CPA Theatricals and Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre today announced a co-production of the play with music SENTINELS, which imagines a secret society of women that supports and promotes each other's talents in the same way secret societies have provided powerful networks for men. The piece authored by Writers Theatre co-founder Marilyn Campbell-Lowe, with music by Kim D. Sherman and lyrics by Campbell-Lowe and Sherman, was commissioned by CPA Theatricals, the non-profit corporation founded by Larry Little in 2002 that is dedicated to the development of new plays and musicals. Little today announced the special limited engagement, which will open Theo's 2025-26 season in a two-weekend run from August 1 -10, 2025.  Theo will announce the remainder of its upcoming season on April 23. Press is invited to review SENTINELS at any of the three performances opening weekend:  Friday August 1 and Saturday, August 2 at 7:30 pm, or Sunday, August 3 at 3 pm.
 
In this play with music, the Sentinels are an all-women secret society of five graduate students at the fictional "Joan of Arc University" in Milwaukee. They have been meeting clandestinely in an abandoned university room since 1945. Over the years, the Sentinels have been secretly assisting Sentinel alumni who are key contributors to such monumental achievements as the NASA moon launch and the development of a polio vaccine. As the play begins, the present-day Sentinels are facing the dissolution of their society due to the impending razing of the building in which they've been meeting. Reviewing documents in their archives on what they fear will be their final evening together, they reflect on their society's history, looking back on events from 1945, 1952, 1967 and 1973. These were years in which women made lasting contributions to scientific advancement but were also turning points in progress for women – moments when they gained greater agency and autonomy and moved closer to full equality with men. In flashbacks to those five years, we see the developing sisterhood among the Sentinels of each era as they experience the societal sea changes of those periods.
 
The inspirational story of SENTINELS will be enhanced by original musical underscoring. Sherman's music will evoke the spirit of "ordinary women doing extraordinary things" and will also include an uplifting closing anthem with lyrics co-written by Sherman and Campbell-Lowe. Casting and production team will be announced later.
 
Performances for the two-weekend run from August 1 -10 will be Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 3 pm. Tickets are  $30.00 and will be on sale beginning April 23 at www.theo-u.com.
 
LISTING INFORMATION
 
SENTINELS
A new play with music
A co-production of CPA Theatricals (Larry Little, lead producer and Nicholas Reinhart, Assistant Producer) and Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Written by Marilyn Campbell-Lowe, Music by Kim D. Sherman, Lyrics by Marilyn Campbell-Lowe and Kim D. Sherman
Story created for the stage by CPA Theatricals
Directed by Christopher Pazdernik
WORLD PREMIERE
August 1 -10, 2025
Performances Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 3 pm
Performances at Howard Street Theatre, 721 Howard Street, Evanston
Tickets $30.00, on sale beginning April 23 at www.theo-u.com
 
We've all heard about the all-male "secret society" at Yale.  But, what if there was an all-female secret society that makes its home out of an abandoned dome room at a university in Milwaukee?  Since 1945, this group of brilliant, courageous college women have made it their goal to ensure women are at every table where important stuff happens. From their refuge overlooking the campus, they've been involved with such monumental events such as the first Black woman to star at the Met Opera, the election of the first female leader of a Muslim country, and the discovery of polio vaccine. This is their story. The Sentinels.

Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce individual tickets for KIMBERLY AKIMBO, winner of five 2023 Tony Awards including BEST MUSICAL and the most critically acclaimed musical of its season, will go on sale starting Tuesday, April 8. KIMBERLY AKIMBO will play Broadway In Chicago’s CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe St.) for a limited two-week engagement, June 10-22.

Three-time Tony Award nominee Carolee Carmello is playing Kimberly in the National Tour. Joining Carmello will be Miguel Gil (Original Broadway Company of KIMBERLY AKIMBO), Jim Hogan (Original Broadway Company of KIMBERLY AKIMBO), Emily Koch (Wicked, Waitress), Laura Woyasz (Wicked, For the Girls), Grace Capeless (Disney’s The Lion King), Skye Alyssa Friedman (Original Broadway Company of KIMBERLY AKIMBO), Darron Hayes (Original Broadway Company of KIMBERLY AKIMBO) and Pierce Wheeler (Dear Evan Hansen National Tour). Sarah Lynn Marion, Regene Seven Odon, Marcus Phillips, Bailey Ryon and Brandon Springman will be the understudies, and Valerie Wright will be the Kimberly standby.

Kimberly is about to turn 16 and recently moved with her family to a new town in suburban New Jersey. In this “howlingly funny heartbreaker of a show” (The New Yorker), Kim is forced to navigate family dysfunction, a rare genetic condition, her first crush…and possible felony charges. Ever the optimist, she is determined to find happiness against all odds and embark on a great adventure.

Named BEST MUSICAL by the Tony Awards, New York Drama Critics Circle, The Drama Desk Awards, The Lucille Lortel Awards, and The Outer Critics Circle Awards, KIMBERLY AKIMBO is also the winner of four additional Tony Awards: Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, Best Score (David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori), and Best Book (David Lindsay-Abaire). With her win for KIMBERLY AKIMBO, Jeanine Tesori made history as the first female composer to win two Tony Awards for Best Score.

KIMBERLY AKIMBO features scenic design by David Zinn, costume design by Sarah Laux, lighting design by Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew, sound design by Kai Harada, projection design by Lucy MacKinnon, and wig, hair, and make-up design by J. Jared Janas. The production’s Music Supervisor is Chris Fenwick and the Music Director is Leigh Delano. KIMBERLY AKIMBO features orchestrations by Tony Award nominee John Clancy, with additional orchestrations by Macy Schmidt. The Production Supervisor is Arabella Powell, the Production Stage Manager is Shawn Pennington, and casting is by The Telsey Office, Craig Burns, CSA.

The North American Tour of KIMBERLY AKIMBO is produced by David Stone, The Atlantic Theater Company, James L. Nederlander, LaChanze, John Gore, Patrick Catullo, and Aaron Glick.

