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Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces the cast and creative team for The Merry Wives of Windsor, an endlessly entertaining new take of Shakespeare's most raucous comedy. The secret lives of Windsor wives reveal there is much more to this charming, middle-class English hamlet than meets the eye. Besties Mistress Page and Mistress Ford find themselves the romantic targets of the lewd-but-lovable rogue John Falstaff. In a welcome escape from the drudgery of their day-to-day, they band together to have the last laugh—and get the entire town in on the revelry.

Staged by acclaimed director Phillip Breen, the production stars Chicago favorites Ora Jones and Issy van Randwyck as Mistress Page and Mistress Ford, Chiké Johnson and Timothy Edward Kane as Master Page and Master Ford, and in his Chicago Shakespeare debut, Jason Simon as Sir John Falstaff. The Merry Wives of Windsor also features an exceptionally talented ensemble cast of 22 actors including Sam Bell-GurwitzZach BloomfieldNate BurgerRohan DegalaDylan J. FlemingTeddy GalesColin HuertaCarmelo Kelly, James McCrackenOlivia PryorNick SandysJustice TatumPaul Oakley StovallOlemich TugasBret TuomiNancy Voigts, and Alex Weisman, and runs April 2–May 3, 2026, in the Jentes Family Courtyard Theater, considered one of the world's finest spaces to experience Shakespeare's stories live in performance.

"It's a joy to welcome Phillip Breen and his brilliant take on The Merry Wives of Windsor to CST," shared Artistic Director Edward Hall. "This play, often underrated in Shakespeare's canon, is full of humor and wit, while also diving deep into social commentary that's as relevant today as ever. As the weather warms up, I look forward to welcoming Chicago back to the Courtyard for a wonderful experience at the theater."

"I can't wait to share Shakespeare's funniest, most subversive, and filthiest comedy with Chicago this spring," shared director Phillip Breen stated. "I am thrilled to be making my debut at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, one of the great Shakespeare Theaters in the world, and am hugely looking forward to collaborating with whole team at CST."

In the role of Mistress Page, Ora Jones returns to CST with numerous credits, including Henry VIIIThe Madness of George IIITwelfth Night, All's Well That Ends Well, and most recently The Comedy of Errors. She appeared on Broadway in Matilda the Musical and Les Liaisons Dangereuses, and recent Chicago credits include Amadeus and Noises Off (Steppenwolf Theatre) and The Nacirema Society (Goodman Theatre). As Mistress Ford, Issy van Randwyck returns to CST after appearing as Bottom in Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night's Dream, and the subsequent Shakes in the City tour of the same production. She is an Olivier Award nominee with stage credits at the National Theatre, Regents Park Open Air Theatre, in the West End, and more, and film and television credits including The Danish Girl, Blithe Spirit, and Belgravia. In the role of Master Page, Chiké Johnson returns to CST after his Jeff Award-nominated performance in last season's Hymn. Johnson is a company member of Remy Bumppo Theatre and has worked on many stages in Chicago and around the country, including Broadway credits Time to Kill and Wit, and Ashland Avenue and Toni Stone at Goodman Theatre. As Master Ford, Timothy Edward Kane returns to CST after appearing in HamletNell GwynnTug of War, and many more. His recent Chicago credits include AntigoneGospel at Colonus, and Othello at Court Theatre, and Birthday Candles at Northlight Theatre. In the role of Sir John Falstaff, Jason Simon makes his Chicago Shakespeare debut. Simon has appeared in the national tours of Sister Act, The Wizard of Oz, The Producers, Cats!, The Scarlet Pimpernel, and Funny Girl, with additional credits at the Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center, and the New York Philharmonic.

The company also includes Sam Bell-Gurwitz as Fenton (CST debut, Good Night, Oscar on Broadway), Zach Bloomfield as Nym (CST debut, credits with Shattered Globe Theatre, The Factory Theater, and Oil Lamp Theater), Nate Burger as Dr. Caius (Romeo and JulietLove's Labor's Lost, and more at CST), Dylan J. Fleming as John Rugby (Twelfth Night at CST), Teddy Gales as Bardolph (CST debut, credits at Paramount Theatre, Marriott Theatre, and more), Colin Huerta as Pistol/Ford Servant 2 (Much Ado About Nothing at CST), Olivia Pryor as Anne Page (Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night's Dream at CST), Nick Sandys as Sir Hugh Evans (Othello and Romeo and Juliet at CST), Paul Oakley Stovall as Shallow (Twelfth Night, at CST), Olemich Tugas as Simple/Ford Servant 1 (CST debut, credits at Sun Valley Shakespeare Festival and the House Theatre of Chicago), Bret Tuomi as Host of the Garter Inn (Nell Gwynn, Macbeth, Othello, and more at CST), Nancy Voigts as Mistress Quickly (As you Like ItFollies, The Comedy of Errors, and more at CST), and Alex Weisman as Slender (Tug of War, Julius CaesarThe Madness of George III, more at CST). Young performers in the company include Rohan Degala as Robin Page, Carmelo Kelly as William Page, and James McCracken and Justice Tatum as a Windsor boys.

Director Phillip Breen's work has played at: the Citizens, the Royal Shakespeare Company, Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Birmingham Rep, and Theatre Cocoon Tokyo. He has directed off-Broadway, as well as in the West End, and his work has played all over the UK, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, New York, Los Angeles, the Sydney International Theatre Festival, Adelaide, Canberra, Dubai, and through the streets of Assisi. His eclectic range of work encompasses opera, theatre, comedy, musicals, jazz cabaret, large-scale community theatre projects, new work and classics. He also regularly collaborated with Vivienne Westwood, for whom he directed and co-devised Homo Loquax, her London Fashion Week show in 2019. In 2016 he directed the York Mysteries in York Minster with a community cast of hundreds. In 2025 he directed Peter Mullan as Bill Shankly in his own adaptation of David Peace's Red or Dead in Liverpool, and Natalie Dormer in the UK premiere of his adaptation of Anna Karenina at Chichester. He made his Royal Shakespeare Company debut in 2012 with The Merry Wives of Windsor. This was followed up with a production of Dekker's The Shoemaker's Holiday in the Swan, followed by an award-winning production of Richard Bean's new play The Hypocrite and Vanbrugh's The Provok'd Wife and The Comedy of Errors. He has contributed extended essays on Shakespeare to two books on Shakespeare, and completed his own monograph on The Merry Wives of Windsor, "Walking in A Windsor Wonderland: Some Ramshackle Reflections on Directing Shakespeare's Greatest Comedy."

The creative team for The Merry Wives of Windsor also includes Max Jones (Scenic & Costume Designer), Marcus Doshi (Lighting Designer), Lindsay Jones (Sound Designer), Laura Rook (Assistant Director), and Chelsea Strebe (Assistant Lighting Designer), Matthew Silar (Production Stage Manager), Danny Fender (Assistant Stage Manager), and Tuesday Thacker (Young Performer Supervisor).

Opening is set for 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 9.

On Shakespeare's birthday, April 23, Chicago Shakespeare Theater will team up with Illinois' largest independent craft brewery, Revolution Brewing, to host "Drink and Be Merry," a preshow beer tasting and education event, celebrating Falstaff's beverage of choice. More details to be released soon.

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

The Merry Wives of  Windsor

Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Phillip Breen
April 2-May 3, 2026
The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater

PERFORMANCE LISTING

  • Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m.
  • Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (no matinee April 8)
  • Thursdays at 7:00 p.m.
  • Fridays at 7:00 p.m.
  • Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (no matinee April 4)
  • Sundays at 2:00 p.m.

Chicago Shakespeare strives to make its facility and performances accessible to all patrons. Accessible seating, assistive listening devices, large-print and Braille programs, and sensory tools are available at every performance. Enhanced performances include:

  • Audio-described performance – Sunday, April 26 at 2:00 p.m. 

A program that provides spoken narration of a play's key visual elements for patrons who are blind or have low vision.

