OVO by Cirque du Soleil Presented at Hoffman Estates’ NOW Arena February 13-16, 2025

ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List 

Restaged OVO by Cirque du Soleil 

heads to Hoffman Estates for six performances only Feb. 13-16

After 15 years of success & three world tours, the bugs are back in town!

💚💚 Just in time for Valentine's Day💚💚

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Cirque du Soleil has been a family favorite of ours for decades. We're so jazzed to see them back in post-pandemic action and excited to catch the newly revamped OVO. Circus arts are a wonder and delight; something we could all use more of these days. Current events, life in general, and/or the winter weather bugging you? Take a journey into the colorful microcosm of OVO. We adore Cirque du Soleil's multicultural casts and crews of world class talent. OVO is made up of 100 people from 25 different countries, including 53 artists!

From crickets bouncing on trampolines to a hypnotic spider contorting into all sorts of shapes, OVO exudes an extraordinary sense of spectacle that tickles the imagination. Funny and chaotic, yet adorable and wonderful, OVO enchants one’s inner child with its gentle exuberance. OVO ("egg" in Portuguese) showcases high-level acrobatic acts that redefine the limits of the human body.

Bring your family, friends, and/or Valentine to the all new ‘metamorphosis’ of OVO by Cirque du Soleil. I'll be out for opening night of their Chicago area run the 13th, so check back soon for my full review. 

Between a triumphant European tour and a highly anticipated return to North America, OVO by Cirque du Soleil has undergone a full ‘metamorphosis’ under the watchful eye of its original creators. The renewed show will be presented in Hoffman Estates at the NOW Arena in six performances only, February 13-16, 2025. Tickets for this family-friendly bug invasion are available now by visiting www.cirquedusoleil.com/OVO.

After performing in 40 countries and delighting audiences in the Middle East, Egypt, and Europe in recent years, the OVO insect colony returned to Cirque du Soleil’s headquarters in Montreal for a new look. Over the past year, a team of more than 135 professionals (including 53 artists of the show) and the original creators of OVO have developed this restaging, including a revamped set design, new acrobatic acts and characters, freshly designed costumes, and reinvented music.

"The challenge was to find the balance between preserving the essence of the show that made it a success and allowing it to continue evolving. Like the insects that bring it to life, the show is in constant transformation, in perpetual motion: that’s the magic of live arts! Revisiting a production created 15 years ago, with the original creators and the touring team that has made it shine around the world, is an exceptional adventure!" shared Chantal Tremblay, Director of creation in 2009 and 2024.

Cirque du Soleil is thus preparing to offer its audience an even more captivating experience, celebrating both its rich artistic heritage and its constant ability to innovate. To purchase tickets and for more information visit www.cirquedusoleil.com/OVO.

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group is a world leader in live entertainment. Building on four decades of pushing the boundaries of the imagination, the artistic entertainment company brings its creative approach to a large variety of artistic forms such as live shows, multimedia productions, long-from content, music, immersive experiences, and special events. Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group celebrates 40 years of defying reality, defining entertainment, and illuminating the world through art and creativity. Since its creation in 1984, more than 400 million people have been inspired on 6 continents and 86 countries. The Canadian company now employs more than 4000 employees, including 1200 artists from more than 80 different nationalities. For more information about Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, please visit cirquedusoleil.com.

Follow #OVOCirque and #cirquedusoleil on Social Media

Facebook | X | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok

REVIEW: Skeleton Canoe at the 7th Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival

ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List 

Skeleton Canoe

By Ty Defoe

an All My Relations Collaboration

New York City

REVIEW

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

Here at ChiIL Mama we love to learn about the First People or First Nations of our country. As modern Americans, we have so much to improve on when it comes to sustainable practices, how to steward natural resources, respect for our elders, and more. It was a joy to learn more traditional Anishinaabe lifeways through Skeleton Canoe, via puppetry, projection work, drumming, and dance. This creative show captivated our imaginations and inspired us to do better.

Of course this production is nowhere near as elaborate as Ajijaak on Turtle Island, Chicago Puppet Festival’s unforgettable opening production in 2019, that Ty Defoe wrote and co-created with Heather Henson. We were absolutely blown away by that show! Skeleton Canoe has a lower budget and plays more like an edutainment show for schools to book. Still, there's something to say for a much more intimate production. 

This one plays out more like myth and storytelling directly to the audience, rather than a large scale performance. I caught a work-in-progress version of Skeleton Canoe two years ago as part of the Chicago Puppet Festival, so it was interesting to see its evoloution. Defoe will take the now-finished puppet play on a national tour after this Chicago run. Don't miss this visual delight with a strong eco friendly message. Recommended. 

