Pegasus Theatre Chicago and Director ILesa Duncan proudly announce the casting for the revival of playwright Shay Youngblood's Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery, which follows "Daughter", who returns home to eulogize the last of the women who raised her in 1960s Georgia. Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery runs at the Chicago Dramatists' Russ Tutterow Theatre, 798 N. Aberdeen, from May 15 through June 15, 2025. Tickets are $15-$35 and can be purchased at pegasustheatrechicago.org. Group sales may be arranged by contacting This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Audiences will engage with "Daughter" who, after losing her mother, is brought up by a community of women, some blood-related, some not. Her 'Big Mamas' prepare her for womanhood by sharing stories while the child re-lives vivid memories of growing up, recalling rituals, faith healings, and lessons she learned about survival, healing, deep faith, and mystery. 

Cast members include Caitlin Dobbins, Felisha McNeal, Africa Brown, Sharyon Culberson, Stacie Doublin, Justice Ford, Destynee McMichaels, and debrah neal. The creative team includes Harrison Ornelas (scenic), Josh Wroblewski (lights), Shawn Wallace (music direction), Steve Labedz (sound) Tanji Harper (choreographer), Marquecia Jordan (costumes), Sheryl Williams (TIE Consultant), Carrie Hardin (dialects), and Wendy Huber (props design). 

To honor playwright Shay Youngblood, who passed away in June of 2024, Pegasus Theatre Chicago dedicates this production to her and offers upcoming community engagement activities around healing and self-care. Supported by a grant from Healing Illinois, engagement activities and events will include a series of community Healing Circles, performance, and post-performance events from April through June 2025.  

About ILesa Duncan, Director

ILesa Duncan is Pegasus Theatre's Executive and Producing Artistic Director and the former Artistic Director and an Ensemble Member at Lifeline Theatre. At Pegasus, she has directed Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea, and Jeff Award-nominated productions of Eclipsed, Rutherford's Travels (co-adaptor), The Green Book, For Her as a Piano, and Blacula: Young, Black & Undead. At Lifeline, she directed the Jeff-nominated, Native Son, and Neverwhere, as well as From the Mississippi Delta, and Blue Shadow (2010 KidSeries Premiere). A producer, director, writer, educator, and theater-maker, Duncan is an avid collaborator on new work. She has worked with The Goodman, Writers Theatre, Congo Square, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Stage Left and Chicago Dramatists, as well as Contemporary American Theatre Company (Ohio), The Alliance Theatre (Atlanta), Arena Stage (Washington D.C.) and Lincoln Center Theater (New York). As an educator, she has led youth development and arts education programs in Chicago for more than 13 years. She is a past awardee of an NEA/TCG Directing fellowship and a 3 Arts Ragdale's Fellowship. She is a member of the Lincoln Center Theatre Director's Lab and the Chicago Director's Lab and is an associate artist with Chicago Dramatists (where she previously served as education and community engagement director).

About Shay Youngblood, Playwright 

Shay Youngblood penned novels, poetry, children's books, and plays, creating powerful Southern Black women characters who were unapologetically self-possessed and free in ways not typically seen in women characters in general, and Black women in particular, in the U.S. In 1989, Youngblood published her first book, The Big Mama Stories, which she adapted into the seminal play Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery. Youngblood lived all over the world, joining the Peace Corps after graduating from Clark Atlanta University and serving in Dominica, working as an au pair and model in Paris, and living in Japan as a U.S.-Japan Creative Artist Fellow. Throughout her travels, Youngblood built strategic partnerships with theatres and created opportunities for women artists.

About Shawn Wallace, Music Director

Shawn Wallace studied Music Theory and Composition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and currently serves as Musical Director for two New Thought congregations: The Emmaus Center and the Namaste Center for Spiritual Living-Chicago. Shawn has worked for several years as a Teaching Artist throughout Chicago schools teaching record production and theatre tech.  Wallace's work with Pegasus Theatre includes composition and music direction for Rutherford's Travels, the 2017 production of Shakin' The Mess Outta Misery and with Ilesa on Middle Passage at Lifeline Theatre. He has worked with luminary artists such as Common, Ice Cube, Bobby Brown, Dwele, Johnny Gill, Jon B., Bilal, Estelle, Julie Dexter, Rene Neufville, Rakim, Eric Roberson, Maggie Brown, Ugochi and Cherisse Scott. 

