Dance in Review

Buzz Center Stage

Buzz Center Stage

The gang's all here! International smash hit The Choir of Man is thrilled to announce its Chicago cast, featuring a mix of Chicago area natives and all-star The Choir of Man veterans direct from the UK. A critically acclaimed theatrical sensation, known across the globe as "the ultimate feel-good show," The Choir of Man is 90 minutes of indisputable joy for all ages. Performances of The Choir of Man begin on March 27, 2024, at the Apollo Theater, 2550 N. Lincoln Avenue in Chicago. The press opening is scheduled for Wednesday, April 3 at 7:30pm.

The cast of The Choir of Man includes Marc AkinfolarinPaul DeeganRJ GriffithIfan Gwilym-JonesNorton JamesCal T KingGeorge KnapperBenji LordMark LovedayShane McDaidKristian MorseDavid Shute, and Kevin James Sievert.

Bringing the music to life each night is an incredible live band, including Rafe Bradford (Bass), Seth Pae (Violin, Viola, Keys), Scott Simon (Drums), and Kelan M. Smith (Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin).

A mug-clinking success, The Choir of Man comes from the creative minds of Andrew Kay (Soweto Gospel ChoirBluey's Big Play, and the award-winning North by Northwest) and Nic Doodson (The MagnetsGobsmacked, and Noise Boys), with lead producers Stephen Lindsay and Brett Sirota, Scott Prisand and Matthew Weaver (Rock of Ages and Soul Train) and The Everywhere Group. The music is arranged and orchestrated by the show's Musical Supervisor Jack Blume, while dialogue takes the form of spoken word monologues written by performance poet Ben Norris. The movement direction and choreography is by original cast member and tap dancer Freddie Huddleston.

Completing the creative team are Oli Townsend (Scenic Designer), Verity Sadler (Costume Designer & Co-Scenic Designer), Richard Dinnen (Lighting Designer), Sten Severson (Sound Designer), Norton James (Resident Associate Director), Michael McBride (Resident Musical Director), Debbie O'Brien (Casting Director UK), and Claire Simon (Casting Director, USA).

Welcome to The Choir of Man, the best pub in the world. It's a party. It's a concert. It's a theater experience unlike any you've had before. Featuring pop, classic rock, folk melodies, and pub anthems, The Choir of Man has something for everyone. A cast of nine (extra)ordinary and multi-talented guys combines hair-raising harmonies, foot-stomping singalongs, world-class tap dance, and poetic meditations on the power of community in this riotously enjoyable homage to that popular gathering place—your favorite local pub. With a real working bar on stage, come ready to drink in the excitement. Raise a glass with us! Cheers!

For the first time, The Choir of Man will be performed by a mix of local artists and British and Irish actors. Director Nic Doodson said, "We're thrilled to welcome our Chicago-based friends' world-class talent to our pub, The Jungle. The Choir of Man is all about community and the strength we have when we come together, and there is no better example of this than mixing local and international actors. The talent, energy, and unique Chicago personality that Kevin and RJ bring to the show is really exciting and will make this not only a world first for our show but also give the show a very unique and special voice. We can't wait to share a pint with everyone!"

The Choir of Man is an uplifting celebration of community and friendship where everyone is welcome. It's 90 minutes of feel-good, foot-stomping entertainment unlike anything else in Chicago! Brimming with hits from artists such as AdelePaul SimonKaty PerryRed Hot Chili Peppers, Luther Vandross and more, the cast features world-class tap dancers, singers, and instrumentalists, ensuring that there is something for everyone in this feel-good show.

Single tickets for The Choir of Man start at $35. Tickets for performances through May 26, 2024, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com, by calling (773) 935-6100, or by visiting the box office at the Apollo Theater. Group reservations (10 or more people) are currently available through Group Tix and Tours at 312-423-6612 or www.grouptixandtours.com.

The Choir of Man was first presented at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017 and has since been performed at venues around the world, including the Sydney Opera House and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Since 2018, The Choir of Man has been a resident show on board the Norwegian Escape and Norwegian Encore cruise ships. The West End production now in its second year was nominated for a 2022 Olivier Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play.

For more information, visit www.choirofmanchicago.com. Follow the guys on Instagram (@choirofmanchicago) and Facebook (/choirofman).  

About the Artists

Marc Akinfolarin (Bore) Theatre includes: Moose in Crazy for You (Gillian Lynne Theatre), Prince and Ensemble in Hex (National Theatre), Moose in Crazy for You (Chichester Festival Theatre), Reverend Dobson in Anything Goes (Barbican), Sergeant of Police in Pirates of Penzance (Palace Theatre), Adrian in The Last Ship (Toronto and US Tour), Zeke/Lion in The Wizard of Oz (Pitlochry Festival Theatre), Spamilton (Menier Chocolate Factory), Sir Bedevere in Spamalot (UK Tour/Mercury Colchester), Alf in Peter and The Starcatcher (Royal and Derngate), Ed Bishop in Floyd Collins (Wilton's Music Hall), Ensemble in Jesus Christ Superstar (U.K/European Tour), Ensemble in Sweeney Todd (English National Opera), Bystander in Assassins (Menier Chocolate Factory), Porgy & Bess (Royal Danish Opera), Emmeline/Better/Shilling/Antimony in Christmas Carol (Birmingham Rep), Buster in The Color Purple (The Menier Chocolate Factory), Sparrow in Soul Man (Stephen Joseph Theatre), Alternate Clopin and Quasimodo in Notre Dame de Paris (Asian Tour), Smokey Joe's Cafe (Landor Theatre), Reuben in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (UK Tour). Trained at the Arts Educational Schools, London

Paul Deegan (U/s PoetMaestroHardman) Paul is half English half Irish, and grew up in a small town in the UK called Spalding. He graduated from Mountview Academy of Theatre arts in London where he achieved a bachelor's degree in Musical Theatre. Paul is returning to The Choir of Man after previously playing Poet the second ever cast of the show in 2018. You may have seen him on a Royal Caribbean stage where Paul has been performing all over the world for the last few years, achieving seeing over a quarter of the world in 2023! Paul is delighted to be making his US debut with The Choir of Man.

RJ Griffith (Hardman) RJ Griffith, a Chicago singer-songwriter and actor, inspires through his music and performances. After making a name for himself at Chicago's historic Black Ensemble Theater he's excited to be welcomed into the amazing family of the Olivier Award Nominated show The Choir Of Man! RJ's music has been featured in films and played on top radio and TV stations. He has toured nationally and performed at major events, including sports games. 

Ifan Gwilym-Jones (Maestro) Ifan is from the seaside town of Barry in Wales. He has been playing piano since the age of 5 and also plays flute and saxophone. He studied Musical Theatre at The Royal Academy of Music in London. Some of his favorite credits include; Perchik in Fiddler On The Roof, John Tallentire in The Hired Man, The Dentist in Little Shop of Horrors and 5 seasons as a vocalist at the Thursford Christmas Spectacular. Ifan is also a member of the vocal group The Vintage Boys, performing worldwide singing hits from the 1950s & 60s. Ifan has been part of The Choir of Man family since 2022 and has performed the show in Canada, Australia and on board Norwegian cruise lines. He is thrilled to be bringing The Jungle to the Windy City! Iechyd da!                    

  

Norton James (U/s BeastBore) Norton has been a part of The Choir of Man family for the last six years, performing the show on both Norwegian Cruise Line cruise ships, the show residency in Cleveland, Ohio, and playing numerous venues across Australia, including the Sydney Opera House. He is very excited to be joining the Chicago company. Theatre credits include: The Choir of Man (Melbourne, NCL Escape/Encore, Adelaide Fringe, Canberra, Sydney Opera House, Cleveland); Jersey Boys (UK Tour); Spamalot (UK & International Tour); Preludes (Southwark Playhouse, London); Parade (LTW, London); Love Story (Union Theatre, London); Mickey & The Magician (Disney); 12 Tenors (European Tour). TV/Film: Guardians of The Galaxy (Marvel); Jurassic World Dominion (Universal); The Cleaner (BBC). Training: Performance Preparation Academy, Guildford.

Cal T King (Beast) Theatre: The Choir of Man (Tampa, Florida; Norwegian Cruise Lines), The Cyril Offense (LML Productions), Les Misérables (Bullfrog Productions), Beauty and the Beast (Bullfrog Productions). Short Film: "The Limelight." Training: Rose Bruford College.              

     

George Knapper (Handyman) Theatre credits include: Puck in Love Birds (Pleasance - Edinburgh Festival); Ensemble in West End Men (GLive Theatre - Guildford); Peter Pan in Peter Pan (Lyceum Theatre - Crewe, Qdos Entertainment); Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Various UK Theatres, Qdos Entertainment); Benjamin in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (UK Tour, Bill Kenwright Ltd); Handyman in The Choir of Man (Norwegian Encore - NCL, The Avalon Theatre - Canada, Gluttony Festival - Australia, The Arts Theatre - London, Straz Center - Tampa). George trained professionally in musical theatre at Performance Preparation Academy (PPA) in Guildford.