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).

The Biograph's Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Lincoln Park

Thursday, January 23 at 6 p.m.; Friday, January 24 at 6 p.m.; Saturday, January 25 at 2 p.m.; Sunday, January 26 at 4 p.m.

50 minutes

All ages

Tickets: $25-$33

Note: The Great Lakes Lifeways Institute will offer free birch bark carving workshops two hours before three of the four performances: Friday, January 24 at 4 p.m., Saturday, January 25 at 12 p.m. (noon), and Sunday, January 26 at 2 p.m.

allmyrelations.earth/collective

Young Nawbin leaves home and sets out on a rite of passage. They journey along the water to discover their truth and find a way back to reconnect to themselves and ancestral knowledge. Along the way they discover unexpected friends, weather storms, and gain a canoe! Through the use of puppetry, traditional Anishinaabe lifeways, and multimedia design, Skeleton Canoe makes known what is just below the water’s surface.

Skeleton Canoe marks the Chicago return of Ty Defoe, a Grammy-winning writer, actor and interdisciplinary artist of the Oneida and Ojibwe Nations of Wisconsin, who wrote and co-created Ajijaak on Turtle Island with Heather Henson, the festival’s unforgettable opening production in 2019. Defoe also workshopped Skeleton Canoe two years ago as part of the Chicago Puppet Festival, and will take the now-finished puppet play on a national tour after this Chicago run. 

Defoe learned to hoop dance, eagle dance and play a variety of wooden flutes during visits in community. Credits include Off Broadway: Masculinity Max (Public Studio); Broadway: Straight White Men (Second Stage). Tours: writer/co-director, Ajijaak On Turtle Island  (New Victory Theater/New York); Call for Peace Drum and Dance Company (Egypt); Ankara International Music Festival (Greece, Japan, Turkey). tydefoe.com  allmyrelations.earth/collective



Skeleton Crew is one of more than 120 shows and special events that are part of the 7th Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, January 15-26, 2025. The 2025 Chicago Puppet Fest is the largest event of its kind in North America, spanning 12 days and dozens of Chicago venues, presenting  an international pageant of puppet artists in all-ages spectacle shows in landmark theaters, intimate works on smaller stages, and late night puppet cabarets. Last year’s festival attracted nearly 20,000 fans of puppetry, a record, from Chicago and around the world. This year, see puppet artists from Canada, Chile, China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Norway, Puerto Rico, Poland, Scotland, South Africa, the U.S. and Chicago performing the full range of contemporary and traditional puppetry styles. 

For tickets and information, visit chicagopuppetfest.org, sign up for the festival’s e-news, and follow the festival on Facebook, Instagram or Vimeo, hashtag #ChiPuppetFest.  

Writers Theatre Presents Frida…A Self Portrait January 23 – February 23, 2025

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar: Adult Night Out

Writers Theatre continues its 2024/25 Season 

with the captivating solo performance piece

Frida…A Self Portrait

Written and Performed by Vanessa Severo 

Directed by Joanie Schultz

January 23 – February 23, 2025

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma and Artistic Director Braden Abraham, continues its 2024/25 Season with Frida…A Self Portrait, starring acclaimed writer and performer Vanessa Severo as both herself and legendary Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, directed by Joanie Schultz. Frida...A Self Portrait will run January 23 – February 23, 2025 in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. I'll be out for the press opening January 31, so check back soon for my full review. Tickets are on sale at Writers Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe; 847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org  

Frida...A Self Portrait Events 

Family Matinee 

Saturday, February 8 at 3pm 

Going to the theatre just got a little bit easier for parents and caregivers. Parents and caregivers can see the 3pm matinee of the production while their young ones engage in active creative play with WT Education’s professional teaching artists.

Iconic Mexican painter Frida Kahlo was a woman who lived boldly, loved wildly, and painted prolifically in order to see herself and the world around her more clearly. Witness this extraordinary figure come to life onstage through playwright and performer Vanessa Severo, who brings breathtaking physicality and raw honesty to this stunningly creative production. With music and movement, Vanessa cracks open a powerful portal between herself and Frida, uncovering insights into the painter’s physical limitations, complex love life, addictions, and, of course, the beauty in her art. 

• Several of Frida Kahlo's iconic paintings are referenced and evoked in the staging and design of the play, including Frieda and Diego Rivera (1931), The Broken Column (1944), Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress (1926), Memory, the Heart (1937), The Two Fridas (1939), and Self Portrait with Cropped Hair (1940).

