Tickets go on sale starting tomorrow January 7, 2025 at 10am for Chicago Theatre Week 2025!

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Hot Deals on Cool Shows!

Tickets go on sale starting tomorrow at 10am for 

Chicago Theatre Week 2025

a program of the League of Chicago Theatres, in partnership with Choose Chicago

Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows we're passionate about Chicago's Theatre scene and cover upwards of 200 shows annually. Want to see shows like a critic without breaking the bank? During theatre week you can! We've been covering this amazing annual event since it's inception and highly recommend setting a reminder for 10am tomorrow and enjoying the savings. Don't miss this. 

Tickets will go on sale at 10am on Tuesday. January 7, 2025, for Chicago Theatre Week (#CTW25), an annual celebration of the rich tradition of theatre-going in Chicago during which visitors and residents can access value-priced tickets. Chicago Theatre Week is February 6-16, 2025. For the third consecutive year, HotTix.org will host Chicago Theatre Week Continued from February 17-23, 2025, which will extend Theatre Week discounts to participating productions for an additional week.

The value-priced CTW tickets will be $30, $15, or less. Tickets will go on sale at 10:00am CST on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at ChicagoTheatreWeek.com. 

Last year’s Chicago Theatre Week saw massive ticket sales with more than 18,000 tickets sold to 81 participating productions for more than 446 performances. 64 theaters participated in CTW 2024, with 29 neighborhoods and suburbs represented. The program continues to bring in new audiences to area theatres with approximately 58% of patrons visiting their chosen theatre for the first time. Chicago Theatre Week also raises the visibility of the theater industry, as evidenced by the 144,689 unique visitors to www.chicagoplays.com from the ticket onsale through the end of Theatre Week.

A sample of the many productions expected to participate are:

Sondra Radvanovsky in Concert – Lyric Opera

Singin’ In the Rain in Concert – Lyric Opera

A Raisin in the Sun – Court Theatre

Beautiful – The Carole King Musical – Drury Lane

Avaaz – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

The Heart Sellers – Northlight Theatre

Fool for Love – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Betrayal – Goodman Theatre

Winter Series – Hubbard Street at Harris Theater for Music and Dance

Fat Ham – Goodman Theatre and Definition Theatre

Waitress – Paramount Theatre

Salonen Conducts Bluebeard's Castle – Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Kitty James and Destiny's Trail to Oregon – The Factory Theatre

A Lie of the Mind – Raven Theatre

MFA Collaboration: Wink – Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts

Native Gardens – Buffalo Theatre Ensemble

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire

Teatro Zin Zanni

Complexions Contemporary Ballet at Auditorium Theatre

Whirled News Tonight – iO Theater

The Infinite Wrench – The Neo-Futurists

Mr. Parker – Open Space Arts

Lobby Hero – Shattered Globe Theatre

The Devil’s is in the Detours – The Second City

Fun Home – Porchlight Music Theatre

The Cave – A Red Orchid Theatre

The Mannequins' Ball – Trap Door Theatre

League of Chicago Theatres Executive Director Marissa Lynn Jones comments, “Chicago Theatre Week is a time for exploration and discovery. It is a pleasure to bring new audiences to our treasured stages that bring talent from across the globe. Chicago is the home of the best theatre artists in the world with stories for all ages and experiences.’ 

 “Chicago offers one of the most dynamic performing arts scenes in the world," said Choose Chicago Interim President and CEO Rich Gamble. "I am proud to support Theatre Week in partnership with the League of Chicago Theatres. Initiatives like this are critical to attracting new audiences to our venues and ensuring residents and visitors alike have the opportunity to experience the excitement and vibrancy of live theater in Chicago for generations to come."

Chicago Theatre Week is presented by the League of Chicago Theatres in partnership with Choose Chicago. Subscribe to the Theatre Week email newsletter for updates and announcements.

The official hashtag for Chicago Theatre Week 2025 is #CTW25.

Check back with ChiILMama.com (family friendy/family themed) and ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often. We have great ticket giveaways, arts and entertainment news, original reviews, original photo features, and more. 

About Chicago theatre 

Chicago theatre is the leader in the U.S. with more than 250 theatres throughout Chicagoland, comprising a rich and varied community ranging from storefront, non-union theatres to the most renowned resident theatres in the country, including 7 which have been honored with Regional Tony Awards, and the largest touring Broadway organization in the nation. Chicago’s theatres serve 5 million audience members annually and have a combined budget of more than $250 million. Chicago produces and/or presents more world premieres annually than any other city in the nation. Each year Chicago theatres send new work to resident theatres across the country, to Broadway, and around the world. For more information, visit www.chicagoplays.com. #ChiTheatre

The League of Chicago Theatres’ Mission Statement

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

About Choose Chicago

Choose Chicago is the official sales and marketing organization responsible for promoting Chicago as a global visitor and meetings destination, leveraging the city’s unmatched assets to ensure the economic vitality of the city and its member business community.

Follow @choosechicago on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and tag #ChicaGOandKNOW. For more information, visit choosechicago.com. Support the theatre community this fall during Theater Season and explore more than 100 shows happening now through the end of the year at TheaterSeason.com.

REVIEW: 13 Suits: A Mother’s Monologues at Raven Theatre Through December 22, 2024

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

13 Suits: A Mother’s Monologues 

at Raven Theatre

Presented by The Outer Loop Theater Experience 

Written by Kathleen Kerrigan Duff & Michael Herman

Directed by Michael Herman, Aviva Katz, & Kate Mullis

REVIEW

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

In a season packed with a plethora of holiday performances, I was finally able to catch 13 Suits: A Mother’s Monologues last night. They only have one remaining Chicago performance, at 3pm this Sunday, but this gutting yet gorgeous celebration of life and loss deserves look, and a remount. 

13 Suits: A Mother’s Monologues is extraordinary in it's very ordinariness. Deaths due to drunk driving are shockingly common, yet everyone's grief is unique and soul crushing. It's especially tragic when the loved one is young, and the death is an accident; a cruel and senseless hit and run, at age 30. 

I thought it was ingenious to have this specific mother's loss portrayed by multiple mothers/ races/ languages to emphasize how interconnected we all are, and how universal loss and grief is. Drunk driving sobering statistics are effectively projected on the walls at several points, coupled with a narrator voice over to drive home the horror. The narrator also announced each flashback memory, cleverly tied in with the production's namesake, 13 Suits, given away to a thrift store after a young man's untimely death.  

