Displaying items by tag: Chicago events

Direct from an acclaimed run at Edinburgh Fringe and two sold-out Off-Broadway engagements, Steppenwolf Theatre is pleased to present Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares, a one-woman comedy show from the mind of Tony Award winner Laura Benanti, playing five performances only August 6 – 9, 2026 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theater, 1650 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. Tickets ($79* – $125*) are now on sale at steppenwolf.org or by calling the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. *includes $10 processing fee

Known for her dazzling Broadway performances and razor-sharp wit, Benanti takes the stage to share her hilarious, heartfelt and sometimes brutally honest takes on motherhood, people pleasing and the joys of aging. Blending side-splitting storytelling with original songs, New York Times Critic's Pick Nobody Cares is a love letter to recovering people pleasers, mothers and anybody working on themselves.

Nobody Cares is created by Laura Benanti with songs co-written by Todd Almond and direction by Annie Tippe. The Steppenwolf presentation marks the first stop on a national tour for the project following a summer run at London's Underbelly Soho this July, with further stops to be announced. For more information, visit nobodycaresisacomedy.com.

Performance Schedule:

Thursday, August 6 at 7:30 pm
Friday August 7 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, August 8 at 3 pm & 7:30 pm
Sunday, August 9 at 3 pm

About the Artists

Laura Benanti (Star and Creator):

"The divine Laura Benanti appears to have reached a point where there's nothing she can't do..."

–Hollywood Reporter

Tony Award winner Laura Benanti is a highly celebrated stage and screen actress. Ms. Benanti debuted her critically acclaimed comedy show Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares at the Minetta Lane Theater in NYC. Ms. Benanti created, wrote (songs co-written with Todd Almond) and starred in the show, which earned rave reviews and was chosen as a New York Times Critics' Pick. The show then had a sold out run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2025 with encore performances in London and Berkeley. 

Ms. Benanti can currently be seen as a series regular in the role of 'Cindy' on the acclaimed Paramount+ series Mayor of Kingstown, starring opposite Jeremy Renner. Ms. Benanti co-starred in the hit comedic film No Hard Feelings with Jennifer Lawrence and Matthew Broderick. Ms. Benanti's iconic impression of Melania Trump on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has earned praise from across the industry. Other comedic work includes regular appearances on Elsbeth and Inside Amy Schumer. In television, Ms. Benanti has played dynamic characters in Younger, The Gilded Age, Nashville, Supergirl and Gossip Girl. Ms. Benanti earned rave reviews for her portrayal of a grieving widow in Netflix's film Worth, starring opposite Michael Keaton, Stanley Tucci and Amy Ryan.

In the theater, Ms. Benanti has been nominated for 5 Tony Awards. She took Broadway by storm at the age of 18 as Maria in The Sound of Music and has subsequently starred in ten more Broadway shows (musicals, straight plays, comedies and dramas), including Into the Woods, Nine, (opposite Antonio Banderas), Gypsy (for which she won a Tony Award), She Loves Me, My Fair Lady and Steve Martin's Meteor Shower opposite Amy Schumer and Keegan-Michael Key.

Todd Almond (Songs Co-Writer) is an acclaimed performer, songwriter and playwright. His solo show I'm Almost There was hailed by The New York Times as "a work of wonder," and his recent Broadway performance in Girl from the North Country was praised as "stunning" by The Washington Post and "roof-raising, uplifting, and invigorating" by The Hollywood Reporter. Almond co-wrote the songs for and music-directed Audible's hit comedy Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares, and also appeared opposite Ms. Benanti as Gideon Wolfe in the HBO Max reboot of Gossip Girl. His musical adaptation of The Odyssey, produced at Shakespeare in the Park's Delacorte Theater in Central Park, was hailed by The New York Times as "brash, funny and heart-stirring." Todd recently toured the U.S. in his original musical Kansas City Choir Boy, co-starring rock icon Courtney Love; Rolling Stone called the piece "awesome, slyly punk rock." He also starred in three of his original musicals at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park: The Tempest, The Winter's Tale and The Odyssey. His musical Girlfriend, based on the Matthew Sweet album of the same title, has become a perennial favorite for theater companies across the U.S. and in Japan. His past collaborators include Sarah Ruhl (Melancholy Play: A Chamber Musical), Jenny Schwartz (Iowa), Laura Benanti (In Constant Search for the Right Kind of Attention), Sherie Rene Scott (Piece of Meat), Kelli O'Hara (Live at Carnegie Hall) and Andrew Rannells (Live from Lincoln Center). As a composer and orchestrator, Almond has written and arranged music for Noises Off on Broadway, Iowa at Playwrights Horizons, Fcking A* at Signature Theatre, How to Transcend a Happy Marriage at Lincoln Center Theater and the film adaptation of Michael John LaChiusa's Hello Again. Other New York acting credits include Stage Kiss by Sarah Ruhl at Playwrights Horizons, People Are Wrong at the Vineyard and Law & Order: SVU.