KIMBERLY AKIMBO opened on Broadway to unanimous rave reviews on November 10, 2022, following its world premiere at the Atlantic Theater Company in November 2021. Upon closing on Broadway, KIMBERLY AKIMBO played 32 previews and 612 performances.

For more information, please visit KimberlyAkimboTheMusical.com

Please follow: @akimbomusical

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesday, June 10 at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, June 11 at 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, June 12 at 7:00 p.m.
Friday, June 13 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 14 at 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 15 at 1:00 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 17 at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, June 18 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, June 19 at 7:00 p.m.
Friday, June 20 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 21 at 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 22 at 1:00 p.m.

TICKET INFORMATION
Individual tickets for KIMBERLY AKIMBO will go on sale to the public on Tuesday, April 8 and range from $35.00 - $125.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more  information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 25 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the  Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, The Auditorium, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway  Playhouse at Water Tower Place.

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

GEA Live and Broadway In Chicago in association with Lionsgate, today announced the highly-anticipated 60-city national tour of the first-ever TWILIGHT IN CONCERT ( www.twilightinconcert.com) will visit in association with Lionsgate, today announced the highly-anticipated 60-city national tour of the first-ever TWILIGHT N CONCERT (www.twilightinconcert.com) will visit Broadway In Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph St.) for two days only, November 7 and November 8. As the novel, “Twilight”, celebrates its 20th anniversary, the live-to-film cinematic experience featuring the original movie accompanied by a 12-piece ensemble of rock and orchestral musicians on stage will transport audiences on a journey deep into the heart of this romantic story. Whether you’re Team Edward, Team Jacob, or Team Bella, TWILIGHT IN CONCERT promises an unforgettable evening for fans of the beloved The Twilight Saga film franchise -- and music enthusiasts alike.


Set in an enchanting candlelit setting, TWILIGHT IN CONCERT offers a unique opportunity for audiences to relive the film that started it all in a cinematic live-to-film experience with a sensational live band. Musicians will take the stage to perform the beloved film score in perfect synchronization with the original movie, presented in its entirety on a massive cinema screen. Audiences will be completely captivated by the magical atmosphere with more than one thousand twinkling candles illuminating the grand stage, creating an ambiance that sets the tone for a truly romantic evening.

For more information, tickets, and tour dates visit www.twilightinconcert.com and follow @TwilightMovie on Facebook, and @Twilight on Instagram and X.

Tickets go on sale Friday, April 11 at 10 a.m. Central time for the world-premiere performances of A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness — a historic event produced by Lyric Opera of Chicago in partnership with Billy Corgan that celebrates the 30th anniversary of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, the era-defining album from The Smashing Pumpkins — on stage at Lyric for seven performances only, November 21–30, 2025.

Tickets, starting at $59, will be available at lyricopera.org/melloncollie beginning Friday, April 11 at 10 a.m. Central time. Performance dates for A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness are November 21, 22, 25, 26, 28, 29, and 30. All performances begin at 7:30 p.m. at Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago.

Please note: Ticket buyers will need to have a current Lyric account to secure tickets. Creating an account in advance is highly encouraged and can be easily done at lyricopera.org/account, prior to the April 11 on-sale. In anticipation of great demand, a limit of nine tickets per order will be in effect. Lyric's Audience Services team is available to help with questions via a dedicated Mellon Collie hotline at 312.500.6380.

Please note: Lyric Opera of Chicago is the only authorized seller of official tickets to A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness. All sales are final. There will be no ticket refunds or exchanges for these performances. Digital tickets will be sent at least 48 hours prior to performances. Groups of 10 or more can secure their tickets by contacting Group Sales at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The Lyric Box Office at 20 N. Wacker Drive is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is now cashless, taking credit-card purchases only.

These one-of-a-kind performances will harness all of Lyric's technical and artistic forces — including the epic sound of the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Lyric Opera Chorus, with special guest vocal artists — for an immersive sonic and visual experience that blurs the boundaries of opera, rock, and performance art. The newly commissioned arrangements and orchestrations are by Corgan and James Lowe, who also conducts, and costumes are designed for the House of Gilles by Gilles and Chloé Mendel Corgan.

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

"I'm excited that unique performances like A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness can open the aperture and expand the definition of opera and what an American opera company can be," says John Mangum, General Director, President & CEO of Lyric Opera of Chicago. "Lyric's next season clearly illustrates how this company continues to push the art form forward and create new work — like the Mellon Collie project — that can only happen in Chicago."

As commissioned and produced by Lyric Opera of Chicago, Corgan's hometown company, this unique collaboration was announced by Lyric as a highlight of the company's 2025/26 Season, its first complete season under the leadership of Mangum. In addition to A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness, Lyric's 2025/26 Season features a rich mix of traditional operas and other live performances, from Medea and Madama Butterfly to Carmina Burana and the world premiere of safronia, an Afro-surrealist opera featuring music and text by Chicago Poet Laureate avery r. young.

More information on A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness is at lyricopera.org/melloncollie.

