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

The Tony Award® winning Best Musical, THE OUTSIDERS, based on the seminal novel by S.E. Hinton and Francis Ford Coppola’s landmark motion picture, will return to Broadway In Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre this summer, August 4 – 16, 2026, after a sold-out engagement earlier this year. Groups of 10+ are now available by calling 312-977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Single tickets will go on sale Monday, April 20. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

“We are thrilled to bring THE OUTSIDERS back to Chicago this summer,” said producer Matthew Rego of The Araca Group. “After an extraordinary sold-out run this past winter, Chicago audiences made it clear they were ready for a return and we are grateful for the opportunity to deliver another engagement.”

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1967, Ponyboy Curtis, his best friend Johnny Cade and their Greaser family of ‘outsiders’ battle with their affluent rivals, the Socs. THE OUTSIDERS navigates the complexities of self-discovery as the Greasers dream about who they want to become in a world that may never accept them. With a dynamic original score, THE OUTSIDERS is a story of friendship, family, belonging…and the realization that there is still “lots of good in the world.”

The winner of four 2024 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, THE OUTSIDERS features a book by Tony Award nominee Adam Rapp with Tony Award winner Justin Levine, music and lyrics by Tony Award nominees Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay & Zach Chance) and Justin Levine, music supervision, orchestration & arrangements by Justin Levine, choreography by Tony Award nominees Rick Kuperman & Jeff Kuperman and is directed by Tony Award winner Danya Taymor. 

THE OUTSIDERS features Scenography by Tony Award nominees AMP featuring Tatiana Kahvegian, Costume Design by Sarafina Bush, Lighting Design by Tony Award winner Brian MacDevitt, Sound Design by Tony Award winner Cody Spencer, Projection Design by Tony Award winner Hana S. Kim, Special Effects Design by Jeremy Chernick & Lillis Meeh, Hair & Wig Design by Alberto “Albee” Alvarado, Makeup Design by Tishonna Ferguson, Sound Effects Specialist Taylor Bense, Creative Consultant Jack Viertel. Speech Text & Dialect Coach Gigi Buffington. Music Supervision & Additional Orchestrations by Tony Award nominee Matt Hinkley, Music Direction by Remy Kurs. Production Supervision by Beverly Jenkins, Production Stage Management by Edmond O’Neal. Casting is by The TRC Company/Xavier Rubiano, CSA

THE OUTSIDERS opened on Broadway on April 11, 2024, to rave reviews and continues to play to sold out houses at the Jacobs Theatre (242 West 45^th Street). The New York Post proclaims THE OUTSIDERS as “THE BEST NEW MUSICAL OF THE SEASON." “STUNNING THINGS ARE HAPPENING ON THE STAGE OF THE JACOBS THEATER. Electrifying. Astonishing. Endlessly effective. THE OUTSIDERS has been made with so much love and sincerity. It is fair to call it golden." says The New York Times. Entertainment Weekly says, “THE OUTSIDERS has a heart of gold and THE POWER TO INSPIRE AN ENTIRE GENERATION.” “AN EXHILARATING WORLD OF MOVEMENT WITH HIGH-OCTANE CHOREOGRAPHY,” states New York Magazine. Time Out New York calls it “RAW AND MORE PULSE-POUNDING than anything else on Broadway right now."

