:00pm - 2:00pm)

Location:                       Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection at the Woodson Regional Library (9525 S

Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60628)

Participants:                  Courtney Becks (facilitator), Raquel Flores-Clemons (archivist facilitator)

Harsh Readers Circle

For 40 years, the Harsh Readers Circle has met monthly at the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection, located inside the Woodson Regional Library. Inspired by the legacy of Vivian G. Harsh herself, this staple book club is dedicated to reading and discussing the finest works of Black fiction and non-fiction. Join the Circle for this special convening as they explore their August selection: A Street in Bronzeville, the groundbreaking debut book of poetry by Chicago's own Gwendolyn Brooks. Presented in partnership with Chicago Public Library.

Date:                            Saturday, August 15, 2026

Time:                            2:00pm (Lunch provided from 1:00pm - 2:00pm)

Location:                       Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection at the Woodson Regional Library (9525 S

Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60628)

Participants:                  Courtney Becks (facilitator)

Blackstone Book Club

Court Theatre's Community Reads Series bridges page and stage by inviting audiences to explore foundational literature that mirrors the theatrical season. Anchoring the Spotlight Reading Series 10th Anniversary Festival, this year's book club selection is Harvey Young and Queen Meccasia Zabriskie's groundbreaking text, Black Theater is Black Life: An Oral History of Chicago Theater and Dance, 1970-2010. Filling a critical gap in the history of African American culture in Chicago, the book weaves together interviews with prominent artists who have shaped the city's cultural landscape over decades. Presented in partnership with Chicago Public Library.

Date:                            Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Time:                            5:30pm

Location:                       Blackstone Branch of the Chicago Public Library (4904 S Lake Park Ave,

Chicago, IL 60615)

Participants:                 Adia Sykes (facilitator)

The Chicago Critics Circles

Part I: Black Authorship

Co-presented in partnership with Arts + Public Life, this roundtable talk frames Black publications as vital sites of cultural production, political imagination, and narrative control. By examining how independent media, literary institutions, and emerging platforms document and interpret Black life, the panel highlights a crucial legacy of self-determination. This timely convening directly advances the Spotlight Festival theme through the essential lens of narrative sovereignty. Presented in partnership with Arts + Public Life.

Date:                            Saturday, August 22, 2025

Time:                            2:00pm

Location:                       Green Line Performing Arts Center (329 E Garfield Blvd,

Chicago, IL 60637)

Participants:                 Adrienne Brown (moderator), Donna Rose Weems (speaker)

Part II: Claiming Space

Co-presented in partnership with Arts + Public Life, this roundtable explores how physical and social spaces act as incubators for Black cultural life and resistance. In a roundtable conversation, panelists will investigate how these environments are intentionally created, stewarded, and preserved. Presented in partnership with Arts + Public Life.

Date:                            Saturday, August 22, 2025

Time:                            4:00pm

Location:                       Green Line Performing Arts Center (329 E Garfield Blvd,

Chicago, IL 60637)

Participants:                 Tara Betts (speaker)

Winner of the 2022 Regional Theatre Tony Award, Court Theatre reimagines classic theatre to illuminate our current times. In residence at the University of Chicago and on Chicago's historic South Side, we engage our audiences with intimate and provocative experiences that inspire deeper exploration of the enduring questions that confront humanity and connect us as people.

Suffs is a musical about history, yes, but more importantly, it is a musical about momentum: who creates it, who resists it (and why), who gets left behind by it, and what it costs to keep pushing it forward.

Set during the height of the women’s suffrage movement in the 1910s, the show follows a group of young suffragists led by Alice Paul, the real-life founder of the National Woman’s Party. Together, they organize, protest, clash with political leaders, become political prisoners, and (spoiler alert) eventually help gain women the right to vote through the 19th Amendment. But Suffs is not content to frame that victory as clean or uncomplicated, or to pretend that, even a century later, the battle is anywhere near over. The musical is just as interested in the fractures within the movement itself: the younger, more aggressive activists pushing against the older, more “respectable” wing of the Suffrage movement, and the women of color forced to fight for a movement that still asks them, again and again, to wait their turn.

That is where Suffs feels most relevant. It is not only a story about the past, but about the way progress still happens now: through generational disagreement, imperfect coalitions, strategic compromises, moral failures, and the constant fear that too much change too quickly might provoke as much backlash as liberation. Shaina Taub’s book, music, and lyrics do an incredible job balancing real history with theatrical fiction, making the politics legible without flattening the people involved into saints or symbols.

Marya Grandy (Carrie Chapman Catt) and company in SUFFS.

Under director Leigh Silverman, the first national tour’s production is just as anchored by its remarkably talented cast as it is by history; the entirely female company takes on both women and men throughout the story. Maya Keleher is excellent as Alice Paul, bringing both vocal strength and exactly the right kind of young, audacious drive to the role. Her Alice has the spunky determination of a character like Newsies’ Katherine, but grown up: sharper, more self-assured, and driven by something deeper than ambition. She is unabashedly devoted to her cause and makes it clear that, no, it’s not just because she’s young.

Playing opposite her are historical figures Carrie Chapman Catt (Marya Grandy), the mature and strategically tactful leader of NAWSA, and President Woodrow Wilson (performed by u/s Merrill Peiffer). Grandy’s dynamic with Alice Paul is one of the production’s strongest relationships, the two women foiling each other beautifully as they reveal different forms of conviction, compromise, and care. Peiffer’s handling of the presidential role was especially smart: funny and pointed, but never so exaggerated that it breaks the world of the show.

A special shoutout also has to go to the trio of Ida B. Wells (Danyel Fulton), Mary Church Terrell (Trisha Jeffrey), and Phyllis Terrell (Victoria Pekel). Multiple times, the energy in the theatre seemed to shift the moment the three of them took the stage together. Their scenes carried a stillness and gravity that made the room go quiet in the best possible way.

Brandi Porter (Dudley Malone) and Jenny Ashman (President Woodrow Wilson) in the First National Touring Company of SUFFS.

Suffs, which premiered Off‑Broadway in 2022 before its award‑winning 2024 Broadway run, continues to prove its power throughout its highly anticipated national tour. The score delivers some of the musical’s most defining moments, from the sharp, scene‑setting opener “Let Mother Vote” to the driving protest energy of “The March (We Demand Equality).” The emotional weight lands beautifully in “I Was Here,” a moving tribute to Ida B. Wells and Mary Church Terrell, while “Keep Marching” rises as the show’s breakout anthem, capturing the spirit of persistence that fuels the entire production.