  • Open captioned performance – Wednesday, April 29 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.  
    A text display of the words and sounds heard during a play, synced live with the action onstage.
  • ASL interpreted performance – Friday, May 1 at 7:00 p.m. 
    All dialogue and lyrics are translated into American Sign Language by two certified interpreters

CREATIVE TEAM

Phillip Breen – Director 
Max Jones – Scenic & Costume Designer
Marcus Doshi – Lighting Designer
Lindsay Jones – Sound Designer
Laura Rook – Assistant Director
Chelsea Strebe – Assistant Lighting Designer
Matthew Silar – Production Stage Manager
Danny Fender – Assistant Stage Manager
Tuesday Thacker – Young Performer Supervisor

CAST

Sam Bell-Gurwitz – Fenton
Zach Bloomfield – Nym
Nate Burger – Dr. Caius
Rohan Degala – Robin Page
Dylan J. Fleming – John Rugby
Teddy Gales – Bardolph
Colin Huerta – Pistol / Ford Servant 2
Chiké Johnson – Master Page
Ora Jones – Mistress Page
Timothy Edward Kane – Master Ford
Carmelo Kelly – William Page
James McCracken – Windsor Boy
Olivia Pryor – Anne Page
Issy van Randwyck – Mistress Ford
Nick Sandys – Sir Hugh Evans
Jason Simon – Sir John Falstaff
Justice Tatum – Windsor Boy
Paul Oakley Stovall – Shallow
Olemich Tugas – Simple / Ford Servant 1
Bret Tuomi – Host of the Garter Inn
Nancy Voigts – Mistress Quickly
Alex Weisman – Slender
Sara Mountjoy-Pepka – Understudy

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER (CST)

CST is a leading international theater company and the nation's largest year-round theater dedicated to the works of Shakespeare. Under the visionary leadership of Artistic Director Edward Hall and Executive Director Kimberly Motes, the Regional Tony Award recipient is committed to creating vivid, entertaining theatrical experiences that invigorate and engage people of all ages and identities by illuminating the complexity, ambiguity, and wonder of our world. Each year, nearly a quarter of a million people experience CST's artistry through more than 12 productions. With Shakespeare at the heart of the artistic work, CST also produces compelling, contemporary stories from fresh voices of today. CST brings the world to Chicago and sends Chicago out into the world as Chicago's foremost presenter of international theater, and consistent producer of North American and world premieres. Serving more students and teachers than any theater in the city, CST annually welcomes more than 20,000 students to performances and programs like Chicago Shakespeare SLAM, alongside professional development opportunities for teachers. CST activates its campus with three venues: 700-seat The Yard; the 500-seat Jentes Family Courtyard Theater; and the 200-seat Carl and Marilynn Thoma Upstairs Studio. Free programs like Shakes in the City bring performances to parks and community spaces across Chicago's 77 neighborhoods. Shared humanity and unforgettable stories—now THIS is Chicago Shakespeare. www.chicagoshakes.com

Broadway In Chicago and Kokandy Productions announced that the critically acclaimed revival of the 10-time 2025 Jeff Award–nominated musical JEKYLL & HYDE will make its Broadway In Chicago debut at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut St.), September 8—October 25. The engagement follows last year’s completely sold-out and extended Chicago run — which marked the musical’s first staging in the city in more than 15 years. Directed by Producing Artistic Director Derek Van Barham with music direction by Nick Sula and choreography by Brenda Didier.

JEKYLL & HYDE will be included in the next Broadway In Chicago season package, on sale this April. Groups of 10 or more may purchase tickets now by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling 312-977-1710. See below for additional ticket and performance schedule information.

The entire original cast will return for the Broadway Playhouse run, including Jeff Award nominees David Moreland (Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde), Ava Lane Stovall (Lucy Harris), and Emily McCormick (Emma Carew).

The full design team and orchestra are expected to return with all the specific elements for the Broadway Playhouse production to be announced at a later date.

Murder and chaos are pitted against love and virtue in this sweeping gothic musical.

The epic struggle between good and evil comes to life on stage in the musical phenomenon, Jekyll & Hyde. Based on the classic story by Robert Louis Stevenson and featuring a thrilling score of pop rock hits from multi-Grammy- and Tony-nominated Frank Wildhorn and double-Oscar and Grammy-winning Leslie Bricusse, Jekyll & Hyde has mesmerized audiences the world over.

Lou Raizin, President and CEO of Broadway In Chicago, said, “This collaboration with Kokandy Productions reflects what makes Chicago’s theatre community so powerful — artists and institutions working together to elevate bold storytelling and expand access to exceptional live performance. JEKYLL & HYDE is a thrilling example of the depth of talent in our city, and we are proud to bring this acclaimed production to the Broadway Playhouse for a broader audience.”

Scot Kokandy, Executive Producer of Kokandy Productions, added, “To say we are excited is an understatement. Last year’s production of JEKYLL & HYDE was the most ambitious production we have attempted to present, and we are ecstatic and honored to partner with Broadway In Chicago to bring it back this fall.”

Derek Van Barham, Producing Artistic Director of Kokandy Productions and Jeff Award-nominated Director of JEKYLL & HYDE, noted, “We were overwhelmed by the initial response to our JEKYLL & HYDE Clapping, cheering, standing ovations in the middle of the show — it was like being at a rock concert for everyone's favorite band. Directing this amazing cast at the Broadway Playhouse and seeing our production grow on this stage means the world to me. And that it’s returning during the Halloween season makes it a wickedly delicious treat for Chicago.”

JEKYLL & HYDE JEFF NOMINATED CREATIVE TEAM
Derek Van Barham (Director) is the Producing Artistic Director of Kokandy Productions. Directing credits include Children of Eden in Concert (Broadway In Chicago), AmélieInto the WoodsAlice by HeartSweeney Todd, American PsychoHead Over Heels (3 Jeff Awards and 2 Jeff nominations, Kokandy); Spring Awakening (Flint Rep); Rock of Ages (Metropolis); The View Upstairs (Circle Theatre); Miracle by Dan SavagePoseidon (Hell in a Handbag); CarrieBat Boy, Merrily We Roll Along (CCPA/Roosevelt University). Choreography credits include Evil Dead (Jeff nomination), Coraline the MusicalGhost Quartet and Shockheaded Peter (Black Button Eyes). He was previously named one of Windy City Times’ 30 Under 30, and one of Newcity Magazine’s 50 Players 2024. MFA: CCPA/Roosevelt University. IG: @dvbarham

Nick Sula (Music Director) is an award-winning pianist and music director, proud to return to Kokandy Productions where he served as music director for the Jeff Award-winning productions of Sweeney Todd (Jeff Award for Outstanding Music Direction), Into the Woods (Jeff Awards for Outstanding Music Direction and Orchestrations), as well as the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival. Other Chicago theatre music direction credits include: Anything Goes (Jeff nomination) with Porchlight Music Theatre; Ghost Quartet (Jeff nomination), Mary RoseNevermoreAmour and Coraline with Black Button Eyes Productions; Myths & HymnsThe Glorious Ones (Jeff nomination), Hello AgainLa Cage aux Folles and Pippin with BoHo Theatre. As a professor of musical theatre he serves as a music director, instructor and vocal coach at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.

Brenda Didier (Choreographer) is thrilled to collaborate with Derek (DVB) for the first time and to return to Kokandy after choreographing Grand Hotel in 2018 (Jeff nomination). Direction and/or Choreography credits include work with: Chicago Shakespeare Theater, The Goodman, Marriott, Paramount, Porchlight Music Theatre, Mercury Theater, Theo and many others. Tour: Kenny Rogers Christmas Tour, Cirque Shanghai: Navy Pier Skyline Stage and productions in Atlantic City, Las Vegas and the New Victory Theatre in New York. Ms. Didier made her TV Choreography debut with T-Mobile's national holiday commercial "Home for the Holidays." She is a multiple Jeff Award recipient in both Direction and Choreography (Equity and Non-Equity wings) and Artistic Director/Founder of The Lincolnshire Academy of Dance, now in its 28th Season. "Thank you to Derek, Nick, Shane, Scot and our incredible cast, design team, band and crew! Thank you for supporting live theatre! Love to Mike, Mom, family and friends!”

TICKET INFORMATION & PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
JEKYLL & HYDE will be included in the next season package, on sale this April. Current subscribers can add tickets to their season package when renewing by visiting BroadwayInChicago.com or calling 312-977-1717. Groups of 10 or more may be purchased now by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling 312-977-1710. Individual on-sale dates and performance schedules to be announced this spring.

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 26 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 , Bluesky #BroadwayInChicago

ABOUT KOKANDY PRODUCTIONS
Founded in 2010, Kokandy Productions seeks to leverage the heightened reality of musical theatre to tell complex and challenging stories, with a focus on contributing to the development of Chicago-based musical theatre artists, and raising the profile of Chicago's non-Equity musical theatre community.

The company's artistic staff is comprised of Derek Van Barham (Producing Artistic Director), Scot Kokandy (Executive Producer), Nicholas Reinhart (Associate Producer), and Adrian Abel Azevedo & Leda Hoffman (Artistic Associates). The Board of Directors includes Preston Cropp, Scot Kokandy, Danielle Sparklin and Katie Svaicer. 

For additional information, visit www.kokandyproductions.com . 

