Displaying items by tag: live theatre

Jackalope Theatre Company is proud to present the world premiere of Andy Warhol Presents: The Cocaine Play, written and directed by Terry Guest, May 28 - July 6,at the Broadway Armory Park, 5917 N Broadway St. The total running time, including two intermissions, is two hours and 30 minutes. Preview performances are Thursday, May 28, Friday, May 29 and Saturday, May 30 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 31 at 2 p.m. The performance schedule is Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. with no Friday or Saturday evening performances on July 3 and July 4. Tickets are $15 - $45 with student and Edgewater resident discounts available. Subscription and single tickets are now available at JackalopeTheatre.org or call/text the box office at 773.340.2543.

Andy Warhol Presents: The Cocaine Play is set in New York City where Andy Warhol (no, not that Andy Warhol) is stuck. He hasn’t finished a painting in years and has no new ideas. When a mysterious actress named Marilyn Monroe (no, not that Marilyn Monroe) stumbles into his life, she sends him down an epic path of madness, murder, betrayal and the desperate pursuit of fame, sex and beauty. Andy Warhol presents: The Cocaine Play is a 100% fake story about 100% real people that spans three decades and asks how far one is willing to go for the chance at superstardom. 

The cast of Andy Warhol Presents: The Cocaine Play includes William Anthony Sebastian Rose II (he/him, Andy Warhol); David Michael Dowd (he/him, Michael Brown); Alexis Ward (she/her, Marilyn Monroe) and Jasmine “Jazzy” Cheri Rush (she/her, Edie Sedgwick).  

The creative team for Andy Warhol Presents: The Cocaine Play includes Terry Guest (he/him, playwright and director); Ayanna Bria Bakari (she/her, associate director and wigs designer); Sydney Lynne Thomas (she/her, scenic designer); Madeleine Shows (costume designer); Spencer Diaz Tootle (she/her, props designer); Levi Wilkins (he/him, lighting designer); Ethan Korvne (he/him, composer and sound designer); E Tylkowski (they/them, technical director); Stephanie Mattos (she/her, fight and firearms coordinator); Kirsten Baity (they/them, intimacy coordinator); Corey Bradberry (he/him, production manager); Sam Burkett (she/they, stage manager); AJ Links, CSA (she/her, casting director); Monét Felton (they/theirs, artistic producer); Hudson Therriault (any/all, accessibility manager); Amira Danan (she/her, development director), Karina Patel (she/her, new works manager) and Kaiser Ahmed (he/him, artistic director).

ABOUT TERRY GUEST, PLAYWRIGHT/DIRECTOR

Terry Guest is a three-time Jeff Award-winning playwright, actor, director and teaching artist. Works include: At The Wake of a Dead Drag Queen, OAK, The Magnolia Ballet (Jeff Awards for Production and Performance in a short run), A Ghost in Satin (Williamstown Theater Festival), Marie Antionette and the Magical Negroes (Three Jeff Awards including New Work, Director and Ensemble), Nightbirds, The Madness of Mary Todd (Goodman Playwrights Unit commission) and Milo Imagines the World. As an actor Guest has worked at regional theaters including Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf, Alliance Theatre, About Face Theatre and Actors Express.

ABOUT JACKALOPE THEATRE

Jackalope Theatre Company expands the definition of American Identity by engaging with communities to produce works that celebrate diverse perspectives. Jackalope is a premier home for new and exciting Off-Loop Theatre based in Chicago's Edgewater and Rogers Park neighborhoods. They are committed to cultivating new voices that contribute to an expanding American culture and mythology. Each season, Jackalope produces full-length plays, new play development programming and provides free classes in partnership with the Chicago Park District.

Jackalope Theatre Company is proud to present the world premiere of Andy Warhol Presents: The Cocaine Play, written and directed by Terry Guest, May 28 - July 6,at the Broadway Armory Park, 5917 N Broadway St. The total running time, including two intermissions, is two hours and 30 minutes. Preview performances are Thursday, May 28, Friday, May 29 and Saturday, May 30 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 31 at 2 p.m. with the press opening Tuesday, June 2 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. with no Friday or Saturday evening performances on July 3 and July 4. Tickets are $15 - $45 with student and Edgewater resident discounts available. Subscription and single tickets are now available at JackalopeTheatre.org or call/text the box office at 773.340.2543.

