Displaying items by tag: on stage

Since its original 2020 Off-Broadway debut was postponed until 2024 by the Covid-19 Pandemic, Itamar Moses’ “The Ally” has likely ripened in its effectiveness. Not because the play has changed, but because the world has.

A 2025 Pulitzer finalist, now in its Midwest premier at Theater Wit, it revolves around the ambivalence of Jewish college writing professor Asaf (Jordan Lane Shappell in a sterling performance) as his Black student Baron (DeVaughn Asante Loman) asks him to sign-on to a manifesto decrying the killing of his cousin by campus police.

Initially sympathetic to this cause, Asaf becomes reluctant to sign on, even though he agrees with its indictment of systemic injustice against people of color. His sticking points? A section ties in charges against Israel for operating an apartheid state vis a vis Gaza, condemning what it describes as policies of genocide against Palestinian people—even more timely topics today given current political discourse and a war in Iran.

Through a fast-paced dialog, the playwright puts on stage detailed explications of points of view that are known to trigger family battles during holiday dinners, or have become verboten altogether in the interests of peaceful coexistence. There seems nowhere safe to listen to opposing positions.

But not so on the stage in “The Ally.” Expertly directed by Jeremy Weschler, who has led a stellar cast to precision delivery with impeccable timing, this production is remarkable simply on the basis of how well rehearsed the performers seem to be in a complicated, granular script.

In publicizing the play, Weschler says, "Before October 7th, I — like a lot of American Jews on the left — held two ideas at once: that Israel was a haven and that the occupation was wrong. Itamar Moses saw, honestly before I did, that those two ideas were becoming impossible to hold simultaneously. But there are always two ways to answer the question ‘What do I believe?': what do I think, and what do I feel? Where we land on that spectrum is a constant negotiation between ourselves and the world around us. What ‘The Ally’ asks — what it really demands — is that we face that negotiation honestly. Can we be good people when our hearts and our heads aren't aligned?”

In the main setting, a library meeting room, impassioned, invested characters put forth their positions. Most have direct experience of that about which they speak. This is both enthralling and compelling, emotionally engaging at the peak moments, as we hear them passionately expounded their positions. Each felt equally compelling, even though they are often diametrically opposed.

Moses is a skillful playwright. He has wrapped the political discourse in a romantic drama, the relationship between Asaf and his wife Gwen (K Chinthana Sotakoun), a faculty member who is of Asian descent. The play opens with a skillful rendering of a couple tentatively probing and challenging each other in a very realistic way.

That scene changes from the living room to campus. Having heard from Baron, and as Asaf tussles with signing the manifesto, the playwright ups the stakes. Palestinian student Farid, (Arman Ghaeini) and his “ally” (a recurring theme) Jewish student Rachel (Mira Kessler), ask Asaf to support the appearance of a noted speaker who questions Israel’s actions in Gaza. Asaf agrees to be their student group sponsor authorizing the speaker.

When Reuven (Evan Ozer) a Jewish PhD student, discovers this, he barges in on Asaf to lay out all the reasons this speaker should not be allowed to address the student body. While Israel may seem brutal at home, he contends, one must think of it in context: Israel is surrounded by middle eastern states that oppose its very existence. Any presentation that might undermine Israel’s welfare should be banned.

Moses’s script is designed to give each of the characters a long moment in the spotlight. For relief he reverts to scenes between Asaf and Gwen. Each of the characters is articulate and brilliant. When Reuven makes his case for Israel, for example, he also recounts accurately the arguments of its opposition as he dispels them.

Most intriguing, and emotionally compelling, is Farid. In his first few appearances he is reticent, retreating, polite. But when the playwright offers him his featured monolog, Farid expresses the suffering of Palestinians, and then, moves to a vehement display of their anger. Arman Ghaeini runs away with this scene, engendering from me empathy and even catharsis. When have I heard this expressed? Never before.

Likewise for Baron, who is generally rather laconic. As the debates on stage progress over the connections between the Israel-Palestinian conflict and racial injustice in the U.S., Baron has his moment for a passionate peroration, and Loman's delivery is powerful.

Throughout, Asaf remains the buffeted everyman, conscious of the warring sympathies within himself, and unable to resolve them. The play has some weaknesses as a drama—an old flame now community activist Nikea (Sharyon Culberson) appears, igniting jealousy in Gwen. But as an expression of the struggle we experience societally, through the vehicle of the conflicted Asaf—that weakness doesn’t hamper the impact and value of “The Ally.”

It is worth noting “The Ally” was written before the Hamas strike against Israel in October 2023. That event killed 1,200 and saw 251 taken hostage. In its subsequent defense, Israel has retaliated and sought to destroy Hamas, killing 73,000 Palestinians and isolating Gaza. Also noteworthy: this Chicago production is only the second staging of the work. Perhaps its incendiary subject makes producers skittish.

But “The Ally” has a heightened immediacy today, and should be seen. Highly recommended, “The Ally” runs through May 2, 2026 at Theater Wit in Chicago.

Extended through May 17th!

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

Get ready for a summer of laughs as Steppenwolf Theatre Company welcomes award-winning performers Laura Benanti and Alex Edelman for two limited comedy engagements.

First up, direct from an acclaimed run at Edinburgh Fringe and two sold-out Off-Broadway runs comes Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares, a one-woman comedy show from the mind of Tony Award winner Laura Benanti, playing five performances August 6 – 9, 2026. Known for her dazzling Broadway performances and razor-sharp wit, Benanti takes the stage to share her hilarious, heartfelt and sometimes brutally honest take on motherhood, people pleasing and the joys of aging as a woman. Blending side-splitting storytelling with original songs, this New York Times Critic's Pick is a love letter to recovering ingénues, mothers and anybody working on themselves. Based on Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares, an Audible Original, 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.

