Displaying items by tag: chicago theatre

Chicago continues to produce some of the most exciting work in the country this Summer, offering a wide variety of plays and musicals, as well as comedy, dance, music, and more. To highlight these productions, The League of Chicago Theatres is publishing its Summer Theatre Guide, which showcases more than 100 productions; not just in Chicago's iconic theatre districts, but also across vibrant suburban communities. From Oak Park to Naperville, Glenview to Des Plaines, theatres across the region offer top-tier performances that make it easier than ever to experience the magic of live theatre close to home.

For additional details about this summer's performances and the Summer Theatre Guide visit the League of Chicago Theatres website, ChicagoPlays.com. Many summer shows will also be available at HotTix.org, Chicago's local, discounted ticketing service.

The following is a selection of notable work playing in Chicago this Summer, organized by location.

A selection of productions playing in theatres located Downtown are:

Brokeback Mountain

Chicago Shakespeare Theater

May 28 – June 28, 2026

When Ennis and Jack take jobs on the isolated Brokeback Mountain, all their certainties of life change forever as they flounder in unexpected emotional waters. This intense tale of a hidden love spans 20 years and is interwoven with soulful, original Country Western songs, performed live onstage.

Eugene Onegin

The Joffrey Ballet at Lyric Opera House

June 4 – 14, 2026

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century Russian society, this cautionary tale follows the enigmatic and aloof aristocrat after his fateful encounter with the earnest Tatiana. Richly layered and deeply human, Eugene Onegin explores the fragility of the human heart and how unspoken words can shape destinies.

Untitled Vampire Play

Lookingglass Theatre Company

June 4-July 12, 2026

This romantic-comedy-meets-horror-story world premiere by Kevin Douglas explores love, commitment, codependency...and, of course, vampires.

Champions of Magic

Studebaker Theater in the Fine Arts Building

June 6 – July 5, 2026

The production that critics have described as 'the most spectacular show,' 'two hours of mind-twisting, logic-defying entertainment' and 'the summer blockbuster of magic shows.'

SUFFS

Broadway In Chicago at CIBC Theatre

June 7– 19, 2026

Direct from Broadway comes the acclaimed Tony Award®-winning musical Suffs about the brilliant, passionate, and funny American women who fought tirelessly for the right to vote.

Kinky Boots

Broadway In Chicago at the James M. Nederlander Theatre

June 9 - 21, 2026

Kinky Boots follows the journey of two people with nothing in common—or so they think. As Charlie and Lola work together to turn a shoe factory around, this unlikely pair finds that they have more in common than they realized.

Iceboy!

Goodman Theatre

June 20 – July 26, 2026

Broadway's brightest star of 1938, Vera Vimm, is at the top of her game. But when she adopts a 40,000-year-old Neanderthal discovered frozen in the Arctic, the spotlight begins to shift. As Iceboy thaws, he unexpectedly becomes a theatrical sensation, inspiring Eugene O'Neill and challenging his legendary mother for center stage.

A Musical Tribute to John Williams & Steven Spielberg

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

June 23, 2026

Celebrate the legendary collaboration between composer John Williams and filmmaker Steven Spielberg. From Jurassic Park and Jaws to Indiana Jones and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, the scores born of this 50-year creative partnership have captured imaginations around the world.

Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

June 25 – 27, 2026

Embark on an epic adventure to a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars: A New Hope! Experience the iconic film like never before as CSO performs John Williams' legendary Oscar-winning score live.

& Juliet

Broadway in Chicago at Auditorium Theatre

July 22 - August 2, 2026

Break free of the balcony scene and get into this romantic comedy that proves there's life after Romeo. The only thing tragic would be missing it.

Theatres are located in almost every neighborhood in Chicago.  A selection of productions playing throughout Chicago are:

Always...Patsy Cline

American Blues Theater

Playing through June 13, 2026

This musical play, complete with down home country humor and big-heart ed emotion, includes hits "Crazy," "I Fall to Pieces," "Sweet Dreams," "Walkin' After Midnight" and more!

LOKI-The End of the World Tour

Lifeline Theatre

Playing through June 13, 2026

In this World Premiere musical, Loki arrives at Asgard, bringing chaos, comedy, and three monstrous (maybe) children. In an us vs. them world, can we envision a new mythology?

The Targeted

A Red Orchid Theatre at Chopin Theatre

Playing through June 14, 2026

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.