Annie Tippe (Director) is an award-winning director and creator of new work, music theater and film. Off-Broadway: Octet (World Premiere; Signature. Lortel Award: Best Direction, Best Musical), Three Houses (World Premiere; Signature. Lortel Award: Best Musical), Ghost Quartet (World Premiere; Bushwick Starr. Norton Award: Best Visiting Production), Magnificent Bird / Book of Travelers (Playwrights Horizons), Your Own Personal Exegesis (LCT). Regional: HUZZAH! (World Premiere; Old Globe), Life After (Ed Mirvish CAA; Goodman, Jeff Award Nom), COWBOY BOB (World Premiere; Alley), Cult of Love (World Premiere; IAMA), POTUS (Berkeley Rep). Film: Help Me Mary (Lower East Side Film Fest; Best Narrative Short), Egg Timer (Austin Film Fest). Former Ars Nova Director-in-Residence, Drama League Directing Fellow, Williamstown Directing Corps. Upcoming: Cyrano at Old Globe; Babysitters Club with Mark Sonnenblick and Kate Weatherhead. annietippe.com

Nobody Cares is produced by rigor + ruckus, Jenny Gersten and Ashley Melone & Nick Mills in association with LD Entertainment, Avadon Broadway LLC, Creative Partners Productions and Steve and Cindy Chao. To learn more about other cities to see Nobody Cares, visit nobodycaresisacomedy.com.

Based on Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares, an Audible Original.

Accessibility:

Steppenwolf is committed to making the theatergoing experience accessible to everyone. Assistive listening devices are available for every performance and all our spaces are equipped with an induction hearing loop. 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/access. If you have questions or would like to make a specific request, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call our box office at (312) 335-1650.

American Blues Theater, under the continued leadership of Executive Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, announces its 2026-2027 Season, including the world premieres of Black Girl from a White Suburb by Tania Richard, directed by J. Nicole Brooks, and Ken Urban's Blue Ink Award winner The Conquered, directed by Jonathan Berry. The season includes the Chicago Premiere of UHURU by Gloria Majule, directed by Mikael Burke and the 25^th Anniversary of the beloved holiday favorite It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago, directed by Gwendolyn Whiteside. All programming is produced at American Blues Theater's home at 5627 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago.

Subscriptions to the 2026-2027 Season are available through the American Blues Theater box office, www.americanbluestheater.com, (773) 654-3103.

"We are thrilled to announce Season 41, featuring an entire lineup of work developed at American Blues Theater," comments Executive Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside. "This season includes two World premieres, one Chicago premiere, and the 25th Anniversary of our beloved holiday staple, It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! Each production explores themes of identity and the complex reconciliation of self-perception versus how we are viewed by others."

The 2026-2027 Season includes:

World Premiere

Black Girl from a White Suburb

By Artistic Affiliate Tania Richard

Directed by J. Nicole Brooks

September 4 – October 4, 2026

Press Opening: September 10, 2026 at 7:00pm

Tour-de-force solo show by artistic affiliate Tania Richard. Growing up in an all-white Chicago suburb, she spent her days dodging microaggressions, striving to fit in, and yearning to see herself reflected. Her transformation began when cast as The Caterpillar in "Alice in Wonderland." Blending cautionary tales, social commentary, and humor, Tania takes the leading role in a culture that often relegates Black women to supporting characters

25^th Anniversary Production of

Chicago's Original Holiday Hit

It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!

Based on the film by Frank Capra

Directed by Executive Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside

Music Direction by Ensemble Member Michael Mahler

November 19 - December 27, 2026

Opening night: November 22, 2026 at 2:30pm

George Bailey—the Everyman from small town Bedford Falls whose dreams of escape and adventure were stopped by family obligation and civic duty—has fallen onto desperate times. Only a miracle can save him from despair. Told as a radio play with original music and classic holiday carols, it's "the don't miss show of the season" (Chicago Tribune). The annual production will feature favorite American Blues actors.

