The Beatrix Potter Holiday Tea Party Returns to Chicago Children’s Theatre November 4-December 24, 2023

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Chicago Children’s Theatre’s popular holiday attraction, and a seasonal rite of passage for Chicago's youngest theatergoers, is returning November 4-December 24, 2023. 

Recommended for toddlers Though Age 8 With Accompanying Adults

(left) Felix Mayes and Lily Emerson in the 2022 production of The Beatrix Potter Holiday Tea Party. (right) Lily Emerson meets audience members at the post-show holiday tea party. Photos by Charles Osgood. Experience CCT's annual holiday-show-plus-after-party, and you'll see why it so often serves as the first introduction to live theater for our next generation of live theatergoers. This year, family audiences will be treated to "The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse," "The Tale of Two Bad Mice," "The Tailor of Gloucester," and of course, "The Tale of Peter Rabbit," as they jump from the page to the stage in this acclaimed, awe-inducing trunk and puppet show.  After the show, families gather in the lobby to meet the puppets, enjoy chocolate milk and cookies by Eli’s Cheesecake, and share the holidays with other families from all over Chicago. Join the tradition! Dress in your holiday finest, or come as you are. Because it’s not the holidays until your favorite toddler has experienced The Beatrix Holiday Tea Party.

(Left) Returning cast members Felix Mayes and Lily Emerson in the 2022 production of The Beatrix Potter Holiday Tea Party. (right) Audience members enjoying the post-show holiday tea party. Photos by Charles Osgood.

‘Tis the eighth season for The Beatrix Potter Holiday Tea Party, Chicago Children’s Theatre’s popular holiday attraction, and a seasonal rite of passage for countless Chicago toddlers, November 4-December 24, 2023. Chicago Children’s Theatre’s annual holiday-show-plus-after-party has served as the first introduction to live theater for so many of Chicago’s very youngest theatergoers.  So join the tradition, dress in your holiday finest, and bring the whole family. Or, bring the neighborhood playgroup and just come as you are. Tickets also make wonderful gifts for families with children up to 8-years-old. Because it’s not the holiday season until your favorite toddler has experienced The Beatrix Holiday Tea Party.  

(from left) Charlie Malave, Felix Mayes and Lily Emerson in The Beatrix Potter Holiday Tea Party. 

This year, The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse, The Tale of Two Bad Mice, The Tailor of Gloucester, and of course, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, will jump from the page to the stage in Chicago Children’s Theatre’s awe-inducing trunk and puppet show.  Three charming storytellers - Lily Emerson, Charlie Malave and Felix Mayes - unlock mysterious vintage trunks, then pull levers and turn cranks to reveal favorite animal adventures from the books, toy theater style. While Lily and Felix interweave Beatrix Potter’s classic narration and interactive moments for kids to join the action, Charlie is a veritable one-man-band playing gentle, original music on guitar, cello, toy piano and banjo. After the show, families gather in the lobby to meet the puppets, take selfies with the cast, and sit together at long, communal tables to enjoy chocolate milk, cookies by Eli’s Cheesecake, and the chance to celebrate the holidays with other families from all over the city. The Chicago Reader calls The Beatrix Potter Holiday Tea Party“dazzling, brisk at under an hour, and sweet as can be.”  That’s thanks to its ingenious creators: Will Bishop, Lara Carling, Kay Kron, Grace Needlman and Ray Rehberg. Will Bishop directs. Puppets are by Grace Needlman. Original music is by Ray Rehberg and Charlie Malave. Costumes are by Janelle Manno, based on the original designs by Jillian Gryzlak. Lighting designer is Becca Jeffords. Sound designer is Daniel Etti-Williams. Anastar Alvarez is the production coordinator.   The Beatrix Potter Holiday Tea Party runs November 4-December 24 at Chicago Children’s Theatre, 100 S. Racine. in Chicago's West Loop.  Performances are Saturdays and Sundays at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., with added holiday week performances Thursday and Friday, December 21 and 22 at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. The show runs 60 minutes, followed by the tea party. Recommended for ages up to 8. Tickets start at $45.25, including fees, and are on sale now at chicagochildrenstheatre.org. Mark your calendar and purchase early, because many performances will sell out.  Call CCT Guest Services, (312) 374-8835, or email boxoffice@chicagochildrenstheatre.org to learn about weekday morning matinees and discounted rates for schools, playgroups, birthday parties and scouting groups.  

Felix Mayes and Lily Emerson in The Beatrix Potter Holiday Tea Party  Access Weekend for The Beatrix Holiday Tea Party is  November 25 and 26. Services include:   Saturday, November 25 9:30 a.m.        Open Captions 11:30 a.m. Audio Description and Touch Tour (must be requested two weeks prior to performance) Sunday, November 26 9:30 a.m. Sensory Friendly 11:30 a.m.  ASL Interpretation and Open Captions For more information about access and inclusion at Chicago Children’s Theatre, visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org/access or email access@chicagochildrenstheatre.org. Chicago Children’s Theatre is a “no shushing” theater. It is centrally located in the former 12th District Chicago Police Station, now home to the city’s largest professional theater devoted to children and young families. It’s minutes from I-90 and I-290, as well as downtown and Ashland Avenue. Free, onsite parking is available on the south side of the theater. Free street parking can be found nearby on weekends, or try the Impark parking lot, 1301 W. Madison St. For more, visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org, follow the company on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe to its YouTube channel, CCTv: Virtual Theatre and Learning from Chicago Children’s Theatre. 