Screwball comedy went the way of the dinosaur after the 1940s, but Northlight Theatre attempts to revive it with The Angel Next Door.

For those unfamiliar, screwball was a film subgenre that mixed romance, slapstick, and banter, like Mentos and Coke, and watched them explode to great effect. Stars like Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, William Powell, and Barbara Stanwyck delivered punchlines like a punch to the gut and made the over-the-top plotlines land with ease. A modern-day screwball comedy is a welcome idea. Unfortunately, The Angel Next Door doesn’t quite fly to its predecessors’ heights.

Written by Paul Slade Smith, this comedy was adapted from Ferenc Molnar’s Play at the Castle. It follows Oliver Adams, played by Garrett Lutz, who just finished his first novel. It’s set to be adapted for the stage by married playwrights, Arthur and Charlotte Sanders (Sean Fortunato and Katy Sullivan). They desperately need a hit after their last venture flopped, and their only hope is Oliver’s book.

Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned, and the bright-eyed, innocent author discovers that the beautiful Margot Bell (Aja Alcazar), his love and the novel’s inspiration, has been intimate with Victor Pratt (Andres Enriquez), Broadway’s favorite baritone. It’s then up to Charlotte to bring the two together before Oliver flushes his dreams – and everyone else’s – down the drain.

The Angel Next Door is a love letter to theatre, poking fun at stage tropes, breaking the fourth wall, and preaching about the importance of laughter and escapism in today’s world. In fact, by the end, an unbeliever, Olga (Erin Noel Grennan), the maid, is converted. Unfortunately, the script is so saturated with inside jokes, that the plot is only as deep as a puddle. The first act feels like one long set-up for a mediocre pay-off in the second. Much of the time is spent in exposition or watching characters react to scenes the audience watched happen moments ago.

The cast is the saving grace. The entire troupe, with the exception of Sullivan, actually performed their same parts in Peninsula Players Theatre’s 2024 production. Linda Fortunato, Peninsula’s Artistic Director, directed those performances and also directs Northlight’s version, guiding the production with confidence and clarity even though this particular script doesn’t quite rise to meet her.

Sean Fortunato and Katy Sullivan work wonderfully together as the veteran playwrights who have been through it all. Alcazar balances Margot’s ego and grace well, making it easy to understand why it was love at first sight for Oliver. Enriquez is hilarious as the dumb Victor, who is always ten steps behind everyone else and gets lost in his own reflection. Alcazar and Enriquez also have great physicality, and it was fun to watch the flair they added to simple movements, like sitting down with style or stomping their foot. Erin Noel Grennan steals every scene as the grim Olga. Her comedic timing and presence make this kooky character pop.

Ultimately, The Angel Next Door has all of the parts of a solid comedy but in the wrong proportions. For example, Olga is a crowd-favorite, but scenes would occasionally stall to give her joke after joke. Too much of a good thing is a bad thing, especially when the audience got very few interactions between Oliver and Margot, despite everyone’s future hinging on their romance.

Still, The Angel Next Door delivers an enjoyable experience, lifted by a strong cast, even if it doesn’t linger long after the curtain falls.

For more information, visit https://northlight.org/series/the-angel-next-door/.

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

Marriott Theatre’s Heartbreak Hotel takes on the tricky task of charting Elvis Presley’s early ascent, walking the line between the mythic figure we think we know and the unpolished young man still figuring out who he was becoming. What emerges is a brisk, music‑driven portrait that leans into the volatility of those formative years - the industry pressures that boxed him in, the personal crossroads that pushed him forward, and the creative sparks that hinted at the cultural earthquake to come. It’s a show less interested in polishing the legend than in capturing the restless drive of a talent on the verge of rewriting American music.

Heartbreak Hotel traces Elvis Presley’s early rise with a pace that stays brisk without ever feeling hurried, using a clever device: a ’68 Comeback‑era Elvis looking back on his younger selves. At times the man, the teen, and the 11‑year‑old boy share the stage simultaneously - singing, reminiscing, harmonizing - embodying a life moving faster than any one version of him can fully grasp. The musical follows Elvis from the tentative spark of his Sun Studio sessions into the glare of national attention, tracing how each new opportunity brings both momentum and complication. Producers, handlers, and well‑meaning advisors orbit him constantly, each with a different vision of who he should become, and the show uses those interactions to underline just how precarious his initial ascent really was.