Up next, following a critically-acclaimed, sell-out run of Just For Us at Steppenwolf and around the globe, Tony and Emmy Award-winning comedian Alex Edelman returns with another hilarious and thought-provoking dissection of identity: What Are You Going to Do, playing five performances August 12 – 16, 2026. This all-new show finds the Bostonian sweetheart asking different and more unsettling questions. Primarily, should he spend his time doing something else? Should he be saving lives like his physician father? Should he be trying to return to the sense of community he experienced growing up among Israelis and Palestinians? In a show that reckons with the effects of time spent in trauma, Edelman deftly weaves in and out of examinations of faith broadly—not just Judaism—and wonders if, perhaps, there might be better things out there for him.

Both shows will be presented in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theater, 1650 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. A special Steppenwolf member pre-sale begins Tuesday, March 31, 2026 at 12 pm. Tickets for both shows go on sale to the general public on Thursday, April 2, 2026 at 12 pm at steppenwolf.org or by calling the Box Office at (312) 335-1650.

Performance Schedules and Ticket Prices

Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares
Dates: Thursday, August 6 – Sunday, August 9, 2026
Performance Times: Thursday & Friday at 7:30 pm; Saturday at 3 pm & 7:30 pm; Sunday at 3:30 pm
Ticket Prices: $79 – $125 (includes $10 processing fees)

Alex Edelman: What Are You Going To Do
Dates: Wednesday, August 12 – Sunday, August 16, 2026
Times: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday at 7:30 pm, Sunday at 3 pm
Ticket Prices: $49 – $84 (includes $10 processing fees)

Artist Biographies

Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares

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

Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares is presented in association with rigor + ruckus, Jenny Gersten and Ashley Melone & Nick Mills with LD Entertainment, Avadon Broadway LLC & Creative Partners Productions. To learn more about other cities to see Nobody Cares, visit nobodycaresplay.com.

Alex Edelman: What Are You Going To Do

One of the most critically hailed comedians of his generation, Alex Edelman is best known for solo shows that blur the line between his stand-up comedy roots and narrative-driven storytelling. His last offering, Just For Us, played more than 500 performances all over the world - including acclaimed runs off- and on-Broadway. It premiered as an HBO original comedy special in April of 2024, earning him a place on the Time 100 list, a Tony Award and an Emmy Award for Best Writing for a Variety Special. Edelman appeared in Jerry Seinfeld's directorial debut for Netflix, Unfrosted. Beyond stand-up, he writes regularly for TV and can be seen starring in Peacock's The Paper, a Greg Daniels-helmed spiritual successor to The Office. He also writes on the show as a Consulting Producer. 

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.

Sponsor Information: 

United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf. Steppenwolf is also grateful for the significant season support from lead sponsors Allstate Insurance Company, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Crown Family Philanthropies, Caroline and Keating Crown, Julius Frankel Foundation, Lefkofsky Family Foundation, Northern Trust, Anne and Don Phillips, John Hart and Carol Prins, Shubert Foundation, Inc, Walder Foundation, and Zell Family Foundation. Steppenwolf also acknowledges generous support from premier sponsors Anonymous, Andrew and Amy Bluhm, Michael and Cathy Brennan, Ann and Richard Carr, Chicago Community Trust, Conagra Brands Foundation, Rich and Margery Feitler, FROST CHICAGO, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Orlebeke Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, Sacks Family Foundation, Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Thoma Bravo, Bryan Traubert and Penny Pritzker, and Vinci Restaurant. Steppenwolf also acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council and the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

About Steppenwolf Theatre Company:

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation's premier Ensemble Theater with 50 members who are among the top actors, playwrights and directors in the field. Thrilling, powerful, groundbreaking productions have made this theatre legendary. From the 1980 phenomenon of Balm in Gilead, to The Grapes of Wrath, August: Osage County, Downstate, The Brother/Sister Plays, and now, the 2025 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Purpose, Steppenwolf Theatre has had a long-running and undeniable impact on American Theatre and Chicago's cultural landscape. Founded in 1975 by Terry Kinney, Jeff Perry and Gary Sinise, Steppenwolf started as a group of young people in their teens and early 20s performing in the basement of a church. Today, the company's artistic force remains rooted in the original vision of its founders: an artist-driven theatre, whose vitality is defined by its appetite for bold and innovative work. Every aspect of Steppenwolf is rooted in its Ensemble ethos, from the intergenerational artistic programming to the multi-genre performance series LookOut, to the nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf Education and Engagement which serves nearly 15,000 teens annually. While grounded in the Chicago community, more than 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Steppenwolf also holds accolades that include the National Medal of Arts, 14 Tony Awards, two Pulitzer Prize-winning commissions and more. Led by Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, Executive Director E. Brooke Flanagan and Board of Trustees Chair Keating Crown — Steppenwolf continually redefines the boundaries of live theater and pushes the limits of acting and performance.

Steppenwolf's Mission: Steppenwolf strives to create thrilling, courageous and provocative art in a thoughtful and inclusive environment. We succeed when we disrupt your routine with experiences that spark curiosity, empathy and joy. We invite you to join our ensemble as we navigate, together, our complex world. steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.

Some nights in the theatre create a hum with the kind of energy you can feel in your chest - nights when the performers aren’t merely revisiting history but reliving it, reigniting it, and passing that fire straight into the audience’s hands. That’s the voltage running through Stolp Island Theatre’s exhilarating production of Million Dollar Quartet, staged with remarkable precision, pulse, and musical instinct by director Jim Corti.