Artistic Director Braden Abraham comments, “Vanessa and Joanie have crafted an intimate theatrical experience that transcends the traditional stage biography, creating a rich tapestry that honors Kahlo's complex legacy while simultaneously exploring the universal themes of identity, pain, and artistic expression.”

• La Casa Azul, the Kahlo family home in Coyacán, Mexico City, Mexico, became the Museo Frida Kahlo in 1958. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Mexico City.

In an interview with Cincinnati Playhouse, Vanessa Savero explained, "The concept of self-portraiture is such a tricky and blurred presentation today. In a world of selfies, filters and displaying our ‘best lives’ on social media, we have lost the concept of what real expression is. In looking at Frida Kahlo’s self portraits, we find a woman unapologetically showing her pain and her current state of being. It can be uncomfortable and also unnerving for the viewer, yet on the other hand, we see something in ourselves relating to her state of being. When I decided to write Frida...A Self Portrait, I found that I could not just tell her story without telling my own. I had to present my own self portrait in order to honestly connect with hers." 

• Frida…A Self Portrait arrives at Writers Theatre for its seventh full-length production, after acclaimed runs in Indianapolis, Rochester, NY, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Portland, OR, and Kansas City.

Frida…A Self Portrait has been touring to theatre companies across the country to rave reviews. It has previously played at Indiana Repertory Theatre, GEVA Theatre Center, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Portland Center Stage, and Kansas City Repertory Theatre.

Vanessa Severo (Writer / Performer) Vanessa has studied at Missouri State University, as well as The American Conservatory Theatre, San Francisco. She is the recipient of the TCG 11th Round of the Fox Foundation resident Actor Fellowships, 2017, including the Carlsbad, CA Artist in Residency, 2022, as well as the winner of Dramatist Guild Grant 2022. She is certified in Suzuki Method, and Viewpoints under the instruction of Ellen Lauren, SITI Company. She is the playwright and actor of Frida...A Self Portrait (2020 Kilroys List). Other original works include: Dracula (World Premiere at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, 2024), Rubik (World Premiere, Spinning Tree Theatre, 2024), Sueno de Agua (World Premiere, Kansas City Repertory Theater 2022). Website: VanessaSevero.com

• Severo performed a shorter version of the play several times starting in 2014. A fellowship from Theatre Communications Group allowed her to travel to Mexico City and further research Kahlo's life. Joanie Schultz subsequently began collaborating with Severo as director, and the new full-length version of Frida had its world premiere at Kansas City Repertory Theatre in 2019.

Joanie Schultz (Director) currently serves as Associate Artistic Director of Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Her work has been seen in Chicago and regional theatres including The Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Victory Gardens Theater, Steep Theatre, Remy Bumppo, Portland Center Stage, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Everyman Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Studio Theatre, The Cleveland Play House, GEVA Theater Center, Indiana Repertory Theatre, LaJolla Playhouse, and Philadelphia Theatre Company. She has directed and assistant directed opera from the site specific to the grand stage with Chicago Opera Theater, the Bayview Music Festival, the Chicago Cultural Center, and New Millennium Orchestra. In 2017-18, Joanie was Artistic Director of WaterTower Theatre in Dallas, Texas, where she produced new and inclusive programming from community partnerships to world premiere plays. Prior to that, Joanie served as Associate Artistic Producer at Victory Gardens Theater, as part of the TCG/Mellon Foundation Leadership U One-on-One Fellowship. She was also a Drama League Fellow; The Goodman Theatre Michael Maggio Director Fellow; the SDSF Denham Fellow; and member of the Lincoln Center Theatre Directors Lab. She is an ensemble member at Steep Theatre Company and an artistic cabinet member at Studio Theatre in Washington DC. Joanie has taught through her own studio, Steep Theatre, and Steppenwolf Theatre, along with Columbia College Chicago, University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and Roosevelt University. She holds a B.A. in Theater Directing from Columbia College Chicago and an M.F.A. in Theater Directing from Northwestern University. For more information on Joanie’s work, go to www.joanieschultz.com.

Dates: 

First performance: January 23, 2025

Press opening: Friday, January 31, 2025 at 7:30pm 

Closing performance: February 23, 2025

 

Performance Schedule:

Wednesdays: 3:00pm (February 5 & 19 only) and 7:30pm

Thursdays: 7:30pm 

Fridays: 7:30pm 

Saturdays: 3:00pm (except January 25) and 7:30pm 

Sundays: 2:00pm and 6:00pm (January 26 only)

Open Captioned Performance: Thursday, February 13 at 7:30pm

ASL-Interpreted Performance: Saturday, February 15 at 3:00pm

 

Location: Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre; 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe 

 Prices: Tickets begin at $35.

