Displaying items by tag: chicago theatre

A quick history lesson: Anne Bonny and Mary Read are two of history’s most famous female pirates. Both women disguised themselves as men and sailed under the command of Captain Calico Jack Rackham, where they became part of the same crew. There has long been speculation that they may have had a romantic relationship, though there is no widely accepted historical evidence to support it.

That essentially sums up the history covered by yo ho., SMJ’s original play which reimagines Anne and Mary’s story in a very queer, very explicit way. Described as “equal parts historical fantasy and introspective sexual and gender exploration,” the production has far more interest in the latter than the former. It uses these historical figures less as a subject to interrogate than as a launching point for a silly, raunchy, gay pirate adventure.

This is not inherently a bad thing – director JD Caudill’s production is clearly committed to creating both queer joy and comedic sexual exploration on stage, and for queer artists to come together to make something. yo ho. may not be as historically based or polished as it markets itself to be, but with accurate marketing, there is definitely an audience to love the show.

The cast is the heart of the production. The outrageous script makes room for the entire cast to throw themselves into spicy, raunchy, hilarious, and sometimes sacrilegious moments for multiple characters, whether that be ensemble playing multiple roles or one character with two alter egos. Two particular standouts were William Delforge (Chad/James) and Brittani Yawn (Vanessa) – both cast members carried the production, playing multiple roles with great comedic timing and execution, and larger-than-life physical comedy. Funny on their own, Delforge and Yawn only became more powerful when playing off of each other.

(L to R) Rachel Sleek Bañuelos and Sierra Bryn in the world premiere of yo ho.

This constant-humor approach does limit the nuance of character relationships that can be developed; however, it does not mean that the show was void of emotionally moving moments. Rachel Sleek-Banuelos’ eleventh-hour monologue is stunningly moving; despite the moment feeling a bit out of place in the script overall, Banuelos temporarily silences the theatre and lands it perfectly regardless. However, in the end, the play’s ending unfortunately does lean into a gimmick that feels more abrupt than satisfying.

For a company called Babes with Blades, though, the clearest strength is exactly where it should be: the fighting. The stage combat is consistently impressive, but the swordplay in particular is fast, dynamic, and genuinely intimidating from only a few feet away. Even when the choreography is visibly choreographed, it never becomes mechanical. Carly “CB” Carson’s fight choreography has momentum and danger, nearly intimidating to be sitting mere feet from.

The technical production also feels surprisingly considered for the polish of the show. The set creates a convincing pirate-world atmosphere within The Edge’s black-box space, though some scene changes feel more complicated than the material requires. In general, yo ho. can feel disproportionately unserious compared with its technical ambition: the energy is closer to an enthusiastic college-theater production than the fully realized historical fantasy its marketing material promises.

Still, there is an audience for this show. The theatregoer who wants a messy, high-energy night of queer pirate smut – perhaps with friends after a nearby Edgewater happy hour – may have a genuinely great time. For everyone else, yo ho. is best approached with the understanding that it is not a sweeping historical drama, but an overwhelmingly unserious fantasy which features strong sword fighting and a few flashes of something more.

yo ho. is running Thursdays through Sundays at The Edge Off-Broadway through August 29th. Tickets are available at BabesWithBlades.org

Today, Goodman Theatre achieves a new milestone in its 100th anniversary season: Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins announce that Iceboy! or The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O'Neill Came to Write "The Iceman Cometh" starring Emmy Award winners Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman with music by Mark Hollmann, lyrics by Mark Hollmann and Jay Reiss, and book by Erin Quinn Purcell and Jay Reiss, has become the theater's all-time best-selling production. Running at 99% capacity, Iceboy! has welcomed more than 53,000 audience members from across the nation and 23 countries—breaking previous top attendance records held by War Paint (52,851 in 2016) and The Who's Tommy (50,980 in 2023)—with two weeks remaining in its three-time extended run. This success joins that of the downtown debut of Raven Theatre's Octet (extended through August 2) and the improv stand TJ & Dave (tonight, July 31, August 1)—both of which have gone clean. In addition, free outdoor performances of the family-friendly The Lizard y El Sol have drawn record crowds—more than 1,200 people—during the first week of its 12-park tour with destinations from Ashburn Park to Norwood Park, prompting a four-performance extension at Chicago Public Libraries (Little Italy, Uptown, Altgeld Gardens and McKinley Park). The Goodman's productions of Dennis Watkins' The Magic Parlour and David Byrne and Mala Gaonkar's Theater of the Mind continue extended runs. For tickets and more information about each offering, visit GoodmanTheatre.org.

"This week alone, The Goodman will serve 13,000 Chicagoans with programs in neighborhoods all over the city. This is The Goodman at 100, meeting audiences in this moment, and we could not be more proud," said John Collins, Executive Director. "By design, the goal of this Centennial Season—expertly curated by Susan Booth and executed by our world-class Artistic, Education and Engagement, Production and Administrative teams—was to push past what was previously thought possible in order to serve more audiences, in more neighborhoods with more programs than ever before. As we look to begin 'our second century' this fall, we hope to build on this success achieved together with our audiences and supporters." 

Iceboy! or The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O'Neill Came to Write "The Iceman Cometh," appears in the 856-seat Albert Theatre through August 16. For tickets ($74 - $259, subject to change) call 312.443.3800 (12 noon- 5pm) or purchase online at GoodmanTheatre.org/Iceboy. Looking for tickets to a sold-out performance? A limited number of $75 stand-by tickets are available for purchase on the day of performance (by telephone only). Additionally, a limited number of $20 tickets are offered through a daily lottery; visit TodayTix.com/Iceboy for details. The Goodman is grateful for the support of its Iceboy! sponsors: Edgerton Foundation (New Play Award), Mayer Brown (Lead Corporate Sponsor) and Athletico (The Official Physical Therapy Provider for Goodman Theatre).

In Iceboy!, Broadway's brightest star of 1939, Vera Vimm (Megan Mullally), 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 (Grey Henson) thaws, he unexpectedly becomes a theatrical sensation, inspiring the "father of the American drama" Eugene O'Neill (Nick Offerman) and challenging Vera for center stage. A "highly original, frothy nightcap to a Centennial Season of successful productions, and a nice way to kick off The Goodman's next act" (Newcity), Iceboy! features music by Mark Hollmann, lyrics by Mark Hollmann and Jay Reiss, and book by Erin Quinn Purcell and Jay Reiss—the Tony Award-winning creators behind Urinetown (Hollmann, with Greg Kotis) and The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Reiss, with Rachel Sheinkin and William Finn). Marc Bruni directs and JoAnn M. Hunter choreographs. The cast also includes Cedric Yarbrough (Comedy Central's Reno 911!), Tony Award nominee Sarah Stiles (Broadway's Tootsie) and Alex Goodrich (Marriott Theatre's Hero: The Musical), together with Donterrio (Nightbirds), Melanie Brezill (A Christmas Carol), Will Koski (Paramount Theatre's Into the Woods), Linda Mugleston (Broadway's The Music Man), Shawn Pfautsch (The Matchbox Magic Flute), Andrea San Miguel (The Penelopiad), Will Lidke (Theo Ubique's Hedwig and the Angry Inch), Leah Morrow (Marriott Theatre's Heartbreak Hotel) and Jeff Parker (Betrayal).