Welcome back to the Moulin Rouge! Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce the Tony Award® winning production, MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL is now playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph St.). MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL is playing for a limited three-week engagement through April 20 only. MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL is the winner of ten 2021 Tony Awards® including Best Musical, two Drama League Awards including Outstanding Production of a Musical, five Drama Desk Awards and ten Outer Critics Circle Award Honor citations including New Broadway Musical. The current North American tour cast is led by Arianna Rosario as “Satine” and Jay Armstrong Johnson as “Christian”; and features Robert Petkoff as “Harold Zidler,” Andrew Brewer as “The Duke of Monroth,” Jahi Kearse as “Toulouse-Lautrec,” Danny Burgos as “Santiago,” Kaitlin Mesh as “Nini,” and Jerica Exum in the role of the “Satine Alternate.” In addition the company includes Amara Berhan, Rodney Thompson, Renee Marie Titus , Carina R. Avila, Mateus Barbosa da Silva, Rhys Carr, Darius Crenshaw, Nicolas De La Vega, Nathan Fister, Jeremy Gaston, Collin Heyward, Nathaniel Hunt, Michał Kołaczowski, Charizma Lawrence, Katie Lombardo, Meghan Manning, Amanda Mitchell, Luke Monday, Tanisha Moore, Kenneth Michael Murray, Elyse Niederee, Omar Nieves, Luke Rands, Logan Gray Saad, Maia Schechter, Adéa Michelle Sessoms, Jeff Sullivan, Carmella Taitt, Jordan Vasquez, and Jerald Vincent.MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL opened to critical acclaim at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in the Summer of 2019 and reopened in September 2021 following the shutdown of Broadway due to the pandemic.“Spectacular! Euphoric! In MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL, life is beautiful,” raves The New York Times. “MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL is a fabulous new musical. The high begins the instant you walk into the theatre,” said the New York Post. Entertainment Weekly concludes that “it’s easy to believe that MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL could run for 50 years.”MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL is directed by Tony Award® winner Alex Timbers and with a book by Tony Award® winner John Logan, choreography by Tony Award® winner Sonya Tayeh and music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Tony Award® winner Justin Levine.The design team for MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL includes Tony Award® winner Derek McLane (sets), Tony Award® winner Catherine Zuber (costumes), Tony Award® winner Justin Townsend (lighting), Tony Award® winner Peter Hylenski (sound), Drama Desk Award winner David Brian Brown (wig and hair design), Sarah Cimino (Make-up design) and Tony Award® winner Matt Stine (Music Producer). Casting is by Jim Carnahan and Stephen Kopel.Enter a world of splendor and romance, of eye-popping excess, of glitz, grandeur and glory! A world where Bohemians and aristocrats rub elbows and revel in electrifying enchantment. Pop the champagne and prepare for the spectacular spectacular … Welcome to MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL.Baz Luhrmann’s iconic film comes to life onstage, remixed in a new musical mash-up extravaganza. MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL is a theatrical celebration of Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and - above all - Love. MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL is more than a musical; it is a state of mind.As in the film, MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL celebrates over 160 years of music – from Offenbach to Lady Gaga. The stage musical features many of the iconic songs from the movie, and also includes recent hits released since the movie premiered 21 years ago.MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL is produced by Carmen Pavlovic and Gerry Ryan OAM for Global Creatures and Bill Damaschke. General management is by Foresight Theatrical.Co-producers of the touring production include Aaron Lustbader, Hunter Arnold, Darren Bagert,  Erica Lynn Schwartz/Matt Picheny/Stephanie Rosenberg, Adam Blanshay Productions/Nicolas & Charles Talar, Iris Smith, Aleri Entertainment, Sophie Qi/Harmonia Holdings, CJ ENM,  Len Blavatnik, Ambassador Theatre Group, Endeavor Content, John Gore Organization, Spencer Ross, Gilad-Rogowsky/InStone Productions, AF Creative Media/International Theatre Fund, Nederlander Presentations/IPN, Cody Renard Richard, Jujamcyn Theaters, Eric Falkenstein/Suzanne Grant, Peter May/Sandy Robertson, Tom & Pam Faludy, Triptyk Studio,  Carl Daikeler/Sandi Moran, Desantis-Baugh Productions, Red Mountain Theatre Company/ 42ND.CLUB, Candy Spelling/Tulchin Bartner, Roy Furman, Andrew & Ruby Ryan, Brent & Sarah Deboer and Michael Ryan.Released by 20^th Century Studios, Baz Luhrmann’s MOULIN ROUGE! premiered at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. At the 74th Academy Awards, the film was nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture, and won two.The Moulin Rouge of Paris, managed by Jean-Jacques Clerico (CEO), is a dazzling and spectacular universe, the symbol of the Parisian way of celebrating since 1889. Starting life as a popular cabaret and dance hall, the venue became an iconic music hall in the Roaring Twenties, and then a theatre where numerous famous French and international artists stepped out into the limelight. Today, the Moulin Rouge and its 60 artists present the Féerie revue show: two hours of amazement between cabaret and music hall styles where dance scenes and surprise acts intersperse – without forgetting the Moulin Rouge’s most emblematic dance, the French Cancan! Since its creation, the Moulin Rouge of Paris has always been an invitation to live and share all the emotions and effervescence of a unique party extravaganza. http://www.moulinrouge.fr/The Grammy-nominated MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL Original Broadway Cast Recording, produced by Baz Luhrmann, Justin Levine, Matt Stine & Alex Timbers, is now available by Baz Luhrmann’s label, House of Iona, and RCA Records. The album debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Cast Album chart.The book Moulin Rouge! The Musical: The Story of the Broadway Spectacular, a glittering backstage pass to MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL and its journey to Broadway, is now available from Rizzoli.Follow MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok
MoulinRougeMusical.com

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Wednesday, April 2 at 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 3 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Friday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 5 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 6 at 1:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.Tuesday, April 8 at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 9 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 10 at 7:00 p.m.
Friday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 12 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 13 at 1:00 p.m.Tuesday, April 15 at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 16 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 17 at 7:00 p.m.
Friday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 19 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 20 at 1:00 p.m.TICKET INFORMATION
Experience it again! Individual tickets for MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL are on sale now and range from $40.00 - $145.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more  information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 25 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the  Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, The Auditorium, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway  Playhouse at Water Tower Place.For more information and tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
Follow @BroadwayInChicago on
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#broadwayinchicago

By popular demand, Disney’s The Lion King will return to Chicago for the first time since 2023, where the production played a sold-out run at the Cadillac Palace Theatre.  This three-week return engagement at the Cadillac Palace Theatre begins Friday, October 3, 2025 and plays through Sunday, October 19, 2025. Individual tickets for The Lion King will go on sale to the general public later this year.

Reservations for groups of ten (10) or more are now being accepted by calling 312-977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  Additionally, Extra Magic Packages, which include an excellent seat in the theater and show merchandise, are also available.