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe; 847-242-6000; 

Frida...A Self Portrait Events 

Family Matinee 

Saturday, February 8 at 3pm 

Going to the theatre just got a little bit easier for parents and caregivers. Parents and caregivers can see the 3pm matinee of the production while their young ones engage in active creative play with WT Education’s professional teaching artists.

The Final Word Audience Discussion 

Sunday, February 23 at 12pm 

Join WT Artistic staff and fellow audience members for a conversation about the themes and production elements of the show. 

 

Upcoming Education & Engagement Programs 

Show & Tell Storytelling 

Tuesday, February 4, March 18 and April 15 at 7pm 

Enjoy an engaging evening of storytelling at our monthly Show & Tell series. Each event features talented professional storytellers and celebrates unique themes in a relaxed environment. Tickets are Pay What You Can. 

Pop-Up Day Camps 

February 17 and April 21, 9am-3pm 

When school is off but you’re not, WT Education is here to help. Young people ages 7-11 just might catch the theatre bug on this day-long creative adventure. 

Wake Up Words Family Playtime 

Sunday, February 2 and March 9 

Stories jump off the page on select Sunday mornings at Writers Theatre. Each Playtime pairs a favorite story with another art form and is a unique opportunity for young children and their families to create together. Designed for ages 3-6 and their parents/caregivers, siblings welcome.  

WRITERS THEATRE 2024/25 SEASON 

The remainder of the season includes Brian Friel’s touching Irish drama Translations, directed by Braden Abraham, and the World Premiere of Madhuri Shekar’s Dhaba on Devon Avenue, directed by Chay Yew and produced in partnership with TimeLine Theatre Company.  

Flex subscriptions are $260 (4-pack), $325 (5-pack) or $360 (6-pack). Season package subscribers receive exclusive benefits including complimentary ticket exchanges by phone and mail (upgrade fees may apply), access to special play readings and lectures, special “subscriber-rate” prices on additional tickets, discounts at the bar, on Writers Theatre merchandise, event rentals, and more. For a complete list of benefits visit www.writerstheatre.org. 

Season Packages are available online at www.writerstheatre.org, and at the Box Office by calling 847-242-6000. 

 

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES: 

WT offers Open Captioning on select dates for each production. Please visit writerstheatre.org/accessibility for more information. 

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

ABOUT WRITERS THEATRE 

Writers Theatre boldly looks to the future as it begins its 33rd season. Having captivated audiences for years with its dedication to creating the most intimate theatrical experience possible, the theatre is now a major Chicagoland cultural destination with a national reputation for excellence, being called “America’s finest regional theater company” by The Wall Street Journal. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Braden Abraham and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, the company is charting a path forward for the next 30 years.  

Since its founding in 1992, Writers Theatre has stayed true to its core values: valuing the power of the written word and uplifting the artists who bring that word to life. The company has produced over 140 productions—everything from inventive interpretations of classics to groundbreaking new work. In 2016, Writers Theatre opened a new, state-of-the-art facility designed by the internationally renowned Studio Gang Architects. The new facility has allowed the Theatre to accommodate its growing audience, while maintaining its trademark intimacy.  

Writers Theatre now welcomes more than 60,000 patrons each season and has helped establish the North Shore of Chicago as a premier cultural destination. Through its Literary Development Initiative, which has been responsible for the nurturing and premiering of over 30 world premieres, the theatre has established itself as a major originator of new theatrical works. Serving as an extension of the Writers Theatre mission, WT Education programs engage an average of 10,000 students each year with active learning opportunities centered around the written word. 

FREE Chicago Puppet Fest Shows Now Through January 26th, 2025

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

 Puppets are for everyone! Even if your wallet's a bit thin and you blew your entertainment budget for the month already, you can still puppet on a budget. 

7th Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival 

January 15-26th, 2025

Full Free Schedule Below

Marvel at incredible stories told through the lens of contemporary puppetry, performed by amazing puppet artists and companies from around the world!

Free Neighborhood Tours (2 different FREE shows/all ages)

January 15-26

All ages

Free

The Chicago Puppet Festival Free Neighborhood Tour is back bigger, better and twice as nice as before. This year, a festival “first”: two different family-friendly puppet shows will travel to venues around the city, offering more than a dozen free performances at venues large and small. Catch one show, or both…they’re free!

The Amazing Story Machine

Sandglass Theatre Company and Doppelskope

Vermont

45 minutes

All ages

sandglasstheater.org

Thursday, January 16 at 4:30 p.m.

Austin Town Hall Cultural Center, 5610 W. Lake St. (Austin)

Friday, January 17 at 4:30 p.m.