If I have a critique, it’s that the show leans a bit too heavily into the idea of the production’s scale growing in tandem with the movement’s momentum. Conceptually, I love that choice. In practice, however, especially within the limits of a touring production, the early restraint makes the show take a long time to feel truly sweeping. The first act is good, but it was not until the second half of the second act that I found myself thinking, “Why haven’t they been singing like that, and dancing like that, the whole time?” The choreography has similar highs and lows: effective in moments, but not always as polished as it needs to be for the more intricate sections to feel truly stunning.

Still, by the end, Suffs lands exactly where it needs to. It leaves the audience empowered without pretending that empowerment is the same as change. The show understands that history is not something we revisit for comfort, but something we return to for instruction. Its final message, “your ancestors are all the proof you need / That progress is possible, not guaranteed,” is both a warning and a call to action. Suffs reminds us that the march is not over - and that the responsibility to keep moving belongs to all of us.

Recommended.

Presented by Broadway In Chicago, Suffs is running at CIBC Theatre through July 19th. Tickets are available here.

Oil Lamp Theater, currently presenting The Last Five Years, now extended through July 19, is proud to announce the cast and creative team for its next production, I Love You Because, August 14 - September 13, book and lyrics by Ryan Cunningham, music by Joshua Salzman and orchestrations by Larry Hochman, directed by Scott Shallenbarger and music directed by Aaron Kahn, at Oil Lamp Theater, 1723 Glenview Road. The schedule includes two preview performances Friday, Aug. 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday Aug. 15 at 3 p.m., with an opening performance Saturday, Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional Wednesday performances Wednesday, Aug. 19 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday Aug. 26 at 7:30 p.m. (Understudy Performance); Wednesday, Sept. 2 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Wednesday Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $30 for previews and $55 for the run at OilLampTheater.org.  

Modern dating is a mess. Sometimes to find Mr. Right you need to find Mr. Wrong – even if that means seeing someone stuck on their ex, awkward encounters of the intimate kind and lots of bad coffee dates. Opposites attract in this feel-good musical that will transport you into the heart of your favorite guilty pleasure rom-com. Created by acclaimed musical team Ryan Cunningham and Joshua Salzman and inspired by Jane Austen’s gold-standard romance novel “Pride and Prejudice,” this delightful modern musical will make you fall head over heels.

The cast of I Love You Because includes Aiden McCoy (any with respect, Austin Bennet); Maxwell J DeTogne (any with respect, Jeff Bennet); Hannah Kipp  (she/her, Marcy Fitzwilliams); Kristin Brintnall (she/her, Diana Bingley); Daria Koon (she/they, NYC Woman); Tommy Rothwells (he/him, NYC Man); Freddy Mauricio (he/him, Austin Bennet U/S); Nic Eastlund (he/him, Jeff Bennet U/S); Kaitie Bonds (she/her, Marcy Fitzwilliams U/S); Dominique Ruffalo (she/her, Diana Bingley U/S); Nikki Holladay (she/her, NYC Woman U/S) and Joe Dennis (he/him, NYC Man U/S).

The production team includes Scott Shallenbarger (he/him, director); Aaron Kahn (he/him, music director/accompanist); Bob Knuth (he/him, scenic designer); Devin Meseke (he/him, properties designer); Maya Reter (she/her, sound designer); Sara Segneri (she/her, stage manager); Danielle Reinhardt (she/her, costume designer); Conner Nicoson (they/them, technical director); Connor Windle (she/her, production manager) and Rose Leisner (she/her, company manager).

ABOUT SCOTT SHALLENBARGER, DIRECTOR

Scott Shallenbarger makes his Oil Lamp debut with I Love You Because. Representative credits include Miracle on South Division Street, I And You, Baby the Musical (Citadel Theatre); Les Miserables (Uptown Music Theatre Company); The Glass Menagerie, Six Degrees of Separation, The Road to Mecca, Hot L Baltimore, The Children’s Crusade (Raven Theatre); Jeffrey and Love, Valor, Compassion (Hubris Productions) and Skyscraper (Piven Theatre). Shallenbarger is a published playwright and teaching artist who would like to thank you, dear audience, for attending live theatre. 

ABOUT AARON KAHN, MUSIC DIRECTOR

Aaron Kahn is thrilled to be returning to Oil Lamp after previously working on the productions of It’s A Wonderful Life: A Radio Play and The Marvelous Wonderettes. Kahn is also a private voice teacher at the Christopher Laughlin School of Music in Northbrook and is a staff accompanist at Carthage College. Other favorite music and assistant music direction credits include: Fugitive Songs (Stagedoor Manor); Mel Brooks’ The Producers (Music Theater Works); A Little Night Music (Theo Ubique) and Spring Awakening (4 Chairs Theatre). 

MORE FROM FROM OIL LAMP THEATER

Dial M for Murder

October 2 – November 1, 2026

Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the original play by Frederick Knott

Directed by Daniel King

Preview Performances: Friday, Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 3 at 3 p.m. 

Opening Night: Saturday, Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m. 

Performance schedule: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional Wednesday performances Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday Oct. 14 at 7:30 p.m. (Understudy Performance); Wednesday Oct. 21 at 11:00 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Alfred Hitchcock’s adored, chilling thriller gets a modern twist that no one will see coming. A murderous misstep begins a high-stakes hunt for the real criminal as time is quickly running out. This captivating, heart-racing play leaves audiences on the edge of their seats while the mystery of the year unravels before their eyes. Will the clues unlock the right person, or will an innocent victim pay the price? The suspense is to die for…

It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play

November 20 - December 27, 2026

Adapted by Joe Landry

Directed by Becca Holloway

Preview Performances: Friday, Nov. 20 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 21 at 3 p.m. 

Opening Night: Saturday, Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m. 

Performance schedule: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional Wednesday performances Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m. (Understudy Performance); Wednesday Dec. 16 at 11:00 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Wednesday, Dec. 23 at 7:30 p.m.

The holiday tradition returns for its 13th year. Audiences may experience unmatched holiday cheer with Frank Capra's beloved classic, “It's a Wonderful Life,” reimagined as a captivating live radio play, complete with foley sound effects and set in our own WBFR radio studio.

Journey to Bedford Falls, where George Bailey's troubles lead him to wish he was never born. Clarence, an angel sent to intervene, steps in to make his wishes come true and George quickly learns just how many lives he has touched and just how blessed he really is.

*All productions, dates, creatives, etc. are subject to change.

ABOUT OIL LAMP THEATER

Oil Lamp Theater is a professional nonprofit performing arts organization in Glenview, Illinois, welcoming over 10,000 patrons annually from more than 225 communities—41% from Glenview and others from across the North Shore and Chicago. Since establishing its intimate 60-seat home in downtown Glenview in 2012, Oil Lamp has grown into a cultural beacon, earning recognition as “Best Live Theatre in the North Shore” for four consecutive years.

