World Premiere of The Infinity Play Via Curious Theatre Branch Now Playing Through May 18th at Jarvis Square Theatre

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CURIOUS THEATRE BRANCH CONTINUES ITS 36th SEASON WITH THE WORLD PREMIERE OF PAUL WILLIAM BRENNAN’S

THE INFINITY PLAY

NOW PLAYING THROUGH MAY 18, AT JARVIS SQUARE THEATER

This Play of Fables is Directed by Brennan and Maya Odim.

Curious Theatre Branch, is proud to present the world premiere of The Infinity Play, written by Paul William Brennan and directed by Brennan and Maya Odim, now playing through May 18, at Jarvis Square Theatre, 1439 W. Jarvis Ave. The performance schedule of Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 5 p.m. The running time is 90 minutes with no intermission. Tickets for The Infinity Play are on sale at CuriousTheatreBranch.com. Tickets are priced on a “pay what you can” scale, with a suggested price of $20. 

In ten scenes of different times, places and proportions, a pair of players take turns to clean up the mess the preceding players made, but end up making a bigger mess for the players after them. 

The cast of The Infinity Play includes Curious Theatre ensemble members Julie Williams (she/her), Vicki Walden (she/her) and Leny Brün (he/they), as well as returning Curious players Kristin Garrison (she/her), Lola Zimmerman (she/her), Maya Odim (she/her), Shaun Rosten (he/him) and new Curious players Lynda Cortez (they/she), John Francis Klingle (he/they) and Douglas Levin (he/him).

The production team includes Paul William Brennan (he/him, director); Maya Odim (she/her, director); Charlotte Lastra (she/her, scenic designer and stage manager). Produced with Jenny Magnus (she/her), Stefan Brün (he/him), Chris Bower (he/him) and Beau O Reilly (he/him).

ABOUT PAUL WILLIAM BRENNAN, playwright/director

Paul William Brennan is a Chicago filmmaker, playwright, transgressor to the rule of three, and performer. Under Curious Theatre Branch's banner, he wrote and produced Daughter (2013), Subjective is Beauty (2018) and Beckett: a Show About Nothingness (2020), none of which you've heard of. Other theater companies for whom he's written, performed and/or produced include Prop Thtr, Silent Theatre Company, Labyrinth Arts Collective, Sweetback Productions, Hate/Lab, and The Meat Machine. His comedic endeavors include membership in the Uploose Odditorium troupe and one half of Chicago revisionist comedy duo John & Paul. His work consistently attempts to consolidate ties between the mediums of theatre and film. Due to the childhood experience of spending three years in a washing machine, almost everything he writes accidentally involves comically tragic and inevitable cycles.

ABOUT MAYA ODIM, director

Maya Odim has an interdisciplinary practice rooted in places where writing and dance meets. Odim anchors an artistic approach in spaces where phrases of language and phrases of movement can overlap (exploring how words move and what bodies they are a part of). She is a poet in residence with the Chicago Poetry Center and a lecturer in Theater and Performance Studies at the University of Chicago.

ABOUT CURIOUS THEATRE BRANCH

Curious Theatre Branch is dedicated to the creation of new plays and performances and to the production of the annual Rhinoceros Theater Festival. Curious aims to promote innovative works of the imagination in the performing arts from a broad and inclusive spectrum of artists and are also devoted to mentoring programs that engage emerging artists as a way to enrich and expand our artistic community.  We are committed to creating and producing new plays and performances in a collaborative manner, encouraging our members as artists to share decision making and responsibilities, while expanding their skills as writers, actors, designers, directors and arts administrators.  Curious also is committed to the idea that a pay what you can pricing policy is sustainable and will suffice over the long term as an economic model.

Citadel Theatre to Present Chicago Premiere of A JUKEBOX FOR THE ALGONQUIN, April 18 – May 18, 2025

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A JUKEBOX FOR THE ALGONQUIN

By Paul Stroili

Directed by Scott Westerman

April 18 – May 25, 2025 (Now extended due to popular demand)

"A GRAND COMEDIC ADVENTURE…that wittily navigates the highs and lows of aging with laughter, nostalgia and rebellion.“  Denver Gazette

Citadel Theatre will close its 2024-25 season with the Chicago premiere of A JUKEBOX FOR THE ALGONQUIN, by Chicago/Skokie-based actor and playwright Paul Stroili. Stroili’s comedy received its world premiere in 2023 at The Purple Rose Theatre, the Equity-affiliated theatre in Chelsea, Michigan founded by actor Jeff Daniels, that is dedicated to developing new American plays. 

A JUKEBOX FOR THE ALGONQUIN is set in the Placid Pines Senior Care Center. Some of the residents really want a jukebox for their recreation room, called The Algonquin. When the jukebox they have in mind – a vintage Wurlitzer, like the kind they remember from earlier years - costs more than the center can raise, a small band of residents hatch an unusual plot to come up with the money. 

Stroili’s comedy, which he describes as being “not a play about old people; it's a play about people who have just lived longer," was one of the most popular and successful plays at the Purple Rose Theatre. It recently concluded a successful engagement at Miner’s Alley Performing Arts Center in Denver and six more productions in addition to Citadel’s have been scheduled in theaters across the US. The DENVER GAZETTE called it “a deeply affecting comedy that reveals a major playwriting talent in Paul Stroili… A GRAND COMEDIC ADVENTURE…that wittily navigates the highs and lows of aging with laughter, nostalgia and rebellion.“ A JUKEBOX FOR THE ALGONQUIN will open on Friday, April 18, following previews on April 16 and 17, and play through May 25th, 2025. Tickets priced at $45 are now on sale at www.citadeltheatre.org.

A JUKEBOX FOR THE ALGONQUIN will be directed by Chicago actor and director Scott Westerman, who previously directed Citadel’s THE MOUSETRAP, THE CHRISTIANS, and SEX WITH STRANGERS. Westerman will direct an ensemble cast of seven. Johnnie, the longtime Placid Pines resident who is the primary instigator of the drive to buy the jukebox, will be played by Kenneth Johnson, whose credits include Sheldon in TROUBLE IN MIND with TimeLine Theatre and Pops Washington in BETWEEN RIVERSIDE AND CRAZY with Redtwist Theatre. His fellow resident Dennis, a gay man who uses a wheelchair, will be Bob Sanders, a veteran of several Citadel productions who is currently appearing as Arvide in GUYS AND DOLLS for Music Theatre Works.  Cast as Annie, a visually impaired resident who has taken on the responsibility of ensuring Placid Pines is a “bigot-free” zone, is Citadel co-founder Ellen Phelps. Phelps’ many credits at Citadel include Sharon in THE ROOMMATE and Miss Hannigan in ANNIE.

Peg, a recently divorced woman who has just moved into the independent living unit of Placid Pines and devises the scheme to raise the money to buy the juke box, will be Elizabeth Rude. Rude last appeared at Citadel in the company’s Jeff Award-winning THE EXPLORERS CLUB and later this year will reprise her role as Anne Smith in BILL W. AND DR. BOB with Theatre 68. Karla Corona, a member of The Artistic Home ensemble who had the title role in TAH’s production of EURYDICE, will play the no-nonsense Placid Pines manager Josefina. Patrick Thornton, an instructor with The Artistic Home’s Training Studio who appeared in that company’s DYING FOR IT, has been cast as Chuck, a maintenance worker with a troubled past. Chuck’s young co-worker Tyler will be Joshua Thomas, who understudied the leading role of Clayton Boone in GODS AND MONSTERS at Theatre Wit.  Understudies are Valerie Gorman (Annie), Adrian Campbell (Johnnie), Kim Buck (Peg), Gustavo Duran (Tyler), Laura Quinones. (Josefina), and Sean Harklerode (Dennis).

L-R, back: Elizabeth Rude, Ellen Phelps, Kenneth Johnson, Joshua Davis, Karla Corona.

Front: Bob Sanders. Photo by Ralph Durham. 

The production team includes Catalina Nino (Set Designer), Danielle Reinhardt (Costume Designer), Michael Trudeau (Lighting Designer), Hannah Kwak (Sound Designer), Ellen Markus (Properties Designer), Connor Windle (Stage Manager), Mitchell Pollitt (Master Carpenter), Alex Trinh (Stage Crew), and Scott and Ellen Phelps (Production Managers).

Citadel Theatre is in residence in the West Campus of the Lake Forest School District at 300 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest. Further information and ticketing is available on the company’s website at www.citadeltheatre.org.