THE OUTSIDERS is produced on tour by The Araca Group, American Zoetrope, Olympus Theatricals, Sue Gilad & Larry Rogowsky, Angelina Jolie, Betsy Dollinger, Jonathan & Michelle Clay, Cristina Marie Vivenzio, The Shubert Organization, LaChanze & Marylee Fairbanks, Debra Martin Chase, Sony Music Masterworks, Jamestown Revival Theater, Jennifer & Jonathan Allan Soros, Tanninger Entertainment, Tamlyn Brooke Shusterman, Mistry Theatrical Ventures, Galt & Irvin Productions, Tulsa Clarks, Paul & Margaret Liljenquist, Bob & Claire Patterson, Voltron Global Media, James L. Nederlander, Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, The John Gore Organization, Independent Presenters Network, Stephen Lindsay & Brett Sirota, Jeffrey Finn, Playhouse Square, ASR Productions, Indelible InK, Lionheart Productions, The Broadway Investor’s Club, Starhawk Productions, Distant Rumble, GTR Productions, Green Leaf Partnership, Michael & Elizabeth Venuti, Leslie Kavanaugh, Deborah & Dave Smith, Belle Productions, Chas & Jen Grossman, Rungnapa & Jim Teague, Michael & Molly Schroeder, Casey & Chelsea Baugh, Jim & Emily Flautt, Jon L. Morris, Becky Winkler, William Moran Hickey Jr. & William Moran Hickey III, Melissa Chamberlain & Michael McCartney, Wavelength Productions, Rob O’Neill & Shane Snow, Eric Stine, Rachel Weinstein, Cornice Productions and La Jolla Playhouse. 

The Grammy-nominated Original Broadway Cast Recording of THE OUTSIDERS from Sony Masterworks Broadway is now available at https://theoutsidersbroadway.lnk.to/castalbum.

The world premiere of THE OUTSIDERS was produced by La Jolla Playhouse, Christopher Ashley, Artistic Director and Debby Buchholz, Managing Director, in March 2023.
 

OutsidersMusical.com 
Follow THE OUTSIDERS on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 26 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at The Auditorium™.

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

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

The Targeted will feature Ensemble Members Kirsten Fitzgerald*, Lawrence Grimm*, Sadieh Rifai* and Natalie West* with Glenn Obrero and Stephanie Shum. Understudies include Gabriela Diaz, Amy Yesom Kim, Cynthia Marker, Tatiana Pavela, Thomas B. Tran and Scott Westerman.

About the Production:

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

The production team includes Lauren Nichols (Scenic Designer), Stephanie Cluggish (Costume Designer), Josiah Croegaert (Lighting Designer), Angela Joy Baldasare (Sound Designer), Spencer Diaz Tootle (Props Designer), Eme Ospina-López (Projections Designer), Chels Morgan (Violence and Intimacy Director), Jojo Brown (Assistant Director), Jennifer Aparicio (Production Manager), Tom Daniel (Technical Director), Dan Washelesky (Dramaturg), Anna Vu (Stage Manager) and Carli Shapiro and Maggie Perisho (Assistant Stage Managers).

*Denotes A Red Orchid Theatre Ensemble Member

The Targeted

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

Understudies: Gabriela Diaz (Sherry), Amy Yesom Kim (Mia), Cynthia Marker (Didi), Tatiana Pavela (Rhonda), Thomas B. Tran (Eric) and Scott Westerman (Jeff).

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

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

Opening: Sunday, May 17 at 6 pm

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

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

About the Artists:

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

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

Kirsten Fitzgerald (Rhonda, she/her) is a proud member of the Ensemble at A Red Orchid Theatre and has served as the Artistic Director since 2008. She was most recently onstage here last season in The Cave. Select AROT credits include In Quietness, Grey House, Traitor, Evening at the Talk House, The Room, Pilgrim's Progress, Mud Blue Sky, Butcher of Baraboo, The New Electric Ballroom, Abigail's Party, Pumpgirl, Weapon of Mass Impact and The Sea Horse (for which she was honored to receive a Jeff Award). She is currently directing Birds of North America and previously directed The Moors at AROT, which earned her a Jeff Award for Best Director of a Play (Midsize). Other onstage credits include Swing State (Off-Broadway Minetta Lane Theatre, Goodman), I Hate It Here, ROE, Sweat (Goodman); Mary Page Marlowe, The Qualms, Clybourne Park (Steppenwolf); Appropriate, Lettie (Victory Gardens), Motherhouse (Rivendell); and work with Chicago Shakes, Utah Shakes, Shattered Globe, Remy Bumppo, Plasticene, Prop, Defiant and more. TV: Shining Girls, Somebody Somewhere, The Exorcist, Sirens, Chicago Med/Fire/Justice, Underemployed, ER. Film: Rain Reign, Widows, Working Man. Representation: Grossman & Jack Talent.