Set inside the intimate jewel‑box space perched along the Fox River, the production transforms Stolp Island Theatre into a full‑blown time machine - Sun Records beautifully simulated and reborn in the heart of Aurora. The moment you step inside, you’re whisked straight to 706 Union Avenue in Memphis. Even before the show begins, the lobby sets the tone: a 1950s soda‑fountain concession stand invites you to grab a drink, a gleaming vintage motorcycle begs for a photo op, and the walls are lined with memorabilia that feels lovingly plucked from rock ’n’ roll history. Wander a bit further and you’ll find yourself inside a beautifully crafted reproduction of Sam Phillips’ own small office - warm, worn‑in, and full of history you can actually touch and walk through. 

Then, with a sudden shift, the doors open and you find yourself standing inside a true-to-size replica of the original Sun recording studio, set up as a theater in the round. 

This small but elegant one‑of‑a‑kind environment where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis aren’t just characters on a stage, but living, breathing artists hanging out, cracking jokes, and making music mere feet away. I’ve seen many great productions of Million Dollar Quartet in beautifully designed houses, but this is the first time where I actually felt the breath of Elvis on my neck as he entered the stage or the sweaty frenetic energy of Jerry Lee Lewis brushing my hand with every single entrance to the stage which made the show very exciting as an audience member. 

Madison Palmer and Corey McKinney in Paramount's Million Dollar Quartet at Stolp Island Theatre.

Paramount’s restaging is as fun as it is brilliant. The audience isn’t simply watching a musical; they’re dropped directly into the legendary jam session of December 4, 1956, when Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins unexpectedly found themselves sharing the same room for one unforgettable night. What begins as a casual drop‑in quickly erupts into a spontaneous collision of talent, ego, and raw creative electricity - the kind of alchemy that could only ignite once, and only inside a cramped Memphis studio run by a visionary who believed in these young artists long before the rest of the world caught on.

Through a propulsive blend of music, sharp‑edged banter, and simmering backstage tensions, the show digs into the crossroads each man finds himself standing at - the tug‑of‑war between loyalty and ambition, the pressure of sudden fame, and the shifting identities of artists still discovering who they are and who they might become. What emerges is not just a snapshot of a legendary night, but a portrait of a pivotal cultural flashpoint, a moment when rock ’n’ roll was still being forged in real time and four rising stars found themselves sharing the same room, the same microphones, and the same uncertain horizon.

Sam Phillips may have discovered these artists and shaped them into the icons they’re becoming, but the question hanging in the air is whether loyalty to a small, scrappy label like Sun Records can still serve them - or whether they’ve simply outgrown it, destined for the bigger machines of Columbia and RCA. The show drops us right into that critical juncture, that uncomfortable, high‑stakes conversation where ambition, gratitude, and survival all collide. 

It’s a charged moment in the story, and the production meets it with a cast more than capable of carrying that weight.

And that weight is carried first by Garrett Forrestal who doesn’t just play Jerry Lee Lewis - he unleashes him. From the instant his fingers hit the keys, he’s a live wire: mischievous, magnetic, and gloriously unhinged in all the right ways. His piano work becomes its own spectacle, and his razor‑sharp comedic instincts make him the spark plug that keeps the entire night crackling.

Garrett Forrestal in MDQ at Stolp Island Theatre.

Corey McKinney follows with a beautifully layered Elvis - yes, the swagger is spot‑on and the voice is uncanny, but it’s the vulnerability beneath the rhinestone shine that makes his execution unforgettable. He captures a young King at a turning point: confident yet conflicted trying to make the best decision for his career while remaining loyal to the man who gave him his first break. 

Brian Grey, performing as Johnny Cash the evening I attended, offers a deep, velvety counterweight to the surrounding chaos - resonant, restrained, and quietly commanding. He nails Cash’s signature rolling, two‑step pulse. The emotional depth of Grey’s portrayal of Cash is really felt by the audience as his eyes blaze with the same fierce righteous honesty during his dialogue. Grey has a tremendous amount of gravitas and the miraculous, unbelievably low notes he hits while singing “Folsom Prison Blues” make the crowd go wild. Grey is hands down one of the best MDQ cast Johnny Cash’s I’ve ever seen. 

Rounding out the rock ’n’ roll trailblazers is Matt McClure, who gives Carl Perkins the spotlight he’s long overdue. His crisp, fiery guitar work pairs with a performance full of grit and verve, playing Perkins with a chip on his shoulder and a fire in his gut. McClure’s guitar work is strikingly assured, each riff delivered with a clarity and confidence that elevates every moment he’s onstage.

Madison Palmer as Elvis’s girlfriend, Dyanne - a confident vocalist in her own right - brings it big time. Her sultry, simmering take on “Fever” tantalizes the audience and brings all the sexy female energy missing from this quartet of machismo! Palmer is a delight; she has a great vocal range and panache that this production’s lead female singing role requires. It is implied by Elvis that her character is talented enough to record with these icons and that she, too, might be a voice ready to burst into the spotlight. 

Jake Saleh adds humor, rhythm, and charm as Brother Jay, his tight, expressive bass lines and playful physicality keeping the momentum buoyant throughout. Robert Brandon matches that vitality as W. S. ‘Fluke’ Holland, his grounded, stylish percussion giving the music shape and elevating the ensemble’s chemistry.

The cast and band deliver musicianship of exceptional caliber, playing with such precision, passion, and force that the entire production feels supercharged. They really play their hearts out.

Connor Green isn’t part of the musical lineup, yet his portrayal of Sam Phillips binds the entire production together - warm, gritty, and quietly authoritative. We can’t help but appreciate the situation he’s in. Phillips is the man who believed in these boys before the world did, radiating both pride and heartbreak as he watches his protégés outgrow the nest he built for them.