Marshall Field Garden Apartments/Art on Sedgwick, 1408 N. Sedgwick St. (Old Town)

Sunday, January 19 at 2 p.m.

345 Gallery, 345 N. Kedzie Ave. (Garfield Park)

Wednesday, January 22 at 6 p.m.

Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St. (Lakeview)

Thursday, January 23 at 7 p.m.

eta Creative Arts Foundation, 7558 S. South Chicago Ave. (Grand Crossing)

Friday, January 24 at 5 p.m.

Experimental Station, 6100 S. Blackstone Ave. (Hyde Park)

Saturday, January 26 at 10 am + 2 p.m.

Berger Park Cultural Center – Coach House, 6205 N. Sheridan Rd. (Edgewater)

Sunday, January 26 at 2 p.m.

South Shore Cultural Center Paul Robeson Theater, 7059 S. South Shore Dr. (South Shore)

The Grimm family is on the verge of unveiling The Amazing Story Machine, which runs on steam and dreams, and promises to revolutionize how stories are told. When the contraption malfunctions, they have to invent a way to tell stories on the spot. With help from the audience and a cast of unique puppet characters created by Vermont’s Sandglass Theatre Company, fairy tales like “The Hare and the Hedgehog,” “Hansel and Gretel,” and “The Brave Little Tailor” spring to life with a range of charming of puppetry styles and characters, and live, original music.

Hungry Garden

Poncili Creación

Puerto Rico

45 minutes

All ages

Instagram.com/poncilicreacion

Wednesday, January 22 at 6 p.m.

Theatre Y, 3611 W. Cermak Rd. (North Lawndale)

Thursday, January 23 at 10:30 a.m. + 7 p.m.

Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts , 915 E. 60th St. (Hyde Park)

Friday, January 24 at 4:30 p.m.

Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center, 4046 W. Armitage Ave. (Hermosa)

Saturday, January 25 at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.

Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St., GAR Hall & Rotunda 2nd Floor/North (Loop)

Boundless energy, surrealist puppets and controlled madness unite as brothers Pablo and Efrain Del Hierro, identical twins, though differentiated by their distinctly aggressive haircuts, spontaneously infuse inanimate objects with life. Drawing on tribal symbols such as masks and totems, they evoke ancient forms of storytelling as they travel the world with their surreal, crowd-pleasing performances. Hungry Garden brings ”creation and chaotic tranquility,” living up to the idea that the brothers say spawned their name, Poncili Creación.

Free Streaming Adult Cabaret (recommended for ages 16+): 

Nasty, Brutish & Short Credit: Richard Termine

Nasty, Brutish & Short

Rough House Theatre Co. and Links Hall

Chicago/International

Links Hall, 3111 N. Western Ave., Roscoe Village/Avondale Thursday, January 16, Saturday, January 18, Thursday, January 23, and Saturday, January 25 at 10:30 p.m. *Update: Thursday nights replaced the Friday night shows originally announced in October

60 minutes

16 and up

Tickets: $15-$20/ Streaming FREE

roughhousetheater.com/nbs

Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows, we've caught Rough House Theatre Co's Nasty, Brutish & Short many times over the years, both in person at Links Hall and streaming. The 4 productions that fall during puppet fest are always the most fun each year, as the talent pool is deep and the fest cabarets feature 4 unique lineups filled excellent puppeteers from around the globe. It's a great chance to see short excerpts from some of the longer fest pieces. This year we have several Chicago based friends presenting pieces we can't wait to see. These late night cabarets sell out fast. And if you stream it from home or hotel, it's FREE!

Hit the Chicago Puppet Fest fan-favorite late night shows, where raucous, raunchy, dark, sassy, sad and mostly hilarious puppet theater plays to supportive, sold out houses. The best part? Fancy international out-of-town puppet artists will join cabaret host Jameson, his somewhat furry friends, plus legendary Chicago puppeteers for a wild night of puppet revelry and fellowship followed by friendly unwinding. All four Nasty, Brutish & Short cabarets will also be streamed live. Check website for details: roughhousetheater.com/nbs  

Volkenburg Puppetry Symposium

Panels 1 – 4 FREE In Person and Streaming

About the Ellen Van Volkenburg Puppetry Symposium

The Ellen Van Volkenburg Puppetry Symposium brings together practicing Festival artists with scholars to consider the intersection of puppetry with other disciplines and ideas. Before 1912, the year the Little Theater of Chicago was founded in the historic Fine Arts Building, the term “puppeteer” did not even exist. Little Theater director Ellen Van Volkenburg needed a program credit for the actors she had trained to manipulate marionettes while speaking the text of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and she coined the word “puppeteer.” That marked the dawn of the movement that has brought us to the rich art form now practiced around the world.