Lawrence Grimm (Jeff, he/him) is a founding ensemble member of A Red Orchid Theatre where some of his credits include: Turret, Traitor, Do You Feel Anger?, Small Mouth Sounds, 3C, Trevor, In a Garden, Pumpgirl and Abigail's Party, among many others. Area credits: Gaslight and Prayer for the French Republic (Northlight), Hannah and Martin (Jeff Nomination – Actor) and The Heavens Are Hung in Black (Shattered Globe), King Charles III, The Tempest (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), 2666 (Goodman Theatre), The Upstairs Concierge (Goodman – New Stages), My Name is Asher Lev (Timeline Theatre), In the Next Room or The Vibrator Play (Victory Gardens), Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter (Next Theatre), Orlando (Court Theatre), Two by Pinter (Piven Theater Workshop), The Glass Menagerie (Raven Theatre, Jeff Award – Actor), The Brothers Karamazov, 1984 (Lookingglass), I Never Sang for My Father, Wolf Lullaby (Steppenwolf). Film credits: Eric LaRue, Night's End, Slice, Captive State, Welcome to Me, A Perfect Manhattan, Cicero in Winter. Television: Somebody, Somewhere (HBO), The Red Line (CBS), Chicago PD, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire (NBC), Late Night with Conan O'Brien (NBC). More at www.grimmactor.com.

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

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

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

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

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

About A Red Orchid Theatre:

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

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

Sponsor Information: 

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

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

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

Get ready to kick up your heels again in Chicago with the long-anticipated return of the heartwarming hit musical, KINKY BOOTS! Broadway In Chicago is excited to announce that single tickets for KINKY BOOTS will go on sale on Friday, April 10. Praised by critics as "A BIG-HEARTED, HIGH-KICKING HIT!” (Chicago Tribune ) and "DAZZLING & JOYFUL!” (Daily News), KINKY BOOTS will play Broadway In Chicago’s James M. Nederlander Theatre (24 W. Randolph St.) for a limited two-week engagement, June 9 – 21.

Following its world premiere in Chicago in 2012, KINKY BOOTS went on to win the Tony®, Grammy®, and London’s Olivier Awards for Best Musical, captivating and entertaining audiences around the world with a Tony-winning score by Cyndi Lauper, book by four-time Tony Award-winner Harvey Fierstein, and original direction and Tony-winning choreography by Jerry Mitchell.

Based on true events, KINKY BOOTS follows the journey of two people with nothing in common… or so they think. Charlie Price reluctantly inherits his father's shoe factory, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. Trying to live up to his father's legacy and save his family business, Charlie finds inspiration in the form of Lola, a fabulous entertainer in need of some sturdy stilettos. As Charlie and Lola work together to turn the factory around, this unlikely pair finds that they have more in common than they realized and discover that you change the world when you change your mind.

Leading the tour will be Omari Collins “Scarlett D. Von'Du” as Lola, Noah Silverman as Charlie Price, Sophia Gunter as Lauren, Jason Daniel Chacon as Don, Emma Dean as Nicola, and John Anker Bow as George. Dargan Cole, Felipe Cristancho-Rodríguez, Jonathan Blake Flemings, Peyton Gaida, and Blaise Rossmann will play the Angels. The KINKY BOOTS tour will also feature Carlyn Barenholtz, Connor Buonaccorsi, Blake Du Bois, Brianna Clark, Jayna Glynn, Billy Goldstein, Brandin Jay, Robert Miller, Val Moranto, Dominic Pagliaro, Thomas Ed Purvis, TJ Staten, Kyle Williamson, and Natalie Lilavois Yusty.