Lifeline Theatre today announced the cast and crew of its upcoming rock musical world premiere, LOKI - THE END OF THE WORLD TOUR, with music and lyrics by George Howe, book by ensemble member Christina Calvit, developed with and directed by ensemble member Heather Currie, running May 3 - June 14, 2026 (previews April 24 - May 2) on the Rogers Park theatre's stage at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. Tickets ($45) at www.lifelinetheatre.com

Welcome to the greatest rock 'n' roll show not on Earth! LOKI arrives at Asgard, bringing chaos, comedy, and three monstrous (maybe) children. LOKI tangles with Odin, Thor, and the mysterious Freya; each with their own agenda; their own secrets—but all paths lead to one eternal question: In an us vs. them world, can we envision a new mythology? 

"After many years of work and even more years of hoping, getting to premiere LOKI - THE END OF THE WORLD TOUR at Lifeline Theatre truly feels like a homecoming," said playwright Christina Calvit. "This is a company that believes in bold literary adaptation, and this piece lets us blow the doors off mythology in the most thrilling way."

"The story may be hundreds of years old, but it plays like a warning for our time," added composer George Howe. "At its heart, it's a riotous rock spectacle. But underneath the glitter and gods, it's an exploration of how power corrupts, how fear divides us, and whether we're brave enough to imagine a new mythology."

The production features Jack Chylinski as the god Loki, with Scott Danielson (Odin), Janelle Sanabria (Freya), Peter Gertas (Baldur), Keenan Odenkirk (Thor), Kate McQuillan (Sigyn), Grace Reidenauer (Hel), Anthony Kayer (Fenris), Avery Thompson (Middy), Kelan Smith (Norn 1), Kara Olander (Norn 2), and Alek Boggio (Norn 3). Understudies are Mack Alexander, Jake Elkins, Felicia Niebel, Annalie Ciolino, and Travis Shanahan. 

The production team includes George Howe (Composer / Lyricist / Music Director), Christina Calvit (Playwright), Heather Currie (Director), Kelan Smith (Co-Music Director), Lindsay Mummert (Scenic Designer), Saskia Bakker (Props Designer), G. Max Maxin IV (Lighting Designer), Aly Amidei (Costume Designer), Emily Hayman (Sound Designer), Sheryl Williams (Fight Choreographer), Devin Meseke (Production Manager), Erin Galvin (Stage Manager), Harrison Ornelas (Technical Director), and Avery Spellmeyer (Lighting Supervisor).

LOKI - THE END OF THE WORLD TOUR

Music & Lyrics By: George Howe

Book by Christina Calvit* 

Developed With and Directed By: Heather Currie*

Cast: Jack Chylinski as the god Loki, with Scott Danielson (Odin), Janelle Sanabria (Freya), Peter Gertas (Baldur), Keenan Odenkirk (Thor), Kate McQuillan (Sigyn), Grace Reidenauer (Hel), Anthony Kayer* (Fenris), Avery Thompson (Middy), Kelan Smith (Norn 1), Kara Olander (Norn 2), and Alek Boggio (Norn 3). Understudies are Mack Alexander, Jake Elkins, Felicia Niebel, Annalie Ciolino, and Travis Shanahan. 

Production Crew: George Howe (Composer / Lyricist / Music Director), Christina Calvit* (Playwright), Heather Currie* (Director), Kelan Smith (Co-Music Director), Lindsay Mummert (Scenic Designer), Saskia Bakker (Props Designer), G. Max Maxin IV (Lighting Designer), Aly Amidei* (Costume Designer), Emily Hayman* (Sound Designer), Sheryl Williams (Fight Choreographer), Devin Meseke (Production Manager), Erin Galvin (Stage Manager), Harrison Ornelas (Technical Director), and Avery Spellmeyer (Lighting Supervisor).

* denotes Ensemble Member

Dates: May 3 - June 14, 2026 (Previews April 24 - May 2, 2026) 

Schedule: Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m.

Run Time: Approximately 2 ½ hours with one intermission

Location: Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

Tickets: General Admission: $45 (Preview: $30; Opening $55))

Military, student, and senior discounts available

Box Office:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone at 773-761-4477

Wednesday, 18 February 2026 12:18

Static-Head - The Den Theatre - Through May 2nd

After receiving six Jeff Award Nominations in 2025, The Impostors Theatre Company (ITC) returns this Spring with the highly anticipated world premiere of Static-Head – a sci-fi thriller written by critically acclaimed playwright Ryan Stevens (The Last Living Gun) and directed by ITC Artistic Director Stefan Roseen. Static-Head is a cautionary tale about the internet, AI, and the people it uses. Static-Head runs from April 17 to May 2, 2026 at ITC's resident home The Den Theatre, 1331 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

Sensor-E is the hit new social media app, able to simulate real-life sensations so you can touch, taste, and smell everything you see on your screen. At the prestigious Osman-Haskill University of Technology, where the app was first created, strange things are happening on Sensor-E: Aimee, mourning the loss of her twin sister, uncovers a string of disappearances targeting her classmates. Blair, a fame-hungry would-be influencer, is enlisted into a vast conspiracy concerning school leadership. Paige, relegated to her dorm room due to a health issue that keeps her isolated, is haunted by a strange digital ghost that might hold the key to understanding her condition.

As they struggle to navigate these mysteries, the three students’ paths cross. Soon enough, their use of Sensor-E threatens to permanently blur the line between reality and simulation. The school they attend is not what it once seemed, and the world they know becomes weirder and more dangerous than they could ever imagine. When we can approximate reality, how do we distinguish the real thing?

A sci-fi thriller about the internet and the people it uses, Static-Head renders a cautionary tale against the existent rise of AI and virtual realities.

The cast of Static-Head features ITC ensemble members Jaclyn Jensen as Dr. Priscilla Osman,

Courtney Marie as Dr. Eliza Babbage, and Keaton Stewart as .EXE, with Eliana Deckner-Glick as Aimee,

Kati Yau as Paige, Bryce Lederer as Blair, William Delforge as Ben, Cayla L. Jones as Dorothy,

and Lexy Hope Weixel as //BAD-GATEWAY//.

Following Static-Head, ITC’s Seventh Season will conclude in June with Footholds Vol. 7, an anthology play written by the community and directed by ITC Executive Director Rachel Borgo.

About the Artists

Ryan Stevens (Playwright) is a New York-based playwright and director. They received an MA in Theatre from USC and an MFA in Playwriting from UCLA. They served as the Playwriting Fellow at Emory University from 2023 to 2025. They are beyond thrilled to get to work with The Impostors again for Static-Head's premiere after previously getting the honor to work with them on 2023's The Last Living Gun. Ryan’s work has also been produced by Astoria New Play Festival, Silver Spring Stage, Inkwell Theatre, St. Croix Falls Festival Theatre, Queen City Theatre, New American Theatre, Whiskey Radio Hour, Theatre Viscera, Festival D’Avignon, Broken Slate Productions, The Plagiarists Chicago, Corn Productions, Seoul Players, and Theatre Above the Law, among others.

Stefan Roseen (Director & Sound Designer) is a Chicago-based director, designer, and playwright, and the artistic director of The Impostors Theatre Company (ITC). He most recently directed ITC’s critically acclaimed and Jeff Award–nominated Helena & Hermia in the Enamored Odyssey and Pilot Island & Her Keepers. Additional directing credits include Beyond the Garden Gate; The Last Living Gun; ITC’s Jeff Award–nominated Miranda: A War-Torn Fable; Windwalkers; the Jeff Award–nominated Hertha Nova; Summer & Smoke; Tippy: Stories from the River; Caged: An Allegory; The Wood; Art; and The Terrible Tragedy of Peter Pan. His direction on the short play The Altercation in the Underworld won “Best Of” at the MadKap Productions Short Play Festival. A three-time Jeff Award–nominated artist, Stefan has been recognized for his direction of Helena & Hermia (...) and Hertha Nova, as well as for Artistic Specialty (Sound Design) for Pilot Island & Her Keepers. All three productions were also nominated for Best Production (Short Run). By day, Stefan is an educator, teaching Performance Art and Fine Art. Recent design credits include sound design for Rising Water and Big Time Toppers (Theatre L’Acadie); as well as scenic design for 7 Minutes to Live, Eurydice, A Doll’s House, 25/25, Occidental Express, the Jeff Recommended They, and the Jeff Award–nominated The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Trap Door Theatre).

 

Fact Sheet | Static-Head

Title:

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Reserve Tickets:

Helena Static-Head

Ryan Stevens

ITC Artistic Director, Stefan Roseen

ITC ensemble members Jaclyn Jensen as Dr. Priscilla Osman, Courtney Marie as Dr. Eliza Babbage, and Keaton Stewart as .EXE, with Eliana Deckner-Glick as Aimee, Kati Yau as Paige, Bryce Lederer as Blair, William Delforge as Ben, Cayla L. Jones as Dorothy, and Lexy Hope Weixel as //BAD-GATEWAY//.