As the demands of fame tighten around him, the story frames Elvis’s evolution as a series of choices - some instinctive, some imposed, all shaping the performer he’s still learning to be. Rather than digging for psychological depth, the plot focuses on the push‑and‑pull between artistic hunger and commercial pressure, capturing the uneasy transition from raw talent to cultural commodity. It’s a portrait of a young man standing at the edge of a seismic career, long before the iconography calcifies and the legend overtakes the life.

At the center of Heartbreak Hotel is Tyler Hanes playing Elvis Presley, who carries the show with a mix of youthful swagger and genuine vulnerability. His performance hinges not just on vocal accuracy but on capturing the restless, slightly bewildered energy of a young man being swept into stardom. His renditions of “Blue Suede Shoes” and “Heartbreak Hotel” land with the right mix of polish and rawness, and his quieter moments - particularly the early Sun Studio sequences and those paired with Priscilla - give the production its emotional grounding.

The show’s Colonel Tom Parker, portrayed by Rob Lindley, is the necessary counterweight: charming, calculating, and always two steps ahead. Lindley brings a slick, almost Vaudevillian charisma that keeps the character from slipping into caricature (although Parker may have been a caricature of himself anyway). His scenes pop with tension, especially in numbers where he orchestrates Elvis’s next move with a smile that never quite reaches his eyes.

Tyler Hanes as Elvis Presley (center) with ensemble in Heartbreak Hotel at Marriott Theatre.

The Sun Studio ensemble - the musicians, producers, and collaborators - provide some of the production’s most engaging textures. Jackson Evans, as Sam Phillips, is heavily featured in the first act and delivers one of the show’s standout performances, offering a steady, clear‑eyed presence that anchors the opening chapters with real artistic purpose. The play digs into Phillips’s instinct for raw talent - his uncanny ability to spot greatness beforehand - and makes clear that his relentless championing of Elvis is what first carried the young singer’s sound across Memphis and into the broader South. His work with the band digs deep and gives us an idea of Phillips’s impact in shaping a new kind of rock ‘n’ roll sound. Their group numbers in the studio, including “That’s All Right,” have an infectious looseness that contrasts sharply with the more commercialized performances later in the show.

The supporting cast adds essential color. Colton Sims offers a sharp, unaffected turn as Teen Elvis, capturing the raw spark before the polish sets in, and Charles Adler Bischoof, as young Elvis, brings a bright, unguarded innocence that reminds the audience just how early the legend began.

Elizabeth Telford lends Gladys Presley a quiet emotional weight, centering the story whenever she’s onstage. Anna Louise Bramlett brings an earnest warmth to Dixie, while Amanda Walker gives Priscilla a steady, grounded presence that subtly deepens the story.

In one of Heartbreak’s most exciting moments, Alexandra Palkovic takes control of the stage delivering a sleek, charismatic jolt as Ann-Margret, hinting at the whirlwind to come. Palkovic dances with real fire, echoing Ann‑Margret’s signature style with crisp precision and an infectious burst of energy. Palkovic later joins Hanes in one of the most touching moments when the two perform a beautiful rendition together of “You’re the Boss.” The addition of a full Ann‑Margret song‑and‑dance number feels especially meaningful, since her on‑screen chemistry with Elvis has always struck me as one of the high points of his physical and emotional vitality.  

Tyler Hanes as Elvis Presley and Alexandra Palkovic as Ann-Margret.

Karl Hamilton gives Vernon Presley a quiet, understated presence, and Naiqui Macabroad stands out in his multi‑role track - Johnny Bragg, Chuck, Jackie Brenston, and the producer for both Steve Allen and Ed Sullivan - slipping between characters with crisp versatility and welcome bursts of personality. Fredrick Webb Jr. also makes a strong impression in multiple roles, notably as Roy Brown, Otis Redding, Fats Domino, and throughout the ensemble.