Benji Lord (Joker) Theatre: The Choir of Man (Norwegian Escape), Dreamboats and Petticoats: Bringing on Back the Good Times! (World premiere, UK Tour), and The Ruff Tuff Cream Puff Estate Agency (World premiere, Coventry Belgrade). Credits whilst training include Spend, Spend, Spend, and Richard III.

Benji is also the frontman and rhythm guitarist for Indie Pop band, Polar Playground, whose music is available to stream on all platforms. He played Double Bass in the music video for George Ezra's Christmas single, "Come on Home for Christmas." Benji trained at The Brit School, and Guildford School of Acting              

Mark Loveday (Barman) is an original member of The Choir of Man and has spent the last few years touring extensively around the globe, performing at venues such as the Sydney Opera House, The Kennedy Center and London's West End. He also made his screen debut in the British Independent film 'Rise Of The Footsoldier Part 3' in 2019. Mark is a graduate of Drama Studio London and was formally a chorister at 'Her Majesty's Chapel Royal Choir' at St James Palace, working for the Late Queen Elizabeth II. He is delighted to return to Chicago with the Choir of Man and hopes to bring a little bit of East London pub culture across the pond with him.

Shane McDaid (Poet) Shane, hails from Dublin, Ireland, and has been performing for as long as he can remember. He has spent the last decade (plus a bit) in the UK in various productions. He loves travelling the world and is delighted to be at The Apollo Theater to share the stage with such a remarkable bunch of lads. Select theatre credits include: Titanic the Musical (UK, Canada, Germany, China), The Choir of Man (NCL Encore), Angela's Ashes the Musical (Irish Rep Theatre; NY), Madagascar the Musical (UK Tour), Spamalot (UK Tour), Film/TV: 32A (feature film, Janey Pictures), Rock Rivals (ITV series), Fair City (RTE series). I can promise you one thing - and I'll do it in the Irish language: 'Tá an craic agus ceol go leor.'                       

Kristian Morse (U/s HardmanBarmanRomanticJoker) Recent Credits include The Corn is Green at the National theatre London, Thursford Christmas Spectacular and 'Bah' in Stiles and Drew's musicalThree Little Pigs at the Dorking Halls. Other roles include, Roger, Vince Fontain & Teen Angel in Grease the Musical for Royal Caribbean as well as Wishee Washee in Aladdin, Dick in Dick Whittington, Silly Billy in Jack and The Beanstalk, Ensemble in Peter Polycarpou: The Songs of My Life at The Garrick Theatre London, and also featured in the World Premier of Duncton Wood at the Union Theatre. Kristian is very excited to be making his The Choir of Man debut in Chicago and will be dedicating his performance to his Bamp, who would have loved to have been here to watch. Kristian graduated from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in 2014.

David Shute (U/s RomanticJokerHardmanBarman) David is thrilled to be getting the chance to introduce the wonderful people of Chicago to the Jungle, having only recently finished his run at the Straz Centre in Tampa, Florida. The US has always been so welcoming, and Chicago has been his dream for some time. David was born and raised in Macclesfield in Cheshire and trained at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, graduating in 2013 and becoming an avid fan of Liverpool F.C. in the process.

David's other credits include; Once: The Musical (Barn Theatre), The Choir of Man (Straz Centre, Tampa/ Arts Theatre, London/ Adelaide Fringe/ Avalon Theatre, Niagara Falls/ Edinburgh Fringe/ Coventry, City of Culture/ Norwegian Cruise Lines) Ballad of Rudy (New Wolsey Theatre), All or Nothing: The Mod Musical (Arts Theatre, London/ UK Tour), The Stick Man (UK & International Tour), We're Going on a Bear Hunt (UK & International Tour), What the Ladybird Heard (UK & International Tour).

Kevin James Sievert (Romantic) Kevin James Sievert is an actor, singer and musician based in Wisconsin. A classically trained tenor, Kevin's musical and vocal performance experience spans pop/rock music, opera and musical theatre. In 2017, Kevin made his professional debut at Skylight Music Theatre in Milwaukee, WI, in Hot Mikado​ (Pish-Tush) and Urinetown (Robbie the Stockfish/Dance Captain). Kevin returned to Skylight in the 2018-2019 season in ​Five Guys Named Moe (Little Moe), where he received a nomination and became a finalist for the Footlight People's Choice Award for Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical (Professional). Other recent regional credits include Disney's Newsies (Ensemble), Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour), The Gospel at Colonus (Balladeer) and his 2022 Chicagoland Debut in Spring Awakening (Otto/us Moritz). Kevin James Sievert is represented by Gray Talent Group, Chicago.            

Fact Sheet / The Choir of Man

 

Title:                        The Choir of Man

Created by:            Andrew Kay and Nic Doodson

Produced by:        Andrew Kay and Nic Doodson, Stephen Lindsay and Brett Sirota, Scott Prisand and Matthew Weaver, and The Everywhere Group

 

Cast:                           

Marc AkinfolarinPaul DeeganRJ GriffithIfan Gwilym-JonesNorton JamesCal T KingGeorge KnapperBenji LordMark LovedayShane McDaidKristian MorseDavid Shute, and Kevin James Sievert.

Creative Team:           Andrew Kay (Creator & Producer), Nic Doodson (Creator, Director & Producer), Jack Blume (Musical Supervisor, Vocal Arranger & Orchestrator), Freddie Huddleston (Movement Director & Choreographer), Ben Norris (Monologues Writer), Oli Townsend (Scenic Designer), Verity Sadler (Costume Designer & Co-Scenic Designer), Richard Dinnen (Lighting Designer), Sten Severson (Sound Designer), Norton James (Resident Associate Director), Michael McBride (Resident Musical Director), Debbie O'Brien (Casting Director UK), and Claire Simon (Casting Director, USA).

 

Dates:                       

Performances begin March 27, 2024

Previews: March 27– April 2, 2024

Press Opening: Wednesday, April 3 at 7:30pm

Regular Run: April 4 – May 26, 2024

Schedule:                 

Tuesdays:      7:30 p.m.

Wednesdays: 7:30 p.m.

Thursdays:    2 p.m. (2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month) and 7:30 p.m.

Fridays:         4 p.m. and 8 p.m. (every 1st & 3rd Friday of the month) and 7:30 p.m. (every 2nd & 4th Friday of the month)

Saturdays:     4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Sundays:       2 p.m.

Location:                  

Apollo Theater, 2550 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago

Tickets:                    

Previews: $35 – $59

Regular Run: $35 – $109

Group reservations (10 or more people) are currently available through Group Tix and Tours at 312-423-6612 or www.grouptixandtours.com.

Box Office:               

Apollo Theater, 2550 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago;

(773) 935-6100 or Ticketmaster.com

Broadway In Chicago is ecstatic to announce that individual tickets for the 25th Anniversary Tour of MAMMA MIA! will go on sale on Friday, March 1. The ultimate feel-good show based on the songs of ABBA, will play Broadway In Chicago's James M. Nederlander Theatre (24 W. Randolph St.) for a limited three-week engagement, April 30 – May 19.

Since premiering in London in 1999 and on Broadway in 2001, the irresistible musical has captured the hearts of millions around the globe. The sunny, funny tale of a mother, a daughter, and three possible dads on a Greek island paradise, all unfolding to the storytelling magic of ABBA's timeless songs, has now been seen live on stage by 65 million people across the world and turned into two record-breaking movies – MAMMA MIA! The Movie and MAMMA MIA! Here We Go Again.

To date, MAMMA MIA! has been seen in 50 productions in 16 different languages grossing more than $4 billion at the box office.  

MAMMA MIA! opened on Broadway in 2001 where it played for a record-breaking 14 years, first at the Winter Garden Theatre, then at the Broadhurst Theatre. The show also toured North America from 2000-2017 with four different touring companies spanning this period.

Also produced by Judy Craymer, MAMMA MIA! The Movie became the highest grossing live action musical film of all time upon its release in 2008. A second film, MAMMA MIA! Here We Go Again, opened in July 2018 and is the most successful live musical movie sequel of all time. The films starred a host of stars including Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Amanda Seyfried, Dominic Cooper, Lily James, and Cher.

With music & lyrics by Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus, MAMMA MIA! is written by Catherine Johnson, directed by Phyllida Lloyd, and choreographed by Anthony Van Laast. The production is designed by Mark Thompson; with lighting design by Howard Harrison; sound design by Andrew Bruce and Bobby Aitken; and musical supervision, additional material and arrangements by Martin Koch.

The North American tour is booked by The Booking Group with casting by Tara Rubin Casting.

MAMMA MIA! is produced by Judy CraymerRichard East, and Björn Ulvaeus for Littlestar in association with UniversalAmy Jacobs of Bespoke Theatricals is the Executive Producer in association with Work Light Productions.

The special edition cast recording of MAMMA MIA! is available on Decca Broadway.

