Theater
The play’s the thing
El Piélago de las Calamidades imagines Hamlet from the traveling actors’ perspective.
Latest stories
Bus stop snapshots
Raven’s Ironbound is a portrait of one immigrant woman’s working-class life.
‘A vision of female mercy, resistance, and solidarity’
Colectivo El Pozo brings the story of immigration activist Elvira Arellano to this year’s Destinos festival.
Two Destinos shows look at immigration through different perspectives
Elvira with Colectivo El Pozo draws on the real-life story of Chicago activist Elvira Arellano; comedian Marga Gomez traces her Cuban father’s influences in Latin Standards.
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theater Previews
Mona’s kids
A former Chicago comedian teaches Palestinian youth in a West Bank refugee camp how to rock the mike.
El Brote and Desvenar explore supporting players and cultural archetypes
Argentina’s Compañía Criolla and Mexico’s Kraken Teatro make their North American debuts in Destinos.
‘A poetry show that’s not a total bummer’
Giggle Hour combines live lit and comedy with diverse lineups.
Subtext Studio Theatre Company and Forest Park Theatre bring drama to the near west suburbs
Both companies expand their audience base this fall.
CIRCA Pintig launches inaugural Chicago Filipino American Theatre Festival
The three-week celebration of new work touches on queerness, homecoming, nursing, wrestling, and more.
Onstage front-runners
Our critics select a few promising performances for the months ahead.
Spoon River Anthology finds new life in the house where it began
Performances inspired by Edgar Lee Masters take over his former south-side home.
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Theater reviews
Chicago Lore(s) delves into the history of the Young Lords
José “Cha Cha” Jiménez’s life provides the inspiration for this absorbing world premiere at UrbanTheater Company.
Misery just misses
William Goldman’s stage adaptation takes the terror out of Stephen King.
A whiter shade of soul
Blue Eyed Soul Sung by Brown Eyed People delivers as advertised.
Of bunnies and banned books
Alabama Story examines a real-life tale of censorship and segregation.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child overflows with stage magic
The touring production turns the Nederlander into Hogwarts.
A fabulous Fidelio at Lyric
Matthew Ozawa stages Beethoven’s powerful and only opera.
Light Switch is a warm look at queerness and neurodiversity
Dave Osmundsen’s play gets an intimate and appealing staging at Open Space Arts.
A tale of two brothers
Topdog/Underdog at Gift remains compelling and complex.
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Ghost light by kerry reid
Awards and divas
The Equity Jeff Awards, the 3Arts Awards, and Meier Foundation grants are announced; Dance Divas take over the Rhapsody for Chicago Dance Health Fund.
Beyond the Door traces a real-life story of addiction, recovery, and family reunification
Denise Jones’s memoir comes to the stage with help from E. Faye Butler and Felicia P. Fields; Chicago Dramatists announces changes.
Dance for Life premieres a new finale
Jonathan Alsberry talks about this year’s fundraiser for dancers; the Jeff Awards announce Equity nominations; a comedy showcase with two Joravskys
Les Mis storms the North Shore
Highland Park’s Uptown Music Theater’s production raises funds for victims of the July 4 massacre; plus Enrich Chicago’s new report on funding for BIPOC arts organizations and a celebration of Indigenous creativity
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Opera
Gilda is dead; opera’s not
The fall season opens at Lyric, Chicago Opera Theater, and Haymarket.
Anthony Freud bows out
The Lyric Opera’s departing CEO on post-pandemic challenges, company premieres, and favorite Chicago restaurants
Summer sensations
Our critics highlight some of the most intriguing live performances of the season.
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Stages of survival
The language in which they dream
Aguijón Theater celebrates 35 years of producing theater in Spanish.
About Face marches on
New voices help the LGBTQ+ company expand their reach.
La compañía UrbanTheater sigue arraigada en Humboldt Park
“Sabían que si querían ver una obra que los representara, que fuera puertorriqueña, éramos nosotros.”
UrbanTheater Company stays rooted in Humboldt Park
“They knew that if they wanted to see work that represented them, that was Puerto Rican, it was us.”
The room where it happens, again
Hamilton holds up in the latest tour.
Fall Theater & arts preview
‘125 is feeling very good’
Celebrating Chicago’s cultural past and present at the Fine Arts Building
The quest for Eleven
A young theater artist searches for Gary Tucker and the Godzilla Rainbow Troupe.
Setting the stage for queer stories
A seasonal preview of LGBTQ+ theater
You won’t be my neighbor
Class and internalized racism explode in WELCOME TO MATTESON!