Going back to the musicians, the live band is one of the show’s more memorable assets. With Jake Busse as Bill Black, Zac Richey as Scotty Moore, and Trevor Lindley Craft as Ronnie (pre-DJ Fontana days) forming the tight onstage trio, the musicians anchor the production with a sound that feels both authentic and freshly charged. Lindley Craft doubles as Frank Sinatra. He and Hanes deliver one of the evening’s highlights as they recreate the famous duet from Elvis’s post‑Army appearance on The Frank Sinatra Show - a stylish medley of “Love Me Tender” and “Witchcraft” that lands with effortless charm.

Melanie Brezil also brings a radiant spark to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, delivering her featured moment with bright, joyful command on both vocals and guitar.  

Together, the band’s instrumental work and the ensemble’s rich harmonies elevate the musical landscape. A mid‑show gospel sequence of “Peace in the Valley” – another one of this staging’s big moments - showcases the ensemble’s vocal power and reminds the audience of the musical traditions that shaped Presley long before fame did.

Marriott’s in‑the‑round setup gives Heartbreak Hotel an expansive energy, with action unfolding on all sides. The cast’s aisle work draws the audience in, creating a surprisingly immersive sense of scale, and the smart use of media and projections amplifies that impact even further. A staging in this intimate space gives the storytelling room to gather real thrust. That quality becomes especially clear as the sequences build toward the emotional high point, when Elvis finally sheds the cookie‑cutter movie image he’d long outgrown and reclaims his artistry in the ’68 Comeback Special, reestablishing his place as the King of Rock ’n’ Roll. 

I’ve always been drawn to stories orbiting Elvis Presley, and Heartbreak Hotel earns its place among them by honoring the legend without embalming him in nostalgia. Elvis wasn’t just a chart‑topper; he was a cultural accelerant, the artist who fused gospel, blues, country, and rhythm‑and‑blues into a sound that detonated across America and permanently rewired its musical DNA. His influence stretched far beyond the stage - reshaping fashion, performance style, youth identity, and the very idea of what a pop star could be. Productions like this one matter because they keep that seismic legacy in motion, passing it from one generation to the next not as a museum relic, but as a living, breathing force that still shapes the music we hear today.

When referring to rock 'n' roll, John Lennon said it himself, “Before Elvis, there was nothing.” Heartbreak Hotel echoes that sentiment.

Directed and choreographed by Deidre Goodwin, this musical bears the imprint of an artist who understands how to propel a story without letting the spectacle swallow it. Her direction shapes the evening with a steady, purposeful rhythm, keeping the focus tight even as the musical numbers expand outward. Goodwin’s fantastic choreography blends period flavor with a clean, contemporary precision, giving the show a kinetic pulse that feels both rooted in its era and alive in the present. It’s her sense of balance - between nostalgia and freshness, between narrative drive and musical release - that ultimately gives the production its lift.

Elvis devotees will find plenty to appreciate in Heartbreak Hotel, which treats the King’s formative years and artistic rebirth with genuine affection and a clear understanding of his musical legacy. But the show’s appeal stretches well beyond Presley fandom; anyone who loves American music - from gospel and blues to early rock and soul - will recognize the joy in hearing these sounds brought to life by a superbly talented cast and band. Heartbreak Hotel runs through June 2nd at Marriott Theatre and is an exciting musical experience well worth attending. 

For tickets and/or more show information, click here. 

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

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma and Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Artistic Director Braden Abraham, concludes its 2025/26 Season with the sweeping yet intimate play Leopoldstadt, written by the late, celebrated playwright Tom Stoppard, directed by Carey Perloff. Leopoldstadt is the largest production in Writers Theatre's history and includes a remarkable 29-member ensemble of Chicago actors and script revisions made by Stoppard and Perloff expressly for the Writers Theatre production. 

"Tom Stoppard's final play is one of his most personal, emotionally powerful, and epic in its scope. This summer, Writers audiences will experience Leopoldstadt in the most intimate venue the play has ever been performed in and feel every word of it. It will almost be like you are inside this family's Vienna flat with them through the decades," said Braden Abraham. "With Tom's blessing, and through the ingenuity of director Carey Perloff—one of Stoppard's closest collaborators—her creative team, and a large ensemble of Chicago's finest actors, we are attempting something with this presentation that has never been done before."

Tickets are now on sale for the celebrated play running in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at Writers Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe; 847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org.

The all-Chicago cast includes many performers new to the Writers stage, including Steppenwolf ensemble member Ian Barford and Lookingglass ensemble member Joey Slotnik.