The production employs simple, yet effective casting and staging, with surprise actors initially scattered throughout audience, and staging that breaks down the 4th wall. We all even share chocolate chip cookies together, as a tender and tasty communion. This intimate staging, interaction with the audience, and  proximity increases empathy, and the audience's connection to the loss. I'm reminded of a friend of mine who tragically lost her college age son. Kim has pivoted her grief into philanthropy in his name, as well as a regular series: Let's eat cookies and talk about death. 

13 Suits: A Mother’s Monologues deals with the weighty, uncomfortable subject of loss, grief, and our own mortality, and that's all the more reason to see it. This piece is a beautiful personal and universal exploration of grief. Through one mother's monologues and memories, we are able to at once celebrate and immortalize on stage, seminal moments in a young life cut short. And we also are silent witnesses to the permanent, gaping hole this loss and injustice has left in the lives of this young man's mother, sister, family, and friend group. This lovely ode to a life cut short takes the audience back to this man's high school years all the way up through 5 years after his passing. We're even shown the cruel irony of his $500 fantasy football league win, the comes months after his death, as life and his passions go on without him. 

Grief also runs on a non linear time line, and pops up to ravage survivors, in the small moments as much as the large. Few things are more gut wrenching to think about than losing a child, even an adult one. Our children are meant to outlive us. To add insult to fatal injury, this death, like this run, occurred right before Christmas. The cruel timing ruins Christmas for years for this man's family and friends, as the memories of this horrible, unexpected loss supplanted a season of joy and family togetherness with pain. 

We are privy to his life stories, sometimes funny, and entirely relatable.  This recounting of kind deeds, high points, and low, in an utterly ordinary life, attest to and celebrate his character, and makes the loss of this young man's life all the more personal and jarring. 

This insightful and powerful production walks us through a deep dive on loss, and how much we take for granted, when a simple twist of fate could end any of our live without notice. There are deep truths in this mother's musings. The death of her child not only ended his life but removed all chance of future memories and future generations. I was struck, too by the injustice of it all. The drunk driver who killed him was eventually just given a misdemeanor, slap on the wrist and no prison time. This lack of consequences for such a devastating loss for this family and friends is a frustrating devaluing of life. Even the guilty woman's insurance payout to the family for his death feels like a payoff, a slap in the face, and an entirely insufficient, insulting exchange for his loss of life. 

This seismic shift in the lives of family and friends after a tragic loss, is conducive to seeing in community, so live theatre is the perfect vehicle for this type of storytelling. And this subject is well worth seeing, discussing, and internalizing. Recommended. 

We'll be keeping an eye out for The Outer Loop's next offering, in community with Raven Theatre.

Bonnie is a Chicago based writer, theatre critic, photographer, artist, and Mama to 2 amazing adults. She owns two websites where she publishes frequently: ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) & ChiILMama.com (family friendly).

Based on actual events, 13 Suits: A Mother’s Monologues is a documentary theatrical experience, initially crafted from a mother’s reflections after losing her son. In a Laramie Project meets Vagina Monologues-style event, this immersive play also draws on dozens of personal accounts and stories, as well as powerful statistics, to help weave a timely and poignant cautionary tale… one of grief, loss, and healing, in the wake of seemingly insurmountable tragedy.

November 30 - December 5 - Previews

December 6 - December 22 – Performances

The show runs approximately 90 minutes. No intermission. Click HERE for tickets.

Up Next:

Talk Hard: Chicago

For the first time since 2016, Talk Hard is back live and in person. A new-work salon for playwrights, actors, directors, poets, musicians, singers, DJs, painters, writers, dancers, comedians, filmmakers, and all creatives, to get a peek at what others are making, build community, and show off any new piece they're working on in front of a supportive audience.

Talk Hard Chicago, presented by The Outer Loop, in community with Raven Theatre

This event will take place on the first Monday of every month. Upcoming Dates: Jan 6th, Feb 3rd, Mar 3rd, Apr 7th, May 5th, Jun 2nd

January 6, 2025 (monthly) - Raven Theatre - chicago, Il

RSVP to attend here!

Illinois Celebrates Human Rights Day December marks the 45th anniversary of the Illinois Human Rights Act

 Illinois Celebrates Human Rights Day

December marks the 45th anniversary of the Illinois Human Rights Act

Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows, we're huge supporters of human rights. In our current political climate we're happier than ever to live in Illinois, a state with strong human rights protections. Kudos for taking human rights seriously and prioritizing protections for ALL Illinois citizens regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability.

Today, the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) and the Illinois Human Rights Commission (IHRC) commemorated International Human Rights Day with a celebration of the 45th anniversary of the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA or Act).

The celebration includes joint outreach and remarks at a Chicago History Museum event on 100 years of LGBTQIA+ rights activism provided in partnership with the Gerber/Hart Library and Archives. IDHR will also celebrate at an All-Staff meeting with employee recognition awards in Chicago and Springfield and through educational content on social media.

Inspired by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the IHRA was signed into law by Governor James R. Thompson on Dec. 6, 1979, establishing the IDHR and the IHRC as the state agencies responsible for enforcing the IHRA. The IHRA now prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, financial credit, and education on the basis of more than 20 protected classes. Those categories include race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability. Recent additions include anti-discrimination protections in employment for conviction record and work authorization status and in housing for source of income and immigration status.

“The Illinois Human Rights Act provides one of the most comprehensive sets of human rights protections in the country,” said IDHR Director Jim Bennett. “Amid attacks against human rights and reproductive rights across the country, IDHR remains committed to uplifting this historic legislation by informing people who live, work, or visit our state of their rights and obligations under state law.”

“For forty-five years, both the Illinois Human Rights Commission and the Illinois Department of Human Rights have enforced the Act without fear or favor, and as effectively and efficiently as possible,” said IHRC Chair Selma C. D’Souza.

In 2024, Governor Pritzker signed into law five bills that expanded the IHRA. Amendments to the IHRA include new protections for reproductive health decisions in all areas of the Act and family responsibilities in employment that go into effect Jan. 1, 2025. Another amendment expands the statute of limitations (time limit) for individuals to file a charge of discrimination from 300 days to 2 years, effective Jan. 1, 2025. The expanded time to file a charge applies only to employment, public accommodations, education, and financial credit cases. For housing cases, the time remains unchanged, one year to file a charge with IDHR or 2 years to file a complaint in circuit court.  