About Tanji Harper, Choreographer 

Tanji Harper is a choreographer and teaching artist from the South Side of Chicago. Harper was trained by the Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theater, Chicago Dance Medium, Homer Bryant, and Joel Hall, and is an alumna of The Chicago Academy of the Arts under the instruction of Anna Paskevska, Winifred Haun, Claire Bataille, Roger Turner, and Randy Duncan. After high school, she trained in both Los Angeles and New York, then started dancing for both R&B and Hip Hop mainstream music acts. Her resume includes R. Kelly, Sparkle, Do or Die, Avant, and Busta Rhymes from 1997 to 1999. After touring and performing all over the country. Harper came home and began teaching in Chicago. She landed a life-changing position that would grow her into the position of Artistic Director at The Happiness Club and began piloting dance programs that grew into apprenticeships through After School Matters for Chicago Public School teens aged 14-18.

SCHEDULE

Previews: May 15^th through 18^th at 7 p.m.

Opening: Monday, May 19^th at 7 p.m.

Regular Run: May 19^th – June 15^th

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets are $35 for General Admission, $25 for seniors, and $15 for students ages 21 and under. Tickets to Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery  are on sale at https://ci.ovationtix.com/216/production/1225929 

About Pegasus Theatre Chicago

Pegasus Theatre Chicago is a professional, nonprofit theater that has been supporting Chicago's diverse community for over forty years in the promotion and development of new artists for the stage. Pegasus Theatre Chicago is invested in theatre that provokes dialogue and inspires a shift in thinking. Pegasus Theatre Chicago produces theatre that examines social issues and engages in arts education programs that develop the next generation of writers, thinkers, and game changers.

Steppenwolf's LookOut Series is pleased to announce its action-packed summer lineup of comedy, magic, storytelling, drag and more! The Summer 2025 Season includes captivating solo works from some of Chicago's most accomplished storytellers; showcases of comedy, theatre and puppetry artists; and a 50th year celebration from Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater.

The popular local talk show The Not That Late Show comes to Steppenwolf's 1700 Theater featuring comedy, music and interviews with a to-be announced notable Chicagoan. Soon after, puppet artist Vanessa Valliere shines in her show LOOK! LOOK!, a celebration of weirdos told in three vignettes. For cult film lovers, Mamma Mia! From Memory presented by Cold Shower Productions and Clue a Drag Parody hosted by Bambi Banks-Couleé are camping it up on stage to bring you hilarious takes on iconic movies.

And if that wasn't enough, the season kicks off with the triumphant Chicago return of Gender Play, or what you Will starring Will Wilhelm. Touted as an "incredibly original theatrical production," this two-week run re-claims the famous Bard's plays by highlighting the importance of queer joy, laughter and self-discovery.

With 40 performances of 17 engagements featuring hundreds of local artists, this summer is jam packed with offerings for everyone!

All LookOut performances take place in Steppenwolf's 1700 Theater, an intimate and flexible venue nestled behind Front Bar, 1700 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. Tickets, which range in price from $18 – $53*, are now on sale by visiting steppenwolf.org/lookout or by calling the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. *Pricing includes a $3 fee

The full Lookout Summer 2025 Season (in chronological order):

Gender Play, or what you Will
Co-Created by Will Wilhelm & Erin Murray
Performed by Will Wilhelm
Directed by Emily Tarquin & Produced by Brannon Bowers
Dates: Thursday, May 15 – Saturday, May 17 at 8 pm; Wednesday, May 21 – Saturday, May 24 at 8 pm
Sunday, May 18 at 3:30 pm
Ticket Price: $38
Description: Will invites you to an impromptu party to celebrate their new friendship with one of the oldest and queerest playwrights of the English language – William Shakespeare! Total besties Will & Will reclaim the Bard's old plays in all their original homoerotic, cross-dressing, gender-fluid glory. Following a wildly successful run with About Face Theatre in 2023, Gender Play, or what you Will returns to Chicago for another mystical journey of queer joy, laughter, tarot and self-discovery.

Gender Fucked Productions Presents:
Trans Scribe: A New Works Festival
Dates: Friday, June 6 and Saturday, June 7 at 8 pm
Sunday, June 8 at 7 pm
Ticket Price: $28 – $43
Description: Trans Scribe is a new play festival like you've never seen before. This three-night event features 10-minute plays, new musical theatre songs, a new one act musical, a new one act play and a new full length play all written by Trans playwrights that call Chicago home.