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Megan Mullally (Vera Vimm) created the role of Karen Walker on Will & Grace, a role for which she went on to win two Emmys and four SAG awards. On Broadway, she has starred in How to Succeed in Business, Young Frankenstein, and Grease, in addition to Guys and Dolls at Carnegie Hall, opposite Nathan Lane. On-screen credits include Chasing Summer, Dicks: The Musical, The Righteous Gemstones, Party Down, Reservation Dogs, Bob's Burgers, Childrens Hospital, Parks and Recreation, and the upcoming film Goodbye Girl. She tours worldwide with her band Nancy And Beth as creator, lead singer and choreographer.

Nick Offerman (Eugene O'Neill) returns to The Goodman, where he debuted as The Keeper/Fight Captain in Richard II (1994). Offerman's credits include the Emmy award-winning role of Bill in The Last of Us (HBO), Ron Swanson on NBC's Parks and Recreation, Forest in Devs (FX), and Jinx in Margo's Got Money Troubles (Apple). Stage credits: A Confederacy of Dunces (Huntington Theatre), Annapurna, opposite Megan Mullally (The Odyssey/Evidence Room in LA & Off-Broadway), and Chicago credits at Defiant Theatre (Founding Member), Steppenwolf, A Red Orchid, Wisdom Bridge and Chicago Shakes. Recent: Death by Lightning (Netflix), Sovereign, Civil War (by Alex Garland), Origin (by Ava DuVernay), Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, Fargo (FX), The Umbrella Academy (Netflix), and NBC's Making It. He hosts the WNYC radio series A Wonder Is What It Is, dedicated to the poetry of Wendell Berry.

Grey Henson (Iceboy) was most recently seen as Bigfoot in Bigfoot! The Musical Off-Broadway, for which he earned a Drama League Award nomination. Broadway credits include Buddy in the 2024 revival of Elf The Musical (Drama Desk Award nomination), Damian in Mean Girls The Musical (Tony and Drama Desk nominations), Storyteller 2 in Shucked, and Elder McKinley in The Book of Mormon, a role that he originated on the first national tour. Other credits include Michael in tick, tick... BOOM! at the Kennedy Center and Tate in the Netflix series Girls5Eva. Carnegie Mellon University Drama.

Cedric Yarbrough (Floyd Richards) is a multi-hyphenate performer recently seen in Clint Eastwood's latest film Juror #2, the Netflix film Unfrosted and the AMC series Lucky Hank. He starred in ABC's Speechless, The Goldbergs, CBS' Carol's Second Act, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Key and Peele. The Minnesotan began his career with 8 seasons of Comedy Central's hit Reno 911! as "Deputy S. Jones." He was seen in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, The House, The Boss and Black Dynamite. Yarbrough is also a talented voice-over artist whose work includes Bob's Burgers, Family Guy, Bojack Horseman, Kung Fu Panda 4 and the Peabody Award-winning The Boondocks.

Sarah Stiles (Lambert) is a two-time Tony Award-nominated actor for Tootsie and Hand to God. Other Broadway: On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, Avenue Q and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Off-Broadway: The Imaginary Invalid (Red Bull); Into the Woods (Delacorte); Vanities (Second Stage). Stiles stars opposite Kevin James in the Netflix comedy The Crew, is Gladys in the critically acclaimed EPIX Original Series Get Shorty and Bonnie on Showtime's Billions. She voices Spinel in Steven Universe (Cartoon Network) and Mimzy in Hazbin Hotel (Amazon). Film: Transformers: Rise of the Beast, This Will Never Work, Unsane. 

Alex Goodrich (Frankenstein) is thawed to make his Goodman Theatre debut! Chicago credits include several shows at Court Theater, Marriott Theater, Chicago Shakespeare, Northlight, Royal George, Drury Lane and Writers Theater. He's been nominated several times for a Jeff award and won once. TV credits include Chicago Fire and Shining Girls on Apple TV+. 

Mark Hollmann (Music and Lyrics) won the Tony Award®, the Obie Award, and the National Broadway Theatre Award for his music and lyrics to Urinetown The Musical, which went from the 1999 New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC) to receive 10 Tony Award® nominations and 11 Drama Desk Award nominations and win the Outer Critics Circle, the Drama League and the Lucille Lortel Awards for best musical.  His other shows as composer/lyricist include The Sting (Paper Mill Playhouse), ZM (Village Theatre Beta Series), Yeast Nation (FringeNYC), Bigfoot and Other Lost Souls (Perseverance Theatre), and The Girl, The Grouch and The Goat (University of Kansas Theatre and Chance Theatre).  For TV, he has written songs for the Disney Channel's Johnny and the Sprites.  He received his A.B. in music from the University of Chicago, where he won the Louis J. Sudler Award in the Performing and Creative Arts.  He has taught at Princeton University, Columbia College Chicago and the Dramatists Guild Institute.  He is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) and the Dramatists Guild of America, and has served on the council of the Dramatists Guild as well as on the Tony Award® Nominating Committee. 

Jay Reiss (Book and Lyrics) is one of the creators of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which won two Tony awards, and made his Broadway acting debut as the Bee's word pronouncer, Vice Principal Douglas Panch. He co-wrote the screenplay for The Oranges, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, and starred Hugh Laurie, Allison Janney, Oliver Platt and Catherine Keener. He wrote the documentary New Wave: Dare To Be Different, about legendary NY radio Station WLIR. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and later on Showtime. Reiss is a graduate of The Juilliard School's playwriting program. 

Native Illinoisan Erin Quinn Purcell (Book) has been a mainstay in New York's downtown theater scene for more than 30 years. She was one of the founding members of the critically acclaimed adobe theatre company, and participated as an actor, writer and/or director in countless productions. Writing credits include Duet! A Romantic Fable (Broadway Play Publishing), The Fiona Apple Kwanzaa Explosion (PSNBC), the musical A Fish Story (Jonathan Larson Foundation award) and the Russ Meyer inspired Go-Go Kitty, Go! (Outstanding Play, 2005 New York Fringe Festival). 

Marc Bruni (Director) helmed The Great Gatsby (Broadway, West End, Korea) as well as the Tony, Grammy, and Olivier Award-winning Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Broadway, West End, US and UK Tours, and in Australia- Helpmann Award Best Director). Other credits include Billie Jean (Chicago Shakes), The Sound of Music (Chicago Lyric), Bull Durham (Paper Mill), A Little Night Music (Geffen Hall), Trevor: The Musical (Stage 42, Disney+), Bye Bye Birdie, Guys and Dolls, The Music Man, How to Succeed in Business..., 50 Years of Broadway (Kennedy Center), and Hey, Look Me Over!, Paint Your Wagon, Pipe Dream and Fanny (City Center Encores!), Tale of Despereaux (Old Globe, Berkeley), Love All (La Jolla), The Explorers Club (MTC), Ordinary Days (Roundabout), 9 shows for the St. Louis MUNY.  