Friday April 18 - Sunday May 18, 2025

(Previews April 16-17 @ 7:30 pm)

Press Opening Friday, April 18 at 7:30 pm

Thursdays*, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sunday matinees at 3 pm. Wednesday matinees at 1 pm on April 23 and May 7. No performances on Thursdays, April 24 and May 8.

Preview ticket prices $20. Regular run prices $45.00. Discounts available for groups, seniors and students.

Citadel Theatre, located in the West Campus building of the Lake Forest School District 300 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest, IL

Tickets available online at www.citadeltheatre.org. or by phone at 847-735-8554, ext. 1

The residents of Placid Pines Senior Care Center really want a jukebox for their recreation room, called The Algonquin. When the jukebox they have in mind – a vintage Wurlitzer like the kind they remember from earlier years -  costs more than the center can raise, a small band of residents hatch a plot to come up with the money.

 

BIOS

Scott Westerman (Director) makes, does, and teaches theatre and film in and around Chicago. At Citadel, he has directed THE MOUSETRAP, THE CHRISTIANS and SEX WITH STRANGERS. Scott is the founding Artistic Director of Go To Productions, a 501©3 nonprofit which develops projects that explore the nexus between theatre and film. He created and directed the web series HAMLET & OPHELIA which won Best Picture at the New York Film Awards, Best Web Series at the LA Film Awards, and Best Mobile Series at the 2022 New Media Film Festival. Scott has directed stage productions for The Artistic Home, ChiArts, City Lit Theatre, Chimera Theatre Company, Citadel Theatre, Beyond This Point, Barter Theatre, Stage Left Theatre, The Smithsonian Institution, American Theatre Company (Bridge), National High School Institute (Cherubs), and Reverie Theatre Company. Scott is a member of the Screen Actors Guild, an ensemble member with The Artistic Home, represented by Gray Talent Group, and a teaching artist with Writers Theatre and The Theatre School at DePaul University. He has an MFA from The Shakespeare Theatre Academy. As an actor, Scott has worked with Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Lookingglass, Northlight, The Shakespeare Theatre and Ford’s Theatre in DC, Everyman Theatre in Baltimore, the Warehouse Theatre in South Carolina, and the Barter Theatre in Virginia to name a few. On Camera credits include MACHINE GUN PREACHER, PRISON BREAK, and HEIST 88 which will premiere in 2023. More about Scott can be perused at www.ScottWesterman.org.

Paul Stroili (Playwright).  A resident artist at The Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea, Michigan, Paul Stroili’s writing includes the plays CHEESE LOUISE (with Maureen Morley), MY DINNER WITH ARLECCHINO, PLANE CRAZY (with Cissy Conner), A JUKEBOX FOR THE ALGONQUIN (which was a finalist in the Austin Film Festival Playwriting competition, and LAST CALL AT THE AARDVARK. A member of the original Chicago cast of TONY ‘N TINA’S WEDDING, Paul directed the critically acclaimed revival 25 years later. As an actor, his television credits include EMPIRE, CHICAGO P.D., and UNDERCOVER BRIDESMAID,  MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE, BROTHER’S KEEPER, GETTING PERSONAL, CHANCE OF A LIFETIME, HELP ME and THE UNTOUCHABLES, His film credits include ONLY DANCE CAN SAVE US, THE BEATING, GRATITUDE, COLD JUSTICE, THE WRONG PROFILE and THE REAL WHATEVER. Paul was nominated for an Ovation Award for Best Solo Performance and an LA Weekly Award for PAUL STROILI’S STRAIGHT UP WITH A TWIST, which enjoyed over 1000 performances nationwide and culminated in a twice extended Off Broadway run.

Scott Phelps (Artistic Director) is in his 23rd year as the Artistic Director at Citadel. He’s acted in and directed dozens of Citadel productions over the nearly two and one-half decades since founding this North Shore theatre in 2002 with his friend and lifelong companion, Ellen. In 2023, he starred in the leading role of Pastor Paul in THE CHRISTIANS. He has acted/directed in NYC, and in his home state of California, trained as an actor at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Santa Maria, CA, received his BFA from the University of Utah, and did an apprenticeship at the Actors Theatre of Louisville in KY. For 18 years Scott worked for a promotional company and raised his three daughters and his son in Lake Forest. Recently he has been taking on the next chapter of his life — the role of “Beepa” to his grandchildren. Although he is unsure if he is old enough to play that part, he’s been enjoying the challenge.

Citadel Theatre is one of Chicagoland’s premier live theatres, producing hundreds of performances annually and inspiring audiences for nearly 23 years. Founded by Scott and Ellen Phelps in 2002, Citadel Theatre is comprised of its Main Stage performances and its theatre acting classes for children. A proud member of the League of Chicago Theatres and the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff ArtsLink, Citadel Theatre offers a unique intimate theatre experience that transports you to another setting and leaves you feeling exhilarated and wanting more. A recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization, Citadel can accept tax-deductible donations. 

For more information, ticketing, and to donate, please visit Citadel online at www.citadeltheatre.org. or call 847.735.8554.

GARY: A SEQUEL TO TITUS ANDRONICUS VIA REDTWIST THEATRE APRIL 24 - JUNE 1

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REDTWIST THEATRE ANNOUNCES CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM FOR 

GARY: A SEQUEL TO TITUS ANDRONICUS 

WRITTEN BY TAYLOR MAC AND DIRECTED BY STEVE SCOTT

APRIL 24 - JUNE 1

Award-Winning Artist, Pulitzer Prize Finalist and MacArthur “Genius” Taylor Mac Pens the Aftermath to Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus 

Award-winning Redtwist Theatre, currently presenting, the recently extended through April 6, Titus Andronicus, one of the top rated plays in Chicago, according to TheaterInChicago.com, is proud to announce the cast and creative team for Taylor Mac’s Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus, April 24 - June 1, at Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave, directed by Steve Scott. Previews are Thursday, April 24 - Saturday, April 26 at 7:30 p.m. 

I'll be out for the press opening April 27th, so check back soon after for my full review. The performance schedule is Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3:30 p.m. The running time is currently 95 minutes with no intermission. Two understudy performances will occur on Thursday, May 15 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 25 at 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 for general admission, with pay-what-you-can pricing every Friday and are available now at RedtwistTheatre.org. 

Taylor Mac’s singular world view intersects with Shakespeare’s first tragedy, Titus Andronicus. Set just after the blood-soaked conclusion of that sensationally gruesome tale, the years of battles are over, the country has been stolen by madmen, and there are casualties everywhere. And two very lowly servants are charged with cleaning up the bodies. It’s the year 400—but it feels like the end of the world.

Top Row, L to R: William Delforge and Hannah Rhode

Bottom Row: Cameron Austin Brown

The Gary cast includes William Delforge (he/him, Gary); Hannah Rhode (she/her, Janice); Cameron Austin Brown (he/him, Carol);  Hannah Rhode (she/her, Janice) with understudies TBA (U/S Gary); Madison Bacino (she/her, U/S Janice);  and Hannah McCauley (she/her, U/S Carol). 

The Gary creative team includes Steve Scott (he/him, director); Maria Reyes (she/her, stage manager); Ashley O’Neill (she/her, stage manager); Eric Luchen (he/him, set design); Korey Joseph (he/him, assistant director); kClare McKellaston (she/her, costume design); Robin Manganaro (she/her, props design); Jeff Brain (he/him, technical director); Seth Eggenschwiller (he/him, fight/violence director); Piper Kirchhofer (she/her, lighting design); Rain DeDominici (they/she, production manager); Eileen Dixon (she/her, casting director/co-artistic director) and Dusty Brown (they/them, co-artistic director).

Productions, participants and dates are subject to change. 