Having experienced Million Dollar Quartet in a range of productions across the years, I can say this one stands out as the most fully realized and emotionally resonant. The intimacy of the staging, the sheer talent of the cast, the way the studio set becomes a living, breathing character in its own right, and the meticulous attention to period detail all combine to create something rare.

The Stolp Island Theatre’s intimate 98‑seat layout feels tailor‑made for this show - the band is practically within arm’s reach, the sound warm and immediate, and the closeness so sharp it’s as if the audience is eavesdropping on history in real time. The design team leans fully into the Sun Records aesthetic, all wood tones, warmth, and lived‑in detail, creating a space that looks and feels less like a set and more like a working Memphis studio caught in the middle of something extraordinary.

This Million Dollar Quartet shines even brighter thanks to a top‑tier creative team working in perfect sync. Directors Jim Corti and Creg Sclavi steer the production with a confident mix of musical precision and character‑forward storytelling, shaping an evening that feels both tightly crafted and effortlessly alive. Kory Danielson’s musical direction fuels the show with irresistible drive and authenticity, while Jeffrey D. Kmiec delivers a Sun Records set that’s so textured and atmospheric it practically hums with history. Matt Guthier’s era‑sharp costumes complete the world with style and specificity. And Garrett Forrestal, also working as Associate Music Director, adds a final layer of polish that keeps the ensemble sounding crisp, unified, and thrilling from start to finish.

Million Dollar Quartet at Stolp Island Theatre is a high‑octane celebration of rock ’n’ roll history, ignited by powerhouse performances and a setlist packed with classics like “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “Hound Dog,” “Long Tall Sally,” and a haunting rendition of “Ring of Fire.”  The show captures the thrill, spontaneity, and sheer musical joy of that legendary night, and brings the energy of 1950s rock ’n’ roll roaring back to life.

Part concert, part play, and all adrenaline - Million Dollar Quartet turns into one heck of a ride. This production is highly recommended and runs through March 31st, offering a chance to experience this electrifying slice of American music history.

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

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

Auditorium Philms’ presentation of Steven Spielberg’s 1981 classic Raiders of the Lost Ark with the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra transforms a beloved blockbuster into a full‑body cinematic jolt. Indiana Jones’ adventures play out across the towering Auditorium Theatre screen, but it’s the live orchestra that makes the familiar feel astonishingly new. John Williams’ legendary score doesn’t just sit beneath the film—it surges through it, electrifying every frame. Each chase, each narrow escape, each sweeping desert vista lands with heightened force as the Philharmonic unleashes the “Raiders March” and the score’s darker, more mysterious undercurrents with breathtaking clarity. The result is an experience that feels both nostalgically rooted in movie history and thrillingly alive in the present moment.

Set in 1936, Raiders of the Lost Ark follows archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) as he’s recruited by U.S. Army Intelligence to locate the Ark of the Covenant, a biblical artifact believed to hold immense supernatural power. The Nazis are already searching for it, hoping to harness its destructive force for their military ambitions.

Indy’s quest takes him from the jungles of South America to the snowy mountains of Nepal and the bustling streets of Cairo. Along the way, he reunites with his tough, resourceful former flame Marion Ravenwood (Karen Black), and together they battle traps, treachery, and relentless Nazi agents. Standing in Indy’s way is his rival, the suave and morally slippery archaeologist René Belloq (Paul Freeman), who has aligned himself with the Nazis to claim the Ark for his own purposes.

The adventure barrels toward a race‑against‑time finale as Indy fights to keep the Ark out of enemy hands—culminating in one of the most unforgettable climaxes in action‑adventure cinema.

The stunning Auditorium Theatre amplifies the magic, its grand acoustics allowing the orchestra’s sound to bloom without ever overpowering the action onscreen. The coordination between musicians and film is so precise that it feels as though the score is being created in the moment, perfectly synced to every crack of Indy’s whip and every pulse‑pounding twist. The result is a seamless blend of concert and cinema, a reminder of just how essential Williams’ music is to the film’s spirit, humor, and sense of adventure.

Conductor Thiago Tiberio.

Brazilian conductor Thiago Tiberio brings remarkable artistry and precision to the podium, making him one of the standout talents in the world of film‑in‑concert performance. Known for his expert live‑to‑picture synchronization, Tiberio has led orchestras in acclaimed presentations of Star Wars, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Coco, Lord of the Rings, and other major studio projects across the globe. His background spans opera, multimedia productions, and award‑winning work recognized by organizations including the United Nations. What truly distinguishes Tiberio is his dynamic presence and emotional clarity - he draws rich, expressive playing from musicians and elevates every score he touches, turning familiar soundtracks into thrilling live experiences.

Each time Indy charges onto the screen with a burst of heroism - or the Chicago Philharmonic unleashes a perfectly rendered cue from Williams’ score - the audience responds as one. Cheers ripple through the theatre, a spontaneous wave of energy that makes the experience feel communal and electric.

Whether you’ve seen Raiders a dozen times or are discovering it for the first time, this live‑orchestra presentation is a joyous celebration of movie magic - an electrifying tribute to one of Hollywood’s most enduring collaborations.

As a newly crowned favorite way to experience a film classic, Auditorium Philms makes a strong case for returning again and again. Their upcoming slate keeps the magic alive, offering even more opportunities to see iconic movies reimagined through the power of live orchestral performance. Keep an eye on their calendar - you won’t want to miss the cinematic treasures still to come.

Saturday, May 16, 2026 • 7:30 PM
Auditorium Philms Presents
Rocky In Concert – 50th Anniversary
with the Chicago Philharmonic

Saturday, September 26, 2026 • 7:30 PM
Auditorium Philms Presents
Top Gun: Maverick

Saturday, October 24, 2026 • 7:30 PM
Auditorium Philms Presents
Edward Scissorhands In Concert – Live to Film
with the Chicago Philharmonic

Saturday, December 19, 2026 • 7:00 PM
Auditorium Philms Presents
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York – Live in Concert

For tickets and/or more information, visit https://www.auditoriumtheatre.org/events/buy-tickets/auditorium-philms.