Company of Iceboy! or The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O'Neill Came to Write The Iceman Cometh

Music By Mark Hollmann

Lyrics by Mark Hollmann and Jay Reiss

Book by Erin Quinn Purcell and Jay Reiss

Directed by Marc Bruni

Choreographed by JoAnn M. Hunter

Alex Goodrich...Frankenstein 
Grey Henson... Iceboy 
Megan Mullally...Vera Vimm 
Nick Offerman...Eugene O'Neill
Sarah Stiles...Lambert 
Cedric Yarbrough...Floyd Richards
Donterrio, Melanie Brezill, Will Koski, Linda Mugleston, Shawn Pfautsch, Andrea San Miguel...Ensemble 
Will Lidke, Leah Morrow, Jeff Parker...Swing

CREATIVE TEAM

Set Designer...Paul Tate dePoo III 
Lighting Designer...Jen Schriever 
Costume Designer...Linda Cho 
Wig & Hair Designer...Charles "Chuck" LaPointe 
Sound Designer...Connor Wang 
Music Director/Conductor/Pianist/Additional Arrangements...Vadim Feichtner 
Orchestrations...Bruce Coughlin 
Music Preparation...John Blane 
Voice & Dialect...Michelle Lopez-Rios 
Violence & Intimacy...Chels Morgan 
Associate Director...Keira Fromm 
Associate Sound Designer...Emily Hayman 
Associate Choreographer...Liz Ramos 
Associate Costume Designer...Patrick Bevilacqua 
Associate Wig & Hair Designer/Makeup Designer...Rachael Geier 
Associate Lighting Designer...Paul Vaillancourt 
Associate Set Designer...Kaitlyn Peterson 
Assistant Director...Lo Williams 
Assistant Music Director and Cover Conductor...Jo Ann Daugherty 
Music Assistant...Jordan Klein 
Assistant Sound Designer...Emily Lynch 
Assistant Lighting Designer...Emma Berry
Assistant Set Designer...Ben Hirschfield
Script and Production Assistant...Molly Rosen 
Production Assistant...Tuesday Thacker 
Line Producer...Malkia Stampley 
Second Line Producer...Adam Belcuore

Casting by Lauren Port, CSA and NY Casting by Jim Carnahan, CSA and Jason Thinger, CSA. Jennifer Gregory is the Production Stage Manager. Nikki Blue and Beth Koehler are the Stage Managers.

ABOUT THE GOODMAN

Since 1925, The Goodman has been more than a stage. A theatrical home for artists and a gathering space for community, it's where stories come to life—bold in artistry and rich in history, deeply rooted in the city it serves.

Led by Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins, The Goodman sparks conversation, connection and change through new plays, reimagined classics and large-scale musicals. With distinctions including nearly 200 world or American premieres, two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and nearly 200 Joseph Jefferson Awards, The Goodman is proud to be the first theater to produce all 10 plays of August Wilson's "American Century Cycle." In addition, the theater frequently serves as a production partner—with national and international companies to Chicago's Off-Loop theaters—to help amplify theatrical voices.

But The Goodman believes a more empathetic, more connected Chicago is created one story at a time, and counts as its greatest legacy the community it's built. Generation-spanning productions and programs offer theater for a lifetime; from Theater for the Very Young (plays designed for ages 0-5) to the long-running annual A Christmas Carol, which has introduced new generations to theater over five decades, The Goodman is committed to being an asset for all of Chicago. Education and Engagement programs led by Clifford Director of Education and Engagement Jared Bellot and housed in the Alice Rapoport Center use the tools of theater to spark imagination, reflection and belonging. Each year, these programs reach thousands of people (85% from underserved communities) as well as educators, artists and lifelong learners across the city.

The Goodman stands on the unceded homelands of the Council of the Three Fires—the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations—and acknowledges the many other Nations for whom this land now called Chicago has long been home, including the Myaamia, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Wea, Kickapoo, and Mascouten. The Goodman is proud to partner with the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum (Gichigamiin-Museum.org) and the Center for Native Futures (CenterForNativeFutures.org)—organizations devoted to honoring Indigenous stories, preserving cultural memory, and deepening public understanding.

The Goodman was founded by William O. Goodman and his family to honor the memory of Kenneth Sawyer Goodman—a visionary playwright whose bold ideas helped shape Chicago's early cultural renaissance. That spirit of creativity and generosity endures today. In 2000, through the commitment of Mr. Goodman's descendants—Albert Ivar Goodman and his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton—The Goodman opened the doors to its current home in the heart of the Loop.

Marsha Cruzan is Chair of the Goodman Theatre Board of Trustees; Diane Landgren is Women's Board President; and Kelli Garcia is president of the Scenemakers Board for Young Professionals. 

Kevin McCollum & Lucas McMahon and Mike Lavoie & Carlee Briglia, along with Broadway In Chicago announced today that Tony Award® winner J. Harrison Ghee will star as “Mary Todd Lincoln” when Oh, Mary! comes to Chicago for a strictly limited engagement from January 19— February 7, 2027, at Broadway In Chicago’s CIBC Theatre. Additional casting will be announced in the coming months.

Reservations for groups of 10+ are available now by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling 312-977-1710. Additional fees apply for online purchases. Individual tickets, with a select number of premium seats available, will go on sale to the public at a later date but audiences can register online at https://cloud.response.broadwayinchicago.com/oh-mary-email-sign-up to receive first access when tickets become available. Subscribers may add tickets to their subscription by clicking here  or calling (312) 977-1717. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

“I have seen Oh, Mary! three times and relished the beauty of this show—how different people shine so brightly in these roles, and yet you see the influence of Cole all over the production. The opportunity to get a crack at Mary Todd Lincoln is beyond a dream come true,” said J. Harrison Ghee. “We all possess so much within us. If we surrender to circumstances, we will find the possibility for expansion beyond belief. We are going to set the road on fire with this electrifyingly hilarious play.”

Written by Tony and Olivier Award winner Cole Escola and directed by Tony Award winner Sam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary! opened on Broadway on July 11, 2024, and continues to play at the Lyceum Theatre, where it became the first show in the theatre’s 121-year history to gross more than $1,000,000 in a single week.

Oh, Mary! has since broken its own box office record thirteen times and became the first show of the 2024-25 Broadway season to recoup its investment. Oh, Mary! opened to rave reviews in London’s West End on December 18, 2025, and won the 2026 Olivier Award for Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play.