ABOUT TAYLOR MAC, playwright

Taylor Mac (who uses “judy”, lowercase sic, not as a name but as a gender pronoun) is a playwright, actor, singer-songwriter, performance artist, director and producer. “A critical darling of the New York scene” (New York Magazine), TimeOut NY has called Mac “One of the most exciting theater artists of our time” (naming judy a future theater legend). Judy’s work has been performed at New York City’s Lincoln Center, The Public Theatre and Playwrights Horizons, Los Angeles’s Royce Hall, Minneapolis’s Guthrie Theater, Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre, the Sydney Opera House, Boston’s American Repertory Theatre, Stockholm’s SodraTheatern, the Spoleto Festival, San Francisco’s Curran Theater and MOMA and literally hundreds of other theaters, museums, music halls, opera houses, cabarets and festivals around the globe. Judy is the author of 17 full-length plays and performance pieces including HIR (placed on the top ten theater of 2015 lists of The New York Times, New York Magazine and Time Out NY; published by North Western University Press and in American Theater Magazine), The Lily’s Revenge (Obie Award), The Walk Across America for Mother Earth (named “One of the Best Plays of 2011” by The New York Times), The Young Ladies Of (Chicago’s Jeff Award nomination for best solo), Red Tide Blooming (Ethyl Eichelberger Award), The Be(a)st of Taylor Mac (Edinburgh Festival’s Herald Angel Award) and in collaboration with Mandy Patinkin, Susan Stroman and Paul Ford, Mac created The Last Two People on Earth: An Apocalyptic Vaudeville. Mac is the recipient of multiple awards including the Doris Duke Performing Artist Award, a Guggenheim Award, the Herb Alpert Award in Theater, the Peter Zeisler Memorial Award, the Helen Merrill Playwriting Award and an Obie. An alumnus of New Dramatists, judy is currently a New York Theater Workshop Usual Suspect and the resident playwright at the Here Arts Center.

ABOUT STEVE SCOTT, director

Steve Scott has directed eleven previous productions for Redtwist Theatre, including King Lear, Death of a Salesman, Clybourne Park and A Delicate Balance. During his career he has directed more than 300 productions locally and nationally; recent credits include Royko: The Toughest Man in Town at the Chopin Theatre and Native Gardens at Buffalo Theatre Ensemble. He is a member of the Redtwist ensemble and is an artistic associate and board member at the Goodman Theatre, where he served as producer for more than 30 years. For three decades Scott was on the faculty of the Theatre Conservatory of the Chicago College of Fine Arts at Roosevelt University and is the recipient of six

Jeff nominations, an After Dark Award, a special Jeff Award for career achievement and the League of Chicago Theaters’ Lifetime Achievement Award. He is currently the artistic director of the Dunes Arts Foundation in Michigan City, Indiana.

ABOUT REDTWIST THEATRE

Redtwist, now celebrating its 20th anniversary, is an award-winning theatre company that stages up close and personal contemporary dramas annually in its intimate black box theatre housed proudly within the heart of Edgewater’s Bryn Mawr Historic District. 

Intimate performances at Redtwist are designed to place the theatre patron in the midst of the stories being told, making them accessible and riveting. Redtwist strives for excellence with every project and endeavors to take risks while offering opportunities for up-and-coming actors, designers and directors to work with established talent. Redtwist provides the very best Chicago storefront theatre experience from excellence on stage, to warm hospitality in a clean, friendly environment.

Drury Lane Theatre Presents Chicago Premiere of The Da Vinci Code April 9 – June 1, 2025

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Drury Lane Theatre announces casting for

 Chicago Premiere of

 The Da Vinci Code

Adapted by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel

Based on the novel by Dan Brown

April 9 – June 1, 2025

Drury Lane Theatre is pleased to announce the cast for its thrilling Chicago Premiere of The Da Vinci Code, based on the novel by Dan Brown, adapted by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel, and directed by Elizabeth Margolius. Witness the action-packed novel live on stage as Professor Robert Langdon, played by Chicago theatre favorite Jeff Parker and cryptologist Sophie Neveu, played by Vaneh Assadourian, race against the clock to unlock the secrets of Da Vinci, April 9 – June 1, 2025 at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. I'll be out for the press opening April 17th, so check back soon after for my full review.

“I can’t think of a more provocative play than The DaVinci Code to kick off our thrilling 2025-2026 season,” comments Managing Director Wendy Stark Prey. “Visionary director Elizabeth Margolius - who brought our groundbreaking production of Fiddler on The Roof to life - is telling this electrifying story of ancient secrets and deadly conspiracies in a way never before seen on the Drury Lane stage.”

Based on the best-selling novel of the century, Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code transforms into a thrilling new immersive experience. Innovative staging and dynamic effects plunge you into a world where renowned professor Robert Langdon and cryptologist Sophie Neveu race through a labyrinth of ancient clues and modern dangers. As shadows hold secrets, surveillance lurks at every turn, and centuries-old conspiracies emerge in real time, you'll discover The Da Vinci Code as you've never encountered it before. What truths hide behind sacred walls? What deadly traps await those who dare to seek answers? Experience the theatrical event of the year that transforms one of the most captivating thrillers ever told into a pulse-pounding journey of revelation.

Jeff Parker leads the cast of the Regional Premiere of The Da Vinci Code at Drury Lane Theatre

Starring Jeff Parker (Robert Langdon) and Vaneh Assadourian (Sophie Neveu), the cast of The Da Vinci Code includes Bradley Armacost (Sir Leigh Teabing), Jennifer Cudahy (Vernet/Docent/Church Volunteer), John Drea (Rémy/Philip), Ray Frewen (Jaques Saunière), Anthony Irons (Bezu Fache), Shane Kenyon (Silas), Janice O'Neill (Sister Sandrine/Marie), Leslie Ann Sheppard (Collet), and understudies Kroydell Galima and Charence Higgins.

The creative team includes Elizabeth Margolius (director-last directed Drury Lane’s groundbreaking production of The Fiddler on The Roof), Scott Penner (scenic designer), Nicole Boylan (costume designer), Lee Fiskness (lighting designer), Joshua Schmidt (original music & sound designer), Anthony Churchill (co-video designer), Mike Tutaj (co-video designer), Cassy Schillo (properties designer), Bridget Rzymski (wig and hair designer), Rick Sordelet (violence choreographer), Eva Breneman (dialect designer), Daren Leonard (associate director), Larry Baker (production stage manager).

The Da Vinci Code will be presented at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace, April 9 – June 1, 2025. Single tickets are on sale now and are available by phone at (630) 530-0111 or online at DruryLaneTheatre.com. Groups of 10 or more can receive special group pricing.

Dates:  April 9 – June 1, 2025

Press Opening: Thursday, April 17, 2025 at 7pm

 

Schedule:                                       

Wednesdays: 1:30 p.m.

Thursdays: 1:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Fridays: 7:00 p.m.

Saturdays: 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Sundays: 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.                               

 

Location:                                        

Drury Lane Theatre at 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace

Tickets:                                              

Tickets range from $75 - $150

Group discounts available to groups of 10 or more

Dining and show packages available

Senior discounts available

Box Office:                                       

100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace; (630) 530-0111; Monday through Sunday from 10am to 5pm or visit DruryLaneTheatre.com

Season and Membership Information

The 2025/2026 season opens with the Chicago premiere of The Da Vinci Code (April 9 – June 1, 2025), followed by a love letter to a country music icon in Always…Patsy Cline (June 11 - August 3, 2025); the riveting thriller Dial M for Murder (September 3 - October 26, 2025); the divine feel-good musical comedy Sister Act (November 12, 2025 - January 11, 2026) and the exhilarating music of the Miami Sound Machine in On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan (January 28 - March 22, 2026). 

Drury Lane Theatre’s performance schedule for the 2025/2026 season is as follows: Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m., Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., Fridays at 7:00 p.m., Saturdays at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Lock in your seats for a season of spectacular theatre with Drury Lane’s new Membership Program! Members have exclusive access to uniquely tailored benefits designed to enrich their Drury Lane experience, all at a cost savings of more than 50% off single ticket prices. Membership includes Tier One seating for all five Drury Lane Theatre productions, free ticket exchanges, dedicated dining credits at Lucille Restaurant, exclusive event invitations, Member pre-sales and unlimited single ticket discounts. Membership prices range from $229.25 - $260.75. For more information, visit DruryLaneTheatre.com.

Group tickets start at $45 and Student group tickets start at just $35. On-site dining is available at Lucille Restaurant with convenient pre-show or post-show prix fixe menus. To book a group of 10 people or more, call Group Services at 630-570-7272 or email Groups@DruryLane.com.

Gift certificates to Drury Lane can be purchased in any denomination, never expire, and can be used for performances, at Lucille Restaurant or for Drury Lane Events. Gift certificates can be purchased online at drurylanetheatre.com/gift-certificates or by calling the box office.

Dining and Special Events

Excellence isn’t limited to the stage at Drury Lane! Before or after the show, theatergoers can indulge in delicious onsite dining at Lucille Restaurant featuring seasonal pre-fixe menus and an elevated atmosphere to complete their experience. Boasting over a century of collective expertise in hospitality, the dedicated team ensures that you will be cared for with freshly prepared meals, handcrafted cocktails, and exceptional service. At Drury Lane, everything is in one place, so you will never be late for your performance.