This year’s theme is: Puppets Doing and Being. In her 2024 book, Reading the Puppet Stage: Reflections on the Dramaturgy of Performing Objects, Claudia Orenstein notes that puppets enact being alive by doing rather than through written dialogue. The 2025 Ellen Van Volkenburg Puppetry Symposium series explores the dramaturgical elements that distinguish puppet theater and actively engage audiences in endowing material with life.

Lessons in Puppetry by Myra Su, a free exhibit at The Puppet Hub

Puppetry Under the Sea, featuring puppets designed by the Chicago Puppet Studio for Drury Lane Theatre’s The Little Mermaid, a free exhibit at The Puppet Hub

The Puppet Hub

Fine Arts Building 410 S. Michigan Ave., 4th floor, Studio 433

FREE

All ages

Hours:

Thursday, January 16, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Friday, January 17, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

Saturday, January 18, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

Sunday, January 19, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Closed Monday, January 20

Tuesday, January 21, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Wednesday January 22, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

Thursday, January 23, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

Friday, January 24, 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Saturday, January 25, 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Sunday, January 26, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

*Drury Lane Theatre’s The Little Mermaid was one of our favorite shows in a holiday season packed with excellent offerings. It was my great pleasure to catch it on opening night. Aside from adoring Sawyer Smith's epic Ursula, we were gobsmacked by the stellar puppets designed by the Chicago Puppet Studio. My son, Dugan (who has a BA in theatre arts from Northwestern), is friends with one of the eel puppeteers. I'm excited to get a closer look at these aquatic creations at the free exhibit, Puppetry Under the Sea.

In addition to the incredible pageant of international and U.S. puppetry artists, The Puppet Hub is back and open throughout the festival on the 4th floor of the Fine Arts Building. It’s the perfect place to relax between shows, get a bite to eat, meet up with friends, make new ones, and learn more about contemporary puppetry.

Attractions include the exhibits Lessons in Puppetry by Myra Su and Puppetry Under the Sea, featuring puppets designed by the Chicago Puppet Studio for Drury Lane Theatre’s The Little Mermaid, the Pop-Up Puppet Shop, and The Spoke & Bird Pop-Up Cafe, serving coffee, tea, winter soups and baked treats.   

Potential Energy: Chicago Puppets Up Close

Exhibit presented by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival

Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St., Michigan Avenue Galleries

December 21, 2024 - April 6, 2025

Daily, 10 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.

All Ages

Chicago is home to a rich and growing ecology of puppet artists whose work bridges disciplines and communities of makers. This sampling of puppets by local artists challenges expectations about puppetry and inspires the public to tell their own stories. Take the rare chance to look closely at sculptural works usually only seen in motion at a distance. Celebrate material and formal invention, trace networks of collaboration, and discover some of the exciting questions and possibilities that are animating Chicago puppet artists today. Potential Energy: Chicago Puppets Up Close is curated by Grace Needlman and Will Bishop, produced by Elise Butterfield and coordinated by Ashwaty Chennat.  

It's time once again for one of our favorite annual fests -- The Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival. Here at ChiILMama.com and ChiILLiveShows.com, we've been covering Puppet Fest extensively since their inaugural year back in 2015 with dozens of features and hundreds of photos and social media posts. We've done video interviews multiple times with Puppet Fest Founder and Artistic Director, Blair Thomas, and we know quite a few of the Chicago Puppeteers. We're also always jazzed to welcome new puppeteers from around the world. Chicago is truly the multicultural puppet hub of the world, and we're so lucky to host again, this January 15-26, 2025. We're in for 12 straight days of spectacular shows, intimate works, and special events at dozens of venues all over the city. 

There are edgy, adult offerings, family friendly shows, free community productions, in venues across the city. One of our favorite elements of the fest is the community. Puppet people are the best. The performers and audiences are such a unique subset of the theatre scene and we're here for it. Don't miss this! We've got highlights and favorites below, and you can follow our social media for last minute performance additions, changes, and more. Paper schedules are available at the venues and full details including video clips and ticket links are available at the official fest site at chicagopuppetfest.org. Tickets are on sale now. and we suggest you don’t wait. Despite Chicago’s cold January winters, tickets are always a hot commodity and some of the smaller venues will sell out fast!

The 2025 Chicago Puppet Fest will span 12 days and dozens of Chicago venues, presenting an international pageant of puppet artists sharing more than 120 puppetry activities!!! Get set for all-ages spectacle shows in landmark theaters, intimate works on smaller stages, and the always popular, adults-only, late night puppet cabarets.