OCTET

Raven Theatre Company

Playing through June 14, 2026

Hailed by the New York Times as "the most original and topical musical of the year" for its 2019 Off Broadway premiere, this inventive and acutely relevant piece reflects the perils of the digital age.

Antigone

Promethean Theatre Ensemble at The Den Theatre

May 31 - June 27, 2026

A timely production of the classic WW2 era adaptation made all the more relevant by recent local and national events.

Catch As Catch Can

Steppenwolf Theatre Company

June 4 - July 12, 2026

When a prodigal son returns to blue collar New England, his homecoming sets off a spiraling crisis for two families, threatening not only their relationships but their very identities. Spanning hilarity, stunning virtuosity and outright horror, this ferocious Chicago premiere—featuring an all-ensemble cast—must be witnessed to be believed.

As You Like It

Midsommer Flight

June 26 – August 2, 2026

Free outdoor performances of Shakespeare's As You Like It will be presented outdoors in six Chicago Parks District parks – Chicago Women's Park and Gardens, Gross Park, Nichols Park, Kelvyn Park, Winnemac Park, and Touhy Park. Banished from court by her uncle, Rosalind escapes to the Forest of Arden, where she disguises herself as man in order to win over her lover by trying to convince him he should forget her. Audiences are encouraged to come early and bring a picnic to enjoy this free programming.

Hair

Kokandy Productions at Chopin Theatre

July 2 - September 13, 2026

Exploring ideas of identity, community, global responsibility and peace, Hair remains relevant as ever as it examines what it means to be a young person in a changing world.

Marble
Gift Theatre at Copernicus Center

August 2 – August 30, 2026

Marble follows two married couples, Ben and Catherine, and their friends Art and Anne, whose comfortable lives begin to splinter after a shared dream triggers suspicion and desire.

A surreal and haunting exploration of two couples whose lives collide through shared dreams, this production anchors the company's homecoming to the neighborhood where it was founded.

Productions playing in the suburbs of Chicago include:

Nunsense
Drury Lane Theatre

June 10 – August 2, 2026

Get ready to laugh the summer away with nuns from the Little Sisters of Hoboken. This beloved revue, directed by E. Faye Butler, will have you in stitches as the five sisters stage a variety show fundraiser filled with outrageous musical numbers and zany comedy. 

A Little Night Music

Marriott Theatre

Playing June 17 – August 9, 2026

Set in 1900 Sweden, A Little Night Music explores the tangled web of affairs centered around actress Desirée Armfeldt, and the men who love her. Amid a flurry of jealousy and suspicion, infinite possibilities of new romances and second chances bring endless surprises. Stephen Sondheim's witty, brilliant masterpiece.

Leopoldstadt

Writers Theatre

June 4 - July 19, 2026

At the dawn of the 20th century, Vienna is the heart of European culture. While an extended family gathers in the elegant Merz home for the holidays, two brothers-in-law passionately debate their conflicting visions for the future of their family and the Jewish people–a tension that will echo through the generations that follow.

The Producers

BrightSide Theatre at Theatre at Meiley-Swallow Hall

June 12 – 28, 2026

Mel Brooks' outrageous musical comedy about two schemers trying to stage the biggest Broadway flop of all time—only to accidentally create a smash hit!

The Last Five Years

Oil Lamp Theater

June 6 - July 5, 2026

This widely beloved show takes audiences on the romantic rollercoaster of Jamie and Cathy as they fall in...and out of love over the last five years.

BEAUTIFUL: The Carole King Musical

Highland Park Players at McGrath Family Performing Arts

July 17 – 26, 2026

Before she was hit-maker Carole King—she was Carole Klein, a spunky, young songwriter from Brooklyn with a unique voice. Beautiful: The Carole King Musical takes you back to where it all began and takes you on the ride of a lifetime. 

For a comprehensive list of Chicago productions, visit the League of Chicago Theatres website, ChicagoPlays.com. Available discounted tickets will be listed at HotTix.org.

About Chicago theatre 

Chicago theatre is the leader in the U.S. with more than 250 theatres throughout Chicagoland, comprising a rich and varied community ranging from storefront, non-union theatres to the most renowned resident theatres in the country, including 6 which have been honored with Regional Tony Awards, and the largest touring Broadway organization in the nation. Chicago's theatres serve 5 million audience members annually and have a combined budget of more than $250 million. Chicago produces and/or presents more world premieres annually than any other city in the nation. Each year Chicago theatres send new work to resident theatres across the country, to Broadway, and around the world. For more information, visit www.chicagoplays.com.