In-Person Event

OUT at CHM: 100 years of LGBTQIA+ Rights: Henry Gerber and the Society for Human Rights

Tuesday, December 10, 6-9 pm

Chicago History Museum

1601 N. Clark St.

Chicago, IL 60614

Tickets: $8 members / $12 non-members

Join the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) and the Illinois Human Rights Commission (IHRC) for an event to celebrate International Human Rights Day and the 45th Anniversary of the Illinois Human Rights Act. IDHR and IHRC will provide information on the agencies and present brief remarks.

IDHR and IHRC call on each of us to do our part to advance freedom and inclusion for all. If you believe you have experienced discrimination, contact IDHR by calling (877) 236-7703 or 7-1-1 for *TTY users or by visiting us online at dhr.illinois.gov/filing-a-charge.

To learn more about IDHR, visit dhr.illinois.gov.

To learn more about IHRC, visit hrc.illinois.gov.

Goodman Theatre’s 47th annual A Christmas Carol Opens November 24th, and Runs Through December 30, 2024

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

GOODMAN’S 47TH ANNUAL 

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

STARRING CHRISTOPHER DONAHUE AS SCROOGE

NOW ON STAGE IN PREVIEW PERFORMANCES, OPENS NOVEMBER 24 

***OPENING NIGHT PRE-SHOW EVENTS INCLUDES A TREE LIGHTING WITH TINY TIM (AVA ROSE DOTY) AND DIRECTOR JESSICA THEBUS, PLUS LIVE MUSIC BY BENET ACADEMY MADRIGALS AND WILLIAM BUCHHOLTZ (ALGONQUIN/METIS)***

ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List

Goodman Theatre’s incomparable production of A Christmas Carol has been a beloved family tradition of ours for decades. This year my son, Dugan, is working the production on deck crew, so I’m even more excited than usual! It truly takes a village, on stage, behind the scenes, and in development, to make magic of this magnitude happen. I’ll be checking out the show on opening night, November 24th, so check back shortly after for my full review. We're excited to see Christopher Donahue in his first year as Ebenezer Scrooge, and every year Goodman changes up the production in creative ways, while keeping the tradition of their stunning set design. Goodman Theatre’s 47th annual A Christmas Carol, directed by Jessica Thebus, is sure to delight audience members of all ages. It's long been one of our top picks for making multigenerational memories. Experiential gifts, like theatre tickets, are an appreciated clutter buster. 

Goodman Theatre’s 47th annual A Christmas Carol, directed by Jessica Thebus, starring Christopher Donahue in his first year as Ebenezer Scrooge, along with other local favorites new to the production—Kate Fry (Narrator), Anthony Irons (Bob Cratchit), Bri Sudia (Ghost of Christmas Present) and more, are now available now. As Alternate Scrooge, Austin Tichenor steps into the miserly businessman’s shoes for 10 performances. A new Tiny Tim this year—Ava Rose Doty (last seen as Young Tommy in The Who’s TOMMY) is joined by young performers Isabel Ackerman, Viva Boresi, Annabel Finch, Xavier Irons and Henry Lombardo. The production opens this Sunday, November 24, and runs through December 30. 

Tickets ($25 - $159; subject to change) are available at GoodmanTheatre.org/Carol or by phone at 312.443.3800. Visit the website for performance dates when Tichenor will appear as Scrooge. Goodman Theatre is grateful for the support of PNC (Major Corporate Sponsor) and Abbott Fund (Corporate Sponsor Partner).

Once again this year, Goodman Theatre welcomes special guests to enhance its opening night with pre-show festivities including madrigal singers from Benet Academy (Naperville) and artist William Buchholtz (Algonquin/Metis) on flute. Director Jessica Thebus and the young performers of the production will light the Goodman’s Christmas tree. Pre-show events begin at 6pm on Sunday, November 24th.

The "perfect Chicago holiday tradition” (Chicago Parent), Dickens’ classic is a “beautiful, timeless message of generosity’s triumph over greed” (Chicago Tribune). Businessman Ebenezer Scrooge’s sizable bank account is only matched by his disdain for the holidays. But one fateful Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by four ghosts who take him on a spectacular adventure through his past, present and future, helping him on his discovery of kindness, compassion and redemption in a tale with a “first-rate cast and marvelous staging (that) shines merry and bright" (Chicago Sun-Times). Now in its fifth decade, A Christmas Carol is “still the best Christmas story ever told” (Time Out Chicago) and a signature event of the Chicago holiday season with a star-studded history that includes stage and screen notables like Jessie Mueller, Joe Minoso, Del Close, Harry J. Lennix, Felicia P. Fields, Raul Esparza, Sally Murphy and Frank Galati.

Full Company of A Christmas Carol (in alphabetical order)

By Charles Dickens, Adapted by Tom Creamer, Directed by Jessica Thebus

Isabel Ackerman…Belinda Cratchit/School Child

Jazzlyn Luckett Aderele…Chestnut Seller/Philomena/Mrs. Dilber

Dee Dee Batteast…Frida

Hillary Bayley…Musician

Mark Bedard…Max Fezziwig/Abe

Viva Boresi…Child in Doorway/Pratt/Emily Cratchit/Ignorance

Amira Danan…Belle/Ghost of Christmas Future

William Dick…Marley/Topper/Old Joe

Tafadzwa Diener…Martha Cratchit/Fan/Catherine

Christopher Donahue…Ebenezer Scrooge

Ava Rose Doty…Tiny Tim/School Child

Arash Fakhrabadi…Poulterer/Stag Deer/Young Marley/Undertaker/Ensemble

Kate Fry…Narrator

Brian Goodwin…Musician

Jalbelly Guzmán…Dance Captain/Hat Seller/Doe Deer/Felicity/Young Woman/Ensemble

Gregory Hirte…Musician/Dick Wilkins/Young Man

Anthony Irons…Bob Cratchit/Wreath Seller

Xavier Irons…Johnston/Peter Cratchit/Turkey Child

Susaan Jamshidi…Mrs. Cratchit

Henry Lombardo…Newspaper Seller/Boy Scrooge/Gregory Cratchit

Daniel José Molina…Young Scrooge/Pie Seller

Malcolm Ruhl…Music Director/Musician

Robert Schleifer…Mr. Fezziwig

Lucky Stiff…Ghost of Christmas Past, Makeup Consultant for Ghost of Christmas Past