Black Best Friend
By Colette Gregory
Dates: Thursday, June 12 – Saturday, June 14 at 8 pm
Ticket Price: $25
Description: This one-woman show hilariously dissects Black media tropes with satirical sketches, comedic songs and recognizable characters. Colette Gregory deconstructs sexuality, religion and everything from Black Conservatives to Love is Blind contestants.

Stir Friday Night Presents:
Rice to the Occasion
An AAPI Comedy Showcase
Dates: Friday, June 20 and Saturday, June 21 at 8 pm
Ticket Price: $28
Description: For 30 years Stir Friday Night, Chicago's longest-running AAPI comedy team, has been making people laugh. This show is no exception. As they gear up for their milestone 30^th anniversary sketch revue in the fall, Stir Friday Night has roped some of their best and funniest ensemble members for Rice to the Occasion, an evening of sizzling, flavorful comedy. MSG included.

Betty Theft Presents:
CROOKED
Dates: Thursday, June 26 at 8 pm
Featuring: Betty Theft, Bambi Banks-Couleé, Irregular Girl, Ramona Slick, Celeste, Penis Envy, Lezbian Minnelli and Mister Mistress
Ticket Price: $23
Description: CROOKED is an alternative drag revue that celebrates the dark, bizarre and uncanny. Hosted by Betty Theft, CROOKED invites you to come take a peek at what lurks behind the curtain...

Paige Thompson Presents:
Magic Through the "Paige's"
Dates: Saturday, June 28 at 8 pm
Sunday, June 29 at 7 pm
Ticket Price: $33
Description: Witness a one-of-a-kind magic show with award-winning magician Paige Thompson as she takes an audience through the chapters of her magical life. Each trick reveals a new "Paige" of her journey, from childhood performances to the moments that shaped her magical career.

80 Minutes Around the World: Immigration Stories
Produced and hosted by Nestor "THE BOSS" Gomez
Dates: Saturday, July 5 and Saturday, July 6 at 8 pm
Ticket Price: $28
Description: 80 Minutes Around the World: Immigration Stories showcases stories by immigrants, refugees and allies on their immigration experiences. Founded by 60+ time Moth Story Slam winner Nestor Gomez, each performance brings together a wide breadth of participants including storytellers, writers, comedians and other performers.

Sex, Race & Jesus
By R.C. Riley
Directed by Emmi Hilger Dates: Friday, July 11 and Saturday July 12 at 8 pm
Ticket Price: $23
Description: Sex, Race & Jesus is a story of trial and triumph. R.C. Riley takes a journey through three relationships: with their body, their soul and their higher power. This introspective and raw show is a depiction of intimacy intertwined with personal revelations and powerful convictions.

The Not That Late Show
Dates: Thursday, July 17 at 8 pm
Ticket Price: $23
Description: The Not That Late Show is a late night talk show for Chicago, by Chicago. For one night only The Not That Late Show staff creates comedic material inspired by local and national news, internet happenings and whatever else is on their mind!

Karaoke Storytellers
Dates: Saturday, July 19 at 8 pm
Ticket Price: $23
Description: Music affects each of us individually, and the emotions we associate with a song are determined by our specific history. Karaoke Storytellers lends a microphone to four Chicago entertainers who have a story to tell about a song that means something to them – and then they might just sing it, too.

LOOK! LOOK!
By Vanessa Valliere
Featuring Lindsey Noel Whiting Dates: Thursday, July 24 – Saturday, July 26 at 8 pm
Ticket Price: $28
Description: Three vignettes, two actors, one circus slug, a load of puppets, a bit of clown, a big dance number and a ukulele. Fresh off a sold out run at the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, LOOK! LOOK! is a celebration of the gross and beautiful, the sweet and creepy, the euphemistic and earnest and – most importantly – the weirdos.

Cold Shower Comedy Presents:
Mamma Mia! From Memory: If She's Mamma, and I'm Mia, Then Who's Flying The Plane?
Dates: Thursday, July 31 at 8 pm
Ticket Price: $23
Description: Cold Shower Comedy, once again, tasks itself with the challenge of recreating a movie with zero reference to the source material. Armed with some BFAs and childhood memories, they will retell the story of three dads, one diary and countless 1970's disco classics.

