Displaying items by tag: youth theatre

 Two final shows in August mark the end-of-summer culmination of Collaboraction Theatre’s The Light youth training program.

Look for The Light at Lollapalooza’s Kidzapalooza Thursday, July 30 through Sunday, August 2 at Grant Park. The Luminaries, Collaboraction’s continuing education program for graduates of The Light, ages 18 to 23, will also perform, with both ensembles headlining three interactive shows daily inside the Collaboraction Tent. Roaming circus performers, bubble zones, a magician and immersive experiences for kids and families will emphasize respect, belonging and collaboration are also part of Collaboraction’s family-friendly destination at Lollapalooza.

Then, on Friday and Saturday, August 8 and 9 at 3 p.m., The Light will present Supernova, a final end-of-summer showcase of their blinding talents as artists and activists. Enjoy original spoken word pieces, theatrical group shorts, live music and dance. Tickets are $10 students; $25 adults. 

Now in its fifth year, Collaboraction’s The Light empowers Chicago high schoolers to become professional artists and thoughtful leaders in their communities. The youth are paid to pick their social justice platforms, then create and perform pieces for peace around the city, making the program part performing arts, part creative workforce development. Collaboraction’s 2026 ensemble – 19 Chicago high schoolers from all over the city, intent on becoming both skilled performers and positive social change makers – is the company’s largest ever, and you don’t want to miss their youthful exuberance, artistry and calls for positive change. 

“Last night we welcomed bands across Chicago to the Chicago Student Radio Collective’s first-ever Student Summer Showcase, said Collaboraction Artistic Director Anthony Moseley.  “CSRC is a group of CPS high school student radio stations from Jones, Northside and Whitney Young, and more than 70 Chicago teens spent a summer night in our House of Belonging enjoying live music, snacks and a space run by teens, for teens. So whether it’s our own youth programs, or other nonprofits using our space for youth gatherings and shows, Collaboraction’s House of Belonging is already becoming just that. A third space. A safe space. A space that welcomes all audiences, including Chicago youth.”

Collaboraction’s new House of Belonging anchors the Kimball Arts Center, 1757 N. Kimball Ave. in Humboldt Park. Open since February, audiences, artists, activists, families, teens and the Humboldt Park community are discovering the company’s new home, a sleek, 4,000-square foot space with a 99-seat flexible studio theater and a 50-seat cabaret with cafe and bar.

So come to Collaboraction’s House of Belonging in August and enjoy theater, music, art, spoken word, youth performances, and more. Free and nearby street parking is available. For CTA riders, Collaboraction is a short walk from the Kimball stop on the 72 North and 73 Armitage bus lines, and/or the 82 Kimball-Homan bus stops right in front of Kimball Arts Center. For bikers and pedestrians, The 606’s Kimball trailhead leads directly to the Kimball Arts Center. 

What’s “more”? Go to collaboraction.org where you can also get tickets to (online ticket fees apply):

Kao Ra Zan and Marisela Tapia present

TALISMÁN: An Evening of Poetry and Flamenco

Friday, August 7 at 7 p.m.
Tickets: $20

TALISMÁN is an evening of poetry and  flamenco presented by artists Kao Ra Zen and Marisela   Tapia, featuring flamenco guitarist Andrea Salcedo, saxophonist Mark Nagy, and modular

synth player, Neil Jendon. Inspired by the talisman’s transformational powers, Kao and Marisela weave through spoken word, live music and dance, exploring personal and universal narratives.

Presented as part of Collaboraction’s You Belong Here series.

Bilingual Improv School presents
¡El Showcase! 

Wednesday, August 12 at 7 p.m.
Tickets: $10

¡El Showcase! is a fully improvised comedy show that showcases the talented students of Bilingual Improv School, the only place where students can take an improv class... pero like en Espanglish. All are welcome to enjoy this show regardless of their level of fluency in Spanish or English. ¡El Showcase! is hosted by Rudy Mendoza and presented as part of Collaboraction’s You Belong Here series. Learn more and register for classes at bilingualimprovschool.com.

Silver October’s
HEARTFELT HARDCORE
Friday, August 14 at 8 p.m.

Tickets: $10

HEARTFELT HARDCORE is a night of hard dance music with an emphasis on emotional melodies and contemplative chord progressions. Deep grooves and hard bass can be heard across this five-artist lineup, highlighting but not limited to Jungle, Gabber, Breakcore, Hardcore, and Trance music. Come early and stay late to hear some of Chicago's finest selectors from the underground rave scene. Part of Collaboraction’s You Belong Here series.

The Luminaries present

RADIATE

Tuesday, August 18

6 p.m. creative workshop and sign up; 7 p.m. open mic
Free

RADIATE is Collaboraction’s monthly open mic series produced by The Luminaries, alums of Collaboraction’s The Light youth ensemble. Each event begins with a guided workshop that invites participants to explore a theme or social change concept through art and reflection. The Luminaries then open the floor for performances from local artists, students, and community members, closing the night with a showcased featured artist. 

The Frequency

A monthly series curated by DJ Lady D

With special guest Dr. Media McNeal, Director, Honey Pot Performance

Presented by Collaboraction and Group Sounds
Wednesday, August 19

Doors open at 7 p.m.