Bri Sudia…Charwoman/Ghost of Christmas Present

Austin Tichenor…Alternate Ebenezer Scrooge

Penelope Walker…Crumb/Mrs. Alice Fezziwig

Wai Yim…Ortle/Tree Seller/School Official

Creative Team

Associate Director….Tor Campbell

Set Designer…..Todd Rosenthal

Costume Designer ……Heidi Sue McMath

Puppet Designers & Creators….Jillian Gryzlak and Rachel Anne Healy

Lighting Designer…..Keith Parham

Associate Lighting Designer…Brian Elston

Sound Designer….. Pornchanok Kanchanabanca

Composer….Andrew Hansen

Music Director…..Malcolm Ruhl

Voice and Dialect Coach.....Sammi Grant

Choreographer….Tommy Rapley 

Fly Director….Andrea Gentry

Understudies for this production include Tatiana Bustamante, Annabel Finch, Jordan Golding, Sam Hyson, Loren Jones and Anne Sheridan Smith.

Casting is by Lauren Port, CSA. Neena Arndt is the Dramaturg. Jennifer Gregory is the Production Stage Manager and Beth Koehler and Duncan McMillan are the Stage Managers. Flying effects are provided by ZFX Inc.

ENHANCED AND ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES AT GOODMAN THEATRE

ASL-Interpreted Performance: Saturday, November 23 at 7:30 and Friday, December 13 at 7:30pm – Professional ASL interpreter signs the action/text as played.

Touch Tour* and Audio-Described Performance: Saturday, December 7, 12:30pm Touch Tour; 2pm performance – The action/text is audibly enhanced for patrons via headset.

Open-Captioned Performance: Sunday, December 15 at 2pm – An LED sign presents dialogue in sync with the performance.

Spanish-Subtitled Performance: Sunday, December 15 at 7pm – An LED sign presents Spanish-translated dialogue in sync with the performance.

Sensory-Friendly Performance: Saturday, December 29 at 2pm – Sensory-friendly/relaxed performances are designed to create a performing arts experience that is intended for patrons who have autism or other social, cognitive and physical challenges that create sensory sensitivities and their families.

Visit Goodman theatre.org/Access for more information about Goodman Theatre’s accessibility efforts.

ABOUT GOODMAN THEATRE

Chicago’s theater since 1925, Goodman Theatre is a not-for-profit arts and community organization in the heart of the Loop, distinguished by the excellence and scope of its artistic programming and community engagement. Led by Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins, the theater’s artistic priorities include new play development (more than 150 world or American premieres), large scale musical theater works and reimagined classics. Artists and productions have earned two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and more than 160 Jeff Awards, among other accolades.

The Goodman is the first theater in the world to produce all 10 plays in August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle.” Its longtime annual holiday tradition A Christmas Carol, now in its fifth decade, has created a new generation of theatergoers in Chicago. The Goodman also frequently serves as a production and program partner with national and international companies and Chicago’s Off-Loop theaters.

Using the tools of theatrical practice, the Goodman’s Education and Engagement programs aim to develop generations of citizens who understand and empathize with cultures and stories of diverse voices. The Goodman’s Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement is the home of these programs, which are offered for Chicago youth—85% of whom come from underserved communities—schools and life-long learners.

Goodman Theatre was built on the traditional homelands of the Council of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi Nations. We recognize that many other Nations consider the area we now call Chicago as their traditional homeland—including the Myaamia, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Wea, Kickapoo and Mascouten—and remains home to many Native peoples today. While we believe that our city’s vast diversity should be reflected on the stages of its largest theater, we acknowledge that our efforts have largely overlooked the voices of our Native peoples. This omission has added to the isolation, erasure and harm that Indigenous communities have faced for hundreds of years. We have begun a more deliberate journey towards celebrating Native American stories and welcoming Indigenous communities.

Goodman Theatre was founded by William O. Goodman and his family in honor of their son Kenneth, an important figure in Chicago’s cultural renaissance in the early 1900s. The Goodman family’s legacy lives on through the continued work and dedication of Kenneth’s family, including Albert Ivar Goodman, who with his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton, contributed the necessary funds for the creation on the new Goodman center in 2000.

Julie Danis is Chair of Goodman Theatre’s Board of Trustees, Lorrayne Weiss is Women’s Board President and Kelli Garcia is President of the Scenemakers Board for young professionals.

Studebaker Theater presents Manual Cinema's Christmas Carol, December 13-29, 2024

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Chicago’s historic Fine Arts Building and Studebaker Theater co-produce 

Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol 

this holiday season

December 13–29, 2024

Tickets now on sale for the beloved one-of-a-kind rendition of the Charles Dickens classic at the historic Studebaker Theater

Featuring hundreds of handmade puppets, immersive sound design and live music, Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol is a holiday show unlike anything you’ve ever seen.

*Rated PG due to themes of loss and death*

Chicago’s historic Fine Arts Building and Studebaker Theater are proud to continue their partnership with Manual Cinema this year with their co-production of Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol. The beloved, one-of-a-kind rendition of Charles Dickens’ classic story returns for the holiday season at the Studebaker Theater, December 13–29, 2024. I'll be out for the press opening December 17th, so check back shortly after for my full review. Tickets are now on sale for $45-$65. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit fineartsbuilding.com/christmascarol.

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Manual Cinema this year as we co-produce Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol at the Studebaker Theater this holiday season,” says Jacob Harvey, Managing Artistic Director of the Fine Arts Building and Studebaker Theater. “The Fine Arts Building is Chicago’s home for art in all forms. Manual Cinema’s innovative work incorporating theater, film, puppetry and music is a perfect fit for the Studebaker, which has hosted multidisciplinary artists for more than 125 years. We’re excited to invite audiences to experience the wonder and heart of their one-of-a-kind rendition of A Christmas Carol.”

Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol runs December 13–29, 2024, at the Studebaker Theater (410 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago). Tickets are now on sale for $45-$65, with student tickets available for $20 with proof of ID. Performances are Tuesdays through Sundays at 7:30 p.m., with matinees Saturdays at 3 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. There are no performances on December 19 or 25. To purchase tickets and for more information, visit fineartsbuilding.com/christmascarol.

In Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol, avowed holiday skeptic Aunt Trudy has been recruited to channel her late husband Joe’s famous Christmas cheer. From the isolation of her Chicago home, she reconstructs his annual Christmas Carol puppet show—over a Zoom call while the family celebrates Christmas Eve under lockdown. But as Trudy becomes more absorbed in her own version of the story, the puppets take on a life of their own, and the family’s call transforms into a stunning cinematic adaptation of Dickens’s classic ghost story. Featuring hundreds of handmade puppets, immersive sound design and live music, Manual Cinema's Christmas Carol is a holiday show unlike anything you've ever seen.

“Manual Cinema's Christmas Carol is an unconventional take on the Charles Dickens classic inspired by—and created during—the pandemic. It's also a production full of emotion that is very near and dear to our hearts. After two successful years at Writers Theatre, we're so thrilled that it has found a new home this holiday season at the beautiful Studebaker Theater in downtown Chicago!” says Drew Dir, Manual Cinema Co-Artistic Director, Storyboards and Puppet Design.

Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol is adapted from the novel by Charles Dickens and devised by Manual Cinema, with additional writing by Nate Marshall. Storyboards and puppet design are by Drew Dir, with original score and sound design by Ben Kauffman and Kyle Vegter, and lighting design by Trey Brazeal.

The premiere of Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol took place virtually on December 3, 2020, and was streamed live from Manual Cinema’s Chicago studio to viewers across the globe.

Manual Cinema is an Emmy Award-winning performance collective, design studio, and film/video production company founded in 2010 by Drew Dir, Sarah Fornace, Ben Kauffman, Julia Miller and Kyle Vegter. Manual Cinema combines handmade shadow puppetry, cinematic techniques, and innovative sound and music to create immersive stories for stage and screen. Using vintage overhead projectors, multiple screens, puppets, actors, live feed cameras, multi-channel sound design, and a live music ensemble, Manual Cinema transforms the experience of attending the cinema and imbues it with liveness, ingenuity, and theatricality. The company was awarded an Emmy in 2017 for “The Forger,” a video created for The New York Times, and named Chicago Artists of the Year in 2018 by the Chicago Tribune. In 2020 they were included in 50 of Chicago theater’s "Rising Stars and Storefront Stalwarts" (Newcity). Their shadow puppet animations were featured in the 2021 film remake of Candyman, directed by Nia DaCosta and produced by Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions. In 2022 they premiered Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About A Terrible Monster, an adaptation of two books by celebrated children’s author Mo Willems, and a live adaptation of their 2020 streaming hit A Christmas Carol. In 2023 Manual Cinema completed production on their first self-produced short film, Future Feeling, and is currently touring with folk rock band Iron & Wine in 2024 creating live visuals on stage. For more information, visit manualcinema.com,

The Fine Arts Building is a home for art in all forms: from pioneers like Poetry magazine’s founding publisher Harriet Monroe, architect Frank Lloyd Wright, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz illustrator W. W. Denslow, sculptor Lorado Taft and the Chicago Little Theatre, to the ongoing legacies of painters, musicians, booksellers, puppeteers, dancers, photographers and craftspeople who inhabit the building today, the Fine Arts Building is buzzing with more than a century of Chicago creativity and innovation. A Chicago Landmark since 1978, the building features original manually-operated elevators, Art Nouveau murals from the late 19th century and the recently renovated Studebaker Theater, one of the city’s oldest and most significant live theatrical venues. For more information, visit fineartsbuilding.com.

The beloved, one-of-a-kind rendition of Charles Dickens’ classic story runs December 13–29, 2024 at the Studebaker Theater (410 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago). Tickets are now on sale for $45-$65, with student tickets available for $20 with proof of ID. Performances are Tuesdays through Sundays at 7:30 p.m., with matinees Saturdays at 3 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. There are no performances on December 19 or 25. To purchase tickets and for more information, visit fineartsbuilding.com/christmascarol.

Lyric Opera of Chicago Presents Special Events in Conjunction With the Chicago Premiere of Blue November 16 to December 1, 2024

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents special events 

in conjunction with the premiere of 

Blue

Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson's Blue, onstage at Lyric Opera of Chicago from November 16 to December 1, tells the powerful story of a Black family facing personal tragedy and systemic injustice. Its emotionally charged score explores themes of race, justice, and family, providing audiences with a reflection on societal struggles.

In conjunction with Blue's Chicago premiere, Lyric Unlimited, Lyric’s Learning & Civic Engagement department, is presenting a series of events that invite the public into spaces of reflection, healing, and dialogue. These experiences — ranging from musical and meditative sessions to thought-provoking discussions — extend beyond the opera performance, creating opportunities for the community to engage with Blue’s themes in new and impactful ways.

"Art has the power to engage and transform," says Sheran Goodspeed Keyton, Director of Civic Engagement at Lyric. "By extending our programming beyond the mainstage production of Blue, we create pathways for deeper connections within the community. Each event serves as a vital space for healing, conversation, and self-exploration, allowing participants to reflect on the opera’s themes while fostering a sense of unity and support among one another."

Of Thee I Sing! Songs of Love and Justice

Lyric Unlimited’s Artist-in-Residence Karen Slack presents Of Thee I Sing! Songs of Love and Justice on Tuesday, November 12 at 7:00 p.m. in the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Grand Foyer. The first in a three-recital series, Slack is joined by pianist Kamilla Arku and visual designer Angela L. Owens. This powerful program, created in response to George Floyd’s murder, features Langston Hughes’s The Kids Who Die and works by H.T. Burleigh, Undine Smith Moore, and others, exploring love and justice. A post-recital discussion with the artists will follow. Tickets are available now at lyricopera.org/Of-Thee-I-Sing.

Tonika Johnson Exhibition: Thoughts on Parenthood, Belonging, and Alternative Spaces

From November 13 to December 1, Lyric presents an exhibition by artist and activist Tonika Johnson, featuring three impactful art projects throughout the Lyric lobby. Thoughts on Parenthood is an interactive arts initiative that collects personal stories from Chicago parents, highlighting their dreams and challenges. Belonging focuses on the experiences of young people of color navigating racial profiling, while Alternative Spaces showcases how Black youth create free spaces to foster community and resilience.