The League of Chicago Theatres' Mission Statement

Theatre is essential to the life of a great city and to its citizens. The League of Chicago Theatres is an alliance of theatres, which leverages its collective strength to support, promote and advocate for Chicago's theatre industry. Through our work, we ensure that theatre continues to thrive in our city.

Hot off their record-breaking, award-winning runs of Jekyll & Hyde and Amélie, Kokandy Productions is pleased to launch its 2026 Season with the revolutionary "love-rock" musical HAIR, playing July 2 – September 13, 2026 on The Chopin Theatre Mainstage, 1543 W. Division St. in Chicago. Directed and choreographed by Brennan Urbi with music direction by Kara Olander, HAIR features book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni & James Rado and music by Galt MacDermot. Tickets are on sale now at kokandyproductions.com or bit.ly/HairChicago.  

Uniting for an exhilarating summer of peace, love and fury, HAIR features Gavin Rhys as Claude, Catherine Rodriguez O'Connor as Sheila, Zac Richey as Berger, Amy Yesom Kim as Crissy, Chosen Mitchell as Dionne, Stone Teselle as Woof, Nicki Rossi as Jeannie and Joshua Emmanuel as Hud with an ensemble including Diana Marilyn Alvarez, Shayla Florence, Niki-Charisse Franco, Isadora Coco Gonzalez, Wolfie J, Matteo Palm, Quinn Simmons and Kijani X.

Swings include Morgan Barber, Kevin Chlapecka, Allyriane Huq, Mizha Lee Overn, Víctór López, Jack Saunders and Maliha Sayed.

About the Production

The American tribal love rock musical HAIR celebrates the sixties counterculture in all its barefoot, long-haired, bell-bottomed, beaded and fringed glory. To an infectiously energetic rock beat, the show wows audiences with songs like "Aquarius," "Good Morning, Starshine," "Hair," "I Got Life" and "Let The Sunshine In." Exploring ideas of identity, community, global responsibility and peace, HAIR remains relevant as ever as it examines what it means to be a young person in a changing world.

Director and choreographer Brennan Urbi comments, "This is a show about chosen family and active community, exploring how we can build support and fight for each other – no matter the generation, place or time. We have a knockout cast who are ready to rock! By building today's versions of these well-known characters, we're going to find out how this iconic '60s score reverberates all the way to Summer 2026."

The production team includes Eleanor Kahn (Scenic Design), Rachel Sypniewski (Costume Design), G "Max" Maxin IV (Lighting Design), Matt Reich (Sound Design), Lauren Ramos (Properties Design), Syd Genco (Makeup Design), Keith Ryan (Wig Design), Kirsten Baity (Intimacy Director), Chels Morgan (Cultural Competency Specialist), Shane Roberie (Casting Director), Nicholas Reinhart (Production Manager), Kendyl Meyer (Associate Production Manager), David Moreland (Technical Director), Lynsy Folckomer  (A1), Alfonso Moreno (A2), Shelby Burgus (Stage Manager), Yasmeen "Yaz" Abiad (Assistant Stage Manager), Michael Coppola (Stage Management Intern), Scot Kokandy (Executive Producer) and Derek Van Barham (Producing Artistic Director).

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Title: HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical

Book and Lyrics: Gerome Ragni & James Rado

Music: Galt MacDermot

Director and Choreographer: Brennan Urbi

Music Director: Kara Olander

Cast (in alphabetical order): Diana Marilyn Alvarez (Ensemble), Joshua Emmanuel (Hud), Shayla Florence (Ensemble), Niki-Charisse Franco (Ensemble), Isadora Coco Gonzalez (Ensemble), Wolfie J (Ensemble), Amy Yesom Kim (Crissy), Chosen Mitchell (Dionne), Catherine Rodriguez O'Connor (Sheila), Matteo Palm (Ensemble), Gavin Rhys (Claude), Zac Richey (Berger), Nicki Rossi (Jeannie), Quinn Simmons (Ensemble), Stone Teselle (Woof) and Kijani X (Ensemble).

Swings: Morgan Barber, Kevin Chlapecka, Allyriane Huq, Mizha Lee Overn, Víctór López, Jack Saunders and Maliha Sayed.

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

Dates: Previews: Thursday, July 2 – Friday, July 17, 2026

Regular run: Sunday, July 19 – Sunday, September 13, 3026

Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm; Sundays at 5 pm. Please note: there will not be a performance on Saturday, July 4; there will be an added performance on Monday, July 6 at 7 pm.