Leopoldstadt marks the return to Writers Theatre for Sean Fortunato (The Real Thing, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, The Diary of Anne Frank, Hedda Gabler, among others), Jessie Fisher (Every Brilliant Thing), Kate Fry (Arcadia, Hedda Gabler, Oh Coward, Marjorie Prime, among others), Erik Hellman (Translations, Marjorie Prime, Smart People), Andrew Mueller (Translations, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812), Barbara Roberston (The Detective's Wife), and Sarah Coakley Price (Eurydice) and Emma Rosenthal (The Diary of Anne Frank).

The full cast is: Justin Albinder (Zac/Nathan), Ian Barford (Hermann), Ella Bopari (Young Sally/Mimi), Levi Charnay (Young Jacob/Heini), Hanna Dworkin (Poldi/Older Hanna, Understudy Emilia/Eva), Jessie Fisher (Hilde/Rosa), Sean Fortunato (Ernst), Kate Fry (Gretl), Sam Bell-Gurwitz (Jacob/Leo), Erik Hellman (Fritz/Percy), Asha Dale Hopman (Young Rosa/Bella), Rachel Jones (Ensemble, Understudy Jana/Sally & Wilma), Theo Clark Leber (Young Jacob/Heini). Morgan Medina (Young Rosa/Bella), Andrew Mueller (Otto/Civilian, Understudy Fritz/Percy & Ernst), Grainne Ortlieb (Jana/Sally, Understudy Hanna/Hermine), Sarah Coakley Price (Wilma, Understudy Eva/Nellie), Barbara Robertson (Emilia/Older Eva), Adeline Rosenthal (Young Sally/Mimi), Emma Rosenthal (Eva/Nellie, Understudy Hilda/Rosa), Sebastian Rus (Pauli/Young Leo), Caleb Scherr (Pauli/Young Leo), Joey Slotnick (Ludwig) and Brenann Stacker (Hanna/Hermine). The understudies are: Ani Cohen, Jack Doherty, Ian Geers, Göran Norquist and Rebekah Ward.

Under the direction of Carey Perloff, a frequent collaborator and dear friend of Stoppard's, this new production features script revisions the two made expressly for Writers Theatre. The Tony Award-winning work is the final play from one of our era's greatest playwrights. A Jewish family braves the darkest and most consequential chapters of the 20th century in this epic masterpiece from the late Tom Stoppard. 

The creative team includes: Carey Perloff (Director), Faith Hart (Assistant Director), Tommy Rapley (Choreographer), Ken MacDonald (Scenic Designer), Keith Parham (Lighting Designer), Alex Jaeger (Costume Designer), Tom Watson (Makeup and Wigs Designer) and Eva Breneman (Voice/Dialects/Text).

Leopoldstadt

Written by Tom Stoppard
Directed by Carey Perloff 

Dates: First performance: Thursday, June 4, 2026 at 7:30pm
Closing performance: July 19, 2026   

Performance Schedule: 
Wednesdays: 2:00pm and 7:30pm 
Thursdays: 7:30pm  
Fridays: 7:30pm  
Saturdays: 2:00pm and 7:30pm  
Sundays: 2:00pm and 7:00pm 

Open Captioned Performance: Thursday, June 25 at 7:30pm 

ASL-Interpreted Performance: Saturday, June 27 at 2:00pm 

Pay What You Can Performances: Thursday, June 4 at 7:30pm and Sunday, June 21 at 7:00pm   

Location: Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe 

Prices: $55-$125 
Special pricing and full performance buy-out packages are available for groups of 10 or more. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.

Discounts are available for students, educators, theater industry professionals, active military personnel, veterans, police officers, firefighters, and their immediate families. Information is available at: https://www.writerstheatre.org/plan-your-visit/box-office-and-theatre-center/pricing--special-offers 

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe; 847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org 