The North American Tour of KINKY BOOTS is produced by Crossroads Live North America. The tour’s creative team includes DB Bonds (Associate Director), Rusty Mowery (Associate Choreographer), Will Van Dyke (Music Supervisor), and Murnane Casting (Casting).

The KINKY BOOTS creative team includes Tony and Grammy Award-winner Stephen Oremus (Arrangements and Orchestrations), Tony Award-winner David Rockwell (Scenic Design), Tony Award-winner Gregg Barnes (Costume Design), Tony Award-winner Kenneth Posner (Lighting Design), Tony Award-winner Gareth Owen (Sound Design), and Josh Marquette (Hair Design). 

The Grammy Award-winning Original Broadway Cast Recording of KINKY BOOTS is available on Sony Masterworks Broadway. The original Broadway production of KINKY BOOTS was produced by Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig, James L. Nederlander, Terry Allen Kramer, Independent Presenters Network, CJ E&M, Jayne Baron Sherman, Just for Laughs Theatricals/Judith Ann Abrams, Yasuhiro Kawana, Jane Bergère, Allan S. Gordon & Adam S. Gordon, Ken Davenport, Hunter Arnold, Lucy and Phil Suarez, Bryan Bantry, Ron Fierstein and Dorsey Regal, Jim Kierstead/Gregory Rae, BB Group/Christina Papagjika, Michael DeSantis/Patrick Baugh, Brian Smith/Tom and Connie Walsh, Warren Trepp and Jujamcyn Theaters. 

KINKY BOOTS is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. 

For additional show information and tour dates, visit KinkyBootsMusical.com. 

For booking inquiries, contact The Road Company: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; 212.302.5200 

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesday, June 9 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, June 10 – 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, June 11 – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, June 12 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 13 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 14 – 1:00 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 16 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, June 17 – 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, June 18 – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, June 19 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 20 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 21 – 1:00 p.m.

TICKET INFORMATION (as of April 9, based on availability and subject to change)
Individual tickets for KINKY BOOTS will go on sale on Monday, March 30 and range from $49.00 - $126.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. Ticket price listed is when purchased in person at the box office. Additional fees apply for online purchases. 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 26 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, The Auditorium, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place.
 

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

Lookingglass Theatre Company, in keeping with its celebrated tradition of bringing to life Ensemble-created new work, presents the world premiere of Untitled Vampire Play, written by Ensemble Member Kevin Douglas and directed by Devon DeMayo. Concluding the company's 2025-2026 season, Untitled Vampire Play runs June 4 – July 12, 2026. Tickets for the production start at $33 and are available for purchase at lookingglasstheatre.org and 312.337.0665. 

Think you've got baggage? Try dating when you have centuries of relationship history and a literal body count. Sink your teeth into Lookingglass Theatre's sharply funny world premiere where the only thing more frightening than vampires (and a serial killer on the loose) is having to meet your new in-laws. This romantic-comedy-meets-horror-story explores love, commitment, codependency...and, of course, vampires.

"The genesis of Untitled Vampire Play came to me on my way to a funeral, oddly enough. I was pondering death and the big question, 'How do two people with different but unwavering convictions make a relationship work?'," notes playwright Kevin Douglas. "Using familiar vampire lore, I wanted to create a world where vampires deal with real human problems to both comedic and tragic effect." 

"I've long admired Kevin's work for its high theatricality, humor and heart. His work is delightfully sneaky; it has us laughing one minute and shocks and awes us the next," comments director Devon DeMayo. "Only Kevin can write a show about vampires that makes an audience feel so alive! By weaving romance, horror, and familial drama, Kevin's play grabs you by the throat and keeps you guessing."

Untitled Vampire Play features ensemble members Walter Briggs (Roderick) and Kareem Bandealy (Louie/Lance) alongside Courtney Rikki Green (Val), Jordan Anthony Arredondo (Dom), Jin Park (Rose/Alexa), and Cynthia Kaye McWilliams (Alicia/Douchey Dude).