ITC members Stefan Roseen (Director & Sound Designer), B Valek (Stage Manager), Ethan Gasbarro (Set Designer), Dominick Alesia (Composer), Anna Roemer (Choreographer), Tim McCarthy (Fight Choreographer), Toria Olivier (Costume Designer), Ky Smart (Graphic Designer/Digital Artist), Jessica Dommer (Props Designer/SFX Designer), Jackie Bobbitt (Props Designer/SFX Designer), Rachel Borgo (Dramaturg), with Ryan Stevens (Playwright), JA Loyd (Assistant Stage Manager), Alex Branka (Lighting Designer), Elyse Estes (Master Carpenter), and Erin Sheets (Intimacy Director).

Thursday, April 16 at 7:30 P.M. CST

Friday, April 17 at 7:30 P.M. CST

Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30 P.M. CST

Sundays at 3:00 P.M. CST

The Den Theatre, Theatre 2B (The Crosby)

General Admission – $20 (TICKETS AVAILABLE SOON)

Reserved Seating – $25 (TICKETS AVAILABLE SOON)

Purchase 10 or more tickets to receive a 15% discount off of each ticket. Purchase 20 or more tickets to receive a 20% discount off each ticket. Contact the Box Office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more details and to book your event.

https://thedentheatre.com/tickets-1 (TICKETS AVAILABLE SOON)

Press Photos for Static-Head will be available the morning of Friday, April 17th. Poster and cast photo attached.

Parking and Transportation:
The Den Theatre is located in Wicker Park on Milwaukee Avenue. There is limited street parking available and The Den Theatre does not currently have parking or valet.

ITC recommends the usage of the ParkChicago and SpotHero apps. Metered parking is available on Milwaukee Avenue and surrounding side streets. Pay boxes are enforced from 8:00 A.M. – 10:00 P.M. on Milwaukee Avenue and from 8:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. on side streets. Pay boxes accept quarters and credit cards and can be fed up to two or three hours, depending on the location.

The theater is easily accessible via the Blue Line to Division or Damen stops and by bus from #56 (Milwaukee), #70 (Division), #50 (Damen), or #72 (North).

About The Impostors Theatre Company

The Impostors Theatre Company stages stories at the crossroads of retrospect and innovation, where the fantastic collides with the everyday. In order to better our discourse, our relationships, and ourselves, The Impostors aim to inspire an urgency for the arts by embracing the art of pretend.

In 2025-2026, The Impostors explore the past, the near future, and the bridge between. Season Seven reanimates an ancient mythological character, untangles the threads binding us to virtual realities, and stages our favorite anthology series in a new way. The action will play out on the various crossroads that capture our fascination year after year—growth and stasis, truth and deception, life and death.

The Impostors Theatre Company is a 501(c)3 non-profit arts service organization. For more information about The Impostors Theatre Company, and donating to our mission, we invite you to visit theimpostorstheatre.com. Follow ITC on facebook.com/theimpostorstheatre and on instagram.com/impostorstheatre.

Award-winning Redtwist Theatre announces the cast and creative team for ‘night MotherApril 2 - May 10, by Marsha Norman and directed by Executive Artistic Director Dusty Brown, at Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. Previews are Thursday, April 2 - Saturday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m. with the press opening Saturday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m. or Sunday, April 5 at 3:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3:30 p.m. with a total running time of 90 minutes with no intermission. There will be two understudy performances on Sunday, April 19 at 3:30 p.m. and Thursday, April 30 at 7:30 p.m. Single tickets are now on sale for $10 - $60 at RedtwistTheatre.org with discounts available for seniors, students and veterans with pay-what-you-can for all Friday night performances. 

Life has been difficult for Jessie and her hope for the future has faded. Spiraling between a failed marriage and caretaker fatigue due to her criminal son and aging mother, Jessie is determined to take control of her life in the only way left to her. When society and technology isolate Jessie, when the world turns to chaos around her and a promised future fades away: Jessie digs up her father’s old pistol with the intention to end her life. Marsha Norman’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play launches audiences through a mother and daughter’s darkest night together.

The ‘night Mother cast includes Anne Sheridan Smith (she/her, Jessie) and Kathy Ruhl* (she/her, Thelma).

The ‘night Mother production team includes Dusty Brown* (they/them, director/executive artistic director); Ashley O’Neill (she/her, asst. director); Meredith Ernst (she/her, dramaturg); Madeleine Shows (she/her, costume designer); Nick Barletson (he/him, props designer); Harper Justus (they/them, sound designer); Bobbie Buie (he/him, scenic designer); Jeff Brain (he/him, technical director); Piper Kirchhofer (she/her, lighting designer) and Ruby Lowe (they/them, master electrician).

*indicates Redtwist Theatre Ensemble Member

ABOUT MARSHA NORMAN, playwright

Marsha Norman is a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and co-chair of playwriting at Juilliard. She won a Tony for The Secret Garden and another nomination for The Color Purple. Her first play, Getting Out, received the John Gassner Playwriting Medallion, the Newsday Oppenheimer Award and a citation from the American Critics Association. Other plays include The Laundromat, The Pool Hall, Loving Daniel Boone, Trudy Blue and her newest play, Last Dance. Published collections of her works include “Four Plays, Collected Works of Marsha Norman, Vol. 1,” and a novel, “The Fortune Teller.” She has also worked extensively in television and film and has an upcoming play for the United Nations about trafficking and violence toward women. She is a member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers, a former advisory member of the Sewanee Writers Conference and current vice president of The Dramatists Guild of America. She serves on the boards of the New York Foundation for the Arts and the Independent Committee for Arts Policy. Norman was elected to the Agnes Scott College Board of Trustees in 2003. She lives with her two children in Monterey, MA and New York City.

ABOUT DUSTY BROWN, director

Dusty Brown is the executive artistic director of Redtwist Theatre. They began their career as a stage hand in Atlanta, Georgia, working on everything from Shakespeare to new works and everything in between. They received their MFA in directing from Ohio University in 2021. Notable productions include: Steve Yockey's Wolves at Redtwist and Pluto at Ohio University; William Shakespeare's Macbeth at Three Crows and Ohio University; Tracy Letts' Bug at Ohio University; Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd at DramaTech in Atlanta; Uffizi at Bottled Lightning in Atlanta and Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park at Vox Populi Productions in Chattanooga.

ABOUT REDTWIST THEATRE

Redtwist, now celebrating its 21st anniversary, is an award-winning theatre company that stages up close and personal contemporary dramas annually in its intimate black box theatre housed proudly within the heart of Edgewater’s Bryn Mawr Historic District. 

Intimate performances at Redtwist are designed to place the theatre patron in the midst of the stories being told, making them accessible and riveting. Redtwist strives for excellence with every project and endeavors to take risks while offering opportunities for up-and-coming actors, designers and directors to work with established talent. Redtwist provides the very best Chicago storefront theatre experience from excellence on stage, to warm hospitality in a clean, friendly environment.

Award-winning Redtwist Theatre announces the cast and creative team for ‘night Mother, April 2 - May 10, by Marsha Norman and directed by Executive Artistic Director Dusty Brown Boseman, at Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. Previews are Thursday, April 2 - Saturday,April 4 at 7:30 p.m. with the press opening Sunday, April 5 at 3:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3:30 p.m. with a total running time of 90 minutes with no intermission. There will be two understudy performances on Sunday, April 19 at 3:30 p.m. and Thursday, April 30 at 7:30 p.m. Single tickets are now on sale for $10 - $60 at RedtwistTheatre.org with discounts available for seniors, students and veterans with pay-what-you-can for all Friday night performances. 

Wednesday, 18 February 2026 12:06

Ride the Metra for Free to HAMILTON

Broadway In Chicago and Metra continue the free ride promotion with HAMILTON — The unforgettable story of passion, unstoppable ambition, and the dawn of a new nation, playing at the CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe St.) from March 4 through April 26.

Getting there is easy — and free! Ride Metra free to and from the theatre with your HAMILTON ticket, valid on the date of your performance only. This special offer is available throughout the run and includes round-trip travel. Just show your ticket to the conductor each way and enjoy a relaxing ride into the city before the curtain rises, and back home after the show! Metra offers a short, walkable connection from any of its five downtown stations, each less than a mile away from the CIBC Theatre located in the heart of the Loop—with compatible schedules throughout the day and evening. Metra provides the ideal solution for theatre lovers seeking a safe, convenient, and stress-free ride. To plan your ride and view Metra schedules, visit, Metra.com/Hamilton.