 

About Drury Lane Theatre  

Built from scratch. Built in Oakbrook. Built for you. 

Founded by Anthony DeSantis over 70 years ago, Drury Lane remains a family-run organization under the leadership of President Kyle DeSantis. Drury Lane Theatre continues as a major force in the Chicagoland theatre scene, producing world-class theatre in collaboration with some of the nation’s leading actors, directors, and creative minds. Drury Lane Theatre produces the highest quality theatrical experience that immerses and supports our artists and audiences in the exploration of what it means to be human and to experience the transcending power of the performing and visual arts. Drury Lane strives to create an environment in which every individual or group is welcomed, respected, supported, valued and able to fully experience and participate in this transformative art form. 

The theatre has staged more than 2,000 productions and has been nominated for over 360 Joseph Jefferson Awards. Drury Lane proudly employs thousands of professional actors, musicians, designers, and crew members to entertain upwards of nine million audience members and counting.

Prayer for the French Republic to open at Northlight in a co-production with Theater Wit April 10 – May 11, 2025

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Northlight Theatre continues 2024-2025 season with

Prayer for the French Republic

By Joshua Harmon

Directed by Jeremy Wechsler

In a co-production with Theater Wit

April 10 – May 11, 2025

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, continues its 2024–2025 season with Joshua Harmon’s celebrated play Prayer for the French Republic, directed by Jeremy Wechsler in a co-production with Theater Wit. Prayer for the French Republic runs April 10 – May 11, 2025, at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie. 

In 1944, a Jewish couple in Paris desperately awaits news of their missing family. More than 70 years later, the couple's great-grandchildren find themselves facing the same question as their ancestors: "Are we safe?" Following five generations of a French-Jewish family, Prayer for the French Republic is a sweeping look at history, home, and the effects of an ancient hatred. Winner of the 2022 Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best New Off-Broadway Play, this celebrated work is from the author of Bad Jews and Significant Other.

• Prayer for the French Republic is a co-production with Theater Wit.

“Two years ago David Cromer, a Northlight alumnus who directed the original production of Prayer for the French Republic, texted me to say I should see his production at Manhattan Theatre Club and then produce it at Northlight,” says Artistic Director BJ Jones. “I jumped on a plane and caught a full house matinee. Taking place in 2016-2017, I found it provocative, moving, thoughtful, and timely. The audience was in tears at the end, and I knew we needed to bring it to our stage. Fortunately, Jeremy Wechsler of Theatre Wit felt the same way, and his relationship with the playwright Josh Harmon gave us both the opportunity to present this important work.”

Jones continues, “What makes it special is the examination of anti-Semitism over decades and its impact on one family. The haunting question posed in the play by Pierre, the grandfather, that rings out over the years is, ‘Why do they hate us?’ And the elusive answers are a hundredfold. After the Charlie Hebdo Incident in 2015, the Prime Minister of France said, ‘If 100,000 Frenchmen of Spanish origin were to leave, I would never say that France is no longer France. But if 100,000 Jews leave, France will no longer be France. The French Republic will be judged a failure.’”

• The Off-Broadway production of Prayer for the French Republic won the 2022 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play, with the Broadway production earing three Tony Award nominations including Best Play.

Jeremy Wechsler adds, "Joshua Harmon has an uncanny ability to write to the future. I’ve been working on this show since 2018 and, as a Jew in America, I am asking questions today I have never asked myself. The play's central question is simple: Am I safe here? For those of us in cultural minorities, that question is never far away. Watching Charlottesville in 2017 was a jolt—those Nazis felt closer, bolder, and more numerous than I’d ever imagined. I wondered: If I lived there, how safe would I feel? How secure is the promise of assimilation? Prayer is set in France, but its tensions hit close to the bone here in America. My anxiety hasn’t eased. Rhetoric from the current administration is chillingly reminiscent of 1940s Vichy France, with an upswing in the same racist tropes that fueled 20th-century fascism. In the U.S., far-right movements flourish—I can’t forget hearing about ‘good people on both sides’ in 2017. And I believe you only have to look at a movement’s fellow travelers to understand its core."

This production is supported in part by the Crain-Maling Foundation, Paul & Janet Gans Epner, Al Zunaman, and Tiffany and Tobi Laczkowski.

The cast includes Janet Ulrich Brooks (Marcelle Salomon), Rom Barkhordar (Charles Benhamou), Rae Gray (Elodie Benhamou), Max Stewart (Daniel Benhamou), Lawrence Grimm (Patrick Salomon), Maya Lou Hlava (Molly), Henson Keys (Pierre Salomon), Kathy Scambiatterra (Irma Salomon), Torrey Hanson (Adolphe Salomon), Alex Weisman (Lucien Salomon), and Nathan Becker (Young Pierre Salomon).

The creative team is Jeremy Wechsler (director), Joe Schermoly (set designer), Mara Blumenfeld (costume designer), JR Lederle (lighting designer), Joseph Cerqua (sound designer), Nicolas Bartleson (prop designer), Katie Klemme (stage manager), and Jyreika Guest (resident violence and intimacy coordinator).

Tickets for the remainder of the 2024-2025 season, including Prayer for the French Republic and Twisted Melodies, are now on sale through the box office, 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie; 847.673.6300; northlight.org.

About the Artists

Joshua Harmon (Playwright) is a Tony-nominated playwright and the winner of two Drama Desk Awards and two Outer Critics Circle Awards. He graduated from the School of Drama’s Dramatic Writing program in 2010. His plays include Bad Jews, Significant Other, Admissions, and Prayer for the French Republic. He and Sarah Silverman co-wrote the libretto for The Bedwetter based on her memoir. His plays have been produced on Broadway and the West End; Off-Broadway at Roundabout Theatre Company, Lincoln Center Theater, Manhattan Theater Club and Atlantic Theater Company; across the country at Geffen Playhouse, Speakeasy, Studio Theatre, Theater Wit, About Face, Actor’s Express, and The Magic, among others; and internationally in a dozen countries. He is a two-time MacDowell fellow, a 2024 Guggenheim fellow, and an Associate Artist at Roundabout.

Jeremy Wechsler (director) is the Artistic Director of Theater Wit where he has directed the Chicago premieres of Inanimate, The Whistleblower, Hurricane Diane, The Realistic Joneses, Admissions, 10 Out of 12, Naperville, The Antelope Party, The New Sincerity, The (Curious Case of the ) Watson Intelligence (Best of 2015 – Chicago Sun Times), Bad Jews (Best of 2015 – New City), Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play (Time Out Peoples’ Choice Award for Direction, Best of 2015), Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England (Sun Times Best of the Year 2014), Completeness, Tigers Be Still, This, The Four of Us, Feydeau-Si-Deau, Men of Steel, Thom Pain (Based on Nothing) (Jeff Award – Best Solo Performance), Two for the Show and annual favorite The Santaland Diaries. Under Jeremy’s leadership, Theater Wit has emerged as the go-to destination for cutting edge contemporary work, gaining national recognition for excellence. He has directed over fifty shows at various Chicago theaters, including Tragedy A Tragedy, The Flu Season, A Taste of Honey (“US Best of 2008” in The Wall Street Journal), Now Then Again (Jeff Award - Best New Work), The Play About the Squirrel, The White Devil, This is Not a Play About Cancer, Peer Gynt, The Real Thing, Szinhaz, The Duchess of Malfi, Tragedy a Tragedy, Titus Andronicus, The Roaring Girl, Flight, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, This is the Rill Speaking, Hay Fever, A Month in the Country, Europe, Henry VI: Blood of a Nation, The Promise, Spin, Un Robot, Horror Academy, Kind Lady, Playing By the Rules, The Marriage of Bette and Boo, Solitaire, The Coarse Acting Show, Life is a Dream, The Prisoner’s Dilemma, Cabaret and The Three Penny Opera. His productions have been nominated for and won multiple awards for design, performance, adaptation and best new work. He has been featured multiple times in the New York Times and American Theatre Magazine.

Janet Ulrich Brooks (Marcelle Salomon) was last seen at Northlight Theatre in 2017’s By The Water. Select credits include: The Audience, Fiddler On The Roof, Murder On The Orient Express, Steel Magnolias (Drury Lane Theatre); Beautiful, The Music Man (Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre); The Cherry Orchard, 2666, Vanya Sonya Masha & Spike, Seagull (Goodman Theatre); The Children (Steppenwolf); Plantation (Lookingglass). She has appeared in 16 productions with TimeLine Theatre Company (Company Member) including Bakersfield Mist with the late Mike Nussbaum, and Master Class (Jeff Award Principal Actor). Tiny Beautiful Things, Pipeline, Native Gardens (Victory Gardens). Women Laughing Alone With Salad (Helen Hayes Nomination - Woolly Mammoth DC) and work with Milwaukee Rep, Theatre Squared in AR., and Peninsula Players in Door County, WI. Film credits include: Divergent, Conviction, One Small Hitch, M.O.M.. T.V. credits include: Work In Progress, Fargo, Sense8, Proven Innocent, Boss, Chicago Med, Fire & Justice.