There are thousands of stories you’d love to see brought to the stage. Stories that slip into the lives of people who walk through the world either unseen or are barely considered by those possessing more standard existences.  People who, because of the way they look or talk or are intrinsically wired to move through life find themselves on the periphery.  Or who mask their true selves by pretending to be something they’re not.  With all the same desires, hopes and dreams of a common human being, something about them hinders them from freely striving for type of self-actualization we all crave.

How they see themselves, relate to others and fulfill their aspirations can produce illuminating and often engrossing stories about who and what we, as a species, inherently are.  They’re in the family of stories queer focused About Face Theatre has been telling boldly and honestly since 1995.  And it’s current production by playwright Preston May Allen, Modern Gentleman, fits snugly in the theater company’s oeuvre of truth.  

By stepping into and exploring the life of Adam, a trans man living in present day New York, About Face again provides a platform to enlighten through alternative storytelling.  Uniquely structured, and under Landree Fleming’s novel direction, Modern Gentleman presents ideas, beliefs and circumstances that provoke serious and stimulating contemplation.  Despite all the things it either suggests or leaves a mystery, it’s the common threads of life that stand out most distinctly.

Passion, drama and rewardingly precocious humor are the trinity that pervade this profile of a person trying to live their most complete life in the gender they feel most comfortable. 

Its passion that opens the play as Adam (Alec Phan) and his girlfriend Lily (Kaylah Marie Crosby) tumble through the front door of Adam’s apartment tearing at each other’s clothes in their rush to get busy between the sheets.  A young articulate couple, they’ve been together for five years and have that satisfyingly acclimated aura of a happily nested pair.  The only odd note is that after a certain point, they seem to be a little awkward about undressing in front of one another.

It isn’t long before the barely visible specter of foreboding that steals over them gets pulled from the shadows.  Sometime since they’ve been together, Adam’s found the courage to confess his desire to transition from being a woman and become male.  When they originally met, they were two women, lesbians whose relationship led to love.  It may have been a startling revelation for Lilly. But that depends on the amount of candor that defined their union.  Others in her position would have left immediately.  Lilly stayed, but two years into a regimen of testosterone treatments and the transformation of her once girlfriend’s physical appearance, and Lilly is experiencing a change of heart.  She eventually tells Adam she can’t go do it and leaves. 

Her departure though doesn’t prove final.  She keeps resurfacing, coming back to the apartment to house sit and care for Adam’s diabetic cat when he needs to travel for work.  Stopping by repeatedly to clarify her position and probe his.  Through their back and forth, we get an enlightening, indeed an enlivened picture of the complexity and far-reaching ripple effects a single very personal decision can produce.

Because they’re both so expressive, so fluent in disclosing their innermost feelings, we learn the rupture isn’t at heart due to superficialities.  It seems to center on personal perception of self and how they both want to experience intimacy beyond sex.  

Because he has allies, Adam enjoys the benefit of other insights.  His friend Samuel (Omer Abbas Salem), whose “gayese” is superb and whose piquant wit is lined with razors, has tons of excellent advice.  Adam’s sister Natalie (Ashlyn Lozano) is equally supportive and just savvy as Sam.  We never know why neither Samuel or Natalie seem to care for Lily who, despite the amount of time she has on stage and the good sense she consistently demonstrates, seems bereft of boosters in her corner. 

A woman Adam meets at a family social event and eventually hooks up with, Alycia, played with wonderfully brash assurance by Emma Fulmer, helps paint a bracing image of what dating looks like 2 ½ decades into the 21^st century.  Through her frankness, she lets Adam get a clearer picture of how a trans man who hasn’t had any below the belt alterations can fit into today’s sexual cosmos.

Milo Bue’s subdued polished set offers an unobtrusive and pleasing backdrop to this edifying drama of the heart.  Ethan Korvne’s sound design and original music bring unexpected texture to Adam’s story and shows how well composed sound elements can complement dramatic theater.  And thanks to Catherine Miller’s cosmopolitan approach to casting, we gain a promising view into the possible. 

Language that sometimes strays toward the ponderous, and occasionally less than fluid scene transitions, prove only mildly distracting.  They don’t lessen the suspense of how Adam will come to fully accept himself as the man he now is rather than some fantasized ideal.  Nor do they leave us less curious of about how that kind of epiphany will impact his relationship with Lily.  

What Modern Gentleman does most gratifyingly is shed thoughtful and intelligently humane light on one of the unseen and unheralded in our midst to give us a fuller understanding of ourselves.

Modern Gentleman

Through April 18, 2026

About Face Theatre

Venue:  Raven Theater

6157 N. Clark Street

Chicago, IL  60660

For more information and tickets:   https://aboutfacetheatre.com

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

El último sueño de Frida y Diego is a love story that outlives the body, outlasts the grave, and keeps burning long after death has done its part.

Frida Kahlo famously said, ‘I’ve had two accidents that changed my life: one when I was hit by a trolley, and the other when I fell in love with Diego Rivera.”

And thus opens the first act of this beautiful dedication to the brilliant fiery artist, so far ahead of her time, the astonishing and disabled Frida Kahlo.