Warm up to a wildly diverse range of classic and contemporary puppetry styles from around the world, created by puppet artists from China, India and Scotland, the first time for these countries to play a part in the Chicago Puppet Festival, along with Canada, Chile, China, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Norway, Puerto Rico, Poland, South Africa, the U.S. and Chicago.

These stories and more await fans of the 7th Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, all told by puppet artists from around the world, showcasing different forms of traditional and contemporary puppet styles, from bunraku to shadow puppetry, marionettes to object-based works. 

Festival funders: 7th Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival funders include Chicago Park District Night Out in the Parks Program, Ferdi Foundation, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Illinois Arts Council Agency, Jentes Family Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Manaaki Foundation, Marshall Frankel Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Paul Levy, Pritzker Foundation, Reva and David Logan Foundation, Royal Norwegian Consulate General, and Richard H. Driehaus Foundation. Individuals include Ginger Farley and Robert Shapiro, Justine Jentes and Dan Karuna, Cheryl Lynn Bruce and Kerry James Marshall, Julie Moller, Kristy and Brandon Moran, Nina and Steven Schroeder, John Supera, David Pritzker and Beatrice Barbareschi, Cheryl Henson, Jordan Shields and Sarah Donovan, and Deb and Andy Wolkstein. 

About the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival

Originally founded in 2015 as a project of Blair Thomas & Co., the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival has highlighted artists from nations including Belgium, Chile, France, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Mexico, Norway, Puerto Rico, Poland and South Africa as well as from Chicago and across the U.S. with the goal of promoting peace, equality, and justice on a global scale.

Already, the Chicago Puppet Festival is the largest of its kind in North America. Last year’s 2024 festival attracted a record 19,868 audience members to dozens of Chicago venues large and small to enjoy an entertaining and eclectic array of puppet styles from around the world.

In 2022, the Festival moved from a biennial to an annual event, and tripled its footprint in Chicago’s historic Fine Arts Building. It opened an expanded office suite, debuted the Chicago Puppet Studio, which designs and fabricates puppets for theaters and events around the U.S., and launched the Chicago Puppet Lab, an education space and developmental residency designed to incubate more works of boundary-breaking puppetry in Chicago, expand equity in the field of puppetry, and encourage interdisciplinary experimentation in puppet theater.

It’s fitting that the Fine Arts Building is home again to one of the most influential puppetry organizations in the world. In 1912, after Ellen Van Volkenburg famously founded the Little Theater of Chicago in the Fine Arts Building, she needed a name for the actors she had trained to manipulate marionettes while performing Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. So she credited them in the show program with a new word, “puppeteer.” Many agree this marked the initial intersection of traditional puppetry with contemporary theater still practiced today, and now flourishing around the world.

Expanded operations are overseen by Artistic Director and Festival Founder Blair Thomas and Executive Director Sandy Smith Gerding, with Cameron Heinz, Business Manager; Ana Diaz Barriga, Marketing Coordinator; Taylor Bibat, Festival Coordinator; Lucy Wirtz, Events and Engagement Coordinator; Zachary Sun, Studio Coordinator; Tom Lee, Co-Director, Chicago Puppet Lab and Studio; Grace Needlman, Co-Director Chicago Puppet Lab; and Caitlin McLeod, Chicago Puppet Studio Project Manager.

Visit chicagopuppetfest.org for tickets and information about the 7th Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, and sign up for the festival’s e-news. Follow the festival on Facebook, Instagram or Vimeo, hashtag #ChiPuppetFest.

Tickets range from free to $48 with most in the $15-$20 range. Discounts for students and seniors. Click here for the full Festival Schedule.

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

ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List:

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.

ALL-NEW DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS LET’S DANCE! January 23 – February 9, 2025

ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List

JOIN AN EPIC PARTY WITH PLENTY OF MUSIC, ENERGY & AUDIENCE INTERACTION AT THE ALL-NEW 

DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS LET’S DANCE!

The all-star cast includes fan-favorite stories from Frozen 2, Wish, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid and Moana

**Brand-New Production Skating Into Chicagoland from January 23 – February 9, 2025**

Disney On Ice is bringing the party to hometowns across the country, and the guest list is jam-packed with audience favorite Disney characters! Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy have become DJ’s, remixing Disney tunes into colorful stories at this all-new state-of-the-art ice show. Get ready to turn up the fun when Disney On Ice presents Let’s Dance! visits Allstate Arena in Rosemont from January 23-26 and February 6-9 plus the United Center in Chicago from January 30–February 2, 2025!