With more than 70 productions to date, Oil Lamp is known for its dynamic Mainstage season, special events and its resilience during the pandemic, when it innovated with drive-in performances and outdoor productions. Today, the theatre continues to foster connection, broaden horizons and illuminate the human condition through professional theater and year-round programming.

In addition to its productions, Oil Lamp Theater operates Oil Lamp Academy, its education branch dedicated to “Training for Life Through the Performing Arts.” In 2025 alone, the program served more than 230 students ages three to 97 years old, offering classes that use theater as a pathway to build confidence, creativity and lifelong skills.

This past September, Oil Lamp launched  Light The Way, a transformative fundraising campaign designed to expand arts education, strengthen essential staff and establish a larger performance venue with the goal of staying in downtown Glenview. Building on its roots as a scrappy storefront, Oil Lamp is evolving into a more robust organization—without losing the intimacy and warmth that define its theater experience. Oil Lamp Theater hopes this announcement inspires excitement throughout the community. Stay tuned as additional news is shared in the near future. For information or to support the campaign go to OilLampTheater.org/Light-the-Way or reach out to Oil Lamp at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Oil Lamp Theater, currently presenting The Last Five Years, now extended through July 19, is proud to announce the cast and creative team for its next production, I Love You Because, August 14 - September 13, book and lyrics by Ryan Cunningham, music by Joshua Salzman and orchestrations by Larry Hochman, directed by Scott Shallenbarger and music directed by Aaron Kahn, at Oil Lamp Theater, 1723 Glenview Road. The schedule includes two preview performances Friday, Aug. 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday Aug. 15 at 3 p.m., with an opening performance Saturday, Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional Wednesday performances Wednesday, Aug. 19 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday Aug. 26 at 7:30 p.m. (which is an understudy performance); Wednesday, Sept.. 2 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; and Wednesday Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $30 for previews and $55 for the run at OilLampTheater.org.  

Great Lakes Operetta is delighted to present its first full-length, fully-staged operetta, Jacques Offenbach’s seminal work, Orpheus in the Underworld!

Originally premiering as Orphée aux enfers, this musical spoof of the Orpheus myth was the Hadestown of 1858’s Paris and had a cultural impact comparable to Hamilton or Phantom of the Opera. It is often considered the first operetta and inspired many other composers, most notably Johann Strauss Jr. The original book was written in part by Ludovic Halévy, of Carmen fame, and the score introduced the now world-famous “can-can” (known in the show as the “Infernal Gallop”). The show is raucous, wacky, and surprisingly modern, and the score is one of Offenbach’s best, ensuring its continued popularity.

Orpheus was initially controversial: in this version, Orpheus and Eurydice can’t stand each other and there is no moral redemption for anyone (although there is a singing bug, pictured below). Offenbach actively lampoons the tropes of classicism – both the original Greek myths and the revered operatic versions of those myths, such as Gluck’s Orfeo (which is even quoted musically in a very meta moment). Critics of the day felt Offenbach was disrespecting the Arts and Culture of the past – among other things – but Parisian audiences couldn’t get enough and allegedly the show only closed after running for 2 years straight (unheard of at the time) because the cast was exhausted.

20 years later, Offenbach released what might now be called a “Special Edition” version, turning the original 2 act show into a 4 act extravaganza with multiple new ballet numbers, more characters, and special effects. Most modern productions, including Great Lakes Operetta’s version, are 2 act versions with some elements of the 1874 production retained.

Great Lakes Operetta’s production will be in a new (premiere) English translation by Francis Lynch, who has translated three other French operetta works for Evanston Chamber Opera. The production will be directed by GLO Artistic Director SarahAnn Sutter, music directed by Lindsey Baer, assistant music directed by Anna Therese George, and produced by Kristin Weed. The production will be fully staged and presented with a small chamber ensemble.  Tickets are on sale now and are available here; tickets will also be available at the door (while supply lasts).

Cast & Creative Team

Great Lakes Operetta’s Orpheus in the Underworld is presented by two outstanding casts, as follows. Whichever cast you choose to watch, you are in for a treat! (And you might enjoy it all so much that you come back to watch the other cast!)

Orpheus: Mason Montuoro  (All dates)

Eurydice: Gabrielle Goudard (July 11, 17, 19); Gabrielle Haigh (July 10, 12, 18)

Public Opinion: Jennifer Barrett (July 11, 17, 19); Isabella Daltoso (July 10, 12, 18)

John Styx: Solamada Pando Girard (All dates)

Pluto: Jonathon Joseph Larson (July 11, 17, 19); Sasha Tomasevich (July 10, 12, 18)

Jupiter: Alexander Quackenbush (All dates)

Diana: Halle Rosemond (July 11, 17, 19); Catherine Larson (July 10, 12, 18)

Cupid: Hillary Esqueda (July 11, 17, 19); Abigail Greer Arcomona (July 10, 12, 18)

Venus: Alexandra Kassouf (July 11, 17, 19); Val Beck (July 10, 12, 18)

Mercury: Kristin Weed (July 11, 17, 19); Kelly Killorin (July 10, 12, 18)

Minerva: Allison Mann (July 10, 11, 12); Eugenia Bouboudakis (July 17, 18, 19); 

Juno: Katarina Bakas (All dates)

Mars: Jonathan Rodney (All dates)

Bacchus: Lucas Gassmann (All dates)

Vesta: Solamada Pando Girard (All dates)

Location

Great Lakes Operetta is proud to present its first full-length, fully-staged production on the stage of the Beatrice Theatre at the beautiful Bramble Arts Loft in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago. Located on the second floor the historic Capital Garage building (with an ADA-accessible elevator!), this lovely, intimate space is one of Chicago’s newest performing arts venues.

For tickets, click here.

The Broadway musical - Disney's The Little Mermaid - will hit the Uptown Music Theater stage this summer in Deerfield, IL, directed by Tor Campbell, choreographed by Zak Jacobs, music directed and conducted by Aaron Kaplan, and featuring the acclaimed 20-piece JAM Orchestra.

Adored by multi-generational audiences, Disney's The Little Mermaid is a spectacular and beautiful love story for the ages - about identity, community, and finding the strength of your inner voice. With its irresistible songs, including "Under the Sea," "Kiss the Girl," and "Part of Your World," this phenomenal show will capture your heart!

The cast features Julia Aragon as Ariel, Ethan Lupp as Prince Eric, Michael Davis Arnold as Sebastian, Chelle Crotinger as Ursula, Carmelo Kelly and Léa Juat as Flounder, Owen Gainer as Scuttle, Jeffrey Charles as King Triton, Eric Frietas as Flotsam, and Darrow Richmond as Jetsam.