For the opening night event of Blue on Saturday, November 16, audience members can use promo code BLUEVIP for a special $125 ticket. The evening begins with welcome drinks at 4:00 p.m., followed by a walking tour of Johnson’s exhibition hosted by Lyric Unlimited Artist-in-Residence Karen Slack at 4:30 p.m., and a reception presented by Luella’s Southern Kitchen and specialty desserts provided by Brown Sugar Bakery at 5:00 p.m. The program also includes the Shades of Blue pre-opera talk featuring Antonio C. Cuyler and Dr. Naomi André at 6:00 p.m., leading into the Chicago premiere of Blue at 7:30 p.m. In addition to the opening night, the exhibit will be open to the public from noon to 2 p.m. on November 13, 19, 20 and 26.

The RESET with Davin Youngs

On Friday, November 15, Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Music That Heals series kicks off with The RESET, a transformative sound healing experience led by artist Davin Youngs. Part of a series designed to calm, restore, and heal through the power of music, this immersive event combines improvisational singing, electronic beats, and sound healing instruments to create a unique space for relaxation and rejuvenation.

The RESET offers participants a chance to carve out their own healing spaces, serving as a counterbalance to the pain and family trauma portrayed in Blue. This restorative experience is designed not only for those attending the opera, but also for the broader community, creating a sacred environment for reflection. Tickets are $20.

Blue Opera Insights: A Deeper Look at Race and Justice

On November 18, Lyric Unlimited’s Scholar-in-Residence Dr. Antonio C. Cuyler moderates an important panel discussion on Blue at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center, as part of Lyric’s ongoing Opera Insights series. Featuring leading voices on police violence and accountability—including Yohance Lacour, Maira Khwaja, and Jamie Kalven from the Invisible Institute, and Olivia Obineme of Public Narrative — the discussion will delve into the painful realities at the heart of Blue and the ongoing fight for justice. This free event, followed by a talkback with Blue's principal artists, requires advance registration.

Gen Z in Action: Art, Activism, Advocacy and Advancement

On Saturday, November 23, Gen Z in Action: Art, Activism, Advocacy and Advancement will feature emerging Black arts leaders in conversation about the future of the arts, drawing on themes from Blue. Moderated by Lyric’s Anthony Jones, the panel will feature nonprofit leaders Kylie Davis, Empirical Research Fellow at Kellogg School of Management; Ronnie Taylor Jr., Youth Culture Coordinator at Center on Halsted; and Zakiya Collier, STEM Coordinator at the Chicago Urban League. Together, they will explore themes of identity, belonging, and how the arts can address systemic issues. The event will conclude with a discussion curated by Kennedy-King College students and current and retired officials from the Chicago Police Department.

D-Composed Presents D-Compressed

On Sunday, December 1, D-Composed, a Black chamber music collective, will host D-Compressed, a meditative musical experience that complements the closing performance of Blue. Part of Lyric's Music That Heals series, this intimate event blends yoga with chamber music, featuring works by Black classical composers fused with hip-hop, rap, jazz and gospel. Through live performances and guided meditations, D-Compressed invites participants to process the emotional weight of Blue's narrative while engaging with the healing power of music.

Just as Blue delves into a family’s struggle with systemic injustice, D-Compressed provides a safe space for attendees to confront their own emotions, find solace, and connect with their personal stories. This experience detoxifies negative energies, creating room for positive flow, ease, and enlightenment—mirroring the themes of healing and unity that are central to Blue. By fostering a collective moment of reflection, the program highlights the role of art in supporting emotional and communal renewal. Tickets are $20.

Shades of Blue Pre-Opera Talk Series

The Shades of Blue pre-opera talks, presented as in-depth discussions, offer a chance to delve into Blue's key themes before each performance. Led by Lyric Unlimited Scholar-in-Residence, Dr. Antonio C. Cuyler, these talks feature prominent voices from Chicago’s civic and academic communities, drawing connections between the opera’s portrayal of Black family life and contemporary social issues such as violence prevention, incarceration, and systemic injustice. Blue ticket holders are invited to participate in these free discussions, which take place an hour before each performance.

Pre-Opera Talks

Saturday, November 16: An extended 1-hour conversation, beginning at 6:00 p.m., with Dr. Cuyler and Dr. Naomi André, renowned musicologist and author of the seminal book Black Opera: History, Power, Engagement, discussing Blue's themes in the broader context of music and social justice.

Wednesday, November 20: Artist and activist Tonika Johnson will explore Chicago’s social divides and the connections to identity and belonging in Blue.

Friday, November 22: Dr. Franklin Cosey-Gay, director of University of Chicago Medicine’s Violence Recovery Program, will address violence prevention and public health issues as they relate to the family’s challenges in Blue.

Tuesday, November 26: Dr. Cuyler will join representatives from the Illinois Prison Project to discuss incarceration and advocacy, building on conversations started earlier this season around Beethoven’s Fidelio.

Sunday, December 1: Chicago Police Lieutenant Jermaine Harris will join WFMT host LaRob K. Rafael for a discussion on community-based violence prevention and policing, connecting Blue's themes to current reform efforts.

For more information on Blue and all of these related special events, visit lyricopera.org/blue.

About Lyric

Lyric Opera of Chicago is committed to redefining what it means to experience great opera. The company is driven to deliver consistently excellent artistry through innovative, relevant, celebratory programming that engages and energizes new and traditional audiences.

Under the leadership of General Director, President & CEO John Mangum and Music Director Enrique Mazzola, Lyric is dedicated to reflecting, and drawing strength from, the diversity of Chicago. Lyric offers, through innovation, collaboration, and evolving learning opportunities, ever-more exciting, accessible, and thought-provoking audience and community experiences. We also stand committed to training the artists of the future, through The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center; and to becoming increasingly diverse across our audiences, staff, programming, and artists — magnifying the welcoming pull of our art form, our company, and our city.

Through the timeless power of voice, the splendor of a great orchestra and chorus, theater, dance, design, and truly magnificent stagecraft, Lyric is devoted to immersing audiences in worlds both familiar and unexpected, creating shared experiences that resonate long after the curtain comes down.

Join us @LyricOpera on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Threads and Facebook. #LongLivePassion

For more information, visit lyricopera.org.

THEO UBIQUE CABARET THEATER Presents THE SECRET GARDEN November 8-December 22, 2024

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

THE ENCHANTING WORLD OF 

THE SECRET GARDEN 

SET TO BLOOM AT THEO UBIQUE CABARET THEATER THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre announces the company for the Tony and Drama-Desk winning musical coming to the Howard Street Theatre 

November 8-December 22, 2024.