The creative team includes Alyssa Mohn (Scenic Designer), Theresa Ham (Costume Designer), Jason Lynch (Lighting Designer), Andre Pluess (Sound Designer), Benjamin Barnes (Magic/Illusion Designer), Rachel Flesher (Fight/Intimacy Director), and Martine Kei Green-Rogers (Dramaturg).

Untitled Vampire Play                            

Written by:  Lookingglass Ensemble Member Kevin Douglas
Directed by: Devon DeMayo

Featuring:  Ensemble members Walter Briggs (Roderick) and Kareem Bandealy (Louie/Lance) alongside Courtney Rikki Green (Val), Jordan Anthony Arredondo (Dom), Jin Park (Rose/Alexa), and Cynthia Kaye McWilliams (Alicia/Douchey Dude).

Creatives:  Alyssa Mohn (Scenic Designer), Theresa Ham (Costume Designer), Jason Lynch (Lighting Designer), Andre Pluess (Sound Designer), Benjamin Barnes (Magic/Illusion Designer), Rachel Flesher (Fight/Intimacy Director), and Martine Kei Green-Rogers (Dramaturg).

Dates:                                      

Previews: June 4-12, 2026

Regular run: June 14-July 12, 2026

Community Nights: To Be Announced

Schedule:   

Tuesdays: 7:30 p.m. (only June 16 and July 30)                                                       

Wednesdays:               7:30 p.m.

Thursdays:                   2:00 p.m. (except June 4 and 11) and 7:30p.m.

 Fridays:                       7:30 p.m. (except June 19)

Saturdays:                    2:00 p.m. (except June 6, 13 and July 4) and 7:30 p.m. (except June 13 and July 4)

Sundays:                      2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. (only July 5)

Box Office: Buy online at lookingglasstheatre.org or by phone at 312.337.0665

The Lookingglass box office is located at Water Tower Water Works, 163 E Pearson St at Michigan Ave

Accessibility at Lookingglass Theatre Company
Lookingglass Theatre Company is committed to making its performances accessible to all audiences. Each mainstage production offers open captioning, audio-described performances with Touch Tours, and mask-required performances. Discounted $35 tickets are available for each accessible performance using the codes below at lookingglasstheatre.org.

Open Captioning                                   Wednesday, July 1 at 7:30 p.m.             Use code CAPTION
Audio-Described/Touch Tour                 Thursday, July 9 at 2 p.m.                      Use code AUDIO
Mask-Required                                     Wednesday, June 24 at 7:30 p.m.          Use code MASK

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

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

About Lookingglass Theatre Company

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

George Sidney, the prolific 20^th Century movie director who helmed the 1952 movie version of Rafael Sabatini's 1921 novel SCARAMOUCHE as well as Hollywood musicals from SHOW BOAT to VIVA LAS VEGAS, is reported to have said, "I always thought SCARAMOUCHE should be a musical." And now it is. The world premiere musical adaptation of SCARAMOUCHE, with music and lyrics by City Lit Artistic Associate Kingsley Day and book by Day and James Glossman, will close City Lit's 45^th season, playing from May 1 to June 14. The classic adventure story follows the exploits of a sardonic provincial lawyer who is radicalized by his friend's brutal murder on the eve of the French Revolution. He repeatedly evades disaster by taking on a series of new identities—first as an insurgent orator, then a traveling comic actor, and finally a master swordsman. Beth Wolf, recently named one of New City's "Players 2026: 50 People Who Really Perform for Chicago," will direct this full-scale, swashbuckling musical that will take audiences to 18^th Century France with such visual delights as sword fighting, Commedia dell'arte, projections, and costumes of the French elite and peasantry. A score of some 30 musical numbers will be performed by a 10-person cast with extensive musical theater credits from across the Chicagoland areas, accompanied by a three-piece pit band. 