Program at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $5-$20

The Frequency is a new monthly gathering series where culture, wellness, creativity, and collective healing come together, curated by internationally renowned DJ, TEDx speaker, Recording Academy Chicago Governor and Collaboraction Executive Director DJ Lady D.
 

This month, Lady D invites audiences to explore “pleasure” as meaning making, embodied liberation, and as a connective tissue of human relation. She’s joined by special guest Dr. Meida McNeal, Director, Honey Pot Performance, an Afro-feminist collective dedicated to critical performance and public humanities. Drawing on Honey Pot Performance’s creative production in progress, “Pleasure Power Portal,” this workshop invites participants to engage in an experience blending ritual, performance, and storytelling,

In addition to serving as Director of Honey Pot Performance, Dr. Meida Teresa McNeal works with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events as the Deputy Commissioner of the Cultural Grants & Resources Division. Previously, McNeal served as Senior Manager of Art and Community Impact Investments at DCASE where she launched the Chicago Arts and Health Pilot Program for Creative Workers (now publicly known as Healing Arts Chicago). 

The People’s Pot & Pantry
Monday, August 24

Doors open at 4 p.m.

Free

In an effort to build community ties, strengthen mutual visibility, and battle food insecurity in the performing arts, community members are invited to Collaboraction to dine on their “dark day.” At The People’s Pot & Pantry, guests enjoy a free hearty meal featuring locally grown produce, browse the pantry for free items and bring their own containers to take home prepared food for the week. The People’s Pot & Pantry is facilitated by Global Hive Laboratories with Cedillo’s Fresh Produce, a family-run farm located in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood. For more, visit globalhivelabs.org. To contact the organisers, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Darshita Jain and Ghutarghoo Productions present
Roomani

Tuesday, August 25

6 p.m. socializing; 6:30 p.m. performance

Tickets: $15

Roomani is a literary reading series in Humboldt Park centered around immigrants, QTBIPOC poets and disabled writers. This is a generous generative space for spoken word poetry, writing and community building. The first iteration includes poets Shivani Gupta, Darshita Jain and more to be announced. 

Darshita Jain is a poet, journalist and an arts worker. She works to build equitable systems within the arts and her work takes the shape of administration, production, outreach and grassroots PR. She has been producing literary events for more than a decade now. She can be found planning more literary work with Ghutarghoo productions, supporting the Chicago Poetry Center through her board work and performing across the city of Chicago. Part of Collaboraction’s You Belong Here series.

Max and Binkey: The Funktion

Wednesday, August 26

7 p.m. doors open; 8 p.m. show 

$15

The Funktion is a non-stop hilarious, immersive, variety show hosted by two of Chicago’s favorites, Max and Binkey. The show is created for the community, by the community. It’s the perfect blend of improv, stand-up, live music, with a block party feel. You’ll walk away from this show gaining new friends, new favorite artists, and excited to come back for more. Part of Collaboraction’s You Belong Here series.

Kimball Arts Center presents
Find Art Friday!
Friday, August 28, 6-8 p.m.
Free

It’s the last Friday of the month, so join Collaboraction and the tenants of the Kimball Arts Center as we open our doors so you can peek inside! Your first stop: Collaboraction’s bar and lounge.

Bilingual Improv School presents
Cómo Se Dice?

Friday, August 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $20

"Cómo se dice?" is a monthly bilingual short-form improv show featuring a rotating cast of  professional bilingual actors and comedians including Cesar Jaime (Chicago Med), Jess Martinez (Ratas de Dos Patas) and Licinio Garcia (Antojitos). The show is a throwback to the classic TV series,  "Whose line is it anyway?" but in Spanglish. Cómo Se Dice? is hosted by Rudy Mendoza and is a premium production of the Bilingual Improv School. Presented as part of Collaboraction’s You Belong Here series. Learn more and register for classes at bilingualimprovschool.com.

In addition to its own programs, Collaboraction’s You Belong Here series provides a home for independent artists and groups at any stage in their career, with an emphasis on those who live in proximity to the Kimball Arts Center in Humboldt Park. Curated by company member Sandra Delgado, You Belong Here takes the barriers out of self-producing by providing free space and equipment, stage management, marketing and PR support and a generous door split model. To learn more or submit a performance proposal, visit collaboraction.org/you-belong-here.

About Collaboraction

Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026, Collaboraction is an award-winning Chicago theater company that uses immersive, socially conscious performance to spark change and build equity. Across all platforms, Collaboraction uses its KEDA methodology - Knowledge, Empathy, Dialogue, and Action - to spark changes in behavior and attitudes that manifest social change.

Collaboraction’s past work includes NBC Chicago’s three-time Emmy Award-winning The Lost Story of Emmett Till: Trial in the Delta, the resulting live stage play film, Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till, live productions of Crime Scene, Moonset Sunrise, A Blue Island In the Red Sea, its annual Peacebook and Sketchbook festivals, and its youth ensembles, The Light and The Luminaries.

Collaboraction is led by Darlene Jackson, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director; Anthony Moseley, Chief Programming Officer and Artistic Director; and a dedicated board, company members and staff.  For more information, visit collaboraction.org or follow Collaboraction on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Bluesky.