The Beatrix Potter Holiday Tea Party. Courtesy Chicago Children's Theatre.

Coming soon to Chicago Children’s Theatre

(left, from left) Matthew Yee played Frog and Andy Nagraj (right) was Toad in Chicago Children’s Theatre’s A Year with Frog and Toad in 2017. Photo by Charles Osgood.  (right) Michelle Lopez-Rios will direct CCT’s new 2024 staging of A Year with Frog and Toad. A Year with Frog and Toad Book and lyrics by Robert Reale and Willie Reale Based on the books by Arnold Lobel  Directed by Michelle Lopez-Rios Music Direction and Musical Reductions by Christie Chilles Twillie Designers include Micah Figueroa (choreographer and associate director), Courtney O'Neill (set), Rachel Healy (costumes), Christie Chilles Twillie (sound) and Lonnae Hickman (props)  April 13-June 9, 2024 Press opening: Saturday and Sunday, April 13 and 14 at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Public performances: Saturdays and Sundays at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. For all ages                                                Chicago Children’s Theatre’s 19th season finale is a celebration of the joyful energy that launched the company, A Year with Frog and Toad. Children’s author and illustrator Arnold Lobel's beloved characters hop from the page to the stage in this Tony-nominated musical based on his popular children’s book that follows two best friends – the cheerful, popular Frog and the rather grumpy Toad – through four fun-filled seasons. Michelle Lopez-Rios, who staged CCT’s 2022 world premiere Carmela Full of Wishes, returns to direct a new take on this beloved tale of friendship that endures, weathering all seasons. Cast is TBA. The design team includes Micah Figueroa (choreographer and associate director), Courtney O'Neill (set), Rachel Healy (costumes), Christie Chilles Twillie (sound) and Lonnae Hickman (props).

About Chicago Children’s Theatre

“The Chicago theater scene is legendarily vibrant, so naturally a number of companies tailor productions to younger audiences. The cream of the crop is Chicago Children’s Theatre.” – Chicago Tribune Chicago Children’s Theatre, 100 S. Racine St. in Chicago’s West Loop, is Chicago’s destination for the best plays, musicals, classes and performing arts camps for young audiences.  The company was founded in 2005 with a big idea: Chicago is the greatest theater city in the world, and it deserves a great children’s theater. Today, Chicago Children’s Theatre is the city’s largest professional theater company devoted exclusively to children and young families.  In 2017, following 11 years of itinerancy, Chicago Children's Theatre celebrated the opening of its forever home in Chicago’s West Loop community. The building, formerly the 12th District Chicago Police Station, was repurposed into a LEED Gold-certified, mixed-use performing arts, education and community engagement facility. For children, parents, caregivers and teachers, CCT is a convenient, welcoming community hub, centrally located in the city, with free, onsite parking.  Chicago Children’s Theatre has established a national reputation for the production of first-rate children’s theater with professional writing, performing, and directorial talent and high-quality design and production expertise. In 2019, the company won the National TYA Artistic Innovation Award from Theatre for Young Audiences/USA. Chicago Children’s Theatre has also garnered six NEA Art Works grants, and in 2017, was the first theater for young audiences to win a National Theatre Award from the American Theatre Wing, creators of the Tony Awards. In tandem with its live productions, Chicago Children’s Theatre offers a full slate of Access services for patrons with disabilities, including ASL interpretation, open captioning, touch tours and sensory friendly performances. CCT also provides thousands of free and reduced-price tickets to under-resourced schools each season in partnership with Chicago Public Schools. In addition to live shows, Chicago Children’s Theatre offers a full roster of performing arts education programs year round for ages 0 to 14. Visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org/family-programs for information on classes, workshops, winter, spring break and “school’s out” camps, and summer camps. Due to popular demand, in addition to its home in the West Loop, CCT camps and classes have expanded to new locations including Menomonee Club Drucker Center in Lincoln Park.  Chicago Children's Theatre also provides live theater experiences, classes and camps for children with autism and other special needs via its Red Kite Project, celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2023. Chicago Children’s Theatre is supported by Goldman Sachs, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, The Ralla Klepak Foundation for Education in the Performing Arts, The Shubert Foundation, Polk Bros Foundation, The MacArthur Fund for Culture, Equity and the Arts at Prince, Bayless Family Foundation, The Crown Family, Rea Charitable Trust, ComEd, US Bank, City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), Illinois Arts Council, Illinois Humanities Council, National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), The Susan M. Venturi Fund in memory of James and Roslyn Marks to Support Theatre Education Access, and Erin and Jason, Ben, Bici and David Pritzker.  Chicago Children’s Theatre is led by Co-Founders, Artistic Director Jacqueline Russell and Board Chair Todd Leland, with Board President Armando Chacon.  For more, visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org, follow the company on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe to its YouTube channel,