For information about MAMMA MIA! visit www.mammamiathetour.com

Follow on InstagramTikTok, and Facebook @MammaMiaTheTour

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Performances are Tuesday through Thursday at 7:00 p.m. (with Wednesday matinee at 1:00 p.m. on May 8 and May 15), Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 1:00 p.m. (with an additional performance on Sunday, May 5 at 6:30 p.m.)

TICKET INFORMATION

Individual tickets for the 25th Anniversary Tour of MAMMA MIA! will go on-sale to the public on Friday, March 1 and range from $52.50 - $137.50 with a select number of premium tickets available. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more  information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 24 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, Auditorium Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place.

For more information and tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Facebook @BroadwayInChicago ● Instagram @broadwayinchicago ● TikTok @broadwayinchicago ● #broadwayinchicago

World renowned ambassadors of Dance and Culture, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to its Chicago home – the landmark Auditorium Theatre at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive – for its 55th engagement here, with six dynamic performances, April 17-21, 2024.  Celebrating its 65th Anniversary season in 2023-24, the company will perform three distinct programs certain to appeal to both longtime Ailey fans and new audiences discovering this joyous company for the first time: AUDIENCE FAVORITES, ALL-NEW, and AILEY CLASSICS.  Tickets, starting at $40, are now on sale at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater | Auditorium Theatre.

In 1958, Alvin Ailey and a small group of young Black modern dancers took the stage in New York City and forever changed the perception of American dance and culture. One of the country's groundbreaking greats, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is recognized by US Congressional resolution as a vital American "Cultural Ambassador to the World", promoting the uniqueness of the African American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of American modern dance in a universal celebration of the human spirit.

Led by Associate Artistic Director Matthew Rushing, the acclaimed Ailey dancers will showcase their passionate spirit and extraordinary technique in three specially themed programs. AUDIENCE FAVORITES features Kyle Abraham's critically applauded Are You In Your Feelings? and a new production of Ronald K. Brown's tribute to Judith Jamison's profound influence Dancing Spirit, along with the Company's traditional program closer, Alvin Ailey's beloved must-see masterpiece RevelationsALL-NEW presents a pair of exciting new works commissioned especially for Ailey: Amy Hall Garner's rousing, high spirited tribute to her grandfather, CENTURY; and Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish's dreamlike duet reminiscence of romance, Me, Myself and You; in addition to updated productions of the audacious Following the Subtle Current Upstream by Alonzo King and the tour de force Solo by Hans van ManenAILEY CLASSICS offers a newly curated two-act program sampling a variety of classic works by Alvin Ailey culminating with his signature Revelations.

"Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's annual engagement at the Auditorium Theatre is a recognized highlight of the Spring arts season, and we're pleased to be able to announce the exceptional program lineup so far in advance to help the Company's legion of Midwest fans plan their schedules," said Auditorium Theatre CEO Rich Regan. "We look forward to welcoming back the Company led by Matthew Rushing, with whom we've had the pleasure to work for much of his 30 years with Ailey, with a diverse program for Chicago audiences."

"We're excited to return to our Chicago home with Ailey's 65th Anniversary season featuring new works by exciting choreographic voices, along with a special program of classics by our legendary founder Alvin Ailey," said Associate Artistic Director Matthew Rushing.  "I share the audience's excitement in watching the Company's extraordinary dancers, some of whom hail from the area, share their artistry on the Auditorium stage to carry on a cherished legacy of inspiration."

2024 AUDITORIUM THEATRE PROGRAM

 

AUDIENCE FAVORITES (Program A)

  • A new production of Ronald K. Brown's Dancing Spirit(2009), set to music by Duke Ellington, Wynton Marsalis, and War, which pays tribute to the women of Ailey by evoking the elegance, dignity, and generosity of Judith Jamison and borrowing the title of her autobiography.
  • Are You in Your Feelings?(2022) In his third commission for the Ailey company, Kyle Abraham's newest work is a celebration of Black culture, Black music, and the youthful spirit that perseveres in us all. Scored to a "mixtape" of soul, hip-hop, and R&B, it explores the connections among music, communication, and personal memory.
  • Alvin Ailey's American masterpiece, Revelations(1960) has been seen by more people than any other modern dance work and has moved audiences around the world through its powerful storytelling and soul-stirring music, evoking timeless themes of determination, hope, and transcendence. Springing from Ailey's childhood memories of growing up in the south and attending services at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Texas, Revelations pays homage to the rich cultural heritage of the African American and explores the emotional spectrum of the human condition.

AUDIENCE FAVORITES will be performed Opening Night, Wednesday, April 17, at 7:30pm, and Saturday evening, April 20, at 7:30pm.

ALL-NEW (Program B)

  • Amy Hall Garnerlaunches her residency with her first work for the Company entitled CENTURY (2023), a deeply personal piece inspired by her grandfather on the eve of his 100th birthday. Taking a cue from his spirited essence and set to the music of Ray Charles, Count Basie, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and more, CENTURY is a celebration of life, resilience, and joy.
  • Former Ailey dancer Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrishpremieres a new duet titled Me, Myself and You (2023). A dreamlike dance about reminiscence, it is set to Damien Sneed and Brandie Sutton's rendition of "In A Sentimental Mood," conjuring the memories of love and passion for a woman who is asking herself if she should let go or forge ahead.
  • Described by choreographer Alonzo Kingas "a piece about how to return to joy," a new production of Following the Subtle Current Upstream (2000) mirrors life's boisterous waves and reminds us that everything in nature seeks to return to its source. King's movement -- abstract but steeped in meaning -- sets the dancers in constant flow to an eclectic score by Zakir Hussain, Miguel Frasconi, and Miriam Makeba.
  • A new production of Hans van Manen's Solo(1997), a tour de force among three dancers that challenges the Ailey men's daring agility and grace.  An explosive display of virtuosity and wit launches the performers into an exhilarating whirlwind of movement and musicality.

ALL-NEW will be performed Friday, April 19, at 7:30pm, and Saturday, April 20, at 1pm.

  

AILEY CLASSICS (Program C)

This special two-act Ailey Classics program is comprised of excerpts from some of Alvin Ailey's beloved  20th century ballets including Memoria (1979)Night Creature (1974), Pas de Duke (1976), Masekela Langage (1969), Opus McShann (1988), Love Songs (1972), Reflections in D (1962) and For 'Bird' – With Love (1985). In Act 1 Memoria honors the life of a cherished friend and Night Creature fuses Ailey's buoyant choreography with Duke Ellington's sparkling music. Act II features the strong yet serene solo Reflections in D along with highlights from the spirited duet Pas de Duke, the commanding choreography in Masekela Langage, the comical meandering of Opus McShann, the lyrical solo from Love Songs, and the magical Charlie Parker tribute For 'Bird' – with Love. Ailey's American signature masterpiece, Revelations, concludes the program.

AILEY CLASSICS will be performed Thursday, April 18, at 7:30pm, and Sunday, April 21 at 3pm.

Performance Schedule and Tickets

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performs at the Auditorium Theatre: Wednesday, April 17 at 7:30pm; Thursday and Friday, April 18-19 at 7:30pm; Saturday, April 20 at 1pm and 7:30pm; and Sunday, April 21 at 3pm. Tickets start at $40 and are now  available atAuditoriumTheatre.org, by calling 312.341.2300, or at the Box Office at 50 E Ida B Wells Drive in Chicago, IL. Click here for phone and in-person hours.

Discounted tickets forgroups of 10 or more people are available. The Auditorium Theatre offers $20student rushtickets to full-time college students and a Student Savings Clubfor both college and high school students. Click here for more information on discounted tickets.

About Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, recognized by U.S. Congressional resolution as a vital American "Cultural Ambassador to the World," grew from a now‐fabled March 1958 performance in New York that changed forever the perception of American dance. Founded by Alvin Ailey, posthumous recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the nation's highest civilian honor, and guided by Judith Jamison beginning in 1989, the Company was then led by Robert Battle from 2011 to 2023. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has performed for an estimated 25 million people in 71 countries on six continents, promoting the uniqueness of the African American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance tradition. In addition to being the Principal Dance Company of New York City Center, where its performances have become a year‐end tradition, the Ailey company performs annually at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, The Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley, CA, and at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark (where it is the Principal Resident Affiliate), and appears frequently in other major theaters throughout the world during extensive tours. The Ailey organization also includes Ailey II (1974), a second performing company of emerging young dancers and innovative choreographers; The Ailey School (1969), one of the most extensive dance training programs in the world; Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs, which brings dance into the classrooms, communities, and lives of people of all ages; and The Ailey Extension (2005), a program offering dance and fitness classes to the general public, which began with the opening of Ailey's permanent home—the largest building dedicated to dance in New York City, the dance capital of the world—named The Joan Weill Center for Dance, at 55th Street at 9th Avenue in New York City. For more information, visit www.alvinailey.org.

Bank of America is Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Tour Sponsor.

About The Auditorium Theatre

The Auditorium Theatre, located at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive at Roosevelt University in Chicago, is an Illinois not-for-profit organization committed to presenting the finest in international, cultural, community, and educational programming to all of Chicago and beyond as The Theatre for the People. The organization also is committed to the continued restoration and preservation of this National Historic Landmark that originally opened in 1889. 