NOTES OF INTEREST 

• Directed by Carey Perloff, a longtime collaborator of the late playwright, this production marks the largest and most ambitious project in the history of Writers Theatre, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of its Jeanne Gang-designed building.
• Writers Theatre is celebrating the 10^th anniversary of its Jeanne Gang-designed building. The first production in the new venue was Tom Stoppard's Arcadia, featuring Leopoldstadt cast member Kate Fry. Staging an epic like Leopoldstadt represents the culmination of what Gang's building has made possible over the last decade.
• In addition to Arcadia, Writers has previously produced Stoppard's The Real Thing, (featuring Carrie Coon and Leopodstadt's Sean Fortunato), and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, (also featuring Fortunato).
• Writers Theatre embarked on a dedicated fundraising campaign to bring the production to fruition. To date, over $1.2 million has been raised from 37 individual donors to support the work.
• This production features specific script revisions made by Stoppard and Perloff expressly for the intimate stage at Writers Theatre. The minor, but impactful changes, included adjustments to the dialogue for American actors by taking out the anglicisms, removing a couple of the minor characters and adding an intermission.
• Leopoldstadt has been a major critical success in the US and UK and won four 2023 Tony Awards, including Best Play and two 2020 Olivier Awards, including Best New Play.
• In celebration of the largest production in Writers Theatre history and the final play from one of our era's greatest playwrights, Writers Theatre presents The Stoppard Series, an unprecedented line-up of special events to enhance the experience of the production. These events have been created to celebrate themes and events complementary to Leopoldstadt. 

The Stoppard Series

Writers Theatre continues its tradition of deep artistic engagement with The Stoppard Series, a curated collection of lectures, conversations, and community events to illuminate the historical and personal layers of Leopoldstadt.  The events, conversations and experiences included in The Stoppard Series are made possible by the Leopoldstadt sponsors. 

Details for a full slate of programming will be available soon and registration will open on May 1, 2026. 

In the meantime, registration is currently open for the following programs as part of The Stoppard Series:

The Green Room: A Conversation with Carey Perloff
Wednesday, May 6 at 7pm

At this event, Perloff will discuss her friendship and working relationship with the late Stoppard, her family's history in Vienna, and the ways this new production is leaning into WT's trademark intimacy. A podcast featuring highlights from the conversation will be available following the live event.

Leopoldstadt: The Final Word Audience Discussion

Sundays, June 28 and July 19 at noon

Join fellow audience members and WT artistic staff for a lively, in-person discussion delving into the characters, production elements and themes of the play. Come share your impressions and uncover new perspectives as we reflect on the story, its characters, and the creative choices behind this staging. Final Word discussions are intended for patrons who have seen the production.

Writers Theatre community partners for The Stoppard Series include: Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Temple Am Shalom, North Shore Congregation Israel, Glencoe Union Church, Congregation Sukkat Shalom, Northwestern - Crown Family Center for Jewish and Israeli Studies, Northwestern – Hillel, University of Chicago, Folks Operetta, Resetting the Table, Jewish Studio Project and The Art Institute of Chicago.

WRITERS THEATRE 2026/27 SEASON

The recently announced season includes Matthew Libby's Sisters, directed by Jessica Thebus; The Royale by Marco Ramirez (Orange is the New Black, Buena Vista Social Club), directed by Tyrone Phillips; Noël Coward's Brief Encounter by Emma Rice, directed by Shana Cooper and music direction by Matt Deitchman; the Strindberg thriller Creditors, written by Jen Silverman and directed by Braden Abraham; Hershey Felder's brand-new work The Piano and Me.   

Writers Theatre is offering a variety of subscriptions with an option for every theatregoer. Each subscription includes a deeply discounted ticket price, ranging from $275-$385 for one ticket to the five-play series. Flex subscriptions, with options for either four tickets ($280) or five tickets ($350), are available.

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

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

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

ABOUT WRITERS THEATRE

Writers Theatre proudly celebrates its 35th Season.  

From its beginnings in the back room of a Glencoe bookstore, Writers Theatre established what would become its defining conviction: that vibrant language and exceptional performances in an intimate setting create a transformative theatrical experience. Today, the company is a major cultural destination in the Chicago region with a national reputation for artistic excellence, heralded by The Wall Street Journal as "America's finest regional theatre company." 

Founded in 1992, Writers has produced over 160 productions—from inventive interpretations of classics to groundbreaking new work. In 2016, the company opened a state-of-the-art theatre center designed by the internationally renowned Studio Gang Architects. The new facility includes the 255-seat Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre and the flexible 100-seat Gillian Theatre, spaces designed to preserve the company's trademark intimacy and bring audiences up close to Chicago's finest actors. The building's striking glass atrium serves as a welcoming gathering space for artists, staff and the community, open daily for reading, working and conversation.  