This production invites guests to belt out Disney’s chart-topping tunes, as their favorite stories are brought to life on and above the ice. Fans are sure to be wowed by the cutting-edge figure skating, high-flying acrobatics, unexpected stunts, thrilling special effects, eye-catching costumes, and stunning set designs. 

Audiences will experience a nonstop party that encourages them to journey to unforgettable places, laugh, sing, dance, and make magical memories together. Through the magic of music, what started as a party transforms into a fantastic adventure! This all-new and thrilling Disney On Ice production features fan-favorite stories including:

WISH

Last year, Disney On Ice became the first live entertainment show to debut Asha before the animated film’s release. Now, the entire Kingdom of Rosas will magically come to life, featuring even more characters from Wish. Asha, Valentino, Star, and King Magnifico come together to bring to life “This Wish,” “I’m a Star,” and “This Is The Thanks I Get?!”

FROZEN 2

Journey to Arendelle and the Enchanted Forest in Frozen 2 with Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, and Olaf as they are reminded that “Some Things Never Change.” Visit the river full of memory, Ahtohallan, as Elsa asks memories of the past to “Show Yourself,” and Olaf thinks this will all make sense “When I’m Older.”

MOANA

The audience will immediately “Know The Way” when Moana shows them “How Far I’ll Go,” as she journeys from the island of Motunui to save her home from Te Kā. Along the way she meets Maui who reminds everyone “You’re Welcome.” The duo comes face to face with Tamatoa who hasn’t always been this “Shiny.”

THE LION KING

Escaping to the Pride Lands with Simba and Nala from The Lion King, audiences should “Be Prepared” as Scar and the hyenas plot to take over the throne. Timon and Pumbaa remind us it’s best just to say “Hakuna Matata” as everyone celebrates the “Circle of Life.”

THE LITTLE MERMAID

Skilled maestro, Sebastian, strikes a chord “Under the Sea” when he conducts Ariel, her seven sisters, and a colorful orchestra of sea creatures from The Little Mermaid. Guests will be singing along as Ariel serenades Prince Eric with a wish to become “Part of Your World,” and a symphony of lagoon insects perform “Kiss the Girl.”

R O S E M O N T 

WHEN:       

Thursday, January 23 7:00 PM                     

Friday, January 24 10:30AM & 7:00 PM                     

Saturday, January 25 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM & 7:00 PM

Sunday, January 26 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM & 7:00 PM

WHERE:      Allstate Arena – 6920 North Mannheim Rd. Rosemont, IL 60018

TICKETS: Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or in-person at the venue box office.

It’s easier than ever to experience the Disney magic. With a variety of family-friendly ticket pricing options, choose what fits best for an enchanted experience. 

*Ticket pricing is subject to change based on market demand.

C H I C A G O

WHEN:       

Thursday, January 30 7:00 PM                     

Friday, January 31 10:30AM & 7:00 PM                     

Saturday, February 1 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM & 7:00 PM

Sunday, February 2 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM & 7:00 PM

WHERE:      United Center – 1901 West Madison St. Chicago, IL 60612

TICKETS: Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or in-person at the venue box office.

It’s easier than ever to experience the Disney magic. With a variety of family-friendly ticket pricing options, choose what fits best for an enchanted experience. 

*Ticket pricing is subject to change based on market demand.

R O S E M O N T 

WHEN:       

Thursday, February 6 7:00 PM                     

Friday, February 7 10:30AM & 7:00 PM                     

Saturday, February 8 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM & 7:00 PM

Sunday, February 9 11:00 AM & 3:00 PM

WHERE:      Allstate Arena – 6920 North Mannheim Rd. Rosemont, IL 60018

TICKETS: Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or in-person at the venue box office.

*Ticket pricing is subject to change based on market demand.

“Frozen Fun” Character Experience

Guests can enhance their Disney On Ice show ticket with a preshow Character Experience that includes games, crafting, a sing-along and interactive photo opportunities with Anna and Elsa. 

NOTE: Each guest (ages 2 and up) must have both a Character Experience ticket and a Disney On Ice show ticket to attend; children must be accompanied by an adult.

For more info about Disney On Ice, follow Disney On Ice’s social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, & TikTok.  

Subscribe to the Disney On Ice YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/DisneyOnIce

About Feld Entertainment®

Feld Entertainment®, family owned and operated, is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences that bring people together and uplift the human spirit. Properties include Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, Monster Jam®, Disney On Ice, Jurassic World Live Tour, Monster Energy AMA Supercross, and the Super Motocross World Championship. Across the brand portfolio, Feld Entertainment has entertained millions of families in more than 80 countries and on six continents. Visit feldentertainment.com for more information