Chicago Premiere

UHURU

By Gloria Majule

Directed by Mikael Burke

April 2 – May 9, 2027

Press Opening: April 8, 2027 at 7:00pm

An unlikely foursome ascends Mount Kilimanjaro in this sharp satire. The dramedy follows a tour guide, Tanzanian-American tourist, and two missionaries as they make their way to the "Roof of Africa." They must confront questions of identity, access, and who deserves a place on the mountain. Featuring American Blues artists Manny Buckley, Ian Paul Custer, William Anthony Sebastian Rose II,

 and J.G. Smith.

World Premiere

The Conquered

By Ken Urban

Directed by Jonathan Berry

June 11 – July 18, 2027

Press Opening: June 18, 2027 at 7:00pm

Jane is adrift. She suffers a recurring nightmare in which a young man breaks into her house. Her husband recommends that she speak to someone about her growing anxiety. Jane finds a therapist who could help, but her quest leads to a dangerous discovery. Featuring American Blues ensemble member Editha Rosario-Moore. Winner of the 2024 Blue Ink Award for playwriting.

Ken Urban notes, "It's such an honor to win for The Conquered. It's a story that has haunted me ever since I first dreamed it up after reading THE NEW YORKER article that inspired it. Writing a thriller for the stage inspired by advances in neurotechnology always felt a little dangerous. Would an audience be into this dark mysterious story? This recognition's greatest gift is that it means that Jane's story resonates with people and that's the thing every playwright is always hoping for."

Public Programming and Special Events

American Blues Theater is excited to offer audiences even more ways to engage with artists, neighbors and the larger community through its two programs The Commons and @Home Accessibility Series, July 2026-June 2027.

The Commons features readings, live concerts, open mics, game nights, town halls and more at American Blues. The @Home Accessibility Series features readings, live concerts, and town halls from the comfort of home via Zoom. Featuring the talents of the American Blues ensemble and artistic affiliates.

The Rubber Banned Book Club chooses one banned book from PEN America's list to read, discuss, and advocate for its bounce back into circulation. We concentrate on literature that made its way to stage. Join our book club to hear our award-winning artists read and stay for the discussion. We host both in-person and live-streamed gatherings for national members. Admission is free. Growth is priceless.

Arts Education programs include:

Classes for the Masses offers a variety of classes for all ages.  Learn an instrument, improve your public speaking, refresh your audition monologue and resume, or sharpen your writing skills. All our incredible instructors are Ensemble members, Artistic Affiliates, or staff members. Classes are self-paced, individual instruction for the curious beginner, the industry insider, student, or the continuing-education adult. The location (in-person, via Zoom, email, or phone call) will be decided by your needs.

The Check it Out Project in partnership with the Budlong Woods Public Library. The most popular (public domain) children's book checked-out from the Budlong Woods Public Library annually will be adapted and performed by American Blues artists. The adaptation will be presented as an audio play with Foley sound FX and live score atop our holiday set of It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!

School Matinees offer a limited number of free school matinees throughout the year for students of all ages. Students receive complimentary study guides, in-class visit from educators and select artists, and opportunity to participate in a post-performance discussion with the actors.

Ripped in Schools Our educators, using Illinois standards for civics, social studies, creative writing, and public speaking, will engage 5th-8th grade students during in-classroom instruction for an experience they won't forget. Students will choose an event ripped from today's headlines and write a short play.

Selected plays will be performed by professional actors in the annual Ripped Festival.

For the most up-to-date programming schedule or to purchase tickets, visit www.americanbluestheater.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Additional programming will be announced throughout the season.

Currently On Stage

Hit Jukebox Musical

Always...Patsy Cline

Created by Ted Swindley

Band and Vocal Orchestrations by August Eriksmoen & Tony Migliore 

Directed by Harmony France 

Music Direction by Ensemble Member Michael Mahler 

Playing through June 7, 2026

Tickets: $34.50-$64.50, www.americanbluestheater.com, (773) 654-3103

This musical play, complete with down home country humor and big-hearted emotion, includes hits "Crazy", "I Fall to Pieces", "Sweet Dreams", "Walkin' After Midnight" and more! Starring Ensemble member and award winner Liz Chidester as Patsy Cline and featuring guest artist Molly Hernández as Louise.  

About American Blues Theater

Winner of the prestigious National Theatre Company Award from American Theatre Wing (Tony Awards). American Blues Theater is an Ensemble of artists committed to producing new and classic diverse stories that ask the question: "What does it mean to be American?"

The diverse and multi-generational artists have established the second-oldest professional Ensemble theater in Chicago. As of 2025, the theater and artists received 246 Joseph Jefferson Awards and nominations that celebrate excellence in Chicago theater and 44 Black Theatre Alliance Awards. The artists are honored with Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize nominations, Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Emmy Awards and numerous other accolades.  