Disney's The Little Mermaid ensemble includes: Sierra Basilio, Sofia Cunningham, Amber Golich, Jaydn Hogue, Kayla Muldoon, and Athiana Moran as Mersisters, Rachel Bass (Swing), Viva Boresi, Annika Brown (Flotsam u/s), Adonis Claybourne, Chris Finch (Scuttle u/s), Thomas Ferro (King Triton u/s), Chase Grabowski (Chef Louis), Joe Grudt (Pilot, Chef Louis & Grimsby u/s), Bobby Hanson (Grimsby), Joshua Klaber-Higgins, Carly Nadeau (Ariel u/s), Jai Ramirez (Sebastian u/s), Dylan Smith (Prince Eric u/s), Kyle Widener (Jetsam u/s), and Amanda Wilt (Ursula u/s).

The production is directed by Tor Campbell, a Milwaukee native and Northwestern University MFA graduate in Stage Directing whose dynamic career spans continents and prestigious institutions. Campbell has taught and directed at UC Irvine, Juilliard, and Lake Forest College. He currently serves as the Program Director of Musical Theatre at Interlochen, and has worked with Northlight Theatre and was a Goodman Theatre Directing Fellow for the 2024-2025 season.

"Growing up, stories like The Little Mermaid reminded me that finding your voice is an act of courage," said Campbell. "This production dives into the magic, wonder, and heart of that journey while celebrating community, identity, and the power of being seen. We are creating an ocean full of joy, spectacle, and soul for audiences of every generation."

The show is choreographed by Zak Jacobs, a Highland Park native, with a BFA in Dance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Broadway credits as Company Manager. The music team is led by Jeff Award-Nominated Music Director and Conductor Aaron Kaplan, with Kevin Zhou as Associate Music Director. Sharon Miles serves as Associate Director, with Amber Golich as Associate Choreographer. Scenic design is by Jeff Award-Winning Bob Knuth, and costume and wig design is by Jazmin Aurora Medina.

Joel Zishuk serves as both Technical Director and Lighting Designer, with Mike Patrick on sound design. Stage management is led by Sage Ayelet Brown, with Squid (Sydney) Berk as Assistant Stage Manager. Isa Pardilla is Props Designer. Gianna Carter is Production Manager, Inaija Butler is Audience Services Manager, and Lark Creative Group (Whitney Langas, Bianca Rose, and Holly Weis) leads marketing, PR, and social media.

Jamie Davidson, Uptown's Artistic Director, shares: "The Little Mermaid is an empowering and inspiring story that transcends Disney magic. We cannot wait to share this unforgettable experience with everyone."

—-

July 18–August 2, 2026
Saturdays at 2 PM (July 18, 25 & Aug. 1)
Sundays at 2 PM (July 19, 26 & Aug. 2)
Friday, July 24 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, Aug. 1 at 7:30 PM

The Performing Arts Center at Deerfield High School
1959 Waukegan Road, Deerfield, IL

For tickets and information: uptownhp.org

Break out your Burn Book and mark these dates: Aurora’s Paramount Theatre is launching its 15th Broadway Series with the Chicago-area premiere of Mean Girls,
August 26-October 11, 2026. Opening Night is Friday, September 4 at 7 p.m.

Nominated for 12 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Original Score, Mean Girls is the Broadway sensation that’s so fetch, it rules the school. 

Based on Tina Fey’s iconic Paramount Pictures film, Mean Girls is the story of Cady Heron, a sweet and smart new girl who’s just moved from Africa to Chicago’s North Shore. When she enters the wild world of North Shore High, she quickly finds herself tangled up with The Plastics, the school’s most popular - and ruthless - clique led by queen bee Regina George. As Cady tries to fit in, she learns that popularity comes with a price. And revenge can get ugly fast.  

With a book by Tina Fey, music by Jeff Richmond, and lyrics by Neil Benjamin, Mean Girls gets an A+ for big laughs, bold, campy style, unforgettable pop-rock songs, and a message that is surprisingly honest. It’s a fresh, colorful must-see for anyone who’s ever tried to find their place in the crowd. So grab your friends, wear pink (on Wednesdays, of course), and experience the non-stop, fun-loving musical that proves even the fiercest frenemies can find redemption.

Devon Hayakawa, after serving on the directing teams of South Pacific, Come From Away, Cats, and Disney’s Frozen, makes their Paramount solo directing debut with Mean Girls. Their top-tier creative team includes choreographer Kasey Alfonso (Come From Away, Jeff Award-winner, Cats), veteran Paramount Broadway Series music director and conductor Kory Danielson, set designer Milo Bue (Come From Away) and costume designer Kotryna Hilko (Peter and the Starcatcher). 

On stage, Cady Heron will be played by Elizabeth Stenholt, familiar to Paramount audiences as Olive in The 25th Anniversary Putnam County Spelling Bee (Jeff-nominated, Performer in a Supporting Role), Medium Alison in Fun Home (winner, Jeff Award, Performer in a Supporting Role), and Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. 

Dariana Mullen, coming off The Great Gatsby at New York’s Broadway Theatre, makes her Chicago debut as Cady’s arch nemesis, Regina George. The cast also features Angel Alzeidan as Gretchen Wieners, Julia Hope Budd as Karen Smith, Diego Vazquez Gomez as Aaron Samuels, Lucy Godinez as Janis Sarkisian, Steven Klenk as Damian Hubbard, Ben Mathew as Kevin G, Veronica Garza as Mrs. Heron/Ms. Norbury/Mrs. George, and Austin Nelson Jr. as Principal Duvall. 

The ensemble includes Tola Abitogun, Jeremiah Alsop, Matty Bettencourt, Anna Louise Bramlett, Nicole DiSandro, Ben Dow, Tiyanna Gentry, Joshua Messmore, Hannah Remian, Nataki Rennie, Morgan Schoenecker, Jacob Simon, Abby C. Smith, Amanda Walker and Elaine Watson. 

Ticket information
 

Mean Girls begins previews Wednesday, August 26. Opening Night is Friday, September 4 at 7 p.m. Performances run through October 11: Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m.; Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Sunday at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. (Exception: No matinee Wednesday, August 26.) Single tickets to Mean Girls are $34-$109 when purchased in-person. Additional fees apply for phone and online orders.

Any Mathlete knows it’s smarter to save money with a Paramount Theatre 2026-27 Broadway Series subscription. Four-show packages start at just $73, including Mean Girls, a world premiere adaptation of The Christmas Carol (November 11, 2026–January 3, 2027), Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Sunday in the Park with George (February 10–March 28, 2027) and an 80s-inspired Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat  (April 28-June 13, 2027).