Individual tickets for HAMILTON are on sale now and range from $63–$208, with a select number of premium seats available. Additional fees apply for online purchases. See below for additional ticket and performance schedule information.


ABOUT HAMILTON
The unforgettable story of passion, unstoppable ambition, and the dawn of a new nation, seen by more than 28 million people around the world.

HAMILTON is the epic saga that follows the rise of Founding Father Alexander HAMILTON as he fights for honor, love, and a legacy that would shape the course of a nation. Based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography and set to a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and Broadway, HAMILTON has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education. HAMILTON features book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire. In addition to its 11 Tony Awards®, it has won Grammy® and Olivier Awards, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

PERFORMANCE AND TICKET INFORMATION
The performance schedule is available at www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Individual ticket prices range from $63–$208 (as of 2/18/26; prices subject to change and based on availability), with a select number of premium seats available for all performances. Tickets are available at www.BroadwayInChicago.com , or at the box office of any Broadway In Chicago venue. Additional fees apply for online purchases. Group tickets for parties of 10 or more are available 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..

ABOUT METRA
Metra is an essential resource that safely and reliably connects individuals to the things that matter most in their lives — their work, their homes and their families. 

Connect with Metra:  Facebook  | Twitter  |  YouTube |  Instagram |  LinkedIn  | metra.com

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 26 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

Tuesday, 17 February 2026 13:59

Goodman Theatre Announces the Cast of Covenant

The Goodman's Centennial 2025/2026 Season continues with the Chicago premiere of Covenant, Chicagoland native playwright York Walker's "striking Southern gothic work" (New York Times) hailed as "blackout-and-blood-curdling-scream deliciousness" (New York Magazine). BOLD Artistic Producer Malkia Stampley is set to direct a cast including Debo Balogun (graveyard shift), Ashli Rene Funches (A Red Orchid Theatre's IS GOD IS), Jaeda LaVonne (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's Twelfth Night), Felicia Oduh (The Nacirema Society) and Anji White (Fat Ham). Understudies will be announced at a later date. Covenant appears May 2 through May 31 (opening night is May 11) in the 350-seat flexible Owen Theatre. For tickets ($24 - $64; on sale Feb. 20), visit the Box Office (170 N. Dearborn), call 312.443.3800 or purchase online at GoodmanTheatre.org/Covenant. The Goodman is grateful for the support of BOLD Ventures (Production Sponsor), Tabet, DiVito & Rothstein (Corporate Supporter) and The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust (Lead Sponsor of IDEAA Programming).

"Covenant is about young love, the secrets we hold and the role faith plays when we are haunted by our choices," said director Malkia Stampley, who most recently directed a 2026 New Stages Festival reading and the critically acclaimed 48th annual A Christmas Carol. "While I personally connect with the religious themes in the story as a pastor's daughter, many will connect with the folklore nature of this story and the thrilling and chilling ride this story takes you on. The characters York built in Covenant will sweep away audiences and my goal is to tell this story honestly, organically, full of heart and grit."

Expect one devilish twist after another in Covenant, an "undeniably spooky (and) absolutely enjoyable" (TheaterMania) mythic and suspenseful new play. Johnny "Honeycomb" James (Debo Balogun) left his small Georgia town a struggling guitarist—and returned a blues star, to the surprise of sisters Violet (Felicia Oduh) and Avery (Jaeda LaVonne), their mother (Anji White) and their best friend Ruthie (Ashli Rene Funches). As rumors of a darker deal abound, it becomes clear that he's not the only one with a secret...or seeking salvation. This tense thriller explores the power of belief and the thin line between rumor and truth. Covenant premiered at Roundabout Theatre Company in 2023 to critical acclaim, earning a New York Times Critics Pick.

York Walker is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter from Chicago, Illinois. He is the inaugural recipient of both the Vineyard Theatre's Colman Domingo Award and the John Singleton Screenwriting Award. His work includes Holcomb & Hart (Victory Garden's New Plays For A New Year Festival), The Séance (Winner of the John Singleton Screenwriting Competition, 48 Hours... in Harlem), Covenant (Colman Domingo Award, Roundabout Underground, South Coast Repertory's Pacific Playwrights Festival, Fire This Time Festival) and Soul Records (workshops with Manhattan Theatre Club, the Vineyard Theatre and Roundabout Theatre Company). York is currently developing new works with Roundabout Theatre Company, South Coast Repertory Theatre, The Geffen Playhouse and Goodman Theatre. His contributions extend to the realm of television, having served as Story Editor and Staff Writer for two seasons on Dick Wolf's hit series, FBI. York is a graduate of the MFA Acting program from the American Conservatory Theatre.

Malkia Stampley is a twice Jeff-nominated director from Milwaukee and The Goodman's BOLD Artistic Producer. Her Goodman Theatre directing credits include A Christmas Carol, Primary Trust, In My Granny's Garden and New Stages Festival's Cephianne's Reflection and This Part of His Life Blooms. Select directing credits: No Such Thing (Rivendell); Girls on Sand (Northern Sky); Nina Simone: Four Women (Milwaukee Rep); The October Storm (Raven); Boulevard of Bold Dreams (TimeLine); STEW (Shattered Globe); Black Nativity (Black Arts MKE); The Gift of the Magi (American Players); Five Guys Named Moe (Skylight Music); Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grille (Farmers Alley); Exit Strategy (Northwestern).

Company of Covenant (in alphabetical order)

By York Walker

Directed by Malkia Stampley

Debo Balogun...Johnny James 
Ashli Rene Funches...Ruthie 
Jaeda LaVonne...Avery 
Felicia Oduh...Violet 
Anji White...Mama

CREATIVE TEAM

Costume Designer...Evelyn Danner 
Set Designer...Ryan Emens 
Lighting Designer...Gina Patterson 
Sound Designer...Dee Etti-Williams 
Music Director and Composer...Mike Przygoda 
Voice and Dialect Coach...Shadana Patterson 
Associate Director and Movement Director...Tor Campbell 
Illusion Consultants...Benjamin Barnes and Trent James 
Intimacy...Jyreika Guest 
Line Producer...Lena Romano

Original Casting by Trent Stork. Additional Casting by Lauren Port, CSA. Tyra Bullock and Lena Romano are the Dramaturgs.

ENHANCED AND ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES

Visit GoodmanTheatre.org/Access for more information about The Goodman's accessibility efforts.

ASL-Interpreted...May 22  at 7:30pm – An ASL interpreter signs the action/text as played. 
Audio-Described...May 23 at 2pm; Touch Tour; 12:30pm – Action audibly enhanced via headset. 
Spanish-Subtitled...May 23 at 7:30pm – Spanish-translated dialogue via LED sign.
Open-Captioned...May 24 at 2pm – LED sign presents dialogue in sync with the performance.

ABOUT THE GOODMAN

Since 1925, The Goodman has been more than a stage. A theatrical home for artists and a gathering space for community, it's where stories come to life—bold in artistry and rich in history, deeply rooted in the city it serves.

Led by Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins, The Goodman sparks conversation, connection and change through new plays, reimagined classics and large-scale musicals. With distinctions including nearly 200 world or American premieres, two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and nearly 200 Joseph Jefferson Awards, The Goodman is proud to be the first theater to produce all 10 plays of August Wilson's "American Century Cycle." In addition, the theater frequently serves as a production partner—with national and international companies to Chicago's Off-Loop theaters—to help amplify theatrical voices.

But The Goodman believes a more empathetic, more connected Chicago is created one story at a time, and counts as its greatest legacy the community it's built. Generation-spanning productions and programs offer theater for a lifetime; from Theater for the Very Young (plays designed for ages 0-5) to the long-running annual A Christmas Carol, which has introduced new generations to theater over five decades, The Goodman is committed to being an asset for all of Chicago. Education and Engagement programs led by Clifford Director of Education and Engagement Jared Bellot and housed in the Alice Rapoport Center use the tools of theater to spark imagination, reflection and belonging. Each year, these programs reach thousands of people (85% from underserved communities) as well as educators, artists and lifelong learners across the city.

The Goodman stands on the unceded homelands of the Council of the Three Fires—the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations—and acknowledges the many other Nations for whom this land now called Chicago has long been home, including the Myaamia, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Wea, Kickapoo, and Mascouten. The Goodman is proud to partner with the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum (Gichigamiin-Museum.org) and the Center for Native Futures (CenterForNativeFutures.org)—organizations devoted to honoring Indigenous stories, preserving cultural memory, and deepening public understanding.