Rom Barkhordar (Charles Benhamou) is making his Northlight/Theater Wit debut with Prayer for the French Republic. Previous Chicago area credits: A Lie of the Mind (Raven Theatre), White Christmas (Marriott Theatre), The Band’s Visit, A Distinct Society, Wife of a Salesman (Writers Theatre), Mosque4Mosque (About Face Theatre), Acts of God, Around the World in 80 Days (Lookingglass Theatre), Yasmina’s Necklace, Ruined (u/s) (Goodman Theatre), The Elephant Man, Homebody/Kabul (u/s) (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), The Who and the What (Victory Gardens Theatre), Mosque Alert, Night over Erzinga (Silk Road Rising), Pravda, Halcyon Days, Not About Nightingales (Timeline Theatre). Regional credits: The Band’s Visit (TheatreSquared), The Art of Burning (Huntington Theatre, Hartford Stage), Proof (Kitchen Theatre); Disgraced (Virginia Stage Co.); The Who and the What (HuntingtonTheatre) Around the World in 80 Days (Kansas City Rep.)

Rae Gray (Elodie Benhamou) has appeared on Broadway in The Real Thing (Roundabout), in the National Tour of To Kill a Mockingbird, and internationally in The Beacon (Druid/Gate Theatre, Ireland). Chicago credits include: Graveyard Shift, The Little Foxes, A Christmas Carol (Goodman); Domesticated, Slowgirl, The Book Thief, Wedding Band (Steppenwolf); King Charles III (Chicago Shakespeare); The North China Lover (Lookingglass); The Real Thing (Writers); Inherit the Wind (Northlight); Spay, Crooked (Rivendell), The Whistleblower, Completeness (Theater Wit) and, most recently, Uncle Vanya (The New Theatre Project). Regional credits: Queens (La Jolla Playhouse); Slowgirl (Geffen Playhouse). TV credits include: A League of Their Own, Power Book IV: Force, Justified: City Primeval, American Rust, Fear the Walking Dead, Grace and Frankie, For the People, Sea Oak, Boardwalk Empire, Shameless, The Resident, Bull, Adventure Time, Chicago Fire, PD and Med, and Bossy Bear. Film credits include: Slice, I Do...Until I Don’t, Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon, The Robbery (Sundance Selection), Dismissed, and Invitation to a Murder. Rae is a Rivendell Theatre Ensemble member and a graduate of the University of Chicago. 

Max Stewart (Daniel Benhamou) has appeared in Noises Off (Steppenwolf and Geffen Playhouse); Fairview (Definition Theatre); Southern Gothic, Sons of Hollywood (Windy City Playhouse); Walk on the Wild Side (Pale Horse Playhouse); Romeo and Juliet (Kane Repertory Theatre); Letters Home (Griffin Theatre). Television credits include: Chicago Fire (NBC), Soundtrack (Netflix). Awards include: NFAA YoungArts. He studied at The Theatre School at DePaul University (B.F.A. Acting), British American Dramatic Academy, and with The Groundlings.

Lawrence Grimm (Patrick Salomon) has been an actor and teacher for over 30 years. A founding ensemble member of A Red Orchid Theatre, Lawrence is a Jeff Award-winning actor who has worked extensively at Chicago’s most prominent theaters, including Goodman, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Steppenwolf, Lookingglass, Victory Gardens, Raven, Next, Timeline, Shattered Globe, Court, Collaboraction, and Piven Theater Workshop. With a Masters in Education from DePaul University, Lawrence was a high school English and Drama teacher at Stevenson High School and Chicago’s public high school for the arts, Chi-Arts. Film credits include Eric Larue, Captive State, Welcome to Me, Night’s End, Murphy’s Law, Cicero in Winter, and A Perfect Manhattan. TV credits include: Somebody, Somewhere, Chicago PD/Med/ Fire, The Red Line, Unsolved Mysteries, and Late Night with Conan O’Brien.

Maya Lou Hlava (Molly) is thrilled to be making her debut at Northlight Theatre. Additional Chicago credits include, The Little Mermaid, Christmas Carol, Shrek, White Christmas and Bye Bye Birdie (Drury Lane Theatre); The Penelopiad (Goodman Theatre); Happy Days Are Here (Again) and Zurich (Steep Theatre); The Best Damn Thing (The Understudy Cafe); Dory Fantasmagory and Last Stop On Marketplace (YPPT/Greenhouse Theater); Spring Awakening (Porchlight Theater); Act 5, The Killing Game and The Nether (A Red Orchid Theatre); Oklahoma (Marriott Theatre); Violet (Griffin Theater); Trevor (Writers Theatre); The Secret Garden (Court Theatre); Jane Eyre (Lifeline Theatre); and The Wheel (Steppenwolf Theatre). Film and Television Credits include Will Trent, The Perpetrator, Chicago Med, The Chi, and The Big Leap.

Henson Keys (Pierre Salomon) is credited with some 125 roles in NYC, Chicago, and such regional theatres as Yale Rep, McCarter, Asolo, and MeadowBrook, including 45 roles in Shakespeare. For 27 years he led Acting Programs at Ohio University, Alabama Shakespeare, and finally 16 years at the U. of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. In Chicago, he’s worked with Chicago Shakes and Steppenwolf.

Kathy Scambiatterra (Irma Salomon) is making her Northlight Theatre debut. As artistic director and co-founder of The Artistic Home, she has helmed 25 seasons, is director of the AH Acting Studio and was most recently seen there in Dying for It for which she received a Jeff nomination. In Chicago, she has worked at Steppenwolf, Drury Lane Oakbrook, Chicago Shakespeare, Goodman Theatre, Rivendell, Raven among many others and was a longtime ensemble member at Center Theater. In LA, she was an ensemble member at Pacific Resident Theatre. TV/Film credits include: recurring role on Chicago PD (NBC Dick Wolf Productions), Mr. Throwback (Peacock), Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams (Amazon), Good Guy with a Gun (One Shot Productions), Monuments (Zaxiefilms), and Into the Wake (Diesel Brothers), among others. 

Torrey Hanson (Adolphe Salomon) has performed in over 160 theater productions, regionally at Milwaukee Rep (seventeen seasons), Oregon Shakespeare Festival (five seasons), Alley Theater, Seattle Rep, Cleveland Play House, Indiana Rep, Intiman Theatre, A Contemporary Theatre, Empty Space Theatre, and Utah Shakespeare Festival; in Chicago at Steppenwolf, Goodman, Chicago Shakespeare, Writers, Drury Lane, Profiles, Silk Road, The House, and Provision. He’s had guest, recurring and co-star roles in Emperor Of Ocean Park, Somebody Somewhere, Fargo, The Exorcist, Shining Girls, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, South Side, Empire, Crisis, Cheers and Wings. He played Jack Hyde in Jordan Peele’s remake of Candyman. Upcoming: Monsters: The Ed Gein Story on Netflix.

Alex Weisman (Lucien Salomon) makes his Northlight debut and returns to Theater Wit where he starred in the sold-out Chicago premiere of Josh Harmon’s Significant Other. Broadway credits include: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (OBC). In Chicago he appeared at the Goodman, Lookingglass, Chicago Shakespeare, Court Theater, Victory Gardens, Paramount, About Face, TimeLine among many others. He is a two-time Joseph Jefferson Award winner for The History Boys and Hand to God. Regional credits include: Milwaukee Rep, Chautauqua, and Zoetic. TV credits include: “Frank” on Sesame Street (GLAAD New Media Award), five years as “Chout” on NBC’s Chicago Fire/Med/P.D., New Amsterdam, Empire, Living With Yourself, Inventing Anna, Everything’s Trash, White House Plumber, and American Crime Story. Film credits include: A Complete Unknown, An Acceptable Loss, Black Box, Your Monster, and Another Happy Day. He is a founding stakeholder with BackRoom Shakespeare and proud NU grad!