That’s the same “Buy Two Shows, Get Two Shows Free” offer Paramount has offered since it launched its first Broadway Series in 2011, and has since grown to be the largest subscription theater in the U.S. Think of it as four Broadway-quality musicals for less than the price of one show downtown. Plus, Aurora boasts easy, affordable parking and a host of new restaurants all around. 

Paramount Theatre is located at 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. For tickets or subscriptions, visit ParamountAurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount box office Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and until show time on show days. For group discounts, contact Melissa Striedl, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (630) 723-2461. 

Paramount: Making live theater accessible to all

Paramount will offer two Pay What You Can previews Thursday, August 27 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, August 29 at 2 p.m. See ParamountAurora.com/Pay-What-You-Can for details. 

Paramount will offer open captioning Wednesday, September 30 at 7 p.m. and American Sign Language interpretation Friday, October 9 at 7 p.m. 

Paramount offers free assistive listening devices  at all performances, including new Auracast technology that connects to blue tooth earphones. Check in at the coat room before the show to borrow a device. If you require wheelchair or special seating or other assistance, please contact the box office in advance at (630) 896-6666 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

What’s on the minds of Chicago’s youth?

Find out when Collaboraction Theatre’s 2026 The Light Youth Ensemble brings their talent, fused with a strong passion for positive social change, for free performances at several key Chicago events this summer. 

Now in its fifth year, Collaboraction’s The Light empowers Chicago high schoolers to become professional artists and thoughtful leaders in their communities. The youth are paid to create and perform pieces for peace around the city, making the program part performing arts, and part, creative workforce development. Collaboraction’s 2026 ensemble – 19 Chicago high schoolers from all over the city, intent on becoming both skilled performers and positive social change makers – is the company’s largest ever, and they’re ready to share their youthful exuberance, artistry and calls for positive change. 

Meet Collaboractions’ 2026 Light cohort, and see the social change themes reflecting Chicago youth concerns today:

Aisling, 17, Lincoln Park, healthcare access 

Anna, 17, Mount Greenwood, education
Ari, 17, Humboldt Park, homelessness/mental health

Bella, 16, Humboldt Park, women’s rights/mental health

Cami, 15, Galewood, mental health

Christian, 16, Portage Park, queer acceptance in religion

Isabel, 17, Bucktown, gun violence and LGBTQ rights 

Jonathan, 18, Dolton, depression/poverty

Khloe, 16, Austin, drug abuse/mental health

Kristian, 16, Lincoln Park, mental health

Lucy, 17, Lincoln Square, eating disorder awareness

Marquise, 16, Englewood, gun violence
Maya, 18, Belmont Cragin, women's rights/representation

Quentin, 17, Calumet City, individuality/pride

Riley, 17, Auburn Gresham, anti-deportation

Rhylan, 15, Bucktown, women’s/queer rights
Sammy, 17, Hermosa, gun violence/classism

Sophia, 16, Brighton Park, queerness and ethnicity

Story, 16, Austin, internalized racism 

Fresh off appearing at Logan Square Arts Festival this past weekend, look for The Light performing live at festivals and events around Chicago in the coming months including:

Fresh Fest

At Navy Pier
Friday, July 10, 12 p.m.

Kidzapalooza at Lollapalooza

Grant Park
July 30 - August 2, multiple times

The Light Up

Collaboraction 

Kimball Arts Center, 1757 N. Kimball Ave. in Humboldt Park 

Saturday and Sunday, August 8 and 9, 3 p.m. 

Followed by The Luminaries’ new show at 7:30 p.m.

The Utopian Ball
Collaboraction’s annual gala fundraiser
Venue West, 221 N. Paulina St. in West Town
Saturday, October 3, 6 p.m.

For the latest information and more performances TBA this summer, visit collaboraction.org/the-light.

Step Into The Light

In addition to performing across the city, The Light is currently meeting three days a week at Collaboraction’s new House of Belonging in Humboldt Park, where they’re learning about the intersection of live performance and social change while devising original, solo and ensemble works rooted in their own, personal social justice causes. 

In keeping with Collaboraction’s Pay Equity policy, each member earns equitable pay while participating in The Light, including meetings, rehearsals and performances. After completing the program, students receive professional headshots, video documentation, and continued access to creative resources and mentorship.


Lucy DiMaio, Chicago’s New Youth Poet Laureate and a returning member of Collaboraction’s The Light,
performs “Evil Eye” at the Logan Square Arts Festival on June 27, 2026. Photo courtesy Collaboraction.

Lucy DiMaio, 17, a resident of Lincoln Square and an incoming senior at Walter Payton College Prep, is a returning member of The Light, where last summer, she devised a visceral, original spoken word piece “Evil Eye” about women’s safety on public transportation. Since then, Lucy was named the 2026 Chicago Youth Poet Laureate, a program of Young Chicago Authors, who will spend the next year presenting Lucy as Chicago's youth voice through performances and civic engagements across the city. 

“The Light members are always so supportive of each other, and that support was so necessary in creating ‘Evil Eye,’” said Lucy. “Since we all create art about difficult topics that often affect ourselves personally, there was a very important understanding that my piece was difficult for me to write and sometimes perform. All Light members were so incredibly considerate of that sensitivity and still managed to give helpful and insightful feedback. Additionally, getting help from established artists was absolutely invaluable, as they helped me consider how the piece would function as a true performance.”

Many past members of The Light have gone on to remarkable success, including two earning full college scholarships, two competing on America’s Got Talent, one starring in an Apple TV show, one self-producing and releasing an album on Apple Music, and another attending the CLI Conservatory for elite dance training. Several have also joined The Luminaries, Collaboraction’s youth continuing education program for graduates of The Light. This program, for ages 18 to 23, equips professional college-aged performers with the skills to create meaningful, socially driven work.

Antonio Mendoza, Collaboraction’s Lead Teaching Artist, directs The Light. Chicago music artist Linda Sol leads The Luminaries. Collaboraction company members, staff, and artists also bring real-world experience to youth training. Outside mentors past and present include actress and playwright Sandra Delgado, rock musician Nicholas Tremulis, actor and director Cheryl Lynn Bruce, Collaboraction leaders Darlene Jackson and Anthony Moseley, and more. 

Members of The Light pose with Chicago rock music legend and guest mentor Nicholas Tremulis (center) after he helped them write an original song in Collaboraction's new office space at the Kimball Arts Center in Humboldt Park. Credit: Collaboraction

Pre-, mid- and post-training self-assessments by last summer’s Light cohort underscore the program’s positive influence across all metrics, starting with career readiness, leadership and creativity/artistry. Surveys also point to the participants growing more comfortable applying the arts to social change and increased practicing of self-care strategies over the course of the program. Click here for the full report. 