The Auditorium Theatre is grateful for the support of our 2023-24 Season Global and Made in Chicago Dance Series Sponsor: The Florian Fund; our Student Matinee Series Sponsors: Deborah and Bruch Crown, Denise Littlefield Sobel, and The Robert Thomas Bobins Foundation; our Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Production Sponsor: Denise Littlefield Sobel; and our Ailey Opening Night Sponsor: Helen Hall Melchior.  The Auditorium Theatre 2023-24 Season is made possible in part by support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and the Illinois Arts Council Agency. The Auditorium's official hotel partner is the Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel.

This Auditorium Theatre's 2023-24 performance season features a dynamic mix of cultural events from ballet to rock and roll and everything in between. For more information on the Auditorium Theatre and a complete listing of events at the Auditorium Theatre, please visit AuditoriumTheatre.org.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents a perfect introduction to Shakespeare's work for young audiences with a 75-minute abridgement of Romeo and Juliet, adapted and directed by Mikael Burke. This production reimagines Shakespeare's tale of young love found—and tragically lost—in the 1980s. During a four-week run of weekday matinees, Chicago Shakespeare welcomes thousands of middle and high school students from across the region to the Courtyard Theater. In addition, performances are open to the public on Saturdays at 11:00 a.m., through March 16, 2024. After each performance, the actors remain on stage for a question-and-answer session about the production. Tickets for public performances start at just $26 for students ages 18 and under.

 

Verona burns under summer's heat—and the division of two prominent families. Against a backdrop of violence and an endless cycle of vengeance, this adaptation of Shakespeare's text poses a profound question—can true love survive in a divided community? Combining Shakespeare's original verse, dynamic staging, and a high-energy 1980s setting, Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet offers a new lens for young people to experience this enduring tale.

 

Adapter and director Mikael Burke said, "It's a cautionary tale that proves if we can't figure out how to disentangle love from violence in our world, violence will always win. And every time it does, we stand to lose the greatest and purest things in life. That was true 400 years ago and is certainly still true today. Love and violence are scarily and upsettingly tied together in this play in a way we don't always consider, but Shakespeare really commands us to pay attention to how closely these two things are related—and hopefully compel us to action."

 

Burke is a Princess Grace Award winner and Jeff Award nominee, with credits at Goodman Theatre, TimeLine Theatre Company, Remy Bumppo Theatre Company, and more in Chicago, as well as regionally with Yale Repertory Theatre, Theatreworks Hartford, Forward Theatre, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, and more. He previously served as the associate artistic director at About Face Theatre and is an adjunct faculty member at DePaul and Roosevelt Universities.

 

The company of Romeo and Juliet features Kenneth La'Ron Hamilton as Romeo and Felicia Oduh as Juliet. The company also includes Adeoye (Prince/Apothecary), Bobby Bowman (Gregory/Lord Montague), Ronald L. Conner (Lord Capulet), Jack DeCesare (Paris/Abraham), Barbara Figgins (Nurse), Rasell Holt (Mercutio), Carolyn Kruse (Lady Capulet), Ian Maryfield (Tybalt), Alex Benito Rodriguez (Benvolio), Donovan Session (Sampson/Peter), and Jonah D. Winston (Friar Laurence). Understudies include Benjamin Jenkins, Diego Longoria, Carlos Olmedo, Bradford Stevens, Priscilla Torres, and Sarafina Vecchio.

 

In addition to Burke, the creative team for Romeo and Juliet includes Scenic Designer Alyssa Mohn, Costume Designer Gregory Graham, Lighting Designer Eric Watkins, Sound Designer and Composer Ethan Korvne, Intimacy Director Courtney Abbott, Fight Choreographer Rachel Flesher, Choreographer Frankie DiCiaccio, Verse Coach Tyler Meredith, Assistant Director Christina Casano, Casting Director Bob Mason, Costume Design Assistant Janelle Smith, Stage Manager Danny Fender, Assistant Stage Manager Lucy Whipp, and Production Assistant Gianni Carcagno.

 

Chicago Shakespeare's Short Shakespeare! series is part of the Theater's nationally recognized Team Shakespeare education programs, which have impacted two million students to date. Chicago Shakespeare brings Shakespeare's work to life in the school curriculum—through live performance, professional learning for educators, comprehensive teaching resources, and opportunities for students to perform Shakespeare. These initiatives—in concert with the free citywide Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks tour and summer family musical series—exemplify the Theater's steadfast commitment to young audiences.

 

Accessible and enhanced performances for Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet include:

  • ASL-Interpreted & Open-Captioned performance
    Sat, March 9, 11:00 a.m.

    All dialogue and lyrics are translated into American Sign Language by two certified interpreters. Also, a text display of the words and sounds heard during a play, will be synced live with the action onstage.

More information at www.chicagoshakes.com/romeo or on social media at @chicagoshakes.

 

Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet is presented to the public on Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. from February 24–March 16, 2024, in Chicago Shakespeare's Courtyard Theater. Single tickets ($26 for audience members age 18 and under; $42 for adults) are on sale now. Special discounts will be available for groups of 10 or more. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater's website at www.chicagoshakes.com.

 

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER

Regional Tony Award-recipient Chicago Shakespeare Theater produces a bold and innovative year-round season—plays, musicals, world premieres, family productions, and theatrical presentations from around the globe—alongside nationally recognized education programming serving tens of thousands of students, teachers, and lifelong learners each year. Founded in 1986, the Theater's onstage work has expanded to as many as twenty productions and 650 performances annually. Chicago Shakespeare is dedicated to welcoming the next generation of theatergoers; one in four of its audience members is under the age of eighteen. As a nonprofit organization, the Theater works to embrace diversity, prioritize inclusion, provide equitable opportunities, and offer an accessible experience for all. On the Theater's three stages at its home on Navy Pier, in classrooms and neighborhoods across the city, and in venues around the world, Chicago Shakespeare is a multifaceted cultural hub—inviting audiences, artists, and community members to share powerful stories that connect and inspire. www.chicagoshakes.com.

Court Theatre, under the leadership of Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director Charles Newell and Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre, is proud to announce its 70th season. The 2024/25 season will feature Eugene Lee's searing and rhythmic East Texas Hot Links, directed by Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson; the groundbreaking musical Falsettos, with music and lyrics by William Finn, book by William Finn and James Lapine, produced in partnership with TimeLine Theatre Company, and directed by Nick Bowling, TimeLine Theatre Associate Artistic Director; A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry's tale of class and aspiration, directed by Associate Artistic Director Gabrielle Randle-Bent; and finally, Berlin, the exhilarating world premiere by Mickle Maher based on Jason Lutes's graphic novel of the same name, directed by Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director Charles Newell.

Court's 2024/25 season spans genre and form, with productions that speak to our current moment with clarity and heft. The season begins with a skillful work of lyricism, simultaneously a love story and a thriller; it continues with a shimmering musical about family, followed by a South Side classic rooted in lived history and liberation; and it concludes with a fast-paced world premiere.

The landmark 70th season is a celebration of milestones. This season is the year in which Charles Newell will transition from Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director to Senior Artistic Consultant and the year in which Court will welcome its new Artistic Director. Furthermore, each production in the season is representative of a milestone of its own and is imbued with a keen sense of foresight; staging these plays at this moment instigates a fascinating exploration of what it means to live in a present that was imagined by works of the past. The 2024/25 season is here, and the time is now.

"The lineup for the 2024/25 season is jaw-droppingly good," shares Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director Charles Newell. "These productions interrogate community; the cost of striving for a better life; and the very ways we tell stories, all of which are themes that feel particularly resonant. The timeliness of this season speaks to the enduring power of classic theatre and the continued need to revisit these stories. We can't wait to share this season with our audiences."

"Court continues to push the boundaries of what classic theatre can be, and that is clearly reflected in the 2024/25 season," says Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre. "Each of these plays has an acute sense of relevance and urgency; now is the time to tell these stories with these artists. The work that we're doing offstage to complement and support the art – our engagement programming, our education initiatives, collaborations with the University of Chicago, a producing partnership with TimeLine Theatre, and deepening our relationships across the South Side – will only enhance these creative endeavors."

The 2024/25 Court Theatre Season Up Close:

 

EAST TEXAS HOT LINKS

By Eugene Lee

Directed by Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson

September 6 – September 29, 2024

 

Nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, East Texas Hot Links is a gripping character study, a lyrical masterpiece, and portrait of community. It is 1955 in the piney woods of East Texas and racial tensions are high, yet the Top O' the Hill Café remains a haven. There, regulars share stories, joke, unwind, and trade friendly barbs. The café is a refuge that keeps the outside world at bay, until a mysterious omen forces the outside in.

 

Court's 2024/25 season opener is a tribute to Resident Artist and Director Ron OJ Parson's (Two Trains Running) first production in Chicago, his deep collaboration with playwright Eugene Lee, and the founding of Onyx Theatre Ensemble, the storied theatre company that first produced East Texas Hot Links in Chicago thirty years ago.