Tickets: Previews $28.52* general admission, $39.19* reserved seating. Regular run $55.20* general admission, $65.87* reserved seating. Students/seniors $44.52*. There will be a limited number of lower-priced tickets (with code ARTIST) available to artists for each performance. Tickets are on sale now at kokandyproductions.com or bit.ly/HairChicago. *Ticket prices include processing fees

HAIR is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC.

www.concordtheatricals.com

About the Artists

Brennan Urbi (Director and Choreographer) is a stage artist who works with community members, artists and actors alike to build a process specific to the questions and skill sets of the group. B's NYC credits include Into the Woods, Macbeth, Strays, (un)belonging*, Blood Grudge, Electric World, My Best Friend's Cabaret, Singing Lessons, iii sisters, Connection is Unstable, The Munchies, Leo's Requiem and Alley Between the House. Assistant on Blackout Songs (MCC) I think Big Cat... (Roundabout). In Chicago, B directed Half-Baked, The Beauty of Your Eyes and Civics and Humanities and assisted productions including Spring Awakening, Children of Eden, Hair and Another Room in Your Head.  MFA Directing Columbia University, Recipient of the Neo-Futurist Artist of Color scholarship, BFA Acting Chicago College of Performing Art. Founding member of Pick Six. www.brennanurbi.com @brennan_urbi.

Kara Olander (Music Director) is a multi-instrumentalist, music director and actor in the Chicago area. As a pit musician of many years, her mission is to foster a band and cast that feels empowered to groove in their own individuality. Past shows include Always, Patsy Cline (Drury Lane), Amélie (Kokandy), Porchlight Sings the Season (Porchlight Music Theatre), LOKI: The End of the World Tour (Lifeline Theatre), Rock of Ages (Metropolis), Tell Me On a Sunday (Theo Ubique) and Houston, You Have a Problem (Streamline Theatre). 

About Kokandy Productions

Founded in 2010, Kokandy Productions seeks to leverage the heightened reality of musical theatre to tell complex and challenging stories, with a focus on contributing to the development of Chicago-based musical theatre artists, and raising the profile of Chicago's non-Equity musical theatre community.

The company's artistic staff is comprised of Derek Van Barham (Producing Artistic Director), Scot Kokandy (Executive Producer) and Adrian Abel Azevedo & Leda Hoffman (Artistic Associates). The Board of Directors includes Preston Cropp, Scot T. Kokandy, Danielle Sparklin and Katie Svaicer. 

For additional information, visit kokandyproductions.com. 

Spaceman, presented by [producingbody], touches down at The Edge Off-Broadway with a quiet, unnerving force, pulling audiences into the fragile headspace of an astronaut drifting far from home and even farther from certainty. Under Eric Slater’s beautifully calibrated direction, playwright Leegrid Stevens’ one‑woman odyssey becomes less a sci‑fi spectacle than a psychological excavation, using isolation, sound, and the illusion of the vastness of space to illuminate the even vaster, far more treacherous terrain of the human mind. What unfolds is intimate, disorienting, and strangely beautiful - a mission that feels as internal as it is interstellar.

Commander Molly Jennis, played with raw precision by Ashley Neal, anchors the entire piece, and Stevens places her in a cockpit that feels less like a command center and more like a sealed chamber where every thought ricochets back at her. Seven months from Earth and en route to Mars on a mission meant to help establish the first human colony, Molly exists in a liminal space where even the simplest exchange with Houston (a.k.a. Rob, voiced by Slater) arrives with a ten‑minute delay. That communication gap becomes its own form of psychological erosion - a constant reminder of how far she’s drifted from help, from home, and from anything resembling real‑time human connection.

But Molly’s mission is no longer just scientific. It’s personal. In this adaptation, the script’s original husband Harry is affectingly reimagined as Ari, Molly’s wife - also an astronaut - who died in a catastrophic space mishap, a loss that shattered her sense of purpose and left her clinging to a belief that borders on spiritual desperation. Convinced that Mars is the gateway to the afterlife, she pushes forward not only to complete her assignment but in the hope of finding Ari waiting for her on the other side of the red planet’s dust and silence. That longing becomes the engine of the play, fueling her resolve even as it accelerates her unraveling.

Life aboard the ship only intensifies that disintegration. Molly faces a barrage of indignities and challenges that chip away at her humanity: the crushing loneliness of months without touch or immediacy; the numbing boredom of endless routines; the hygiene compromises of sponge baths and wipes in place of a shower; and the messy, often humiliating realities of zero‑gravity bathroom logistics that turn even basic bodily functions into small disasters. These details aren’t played for cheap laughs - they’re reminders of how fragile the body becomes when stripped of comfort, privacy, and gravity itself. Each inconvenience compounds her grief, her remoteness, and her growing conviction that the only meaningful destination left is the one where Ari might be found.