Oh, Mary! is a dark comedy about a miserable, suffocated Mary Todd Lincoln in the weeks leading up to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Unrequited yearning, alcoholism, and suppressed desires abound in this one-act play that finally examines the forgotten life and dreams of Mrs. Lincoln through the lens of an idiot (playwright Cole Escola).

The full creative team includes dots (Scenic Designer), Holly Pierson (Costume Designer), Cha See (Lighting Designer), Daniel Kluger (Sound Design and Original Music), Drew Levy (Sound Designer), Leah J. Loukas (Wig Designer), Addison Heeren (Props Supervision), and David Dabbon (Musical Arrangements). Casting by Henry Russell Bergstein, CSA.

Oh, Mary! is produced by Kevin McCollum & Lucas McMahon and Mike Lavoie & Carlee Briglia with Bob Boyett, The Council, Jean Doumanian Productions, Nicole Eisenberg, Jay Marcus & George Strus, Irony Point, Richard Batchelder/Bradley Reynolds, Tyler Mount/Tommy Doyle, Nelson & Tao, Palomares Miller & Rosenberg, and ShowTown Productions.
 

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT OH, MARY!

“You’ll be losing your mind with joy.” —The New York Times, Critic’s Pick

"The funniest show on Broadway.” —New York Post

“★★★★★ The funniest play in years. Oh, Mary! is dizzyingly, breathtakingly funny, the kind of funny that ambushes your body into uncontained laughter.” —Time Out New York

“A singular work of virtuoso comedy that is as inventive and shrewd as it is absolutely stupid.” —The Daily Beast

“There’s funny, there’s very funny, and then there’s Oh, Mary!” —Deadline

“80 minutes of almost uninterrupted laughter. A work of genius.” —The Hollywood Reporter

“Unquestionably the funniest, gayest, campiest play Broadway has seen in years.” —Variety

“Oh, Mary!‘s sharp writing, breakneck pace, and campy performances keep the theater in hysterics until the curtain falls.” —Queerty
 

CONNECT WITH OH, MARY!
@OhMaryPlay
OhMaryPlay.com

Definition Theatre is proud to present How We Got On, a mix-tape for the stage by playwright Idris Goodwin and directed by Tyrone Phillips. How We Got On will play a limited run from September 11– 27, 2026 at Definition Theatre (1160 E. 55th St, Chicago, IL) with previews September 11–12, 2026 and an opening on September 13 at 7:30pm. Tickets are $35 and are on sale now at definitiontheatre.org.

How We Got On tells the story of three suburban teenagers who discovered something that would change their lives forever. It's the 1980’s, and Hank, Julian, and Luann are determined to make their mark on the explosive new world of rap music. Armed with turntables, notebooks, and raw talent, they’ll navigate cultural isolation, family struggles, and fierce competition as they chase their dreams of becoming the next big thing.

But in the suburbs, far from hip-hop's birthplace, they'll have to fight twice as hard to prove they belong. Guided by a sultry DJ, the selector, who spins their stories with wit and wisdom, this electrifying production celebrates the passion, creativity, and determination of the generation that helped build hip-hop from the ground up—one beat, one rhyme, one battle at a time.

The cast features Jamal Turner, Tony Garcia, Anuoluwa T. Awolola, and Definition Ensemble Member Maya Vinice Prentiss.

The production team includes Director Tyrone Phillips, Assistant Director Lucy Whitehead, Production Manager Julie Jachym, Stage Manager Carissa Greene, Scenic Designer Sydney Lynn Thomas, Costume Designer Janelle Smith, Lighting Designer Garrett Bell, Lighting Design Intern Bria Hall, Sound Designer Kyle Cortes, and Movement Designer Breon Arzell.

Running in tandem with the production is The Sound Barriers Vol. 4, an installation of vintage boomboxes, paintings, and photography by Chicago muralist John Vergara. The exhibit is open Monday–Thursday from 5pm–9pm from Monday, September 14 – Thursday, Sept 24, 2026.

Chicago-based artist John Vergara time travels via boomboxes, the ultimate muse, in The Sound Barriers Vol. 4. Immersed in 1980’s Chicago hip-hop, funk, and house music, Vergara's vibrant brushstrokes, paint splatters, and graffiti work embody the movement of sound, while his cityscape photographs and portraits present music as a life form accompanying each person. Vergara has created more than 200 public murals, curated Chicago art shows for over 20 years, and is an advocate for the preservation of historical public art—work that helped lead to the founding of the City of Chicago Mural Registry.

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

How We Got On

Dates: September 11 – 27, 2026

Previews: September 11 – 12, 2026

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

Tickets: On sale now at definitiontheatre.org

EXHIBIT DETAILS

The Sound Barriers Vol. 4 by John Vergara

On View: September 14 – 24, 2026 (concurrent with How We Got On)

Hours: Monday – Thursday, 5pm – 9pm.

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

Admission: Free for How We Got On ticket holders, $15 for General Admission

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

Carmela misses her papi, because papi is missing some of his papers.

Chicago Children’s Theatre presents Carmela Full of Wishes, a moving ode to family – and dreamers – adapted from the contemporary children’s book by Newbury Award-winners Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson, the same Newbery Medal and Caldecott Honor winning team behind Last Stop on Market Street. 

Carmela Full of Wishes, a Chicago Children’s Theatre world premiere in 2022, returns to tell a warm, timely, and ultimately hopeful story about a sweet young Latina girl living in a big city who dreams of her dad getting his papers fixed so he can finally come home. 

More relevant than ever, Carmela is the first of four of “greatest childhood hits” Chicago Children’s Theatre is reviving for its 21st birthday season. Full of touching, funny fantasies, the play portrays a little girl’s big city migrant community as a vibrant world of hope and possibility. The Chicago Tribune called it “a heartwarming tale of an exuberant Latina girl that celebrates family, community and hope — perfect themes for young audiences.” f

Public performances are October 25-November 15: Saturday and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Press openings are Sunday, October 26 at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Run time is approximately one hour. Carmela Full of Dreams is recommended for ages 6 and up. Schedule exceptions: Show time Saturday, October 25 is 9:30 a.m. only;  Show times Sunday, November 8 are 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.  

Single tickets are $42 and go on sale on August 24 at chicagochildrenstheatre.org. Book early, as many shows will sell out. For group discounts, schools, playgroups, birthday parties and scouting groups are encouraged to call CCT Guest Services at (312) 374-8835 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

School groups in particular are encouraged to inquire about Chicago Children’s Theatre’s in-class R.O.A.R. Residencies connected to the world of Carmela Full of Wishes. CCT’s R.O.A.R. (Residencies of Arts and Resilience) program, rooted in trauma-informed activities and conversations, provides opportunities for students to authentically reflect on challenging or stressful situations, gain the tools for sharing with others, self care and self agency in those moments, and promote coping mechanisms, social-emotional expression and resilience. CCT’s R.O.A.R. program was developed in partnership with the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Center for Childhood Resilience. To inquire, email CCT Director Education Catherine Councell at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Chicago Children’s Theatre is a “no shushing” theater. It’s located at 100 S. Racine Ave., at Monroe, in the heart of Chicago's West Loop, minutes from I-90 and I-290, downtown and Ashland Avenue. Free, onsite parking is available on the south side of the building. Free street parking can be found on weekends, or try the Impark parking lot, 1301 W. Madison St.