Composed by Gabriela Lena Frank with a libretto by Nilo Cruz, El último sueño de Frida y Diego arrives like a heat‑haze hallucination - lush, uncanny, and thrumming with a love that refuses to stay in the ground. It’s 1957, Día de los Muertos, and the opera drops us into a marigold‑drenched cemetery where the living coax their dead back for one brief visit. Diego Rivera, worn thin by grief and a stalled brush, isn’t there for tradition; he’s there to beg the universe for one more moment with Frida. His plea slices through the veil, catching the ear of an unassuming flower seller who promptly sheds her disguise to reveal Catrina, the regal, razor‑sharp Keeper of the Dead - and the only force powerful enough to answer him.

Deep in the shadowed sweep of Mictlán, Frida pushes back against the summons with the same fierce spark that once lit every brushstroke. Death has finally granted her the relief life never did - no shattered spine, no emotional whiplash, no Diego-shaped storm at her heels - and she has zero interest in reopening the wounds she fought so hard to leave behind.

“So much pain!” she cries again and again, swearing at the start of the production that she will never return to the world of the living - or to her love, Rivera - because of it.

But the underworld is anything but still - teeming with spirits who are playful, meddling, and aching for their own brief return. Among them is Leonardo, a young actor whose flair for drama and easy artistic kinship start to chip away at Frida’s resolve. As Catrina assembles the souls cleared for their 24‑hour crossing, Frida reluctantly lets herself be wrapped once more in the hues, textures, and contradictions of her earthly self. Bound by strict rules - no touching the living, no overstaying the day - she steps toward the world she swore off, setting the stage for a reunion as volatile as it is inevitable.

But she is urged by those on both sides of the afterlife to visit with Diego because spirits on both sides of the veil are ALSO missing her presence, her vibrant, dynamic and powerful personality and essence in a dark landscape of blacks and greys. Rivera and her family and friends on both sides of the veil would give anything to have her back with them to color and ignite their universe - even if only for a day.

And although Frida really does want to see Diego again, she is stopped by the memory of the torment she suffered emotionally in his arms and even more so the pain she suffered in her body from the horrific trolley accident that crippled her.

Ana Maria Martinez as Catrina, Alfredo Daza as Diego and Daniela Mack as Frida. 

Many times in the show, Frida sings about her extreme unrelenting physical pain. Kahlo’s paintings - often filled with blood, surgical imagery, and unfiltered grief - also gave voice to the extreme physical agony she endured throughout her chronically ill life. Frida endured surgery after surgery, yet none brought the relief she so desperately needed.

In the end, she chooses to return for her art - to see the colors again, the radiant “colors” she sings of in her paintings and in her lovingly adorned home. Kahlo also descends back into her pain‑ridden earthly body to answer Rivera’s desperate daily pleas - his prayers to her and to God to return and save him from a life emptied of inspiration, a life made unbearably lonely without her.

Kahlo and Diego had a tumultuous relationship marked by marital affairs on both sides, though Diego’s affair with Frida’s own sister caused their divorce. But their love was eternal and they remarried, and we’re together until Frida’s death 10 years later.

This production makes clear that although Diego Rivera was the more famous artist in their lifetime - the towering figure whose reputation often eclipsed Frida Kahlo’s - he relied on her completely, both for artistic inspiration and for the very shape of his life. Rivera even said that his greatest wish was to have his ashes buried with hers.

Finally, a production that honors a female artist not only for her public achievements but for her full humanity - one that is unabashedly in love with Frida herself, not just her legacy.

One of the production’s loveliest moments is a tableau where Kahlo’s most famous paintings step off the canvas and onto the stage. I only found myself wishing for projections - of the actors in their vivid recreations or of the paintings themselves - because the costumes and scenic artistry were so intricate and stunning that not everyone in the house could fully take them in. By then, the audience was aching to see her art come alive.

The company of El último sueño de Frida y Diego.

El último sueño de Frida y Diego is currently running at Lyric Opera House, performed entirely in Spanish with the full vocal score intact. English captions are projected overhead throughout, making the story and its emotional undercurrents easy to follow even if you don’t speak the language.

Directed by Lorena Maza with Roberto Kalb conducting, Lyric’s production fields a powerhouse ensemble, led by mezzo‑soprano Daniela Mack, who returns to the house with a Frida that’s all fire, fragility, and fiercely guarded autonomy. Opposite her, baritone Alfredo Daza makes a striking Lyric debut as Diego - his voice carrying the weight of a man haunted by the art he can’t finish and the woman he can’t release. Countertenor Key’mon W. Murrah, in a radiant Lyric debut, infuses Leonardo with a buoyant theatrical spark that lifts the energy of every scene entered. Meanwhile, Ana María Martínez turns Catrina into a study in imperious grace - her soprano gliding through the score with the kind of effortless authority that makes the boundary between worlds feel like something she can open and close at will.

Musically, the evening’s standout moments come through sweeping duets and emotionally charged arias - Frida’s defiant refusals, Diego’s grief‑soaked pleas, and shimmering ensemble passages that blur the line between the living and the dead. Gabriela Lena Frank’s score leans into lush orchestral colors, letting voices ride waves of percussion, strings, and folkloric textures that feel both ancient and startlingly alive, while the live orchestra - under Roberto Kalb’s precise, fiery baton - does far more than accompany, animating the realm around the singers and giving Mictlán its pulse, the cemetery its glow, and the lovers’ reunion its aching gravity.

Visually, El último sueño de Frida y Diego is a sensory feast - an opera that doesn’t just tell a story but paints one stroke by stroke right in front of you. The stage erupts in the saturated hues of Mexican folklore: cascades of marigolds, candlelit altars, and sweeping bands of cobalt and crimson that echo Rivera’s murals and the raw intimacy of Frida’s self‑portraits. The opening cemetery glows like a living ofrenda, its petals and lanterns shimmering in a soft, uncanny haze that makes the border between worlds feel thin, permeable, almost eager to be crossed.