Neal channels all of this with remarkable control. Her Molly is a woman split between duty and delusion, the clipped professionalism of a trained astronaut slowly fraying into paranoia, longing, and hallucinatory hope. Neal’s performance is built on micro‑shifts - the tightening of her jaw, the flicker of yearning behind her eyes, the way her voice strains to maintain authority even as her internal compass spins. She makes Molly’s belief in Ari’s presence feel both irrational and heartbreakingly human.

The plot circles her in increasingly suffocating loops, blurring memory, mission, and metaphysical longing until the audience is never quite sure what’s real and what’s the product of a psyche pushed past its limits. Yet even within that pressure, the play finds brief, unexpected flickers of levity - small human moments that remind us Molly is still fighting to stay tethered to herself. It’s a performance - and a character - shaped as much by silence, distance, bodily strain, and cosmic grief as by the script itself.

Ashley Neal in SPACEMAN from [producingbody] now playing through June 13 at The Edge Off-Broadway.

The production design at The Edge Off‑Broadway becomes an essential partner in Molly’s unspooling, transforming the cozy 50‑or‑so‑seat venue into an airtight capsule that pulls the audience directly into her orbit. A lone captain’s chair sits at the center of the cockpit, surrounded by glowing computer screens that flicker with data like a heartbeat she’s trying desperately to trust. Her only living friend is a small, responsive plant that tilts and bends as though it’s trying to understand her, a fragile tether to something organic in the endless dark. But she also has Jen (Sadieh Rifai) - the ship’s AI voice whose constant presence fills the silence with a companionable, sometimes unsettling intimacy. Throughout the play, the low, constant hum of the rocket engine underscores every moment, a sonic reminder of the machine that keeps her alive even as it isolates her. Lighting is used with surgical precision: tight, concentrated beams that lock onto Molly and amplify her intensity, then suddenly widen into sweeping celestial washes that pull the audience into the vast, indifferent expanse outside her ship. When a meteor strikes the hull, the sound design erupts with visceral force, rattling the space and Molly’s nerves in equal measure. And in one of the production’s most ingenious touches, Allyce Torres - dressed entirely in black and nearly invisible against the cockpit’s shadows - moves objects with ghostlike stealth to create the uncanny illusion of zero gravity. That she also portrays Ari adds an extra layer of resonance, as if her presence is haunting the space even when Molly can’t see her. Every element works in concert to heighten the story’s tension and fragility, making the production not just a backdrop but a powerful, immersive engine driving the narrative forward.

Amy Carpenter, who helps shepherd the production as a producer, also understudies Molly Jennis - a dual role that underscores her investment in the piece’s dramatic and technical precision.

The production’s technical artistry is anchored by a trio of designers whose work deepens the play’s immersive pull. Taylor Dalton (executive producer/set design/costume design), Angela Joy Baldasare (sound designer), and Garrett Bell (lighting designer) craft an environment that feels both meticulously engineered and emotionally charged, each element reinforcing the story’s tautness, precariousness, and sense of cosmic seclusion.

Ashley Neal in SPACEMAN from [producingbody] now playing through June 13 at The Edge Off-Broadway.

Even before the lights go down, Spaceman begins tightening its grip. Audience members are required to seal their phones in Yondr pouches - those soft, magnetic lock bags used at concerts and comedy shows - and the effect is immediate. In such an intimate venue, the simple act of surrendering your device creates a subtle but unmistakable shift: the outside world goes quiet, your digital bind snaps, and a faint echo of Molly’s own isolation settles in. It’s a small, clever pre‑show ritual that primes the audience for the loneliness, disconnection, and suspended‑in‑the‑void feeling that defines her journey. By the time you take your seat, you’re already living in a version of her world - cut off, contained, and waiting for contact that won’t come quickly.

Spaceman is a singular, deeply immersive theatrical experience, the kind that sneaks up on you and refuses to let go. I felt myself drawn in further with each passing minute, the tension tightening and the stakes rising as Molly’s journey pushed deeper into the void. What lingered with me was the sensation of being slowly enveloped - not by spectacle, but by atmosphere. The production creates a kind of emotional gravity, a pull that grows stronger the longer you sit with Molly’s loneliness, her determination, her fraying edges. By the time she reaches the farthest point from Earth, I realized I had traveled with her, carrying the same weight, the same longing, the same fragile hope that something - anything - might answer back.