Nathan Becker (Young Pierre Salomon) is making his Northlight and Theatre Wit debut. He has performed at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Provision Theatre, Porchlight Music Theatre, and Theatre at the Center among others. A native Chicagoan, Nate spent the last four years living in NYC attending NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

Dates: Previews begin April 10, 2025

Press Opening: Thursday, April 17, 2025 at 7:30pm

Regular run: April 18 – May 11, 2025

Schedule:   

Tuesdays: 7:30pm (April 15 only) 

Wednesdays: 1:00pm and 7:30pm

Thursdays: 7:30pm 

Fridays: 7:30pm

Saturdays: 2:30pm (except April 12) and 7:30pm

Sundays: 2:30pm and 7:30pm (April 13 only)

• Theater Wit, in collaboration with the Crown Family Center for Jewish Studies at Northwestern and Northlight Theatre, hosts CityTalk: A Series of Conversations on Assimilation, Antisemitism and Culture. This free, unprecedented series of curated talks and convenings with distinguished experts in Jewish history will be presented throughout the Chicago area, March 23 – May 9, 2025. The events are free, and advance registration is required. For more information and registration, visit https://citytalkchicago.org/.

Backstage with BJ – Northlight’s popular discussion series with Artistic Director BJ Jones – will be held April 4 at 12pm.

An Open Captioned performance will be held on Friday, May 2 at 7:30pm. An Open Captioned and Audio Described/Touch Tour performance will be held on Saturday, May 3 at 2:30pm.

Location: Northlight Theatre is located at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie

• Theater Wit has produced all of Joshua Harmon’s Chicago premieres with this co-production of Prayer for the French Republic being the largest. Bad Jews explored young Jews grappling with religion amid American secularism; Admissions dove into the explosive mix of college anxiety and white fragility. 

Tickets:

Previews: $35-$74

Regular run: $49-$91

Student tickets are $15, any performance (subject to availability)

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie. 847.673.6300; northlight.org

• The first production of Prayer for the French Republic was directed by Chicagoan David Cromer and premiered at the Manhattan Theatre Club in New York City in January 2022. The Broadway production began previews in December 2023 and officially opened in January 2024. It starred much of the off-Broadway cast alongside Anthony Edwards as Patrick, with Cromer returning as director.

About Theater Wit

Founded in 2004, Theater Wit is a cultural hub of the Chicago theater landscape, specializing in contemporary works of comedy, intellect and heart. Under a unique, playwright-centric second production process, Theater Wit has become a nationally recognized producer of new work by writers like Anne Washburn, Will Eno, Itamar Moses, Joshua Harmon and Madeleine George.

Under founding Artistic Director Jeremy Wechsler’s leadership, Theater Wit has grown from a small $40K annual budget to a leader in the Chicago landscape with an annual budget of $750K. In 2007, he supervised and designed a new home for Theater Wit, a three-theater facility that hosts Wit’s own award-winning work and gives a home to a number of Chicago's best neighborhood theaters with over 500 performances per year from 20+ companies in a typical season.

About Northlight Theatre

Northlight Theatre aspires to promote change of perspective and encourage compassion by exploring the depth of our humanity across a bold spectrum of theatrical experiences, reflecting our community to the world and the world to our community.

Founded in 1974, the organization has mounted over 240 productions, including more than 45 world premieres. Northlight has earned 230 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and 36 Awards, as well as 11 Edgerton Foundation for New Play Awards. As one of the area’s premier theatre companies, Northlight is a regional magnet for critical and professional acclaim, as well as talent of the highest quality.

Northlight is supported in part by generous contributions BMO Harris Bank; Bulley & Andrews; Byline Bank; ComEd, An Exelon Company; Dr. Scholl Foundation; Eckenhoff Saunders Architects, Inc.; The Field Foundation of Illinois; Full Circle Foundation; Grumman Butkus Associates; Hagerty Consulting; Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; John R Halligan Charitable Fund; LionBird; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; Mabadi Realty; Mammel Family Foundation; Modestus Bauer Foundation; Northwestern University; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Pritzker Foundation; The Schubert Foundation, Inc.; The Sullivan Family Foundation; The Weatherlow Foundation; Tom Stringer Design Partners.

SAVE THE DATES: City Lit 45th Season to Include Four Premieres by Chicago Playwrights and a 21st Century Classic

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

City Lit Season Preview

Exciting things upcoming for City Lit during their big anniversary season! 

By Catherine Hellmann, Guest Critic

I am the most excited about a brand-new original musical based on Scaramouche. We heard a couple of songs, and it sounds very fresh and fun. This would be a world premiere, a big score (get it?) for the company. 

We also heard an excerpt from a play called Changing Channels which takes place during the era of I Love Lucy in television. The actors who read from the script had hilarious, animated voices. This show sounds really wonderful. 

Another really intriguing new play is an adaptation from a chapter of Dracula called Strange Cargo. The playwright has worked on this script for about twenty years, so he is justifiably excited to finally see his work on the stage. He was also one of the actors reading from the script. 

Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Clowns will be a limited-run “bonus” show. It is expected to sell out, so subscribers get first dibs at tickets. 

The last show sounds extremely intense and has a cast and director who care passionately about the show, having been involved over ten years ago when it was produced in Chicago before. Set in a prison, Jesus Hopped the A Train involves surviving and redemption. 

Quite a season! Cheers!

Catherine Hellmann is a teacher, theater lover, and resident of Rogers Park near City Lit. 

City Lit’s 2025-26 season to include four premieres by Chicago playwrights and a 21st Century classic

45th season to include Stephen Adly Guirgis’ JESUS HOPPED THE ‘A’ TRAIN, new plays by Timothy Griffin, John Reeger, and John Weagly; and a new musical by Kingsley Day and James Glossman

City Lit Theater has announced its programming for the 2025-26 season, the company’s 45th. The season will have a strong focus on new works by Chicago area writers, including a holiday production to be presented in addition to the company’s four-production season. The season’s subject matter will include two plays exploring justice in America alongside classic fantasy thrillers and a Sherlock Holmes mystery. 

 

The season will open in July with Stephen Adly Guirgis’s JESUS HOPPED THE ‘A’ TRAIN, an explosive contemporary drama that helped to establish Guirgis as one of the current century’s leading American dramatists. This story of a young, incarcerated Latino charged with murder will be directed by Chicago-based actor and director Esteban Andres Cruz, who won a Jeff Award in 2009 for their portrayal of the play’s leading character. Cruz has a long history with Guirgis, including originating the role of Venus Ramirez in Guirgis’s HALFWAY BITCHES GO STRAIGHT TO HEAVEN at Atlantic Theatre Company in New York City. JESUS HOPPED THE ‘A’ TRAIN will open on August 2, 2025, following previews from July 25 and playing through September 7.

 

Following the Guirgis drama, the City Lit season will focus entirely on new plays by Chicago writers, with three world premieres and one Chicago premiere. The company’s 45th season will continue in October with the world premiere of Timothy Griffin’s STRANGE CARGO: THE DOOM OF THE DEMETER, adapted from the seventh chapter of the Bram Stoker novel DRACULA. This gothic horror high seas adventure tells of the shocking events aboard the cargo ship transporting Count Dracula’s belongings from Transylvania to England. It will be a co-production with Black Button Eyes Productions and will be directed by that company’s Producing Artistic Director Ed Rutherford. The thrills will arrive for the Halloween season, with a press opening Saturday, October 18 following previews from October 10, and playing through November 23.

 

The suspense will continue in December with the world premiere production of John Weagly’s SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CHRISTMAS CLOWNS, a mystery adapted from the short story "The Flying Stars" by G.K. Chesterton and from the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This new play will continue City Lit’s 19-year history with the legendary detective, from 2006’s & 2014’s HOLMES AND WATSON, 2015’s THE SEVEN PER-CENT SOLUTION, through 2007’s & 2019’s THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES. Executive Artistic Director Brian Pastor will direct this special holiday production, not included in season subscriptions, but available to subscribers at the reduced price of $20.00. SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CHRISTMAS CLOWNS CLOWNS will open to the press on Sunday, December 14 following previews on December 13 and 14, and play through January 4, 2026.

 

The 45th season will resume in February with the Chicago premiere of the historical political drama CHANGING CHANNELS by Chicago actor and playwright John Reeger. Based on actual events, CHANGING CHANNELS is set in 1952 during the McCarthy-era “Red Scare “and follows a television comedy actress who is suspected of having ties with the Communist Party. Veteran Chicago actor and freelance director Kevin Theis will helm the production. CHANGING CHANNELS will open on March 7, following previews from February 27, and play through April 12.