The Lion King has been touring North America for more than 22 years, and during that time has welcomed over 23 million theatergoers, making it North America’s longest-running and most-attended Broadway tour. Having already played more than 10,000 performances in over 90 cities across North America, The Lion King now proudly returns to Chicago at the Cadillac Palace Theatre.   

ABOUT THE LION KING
Approaching 30 landmark years on Broadway, The Lion King continues ascendant as one of the most popular stage musicals of all time.  Since its premiere on November 13, 1997, 30 global productions have been seen by over 124 million people.  Produced by Disney Theatrical Group, under the direction of Andrew Flatt, Anne Quart, and Thomas Schumacher, The Lion King has made theatrical history with two productions worldwide running 20 or more years and three others running 25 or more years. 

Performed over its lifetime in nine different languages (English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch, Spanish, Mandarin and Portuguese), there are currently nine productions of The Lion King around the world: Broadway, London, Paris, Hamburg, Madrid, Tokyo, Toronto, Mexico City, and on tour across North America. The Lion King has played over 100 cities in 24 countries on every continent except Antarctica; its worldwide gross exceeds that of any film, Broadway show or other entertainment title in box office history.     
 
The Lion King won six 1998 Tony Awards^®:  Best Musical, Best Scenic Design (Richard Hudson), Best Costume Design (Julie Taymor), Best Lighting Design (Donald Holder), Best Choreography (Garth Fagan) and Best Direction of a Musical.  The Lion King has also earned more than 70 major arts awards including the 1998 NY Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, the 1999 Grammy^® for Best Musical Show Album, the 1999 Evening Standard Award for Theatrical Event of the Year and the 1999 Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Choreography and Best Costume Design. 

Director, costume designer and mask co-designer Julie Taymor, the first woman to win a Tony Award for Best Director of a Musical, remains actively involved in the show, launching new productions and maintaining the flagship Broadway production. 

The Broadway score features Elton John and Tim Rice’s songs from the Lion King animated film along with three new songs by John and Rice; additional musical material by South African Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor and Hans Zimmer; and music from "Rhythm of the Pride Lands," an album inspired by the original music in the film, written by Lebo M, Mark Mancina and Hans Zimmer.  The resulting sound of The Lion King is a fusion of Western popular music and the distinctive sounds and rhythms of Africa, ranging from the Academy Award^®-winning song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” to Lebo M’s rich choral numbers.

Elton John, Lebo M, and Hans Zimmer all collaborated on the 2019 version of the film, executive produced by Julie Taymor and Thomas Schumacher, which has gone onto extraordinary worldwide success.

The book has been adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed the animated The Lion King feature, and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the film’s screenplay.  Other members of the creative team include:  Michael Curry, who designed the masks and puppets with Taymor, Steve Canyon Kennedy (sound design), Michael Ward (hair and makeup design), Anthony Lyn (associate director), Marey Griffith (associate choreographer), Clement Ishmael (music supervisor), Lisa Dawn Cave (production supervisor), Thomas Schlenk (general manager) and ARC/Mark Brandon, CSA (casting). Anne Quart serves as executive producer.

For more information worldwide, visit LionKing.com, www.facebook.com/thelionkingusa and www.instagram.com/thelionking. 

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 25 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of  entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at The Auditorium.

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

Open Space Arts (OSA), who recently won some of the top honors in the Joseph Jefferson Awards for 2024 productions, wraps up its dynamic second season in April and May with three programs of staged readings and the international premiere of SCANDALOUS BOY, David Atfield's historical queer love story. All performances will be at Open Space Arts, 1411 W. Wilson Avenue (1/2 block east of Clark St.).
 
The series of staged readings will begin on April 25 with BREAKING THE CODE, Hugh Whitemore's powerful 1986 drama about Alan Turing, the brilliant mathematician who pioneered modern computing and played a pivotal role in World War II by deciphering the German Enigma code. BREAKING THE CODE intertwines Turing's groundbreaking achievements with his personal struggles, particularly his persecution for homosexuality—a factor that led to his tragic demise. The play offers a profound exploration of the man behind the genius, highlighting the societal injustices he faced and his enduring legacy in the fields of cryptography and computer science. BREAKING THE CODE will be directed by Jack Dugan Carpenter and will be performed one night only, on Friday April 25 at 7:30 pm. Suggested donation is $10.00.
 
Following BREAKING THE CODE will be a riveting 90-minute program of new short plays called 100 DAYS featuring characters affected by the current political landscape. Curated by PlaywrightPower.com and directed by its co-founder Tara Blau Smollen, the production will feature eight compelling new 10-minute plays written since the last election, selected from 167 submissions. 100 DAYS will open on April 30, the 100th day of the new administration, with the same plays repeated on May 1, 2, 3, and 4. Performances will be Wednesday, April 30 through Saturday, May 3 at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, May 4 at 3:00 pm. Suggested donation is $10.00.
 
The readings series will conclude with a staged reading of NOCTURNAL ADMISSIONS, a thrilling and provocative screenplay by Christian Reda, winner of the 2025 Queer Expression Writing Contest for Stage and Screen. This gripping romantic melodrama blends crime, suspense, and forbidden love in a story that challenges power and prejudice. Joe Kowalski, a 20-year veteran of the LAPD, is assigned to protect Hector "Angel" Cruz, a young Latino hustler and the sole witness to the murder of a married senatorial candidate he was hired to escort for the evening. As Joe fights to keep Angel safe, the last thing he expects is to fall in love. NOCTURNAL ADMISSIONS will be performed on Saturday, May 10 at 7:30 pm. Suggested donation is $10.00.
 
Open Space Arts' 2024-25 season will conclude with a fully staged production of SCANDALOUS BOY by David Atfield, in its International Premiere since its world premiere in Atfield's native Australia. The play is the story of the love between the emperor Hadrian and Antinous in pre-Christian Rome but framed in a twenty-first century setting with the statue of Antinous coming to life in modern Australia to tell his story. SCANDALOUS BOY will be directed by Benjamin Mills and will run from May 23 through June 8. Cast and production team will be announced soon.
 