Led by Executive Director Kate Lipuma and Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Artistic Director Braden Abraham, Writers Theatre welcomes more than 60,000 patrons each year. The company has established itself as an important originator of new theatrical work, having produced over 30 world premieres in its history—including Manual Cinema's Christmas Carol, Witch by Jen Silverman, Trevor the Musical by Dan Collins and Julianne Wick Davis, A Minister's Wife by Austin Pendleton, Jan Tranen and Josh Schmidt, The Savannah Disputation by Evan Smith and Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus's adaptation of Crime and Punishment. 

Education and community engagement remain central to Writers Theatre's mission. Each season, the organization reaches more than 5,000 students and adults through school matinees, in-school residencies and curriculum-based programs that introduce young people to professional theatre. Writers Theatre also offers a wide range of free programs for the broader community, including readings, lectures and partnerships with local organizations that make theatre accessible to audiences of all ages. 

Located just 20 miles north of downtown Chicago, Writers Theatre offers artists and audiences a setting that combines world-class theatre with the calm and accessibility of Chicago's North Shore. As Writers Theatre enters its 35th season, the company continues its commitment to artistic excellence, meaningful storytelling and the uniquely powerful connection that only intimate theatre can create. 

Drury Lane Theatre announces the appointment of Matthew D. Carney as its new Artistic Director. A longtime collaborator and key member of the artistic team at Drury Lane, Carney steps into the role following more than a decade of artistic contributions that have helped support the theatre's signature style and high standard of excellence.

Carney joined Drury Lane Theatre in June 2013 and, over the past 13 years, has served as Associate Artistic Director, Casting Director, and Company Manager. His extensive work with the organization includes directing the upcoming production of Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story, serving as Casting Director for more than 70 productions, and acting as resident director for the annual Theatre for Young Audiences production of A Christmas Carol. He has also worked as assistant director on productions including The 39 Steps, Steel Magnolias, Shrek, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and as costume designer for The Gin Game. Carney holds a BFA in Theatrical Design and Technology focused in Costume Design from Wright State University.

Kyle DeSantis, President of Drury Lane Productions, welcomed Carney as the new Artistic Director, "When my grandfather first raised the curtain in 1949, he created something special: a place where families discovered the magic of live theatre, children experienced their first Broadway musical, and a passion for performance was handed down through generations. Matt is just the person to carry on the  Drury Lane legacy. I have worked with him for over a decade – his artistry and leadership never ceases to amaze me. I am looking forward to his continued transcendent journey with Drury Lane. I am elated to collaborate with him as he guides us into the next era of world-class theatre in Chicagoland!

"I am deeply honored to lead the next chapter in Drury Lane's story," said Carney. "I am excited by the opportunity to build on Tony DeSantis' legacy while embracing a fresh perspective for a new generation of theatre goers. My goal is to cultivate a space where artists feel inspired to tell classic stories in new ways, audiences feel welcomed and moved by their experience, and every production reflects the excellence Drury Lane is known for."

In his new role, Carney will oversee artistic programming and production at Drury Lane Theatre, helping to shape future seasons while continuing the organization's long-standing commitment to delivering world-class entertainment. Carney's appointment marks an exciting continuation of Drury Lane's tradition of artistic excellence and collaboration.

About Drury Lane Theatre    

Built from scratch. Built in Oakbrook. Built for you. 

Founded by Anthony DeSantis over 70 years ago, Drury Lane remains a family-run organization under the leadership of President Kyle DeSantis. Drury Lane Theatre continues as a major force in the Chicagoland theatre scene, producing world-class theatre in collaboration with some of the nation's leading actors, directors, and creative minds. Drury Lane Theatre produces the highest quality theatrical experience that immerses and supports artists and audiences in the exploration of what it means to be human and to experience the transcending power of the performing and visual arts. Drury Lane strives to create an environment in which every individual or group is welcomed, respected, supported, valued and able to fully experience and participate in this transformative art form. 

The theatre has staged more than 2,000 productions and has been nominated for over 360 Joseph Jefferson Awards. Drury Lane proudly employs thousands of professional actors, musicians, designers, and crew members to entertain upwards of nine million audience members and counting.