Rat Mass
Dates: Saturday, August 2 at 8 pm
Ticket Price: $18 – $28
Description: At Rat Mass, we worship rats. Through comedy, performance art and audience participation, you will become indoctrinated into a world of shadows and trash. Join the mass for music, rituals and games to rid yourself of your human woes and unleash your inner creature. *This show is for audiences 21 and over.

"Dear Steve...it's Allie"
Featuring Allie N Steve Mullen Dates: Friday, August 8 and Saturday, August 9 at 8 pm
Ticket Price: $13 – $53
Description: "Dear Steve...it's Allie" is a solo theatrical autobiography and narrative concert told with songs and stories and pictures. Allie plays the piano and mountain dulcimer while she talks to Steve about the heartland boy and devoted father she watched from a distance, and the life she now lives as a trans elder, composer and artist.

You're Being Ridiculous: GIRL, BYE
Dates: Thursday, August 14 – Saturday, August 16 at 8 pm
Saturday, August 16 at 3:30 pm
Ticket Price: $30
Description: At You're Being Ridiculous, real people tell true stories about their lives. Each performance is linked by rotating themes, and by the desire to make you laugh... and, once in a while, cry. This time we're taking the garbage out and saying GIRL, BYE to all of life's annoyances. Join us as we take it to the curb.

Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater Presents:
Flamenco Tablao
Dates: Friday, August 22 and Saturday, August 23 at 8 pm
Ticket Price: $33 – $53
Description: Join Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater as they kick off their Golden 50^th Anniversary Celebration as the premier company and center of Spanish dance and music in Chicago. In Flamenco Tablao, the Ensemble will present a suite of passionate and expressive Flamenco dances and music from the southern part of Spain with Andalusian Roma, Latin American and Caribbean influences. The program features dancers from the company with guest musicians.

Bambi Banks-Couleé Presents:
Clue a Drag Parody
Dates: Thursday, August 28 – Saturday, August 30 at 8 pm
Ticket Price: $28
Description: Clue a Drag Parody is a murder mystery farce starring some of Chicago's best and brightest queens. Whether it's Mrs. White in the ballroom with the candlestick or Colonel Mustard in the library with the rope, come ready to solve the mystery of this whodunit!

Accessibility:

Steppenwolf's 1700 Theater is equipped with an induction hearing loop and assistive listening devices (ALDs) are available upon request. Our building features wheelchair-accessible seating and restrooms, push-button entrances, a courtesy wheelchair, and all-gender restrooms, with accessible counter and table spaces at our bars. For additional information regarding accessibility, visit steppenwolf.org/plan-your-visit/accessibility or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Sponsor Information: 

The LookOut Series is supported in part by the Walder Foundation. United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf. Steppenwolf salutes lead sponsors Allstate Insurance Company, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Crown Family Philanthropies, Caroline and Keating Crown, Good Chaos, John Hart and Carol Prins, Joyce Foundation, Lefkofsky Family Foundation, Northern Trust, Anne and Don Phillips, Pritzker Traubert Foundation, Shubert Foundation, Inc, Walder Foundation, and Zell Family Foundation. Steppenwolf also acknowledges generous support from premier sponsors ArentFox Schiff, Andrew and Amy Bluhm, Ann and Richard Carr, Chicago Community Trust, Conagra Brands Foundation, Steven and Nancy Crown,  CRC Group, Julius Frankel Foundation, FROST CHICAGO, Kirkland & Ellis, Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, The Orlebeke Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, Sacks Family Foundation, Smart Family Foundation of Illinois, Gary Sinise Foundation, and Vinci Restaurant. Steppenwolf also acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council. This project is partially supported by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.

About Steppenwolf Theatre Company:

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation's premier Ensemble Theater with 49 members who are among the top actors, playwrights and directors in the field. Thrilling, powerful, groundbreaking productions - from Balm in Gilead and Grapes of Wrath to August: Osage County, Downstate and The Brother/Sister Plays - have made this theatre legendary. Founded in 1976, Steppenwolf started as a group of teens performing in the basement of a church. Today, the company's artistic force remains rooted in the original vision of its founders: an artist-driven theatre, whose vitality is defined by its appetite for bold and innovative work. Every aspect of Steppenwolf is rooted in its Ensemble ethos, from the intergenerational artistic programming to the multi-genre performance series LookOut, to the nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf Education and Engagement which serves nearly 15,000 teens annually. While grounded in the Chicago community, more than 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Steppenwolf also holds accolades that include the National Medal of Arts, 12 Tony Awards, and more. Led by Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, Executive Director Brooke Flanagan and Board of Trustees Chair, Keating Crown - Steppenwolf continually redefines the landscape of acting and performance.