At just 100 minutes with no intermission - and no re‑entry if you need to leave the theatre - Spaceman demands and rewards full immersion. It’s a tightly calibrated, deeply human piece of sci‑fi storytelling that lingers long after the final blackout, and it comes recommended. Spaceman runs May 19 - June 13 at The Edge Off-Broadway, with tickets priced $15-45. Tickets and additional information are available at www.producingbody.com.

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

Spamalot rides into the Windy City courtesy of Broadway In Chicago, inviting theatergoers to join King Arthur’s quest now through May 31 at the CIBC Theatre. Fans of Monty Python and the Holy Grail - the 1975 cult classic - will find plenty to adore in this musical, which, as its subtitle proudly declares, is “lovingly ripped off” from the film.

Written by Python member Eric Idle, with music co-written by John Du Prez, Spamalot follows King Arthur as he assembles his “very round table” and sets off in search of the Holy Grail. Along the way, we meet a parade of quirky knights: the brash, homicidal Sir Lancelot; the argumentative, hair-flipping Sir Galahad; the cowardly, weak-bowelled Sir Robin; and even Sir Not Appearing in This Show. Arthur’s greatest ally is the Lady of the Lake, a glittering, full-throttle diva armed with riffs and costume changes for days. After a bit of plot and a bounty of silly songs, the hapless heroes finally secure their grail and send audiences out humming the show’s signature tune, “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.”

Interestingly, Spamalot had its world premiere in Chicago back in 2004 before heading to Broadway the following year, where it earned fourteen Tony nominations and won three, including Best Musical. This touring revival, directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes, stays true to the original while injecting the production with fresh energy and a steady stream of contemporary pop-culture nods.

Spamalot’s target audience is, unsurprisingly, die-hard Python fans. Several scenes are lifted almost verbatim from the film, so expect the Black Knight losing limb after limb, the Knights Who Say “Ni,” the cow catapult, a hilarious - and genuinely ferocious - killer rabbit puppet, and more. For those less steeped in the British comedy canon, a few gags linger a beat too long, stretching to honor the movie’s rhythms even when the stage version might benefit from a quicker pivot.

Still, there is no end of splashy musical numbers, big set pieces, and dynamic, eye-catching projections. The cast pulls out all the stops as they don flashy costumes, dance their hearts out, and throw friendly meta-jabs at other Broadway musicals like Wicked and Fiddler on the Roof.

(L-R) Leo Roberts and Amanda Robles in the North American Tour of SPAMALOT.

Leading the charge as King Arthur is Major Attaway, who wears the crown well. Attaway is best known for his time on Broadway playing the Genie in Aladdin and his off-Broadway stint voicing Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors - two roles that showcase his vocal dexterity, a talent he uses to full effect in this production. Along with golden pipes, Attaway voices Arthur with a stoic authority or a comedic twist, whichever the moment calls for. He is the perfect straight man for the zaniness that surrounds him - and there’s a lot.

Another standout is Amanda Robles, making her national tour debut as the Lady of the Lake. Robles tears into the role with gleeful abandon, spoofing Liza Minnelli and other prima donnas with razor-sharp precision. Numbers like “Diva’s Lament” and “The Song That Goes Like This” - both affectionate send-ups of classic Broadway tropes, from the obligatory second-act solo to the formulaic love ballad - are lifted even higher by her vocal prowess, impeccable comedic timing, and undeniable glamour.

Spamalot also boasts a vibrant ensemble, with actors juggling wildly different roles and giving each character distinct voices and mannerisms. Sean Bell steals multiple scenes - both as Sir Robin, a knight who has no idea what knighthood entails, and as an oddball priest with sharp, staccato delivery. From line readings to goofy facial expressions, it’s clear every performer is having an absolute blast, and that infectious joy radiates through the entire production.

As riotously funny as Spamalot is, parents should know that it isn’t especially kid-friendly. Younger audiences may laugh at the fart jokes and bits of bathroom humor, but the show also leans into cruder gags, sexual innuendo, and one very random - and entirely unnecessary - bare backside. It’s probably best suited to teens and adults rather than little ones, landing somewhere in that PG-13 neighborhood.