 

Closing City Lit’s 45th season will be a world premiere musical adaptation of Rafael Sabatini’s 1921 novel SCARAMOUCHE, with music and lyrics by Kingsley Day and book by Day and James Glossman. This classic adventure follows the exploits of a sardonic provincial lawyer who is radicalized by his friend’s brutal murder on the eve of the French Revolution. He repeatedly evades disaster by taking on a series of new identities—first an insurgent orator, then a traveling comic actor, and finally a master swordsman. Day’s many musical theater works include the one-act musical “Text Me,” produced at City Lit in 2024; and with Philip LaZebnik, the musicals SUMMER STOCK MURDER and AZTEC HUMAN SACRIFICE (the latter produced at City Lit in 2023). Co-bookwriter James Glossman enjoyed a two-decade-long collaboration with author and journalist Jim Lehrer that included the plays KICK THE CAN, THE SPECIAL PRISONER, and FLYING CROWS. More recently, he has been collaborating with actor Tom Hanks, on the plays SAFE HOME and THIS WORLD OF TOMORROW (the latter currently in development). SCARAMOUCHE will be directed by Beth Wolf, two-time Jeff nominee (for OUTSIDE MULLINGAR and SILENT SKY at Citadel Theatre) and Founding Artistic Director of Midsommer Flight. SCARAMOUCHE will open to the press on Saturday, May 9 at 7:30 pm, following previews from May 1 and will play through June 14, 2026.

 

City Lit Season 45 subscriptions are available at $110.00, good for all performances in the regular season, or $85, good for preview performances only. SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CHRISTMAS CLOWNS may be added to subscriptions for an additional $20 per subscriber. Subscriptions may be ordered online at www.citylit.org or purchased over the phone by calling 773-293-3682. Single tickets for individual Season 45 productions are priced at $30 for previews and $38 for regular performances and will be on sale soon. Senior prices are $5.00 off regular prices. Students and military are $15.00 for all performances.

 

CITY LIT THEATER'S 2025-2026 SEASON

JESUS HOPPED THE ‘A’ TRAIN

By Stephen Adly Guirgis

Directed by Esteban Andres Cruz

July 25 - September 7, 2025

Previews: July 25 - August 1

Press Opening: Saturday, August 2 at 7:30 pm

Regular Run: August 2 -September 7

Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 3 pm

Monday, August 25, at 7:30 pm

Tickets $30 for previews and $38 for regular performances. Senior prices $5.00 off regular prices. Students and military are $15.00 for all performances.

Tickets available online at www.citylit.org or by phone at 773-293-3682.

All performances at City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr, on the second floor (accessible via elevator) of the Edgewater Presbyterian Church.

 

A cage-rattling prison drama from Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis (BETWEEN RIVERSIDE AND CRAZY) that boldly examines faith, dignity, and our system of justice. Angel Cruz is a young Puerto Rican man incarcerated for shooting cult leader Reverend Kim. When the Reverend dies during surgery, Angel suddenly finds himself facing murder charges. His only companions at Rikers Island are Lucius Jenkins, a serial killer turned born-again Christian, and Valdez, a sadistic corrections officer.

 

STRANGE CARGO: THE DOOM OF THE DEMETER

By Timothy Griffin

Adapted from Chapter Seven of the novel DRACULA by Bram Stoker

Directed by Ed Rutherford

A co-production with Black Button Eyes Productions

World Premiere

October 10-November 23, 2025

Previews October 10 - 17

Press Opening Saturday, October 18 at 7:30 pm

Regular run October 18 - November 23

Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 3 pm

Monday, November 10 at 7:30 pm

Tickets $30 for previews and $38 for regular performances. Senior prices $5.00 off regular prices. Students and military are $15.00 for all performances.

Tickets available online at www.citylit.org or by phone at 773-293-3682.

All performances at City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr, on the second floor (accessible via elevator) of the Edgewater Presbyterian Church.

 

Based on Chapter Seven of Bram Stoker’s DRACULA, this gothic horror high seas adventure tells the shocking events aboard the cargo ship transporting Count Dracula’s belongings from Transylvania to England. Suspicion, paranoia, and madness infect the crew as the harried sailors disappear one by one. Full of creeping mystery, vibrant language, rich characters, sinister vanishings, violent sea storms, swashbuckling action, monstrous puppetry, and, of course, a boatload of terrors, this is the Dracula tale you’ve never seen.

 

CHANGING CHANNELS

By John Reeger

Directed by Kevin Theis

Chicago Premiere

February 27-April 12, 2026

Previews February 27 – March 6

Press opening Saturday, March 7 at 7:30 pm

Regular run March 7 – April 12

Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 3 pm

Monday, March 30 at 7:30 pm

Tickets $30 for previews and $38 for regular performances. Senior prices $5.00 off regular prices. Students and military are $15.00 for all performances.

Tickets available online at www.citylit.org or by phone at 773-293-3682.

All performances at City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr, on the second floor (accessible via elevator) of the Edgewater Presbyterian Church.

 

Based on actual events, CHANGING CHANNELS is set backstage at the DuMont Television Network in New York City in 1952. It is the peak of the “Red Scare” and 151 actors, authors, and journalists are put on the Red Channels list, with alleged ties to communism. As Cold War hysteria sweeps the nation, actress Maggie Carlin finds herself accused just as her hit comedy show is taking off. 

SCARAMOUCHE: A MUSICAL IN TWO ACTS

Music and Lyrics by Kingsley Day

Book by Kingsley Day and James Glossman

Adapted from the novel SCARAMOUCHE by Raphael Sabatini

Directed by Beth Wolf

World Premiere

May 1 – June 14, 2026

Previews May 1 – 8

Press opening Saturday, May 9 at 7:30 pm

Regular run May 9 – June 14

Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 3 pm

Monday, June 1 at 7:30 pm

Tickets $30 for previews and $38 for regular performances. Senior prices $5.00 off regular prices. Students and military are $15.00 for all performances.

Tickets available online at www.citylit.org or by phone at 773-293-3682.

All performances at City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr, on the second floor (accessible via elevator) of the Edgewater Presbyterian Church.

 

Based on the rip-roaring novel by Rafael Sabatini. Radicalized by his friend’s brutal murder on the eve of the French Revolution, a sardonic provincial lawyer repeatedly evades disaster by taking on a series of new identities—first an insurgent orator, then a traveling comic actor, and finally a master swordsman.

SPECIAL HOLIDAY PRODUCTION (Not included in season subscriptions)

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CHRISTMAS CLOWNS

By John Weagly

Adapted from "The Flying Stars" by G.K. Chesterton and the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Directed by Artistic Director Brian Pastor

World Premiere

December 12, 2025-January 4, 2026

Press Opening Sunday, December 14 at 3 pm

Regular run December 14, 2025-January 4, 2026

Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 3 pm, Monday, December 22 at 7:30 pm

Tickets:  $28 for all performances, or $20 for City Lit subscribers; Seniors $23, Students and Military $15.

Tickets available online at www.citylit.org or by phone at 773-293-3682.

All performances at City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr, on the second floor (accessible via elevator) of the Edgewater Presbyterian Church.

 

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson travel to the country to spend the holidays with an old army comrade of Watson’s. What they don’t know is that one of the other guests at this English manor is a notorious international thief. When a priceless present is stolen during a Christmas pantomime, can Sherlock discover the culprit before the curtain falls?  Carols, courtship and comedy bring cheer to the cold winter in this holiday treat.

PLAYWRIGHT BIOS

Stephen Adly Guirgis (Playwright, JESUS HOPPED THE ‘A’ TRAIN) Stephen Adly Guirgis is a Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, screenwriter, director, and actor. He grew up on the Upper West Side of New York City, attending school in Harlem. Guirgis studied at the University of Albany, SUNY, graduating in 1992. Some of his most famous works include JESUS HOPPED THE ‘A’ TRAIN (2000), THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT (2005), and BETWEEN RIVERSIDE AND CRAZY (2015) for which he won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Guirgis has had his plays be produced both off and on Broadway as well as in the UK. He is also a member and the former co-artistic director of the New York City LAByrinth Theatre Company.