All performances are at Open Space Arts's hyper-intimate 20-seat theater at 1411 W Wilson, in Chicago.
 
LISTING INFORMATION
 
BREAKING THE CODE
By Hugh Whitemore
Directed by Jack Dugan Carpenter
Friday, April 25, 2025 – 7:30 pm
Open Space Arts
1411 W. Wilson Ave.,
Suggested donation $10.00
Website: www.openspacearts.org
 
Hugh Whitemore's powerful 1986 drama about Alan Turing, the brilliant mathematician who pioneered modern computing and played a pivotal role in World War II by deciphering the German Enigma code.
 
100 DAYS
Curated by Playwright Power.com
Directed by Tara Blau Smollen
April 30 – May 4, 2025
Wednesday – Saturday at 7:30 pm. Sunday at 3:00 pm
Open Space Arts
1411 W. Wilson Ave.,
Suggested donation $10.00
Website: www.openspacearts.org
 
A riveting 90-minute program of new eight compelling new short plays featuring characters affected by the current political landscape. Curated by PlaywrightPower.com and directed by co-founder Tara Blau Smollen.
 
NOCTURNAL ADMISSIONS
By Christian Reda
Saturday, May 10, 2025 – 7:30 pm
Open Space Arts
1411 W. Wilson Ave.,
Suggested donation $10.00
Website: www.openspacearts.org
 
Staged reading of a gripping romantic melodrama screenplay that blends crime, suspense, and forbidden love in a story that challenges power and prejudice. Joe Kowalski, a 20-year veteran of the LAPD, is assigned to protect Hector "Angel" Cruz, a young Latino hustler and the sole witness to the murder of a married senatorial candidate he was hired to escort for the evening. As Joe fights to keep Angel safe, the last thing he expects is to fall in love.
 
SCANDALOUS BOY
By David Atfield
Directed by Benjamin Mills
May 23- June 8, 2025
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 6:00 pm
Open Space Arts
1411 W. Wilson Ave.,
Tickets $30.00
Website: www.openspacearts.org
 
The story of the love between the emperor Hadrian and Antinous in pre-Christian Rome but framed in a twenty-first century setting with the statue of Antinous coming to life in modern Australia to tell his story.
 
BIOS
 
Hugh Whitemore (Playwright, BREAKING THE CODE) was a distinguished English playwright and screenwriter. He began his writing career in British television, contributing original teleplays and adaptations of classic works by authors such as Charles Dickens and Charlotte Brontë. Whitemore twice received the Writer's Guild of Great Britain award. His notable works include STEVIE (1977), focusing on poet Stevie Smith, and PACK OF LIES (1983), depicting the events leading to the arrest of two Americans spying for the Russians in London. Whitemore's work for American television includes CONCEALED ENEMIES (1984), about the Alger Hiss case; and THE GATHERING STORM (2002), focusing on a troubled period in Winston Churchill's life. Both earned him Emmy Awards. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and an Honorary Fellow of King's College, London.
 
Jack Dugan Carpenter (Director, BREAKING THE CODE) is a distinguished director and actor with extensive experience in the Chicago theater scene. He has collaborated with numerous theater companies, including The Plagiarists, where he served as Managing and Development Director from 2011 to 2025. His directorial credits with The Plagiarists encompass productions such as MÜNSTERSPIEL, SOME LIKE IT RED, GILGAMESH, THESE SAINTS WILL BURN, WAR SONG, MATRYOSHKA, AND CAESURA: A BUTCHERY. Beyond The Plagiarists, Carpenter has directed CHARLEY'S AUNT, THE WOMAN IN BLACK, MEASURE FOR MEASURE, and FIGMENTS with Saint Sebastian Players, as well as THE ALCHEMIST and THE ARMAGEDDON DANCE PARTY with Nothing Special Productions.
 
Playwright Power.com (Curator, 100 DAYS) Playwright Power empowers playwrights to spark change and inspire dialogue through impactful theatrical storytelling. Created in response to the 2024 election, the organization solicited new short plays featuring characters affected by the current political landscape, culminating in this electrifying 90-minute program.
 
Tara Blau Smollen  (Director, 100 DAYS) is an award-winning actor, director, playwright, and theater professor. She holds an MFA in Acting from the National Theater Conservatory in Denver and has worked extensively Off-Broadway and in regional theaters across the U.S. As the former Artistic Director of Porchlight Theater Company, her children's plays reached over 10,000 students in the San Francisco Bay Area. As a playwright, she was a finalist in Lifeline Theatre Company's 3rd Annual BIPOC Adaptation and Showcase for Sisters, an African American reimagining of Chekhov's THREE SISTERS. Her recent direction of Jen Silverman's THE MOORS was named one of the best plays in the Bay Area in 2024 by THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE.
 
Christian Reda (Screenwriter, NOCTURNAL ADMISSIONS) is an accomplished screenwriter with a diverse portfolio spanning multiple genres. His works include THE ISLAND HOUSE (horror/thriller), LADY IN A JAM (action/romance), SIX NIGHTS TO DESTINY (sci-fi/romance), and NOCTURNAL ADMISSIONS (romantic melodrama/thriller).