The Goodman was founded by William O. Goodman and his family to honor the memory of Kenneth Sawyer Goodman—a visionary playwright whose bold ideas helped shape Chicago's early cultural renaissance. That spirit of creativity and generosity endures today. In 2000, through the commitment of Mr. Goodman's descendants—Albert Ivar Goodman and his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton—The Goodman opened the doors to its current home in the heart of the Loop.

Marsha Cruzan is Chair of the Goodman Theatre Board of Trustees; Diane Landgren is Women's Board President; and Kelli Garcia is president of the Scenemakers Board for Young Professionals. 

Oil Lamp Theater, currently presenting the highly recommended political comedy The Outsider through February 22,  is proud to announce the cast and creative team for its next production of its 2026 season, Poor Behaviorwritten by Theresa Rebeck and directed by Lauren KatzApril 10 - May 10, at Oil Lamp Theater, 1723 Glenview Road. The schedule includes two preview performances Friday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 11 at 3 p.m., with an opening performance Saturday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 3 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. There will be additional Wednesday performances April 15 at 11 a.m and 3 p.m.; April 22 at 7:30 p.m. (understudy performance); April 29 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and May 6 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $30 for previews and $55 for the run at OilLampTheater.org.  

A visit from old friends takes an unexpected turn when a bombshell accusation throws niceties out the window. Hospitality turns to havoc. Sanity shatters into shambles. Manners take a backseat as two couples are pushed to their limits during a weekend in the country. Will they be able to pick up the pieces over wine and muffins or will their poor behavior leave them irrevocably broken? Find out in this sharp-witted play by acclaimed playwright Theresa Rebeck. 

The cast of Poor Behavior includes Sam Fain (he/him, Ian); Lauren Paige  (she/her, Maureen); Ksa Curry (she/her, Ella); Jack Morsovillo (he/him, Peter) with understudies Cooper Bohn (he/him, Ian U/S); Cait Kelly (she/they, Maureen U/S); Jaime Nebeker (she/her, Ella U/S) and Adrian Briones (he/him, Peter U/S).

The production team includes Lauren Katz (she/her, director); Connor Windle (she/her, production manager and stage manager); Trenton Jones (he/him, scenic designer); Elly Burke (she/her; properties designer); Danielle Reinhardt (she/her; costume designer); Paige Klopfenstein (she/her, intimacy director); Daniel Friedman (he/him, lighting designer); Alex Trinh (he/him, sound designer); Andy Cahoon (he/him, technical director); Sienna Laurent Choi (she/her, assistant stage manager) and Rose Leisner (she/her, company manager). 

CONTENT ADVISORY: Poor Behavior contains strong language and mature themes including discussions of mental health and suicide.

ABOUT THERESA REBECK, PLAYWRIGHT

Theresa Rebeck is a prolific and widely produced playwright, whose work can be seen and read throughout the United States and abroad. Last season, her fourth Broadway play premiered on Broadway, making Rebeck the most Broadway-produced female playwright of our time. Other Broadway works include Dead AccountsSeminar and Mauritius. Other notable New York and regional plays include: Seared (MCC), Downstairs (Primary Stages), The Scene, The Water’s Edge, Loose Knit, The Family of Mann and Spike Heels (Second Stage), Bad DatesThe Butterfly Collection and Our House (Playwrights Horizons), The Understudy (Roundabout), View of the Dome (NYTW), What We’re Up Against (Women’s Project), Omnium Gatherum (Pulitzer Prize finalist). As a director, her work has been seen at The Alley Theatre (Houston), the REP Company (Delaware); Dorset Theatre Festival, the Orchard Project and the Folger Theatre. Major film and television projects include “Trouble,” starring Anjelica Huston, Bill Pullman and David Morse (writer and director), “NYPD Blue,” the NBC series “Smash” (creator) and the upcoming female spy thriller “355” (for Jessica Chastain’s production company). As a novelist, Rebeck’s books include Three Girls and Their Brother and I'm Glad About You. Rebeck is the recipient of the William Inge New Voices Playwriting Award, the PEN/Laura Pels Foundation Award, a Lilly Award and more.

ABOUT LAUREN KATZ, DIRECTOR

Lauren Katz is thrilled to be back directing at Oil Lamp. Favorite directing credits include: It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, The Marvelous Wonderettes, Mary's Wedding (Oil Lamp), A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Women of 4G (Babes With Blades), The Prom (Highland Park Players), Tick, Tick… Boom and A Grand Night for Singing (Dunes Summer Theatre), Grease and Legally Blonde the Musical (Beverly Theatre Guild), Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins (Strawdog) and This is a Chair (Haven). Other collaborations include: About Face Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Victory Gardens Theatre, and Writers Theatre. She is the education + engagement producer at Steppenwolf Theatre.

ABOUT OIL LAMP THEATER

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

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

In addition to its productions, Oil Lamp recently expanded with the SPARK CENTER, which offers arts education for all ages with a focus on youth. These process-driven classes inspire a lifelong love of the arts while equipping students with creativity, confidence and critical life skills.

This past September, Oil Lamp launched  Light The Way, a transformative fundraising campaign designed to expand arts education, strengthen essential staff and establish a larger performance venue with the goal of staying in downtown Glenview. Building on its roots as a scrappy storefront, Oil Lamp is evolving into a more robust organization—without losing the intimacy and warmth that define its theater experience. Oil Lamp Theater hopes this announcement inspires excitement throughout the community. Interested community members are invited to learn more by reaching out to the theater, attending the 2025 Gala on October 18 and staying tuned as additional news is shared in the near future. For information or to support the campaign go to OilLampTheater.org/Light-the-Way or reach out to Oil Lamp at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Oil Lamp Theater, currently presenting the highly recommended political comedy The Outsider through February 22,  is proud to announce the cast and creative team for its next production of its 2026 season, Poor Behavior, written by Theresa Rebeck and directed by Lauren Katz, April 10 - May 10, at Oil Lamp Theater, 1723 Glenview Road. The schedule includes two preview performances Friday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 11 at 3 p.m., with an opening/press performance Saturday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 3 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. There will be additional Wednesday performances April 15 at 11 a.m and 3 p.m.; April 22 at 7:30 p.m. (understudy performance); April 29 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and May 6 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $30 for previews and $55 for the run at OilLampTheater.org

A Red Orchid Theatre is pleased to conclude its 33rd Season with the world premiere of Hanna Kime's The Targeted, a tragicomedy about community directed by Grace Dolezal-Ng, playing May 7 – June 14, 2026 at The Chopin Theatre Mainstage, 1543 W. Division St. in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. Single tickets go on sale Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at aredorchidtheatre.org or by calling (312) 943-8722. Season subscriptions are currently available. The press opening is Sunday, May 17 at 6 pm.

The Targeted will feature Ensemble Members Kirsten Fitzgerald*Lawrence Grimm*Sadieh Rifai* and Natalie West* with Glenn Obrero and Stephanie Shum.

About the Production:

Welcome to the Solidarity and Truth Summit. A gathering of the most persecuted, tortured, and misunderstood people in the entire world. They call themselves Targeted Individuals, and they are victims of a vast and covert program of systematic torture, surveillance, and harassment by global intergovernmental powers. Over the course of this weekend in the woods they will discuss strategies to take down the deep state, bring awareness to their plight, and despite their suffering, stay human.

The production team includes Lauren Nichols (Scenic Designer), Stephanie Cluggish (Costume Designer), Josiah Croegaert (Lighting Designer), Angela Joy Baldasare (Sound Designer), Spencer Diaz Tootle (Props Designer), Eme Ospina-López (Projections Designer), Jennifer Aparicio (Production Manager), Tom Daniel (Technical Director), Dan Washelesky (Dramaturg) and Anna Vu (Stage Manager)

*Denotes A Red Orchid Theatre Ensemble Member

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Title: The Targeted

Playwright: Hanna Kime
Director: Grace Dolezal-Ng
Cast (in alphabetical order): Kirsten Fitzgerald* (Rhonda), Lawrence Grimm* (Jeff), Glenn Obrero (Eric), Sadieh Rifai* (Sherry) Stephanie Shum (Mia) and Natalie West* (Didi).

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

Dates: Previews: Thursday, May 7 at 7 pm, Friday, May 8 at 7 pm, Saturday, May 9 at 7 pm, Sunday, May 10 at 3 pm, Thursday, May 14 at 7 pm, Friday, May 15 at 7 pm and Saturday, May 16 at 3 pm & 7 pm

Regular runThursday,  May 21 – Sunday, June 14, 2026
Curtain Times: Thursdays and Fridays at 7 pm; Saturdays 3 pm & 7 pm; and Sundays at 3 pm. Please note: there will be an added Industry Night performance on Monday, June 1 at 7 pm.