By returning to Top O' the Hill Café decades later, Parson asserts East Texas's place in the modern theatrical canon, honors the legacy of Onyx, and obliterates the line between America's fraught past and its charged present.

FALSETTOS

Music and Lyrics by William Finn

Book by William Finn and James Lapine

Co-produced with TimeLine Theatre Company

Directed by Nick Bowling, TimeLine Theatre Associate Artistic Director

November 8 – December 8, 2024

 

Tony Award-winning Falsettos is a tribute to family and its many forms; a playful interrogation of faith and identity; and a celebration of the beauty, complexity, and necessity of love.

Marvin has left his wife, Trina, for his male lover; Trina has married Marvin's therapist; and their son, Jason, is grappling with his parents' divorce and his looming Bar Mitzvah. Everyone's world has been upended and now they must explore what their new lives may hold. Featuring a sung-through score and set against the backdrop of the AIDS epidemic, Falsettos is a humorous and heartbreaking web of ex-spouses, co-parents, new lovers, and the lesbians next door.

TimeLine Theatre Associate Artistic Director Nick Bowling (The Lehman Trilogy) returns to Court Theatre – where he began his career almost thirty years ago alongside Charles Newell – to make his Court directorial debut with this celebratory co-production with TimeLine Theatre Company. Groundbreaking in its depiction of queerness, Falsettos shines with ingenuity and contemporary relevance.

 

A RAISIN IN THE SUN

By Lorraine Hansberry

Directed by Associate Artistic Director Gabrielle Randle-Bent

February 7 – March 9, 2025

Winner of the Tony Award for Best Play, a Pulitzer Prize, and the first play written by a Black woman to be produced on Broadway, Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun is a stunning portrayal of a family's fight for dignity and the right to dream.

As the Youngers await their recently deceased patriarch's life insurance check, they allow themselves to imagine a bigger life – a life with room to breathe – until those plans are thrown into jeopardy. Hansberry's language rings as wise and prescient as ever in her moving answer to Langston Hughes's question, What happens to a dream deferred?

Staged sixty years after Lorraine Hansberry's passing, Associate Artistic Director Gabrielle Randle-Bent (Antigone) brings Hansberry's masterpiece home to Chicago's vibrant South Side and Court's stage for the very first time.

BERLIN

WORLD PREMIERE

By Mickle Maher

Based on the graphic novel by Jason Lutes

Directed by Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director Charles Newell

April 25 – May 18, 2025

 

Berlin is an unforgettable mosaic of intersecting narratives set amidst the decline of Weimar Germany. This original commission brings Jason Lutes's exhilarating and acclaimed graphic novel to life.

Fascism is taking hold; revolutionaries are organizing; creatives are trying to capture the ineffable nature of their changing city; and – as everything falls apart – everyone is faced with a choice: abandon Berlin or fight to survive.

Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director Charles Newell (The Gospel at Colonus) directs Mickle Maher's propulsive adaptation, an ever-shifting kaleidoscope of everyday people trying to survive one of the most remarkable moments in history. Set almost one hundred years ago, Berlin speaks to our current moment, and our future, with undeniable urgency.

 

Subscription Information

 

Three and four-play subscriptions to Court's 2024/25 season range from $114 to $280 and are on sale now. To purchase a subscription or to receive more information, call the Court Theatre Box Office at (773) 753-4472, or visit Court's website at CourtTheatre.org. Individual tickets for all productions will be available in summer 2024.

 

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.

Recipient of the prestigious MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions in 2016, TimeLine Theatre was founded in 1997 with a mission to present stories inspired by history that connect with today's social and political issues. TimeLine Theatre Company is currently helmed by Artistic Director PJ Powers and Executive Director Mica Cole. For more information about TimeLine, visit timelinetheatre.com.

Audiences can now see Message In A Bottle, a new dance theatre production choregraphed by Sadler's Wells' Associate Artist Kate Prince at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre for a limited run, from February 28, 2024 to March 3, 2024. Produced by Sadler's Wells and Universal Music UK, Message In A Bottle is a dance theatre production set to the music of 17-time Grammy Award-winning artist Sting. Tickets are now available for this smashing production. Prices range from $32 to $95 with a select number of premium tickets available for all performances. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Current Broadway In Chicago subscribers can add to their subscription by calling (312) 977-1717.

Performance Schedule

Wednesday through Friday 7:00PM (Thursday, February 29 Matinee at 1:00PM)

Saturday at 2:00PM and 7:30PM

Sunday at 1:00PM and 6:30PM

Sadler's Wells and Universal Music UK present Message In A Bottle, a new dance theatre production by Sadler's Wells Associate Artist Kate Prince, set to the music of 17-time Grammy Award-winning artist Sting. Message In A Bottle made its world premiere at Sadler's Wells' West End venue, the Peacock Theatre, on Wednesday 19 February 2020. Gravity-defying lyrical hip hop dance and breath-taking music combine in a moving story of humanity and hope.

Message In A Bottle sees a village alive with joyous celebrations suddenly come under siege. In the chaos, three siblings - Leto, Mati and Tana - are separated from their parents. They undertake a perilous journey to new lands and set out on their own extraordinary adventures. Songs include Every Breath You Take, Roxanne, Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, Walking On The Moon, Englishman In New York, Shape Of My Heart and Fields Of Gold.

The soundtrack to Message In A Bottle also features new vocals by Sting and new arrangements by Grammy and Tony award winner Alex Lacamoire (Hamilton, The Greatest Showman), with guest vocals from award-winning actress and singer Beverley Knight MBE and Lynval Golding (The Specials).

About Kate Prince MBE

Director and Choreographer

Kate Prince is a director, writer and choreographer. She is also the Artistic Director of ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company which she founded in 2002. Kate is an Associate Artist at both The Old Vic and Sadler's Wells, where ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company is also a Resident Company.

In 2005 Sadler's Wells commissioned the company's first full-length work, Into the Hoods, conceived and directed by Kate. The show's premiere in 2006 met with widespread critical acclaim and Into the Hoods went on to become the first hip hop dance show to transfer to the West End in 2008, after two critically successful runs at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Kate's further work with ZooNation includes the Olivier-nominated Some Like It Hip Hop (The Peacock, 2011- 13, 2019 and two UK tours), Groove on Down the Road (Southbank Centre, 2013-14), ZooNation: Unplugged (Sadler's Wells, 2013), The Mad Hatter's Tea Party (Royal Opera House, Linbury Studio, 2014 and Roundhouse, 2016), Into the Hoods: Remixed (The Peacock, 2015-16 and UK tour), and SYLVIA (The Old Vic, 2018). The company created special performances for Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday celebrations and for the Laurence Olivier Awards in 2011, creating new choreography for West Side Story with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

For TV, Kate's credits include work for Strictly Come Dancing, So You Think You Can Dance, The Royal Variety Show, Top of the Pops, Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Take Away, CD:UK, Blue Peter, Strictly Dance Fever, Sport Relief, The Album Chart Show, Discomania and PopWorld. Her film work includes choreography for Everybody's Talking About Jamie, StreetDance 3D and The Holloway Laundrette, which she wrote & directed for BAFTA/Channel 4.

Other theatre work includes Everybody's Talking About Jamie for Jonathan Butterell (Sheffield Crucible & West End, nominated for Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer), Enda Walsh's Ballyturk (National Theatre), Stephen Mear's Shoes (Sadler's Wells and The Peacock), I Can't Sing: The X-Factor Musical (London Palladium) and A Mad World My Masters (Royal Shakespeare Company), both for Sean Foley.

With ZooNation she has also created choreography for sporting events, including the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Handover Ceremonies (2008), the Opening Ceremony of the Tour de France (2007) and the IOC opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics at the Royal Opera House. In 2018, ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company became an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation and a registered charity, in recognition of its mission to inspire the next generation of theatregoers and theatremakers. In 2020, Kate was the subject of the BBC Imagine Documentary series presented by Alan Yentob entitled Kate Prince: Every Move She Makes.

Kate has been nominated for five Olivier Awards, a South Bank Sky Arts Award, a WhatsOnStage Award and two Critics' Circle National Dance Awards. Kate has an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Winchester and in 2019 Kate received an MBE for services to dance.

Most recently Kate co-wrote, directed and choreographed SYLVIA at the Old Vic, for which she was nominated for the Gillian Lynne Olivier Award for best theatre choreographer.

Kate's proudest achievement is being Leo's wife and Ella's mum.

About Sting

Music and Lyrics

Composer, singer-songwriter, actor, author, and activist Sting was born in Newcastle, England before moving to London in 1977 to form The Police with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers. The band released five studio albums, earned six GRAMMY Awards® and two Brits, and was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.

One of the world's most distinctive solo artists, Sting has received an additional 11 GRAMMY Awards®, two Brits, a Golden Globe, an Emmy, four Oscar nominations, a TONY nomination and has sold 100 million albums from his combined work with The Police and as a solo artist. He is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and has received the Kennedy Center Honors, as well as honorary Doctorate of Music degrees from Northumbria University (1992), Berklee College of Music (1994), University of Newcastle upon Tyne (2006) and Brown University (2018).