Steppenwolf's Mission: Steppenwolf strives to create thrilling, courageous and provocative art in a thoughtful and inclusive environment. We succeed when we disrupt your routine with experiences that spark curiosity, empathy and joy. We invite you to join our ensemble as we navigate, together, our complex world. steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.

The Opera Festival of Chicago announces the cast and creative team for The Love of Three Kings (L’Amore dei tre Re), with music by Italo Montemezzi, a libretto by Sam Benelli, directed by Sasha Gerritson, conducted by Uff. Emanuele Andrizzi with a cast of more than 40 performers and an orchestra of 39 musicians. Performances are Friday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 11 at 2 p.m. at the Athenaeum Center, 2936 N. Southport Ave. Single tickets are $25 - $50 with subscriptions available at OperaFestivalChicago.org.

Forty years after conquering Altura, the blind king Archibaldo faces growing resentment from its people. He recalls the conquest as a thrilling victory, likening it to winning a beautiful woman. His son, Manfredo, is married to the Alturan princess Fiora, who secretly loves another Alturan prince, Avito. Though Archibaldo suspects Fiora’s infidelity, his blindness and uncooperative servants leave him without proof.

Amid love duets and tense confrontations, Archibaldo grows increasingly enraged and strangles Fiora at the end of the second act. In the final act, Fiora’s body lies in a crypt as the Alturans mourn. Archibaldo poisons her lips, intending to trap her lover. Avito kisses Fiora and dies, revealing their affair to Manfredo, who, in grief, also kisses her and succumbs. Archibaldo enters to confirm his scheme but is devastated to hear the voice of his dying son.

In addition to The Love of Three Kings (L’amore dei tre re), the Opera Festival continues with its Young Artists program performing a delicious program featuring songs inspired by food in opera, Delicatessen Recital, June 5, the Opera Festival of Chicago's leading artists then appear in concert for Love is a Triangle, June 14, with the season concluding with Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, June 27 and 29.

“The 2025 Festival, our fifth season, is going to be a season of celebration here at the Opera Festival of Chicago. This organization began forging its path in the opera world in 2021 with the mission of presenting Italian opera masterworks that rarely-if ever- grace the stage in the United States,” said General Director Sasha Gerritson. “These fully staged productions featured star-studded casts and have included several United States and Chicago premieres. We look forward to welcoming audiences from all over the Chicagoland area to this year’s season, which is based on a powerful theme, “Love is a Triangle,” and continues our mission in 2025 with concerts and two Italian masterworks.”

The cast of The Love of Three Kings features Andrea Silvestrelli (bass, King Archibaldo); Maria Kanyova (soprano, Fiora); Franco Pomponi (baritone, Manfredo); Andrew Morstein (tenor, Avito); Matthew DiBattista (tenor, Flaminio); Aldo Alan Navarette (Giovanetto/Fanciulo); Jade Dashá (soprano, Ancella/Giovanetta) and Viktoria Vizin (mezzo-soprano, Una Vecchia).

In addition, there will be a chorus including Floriana Bivona; Lizzie Broeker; Melanie Budreck, Winifer Castaneda; Jorie Clark; Brooke Craig; Ryan Daly (cover, Avito); Angela DeVenuto (cover, Fiora); Katrina Dubbs; Theresa Egan; David Green; Abigail Greer Arcamona; Lauren Ingebretsen; Marlina Karimi; Ally Lewkowski; Joe Lodato (cover, Manfredo); Jake Luellen; Samantha Mcgonigal (cover, Una Vecchia); Margaret Meierhenry; Grisella Milla; Chimerie Obianom; Jennifer Parr (cover, Ancella/Giovanetta); Brian Pember; Leah Rockweit, Pamela Spann; Meg Thomas-Cary; Leo Radosavljevic (cover, Archibaldo);

 Jose Vargas Ramirez; Carmen Vizin-Esquivel; Kevin Wheatle and Jonathan Wilson (cover, Manfredo).