 
Cast in the title role as Andre-Louis Moreau, the young lawyer from Britanny who assumes a secret identity as Scaramouche, will be Ethan Smith, seen recently in Music Theater Works' GODSPELL. The story will be told by a troupe of players, led by their Manager, who will be played by Actors' Equity member Henry Michael Odum. Odum has played such iconic musical theater roles as Fagin in OLIVER! (Citadel Theatre) and The Narrator/Mysterious Man in INTO THE WOODS (Porchlight). Odum will additionally play Gavrillac, Moreau's godfather – a man who many believe is secretly Moreau's father. Gavrillac's orphaned niece Aline will be played by Laura Michele Erle, who earlier this year was Mina in Lazy Susan's DRACULA: A COMEDY OF TERRORS. Erle's character Aline is betrothed to the powerful nobleman Marquis de la Tour, who challenges Moreau's best friend, the idealistic Phillipe (Conor Ripperger of GODSPELL, PIPPIN and LEGALLY BLONDE with Music Theater Works), to an outrageously lopsided dual, killing him. De la Tour will be played by Kent Joseph, who is experienced in playing French villains, having been cast twice as Frollo in THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (Music Theater Works and Metropolis Arts Center). 

The cast also includes Alicia Berneche (Penelope Pennywise in URINETOWN for Theo Ubique) as Madame de Sautron, Shea Lee (THE CONDUCTORS, Lifeline) as Columbine, Ed Rutherford (Pseudolus in A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, Madkap Productions) as Chapelier, India Huy (URINETOWN, Theo Ubique) as Climene, and Rushil Byatnal (THE UNKNOWN VARIABLE, Momentary Theatre) as Pierrot. Understudies are Ryan Smetana (u/s Moreau), Brian James (u/s Manager, Gavrillac), Matthew Benenson Cruz (u/s Marquis de la Tour), Will Ehrlich (u/s Philippe), Alex Stetkevich (u/s Aline), and Emma Jean Eastlund (u/s Madame de Sautron).

Kingsley Day's many musical theater works include the one-act musical "Text Me," produced at City Lit in 2024; and with Philip LaZebnik, the musicals SUMMER STOCK MURDER and STATE STREET (the latter produced at City Lit in 2012). Co-Bookwriter James Glossman enjoyed a two-decade-long collaboration with author and journalist Jim Lehrer that included the plays KICK THE CAN, THE SPECIAL PRISONER, and FLYING CROWS. More recently, he collaborated with actor Tom Hanks on the plays SAFE HOME and THIS WORLD OF TOMORROW. SCARAMOUCHE will be directed by Beth Wolf, two-time Jeff nominee for Direction (for OUTSIDE MULLINGAR and SILENT SKY at Citadel Theatre) and Founding Artistic Director of Midsommer Flight. SCARAMOUCHE will open to the press on Saturday, May 9 at 7:30 pm, following previews from May 1 and will play through June 14, 2026.

The designers who will bring the look of late 18^th Century France to City Lit's stage in Edgewater are Trevor Dotson (Scenic Designer), Jackson Mikkelsen (Lighting Designer), Jennifer Mohr (Costume Designer, Commedia Consultant), Meg X. McGrath (Props Designer), Kevin Zhou (Music Director), Tyeese Braslavsky (Assistant Music Director), DJ Douglass (Projections Designer), Maureen Yasko (Violence and Intimacy Design), Ray Post (Assistant Director). The production team also includes Grace Elizabeth Mealey (Stage Manager), Dylan Hirt (Assistant Stage Manager), Alexa Berkowitz (Production Manager), Becca Holloway (Casting Director), Teseela Sokolin-Maimon (Technical Director), Sara Johnson (Production Electrician), Bruce Bennett (Scenic Charge), and Aubrey Pierce (Production Carpenter).

Tickets to SCARAMOUCHE are priced at $37 for previews and $45 for regular performances and may be ordered online at www.citylit.org or purchased over the phone by calling 773-293-3682. Senior prices are $5.00 off regular prices. Students and military are $22.00 for all performances.