The Light is made possible with the support of the Marc and Jeanne Malnati Family Foundation, and the Illinois Arts Council.

About Collaboraction

Now fully activated, Collaboraction Theatre Company’s new House of Belonging in the Kimball Arts Center, 1757 N. Kimball Ave in Humboldt Park, is a sleek, 4,000-square foot space featuring a new 99-seat flexible studio theater and a 50-seat cabaret with cafe and bar.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026, Collaboraction is an award-winning Chicago theater company that uses the power of art and storytelling to cultivate healing, empathy, and equity across communities. Across all platforms, Collaboraction uses its KEDA methodology - Knowledge, Empathy, Dialogue, and Action - to spark changes in behavior and attitudes that manifest social change.

Collaboraction’s past work includes NBC Chicago’s three-time Emmy Award-winning The Lost Story of Emmett Till: Trial in the Delta, the resulting live stage play film, Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till, live productions of Crime Scene, Moonset Sunrise, A Blue Island In the Red Sea, its annual Peacebook and Sketchbook festivals, and its youth ensemble, The Light.

Collaboraction is led by Darlene Jackson, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director; Anthony Moseley, Chief Programming Officer and Artistic Director; and a dedicated board, company members and staff. For more information, visit collaboraction.org or follow Collaboraction on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Bluesky.

Collaboraction Theatre Company’s new House of Belonging is now fully activated in the Kimball Arts Center, 1757 N. Kimball Ave in Humboldt Park. Open since February, audiences, artists, activists, the Humboldt Park community, and the general public are discovering the company’s new home, a sleek, 4,000-square foot space with a 99-seat flexible studio theater and a 50-seat cabaret with cafe and bar.

Come to Collaboraction’s House of Belonging in July and enjoy theater, music, art, spoken word, youth performances, and more. Go to collaboraction.org to get your tickets to:

¡Ah Huevo!
Bilingual Improv School Student Showcase

Wednesday, July 1, 7 p.m.

Tickets: $12.50

¡Ah Huevo! is a fully improvised comedy show that showcases the talented students of Bilingual Improv School – the only place where students can take an improv class in Spanglish! Everyone is welcome regardless of their fluency level or cultural background. ¡Ah Huevo! and Bilingual Improv School are hosted by Rudy Mendoza and are part of Collaboraction’s You Belong Here series. Learn more at linktr.ee/bilingualimprovschool.

Disasterpiece

Presented by Mosaic Theatre Collective
Saturday, July 11, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $15-$35

Disasterpiece is an immersive variety show where everything goes wrong production-wise (on purpose, of course). The host is desperately trying to keep the evening together while lights flicker, cues fail, technical difficulties pile up, and chaos unfolds in real time. Despite the disaster, a lineup of bold and talented performers continues to take the stage, turning the night into a celebration of creativity, individuality and live performance.

Disasterpiece blends comedy, improvisation, audience interaction and a rotating lineup of short acts ranging from music, dance, stand-up, drag, clowning, spoken word, puppetry and other unexpected talents. At its core, the show celebrates artists who refuse to shrink themselves and creates space for performers, especially BIPOC and LGBTQ+ artists, to be loud, weird, joyful, vulnerable and fully seen. Presented as part of Collaboraction’s You Belong Here Series.

Chicago-based Mosaic Theatre Collective is a place where artists come together, not fit in—embracing differences while collaborating, creating, connecting, and providing opportunities for emerging artists. Through multidisciplinary performance, community engagement, and artist centered programming, Mosaic creates spaces where creatives can experiment, connect, and share work that might not otherwise find a home on traditional stages.

The Frequency

Curated by DJ Lady D

With special guest Roy Kinsey

Presented by Collaboraction and Group Sounds
Tuesday, July 14, 7:30 p.m.

Doors open and music at 5:30 p.m.

Program at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets: $5-$20

What if one evening could nourish your mind, awaken your spirit, and reconnect you with your body and community?

Welcome to The Frequency, a new gathering series curated by internationally renowned DJ, TEDx speaker, Recording Academy Chicago Governor and Collaboraction Executive Director DJ Lady D, where culture, wellness, creativity, and collective healing come together. Experience a talk, workshop, lecture, and the like from a celebrated thought leader. Stay for a community conversation and the embodied movement experience where it all coalesces. Expect soulful sounds, intentional movement, and an opportunity to connect with fellow seekers, artists, healers, and changemakers.

In July, Lady D’s special guest is one of Chicago's most visionary artists, Roy Kinsey, aka The Rapbrary, “Chicago librarian by day, legendary rapper by night.” Learn more at therapbrary.com.

Don’t miss this evening exploring hip hop, literacy, storytelling and cultural memory. If you're interested in Astrology and Afrofuturism, yoga and embodied wellness, personal growth and healing, mind-body-spirit practices, community, belonging, art, culture and social change, then The Frequency is for you.

Outspoken LGBTQ Stories at Sidetrack

A Fundraiser for Queer Fight Club
Wednesday, July 15, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $15

Outspoken LGBTQ Stories at Sidetrack, hosted and curated by Archy Jamjun and Chijioke Williams, comes to Collaboraction for an evening of personal stories focused on the trans community. Guest storytellers include drag queen-fronted garage punk band leader Bev Rage, genderfluid drag artist Travis Fiero, Anna DeShawn, (host of Queer News Podcast), preacher and storyteller Hart Lang, and Caroline Andres, a member of the Sweats Girls.

Jamjun is curator of Outspoken LGBTQ Stories at Sidetrack, which was inducted in Chicago's LGBTQ Hall of Fame and honored by the State of Illinois for Outstanding Achievement in Arts and Humanities. He is also a two-time winner of The Moth Grand Slam and has been part of The Moth's Mainstage National Tour and Radio Hour. His writing has appeared in Chicago Magazine, Barrel House and The Rhumpus.    

Williams is a performance artist, audio-creative, and storyteller based in Chicago. She is the voice, writer, and sound designer of Between Heartbeats (in production), and can also be heard on StarTripper, Someone Dies In This Elevator, SuperSuits, and several other audio dramas. Most recently, Chijioke was a producer on Division Street: Revisited (PRX) and Unboxing Queer History.

Presented as part of Collaboraction’s You Belong Here series.

RADIATE
Tuesday, July 21
6 p.m. creative workshop and sign up; 7 p.m. open mic
Tickets: Free

RADIATE is Collaboraction’s monthly open mic series produced by The Luminaries, alums of Collaboraction’s The Light youth ensemble. Each event begins with a guided workshop that invites participants to explore a theme or social change concept through art and reflection. The Luminaries then open the floor for performances from local artists, students, and community members, closing the night with a showcased featured artist. 