The creative team for The Love of Three Kings includes Uff. Emanuele Andrizzi (conductor); Sasha Gerritson (director/supertitle design); Richard Robbins (chorus master); Catherine O’Shaunessy (assistant conductor); Darren Brown (production manager); Bill Morey  (costume designer); Erzebet Schneider (costumes supervisor); Shane Cinal (set designer); Andres Fiz (projections designer); Mike Goebel (lighting designer); Mary Mazurek (recording engineer); Melanie Saso (hair and wigs designer); Errin Austin (makeup designer); Hannah Zizza (supertitle operator); Gisella Milla (assistant to the director); Sebastian Medina (master electrician); Hannah Wein (assistant lighting designer); Rachel Rock (stage manager); James Juliano (SHOUT!) (publicity director); Lorenzo Formosa (house manager); Natalie Zoia (orchestra manager); Emily Zwijack (social media); Jacob Little (production assistant); Kaylea Meyers (production assistant); Irina Feoktistova (accompanist) and Leo Radosavljevich (chorus accompanist)

ABOUT SASHA GERRITSON, GENERAL DIRECTOR

Sasha Gerritson is a highly sought after opera and musical theater stage director who directs for many local and regional companies, specializing in traditional productions of believed repertoire. For the Opera Festival of Chicago, Gerritson received rave reviews for her production of Assassinio nella Cathedrale (2023). She also is regularly involved with Music Theater Works where she recently directed Guys and Dolls (March 6 - 30, 2025), Lerner & Loewe’s Brigadoon (2023) and Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (2022) both to great critical acclaim.

Gerritson served as the Opera and Music Theatre director of Northeastern Illinois University from 2010-2022, has directed for Musica Nelle Marche (Urbino, Italy), Opera Piccola, DePaul University, the Cherub Music Theatre program for Northwestern University, in addition to various other summer programs in the area.

In addition to her stage direction work, she is a choral conductor and singer, serving as the director of music ministries for the Park Ridge Community Church. She also proudly serves on a number of boards city-wide, including The Brookfield Zoo, the Navy Pier Foundation, the Goodman Theatre and DePaul University, for which she is vice chair.

Gerritson lives in Glenview with her husband, Eugene Jarvis, and their two sons.

ABOUT OPERA FESTIVAL OF CHICAGO

The Opera Festival of Chicago presents world-class standard productions of Italian opera masterpieces in Chicago that rarely grace the stage in the United States. In doing so the Opera Festival of Chicago aspires to: generate an inquisitive operatic appetite within Chicago audiences; make its work – and its cultural context – accessible to a wide audience; provide a stimulating and inspirational environment of Italian opera for artists and audiences alike; provide a vital opportunity for young artists entering the profession to uphold the high integrity and demands of Italian opera with artists and musicians who are established professionals and to highlight and celebrate the immense talent that has originated from the Chicagoland area.

See Chicago Dance, the dance industry's nonprofit service organization celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025, is proud to announce that its popular annual offering, Chicago Dance Month, will return May 31 - June 28. Now in its 12th year, Chicago Dance Month provides numerous opportunities for artists and companies to celebrate the myriad talents that make Chicago’s dance scene so strong. This summer celebration, featuring many free events, begins with a Chicago Dance Month Kickoff Celebration, Saturday, May 31 at 3 p.m. at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave.

“It’s going to be an amazing June for Chicago’s dance community as we celebrate 20 years of See Chicago Dance and 12 years of presenting Chicago Dance Month,” said See Chicago Dance Executive Director Julia Mayer. “This year’s CDM artists were selected by our inaugural Community Curatorial Committee, a marvelous group of dance leaders whose insights helped to lift up new voices and further diversify our program offerings.”

In addition to the events listed below, See Chicago Dance will highlight the work of scores of artists and organizations during this citywide celebration. Chicago Dance Month events and Hot Deal discount offers will be added to future releases and updated regularly on the organization’s newly re-designed, state-of-the-art website, SeeChicagoDance.com.

EVENTS CURRENTLY SCHEDULED INCLUDE*:

Chicago Dance Month Kickoff Celebration

Navy Pier’s Lake Stage, 600 E. Grand Ave.

Saturday, May 31

3 - 5 p.m.

FREE

Chicago Dance Month begins with an opening celebration at Chicago’s Navy Pier featuring a dynamic mix of performances from companies and artists that span genres and cultural traditions. Audiences are encouraged to bring a blanket, have a picnic and enjoy the performances.

Pier Dance

Navy Pier’s Wave Wall Platform, 600 E. Grand Ave.