Sting, managed by Martin Kierszenbaum/Cherrytree Music Company, has appeared in more than 15 films, a variety of TV shows and authored two books, including The New York Times best-selling memoir, Broken Music. In 1989 he starred in The Threepenny Opera on Broadway.  His most recent theatre project is the Tony®-nominated musical The Last Ship, inspired by his memories of the shipbuilding community of Wallsend in the northeast of England where he was born and raised.

In 2019, an album entitled My Songs, featuring contemporary interpretations of his most celebrated hits, was released, and followed by a world tour and acclaimed Las Vegas residency of the same name. Sting's latest album, The Bridge, showcases his prolific and diverse songwriting prowess, representing various stages and styles from throughout his unrivaled career. Most recently, Sting produced Shaggy's album, Com Fly Wid Mi which finds the reggae icon performing the Sinatra songbook in a reggae style and earned a Grammy Award nomination for it.

Earlier this year, Sting became a Fellow of the Ivors Academy – the highest honor reserved for those who have reshaped and redefined the art and craft of music creation, while his hit song, "Every Breath You Take" was added to Spotify's 'Billions Club,' having amassed over 1 billion streams on the platform with the correlating music video surpassing 1 billion streams on YouTube. His critically acclaimed My Songs world tour is currently underway and finds the 17-time Grammy Award winning artist performing his most beloved songs with an electric rock ensemble. Full tour itinerary can be found here.

Sting's support for human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, and Live Aid mirrors his art in its universal outreach.  Along with wife Trudie Styler, Sting founded the Rainforest Fund in 1989 to protect both the world's rainforests and the indigenous people living there. Together they have held 19 benefit concerts to raise funds and awareness for our planet's endangered resources. Since its inception, the Rainforest Fund has expanded to a network of interconnected organizations working in more than 20 countries over three continents.

For the latest news, official fan club access and more, please visit: www.sting.com

About Sadler's Wells

Sadler's Wells is a world-leading dance organisation. We strive to make and share dance that inspires us all. Our acclaimed year-round programme spans dance of every kind, from contemporary to flamenco, Bollywood to ballet, salsa to street dance and tango to tap. 

We commission, produce and present more dance than any other organisation in the world. Since 2005, we have helped to bring more than 200 new dance works to the stage, embracing both the popular and the unknown. Our acclaimed productions tour the world. Since 2005 we've produced 64 new full-length works and performed to audiences of more than two million, touring to 51 countries. 

Each year, over half a million people visit our three London theatres - Sadler's Wells Theatre, Lilian Baylis Studio and Peacock Theatre. Millions more attend our touring productions nationally and internationally or explore our digital platforms, including Sadler's Wells Digital Stage.  

Sadler's Wells East  

In 2024 we're opening a fourth London venue in Stratford's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Sadler's Wells East will house a 550-seat mid-scale theatre, as well as facilities for the new Rose Choreographic School and the hip hop theatre training centre, Academy Breakin' Convention.  

Sadler's Wells East joins the rich cultural heritage of Stratford, opening in London's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as part of the East Bank development alongside the BBC, UAL's London College of Fashion, UCL and the V&A. Sadler's Wells East will support artist development and training, and the creation of new work. It will build the infrastructure for dance and make it accessible to more people. Sadler's Wells East will house a flexible theatre presenting a wide variety of dance performances. Community will be at the heart of Sadler's Wells East with a large open foyer that can be used by everyone as a meeting or performance space. There will also be dance studios and world-class dance facilities for dancemakers to train, create and rehearse productions. 

Supporting artists 

Supporting artists is at the heart of our work. We have associate artists and companies, which nurture some of the most exciting talent working in dance today. We host the National Youth Dance Company, which draws together some of the brightest young dancers from across the country. Sadler's Wells Breakin' Convention runs professional development programmes to champion and develop the world's best hip hop artists, as well as producing, programming and touring groundbreaking hip hop performances. 

Learning and community links 

Around 30,000 people take part in our learning and engagement programmes every year. We support schools local to our theatres in Islington and Stratford, designing experiences for children and young people to watch, explore and critically engage with the arts. We also run Company of Elders, a resident performance company of dancers aged over 60 who rehearse with renowned artists to make new work for public performances locally, nationally and internationally. 

Sadler's Wells is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. 

www.sadlerswells.com 

Stay up to date with everything Sadler's Wells on social media 

Facebook: @SadlersWells 

Twitter: @Sadlers_Wells 

Instagram: @sadlers_wells 

YouTube: Sadler's Wells Theatre 

About Broadway In Chicago

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 24 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, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at the Auditorium Theatre.

For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com

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Sweetback Productions, in collaboration with Labyrinth Arts, is proud to announce Hamburgers and Disappointment: Plays about Enoughness, a festival of works by Barrie Cole playing in repertory, May 2 - 19 at 7:30 p.m., at Labyrinth Club, 3658 N. Pulaski Road. Performances of Schedule 1 includes I Love You Permanently and Fruit Tree Backpack runs on Thursdays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Schedule 2 that includes Capacity and Meaning is Tricky runs on Fridays and Sundays at 7:30 p.m. In addition, for those who may not be able to attend, a digital play, Elevator Tours, will be available for digital download for $10.  Press nights for Hamburgers and Disappointment: Plays about Enoughness are Schedule 1, Saturday, May 4 at 7:30 p.m., and schedule 2, Sunday, May 5 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 and are now on sale at SweetBackProductions.com.

 

“All of us at Labyrinth are proud to be co-producing this festival of Barrie Cole’s works,” said Artistic Director and Founder Diane Hamm of Labyrinth Arts. “We look forward to welcoming audiences, both familiar with her work and those experiencing them for the first time, to experience the complete relationship cycle created by Barrie.”  

 

Hamburgers and Disappointment: Plays about Enoughnessis a new festival of four short, two-character plays by Chicago-based playwright, Barrie ColeThe festival includes performances in repertory:

SCHEDULE 1

Performed on Thursdays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.

Fruit Tree Backpack

Written by Barrie Cole (she/her) 

Directed by Jayita Bhattacharya (she/her)

Ceil (Kristy Lockhart, she/her) and Anna (Julia Williams, she/her) traverse the various rooms inside the exhausting, sweet, metaphorical mansion of love.

 

I Love You Permanently

Written by Barrie Cole (she/her) 

Directed by Jen Moniz (she/her) 

Jay (Jeffrey Bivens, he/him) wants to be with Lee (Vicki Walden, she/her), but is unable to leave his abusive relationship. They meet one last time and try to find out if it is possible to have an entire relationship in the span of one cold night.

SCHEDULE 2

Performed on Fridays and Sundays at 7:30 p.m.

WORLD PREMIERE

Capacity

Written by Barrie Cole (she/her) 

Capacity is a world premiere and completes Cole’s collection of two-person plays about relationships. The play explores a thorny friendship between a playwright (Kelly Anchors, she/her) and an actor (KellyAnn Corcoran, she/her) who were both, at different times, married to the same man.

Meaning is Tricky

Written by Barrie Cole (she/her) 

Originally directed by Jen Moniz (she/her)

Roommates and former lovers Mark (David Isaacson, he/him) and Clare (Diana Slickman, she/her) navigate Clare's burgeoning new relationship with a TV-obsessed man in an open marriage whose wife operates a flower kiosk.

  

AUDIO PLAY 

Elevator Tours 

Written by Barrie Cole (she/her) 

Originally directed by Jen Moniz (she/her)

A special audio play with animation. Ruth (Carolyn Hoerdemann, she/her) has just moved into a new apartment when her recently divorced friend Will (Colm O’Reilly, he/him), comes to stay with her. They discuss life as a spectacle, art and sex.

 

The creative team for Hamburgers and Disappointment: Plays about Enoughness includes: Pamela L. Parker(set/props designer, she/her); Diane Hamm (producer/lighting designer, she/her); Kelly Anchors (producer/costume designer, she/her); Paul Brennan (film/sound designer, he/him); Charlotte Lastra (stage manager, she/her); Hannah Tymosko(stage manager, she/her); Timothy Hiatt (photographer, he/him) and Jules Darling (graphic designer, they/them).

ABOUT BARRIE COLE, playwright

Barrie Cole has written 14 plays, numerous monologue works, as well as essays, hybrid-works and more. Her plays have been produced by Theater Oobleck, Curious Theatre Branch and others.The Chicago Reader said about Cole: “Her ambiguously concrete work layers childlike simplicity over seasoned melancholy to produce piercing, wondrous images of charming, discomfiting transformation.”  

 

ABOUT JEN MONIZ, director, I Love You Permanently

Jen Moniz is an immigration paralegal, artisan gelato maker and writer, performer, producer and director of fringe theater. She is originally from California and has called Chicago home for 17 years. She has previously directed MexicoRoomElevator ToursOn LossTo Relax and LaughMeaning is Tricky and Reverse Gossip.