The award-winning Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre announced the cast and creative team of the enchanting classic, The Secret Garden, based on the beloved novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett and reimagined by composer Lucy Simon and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Marsha Norman. Directed by the company’s own Producing Director, Christopher Pazdernik (any), this timeless story of hope, healing, and the transformative power of nature will captivate audiences November 8 through December 22, 2024 at Theo’s intimate cabaret venue located at 721 Howard Street in Evanston.

The Secret Garden tells the story of Mary Lennox, a young orphan sent to live with her reclusive uncle in a grand, mysterious manor. As she uncovers the mysteries and haunting secrets of the house, Mary discovers a hidden, overgrown garden that has been locked away for years. With the help of new friends, she brings the garden back to life, awakening not only the once-forgotten beauty of nature but also the broken spirits of those around her. With unforgettable songs such as "Lily's Eyes," "Come to My Garden," and "Hold On," The Secret Garden offers a timeless story worth discovering – or rediscovering—for audiences of all ages.

"The Secret Garden is a beautiful story of hope and healing which I know will be all the more poignant in our intimate space,” says Pazdernik. “I have loved this score my whole life, with music by Lucy Simon— Carly Simon's sister!—and a libretto by Pulitzer Prize-winner Marsha Norman, I am excited to bring it to our audiences with the first Chicago production in nearly a decade! It's the perfect show for the whole family to experience together over the holiday season."

Joining Pazdernik leading the creative team is Music Director Carolyn Brady (she/they), Associate Director and Choreographer Nich O’Neil (they/them), and Assistant Music Director Nathan Urdangen (he/him). Bringing the garden to life artistically is Scenic Designer Rose Johnson (they/them), Lighting Designer Levi Wilkins (he/him), Costume Designer Lucy Elkin (she/her), Properties Designer Ellen Markus (she/her), and Sound Designer and Director of Production Matthew Chase (he/him). Justin Duggan (he/him) joins the company as Dialect Coach with Maliha Sayed (she/her) as Cultural Consultant.

Onstage, Theo welcomes the performance debuts of Joryhebel Ginorio (she/her) as Mary Lennox, Jeffrey Charles (he/him) as Dr. Neville Craven, Kailey Azure Green (they/them) as Colin Craven, Dakota Hughes (they/them) as Martha Sowerby, Lincoln J. Skoien (any) as Dickon Sowerby, Kathleen Puls 

Andrade (she/her) as Mrs. Medlock, Bill Chamberlain (he/him) as Ben Weatherstaff, Brennan Martinez (she/her) as Lily Craven, Nicholas Ian (any) as Captain Albert Lennox, and Rachel Guth (she/her) as Rose Lennox. Returning to Theo is Will Koski (he/him, Assassins) as Lord Archibald Craven, Maliha Sayed (she/her, Sondheim Tribute Revue) as Ayah/understudy Lily and Rose, Kate McQuillan (she/her, Never Better) as a Pit Singer and understudy for Colin and Mary, and both Mizha Lee Overn (she/her, A Little Night Music) and Evan Morales (he/him, Assassins) as Pit Singers and understudies, respectively.

The Technical Staff includes Stage Manager Kendra Luedke (she/her), Assistant Stage Manager and Camille Foss (they/she/any), Scenic Charge Rose Johnson (they/them), Technical Director Emmanuel Jimenez (he/him) and Production Electrician Jackson Mikkelsen (he/him).

The sweeping score will also feature Kim Lawson (she/her) on violin, and Ben Heppner (he/they) on drums.

Performances of The Secret Garden take place Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30pm, and Sundays at 6:00pm November 8-December 22, 2024. There will be no performance on November 28. Single tickets are available and range from $30 to $60. Subscription packages are available featuring 3-pack options for the remaining shows this season. All tickets and subscriptions can be purchased online at www.theo-u.com or via phone at 773-939-4101. Box office hours are Wednesday-Sunday 12 p.m.-5 p.m. The company will discontinue its pre-show dinner offerings, but the cash bar will remain open during all performances, with the addition of a light bites menu from Evanston restaurant partners Peckish Pig, Ward Eight, and Estación.

The Secret Garden is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. Production sponsored, in part, by Jim & Sue Campbell DeLapp.

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council. This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

The Secret Garden

November 8-December 22, 2024

Previews: November 8-15, 2024 (Fridays-Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays at 6:00pm)

Regular Run: November 21 -December 22, 2024 (Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays at 6:00pm) No performance November 28, 2024.

ABOUT THEO UBIQUE CABARET THEATRE

Theo was founded in 1997 by Artistic Director Fred Anzevino. Productions were first staged at the Heartland Studio Theatre, and from 2004 to May 2018, at No Exit Café, where the company began focusing on musicals and revues, reigniting the cabaret theatre trend in Chicago. The company moved to the Howard Street Theatre, a venue owned and developed for Theo by the City of Evanston, in fall of 2018. Theo has produced more than 60 shows and won 68 Jeff Awards, having received nearly 200 nominations. Learn more at www.theo-u.com

Kokandy Productions Concludes 2024 Season with INTO THE WOODS October 10 – December 22, 2024 at The Chopin Theatre

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

Kokandy Productions Concludes 2024 Season with

INTO THE WOODS

Book by James Lapine

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Directed and Choreographed by Derek Van Barham

Music Direction by Nick Sula 

October 10 – December 22, 2024 at The Chopin Theatre

Pictured: (left to right) Evelyn Ryan (piano), Kevin Webb, Sonia Goldberg and Stephanie Stockstill

in Kokandy Productions’ revival of Into The Woods. Photo by Evan Hanover.

Kokandy Productions is pleased to conclude its 2024 season with an immersive production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s classic Into The Woods, the first Chicago storefront production of the beloved musical in over a decade. Directed and choreographed by Producing Artistic Director Derek Van Barham with music direction by Nick Sula, Into The Woods will play October 10 – December 22, 2024 at The Chopin Studio Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. in Chicago. Tickets are now on sale at kokandyproductions.com. 