Finally, if you agree Chicago is the greatest theater city in the world, and that Chicago families deserve an equally great professional children’s theater, purchase a subscription to Chicago Children’s Theatre’s 2026-27 season, on sale now at chicagochildrenstheatre.org. Three more joy-inducing productions follow Carmela Full of Wishes: The Beatrix Potter Holiday Party, Manual Cinema’s Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show. Packages start at only $35.70 per show. Or, create your own mix-and-match subscription plan to match your child’s age and interests.

Access performances for Carmela Full of Wishes

Sensory Friendly
Saturday, November 7 at 9:30 a.m.

Audio Description and Touch Tour

Sunday, November 8 at 2 p.m.

*To request Audio Description and Touch Tour services, tickets must be purchased three weeks before the performance.

ASL and Open Captions
*To request ASL and/or Open Captions services, tickets must be purchased three weeks before the performance you are planning to attend.

To learn more information, go to chicagochildrenstheatre.org/access_performances or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Award-winning Refracted Theatre Company is proud to announce the cast and creative team of I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire, written by Samantha Hurley and directed by Tyler Struble, September 18 - October 31, at the Bookspan Theatre at Den Theatre, 1331 N Milwaukee Ave. Previews are Friday, Sept. 18 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 20 at 3 p.m. and Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m. The regular performance schedule is Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets go on sale in early August for $12 (previews) - $40, before handling fees, and may be purchased at RefractedCo.com.

To cope with the absence of her father, neglect of her mother and ridicule by her classmates, eighth-grader and president of the Tobey Maguire Fan Club, Shelby Hinkley decides to risk it all for love, kidnap famous actor Tobey Maguire and marry him in her basement. Her fantasies of happily ever after start to crumble as she realizes Tobey may not be the charismatic, heartthrob actor she thinks she knows, while Tobey does everything he can to escape the clutches of his number one fan. A Y2K farce, I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire is a full-throttle explosion of our para-social relationships and the obsessions that detonate them.

The cast of I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire includes Alex O’Shea (she/her, Shelby Hinkley), Jasper Johnson (he/him, Tobey Maguire), Lucy Stoole (Ty Huey) (she/her and they/them, Brenda Dee Cankles, Tobey Maguire Poster, Shelby’s Mom, Paparazzi, et al.), Carmia Imani (she/her, U/S Shelby Hinkley), Colin Huerta (he/him, U/S Tobey Maguire) and Felix (they/them, U/S Brenda Dee Cankles, Tobey Maguire Poster, Shelby’s Mom, Paparazzi, et al.).

The creative team includes Tyler Struble (he/they, director); Samantha Hurley (she/her, playwright), Sam Barr (she/her, production manager), M Paige (they/she, stage manager), Tessa Huber (they/them, assistant stage manager), Trenton Jones (he/him, scenic designer), Madeleine Reid (she/her, lighting designer), Angela Joy Baldasare (she/they, sound designer), Madeleine Shows (costume designer), Elly Burke (she/her, props designer), G. “Max” Maxin IV (he/him/any with respect, media designer), Kira Nutter (they/she, intimacy/violence choreographer), Syd Genco (she/her, hair, makeup and wigs designer), Kieran O’Connor (he/him, technical director), Peter Boenish (he/him, projection engineer), David Sajewich (he/him, animation) and Karen Wallace (she/they, master electrician). 

ABOUT SAMANTHA HURLEY, playwright, I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire

Samantha Hurley is a Maine-raised, Chicago-based playwright and comedy writer. Her first play, I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire premiered off-Broadway at Nancy Manocherian’s the cell theatre to critical acclaim and a sold-out run. The play had its international debut in London at the Southwark Playhouse. I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire is published by Concord Theatricals and has been featured in Teen Vogue, Interview and Pleaser magazine. Hurley’s original sketches have been performed at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theatre, Brooklyn Comedy Collective, Characters Welcome and the People’s Improv Theatre. Her plays have been developed at the cell theatre, Pocket VR/Theatre L’acadie, Impostor’s Theater, Two Chairs Theatre Company and Avalanche Theatre.

ABOUT TYLER STRUBLE, director, I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire

Tyler Struble is a director, dramaturg and producer. As a director, they are a frequent collaborator with playwright Samantha Hurley, who they developed with and premiered their play I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire, Off-Broadway at Nancy Manocharien’s the cell theatre and Off-West End at London’s Southwark Playhouse, both with NYC-based production company Regular People. Recent credits include director for RE(VULVA) (Avalanche Theatre Company), this dry spell (Regular People, New York City, NY), The Quiet Part (Freshly Brewed at The Understudy), Sharon (A Red Orchid Theatre A Taste of Red Series), Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them (Kitchen Theatre Company, Ithaca, NY), assistant director for Six Men Dressed Like Joseph Stalin (A Red Orchid Theatre), Aesop’s Fables (Mudlark Theatre) and dramaturg for What The Constitution Means to Me (Hangar Theatre, Ithaca, NY). They served as associate producer at Kitchen Theatre Company in Ithaca, New York before relocating to Chicago.

ABOUT REFRACTED THEATRE COMPANY 

Refracted Theatre Company was started by Co-founders Graham Miller and Tova Wolff in 2019 in New York City. At the time of Refracted’s conception, Miller and Wolff observed a fractured nation, polarized and insular in its political/social motivations, a world inhabited by people deeply distrustful of those with whom they did not share ideological overlap.  Miller and Wolff ventured to create a theatre company that would challenge their audience’s biases, a space to become a mental and emotional fitness center where audiences could use theatre to grapple with the issues/feelings/forces in their lives. They wanted to inspire healthy discourse and empathic discussions, to encourage people to seek nuance and understanding again. 

In Refracted’s first season ever, they were able to produce a Refracted Reading...before everything came to a screeching halt. The pandemic changed the landscape of theatrical engagement in a way Wolff and Miller could never have predicted. But they stuck true to their mission, which seeks not only to provide Refracted content, but also Refracted form. While most theaters shuttered their doors, the co-artistic directors relied on adaptivity and innovation to continue to produce safety driven, live theatrical events that combined audio, immersive and movement theatre. In 2021, Refracted moved from New York to Chicago, where it continues to invite audiences to engage with new forms of storytelling, forms that are sure to upend their expectations. 