 

ABOUT JAYITA BHATTACHARYA, director, Fruit Tree Backpack

Jayita Bhattacharya is a multidisciplinary theatre artist originally from Southern California, who has made her home in Chicago as an ensemble member of Curious Theatre Branch. Directing credits include What Is Even Happening?!!! by Kristin Garrison, Lizzie Borden Is Smashing by Sue Cargill and The McGuffins Run the 440 by Beau O'Reilly. She wrote the plays To End to Seem to Endtoday like a kind of shivering and Should We Put It Out? (The Smoke). Bhattacharya has also appeared in numerous Curious and Rhinofest productions through the years, including The Skriker4:48 Psychosis, Evanston Which Is Over ThereThe Buzz that is the Buzz and most recently, the revival of Hit Me Like a Flower.

ABOUT SWEETBACK PRODUCTIONS

Sweetback Productions was founded in 1994 by Kelly Anchors and Mike McKune. They started with a string of hit late night parodies of cult films that includes; Plan 9 From Outer SpaceFemale TroubleSuper Pussy VixenGo Faster! Kill! Kill!Scarrie, The Musical!The Birds and Freaks. Sweetback now focuses on more obscure and original work, most recently, Deep Fried and Suck My Nose, which featured three generations of family actors weaving their love through their pain while tap dancing and singing hymns; Bipolar Bitch, a mystical ride into psychosis and Dorothy Mae and the 1978 Holiday Rambler Ramblette, an outdoor extravaganza detailing Kelly’s roadtrip across the southwest during the Trump re-election season. Sweetback is beyond thrilled to be producing this festival of Barrie Cole’s plays, a playwright that Anchors was lucky enough to work with in Clumsy Sublime. Find them on Facebook.

ABOUT LABYRINTH ARTS AND PERFORMANCE COLLECTIVE

Labyrinth Arts and Performance Collective, a 501 c 3 not for profit, is organized for the purpose of building the creative community and developing wisdom through art.  The Collective believes that making and sharing meaning is key to being with artistic projects as a means of interactive exchange towards meaningful experience and encourages consciousness.  Risk taking requires compassion and holding space for fearless, free self-expression, the Collective believes that joy is the highest expression of being and inherent in all creative acts. And believes in artistic autonomy where the artistic project takes precedence over a single executive's vision.  

Recent past projects included the Labyrinth Film Fest 2024, variety shows 2023, music shows 2023, comedy showcases of John and Paul 2023 and play development in 2023. More information on their website or on Facebook

Sweetback Productions, in collaboration with Labyrinth Arts, is proud to announce Hamburgers and Disappointment: Plays about Enoughness, a festival of works by Barrie Cole playing in repertory, May 2 - 19 at 7:30 p.m., at Labyrinth Club, 3658 N. Pulaski Road. Performances of Schedule 1 includes I Love You Permanently and Fruit Tree Backpack runs on Thursdays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Schedule 2 that includes Capacity and Meaning is Tricky runs on Fridays and Sundays at 7:30 p.m. In addition, for those who may not be able to attend, a digital play, Elevator Tours, will be available for digital download for $10.  Press nights for Hamburgers and Disappointment: Plays about Enoughnessare Schedule 1, Saturday, May 4 at 7:30 p.m., and schedule 2, Sunday, May 5 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 and are now on sale at SweetBackProductions.com.

Nostalgia-inducing unforgettable hits! Broadway In Chicago is delighted to announce that the internationally acclaimed hit theater show, THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY will return to Chicago for a limited one-week engagement at the CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe St.), April 30 - May 5. Tickets will go on sale on Monday, March 4.

The immersive concert-style tribute show recreates the magic and authenticity of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel on stage and chronicles the amazing journey shared by the iconic, GRAMMY-award winning folk-rock duo. It tells the story from their humble beginnings as Tom & Jerry, to their incredible success as one of the best-selling music groups of the '60s, and to their dramatic split in 1970. THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY culminates with the pair's famous The Concert in Central Park reunion in 1981 which had more than half a million fans in attendance.

The show features a set list of nearly 30 songs and uses state-of-the-art video projection, photos, and original film footage. A full live band will perform all of the hits including "Mrs. Robinson," "Cecilia," "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "Homeward Bound," and many more complete with the unmistakably perfect harmonies that will transport audiences down memory lane.

With more than 100 million album sales since 1965, Simon & Garfunkel's unforgettable songs and poetic lyrics poignantly captured the times made them one of the most successful folk-rock duos of all time. Over the years, they won 10 GRAMMY Awards and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. In 1977, the Brit Awards honored their "Bridge Over Troubled Water" album with Best International Album. In 2003, Simon & Garfunkel were awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and the following year saw their "The Sound of Silence" awarded a Grammy Hall of Fame Award.

More information about THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY can be found at http://www.thesimonandgarfunkelstory.com.

ABOUT RUCKUS ENTERTAINMENT (Producers): 

Ruckus Entertainment, based in Los Angeles and formed in 2022, brings together veteran entertainment producers Alison SpiritiJustin SuddsDean Elliott, and Ralph Schmidtke who are collectively responsible for producing over 100 touring productions seen by millions around the world. Their burgeoning production company brings audiences world-class concerts and live events and is focused on celebrating the history and music behind iconic, globally recognized musical artists. Current productions include THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORYRESPECT, The Life and Music of George Michael, and The British Invasion. For more information, visit www.thesimonandgarfunkelstory.com

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Tuesday, April 30 at 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, May 1 at 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, May 2 at 7:00 p.m.

Friday, May 3 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 4 at 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 5 at 1:00 p.m.

TICKET INFORMATION

Individual tickets for THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY will go on sale to the public on Monday, March 4 and range from $25.00 - $85.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more  information visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 24 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, Auditorium Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway  Playhouse at Water Tower Place.

For more information and tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Facebook @BroadwayInChicago ● Instagram @broadwayinchicago ● TikTok @broadwayinchicago ● #broadwayinchicago

Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to continue its 22nd season with the world premiere of POOR PEOPLE! The Parody Musical, an insane homage to many of the characters, songs and tropes of those very expensive Broadway and West End musicals about the less fortunate (Annie, Oliver!, Les Miz, Sweeney Todd... you get the gist). Written by ensemble member Tyler Anthony Smith* with direction by Stephanie Shaw, music direction by Andrew Milliken and choreography by Christopher KelleyPOOR PEOPLE! will play May 2 – June 16, 2024 at The Chopin Studio Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. in Chicago. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 1, 2024 at handbagproductions.org or buytickets.at/hellinahandbagproductions/1116848. The press opening is Friday, May 10 at 8 pm.

The cast includes ensemble members David Cerda*, Sydney Genco*, Caitlin Jackson*, Elizabeth Lesinski* and Tyler Anthony Smith* with Matty BettencourtBrittney BrownTaylor DaltonDakota HughesPatrick O'KeefeShane Roberie and Tommy Thurston. Understudies include Connar BrownMiguel LongHalli Morgan and Brandon Nelson.

It's 1979 in dangerous, smoky, glorious New York City. Our story's red-headed protagonist Li'l Orphan Arnie (Dakota Hughes) is fleeing from the guardianship of a sex-starved, meth-cooking madwoman (Sydney Genco*). Out on the streets, they befriend a slinky dancing cat (Matty Bettencourt), who leads them to a magical manhole, transporting them back in time to Paris, France in 1815. Trading in one poverty-plagued lifestyle for another, Arnie gives up the desire to find their parents and joins forces with a gang of pick-pocketing prostitutes, led by the mysterious Fagin (David Cerda*).


Life becomes even more dire when Mama Moneybags (Brittney Brown), a corrupt Republican from the future, takes it upon herself to put Fagin's troupe out of work. Thankfully, there's a bounty of colorful, destitute characters to help save the day, such as the tuberculosis-ridden Pantene (Caitlin Jackson*), a feral Beggar Woman (Elizabeth Lesinski*) and Nance, the classic hooker with a heart of gold (Tyler Anthony Smith*). Will the sun come out tomorrow? Do you hear the people sing? Will we be changing all of the lyrics to avoid being sued? Yes!

Comments playwright Tyler Anthony Smith, "When I was in the fourth grade, I was supposed to be in the ensemble of our district's high school production of Oliver! I got sick, missed too many rehearsals, and was forced to exit the show. So not only is this Handbag's response to Apple TV's Schmigadoon!, it's also my revenge."

The production team includes G. "Max" Maxin IV (Scenic, Lighting and Projection Design), Rachel M. Sypniewski (Costume Design), Miranda Coble (Sound Design), Maggie O'Brien (Props Design), Jabberwocky Marionettes (Puppet Design), Keith Ryan* (Wig Design), Syd Genco* (Make-up Design), Michael S. Miller* (Graphic Design), Rick Aguilar (Photography), Jenna Raithel (Stage Manager), Veronica Kostka* (Assistant Stage Manager) and David Cerda* (Executive Producer).