David Atfield (Writer, SCANDALOUS BOY) David Atfield is an Australian stage writer and director, based in Canberra, where he has been Writer/Director/Producer at The Street Theatre since 2018, and Writer/Producer at Canberra Theatre Center since 2021. David moved to Canberra in 1992 to work with Company Skylark, writing and directing plays for them, and later that year formed BITS (A Break In the Silence) Theatre Company. His plays include LOVELY LOUISE, about silent film star Louise Lovely, PINK TRIANGLES, a play about the Nazi persecution of homosexual men. In 2000 he directed a production of it, again at the Street Theatre. Other plays include CLEAN, EXCLUSION, and CHIAROSCURO.  His 2014 production of SCANDALOUS BOY was named one of the top five productions of the year by THE CANBERRA TIMES and the script was short-listed for the Arch and Bruce Brown Foundation Playwriting Award, New York
 
Benjamin Mills (Director, SCANDALOUS BOY) is an actor, designer, director, and Chicago theatre jack of all trades. His design work has been seen at Theatre L'Acadie, Open Space Arts, and Big Noise Theatre. Most recently seen on stage in SPRING AWAKENING, GREY GARDENS THE MUSICAL, THE LEARNED LADIES, BONNIE AND CLYDE THE MUSICAL, and a three-show tour with Great Works Touring Theatre. Benjamin is a Company Member/Resident Costume Designer with Theatre L'Acadie. SCANDALOUS BOY marks Benjamin's Chicago directorial debut.
 
OPEN SPACE ARTS, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, is dedicated to combating homophobia and transphobia through the transformative power of creativity and cultural expression. Our mission is to foster inclusivity, promote understanding, and empower marginalized communities by utilizing various artistic mediums to challenge discriminatory beliefs and attitudes. OSA won some of the top honors in the Joseph Jefferson Awards for work produced in 2024, including Production of a Play – Short Run (COCK), Direction of a Play – Short Run (Michael D. Weber- LIGHT SWITCH), Performer in a Principal Role – Short Run  (Philip Andrew Monnett – LIGHT SWITCH), and Performer in a Supporting Role – Short Run (Sonya Robinson – COCK) .

Additionally, Open Space Arts has produced SUNSETS: TWO ACTS ON A BEACH, ROSENBERG, MASSAGE THERAPY, MERCY KILLING, MR. PARKER, "it's been ten years since everyone died. a play about final girls." and THE KRAMER PROJECT in live performances. OSA also produces the Queer Expressions Film Fest, a hybrid fest of streaming and in-person events, which runs from November 1 to July 1 annually. Open Space Arts is led by David Zak.

 The Auditorium (Chicago’s Landmark Stage® at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive) proudly welcomes back the eclectic energy of hometown favorite South Chicago Dance Theatre (SCDT) with IN/WITHIN, a mixed repertory program in one performance only Saturday, May 3 at 7:30 PM.  In addition to debuting two World Premieres – IN/WITHIN, a wildly theatrical one-act production choreographed by SCDT Founder & Director of Vision and Strategy Kia S. Smith, and FOLK, by New York-based Guggenheim Award-winning choreographer Kate Weare – the veteran choreographer and former longtime Artistic Director of River North Dance Company, Frank Chaves, will be honored with SCDT’s 5^th Cultural Hero Award. IN/WITHIN tickets, starting at $39.00, are available at auditoriumtheatre.org or by calling The Auditorium’s Ticket Service Center at 312.341.2300.

Beginning the evening on a joyous note, choreographer Frank Chaves will be honored with South Chicago Dance Theatre’s 5^th Cultural Hero Award, paying tribute to a member of the Chicago dance community who has made an invaluable impact on our city. Chaves served as Artistic Director of River North Dance Chicago for 23 years, before officially retiring in December 2015. Having produced more than 20 original works for the company, he is concentrating solely on his choreography, creating new works and finding new homes for his existing body of work. Chaves currently resides in Sarasota, Florida where he has been dealing with a degenerative spinal cord disease, syringomyelia, diagnosed over ten years ago. As a Cultural Hero, Chaves joins past awardees August Tye (2018), Pierre Lockett (2019), Millie Cruzat (2021), and Sarita Smith Childs (2022).  

The Company Premiere of Chaves’ Temporal Trance (1998) starts the IN/WITHIN program. He has referred to this signature work for River North Dance Chicago as an “exploration of three very different qualities of movement, culminating in a mesmerizing feast for the eyes, soul and spirit.” Temporal Trance features a soundtrack by Peter Gabriel, Vangelis, and Gabrielle Roth and The Mirrors, and is dedicated to Chaves’ mother, Maria.  Following is the World Premiere of Weare’s FOLK (2025), exploring the idea of “village” as a space where we commune together, despite differences and difficulties, all set to a score drawing from traditional Jewish and Italian music. Closing the first act will be the SCDT audience hit, Taiwanese choreographer Tsai His Hung’s Under the Skin (2024), in which dancers move from darkness to light, to an experimental score by Taiwanese musician Yi Chun Hung. The second half of the program is comprised of Smith’s IN/WITHIN, a one-act World Premiere fusing athleticism, dialogue and scenic design that promises to be unlike any other SCDT piece! IN/WITHIN, a work of contemporary dance theater, delves into the imaginary landscape of the lead performer as she ventures through the characters, objects and ephemera of her subconscious mind.  Irrationally juxtaposed scenes spark joy and delight, absurdity, melancholy, empathy and actualization. 

“The Auditorium is pleased to again showcase South Chicago Dance Theatre in its third annual Spring engagement. Kia is a rising star on Chicago’s dance scene and audiences can always expect high energy and enthusiasm from her company,” said The Auditorium CEO Rich Regan.  “River North Dance, under Frank Chaves’ direction, was a frequent guest on our stage, and we look forward to welcoming him home for this well-deserved honor.”

“This program is especially meaningful to me,” said Smith.  “I fell in love with Frank’s Temporal Trance as a college dance student, and it’s a milestone for my company to now add it to our repertoire. Kate Weare is a mentor with a global presence, and I’m so honored that she has set FOLK on our company. The juxtaposition of this work and Tsai His Hung’s experimental crowd pleaser Under the Skin, should keep audiences on their toes.  And finally, IN/WITHIN, my first theatrical work, represents me and my voice more than any other work I’ve choreographed. I envision this is the start of a new era for South Chicago Dance Theatre, with an emphasis on ‘theatre’ and a more narrative-driven model.”   