In the years since its arrival in Chicago, Refracted has set a new standard for storefront theatre in a city renowned for its theatre scene. In 2023, the company was heralded as a “Rising Star in Storefront Theatre” by NewCity, nominated for the Broadway In Chicago Emerging Theatre Award, had sold out performances, received rave reviews and swept the Joseph Jefferson Awards, winning eight awards for its production of Tambo & Bones by Dave Harris, including Best Production. In 2024, Refracted’s production of Coronation, written by Laura Winters and directed by Tova Wolff, received the most Jeff Non-Equity nominations for a non-musical offering and won three Jeff Non-Equity Awards for lighting Design (Garrett Bell), projection design (Abboye Lawrence) and supporting actor (Jodi Gage). Refracted exists as a space for people seeking to engage the world with nuance, curiosity and empathy. We believe truth is not singular but multifaceted. Like a prism, it reveals its full clarity only when we make space for the spectrum of perspectives that shape it.

Award-winning Refracted Theatre Company is proud to announce the cast and creative team of I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire, written by Samantha Hurley and directed by Tyler Struble, September 18 - October 31, at the Bookspan Theatre at Den Theatre, 1331 N Milwaukee Ave. Previews are Friday, Sept. 18 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 20 at 3 p.m. and Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m., with a press opening on Thursday, Sept. 24 at 7:30 p.m. The regular performance schedule is Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets go on sale in early August for $12 (previews) - $40, before handling fees, and may be purchased at RefractedCo.com.

A Red Orchid Theatre, under the artistic direction of Kirsten Fitzgerald, is pleased to announce its 34^th Season, featuring a world premiere adaptation and two Chicago premieres, all exploring the theme of a "world on fire." The season kicks off this fall with the Chicago premiere of Will Arbery's politically-charged drama Heroes of the Fourth Turning, directed by Ensemble member dado. The season continues next winter with the Chicago premiere of Keiko Green's imaginative dark comedy You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World!, directed by Terry Guest and featuring Ensemble Members dado and Sadieh Rifai. The 34^th Season concludes next spring/summer with a world premiere adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's haunting classic Rosmersholm, adapted by Ensemble Members Steve Haggard and Shade Murray, directed by Shade Murray and featuring Ensemble Members Sherman Edwards, Steve Haggard, Travis A. Knight and Natalie West.

Subscribers are also invited to join A Red Orchid for a revival of last year's sell-out hit Birds of North America, a critically-acclaimed father-daughter drama by Anna Ouyang Moench, directed by Artistic Director Kirsten Fitzgerald and featuring Ensemble Member John Judd with Cassidy Slaughter-Mason.

Artistic Director Kirsten Fitzgerald comments, "There is very little I am certain of these days other than the importance of live theatre. The world is on fire. From the intensely personal to the whole big earth and the ethereal beyond, it is imperative that we challenge ourselves and each other to remain curious in the face of the flames and burning embers. To hold each other up while holding our feet to the fire is the task at hand with every creative endeavor at A Red Orchid Theatre.

When Shade Murray and Steve Haggard shared their curiosity about the challenge of adapting Ibsen anew, the ensemble responded with a resounding 'tell us more!' To be in collaboration with long-admired new-to-us artists such as Will Arbery, Keiko Green and Terry Guest is a huge honor. That each of these artists trusts us with their stories and vision fills me with immense gratitude and pride.

This season you are cordially invited to gather face to face (or shoulder to shoulder), breathe together, experience your own humanity and that of others near and far, interrogate your fears, find joy, stoke your curiosity and rekindle wonder."

Season Subscriptions:

Regular run subscription: $142.50* ($95* preview subscription).

Regular run subscription + Birds of North America: $190* ($142.50* preview subscription).

Season Subscriptions are now on sale at aredorchidtheatre.org  *Pricing includes processing fees

A Red Orchid has also announced Travis A. Knight will be stepping down as the company's Associate Artistic Director, as he heads to Broadway with Paranormal Activity. Knight will remain active as an Ensemble Member, returning for the 34^th Season's final production.

A Red Orchid Theatre's 34^th Season:

October 29 – December 6, 2026

Heroes of the Fourth Turning – Chicago Premiere!

By Will Arbery 
Directed by Ensemble Member dado 

Press Opening: Saturday, November 7, 2026 at 3 pm & 7 pm

It's nearing midnight in Wyoming, where four recent graduates have gathered to celebrate their beloved mentor and professor, Gina, newly inducted as president of their tiny Catholic liberal arts college. The reunion spirals into spiritual chaos, clashing generational politics, and a vicious fight to be understood. Offering grace and disarming clarity, this haunting play speaks to the torn heart of a country at war with itself.

February 4 – March 14, 2027

You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World! – Chicago Premiere!

By Keiko Green 
Directed by Terry Guest 
Featuring Ensemble Members dado and Sadieh Rifai

Press Opening: Saturday, February 13, 2027 at 3 pm & 7 pm

Since Greg's terminal diagnosis, he's felt a deep connection to the Earth—and to save himself, he'll need to save the planet. Viv desperately wants to savor every last minute with her husband. Meanwhile M, our emcee, searches desperately to find meaning in the chaos of their final year with Dad. A heartfelt family story and joyful theatrical event, as magical as the world itself. 

May 6 – June 13, 2027

Rosmersholm – World Premiere Adaptation!

By Henrik Ibsen 
Adapted by Ensemble Members Steve Haggard & Shade Murray 
Directed by Ensemble Member Shade Murray 
Featuring Ensemble Members Sherman Edwards, Steve Haggard, Travis A. Knight and Natalie West 

Press Opening: Saturday, May 15, 2027 at 3 pm & 7 pm

A reimagining of Ibsen's masterpiece in which hard truths, wild rumors and the supernatural slowly become indistinguishable from one another. 

Former pastor John Rosmer is wrestling with the cryptic circumstances of his wife's death, a fractured political climate fueled by toxic rumors churned by a tabloid press, and his own reckoning with God. By his side is the idealistic, young graduate student Rebecca West, who shall prove to be either his salvation or his mortal undoing...

And we haven't even gotten to all the ghosts. 

Season Add-On:

September 10 – October 4, 2026

Birds of North America

By Anna Ouyang Moench
Directed by Artistic Director Kirsten Fitzgerald
Featuring Ensemble Member John Judd with Cassidy Slaughter-Mason

Press Opening: Thursday September 10, 2026 at 7 pm.

John and his daughter Caitlyn are birders. As they scan the skies over their backyard in suburban Maryland looking for elusive birds, years go by. Relationships begin and end. Children grow up and parents age. The climate and the world change in small and vast ways. Birds of North America takes a close look at the relationship of a father and daughter over the course of a decade as they struggle to understand the parts of one another that defy understanding. 