Spamalot, in a word, is silly - and proudly so. If you’re up for a night of unabashed absurdity, it’s an irresistibly fun choice. It has no interest in plumbing the depths of plot; its mission is pure fan delight. And judging by the uproarious laughter from the audience around me, the cult film’s devotees were more than satisfied. Others who aren’t as familiar with Monty Python or don’t favor dry or crude British humor might choose to seek to find their holy grail elsewhere.

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

Raven Theatre, under the director of Executive Artistic Director Jonathan Berry, announces its 44^th season, to include Michael R. Jackson's Pulitzer Prize-winning musical A Strange Loop, directed by Mikael Burke in a co-production with About Face Theatre; Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie, directed by Raven Executive Artistic Director Jonathan Berry; and Sharyn Rothstein's Tell Me I'm Not Crazy, directed by Georgette Verdin in a co-production with Rivendell Theatre Ensemble.

"With this season, we take what has always been essential about The Raven – plays that reach both back and forward to connect us to our cultural landscape – and expand it to include more voices, to take more risks, to be more in conversation with our current moment and to connect with our community, comments Jonathan Berry. "In Michael Jackson's boundary pushing, Pulitzer Prize winning musical A Strange Loop a young, black, queer playwright takes a perilous, ultimately beautiful journey of self- discovery. A poet returns to his family and a heartrending moment of decision in Tennessee William's stunning memory play, The Glass Menagerie. Tell Me I'm Not Crazy is Sharyn Rothstein's poignant, comedy about how one family struggles to feel in control during chaotically divisive times."

Subscriptions to the three-play season start at $120 are currently on sale at raventheatre.com. Subscribers receive priority season, and save up to $50 off regular tickets prices, plus discounts on      tickets for family and friends, 10% off concessions, and 20% off tickets to Raven Theatre's Resident Company The Story Theatre

The 2026-2027 season is:

The 2022 Tony Award Winner for Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical
and the 2020 Pulitzer Prize Winner
A STRANGE LOOP
by Michael R. Jackson
directed by Mikael Burke
in a co-production with About Face Theatre
October 8-November 8, 2026
Opening: October 14, 2026

Usher is a Black, queer playwright who spends his days working as an usher on Broadway. He spends his nights struggling to write an original musical about a Black, queer playwright who spends his days working as an usher on Broadway. Lines blur, thoughts intrude, and soon he finds himself wrestling to break free from a very strange creative loop.

This blistering, groundbreaking, Pulitzer Prize winning musical explores identity, race and sexuality through the lens of a young artist at war with a chorus of his own demons and inner voices on a journey towards understanding and self love.

Tennessee Williams' memory play directed by Raven's new Executive Artistic Director Jonathan Berry
THE GLASS MENAGERIE
by Tennessee Williams
directed by Jonathan Berry
February 11-March 21, 2027
Opening: February 17, 2027

As America struggles through the Great Depression and the world stands on the brink of a second World War, a young man tries to dream of a future beyond the stifling confines of his day to day existence.

Tom Wingfield dreams of adventure while his mother Amanda desperately yearns for a secure future for her two children. Sister Laura retreats into the fragile confines of her glass menagerie. A long hoped for arrival of a gentleman caller sends the family hurtling towards either salvation or despair.

After 30 years, Tennessee Willams groundbreaking, autobiographical masterpiece returns to the Raven Stage in a bold new production.

From the playwright of Raven's hit production Right to be Forgotten
TELL ME I'M NOT CRAZY
by Sharyn Rothstein
directed by Georgette Verdin
in a co-production with Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
April 30-June 13, 2027
Opening: May 12, 2027

Life can be overwhelming at any stage – kids to raise, in-laws to deal with, work-life to balance. In an age of shifting gender dynamics and rising cost of living, it can be a struggle to feel in control. But for recent retiree Sol Koening, a neighborhood crime wave proves to be the final straw. He buys a gun, joins a shooting range and sends his loving family running for cover.

As barbed jokes fly and tempers flare, the once-close family threatens to break apart in this hilarious comedy about two generations struggling to find common ground in an America at odds with itself.

This production is a Chicago premiere from the playwright of Raven's smash hit Right to be Forgotten.

ABOUT RAVEN THEATRE COMPANY

Raven Theatre tells stories of today and the past that connect us to our cultural landscape. Raven's commitment to modern drama in all of its forms, as well as its first-class education programming, have helped it remain a cultural cornerstone on the north side of Chicago for 40 years and counting.

For 44 years, Raven Theatre has been the home to revivals of modern dramas and thought-provoking new works to the Northside Chicago community, as well as theatrical education to the children and schools in the surrounding neighborhoods. Founded in 1983, Raven moved into its current home in 2002 with its 85-seat Johnson Stage and its 56-seat Schwartz Stage.