Once the action plunges into Mictlán, the production morphs into a surreal, shadow‑rich dreamscape - floating fabrics drifting like lost souls or the hem of a woman’s skirt lifted by the wind, skeletal silhouettes stalking the edges of the frame, and sculptural lighting carving the darkness into something at once playful and faintly menacing. Spirits flash in and out like animated brushstrokes, their movement and costuming turning the underworld into a kinetic mural of the afterlife. And when Frida finally steps back into her earthly colors, the entire stage snaps into focus as a living canvas - bold, mythic, and charged with the emotional current of two artists whose love refuses to stay still.

El último sueño de Frida y Diego is being performed at Lyric Opera House through April 4^th. For tickets and/or more show information, click here.

Highly Recommended. 

Upcoming Performances:

March

• Mar 21 • 7:30 p.m.
• Mar 24 • 7:00 p.m.
• Mar 26 • 7:00 p.m.
• Mar 29 • 2:00 p.m.

April

• Apr 1 • 2:00 p.m.
• Apr 4 • 2:00 p.m.

Running Time: Approx. 2h 15m (one intermission)

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

Trapdoor Theatre’s “The Cuttlefish” ought to be confounding, but somehow this 1920’s surrealist play from Poland is clear as a bell. Though ostensibly about the philosophical struggle between art and politics, the audience easily recognized echoes of the present-day overall fix in which society finds itself.

Before any dialog, even before house lights go down, “The Cuttlefish, or the Hyrcanian Worldview” (its full title) opens somewhat bewilderingly on a stage with four characters: a masked, gold-clad Statue of Alice D’Or (Keith Surney), whose postures beside a short classic stone column suggest a Greek sculpture. Further backstage is a high ranking church cleric in mitre and liturgical robes, gesturing spiritually—Pope Julius II (Emily Lotspeich), patron of Raphael and Michelangelo. Stage left, a figure in a suit slouches and periodically collapses against a wall, the artist Pavel Rockhoffer (Nicole Wiesner). And a woman wanders, hands outspread—the Mother (Venice Averyheart) of Rockhoffer, who settles into a seat and manages percussion.

What is going on? The audience puzzles through these characters, trying to make sense of the silent tableau, and the lights go down and dialog begins. Rockhoffer has become pessimistic about his creative works, which we learn have been condemned by a government council. “My art is a lie, a carefully planned hoax,” says Rockhoffer.

“Even prisoners serving a life sentence still want to live,” the Statue offers. Along the way Julius remarks, “A man without a worthy adversary is like God without Satan,” and leaving, offers “I wish you a short and unexpected death.” With very little naturalism or conventional exposition, these snippets reveal the conflict that is to be resolved by the end of “The Cuttlefish.”

But it is with the arrival of King Hyrcan IV (David Lovejoy) when the story comes alive. A villainous despot, he smooth-talks Rockhoffer, coaxing him to abandon his dedication to absolute artistic ideals, and come on over to pragmatic freedom of Hyrcania, the land he rules.

Lovejoy is an energetic force on stage, and brings the play to life. “I am a superman, or ‘an uber mensch’” King Hyrcan declares, convincingly. He offers to unchain the artist from historic patronage of entities like Julius, and to have full freedom.
“What do you believe in?” queries Rockhoffer.

“In myself,” King Hyrcan shoots back, and as inexorably as the manosphere today sucks in its lost, wandering adherents, Rockhoffer, after a bit of resistance, falls under his spell. He obeys when Hyrcan tells him to jettison his fiance Ella (Gus Thomas), as unfitting for the new Hyrcanian order. King Hyrcan works his wiles on a weakened Julius, who admits to doubt and crumbles too.

As the action unfolds and the plot thickens, it becomes clearer that the times prophesied by “The Cuttlefish,” which unfolded in the rise of fascist Germany, offer parallels to today —when cultural centers are being expropriated and renamed, arts funding cancelled, and freedom of expression curtailed.

The magic of Trap Door is its penchant for mining an obscure work of 1920s playwright Stanislaw Witkiewicz (translated by Daniel Gerould) to find a work that is regarded as a precursor to later absurdist and expressionist stage works in the 1930s. Under the direction of Nicole Wiesner, what might have been an inscrutable drama instead is intuitively understandable. As we laugh with relief at the line, “One can only hope” (the Mother’s interjection about the end of such terrible times), we may be reminded of Kurt Vonnegut’s advice: “The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable.”

“The Cuttlefish, or the Hyrcanian Worldview” runs through April 25 at Chicago’s Trap Door Theatre and comes recommended.

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

The Oscars might be over, but this “Best Actress” is just getting started. Welcome to the weird world of the Grelley Duvall Show, or Alex Grelle. His unique approach to cabaret has amassed quite a fanbase over the years. Suffice it to say, there’s nothing else quite like it. In two acts, Grelle and his team blend his favorite female performances with highly choreographed musical numbers set to toe-tappin’ hits performed by a live band. 

Directed by Kasey Foster, “Best Actress” tells the origin story of the Grelley Duvall Show and what inspired a young Alex Grelle and his creative partner Jesse Morgan Young. Their obsessive knowledge of pop culture as seen through the lens of queer millennials is unmatched. They throw anything from a given day on cable TV in the 1990s into the blender and it’s up to the audience to keep up. The irreverent humor, costumes, and slickly produced video segments add up to an evening of hilarious deep cuts and surprise cameos.

To be honest, not all experimental cabaret style theatre is good. Rest assured Best Actress is not that. Rather it’s a 2-hour musical extravaganza with solid gold choreography by Erin Kilmurray and Kasey Alfonso and a kick-ass band led by (and featuring the vocals of) Aunt Kelly. Alex Grelle is a certified triple threat: he can sing, he can dance and he can kick. The team he’s assembled for this production has made something really special for anyone really, but especially for the pop culture obsessed, vintage shopping community.