About the Artists:

Will Arbery (Playwright, Heroes of the Fourth Turning, he/him) is a playwright and screenwriter from Texas. His play Heroes of the Fourth Turning premiered at Playwrights Horizons in 2019 and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist and the winner of an OBIE, Lucille Lortel and New York Drama Critics Circle Award, among other honors. It was named one of the "new canon" plays by American Theatre. Other plays include: You Hateful Things (upcoming London premiere), Spite House (upcoming New York premiere), Corsicana (Playwrights Horizons), Evanston Salt Costs Climbing (The New Group), Plano (Clubbed Thumb) and Wheelchair (3 Hole Press). He was the recipient of a Whiting Award in 2020. Will wrote on the fourth season of Succession, for which he won the WGA Award for Episodic Drama. He is the creator of two upcoming shows with FX: Seven Sisters (starring Elizabeth Olsen) and The Marriage Plot (starring Sadie Sink). Texas Monthly flagged him as one of the most influential cultural figures of the past 50 years out of Texas, and The New Yorker has called him the playwright of the moment.

dado (Director, Heroes of the Fourth Turning, she/her) last directed the world premiere of JoJo Jones' Veal at A Red Orchid, and before that Six Men Dressed Like Joseph Stalin by Dianne Nora. In 2025 dado directed Lobster by Kallan Dana for the Wirtz Center at Northwestern and Dance Nation by Clare Barron for UIC, where she currently serves on the faculty. Other projects dado has directed are Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. by Alice Birch with The Feast Collective, Right Now by Catherine Anne Toupin (Facility Theatre), Anny Ouyang Moench's In Quietness at A Red Orchid and The Lover by Harold Pinter (with Yasen Peyankov at Facility Theatre). She has also directed The Ruse of Medusa by Erik Satie (Facility Theatre) and Killing Game by Eugene Ionesco (A Red Orchid). Next spring she will direct The Cherry Orchard for UIC's mainstage. 

Keiko Green (Playwright, You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World!, she/her) is a playwright, TV writer and performer based in Los Angeles. Plays include: You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World! (South Coast Rep; Oregon Shakespeare Festival; Company One), Empty Ride (Old Globe), Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play (Old Globe; SF Playhouse; Porkfilled Productions), Hells Canyon (Theater Mu; WET), Gorgeous (Raven Theatre/Rivendell), The Bed Trick (Seattle Shakespeare Co; Artists Repertory Theatre), Sharon (Cygnet Theatre) and Hometown Boy (Actors Express; Seattle Public Theater). Her plays have been developed at the Kennedy Center, the National New Play Network, Playwrights Realm, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Seven Devils and twice by the O'Neill National Playwrights Conference. Awards/Honors: LA Critics Circle (Ted Schmitt Award), Susan Blackburn Prize Finalist, Kilroys' List, San Diego Critics Circle Award (Outstanding New Play), Gregory Award (Outstanding New Play). She holds commissions from Atlantic Theatre Company, Signature Theatre (DC), Seattle Rep/South Coast Rep. Current/Past Affiliations: Old Globe Resident Artist, Geffen Writers Group, Chance Resident Playwright, Theater Mu's Mu Tang Clan, Seattle Rep Resident Writers Group, ACT Core Company Member. TV: AppleTV's "Margo's Got Money Troubles" and Hulu's Interior Chinatown. BFA: NYU Drama–Experimental Theatre Wing, MFA: UCSD Playwriting. IG: @keikothegreen 

Terry Guest (Director, You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World!, he/him) is a four-time Jeff Award winning playwright, actor, director and teaching artist. Works include: OAK, At The Wake of a Dead Drag Queen, The Magnolia Ballet, A Ghost in Satin (Williamstown Theater Festival), Marie Antionette and the Magical Negroes, Nightbirds (Goodman New Stages Residency), Andy Warhol Presents the Cocaine Play and Milo Imagines the World. He is a Joyce Award, Jeff Impact Fellowship and National New Play Network Best New American Play award winner, two-time Goodman New Stages resident and Hermitage Fellow. IG: @terryexplainsitall

Steve Haggard (Adapter/Cast, Rosmersholm, he/him) is an actor and writer based in New York City. He's performed at A Red Orchid in 33 to Nothing, 3C, The Aliens, Accidentally Like a Martyr, Sender and The Mutilated. He recently ended a three year run on Broadway as Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. His Chicago acting credits include many shows at Writers Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare, Timeline, Northlight, Rivendell, Steppenwolf and American Players Theatre. He is a graduate of DePaul University and a proud member of the A Red Orchid ensemble.   

Shade Murray's (Adapter/Director, Rosmersholm) first directing project at A Red Orchid was Kimberly Akimbo followed by Abigail's Party, Butcher of Baraboo, Aliens, Mud Blue Sky, Accidentally Like a Martyr, Pilgrim's Progress, Sender, 3C, Evening at the Talk House, Small Mouth Sounds and Grey House. He is currently a psychotherapist at Thrive Psychology in St Joseph, MI. 

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 33 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 34^th Season is sponsored by The Bayless Family Foundation and Heidi Hoblit Graham. The return engagement of Birds of North America is sponsored by Zell Family Foundation (Lead Production Sponsor) and Northern Trust (Production Sponsor). Heroes of the Fourth Turning is sponsored by Terrance and Carol Coleman and Dawn and Jim Kink.

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. 

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma and Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Artistic Director Braden Abraham, opens its 35^th Season in the intimate Gillian Theatre with Sisters, a gripping family drama exploring the familial bond between a woman and her AI sister, written by Matthew Libby and directed by acclaimed Chicago artist and Northwestern University faculty member Jessica Thebus. On the heels of the record-breaking hit JOB, Sisters continues the theatre's timely exploration of how technology shapes humanity. Sisters will run August 13 – November 8, 2026, at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. 

Single Tickets for Sisters, $75+, and season subscriptions are now available at www.writerstheatre.org, and at the Box Office by calling 847-242-6000. 

Matilda and Greta have always been there for one another, through joy and grief and homework and boyfriends. They're as close as sisters can be—even if Greta is artificial intelligence. As Matilda ages and Greta longs for independence, their relationship begins to be tested like never before. Told over the course of 90 years, Sisters is a riveting and thought-provoking new play about the future of family. 

Braden Abraham comments, "Sisters marks the opening of our 35th season at Writers Theatre, and it seems fitting to begin a milestone year in The Gillian Theatre, a space built on intimacy and our founding charge that the most exciting theatre is made with the audience and actors in close proximity. This extraordinary new play by Matthew Libby asks what remains distinctly, mysteriously human once you strip away everything that can be simulated, predicted or optimized. I can think of no one better than Jessica Thebus to guide us through Matilda and Greta's long, strange and moving companionship."

The cast is Brenda Barrie (Matilda) and Chloe Johnston (Greta). The understudies are Julia Rowley and Sarah Hecht.

The creative team includes: Jessica Thebus (Director), A Inn Doo (Scenic Designer), Lia Wallfish (Costume Designer), Eric Watkins (Lighting Designer), Andre Pluess (Co-Sound Designer), Harper Justus (Co-Sound Designer), Stephan Mazurek (Projections Designer), Reva Stover (Assistant Director), Bobby Kennedy (Dramaturg) and Dylan Cohen (Assistant Dramaturg). The stage manager is Isabel Pratt and the assistant stage manager is Olivia Leslie. 