About South Chicago Dance Theatre

South Chicago Dance Theatre (SCDT) is a multicultural organization seamlessly fusing classical and contemporary dance styles as well as preserving historic dance work. With Choreographic Diplomacy™ at the heart of the organization, SCDT creates, performs, and teaches dance on a local, national, and international platform. Since its 2017 launch, the Main Company has toured regionally, nationally and internationally to the Netherlands, South America, Vietnam and South Korea and commissioned the choreographic work of renowned artists. Its collaborative initiatives have included music ensembles, television, opera, art museums and public schools through a range of performances and educational programs. Recent recognition includes support from the Princess Grace USA Foundation, and the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Foster Innovation Award. Kia S. Smith has been honored with a 3Arts Make A Wave Award and a Chicago Dancemakers Forum Lab Artist Award, and participated in the Choreography Fellowship at the School at Jacob’s Pillow. She was named one of Dance Magazine’s 25 to Watch for 2024. For information, visit southchicagodancetheatre.com.

About The Auditorium

The Auditorium, located at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive 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’s 2024-25 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 and a complete listing of events at The Auditorium please visit AuditoriumTheatre.org.

Artistic Director Braden Abraham and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce Writers Theatre's 2025/26 season. The five-play season is marked by four productions never seen before in Chicago and two add-on special engagements.  

Following Hershey Felder's sold-out, acclaimed appearance at Writers Theatre in the 2023-24 season, Felder returns to launch this season with his brand-new musical play Rachmaninoff and the Tsar. The season continues with a musical adaptation of Shakespeare's As You Like It by Tony Award winner Shaina Taub (Suffs), directed by Artistic Director Braden Abraham with music direction by Michael Mahler. Celebrated Chicago director Lisa Portes joins Writers for the first time to direct Two Sisters and a Piano, by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Nilo Cruz, followed by the Midwest Premiere of the off-Broadway/Broadway hit Job by Max Wolf Friedlich, directed by David Esbjornson. The subscription season caps off with the Midwest and Chicago Premiere of Tom Stoppard's epic, Tony Award-winning play Leopoldstadt, directed by Carey Perloff. The season also includes two productions available as add-ons to subscription packages: the one-night only special event of Hershey Felder's Great American Songbook Sing-Along, and a limited engagement of sleight of hand magician Harry Milas' The Unfair Advantage.  

Season Packages are available online at www.writerstheatre.org, and at the Box Office by calling 847-242-6000.

Writers Theatre Artistic Director Braden Abraham comments, "I am immensely proud of our 25/26 season at Writers Theatre; it's a line-up rich in unique personal experiences and global perspectives at a time when cultural resilience has never been more vital. Spanning many different times, places and genres—from Vienna in the early 20^th century to Havana in the 1990s, from a music-filled Forest of Arden to a private office in San Francisco—these extraordinary stories invite us to consider who we are, where we come from, and how we find connection in a complex world."

Rachmaninoff and the Tsar, As You Like It, Two Sisters and a Piano, and Leopoldstadt will be performed in The Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre. Job and The Unfair Advantage will be held in The Gillian Theatre. Both spaces are in Writers Theatre's award-winning building at 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe, designed by Studio Gang Architects.

Writers Theatre 2025/26 Season includes:

Chicago/Midwest Premiere, part of the play's world premiere season

Hershey Felder and Jonathan Silvestri in

Rachmaninoff and the Tsar  

The Music of Sergei V. Rachmaninoff 

Book by Hershey Felder 

with Hershey Felder as Sergei Rachmaninoff and Jonathan Silvestri as Tsar Nicholas II 

Directed by Trevor Hay 

August 13 – September 21, 2025                                

Press Opening: August 15, 2025

Having safely escaped Russia during the 1917 revolution, beloved composer and pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff performed all over the world before eventually making his home in sunny Beverly Hills. Privately longing for the Russia that he knew and loved as a young man, one memory in particular continues to haunt him—Tsar Nicholas II. Hershey Felder's newest musical play will feature the virtuoso actor/pianist in the role of Rachmaninoff alongside British-Italian actor Jonathan Silvestri in the role of Nicholas II. Featuring the composer's most beloved works, Rachmaninoff and the Tsar promises to be another mystical musical journey in the inimitable Hershey Felder style that audiences have come to know and love.  

One Night Only

Hershey Felder's Great American Songbook Sing-Along

September 7, 2025              

Tickets, starting at $110, available summer 2025 

With his signature style and lots of audience participation, Hershey Felder's Great American Songbook Sing-Along takes audiences through 100 years of American music—beginning with Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, George and Ira Gershwin, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim ... The Sound of Music, South Pacific, Fiddler on the Roof, Showboat and more! Audiences are encouraged to sing along with Felder as he leads them through the familiar notes of their favorite songs. 

The Chicago/Midwest Premiere of

As You Like It 

A Musical Adaptation of William Shakespeare's As You Like It 

Adapted by Shaina Taub and Laurie Woolery 

Music and Lyrics by Shaina Taub 

Directed by Braden Abraham 

Music Direction by Michael Mahler 

October 30 – December 14, 2025       

Press opening: November 7, 2025                             

Facing exile at home, Orlando, Duke Senior, his daughter Rosalind and niece Celia seek safety and refuge in the Forest of Arden. Lost amidst the trees, these wounded souls end up finding a community of acceptance and transformational love, where all are welcomed and embraced. Featuring an original folk-pop score by Shaina Taub (Tony Award-winning composer of Suffs), this musical adaptation of Shakespeare's classic is an immersive dream-like tale of faithful friends, feuding families and chance encounters.  

Two Sisters and a Piano  

Written by Nilo Cruz 

Directed by Lisa Portes 

February 26 – March 29, 2026 

Press opening: March 6, 2026

Trapped under house arrest, novelist Maria Celia and her sister Sofia can still hear the rumors of the Russians' departure from Cuba in 1991. While awaiting news from Maria's exiled husband and dreaming of their freedom, the two sisters find their small world unexpectedly shaken by the arrival of a romantic young piano tuner and a charismatic military officer infatuated with Maria's writing. Pulitzer Prize winner Nilo Cruz (Anna in the Tropics) weaves an authentic tale of oppression, human spirit, and intertwining fates in a world of shifting global politics.  