Journeying Into The Woods are Kevin Webb and Sonia Goldberg as The Baker and The Baker’s Wife, Stephanie Stockstill as The Witch, Madison Kauffman as Cinderella, Kevin Parra as Jack and Anna Seibert as Little Red. Pulling double (or more) duty are August Forman as Narrator/Mysterious Man, Shea Hopkins as Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf, Jonathan Allsop as Rapunzel’s Prince/Steward, Ismael Garcia as Rapunzel/Florinda, Britain Gebhardt as Jack’s Mother/Lucinda and Emily Goldberg as Cinderella’s Stepmother/Mother. The company of players is completed by swings Gabby Koziol, Jackson Mikkelsen, Halli Morgan, Michael Penick, Julie Peterson, Elizabeth Rentfro and Evan B Smith.

Escape into a fantastical fairytale adventure where wishes come true, but not always for free. A trove of storybook characters’ paths intertwine as they chase their deepest desires through an enchanted forest. However, once they receive their happily ever after, the unintended consequences of granted wishes unravel their worlds.

Weaving a euphoric score including the songs “Giants in the Sky,” “On the Steps of the Palace,” “No One Is Alone” and “Children Will Listen” with a darkly humorous book, Into the Woods is a sophisticated musical twist on beloved childhood fables.

“What will we find when we wander into these woods?” asks director and choreographer Derek Van Barham. “A company of players, a beloved musical and a little magic. Our hope is that by re-orchestrating for 2 pianos and a cast of 12 (half of them doubling) we can focus on the intimate and immersive nature of the show, capturing the desperate need to be seen, to be remembered and to gather together to share (and receive) a good story.”

Music Director Nick Sula adds, “Many of the characters in this musical are introduced in pairs - The Baker and The Baker's Wife, Jack and Little Red, the two Stepsisters, the two Princes - so it felt natural to include the music, the musicians and the instruments themselves as a mirror of that. Our team of three pianist/orchestrators collaborated to create a unique sound with a two-piano, four-(or more!)-hand approach that features a duo of acoustic grand pianos. We are delighted to share the full depth and breadth of Stephen Sondheim's music with our audiences in this hauntingly majestic and intimate re-imagination.” 

The production team includes G “Max” Maxin IV, (Scenic Design and Lighting Design), Rachel Sypniewski (Costume Design), Matt Reich (Sound Design), Mike Patrick (Sound Consultant), Jakob Abderhalden (Properties Design), Chels Morgan (Intimacy Choreographer), Syd Genco (Makeup Design), Keith Ryan (Wig Design), Ariana Miles and Evelyn Ryan (Orchestrators), Nicholas Reinhart (Production Manager), Shane Roberie (Casting Associate), Lynsy Folckomer (Sound Engineer), Ryan Stajmiger (Assistant Director), Kendyl Meyer (Stage Manager), Ethan Colish (Assistant Stage Manager).

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Cast (in alphabetical order): Jonathan Allsop (Rapunzel’s Prince/Steward), August Forman (Narrator/Mysterious Man), Ismael Garcia (Rapunzel/Florinda), Britain Gebhardt (Jack’s Mother/Lucinda), Emily Goldberg (Cinderella’s Stepmother/Mother), Sonia Goldberg (The Baker’s Wife), Shea Hopkins (Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf), Madison Kauffman (Cinderella), Kevin Parra (Jack), Anna Seibert (Little Red), Stephanie Stockstill (The Witch) and Kevin Webb (The Baker).

Swings: Gabby Koziol, Jackson Mikkelsen, Halli Morgan, Michael Penick, Julie Peterson, Elizabeth Rentfro and Evan B Smith. 

Musicians: Ariana Miles (piano) and Evelyn Ryan (piano).

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

Dates: Previews: Thursday, October 10 at 7 pm, Friday, October 11 at 7 pm, Saturday, October 12 at 7 pm, Sunday, October 13 at 5 pm, Monday, October 14 at 7 pm, Sunday, October 20 at 5 pm, Monday, October 21 at 7 pm, Thursday, October 24 at 7 pm and Friday, October 25 at 7 pm

Press performance: Saturday, October 26 at 7 pm

Regular run: Sunday, October 27 – Sunday, December 22, 2024

Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm; Sundays at 5 pm. Please note: there will be added performances on Wednesday, November 27 at 7 pm and Monday, December 9 at 7 pm; there will not be a performance on Thursday, November 28 (Thanksgiving).

Tickets: Previews $25 (with code PREVIEW). Regular run $45 general admission, $55 reserved seating. Students/Seniors $35. There will be a limited number of $15 tickets (with code ARTIST) available to artists for each performance. Tickets are on sale now at kokandyproductions.com.

 

About the Artists

Derek Van Barham (Director/Choreographer, he/him) is the Producing Artistic Director of Kokandy Productions. Directing credits include Children of Eden in Concert (Broadway In Chicago), Spring Awakening (Flint Rep); Sweeney Todd, American Psycho and Head Over Heels (Jeff Awards and Jeff nomination, Kokandy); The View Upstairs (Circle Theatre); Miracle by Dan Savage, Poseidon (Hell in a Handbag). Choreography credits include Evil Dead (Jeff nomination), Coraline the Musical, Ghost Quartet, Shockheaded Peter and Coraline the Musical (Black Button Eyes). He was previously named one of Windy City Times’ 30 Under 30, and one of Newcity Magazine’s 50 Players 2024. MFA: CCPA/Roosevelt University. derekvanbarham.com | IG @dvbarham

Nick Sula (Music Director and Orchestrations, he/him) is an award-winning pianist, arranger and music director. Music Direction credits include the Jeff Award-winning production of Sweeney Todd with Kokandy Productions, for which he earned the Jeff Award for Outstanding Music Direction; Anything Goes with Porchlight Music Theatre [Jeff nomination]; Ghost Quartet [Jeff nomination], Nevermore, Amour, Coraline (Black Button Eyes Productions); Myths & Hymns, The Glorious Ones [Jeff nomination], Pippin (BoHo Theatre); His & His, Boys in Briefs, Broadway at the Broadway (Pride Films and Plays); Merrily We Roll Along, Head Over Heels, The Pajama Game, The Pirates of Penzance (CCPA). Nick can be heard performing with vocalists at theaters and cabaret venues around Chicagoland such as Davenport’s Piano Bar and Skokie Theater. As a professor of musical theatre he serves as a music director, instructor and vocal coach at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.

About Kokandy Productions

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

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

For additional information, visit kokandyproductions.com.