Definition Theatre is proud to present the Amplify World Premiere of Keerah, a quick-witted dramedy by playwright Netta Walker and directed by McKenzie Chinn. Keerah will run from May 29 to June 28, 2026 at Definition @ 55th (1160 E. 55th St, Chicago, IL). Tickets start at $25 and are on sale now through definitiontheatre.org.

Two aspiring young writers meet in a Chicago neighborhood on the cusp of gentrification. Ciara, a Black American poet, and Cormac, an Irish writer on a J1 visa. They connect over their shared love of language, literature, and the art of cruelty. What begins as fun flirtation transforms into an intense summer romance—until immigration, bad decisions, and unspoken truths tear them apart.

Seven years later, now a successful TV writer in London, Ciara faces an unexpected reunion when a journalist named Dedalus arrives to interview her about her hit series—a series based on their relationship. Inspired by the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, this quick-witted dramedy asks: Can you rewrite the past? Should you? And what happens when the person you immortalized shows up to confront you?

The cast features Netta Walker, Cat Christmas, Beck Nolan, and Jacob Coggshall.

The production team includes Director McKenzie Chinn, Assistant Director Ireon Roach, Production Manager Jordan Stewart-Curet, Stage Manager Ariel Beller, Scenic Designer Isa Noe, Costume Designer Janelle Smith, Lighting Designer Garrett Bell, Sound Designer Aaron Harris Woodstein, Props Designer Cecilia Chan, and Intimacy Director Jyreika Guest.

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

Keerah

Dates: May 29 – June 28, 2026

Previews: May 29 – June 2, 2026

Location: Definition @ 55th | 1160 E. 55th Street, Chicago, IL

Tickets: On sale now at definitiontheatre.org

ABOUT DEFINITION THEATRE

Definition Theatre has been a vibrant force for over a decade, celebrating stories created with, inspired by, and intended for people and communities of color. Through the act of making, Definition expands perspectives, stewards resources, and bridges the possibilities found at the intersection of art, innovation, and education. Known for bold and impactful productions, we've brought to life plays by Oscar-winner Tarell Alvin McCraney, Pulitzer Prize-winners James Ijames and Jackie Sibblies Drury, and Tony Award-winner Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. We strive to promote equity, foster empathy, and enhance the quality of life for our community members by offering opportunities for creative, entrepreneurial, and cultural expression. Our work emphasizes collaboration in theater-making and raises awareness of career paths in the arts. In 2024, Definition leased and equipped a storefront space in Hyde Park, enabling us to engage artists and expand programs as we prepare for our permanent home in Woodlawn on the southside of Chicago. This new theater, community center, and business incubator will amplify and preserve BIPOC voices, promote social justice, and empower the next generation of artists, entrepreneurs, and changemakers to drive positive progress through the transformative power of the arts.

Definition Ensemble members include: Adia Alli, Owais Ahmed, Ariel Beller, Jared Bellot, Carley Cornelius, Ari Craven, Julie Jachym, Willow James, Martasia Jones, Slick Jorgensen, Yeaji Kim, Kristy Hall, James Ijames, Julie Jachym, Willow James, Kiki Layne, Kelson Michael McAuliffe, Victor Musoni, Neel McNeill, Sophiyaa Nayar, Karyn Oates, Alexandra Oparka, Julian Parker, Maya Vinice Prentiss, Tyrone Phillips, Ireon Roach, Jacqueline Rosas, Christopher Sheard, and Dujon Smith.

Definition Artistic Advisory Board members include: director May Adrales, Steppenwolf ensemble member Alana Arenas, actress Shannon Cochran, actor Brandon Dirden, actor Jason Dirden, actor Jon Michael Hill, director Pam Mackinnon, Equity Quotient CEO Keryl McCord, professor JW Morrissette, director Ron OJ Parson, professor/lighting designer Kathy Perkins, media producer and host Troy Osborne Pryor, Tony Award-winning actress and stage director Phylicia Rashad, and Goodman Theatre director in residence Chuck Smith. Tyrone Phillips is the Artistic Director, Neel McNeill is the Executive Director, Willow James is the Civic Engagement Director. For additional information, visit definitiontheatre.org and @definitiontheatre on Facebook and Instagram #stayinit