Tickets: Previews: $33 – $44*. Regular run: $55*. Access, student, senior, and group discounts available. Single tickets go on sale Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at aredorchidtheatre.org or by calling (312) 943-8722. *Ticket prices include a processing fee.

About the Artists:

Hanna Kime (Playwright, she/her) is a Jeff-Nominated Chicago-based playwright and screenwriter originally from St. Louis, Missouri. Her full-length work has been presented or developed with companies such as Benson Drive Productions (George Strus), the Goodman, Berkeley Rep, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, A Red Orchid, Steep, [producingbody], The Understudy: Coffee and Books, Bramble, Sideshow, where she was an ensemble member, First Floor, where she previously served as Literary Manager, among others. Most recently, her play Dogs had its world premiere at Red Theater. This spring, her play The Best Damn Thing will receive its Seattle Premiere at Dacha Theatre. Kime is a two-time O'Neill Finalist, was the winner of OKC Rep's New Voices Contest and has been named a semifinalist for the Bay Area Playwrights Festival, Ashland New Play Festival and Premiere Stages Play Festival. She holds degrees from the University of Chicago in English and Gender and Sexuality Studies. She is represented by UTA and managed by Curate.

Grace Dolezal-Ng (Director, she/her) is a Chicago-based director passionate about building empathy and generating empowerment through visceral storytelling. Director: Baked! (Theo), The Best Damn Thing (The Understudy), Radial Gradient (Shattered Globe), Despierta! (Lime Arts), Death for Sydney Black (Independent). Assistant Director: It Came From Outer Space (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Athena (Writers Theatre), Roe (Goodman Theatre), The Great Leap (Asolo Repertory Theatre). By day, Grace is Casting Coordinator at Goodman Theatre.

Kirsten Fitzgerald (Rhonda, she/her) is a proud member of the Ensemble at A Red Orchid Theatre and has served as the Artistic Director since 2008. She was most recently onstage here last season in The Cave. Select AROT credits include In QuietnessGrey HouseTraitorEvening at the Talk HouseThe RoomPilgrim's ProgressMud Blue Sky, Butcher of Baraboo, The New Electric Ballroom, Abigail's Party, PumpgirlWeapon of Mass Impact and The Sea Horse (for which she was honored to receive a Jeff Award). She is currently directing Birds of North America and previously directed The Moors at AROT, which earned her a Jeff Award for Best Director of a Play (Midsize). Other onstage credits include Swing State (Off-Broadway Minetta Lane Theatre, Goodman), I Hate It HereROESweat (Goodman); Mary Page MarloweThe QualmsClybourne Park (Steppenwolf); AppropriateLettie (Victory Gardens), Motherhouse (Rivendell); and work with Chicago Shakes, Utah Shakes, Shattered Globe, Remy Bumppo, Plasticene, Prop, Defiant and more. TV: Shining GirlsSomebody SomewhereThe ExorcistSirensChicago Med/Fire/JusticeUnderemployedER. Film: Rain ReignWidowsWorking Man. Representation: Grossman & Jack Talent.

Lawrence Grimm (Jeff, he/him) is a founding ensemble member of A Red Orchid Theatre where some of his credits include: Turret, Traitor, Do You Feel Anger?, Small Mouth Sounds3CTrevor, In a Garden, Pumpgirl and Abigail's Party, among many othersArea credits: Gaslight and Prayer for the French Republic (Northlight), Hannah and Martin (Jeff Nomination – Actor) and The Heavens Are Hung in Black (Shattered Globe), King Charles IIIThe Tempest (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), 2666 (Goodman Theatre), The Upstairs Concierge (Goodman – New Stages), My Name is Asher Lev (Timeline Theatre), In the Next Room or The Vibrator Play (Victory Gardens), Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter (Next Theatre), Orlando (Court Theatre), Two by Pinter (Piven Theater Workshop), The Glass Menagerie (Raven Theatre, Jeff Award – Actor), The Brothers Karamazov, 1984 (Lookingglass), I Never Sang for My Father, Wolf Lullaby (Steppenwolf). Film credits: Eric LaRueNight's EndSlice, Captive State, Welcome to Me, A Perfect Manhattan, Cicero in Winter. Television: Somebody, Somewhere (HBO), The Red Line (CBS), Chicago PD, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire (NBC), Late Night with Conan O'Brien (NBC). More at www.grimmactor.com.

Glenn Obrero (Eric, he/him) is excited to make his A Red Orchid Theatre debut! He was last seen in Pivot (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble). Select Chicago theatre credits: Tale of Two Cities (Shattered Globe Theatre), The Great Leap (Steppenwolf Theatre), 20K Leagues under the Seas (Lookingglass Theatre), Ironbound (Raven Theatre), Wipeout (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble) and The Chinese Lady (TimeLine Theatre). Regional Theatre credits: Barefoot in the Park and Misery (Peninsula Players Theatre), Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them (Kitchen Theatre), The Great Leap (Asolo Repertory Theatre). Film credits: When Cats Fly. TV credits: Chicago Fire (NBC) and nExt (FOX). Glenn is a member of Rivendell Theatre Ensemble and represented by Gray Talent Group.

Sadieh Rifai (Sherry, she/her) is an ensemble member at A Red Orchid Theatre. As a playwright, she recently had the world premiere of her play The Cave as part of the 32rd season. She's also performed in Do You Feel AngerAn Evening at The Talk House and the world premiere of Grey House. Sadieh was also recently on stage at Steppenwolf in the production of You Will Get Sick directed by Audrey Francis. Film credits include The Wise KidsNate and MargaretOlympia and All Happy Families. Television credits include Chicago Med, Netflix's Easy, CBS The Red Line, Amazon's Patriot, Apple TV's Shining Girls ,TJ and Dave's pilot Bettendorf Talks and season three of HBO's Somebody Somewhere. Sadieh is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf and received the Princess Grace Award.

Stephanie Shum (Mia, she/her) previously appeared in Revolution and The Moors and serves as the Marketing & Development Director at A Red Orchid Theatre. Other credits include The CrucibleYou Will Get SickBald SistersThe Great Leap (Steppenwolf); Hummingbird (Goodman); Gorgeous (Raven/Rivendell); One Party Consent (First Floor); Dogs (Red, Jeff Nomination – Performer in a Supporting Role); Mothers (Gift); Men on Boats (American Theater Company); A Story Told in 7 Fights (Neo-Futurists); Love in the Time of JonestownSmall WorldKate and Sam Are Not Breaking Up (The New Coordinates, selected); Christmas CarolTiger Style! (TheatreSquared); among others. Stephanie is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf and is represented by Gray Talent Group. stephanieshum.com

Natalie West (Didi, she/her) has been an ensemble member of A Red Orchid since 2010. She has appeared in many productions including The CaveRevolutionFulfillment CenterTraitor and Evening at the Talkhouse. She has performed in shows at the Goodman, Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare and Northlight. She is a former member of Remains Theatre. Natalie portrayed the character Crystal on the television show Roseanne and The Conners. She received Jeff awards for her work in Abigail's Party and Butcher of Baraboo at A Red Orchid and Life and Limb at Wisdom Bridge.

SponsorsBarbara & Randy Thomas (Production Sponsors) and Andrea Mitchel (Developmental Sponsor).

About A Red Orchid Theatre:

A Red Orchid Theatre has served as an artistic focal point in the heart of the Old Town community of Chicago since 1993 and was honored with a 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. Over the past 32 years, its Resident Ensemble has welcomed into its fold an impressive array of award-winning actors, playwrights and theatre artists with the firm belief that live theatre is the greatest sustenance for the human spirit. A Red Orchid is well known and highly acclaimed for its fearless approach to performance and design in the service of unflinchingly intimate stories.  

A Red Orchid Theatre is: Karen Aldridge, Lance Baker, Kamal Angelo Bolden, Esteban Andres Cruz, Dado, Mike Durst, Sherman Edwards, Myron Elliott, Jennifer Engstrom, Kirsten Fitzgerald, Joseph Fosco, Steve Haggard, Levi Holloway, Mierka Girten, Larry Grimm, John Judd, Karen Kawa, Karen Kessler, Travis A. Knight, Danny McCarthy, Shade Murray, Brett Neveu, Sadieh Rifai, Grant Sabin, Michael Shannon, Guy Van Swearingen, Doug Vickers and Natalie West.  

Sponsor Information

A Red Orchid Theatre remains grateful for the support of our board, donors and loyal audience who continue to champion our ambitious and powerful storytelling. These sponsors help to create a platform for our talented Ensemble to reach new audiences, and ensure that we remain a source for honest, compassionate, and aesthetically rigorous theatre-making. 