Wednesdays, June 4 - 25

6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

FREE

Enjoy free dance lessons on Navy Pier’s Wave Wall Platform every Wednesday in June. These sessions are great for those who love socializing, learning new dances and being outdoors. Make it a date night or social event by sticking around for Navy Pier’s iconic fireworks display every Wednesday night following these exciting dance classes.

Wave Wall Moves

Navy Pier’s Wave Wall Platform, 600 E. Grand Ave.

Saturdays, June 7 - 28

4 - 5 p.m.

FREE

In partnership with Navy Pier, dance comes to the Wave Wall stage, located across from the iconic Ferris Wheel grand staircase, with pop-up performances from a rotating roster of dance companies every Saturday in June.

On the Move

Palmisano Park, 2700 S. Halsted St.

Tuesdays, June 17 and 24

5:30 - 7 p.m.

FREE

A series of short, site-specific performances that winds its way through public parks, inviting audience members to discover hidden pockets of movement.

• Tuesday, June 17 at 5:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, June 24 at 5:30 p.m.

*Performers, companies and programs are subject to change.

ABOUT JULIA MAYER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SEE CHICAGO DANCE

Julia Mayer, who was named Executive Director of See Chicago Dance in 2020, has been involved in and influencing Chicago’s cultural scene in a variety of capacities for more than 25 years, having worked at 3Arts Inc., The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, Chicago Humanities Festival, Morrison-Shearer Foundation, and Museums In the Park. In addition, she has chaired and served on numerous committees from Links Hall to Chicago Dancemakers Forum to the Chicago Park District. Mayer has been a choreographer, teacher or consultant at Columbia College, University of Chicago and in Indiana at Valparaiso University and Saint Mary’s College. She has a master of fine arts degree in dance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics from the University of Chicago.

ABOUT SEE CHICAGO DANCE

See Chicago Dance is a nonprofit service organization with the mission to advocate for the dance field and strengthen a diverse range of dance organizations and artists through services and programs that build and engage audiences. Its vision is to fearlessly inspire an ever-growing inclusive community to share in and spread the power of dance in Chicago.

See Chicago Dance is the source for all things dance with the city’s most comprehensive resource for dance information and one of the largest websites in the United States dedicated to the art form. Its two-pronged approach focuses on building audiences while developing a more cohesive dance community.

For audience members, See Chicago Dance offers a dynamic calendar of dance performances and experiences, Hot Deal ticket discounts, professionally written reviews and previews, and listings for more than 200 dance organizations.

For dance artists and organizations, See Chicago Dance provides a full range of Programs and Industry Resources to help build audiences, improve skills, and foster appreciation of dance in all its forms.

The Artistic Home Studio will present the 2025 edition of its annual CUT TO THE CHASE festival of new one act plays, from May 1-4, 2025, in the Upstairs Mainstage at the Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Six plays by six different authors and helmed by six directors will approach questions of perception and reality under the theme "What is Real?" Now in its 22^nd year, the festival has become a Chicago fan favorite, premiering new work from Chicago playwrights as well as well-known talent from across the country.
 
The show runs as one program running approximately 90 minutes in total, with the six plays performed back-to-back, Five of the plays are world premieres and one is a Chicago premiere. The plays are by Nina Dellaria, Jillian Blevins, Siah Berlatsky, Will Dunne, Greg A. Smith, and Chelyn Cousar. They will be directed by Jenna Steege Ramey, Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary, Jared Shelton, Jacob Watson, Risha Tenae, and JJ Gatesman.

The casts are Lynne Baker and Daphne Beckett, Whitney Minarik and David Stobbe, Kendal Romero and Olivia Gregorich, Jared Goudsmit and Dakota Pariset, John Dooley, Ernest Henton, and Jordyn Birden; and Rebecca Zissok and John Wehrman.
 
Tickets for CUT TO THE CHASE 2025 are $22 and are on sale now through The Den Theatre Box Office www.thedentheatre.com.
 
The Artistic Home performs at The Den Theatre and also maintains an acting studio and rehearsal space at 3054 N. Milwaukee Avenue in the Avondale/Logan neighborhood.
 