Subscription Series – Raven offers three productions in its subscription series, all in the East Stage, focusing on revivals of works primarily from the late 19th century to the present and including both Chicago and World Premieres.

Educational Programming – Raven provides teaching artists to neighborhood schools for in-school theatrical residencies, a field trip program for elementary school students, and a robust children's theatrical summer camp program.

With efforts in the community, in neighborhood schools, and on the stage, Raven plays an important part in the city's cultural landscape.

Raven Theatre Company is funded in part by The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, JCCC Foundation, Paul M. Angell Foundation, Polk Bros Foundation, S&C Electric Company Fund, and The Shubert Foundation. This project is partially supported by a CityArts grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. This programming is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. For more information visit www.raventheatre.com.

If you’ve ever worked in an urban coffee shop, chances are you’ve encountered at least one ultra-paranoid kook who believes the government is spying on them. Often they’re filling out long journals or manifestos. Or perhaps that one crazy uncle we all seem to have who believes in way too many conspiracy theories. These loveable, but disturbed weirdos commonly refer to themselves as “targeted individuals.” 

Hanna Kime’s new play The Targeted makes its world premiere at A Red Orchid Theatre. In it, she empathetically explores the lives of these folks and what draws them to their beliefs. Though it is at times humorous, Kime’s play is not exploitative. Rather, she builds an entire ecosystem for not only those affected by this kind of thinking, but the ways in which others profit from it. 

Grace Dolezal-Ng directs a bonafide dream cast of some of Chicago’s best actresses. They turn the main stage at The Chopin into a woodsy, weekend retreat called The Solidarity and Truth Summit. Rhonda (Kirsten Fitzgerald), Didi (Natalie West) at first seem very nice and chummy when welcoming newcomer Sherry (Sadieh Rifai), but as the weekend wears on, fractures begin to form. Rhonda is immediately mistrustful of Mia (Stephanie Shum), another newbie who is very upfront about not being a believer in government tracking conspiracies; she’s only there to support her misguided younger brother Eric (Glenn Obrero). The power structure becomes more complicated once the organizer of the summit, Jeff (Lawrence Grimm), starts giving whacky lectures.

In 95 minutes of quick-moving scenes, each character reveals how this affliction has sabotaged their personal lives. At the beginning, you can almost convince yourself these people are normal, just with some strange ideas. Sadieh Rifai plays Sherry with such naive conviction that you can’t imagine a simple, suburban housewife could ever be tempted by this rabbit hole. Through her character, Kime makes a thinly veiled parallel to the “Q-Anon” to “Trad Wife” pipeline. In contrast, Kirsten Fitzgerald’s Rhonda is hard as nails and her desire to control the weekends’ narrative speaks directly to just how dangerously persuasive conspiratorial ideology can be.

The central storyline presents itself in the relationship between Eric and Mia though. As a non-believer, Mia is outnumbered and it’s not long before she begins questioning her own sanity. Stephanie Shum plays the voice of reason with a quintessential authority. Her character’s demand for truth shows how frustrating independent thinking can feel in group settings.

While there is certainly a rubber-necking quality to the topic at hand, Kime never treats her characters as some sort of Netflix documentary sideshow specimens. Natalie West plays one of the weirder believers but her quirky softness makes her one of the show’s most endearing characters, even if she is hawking metaphoric snake oil for a living.

In the end, Kime lets the audience make up their own mind as to whether these folks actually believe what they’re talking about, or whether they’re just extremely lonely. It’s hard to criticize conspiracy theorists in an era in which almost every aspect of our federal government seems to be conspiring against its people. Kime builds a case for compassion with The Targeted.

Through June 21st at A Red Orchid Theatre. At Chopin Theatre. 1543 W Division St. 773-278-1500.

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

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

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

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

Performance Schedule:

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

About the Artists

Laura Benanti (Star and Creator):

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

–Hollywood Reporter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Accessibility:

Steppenwolf is committed to making the theatergoing experience accessible to everyone. Assistive listening devices are available for every performance and all our spaces are equipped with an induction hearing loop. Our building features wheelchair accessible seating and restrooms, push-button entrances, a courtesy wheelchair and all-gender restrooms, with accessible counter and table spaces at our bars. For additional information regarding accessibility, visit steppenwolf.org/access. If you have questions or would like to make a specific request, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call our box office at (312) 335-1650.