Collaboraoke: Real Band Karaoke Championship
Thursday, July 23, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $25, includes one free drink ticket

After three preliminary rounds, Collaboraoke: Real Band Karaoke has entered the knock-out phase. Winners from the past three competitions are tuning up to compete for the final crown. Arrive early and you, too, can help warm up the audience with your karaoke skills. Then sit back to witness who will be Chicago’s Next Top Collaboraoke Star. Chicago’s own Ocean and the Waves, led by Sam Ocean, is your professional back up band. The night is hosted by Collaboraction’s Artistic Director and crooner extraordinaire, Anthony Moseley. Proceeds support The Light, Collaboraction's youth program. See the song list at collaboraction.org.

The Sandra Delgado Experience
Friday through Sunday, July 24-26

Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 7 p.m.
Tickets: $35-$55

The Sandra Delgado Experience returns to Chicago bolder and more bliss-filled than ever, following her triumphant show at Joe's Pub at New York’s Public Theatre this past spring. Part spiritual cabaret, part dance party, this electrifying night is a celebration of loving ourselves and each other. Expect a rush of joy as high-energy cumbias, sultry boleros, and reimagined English-language indie classics collide with luminous, mystical moments that pull you fully into the present. With only 80 seats, this will be the most intimate Sandra Delgado Experience yet. 

Chicago cultural icon and Collaboraction Founding Member Sandra Delgado—hailed as “her own brand of triple threat” (Newcity Chicago)—guides audiences through a vibrant blend of song, story, and soul-stirring connection inspired by her bilingual and bicultural existence. The result is an unforgettable, hypnotic experience audiences describe as “unique, refreshing, and inviting of everything possible and positive.”

Joining Delgado again is guitarist Richard Pena, from Puerto Rico with over 260,000 followers across all platforms and a new album out; Manases Rivera on piano, a Humboldt Park native, and founder of the Cepillao Band; Coco Elysses, Chicago music royalty on percussion; Roberto Carpacho Marin, Delgado’s band leader for La Havana Madrid, leader of Carpacho y Su Super Combo, celebrating 40 years in the Chicago music business in 2026. Janet Cramer on drums and Carol Macpherson, trombonist and long-time collaborator, round out the band.

Frankie Diaz presents VOY PA ’20
Saturday, July 25, 5 p.m.
Tickets: $18

VOY PA' 20 is a night of music celebrating Frankie Diaz' 20 years in the music world. Part romance, part autobiography, some social justice, with a little nonsense tossed in, just for fun, is what you'll find in Frankie Diaz's songbook. Join us for his second solo all-Spanish concert ever.

With his concert at Collaboraction, Frankie Diaz is celebrating 20 years as a bandleader and rhythm guitarist. This year, he's also reached the 100-song mark in his catalog of original salsa, bolero, cha-cha, and Puerto Rican folk tunes. Frankie also performs with Conjunto Superior, his fifth band since he began performing in Chicago, his birthplace.  Presented as part of Collaboraction’s You Belong Here series.

Cómo Se Dice?

Friday, July 31

Doors at 6:30 p.m., Show at 7 p.m.

Tickets: $20

"Cómo se dice?" is a monthly bilingual short-form improv show featuring a rotating cast of  professional bilingual actors and comedians. The show is a throwback to the classic TV show,  "Whose line is it anyway?" but in Spanglish. Cómo Se Dice? is hosted by Rudy Mendoza and is a premium production of the Bilingual Improv School as part of Collaboraction’s You Belong Here series. 

The show is hosted by Rudy Mendoza and is a premium production of Bilingual Improv School, the only school where students can take an improv class in Spanish and English. Learn more at linktr.ee/bilingualimprovschool.

In addition to its own programs, Collaboraction’s You Belong Here series provides a home for independent artists and groups at any stage in their career, with an emphasis on those who live in proximity to the Kimball Arts Center in Humboldt Park. Curated by company member Sandra Delgado, You Belong Here takes the barriers out of self-producing by providing free space and equipment, stage management, marketing and PR support and a generous door split model. To learn more or submit a performance proposal, visit collaboraction.org/you-belong-here.

Note: Free and nearby street parking is available at Collaboraction’s new House of Belonging in the Kimball Arts Center, 1757 N. Kimball Ave. in Chicago’s Humboldt Park community. For CTA riders, the 82 Kimball-Homan bus stops right in front of Kimball Arts Center. Collaboraction is also a short walk from the Kimball stop on the 72 North and 73 Armitage bus lines. For bikers and pedestrians, The 606’s Kimball trailhead leads directly to the Kimball Arts Center. 

About Collaboraction

Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026, Collaboraction is an award-winning Chicago theater company that uses immersive, socially conscious performance to spark change and build equity. Across all platforms, Collaboraction uses its KEDA methodology - Knowledge, Empathy, Dialogue, and Action - to spark changes in behavior and attitudes that manifest social change.

Collaboraction’s past work includes NBC Chicago’s three-time Emmy Award-winning The Lost Story of Emmett Till: Trial in the Delta, the resulting live stage play film, Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till, live productions of Crime Scene, Moonset Sunrise, A Blue Island In the Red Sea, its annual Peacebook and Sketchbook festivals, and its youth ensembles, The Light and The Luminaries.

Collaboraction is led by Darlene Jackson, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director; Anthony Moseley, Chief Programming Officer and Artistic Director; and a dedicated board, company members and staff.  For more information, visit collaboraction.org or follow Collaboraction on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Bluesky.

Babes With Blades Theatre Company's (BWBTC) 2026 season opens with a world premiere, yo ho., by playwright SMJ, directed by JD Caudill and fight choreography by Carly "CB" Cason, July 19 - August 29 at The Edge Theater Off Broadway, 1133 W. Catalpa Ave. The running time is approximately two hours (including intermission). Preview performances are Sunday, July 19 at 3 p.m., Thursday, July 23 and Friday, July 24 at 8 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays – Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. The open caption performances are Saturday, Aug. 15 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Aug.16 at 3 p.m. and Thursday, Aug. 20 and Friday, Aug. 21 at 8 p.m.. The sensory friendly performances are Sunday, Aug. 2 and Sunday, Aug. 9 at 3 p.m. and  with the fully masked audience performances, Sunday, Aug. 9 and Aug. 16 at 3 p.m. Streaming dates for yo ho. will be announced at a future date. Tickets are $28 for students and seniors, $35 for general admission and are on sale now at BabesWithBlades.org.

yo ho. charts the journey of Anne Bonny and Mary Read, two pirates aboard a campy, sexually charged ship facing immediate threat from the crown. Equal parts historical fantasy and introspective sexual and gender exploration, this play is a deeply emotional reimaging and reminder of queer history.