A Red Orchid Theatre's 33rd Season is sponsored by Heidi GrahamThe Targeted is sponsored by Barbara & Randy Thomas (Production Sponsors) and Andrea Mitchel (Developmental Sponsor).

Interested in sponsoring a production? By partnering with us as a sponsor, you will help to take our work to the next level of artistic excellence, while also receiving deeper access to our artists and the creative process. To learn more, please contact Development Director Stephanie Shum at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (312) 943-8722. 

Lookingglass Theatre Company, in keeping with its celebrated tradition of bringing to life Ensemble-created new work, presents the world premiere of White Rooster, written and directed by Ensemble Member Matthew C. Yee (Lucy & Charlie's Honeymoon). Drawing from a personal family story rooted in early 1900s China, Yee's inventive and haunting play with music reimagines an American ghost town in a way only Lookingglass can, weaving together puppetry, movement, song, and folklore. Single tickets to the production, which runs March 5 – April 26, 2026, are available for purchase at www.lookingglasstheatre.org or by phone at 312.337.0665. $30 tickets are available for all performances. 

The cast includes ensemble members Louise Lamson (Judy), and Joey Slotnick (John), along with Karen Aldridge (Maria), Sunnie Eraso (Min), Elliot Esquivel (Fang/Wu through April 5), Nik Kmiecik (Fang/Wu April 8-12), Noelle Oh (June), Reilly Oh (Pong), and Daniel Lee Smith (Hao/Ba).

The creative team includes Natsu Onoda Power (Scenic Designer), Mara Blumenfeld (Costume Designer), Hannah Wien (Lighting Designer), Justin Cavazos (Sound Designer/Co-Composer), Amanda Herrmann (Props Supervisor), Caitlin McLeod (Puppet Designer), Heidi Stillman (New Works Consultant), Sheryl Williams (Intimacy Director), Tess Golden (Production Stage Manager), and Emma Lipson (Assistant Stage Manager).

White Rooster is a darkly funny tale of love, loss and the strange things we inherit. After a family tragedy, Min is pulled into a world of restless spirits, old curses and mysterious traditions. Her fiancé won't stay dead, her sister won't stay buried and a rooster won't be ignored. Blending spooky folklore with offbeat humor, White Rooster is a haunting tale of grief, family and the messiness of moving on.

About Matthew C. Yee
Matthew Yee (he/him) is a playwright, composer, actor, and musician living in Chicago, IL. Much of his work focuses on the Asian American experience, and features actor-musicianship, movement, and puppetry. His original musical Lucy And Charlie's Honeymoon premiered at Lookingglass Theatre in 2023, where he is an ensemble member. His new play White Rooster, which transposes Chinese folklore into an Americana setting, will have its world premiere this spring at Lookingglass. Lookingglass acting credits include: Treasure Island, Moby Dick, and Lucy and Charlie's Honeymoon. He has performed at Writers Theatre, Steppenwolf, Court Theatre, Paramount, Berkeley Rep, The Old Globe, Alliance Theatre, and on Broadway in Almost Famous: The Musical.

Membership and Groups Information
Lookingglass Theatre Company's popular Memberships are now on sale, offering guaranteed ticket prices plus a host of exclusive perks. Members receive tickets to every Lookingglass production this season, including White Rooster and Untitled Vampire Play, along with free drinks at each performance15% off additional tickets, bar purchases, and merchandise, unlimited ticket exchanges, priority booking, and automatic entry into the company's biannual raffle. Members also enjoy 15% off Lookingglass camps and classes, and bonus savings on group sales.

New this year, Memberships now include tickets to GglassFest '26, Lookingglass's inaugural New Works Festival, and flexible group membership options. Audiences can join solo or build their own ensemble group of up to 4 patrons with four package levels: Solo ($140)Duo ($280)Trio ($420), and Party Pack ($560). Every Membership package includes all ticketing benefits, bar bonuses, and exclusive perks for each member of the group—making it the most immersive, flexible, and rewarding way to experience Lookingglass all season long.

Lookingglass Theatre Company offers group ticket discounts for parties of 10 or more, providing savings of up to 25% off regular ticket prices. Group ticket packages include priority access to tickets before public on-sale, best-available seating, and flexible payment plans based on group needs. Additional benefits may include post-show discussions at select performances, educational resource guides, and pre-show restaurant and hotel recommendations, offering planning support and contextual resources for groups attending performances at Lookingglass Theatre Company.

Accessibility at Lookingglass Theatre Company

Lookingglass Theatre Company is committed to making its performances accessible to all audiences. Each mainstage production offers open captioningaudio-described performances with Touch Tours,, and mask-required performances. For White Rooster, open captioning will be April 3, 2026 at 7:30PM, the audio-described performance with Touch Tour will be April 9, 2026 at 7:30PM (Touch Tour at 6:30PM), and the mask-required performance will be March 25, 2026 at 7:30PM. Discounted $35 tickets are available for each performance using the codes CAPTIONAUDIO, and MASK, respectively.

An accessible entrance is located on Pearson Street, west of the main entrance at 163 E. Pearson Street. The Joan and Paul Theatre is fully accessible via elevator or ramp, with seating available on the ground floor and balcony for patrons using wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, or other mobility aids. Assistive Listening Devices, sensory bags, and large-print programs are available for all performances, and accessible group sales offer up to 25% off for parties of 10 or more.

For assistance with accessible seating, tickets, or accommodations, contact the Box Office at 312.337.0665 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

  

White Rooster  

Written and Directed by:  Ensemble Member Matthew C. Yee

Dates:                                      

Previews:  March 5 – 13, 2026

Regular run: March 15 – April 12, 2026

Community Nights: March 12, 22; April 9, 2026

Schedule:                                

Wednesdays:               7:30 p.m.

Thursdays:                   2:00 p.m. (except March 5 & 12) and 7:30 p.m.

Fridays:                       7:30 p.m. 

Saturdays:                    2:00 p.m. (except March 7 & 14) and 7:30 p.m. (except March 14)

Sundays:                      2:00 p.m. 

Accessible Performances:      Open Caption – April 3, 2026 at 7:30pm

Audio Described/Touch Tour – April 19, 2026 at 7:30pm
            
Touch tour starts at 6:30p.m.

Masks Required – March 25, 2026 at 7:30pm   

Tickets:                                   

Previews: Tickets begin at $30

Regular Run: Tickets begin at $30

Box Office:  Buy online at lookingglasstheatre.org or by phone at (312) 337-0665

The Lookingglass box office is located at Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave.

Notes of Interest:

  • Playwright and Lookingglass Ensemble Member Matthew C. Yee's first play Lucy & Charlie's Honeymoon premiered at Lookingglass in 2023. As an actor, he has appeared at Writers Theatre, Steppenwolf, Court Theatre, Paramount, Berkeley Rep, The Old Globe, Alliance Theatre, and on Broadway in Almost Famous: The Musical. White Rooster marks his directorial premiere.

  • Lookingglass continues its artistic mission of creating and producing new, ensemble-based works. White Rooster includes the work of several ensemble members making their mark on the American theater and the company's legacy. 
  • Karen Aldridge comes to the Lookingglass stage after originating the role of Mrs. Phelps in the Broadway premiere of Matilda the Musical, and following acclaimed television work including in recent seasons of Fargo and Severance.
  • Lookingglass, a destination arts hub for programming and community engagement on Michigan Ave., welcomes audience members through its new, community lobby space.

About Lookingglass Theatre Company

Founded in 1988 by graduates of Northwestern University, Lookingglass Theatre Company is a nationwide leader in the creation and presentation of new, cutting-edge theatrical works and in sharing its ensemble-based theatrical techniques with Chicago-area students and teachers through Education and Community Programs. Guided by an artistic vision centered on the core values of collaboration, transformation and invention, Lookingglass seeks to capture audiences' imaginations leaving them changed, charged and empowered. Recipient of the 2011 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, Lookingglass has built a national reputation for artistic excellence and ensemble-based theatrical innovation. Notable world premieres include Mary Zimmerman's Tony Award-winning Metamorphoses and The Odyssey, J. Nicole Brooks' Her Honor Jane Byrne, David Schwimmer's adaptation of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and Studs Terkel's Race: How Blacks and Whites Think and Feel about the American Obsession, Matthew C. Yee's Lucy and Charlie's Honeymoon and David Catlin's circus tribute to Lewis Carroll, Lookingglass Alice, which was captured by HMS Media and reached 1.6 million PBS viewers. Looking Alice is now available to more than four million students worldwide through Digital Theatre+. Work created by Lookingglass artists has been produced in Australia, Europe and dozens of cities throughout the United States.

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