*Denotes Handbag Ensemble Member

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Title: POOR PEOPLE! The Parody Musical – World Premiere!
Playwright: ensemble member Tyler Anthony Smith*
Director: Stephanie Shaw

Music Director: Andrew Milliken

Choreographer: Christopher Kelley


Cast (in alphabetical order): David Cerda* (Fagin), Sydney Genco* (Miss A), Caitlin Jackson* (Pantene), Elizabeth Lesinski* (Beggar Woman) and Tyler Anthony Smith* (Nance) with Matty Bettencourt (Fosse Kitty), Brittney Brown (Mama Moneybags), Taylor Dalton (Epipen), Dakota Hughes (Li'l Orphan Arnie), Patrick O'Keefe (Twinky), Shane Roberie (The Groomer of the Flop'ra) and Tommy Thurston (Pretty Rich Boy). Understudies: Connar BrownMiguel LongHalli Morgan and Brandon Nelson.

Location: The Chopin Studio Theatre, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago

Previews: Thursday, May 2 at 8 pm, Friday, May 3 at 8 pm, Saturday, May 4 at 8 pm, Sunday, May 5 at 4 pm and Thursday, May 9 at 8 pm
Opening/Press performance: Friday, May 10 at 8 pm
Regular run: Saturday, May 11 – Sunday, June 16, 2024
Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm; Sundays at 4 pm.

Industry Night: Wednesday, June 12 at 8 pm

Tickets: $25 previews, $42 general admission, $60 VIP/reserved seating. Group rates $36 for 10 or more. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 1, 2024 at handbagproductions.org or buytickets.at/hellinahandbagproductions/1116848.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces today the full company of Judgment Day, a hilariously irreverent world premiere comedy starring Tony and Emmy Award winner Jason Alexander (Seinfeld) in his Chicago stage debut. Alexander leads a cast that features Daniel Breaker as Father Michael and Candy Buckley as the Angel, along with Maggie Bofill, Olivia Denise Dawson, Joe Dempsey, Michael Kostroff, Ellis Myers, and Meg ThalkenJudgment Day unites the powerhouse comedic talents of Alexander with director Moritz von Stuelpnagel, a Tony Award nominee and leading director of stage comedy, and playwright Rob Ulin, a Golden Globe and Peabody Award-winning television writer. Judgment Day debuts April 23–May 26, 2024, in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare.

Judgment Day tells the story of Sammy Campo, a staggeringly corrupt, morally bankrupt lawyer who's threatened with eternal damnation by a terrifying angel after a near-death experience. In a desperate attempt to redeem himself, Sammy forms an unlikely bond with a Catholic priest who is having his own crisis of faith. Filled with razor-sharp wit, this deliciously devious comedy rollicks through the timeless questions of Western philosophy—"morality," "faith," and "Are people any damn good?"

Jason Alexander, who stars as Sammy, is best known for his role as George Costanza on the long-running hit TV series Seinfeld, for which he was nominated for seven consecutive Emmy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards. Alexander began his career in the original Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along. He won the 1989 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in Jerome Robbins' Broadway and performed as Max Bialystock in the Los Angeles production of The Producers. Alexander made his Broadway directorial debut last year with The Cottage. His many film and television credits include Pretty Woman, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Daniel Breaker plays the conflicted Catholic priest Father Michael. Breaker was last seen in Chicago as Aaron Burr in Hamilton, a role he subsequently performed on Broadway. He also performed in the original Broadway cast of Shrek The Musical, originating the role of Donkey, and won an Obie Award for his leading performance in the Off-Broadway premiere of Passing Strange. Other theater credits include The Book of Mormon and The Performers on Broadway and the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park musical production of Love's Labor's Lost. Breaker's television credits include Billions and the Peacock series Girls5Eva.

Candy Buckley appears as the Angel. Buckley has performed on Broadway in Cabaret, After the Fall, Scandalous, and Thoroughly Modern Millie; her many additional stage credits include Lincoln Center Theater's Becky Nurse of Salem, the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park production of The Taming of the Shrew, American Repertory Theatre's Hedda Gabler, and The Old Globe's Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Buckley's film and television credits include The Kill Room, Rare Objects, and WeCrashed.

In the role of Sammy's wife Tracy is Maggie Bofill. Bofill's prolific acting credits include Nora in A Doll's House Part Two at Long Wharf Theater, Between Riverside and Crazy at Second Stage, and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot at the Public Theater. A writer in addition to her work as an actor, Bofill wrote and starred in Devil of Choice, which premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and is a member of LAByrinth Theater Company and Ensemble Studio Theatre. Michael Kostroff plays the Monsignor. Kostroff is best known as Maury Levy on HBO's The Wire, in addition to recurring roles on The Blacklist, Billions, The Good Wife, and Law and Order: SVU. He performed in The Nance on Broadway, the first national tour of The Producers, and as Thénardier in the touring company of Les Misérables. Ellis Myers plays Sammy and Tracy's young son Casper. Myers' credits include the film Perpetrator, in addition to voiceover and commercial work. 

Olivia Denise Dawson plays Della, Sammy's faithful, world-weary secretary. Dawson performed in The Comedy of Errors, The Book of Will, and The Tempest with the Illinois Shakespeare Festival's 2023 season and has also worked at Steppenwolf Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Portland Center Stage, and many more. In the role of Jackson, a cranky and crooked insurance adjuster, is Joe Dempsey. Dempsey returns to Chicago Shakespeare after appearing in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Short Shakespeare! The Taming of the Shrew. Other credits include work with American Blues Theater, Lookingglass Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, and many more. Meg Thalken plays Edna, a widow whom Sammy must help in his quest to become a better person. Thalken's Chicago credits include work at Rivendell Theatre, Steep Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, and more. She was most recently seen in Becky Nurse of Salem at Trinity Repertory Theatre.

One of the most in-demand directors nationwide, Moritz von Stuelpnagel's credits include the Broadway productions Bernhardt/Hamlet, Present Laughter, Hand to God, for which he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Director, and most recently, I Need That starring Danny DeVito. Off-Broadway credits include Seared, The Thanksgiving Play, Teenage Dick, Important Hats of the 20th Century, and Verité. Rob Ulin, a Golden Globe and Peabody Award winner who got his start as a professional comedy writer with the legendary Norman Lear, has written and produced acclaimed sitcoms such as Ramy, Young Sheldon, Malcolm in the Middle, Roseanne, and Dinosaurs.

In addition to Ulin and von Stuelpnagel, the creative team includes Scenic Designer Beowulf Boritt, Costume Designer Tilly Grimes, Lighting Designer Amith Chandrashaker, Sound Designer Mikaal Sulaiman, Hair and Make-up Designer Tommy Kurzman, Fight and Intimacy Director Max Fabian, Chicago Casting Director Bob Mason, New York Casting Director Laura Stanczyk, C.S.A., Assistant Director Mallory Metoxen, Assistant Scenic Designer Alexis Distler, Assistant Costume Designer Caity Mulkearns, Assistant Lighting Designer Max Grano De Oro, Production Stage Manager Jinni Pike, and Assistant Stage Manager Mary Zanger.

The press opening for Judgment Day is scheduled for Wednesday, May 1, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.

Judgment Day is the latest opportunity for Chicago Shakespeare audiences to be the first to experience thrilling new theatrical events. A celebrated incubator for new work development, CST has commissioned more than 30 world premieres that have gone on to productions on hundreds of stages around the world. Chicago Shakespeare's artistic team nurtures and empowers theatermakers in crafting new plays, musicals, and adaptations through readings, workshops, and direct support. CST most recently celebrated the sold-out press premiere of Illinoise, which next transfers to Park Avenue Armory beginning March 2. On March 14, Chicago Shakespeare's world premiere musical The Notebook opens at the Schoenfeld Theatre on Broadway, joining CST's North American premiere of SIX, now playing at the Lena Horne Theatre. Also on tour across the US and Canada, SIX garnered the Tony Award for Best Original Score, the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, and a Grammy Award nomination.

Accessible and enhanced performances for Judgment Day include:

  • ASL-interpretation – Friday, May 10, 2024, 7:30
    All dialogue and lyrics are translated into American Sign Language by two certified interpreters.
  • Open-captioning – Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 1:00 & 7:30
    A text display of the words and sounds heard during a play, synced live with the action onstage.
  • Projected Spanish Translation – Thursday, May 16, 2024, 7:30
    A text display of the words and sounds heard during a play, synced live with the action onstage.
  • Audio-description with optional touch tour –
    Sunday, May 19, 2024, 2:00

    A program that provides spoken narration of a play's key visual elements for patrons who are blind or have low vision. Touch Tours provide patrons the opportunity to experience, firsthand, a production's design elements.

More information at www.chicagoshakes.com/judgment or social media at @chicagoshakes and @judgmentdaybroadway.

Judgment Day will be presented April 23–May 26, 2024, in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Single tickets starting at $45 are on sale now. Special discounts are available for audience members under the age of 35 and for groups of 10 or more. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit www.chicagoshakes.com.

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