Joining Grelle onstage is a powerhouse ensemble - Kara Brody, Madigan Burke, Lolly Extract, Darling Shear, Patrick Stengle, and Mary Williamson - plus a handful of puppets that feel like characters in their own right. And make no mistake: Grelle isn’t the only one throwing kicks. This cast matches his energy beat for beat, putting on quite a show. Again, Killmurray and Alfonso’s choreography is killer.

Grelley Duvall Best Actress is one of those shows it’s almost best to not know much about going in. It’s also one of those shows that should just run open-ended for a while, because once you see it, you’ll be trying to explain to people for weeks what exactly it was. 

Through April 12 at the Chopin Theatre. 1543 W Division St. 773-278-1500

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

“I just want to be entertained. Isn’t that the point?” asks the narrator of The Drowsy Chaperone. And if that indeed is the point, Theo Ubique’s rendition hit the bullseye.

This fun production follows a neurotic musical theatre fan (played by Steve McDonagh) who puts on his favorite record and talks about its fictional history. Thanks to Theo’s inventive seating – a front row made of sofas – the audience feels as if they’re actually in his living too, getting an intimate evening full of laughs as he and the rest of the cast break the fourth wall – even entering and exiting through closet.

The show-within-a-show follows a famous star, her fiancé, and the kooky cast of characters who try to help or hurt the impending nuptials for their own reasons. The result is a musical which never takes itself seriously, as it pokes fun at Broadway shows and troupes.

Everyone turns in a polished performance with each artist getting their moment to shine, whether it’s in a tap-dancing number (expertly accomplished by Trey Pluntnicki and Kevin Chlapecka), a silly vaudeville routine (Jenny Rudnick does enough spit takes to lose count), or a ballad about bunnies – yes, bunnies (sung by Kelsey MacDonald with all the heart and sincerity it needed).

As the “Man in the Chair,” McDonagh anchors the show in reality, but each performer holds the reigns of these larger-than-life characters with precision. Darian Goulding, embodies the Latin lover, Aldolpho, with inspired hilarity from his subtle gestures to that elevated accent. Jimmy Hogan and Chase Wheaton-Werle also stood out as gangsters posing as pastry chefs. Their playful banter and cohesion as a team elevated their numbers and helped sell the silly side plot. Colette Todd, who played the titular character, the Drowsy Chaperone herself, delivered a powerhouse tune with the perfect balance of comedy and chops.

From start to finish, it was clear that the actors were having fun, and their joy was certainly contagious. Directing this production is L. Walter Stearns, and his love of this show was clear in the care in which he handled the material, perhaps because directing The Drowsy Chaperone was a dream come true. In 2004, Stearns had the opportunity to attend an early reading of musical with Sutton Foster, who went on to star in the Broadway cast.

Written by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison (music and lyrics) with a book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar, The Drowsy Chaperone is not a deep musical, and it isn’t meant to be. Instead, it’s a reminder that comedy brings connection, and sometimes it’s okay to just want to be entertained.

The Drowsy Chaperone runs through April 19 at Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre. For tickets and/or more information, click here.

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

Comedy Dance Chicago is bringing their family-friendly show to The Second City! (Fun fact: this group was born out of a Second City Training Center class back in 2014). The show is a high-energy laugh-riot for ages 5 to 95. Comedy Dance Chicago's joyful mashup of sketch comedy, physical humor, music, and dance is sure to have you (and your kids and their grandparents) smiling, laughing, and bopping in your seats! These dancin' fools bring relatable situations to life... anything from the importance of hugs to a good old-fashioned staring contest. And who knows, you might even find yourself on stage! Don't miss this joy-filled experience, perfect for anyone in need of a laughter boost.

People often ask "What is Comedy Dance?" Here's what audiences say:

     "It's one of the funniest, most enjoyable hours you'll spend on a Friday night."
-Chicago Reader

     "My face hurts from smiling!" & "That was so joyful!"

     ""We had SO much fun and Olivia giggled her little head off the whole time."
            -Blair (parent)

Comedy Dance Chicago presents HAPPY DANCE, Saturdays March 21, April 4, April 18, May 2, May 16, May 30 at 2:00pm at The Second City in the e.t.c Theater (230 W. North Ave., Piper's Alley, Chicago, IL). Show runs 60 minutes with no intermission. Tickets are $35 for adults and $29 for kids.

Notable credits include: "8-BITS" and "Oh, the Mundanity!" at The iO Theater; Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival, Charlotte's Queen City Comedy Experience; San Francisco Sketchfest; Laugh Out Loud Schaumburg; I AM Fest at House of Blues; Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival; Chicago Women's Funny Fest, Stevenson High School Odyssey Festival; among others. 

About Comedy Dance Chicago

Comedy Dance Chicago. A different kind of comedy show. A different kind of dance show. Unique entertainment for Chicago and beyond. But... what is comedy dance?! In Layman's terms: they dance, you laugh. Still confused? You'll just have to see it.

Comedy Dance Chicago has been delighting and entertaining audiences for over 10 years.  They are a turnkey option for performing arts venues, K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and corporate events looking to add joy to their next event. Company members bring a range of comedy and dance styles to the show and have trained with the Second City Training Center, iO Chicago, American Theatre Conservatory, Accademia dell'Arte, among others. Having performed at the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival (Stage 773), iO Chicago, Dance Chicago (The Athenaeum Theatre), Woodstock Opera House, the Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor Conference, and (that one time) at the House of Blues, Comedy Dance Chicago is thrilled to share laughs and spread the love of comedy dance to the rest of the US.