The Chicago/Midwest Premiere of

Job 

Written by Max Wolf Friedlich 

Directed by David Esbjornson 

April 9 – June 14, 2026 

Press Opening: April 17, 2026

Jane, an employee at a big tech company, has been placed on leave after video of her screaming breakdown at work went viral. Her employers tell Jane she must be evaluated by crisis therapist Loyd before she can be reinstated to the job that gives her life meaning. Their first session together, however, quickly escalates into an epic showdown with a shocking and disturbing twist. A Broadway and Off-Broadway sensation, this intense psychological thriller skewers the insidiousness of the internet, the meaning of work and the ramifications of a secret revealed. 

The Chicago/Midwest Premiere of

Leopoldstadt 

Written by Tom Stoppard 

Directed by Carey Perloff 

June 4 – July 19, 2026                                                      

Press Opening: June 12, 2026

At the dawn of the 20th century, Vienna is the heart of European culture. While an extended family gathers in the elegant Merz home for the holidays, two brothers-in-law passionately debate their conflicting visions for the future of their family and the Jewish people––a tension that will echo through the generations that follow. Traversing decades of joy and strife, from 1899 to 1955, the latest Tony and Olivier Award-winning masterpiece and most personal play from Tom Stoppard follows one family's reckoning with a past it cannot escape and a future it cannot control.

Frequent Stoppard collaborator Carey Perloff directs this stirring and epic story of love, betrayal, family, and enduring bravery. 

Writers Theatre would like to acknowledge the following dedicated donors who have committed generous, foundational funds to help bring this important Chicago and Midwest premiere to our community. Thus far, Major Inaugural Sponsors include Sara and Dan Cohan, The Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation, and Alec and Jennifer Litowitz. Inaugural Sponsors include Susan and Don Belgrad, Lloyd Morgan, The Mark and Tricia Rothschild Family Trust, Lizzy Takiff Scheinfeld, Mary Pat and Andy Studdert, the Takiff Family Foundation, Rich and Elaine Tinberg and Craig and Linda Umans. We thank them for their passion and commitment to Writers Theatre and unwavering support for groundbreaking theatrical works. 

Season Add-On

The Unfair Advantage  

Created and performed by Harry Milas 

Produced in the US by Pemberley Productions and Parrot Ox, in association with PitStop Productions 

The Gillian Theatre 

December 3 - 28, 2025 

There will be no press opening for this production

Sleight of hand specialist Harry Milas lifts the veil on the world of card cheating, taking audiences on a journey of deception into a world that very few have experienced and even fewer talk about. During this hour-long intimate experience---performed for an audience of just 35 people---Harry will reveal step by step how magicians, card cheaters, and mentalists fool the world. Expect part performance, part tutorial as Harry exposes many of the best tricks and illusions he knows, displaying the skills that led to him becoming a security weapon for the world's top casinos. 

Before participating in the experience, audiences will be asked to sign a legal contract of confidentiality. Please bear this in mind when electing to take part.

The Unfair Advantage is not included in the season subscription packages. Subscriber tickets, $65, are available now only to subscribers. Non-subscriber tickets are $75 and will go on-sale next fall. Each performance is limited to 35 people.

SEASON PACKAGES

Writers Theatre is offering a variety of subscriptions with an option for every theatregoer. Each subscription includes a deeply discounted ticket price, ranging from $275-$375 for one ticket to the five-play series, Flex subscriptions, with options for either four tickets ($280) or five tickets ($350), are available.

Season package subscribers receive the new Writers Theatre concierge service for ticket exchanges and questions. Exclusive subscriber benefits include: complimentary ticket exchanges (upgrade fees may apply), special "subscriber-rate" prices on additional tickets, advance access to special events and programs, easy, free parking, exclusive discounts in bar items and merchandise, discounts on rental of Writers Theatre event spaces on Writers Theatre merchandise, event rentals, and more. For a complete list of benefits visit writerstheatre.org.

Season Packages are available online at www.writerstheatre.org, and at the Box Office by calling 847-242-6000.

Single tickets will go on sale for each show approximately two months prior to first preview. Single ticket prices start at $35.

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES 

Throughout the season, Writers Theatre offers a variety of audience enrichment and special programming. This includes regularly occurring offerings like the Family Matinee Series, The Green Room artist interview series and podcast, and The Final Word Audience Discussion Series. Please visit writerstheatre.org/events for a full listing of upcoming offerings.

Writers offers Open Captioning on select dates for each production. Please visit writerstheatre.org/accessibility for more information.

ABOUT WRITERS THEATRE 

Writers Theatre boldly looks to the future as it begins its 34^th season. Having captivated audiences for years with its dedication to creating the most intimate theatrical experience possible, the theatre is now a major Chicagoland cultural destination with a national reputation for excellence, being called "America's finest regional theater company" by The Wall Street Journal. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Braden Abraham and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, the company is charting a path forward for the next 30 years. 

Since its founding in 1992, Writers Theatre has stayed true to its core values: valuing the power of the written word and uplifting the artists who bring that word to life. The company has produced over 140 productions—everything from inventive interpretations of classics to groundbreaking new work. In 2016, Writers Theatre opened a new, state-of-the-art facility designed by the internationally renowned Studio Gang Architects. The new facility has allowed the Theatre to accommodate its growing audience, while maintaining its trademark intimacy. 

Writers Theatre now welcomes more than 60,000 patrons each season and has helped establish the North Shore of Chicago as a premier cultural destination. Through its Literary Development Initiative, which has been responsible for the nurturing and premiering of over 30 world premieres, the theatre has established itself as a major originator of new theatrical works. Serving as an extension of the Writers Theatre mission, the Education programs engage an average of 10,000 students each year with active learning opportunities centered around the written word.