"This hilarious and saucy comedy is perfect for the summer," states Artistic Director Hayley Rice. "In many ways yo ho. is exactly the kind of show you would expect from BWBTC: swashbuckling swordfights between moments of illuminating the lost stories of marginalized identities. This script is also fresh, exciting and perhaps a little steamier than Babes' offerings of the past."

The ensemble cast of ten, in alphabetical order, features Stef Brundage (they/them, Calico Jack); Sierra Buffum (they/them, Mary Read); William Delforge (he/him, Chad/James); Schnaude Dorizan (she/her, Vanessa U/S); Stephanie Fongheiser (she/her, Anne Bonny U/S); Cris King (she/her, Calico Jack U/S); Rachel Sleek Bañuelos (she/her, Anne Bonny); Makenna Van Raalte (they/she, Mary Read U/S); Jacob Watson (he/they, Chad/James U/S) and Brittani Yawn (she/her, Vanessa).

The production team includes BWBTC ensemble members Line Bower (they/them, technical director); Jennifer Mohr (she/her, costume designer); Payton Shearn (she/they, production assistant) and Laura J. Wiley (she/her, lighting designer) as well as Carly "CB" Cason (they/she/any, fight choreographer); JD Caudill (they/them, director); Kat Coyl (they/them, assistant director); Amy C. Gilman (she/her, scenic designer); Rose Hamill (she/her, production manager); Alex Kingsley (they/them, sound designer); Meme Matteson (she/they, assistant fight choreographer); Grace Mealey (she/her, stage manager); Alyssa Vera Ramos (she/her/ella, intimacy designer) and SMJ (they/them, playwright).  

ABOUT SMJ, PLAYWRIGHT

SMJ is a mixed-Latiné, non-binary and New York City-based playwright, theatermaker and educator originally from Mount Vernon, OH. They are proud to be the executive director of Andy's Summer Playhouse, a professional children's theater in Wilton, New Hampshire, that specializes in creating world premiere work with local children and emerging professional artists. They were a 2022-2023 Dramatists Guild Foundation Fellow. As a writer, their work has been seen in various forms with Ars Nova, Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, New York Stage and Film, Latinx Playwrights Circle, The Orchard Project, Latiné Musical Theatre Lab, Carnegie Mellon University, New York University, Otterbein University and Manhattanville University. SMJ has been a finalist for the Princess Grace Award in Playwriting at New Dramatists and a semifinalist for the 2024 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival as well as the O'Neill's National Playwrights Conference (multiple times). They are a member of the Dramatists Guild and Ring of Keys. 

ABOUT JD CAUDILL, DIRECTOR

JD Caudill is a queer director, literary manager and music director. Their recent direction credits include The SpongeBob Musical (Kokandy Productions; Bowling Green State University), Sofa King Queer (Nothing Without A Company), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Haven Theatre), I Promised Myself to Live Faster (Hell in a Handbag), After the Blast (Broken Nose Theatre) and Southern Comfort (Pride Films and Plays). They've also directed for Bechdel Fests 4-6 + 8 and Book of Shadows (Broken Nose Theatre) and other plays at The New Colony, Haven Theatre, The Runaways Lab Theatre, New American Folk Theatre, Hobo Junction, 20% Theatre, Paragon Theatre, Otherworld Theatre, Arc Theatre, 16th Street Theatre, Stage Left, The Syndicates and Red Theatre. They have been a proud ensemble member of Hell in a Handbag for ten years, and served as an ensemble member and literary manager of Broken Nose Theatre for seven years. They are driven to make theatre because of the unique sense of community it creates by bringing people together in person to experience imaginative stories of hope and catharsis. As a director, their mission is to create queer art for everyone; they want queer audiences to experience new stories of authentic representation while helping non-queer audiences cultivate empathy for the LGBTQIA+ community. 

ABOUT CARLY "CB" CASON, FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHER

Carly Belle is a founder of Counterfeit Combat, head acting coach with Model Act Studios and is thrilled to be swashbuckling with this great group of pirates! With roots deep in the heart of Texas, they have more than a decade of training and experience in combat for stage and screen. Other Chicago credits include: Bloodbound (Auriel Productions), Fencers of Panache (Fair in the Field), And They Were Shipmates (Counterfeit Combat) and Leap of Fate (Nonsense Productions).

ABOUT BABES WITH BLADES THEATRE COMPANY

Babes With Blades Theatre Company, for more than 25 years and moving into the future, strives to develop and present scripts focused on complex, dynamic (often combative) characters who continue to be underrepresented on theatre stages based on gender. Babes With Blades Theatre Company uses stage combat to tell stories that elevate the voices of underrepresented communities and dismantle the patriarchy.

In each element of its programming, BWBTC embraces two key concepts:

1)     Folks of marginalized genders and underrepresented communities are central to the story, driving the action rather than responding or submitting to it and

2)     Everyone is capable of a full emotional and physical range, up to and including violence and its consequences.

The company offers participants and patrons alike an unparalleled opportunity to experience every person as heroes and villains; rescuers and rescues; right, wrong and everywhere in between: exciting, vivid, dynamic PEOPLE. It's as simple and as subversive as that.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT STATEMENT:

Babes With Blades Theatre Company produces theatre in venues located on the traditional homelands of the Council of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations. Many other tribes such as the Miami, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox also called this area home. This region that we now commonly refer to as "The Chicagoland Area", has long been a center for Indigenous people to gather, trade and maintain kinship ties. Today, one of the largest urban Native American communities in the United States resides in Chicago. Members of this community continue to contribute to the life of this city and to celebrate their heritage, practice traditions and care for the land and waterways.

Babes With Blades Theatre Company's (BWBTC) 2026 season opens with a world premiere, yo ho., by playwright SMJ, directed by JD Caudill and fight choreography by Carly "CB" Cason, July 19 - August 29 at The Edge Theater Off Broadway, 1133 W. Catalpa Ave. The running time is approximately two hours (including intermission). Preview performances are Sunday, July 19 at 3 p.m., Thursday, July 23 and Friday, July 24 at 8 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays – Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. The open caption performances are Saturday, Aug. 15 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Aug.16 at 3 p.m. and Thursday, Aug. 20 and Friday, Aug. 21 at 8 p.m.. The sensory friendly performances are Sunday, Aug. 2 and Sunday, Aug. 9 at 3 p.m. and  with the fully masked audience performances, Sunday, Aug. 9 and Aug. 16 at 3 p.m. Streaming dates for yo ho. will be announced at a future date. Tickets are $28 for students and seniors, $35 for general admission and are on sale now at BabesWithBlades.org.