The Goodman Theatre’s Covenant announces York Walker as a playwright ascending rapidly into the highest tier of American theater. This is not simply an impressive new work; it is the kind of play that reminds audiences why live theater remains uniquely capable of unsettling the spirit. Walker has written something rare: a Southern Gothic thriller steeped equally in folklore, faith, desire, and dread. Under the extraordinary direction of Malkia Stampley - arguably some of the finest work of her already remarkable career - the production unfolds with hypnotic control and devastating emotional precision.

Set in 1936 Georgia, Covenant begins with Ruthie’s haunting declaration: “Everybody got a secret.” That line becomes the pulse beneath the entire production. Secrets saturate every corner of Walker’s world. Desire hides beneath scripture. Fear hides beneath righteousness. Love hides beneath suspicion. And every revelation threatens to crack the play wide open.

Walker’s writing is lyrical without becoming self-conscious, poetic without sacrificing danger. His dialogue moves like music - earthy, funny, intimate, and increasingly ominous. The play’s supernatural undertones never overpower its humanity. Instead, Walker roots every eerie moment in emotional truth. The result is a suspenseful theatrical experience that genuinely keeps the audience on edge. Spooky, suspenseful plays this good are rare. Even rarer are ones disciplined enough not to betray themselves too early. The less one knows going in, the better. This production rewards surrender.

Stampley directs with astonishing confidence. She understands that terror often lives in silence, stillness, and suggestion. The production breathes with tension. Every pause feels loaded. Every gesture seems to carry spiritual consequence. The prayer sequences become almost ritualistic choreography, while scenes of intimacy hum with equal parts longing and danger. Stampley masterfully balances the play’s realism and its creeping nightmare logic without allowing either to overpower the other.

The production’s technical elements are equally exceptional. Set designer Ryan Emens creates a sparse wooden structure dominated by a cross front and center, a deceptively simple design that transforms effortlessly, with the addition of a few pieces of furniture, into both a humble church and a family home. Costume designer Evelyn M. Danner has clearly done her homework; the costumes feel authentically rooted in the period without ever appearing overly theatrical. The lighting design by Gina Patterson becomes an entirely new character in the production. Patterson’s work shapes mood and terror with remarkable precision, particularly during a stunning sequence involving thunder, lightning, and pouring rain that sends a chill through the audience. Complementing it beautifully is Dee Etti-Williams’ sound design, which works in haunting tandem with the lighting to create an atmosphere of gathering doom.

Ashli René Funches in Covenant at Goodman Theatre. Photo by Hugo Hentoff.

The all-Chicago cast is exceptional from top to bottom.

Debo Balogun delivers magnetic work as Johnny “Honeycomb” James, a wandering blues musician whose charm conceals depths the audience is never fully certain it understands. Balogun’s performance is seductive, wounded, and quietly terrifying all at once. He understands the danger of charisma.

As Ruthie, Ashli Renè Funches gives the production its emotional anchor. Her narration draws us into the story with heartbreaking vulnerability, and her slow awakening to the darkness surrounding her becomes deeply affecting.

Jaeda Lavonne is luminous as Avery, a young woman desperate to escape the suffocating boundaries of her world. Lavonne beautifully captures Avery’s hunger for freedom while allowing fear and spiritual confusion to shadow every choice she makes.

As Violet, Felicia Oduh brings sharp intelligence, humor, and emotional volatility to the stage. Violet often functions as the play’s skeptic and truth-teller, and Oduh gives her a raw immediacy that keeps the character from becoming merely symbolic.

Then there is Anji White as Mama. White disappears entirely into the role. Her performance is extraordinary in its complexity - unyielding, terrifying, wounded, and deeply tragic. Mama could easily become a caricature of religious severity, but White reveals the grief and horror buried underneath her righteousness. Her monologues land like thunderclaps.

What makes Covenant especially impressive is how fully it trusts the audience. Walker refuses easy answers. The play constantly asks whether evil is supernatural, inherited, psychological, or self-created. Is the devil real in this world? Or do people simply need something external to blame for the violence they carry inside themselves? The play never simplifies those questions.

And then comes the ending.

Do not spoil it for yourself. Do not let anyone spoil it for you. The audience will not see it coming.

Covenant is beautifully written, beautifully acted, and beautifully told. It lingers long after the lights go down, like a whispered warning you cannot quite forget.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

When: Through May 31 *Now extended though June 7th

Where: Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St.

Runtime: 140 minutes (no intermission)

Tickets: $24-$44

Info: www.goodmantheatre.org

Box Office: 312-443-3800

This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com.