CUT TO THE CHASE 2025 PLAYS
"Little Women"
by Nina Dellaria
A World Premiere 
Directed by Jenna Steege Ramey
Featuring Lynne Baker and Daphne Beckett
Assistant Director: Annie Hogan
 
"Postpartum"
by Jillian Blevins
A World Premiere
Directed by Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary 
Featuring Whitney Minarik and David Stobbe
With sound composition by Joseph Buechel
 
"The Princess and the Pirate"
by Will Dunne
A World Premiere
Directed by Jared Sheldon
Featuring Kendal Romero and Olivia Gregorich
 
"Psychoanalysis!"
By Siah Berlatsky
A World Premiere
Directed by Jacob Watson
Featuring Jared Goudsmit and Dakota Pariset
 
"Schrödinger's Gun"
by Greg A. Smith
A Chicago Premiere
Directed by Risha Tenae
Featuring John Dooley, Ernest Henton, and Jordyn Birden
 
"Your Host"
by Chelyn Cousar
A World Premiere
Directed by JJ Gatesman
Featuring Rebecca Zissok and John Wehrman

LISTING INFORMATION
 
CUT TO THE CHASE 2025
One-act plays by Nina Dellaria, Jillian Blevins, Siah Berlatsky, Will Dunne, Greg A. Smith, and Chelyn Cousar.
Directed by Jenna Steege Ramey, Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary, Jared Shelton, Jacob Watson, Risha Tenae, and JJ Gatesman.
May 1-4, 2025
Thursday and Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm,  and Sunday at 3:00 pm.
The Den Theatre, Upstairs Mainstage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago
All seats $22.00
Tickets available now at https://thedentheatre.com/performances/2025/5/1/cut-to-the-chase-the-den-theatre-comedy-club, or by phone at 773-697-3830
More information at www.theartistichome.org
 
A staple of Chicago theater for over two decades, CUT TO THE CHASE presents six new plays as one fun night of theater. This year's show holds the theme: "what is real?" Come see how six playwrights approach questions of perception and reality. With a cast of 13, this year's CUT TO THE CHASE is a perfect taste of dynamic theater in an intimate space.
 
The show runs as one program, with the six plays back-to-back, running approximately 90 minutes. Five are world premieres and one is a Chicago premiere.
 
ABOUT THE ARTISTIC HOME
 
The Artistic Home is noted for their innovative and intimate presentations of rarely produced classics as well for developing new works. During the 2024-25 season, they produced BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK by Lynn Nottage and Ibsen's HEDDA GABLER, in a new translation/adaptation by Mark O'Rowe. The company has been frequently honored in the Jeff Awards. In the most recent awards, recognizing productions that opened in 2024, they earned two nominations for BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK.  For 2023, they received nine nominations for WITCH and DYING FOR IT, including a nomination for Production of a Play (DYING FOR IT) and a win for Kevin Hagan's scenic design of DYING FOR IT. In 2022, they received nine nominations and two wins – one for New Work (MALAPERT LOVE, written by ensemble member Siah Berlatsky) and one for Supporting Actor in a play (Todd Wojcik – in THE PAVILION). The company's 2022 nominations also included two for Best Play production (MALAPERT LOVE and THE PAVILION). The Artistic Home was one of the big winners in the 2019 Jeff Awards, with four awards including Production of a Play, Director of a Play, Principal Performer in a Play, and Sound Design, all for REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT. Brookelyn Hebert won a Jeff as Principal Performer in a Play for the company's 2020 production of ADA AND THE ENGINE. The company was nominated for Jeff Awards in 2019 for ROCK 'N' ROLL, and in 2018 for HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE.
 
Other memorable productions of recent years include 2017's WEDDING BAND, BY THE BOG OF CATS and THE SCHOOL FOR LIES; their Jeff-nominated productions of THE SEAGULL, WATCH ON THE RHINE, MACBETH and THE LATE HENRY MOSS; and their 2013 Jeff Award-winner THE GODDESS. Other Artistic Home productions include the Jeff-Award-winning production of JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK, which also received three After Dark Awards, the Jeff-Nominated SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH, THE TALLEST MAN, LANDSCAPE OF THE BODY, NATURAL AFFECTION, FIVE WOMEN WEARING THE SAME DRESS, AFTER THE FALL and PEER GYNT (which also received an After Dark award for Direction).
 
For more than 26 years, The Artistic Home has consistently produced compelling theatre in Chicago. First formed in 1998 with the belief that the actor is at the heart of great theater, the company strives to give birth to unforgettable moments; to touch audiences who are increasingly distanced from human contact; to readdress the classics and explore new works with passion.

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.
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