About the Artists

Matthew Libby (Playwright) is a writer and actor based in Brooklyn, by way of Los Angeles. He made his Off-Broadway playwriting debut with Data (Lucille Lortel Theatre, Outer Critics Circle nomination for the John Gassner Award); regional productions of his plays include Data (Arena Stage, Helen Hayes Award nomination for Best New Play or Musical) and Sisters (Writers Theatre, Northern Stage). Data was also previously adapted as a digital production by the Tony-winning Alliance Theatre in May 2021, a production featured in a New York Times review of virtual theatre works that "clear a path toward continued innovation and growth of the form." Winner of the Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition and Neukom Playwriting Award, Matt is a 2026 Ucross Resident, 2022-2023 Dramatists Guild Foundation Fellow, 2023 Theater Masters Visionary Playwright, three-time Princess Grace Award finalist, five-time O'Neill Playwrights Conference semifinalist and Blue Ink Playwriting Award featured finalist. His work has been produced and developed by theaters across the country, including Roundabout, Alliance Theatre, New York Stage and Film, Westport Country Playhouse, Northern Stage, Pioneer Theatre Company, The Kennedy Center, National New Play Network, Theater Masters, The Barrow Group, The Road Theater Company, WNYU's Theatre-in-the-Sound and others. With Stanford Repertory Theater, he helped devise and act in The Many Faces of Farce, which was nominated for a Bay Area Critics Award for Best Production. For the screen, he is a writer on Season 3 of Fox's hit medical drama Doc, has developed TV projects for Hulu, Lionsgate/eOne, Beau Willimon's Westward Productions and Alex Gibney's Jigsaw Productions, and has been recognized for his screenwriting work by The Black List and Script Pipeline. Matt studied cognitive science and creative writing at Stanford University and received his MFA in dramatic writing from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, where he also teaches and was awarded the Chair's Award for Distinguished Achievement. He is a proud member of the Writers Guild of America and the Dramatists Guild of America.

Jessica Thebus (Director) is a theater artist, director and educator. She holds a PhD in Performance Studies from Northwestern University, and is currently Director of the Northwestern MFA Program in Directing. She has directed in Chicago and nationally for twenty-five years, and has long associations with many Chicago theaters, including the Goodman Theatre where she directed A Christmas Carol from 2000-2005, as well as plays by Tracy Scott Wilson and Sarah Ruhl. Northlight Theater is also an artistic home for Jessica where she has directed ten plays including Shining Lives: A Musical which received a Joseph Jefferson award nomination for best new work. Favorite others include Steppenwolf Theater Company, Lookingglass Theater Company, The Gift Theater, Writers Theater and Court Theater. Favorite projects nationally have taken place at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Huntington Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, The Marin Theater Company, as well as the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Jessica also creates outdoor spectacle projects in Chicago that celebrate community, joy and environmental justice.

Brenda Barrie (Matilda) is making her Writers Theatre debut. Chicago credits include Steppenwolf Theatre Company (Middletown, Sex with Strangers, Okay Bye); Chicago Shakespeare Theater (Julius Caesar, Elizabeth Rex); American Blues Theater (Roann @ the Gates, Six Corners); Lifeline Theatre (Mrs. Caliban, Mariette in Ecstasy); Goodman Theatre (Mother Road); The House Theatre of Chicago (United Flight 232, The Nutcracker); Route 66 Theatre Company (The Downpour); The Gift Theatre (The Ruby Sunrise); Metropolis Performing Arts Centre (A Streetcar Named Desire); and Silk Road Rising (Caravaggio). She is a four-time Joseph Jefferson Award nominee for Principal Performer and has also appeared on Chicago Med, Chicago P.D., Chicago Fire, and The Chicago Code. She earned her BFA in Theatre from the University of Indianapolis and spent a formative semester studying at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland. She is represented by Stewart Talent.

Chloe Johnston (Greta) is a writer, director and teacher in Chicago. She has worked with theatres across Chicago and is a long-time ensemble member of The Neo-Futurists. Recent projects include 46 Plays for America's First Ladies (Critics Pick, NYTimes), Grace (The Orchard Project, Links Hall, Roman Susan, Northwestern University) and Leave the Light On, an interview-based performance and audio project about caretaking labor. With Coya Paz Brownrigg, she is the author of Ensemble-Made Chicago: A Guide to Devised Theater (NU Press). She is an Associate Professor of Theater and Performance Studies at Lake Forest College. www.chloejohnston.org

Sisters

Written by Matthew Libby
Directed by Jessica Thebus
The Gillian Theatre

August 13 – November 8, 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, September 17 at 7:30pm 

ASL-Interpreted Performance: Saturday, September 19 at 2:00pm 

Pay What You Can Performances: Sunday, August 23 at 7pm, Sunday, September 27 at 7pm, Saturday, October 31 at 7:30pm and Thursday, November 5 at 7:30pm 

Location: Gillian Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe 

Prices: $75+

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 

Single tickets are now on sale. Flex subscriptions and tickets are available online at www.writerstheatre.org, and at the Box Office by calling 847-242-6000. 

Notes of Interest:

• Jessica Thebus returns to Writers Theatre where she previously directed The Turn of the Screw. Writers audiences may recognize thematic echoes of Writer's 2015 production of Marjorie Prime, which featured Thebus's late mother, Mary Ann Thebus, and explored similar themes of memory and humanity.

• Sisters continues Writers Theatre's conversation about technology and humanity. Following the record-breaking, sold-out run of JOB, which explored the psychological dangers of technology and our increasingly online lives, Sisters asks a different question about how technology changes how we define family and what it means to be human. Where JOB was a tense psychological thriller about the dangers of our digital world, Sisters is an intimate, emotional portrait that asks whether artificial intelligence can become family.

• Told across 90 years, Sisters is a sweeping, non-chronological epic following the relationship between a human and her AI sister. Sisters features a unique two-person cast, in which the character Matilda physically ages on stage from childhood to 96.

• Brenda Barrie (Matilda) and Chloe Johnston (Greta) are both making their Writers Theatre debuts in this intimate two-hander.

• Playwright Matthew Libby has a degree in cognitive science and creative writing from Stanford University and an MFA from NYU. He blends this background to inform his writing. Data, which the New York Times called "a darkly on-point dramatic mirror of present-day events" that feels "all-too present, all-too raw and indisputably somber", addresses the ethics of AI, privacy and surveillance. Sisters also dives into the world of AI, exploring emotional boundaries between humanity and technology.

SEASON PACKAGES

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 package 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.

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES 

Writers Theatre offers Open Captioning and ASL-interpretation on select dates for each production. Please visit writerstheatre.org/accessibility for more information. 

Throughout the season, Writers Theatre offers a variety of audience enrichment and special programming. This includes regularly occurring offerings like the Family Matinee Series, The Green Room artist interview series and podcast and The Final Word Audience Discussion Series. Please visit writerstheatre.org for a full listing of upcoming offerings. 

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-seatGillian 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.