 

Timothy Griffin (Playwright, STRANGE CARGO: THE DOOM OF THE DEMETER) is a Chicago playwright and actor, and an Honors graduate of Illinois State University. His plays, including MURDER IN MIRTHBURG, TICKLEBRAINS, RE: ALICE, and ONCE UPON A TIME… IN DENMARK! have been performed in Chicago, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Kansas City, Miami, and Chagrin Falls (Ohio). He was a four-time finalist in the Deathscribe International Festival of Horror Radio Plays, and his screenwriting work includes the short films THE CELLAR JOB and SNARE, as well as the cult creature feature TAIL STING. Favorite acting work includes the titular roles in HAMLET and RICHARD III, DIAL M FOR MURDER (Tony), BOOTH (Junius Booth), THE BOOK OF WILL (Burbage), and THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT (Satan). He is also a writer of novels and short fiction and is an accomplished musician and fight choreographer. He is of indeterminate age and is currently at large.

John Weagly (Playwright, SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CHRISTMAS CLOWNS) has had over 100 plays receive over 200 productions by theaters on four continents.  A collection of his short sci-fi/fantasy scripts, TINY FLIGHTS OF FANTASY, has been taught at Columbia College.  Other short plays have been collected in THE JUGGLER WHO LOST HIS ARMS IN A RODEO FIRE AND OTHER PLAYS and VAGABOND  PLAYS.  His adaptation SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CASE OF THE CHRISTMAS GOOSE has been produced around the world. Also a short story writer, LOCUS Magazine once compared his short fiction to the works of Ray Bradbury, and Nina Kiriki Hoffman and called him “a new writer worth reading and following.”  His stories about former pro-wrestler Buster Bash have been nominated for the Derringer Award multiple times and have won the Norumbega Award. You can find more of his stories in the collections THE UNDERTOW OF SMALL TOWN DREAMS and DANCING IN THE KNEE-DEEP MIDNIGHT and in the novella ALLIGATOR AUTOPSY.

 

John Reeger (Playwright, CHANGING CHANNELS) is a Chicago playwright and actor. John and his long-time collaborator, the late composer/lyricist Julie Shannon, received the 1996 After Dark Award for “Outstanding New Work” when their musical THE CHRISTMAS SCHOONER premiered at the Bailiwick Repertory. THE CHRISTMAS SCHOONER is licensed by Music Theatre International and has received more than 200 productions in theatres throughout the country and in the UK. John and Julie previously collaborated on the musical STONES, which premiered in 1989 at the St. Louis Black Repertory. John and Julie’s third collaboration, LET THE EAGLE FLY, THE STORY OF CESAR CHAVEZ, was produced in concert version by Goodman Theatre, as part of the 2004 Latino Theatre Festival. Their most recent collaboration THE MAN WHO MURDERED SHERLOCK HOLMES (with music and lyrics co-authored by Michael Mahler) opened at Mercury Theatre Chicago in 2016 and received the Jeff Award for “New Work.”

 

As an actor, John has appeared in more than 160 productions in Chicago venues including the Goodman, Court, Chicago Shakespeare, Steppenwolf, Writers, Northlight, Marriott and Drury Lane. He has appeared regionally in productions at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Kennedy Center, Goodspeed, Fulton Theatre and at the RSC’s Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, UK. In 2015, the Jeff committee honored John and his wife actress Paula Scrofano with a special Career Achievement Award for their contribution to Chicago theatre.

 

Kingsley Day (Composer/Lyricist and Co-Bookwriter, SCARAMOUCHE) is active in the Chicago area as a composer-lyricist, playwright, musical director, and actor-singer. Most recently, his musical AZTEC HUMAN SACRIFICE (music and lyrics; book with Philip LaZebnik) and his one-act musical TEXT ME (book, music, and lyrics) premiered at Chicago’s City Lit Theater. SUMMER STOCK MURDER (music and lyrics; book with LaZebnik) ran for 18 months at the old Theatre Building and won eight Jeff Awards, including one for New Work; it has since been produced at Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace and elsewhere. Day and LaZebnik have written a number of other musicals produced successfully in Chicago, including STATE STREET (City Lit), DEAR AMANDA (Pheasant Run Theater), BYRNE, BABY, BYRNE (Zanies), and THE JOY OF SOCKS (Chicago Premiere Society). Their comedy TOUR DE FARCE premiered at Wisdom Bridge Theater with Steve Carell and Hollis Resnik, transferred to the Apollo Theater, and has since been produced around the United States and numerous times in Europe. Day and LaZebnik were twice awarded grants by Sheldon Patinkin’s New Musicals Project, supported by the Paul and Gabriella Rosenbaum Foundation.

 

Day’s new score for Gilbert and Sullivan’s lost operetta THESPIS has been heard in productions at the Theatre Building, the Chicago Gilbert & Sullivan Society, and (twice) the Savoyaires, which more recently produced his one-act SIX CHARACTERS IN SEARCH OF GILBERT & SULLIVAN. For City Lit, he has composed incidental music for PROMOTHEUS BOUND (a new translation by Nicholas Rudall), LONDON ASSURANCE, and Patinkin’s productions of THE TEMPEST and VOLPONE.

 

James Glossman (Co-Bookwriter, SCARAMOUCHE) has had a busy summer, fall, and winter. After Portland Stage produced a week-long workshop of his latest play co-written with Tom Hanks (then titled SEE YOU TOMORROW), In November, the new Hanks and Glossman play (now titled THIS WORLD OF TOMORROW) continued its development in a 3-day performance workshop at The Shed at Hudson Yards (NYC), with a cast including Hanks, MaYaa Boateng, Cahill, Sanders, Tracey Conyer Lee, Anna Baryshnikov, Ray Anthony Thomas, and Kristine Neilsen. His previous play co-written with Hanks, SAFE HOME, premiered at Shadowland in 2022, and his music-theatre piece SHOSTAKOVICH AND THE BLACK MONK – co-written with Philip Setzer – was performed in concert halls from Tanglewood to Ravinia to Wolf Trap to LA to Seoul, South Korea by the Grammy-winning Emerson String Quartet and a rotating cast. His two-decade-long collaboration with author & journalist Jim Lehrer produced the plays KICK THE CAN, THE SPECIAL PRISONER, and FLYING CROWS. His adaptation of Suzanne Berne’s A CRIME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD premiered at City Lit, directed by Terry McCabe. A proud graduate of Northwestern University’s Department of Interpratation, he is equally proud to have gotten his Equity card at Chicago’s Victory Gardens Theatre. He has taught at Johns Hopkins University for over 20 years

 

DIRECTOR BIOS

 

Esteban Andres Cruz (they/them, Director, JESUS HOPPED THE ‘A’ TRAIN). Born in Berwyn and raised in Cicero, Esteban is an ensemble member with A Red Orchid Theater, where they will be seen in SIX MEN DRESSED LIKE JOSEPH STALIN this Spring.  Esteban has worked as an actor on many stages in Chicago (Steppenwolf, Writers Theater, Victory Gardens), regionally (La Jolla Playhouse, St Louis Rep, Pasadena Playhouse, Miami New Drama) and with some great directors like David Cromer, Neil Pepe, Chay Yew, Will Davis and John Ortiz.  Off Broadway; HALFWAY BITCHES GO STRAIGHT TO HEAVEN by Stephen Adly Guirgis (Drama Desk Award Nomination), the musical CORNELIA STREET by Tony winner Simon Stephens and the Yale Drama Prize winner BATHHOUSE.PPTx by Jesus I Valles, all three world premieres with Esteban originating the roles.  They have been collaborating with Guirgis on new plays since 2018, currently on a stage adaptation of the Warner Brothers / Al Pacino film DOG DAY AFTERNOON. This Spring, Esteban will be making their Lincoln Center debut in a musical about the Greensboro Massacre called THE POTLUCK.  Select Film: SPA NIGHT (Cassavetes Award), RATTLED, VALLEY OF BONES, A VERY HAROLD & KUMAR 3D XMAS SELECT TV: SOUTH SIDE, EASY, CHICAGO FIRE, IDDIOTSITTER, THE BRIDGE, YOU’RE THE WORST, AWKWARD.  Esteban is a Jeff Award winner for their portrayal of Angel Cruz in JESUS HOPPED THE ‘A’ TRAIN, the 2018 Theatre Communications Group’s prestigious Fox Fellow Award recipient and also won an After Dark Award for Choreography.  Esteban founded the Queer Writers Artistic Collectivé in Chicago and is a member of the Latinx Playwrights Circle in NYC.  

 

Ed Rutherford (he/him, Director, STRANGE CARGO: THE DOOM OF THE DEMETER) is the Producing Artistic Director of Black Button Eyes Productions, where directing credits include GHOST QUARTET (Jeff Nomination: Director of a Musical), EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL (Jeff Nomination: Director of a Musical), SHOCKHEADED PETER, DR. HORRIBLE'S SING-ALONG BLOG, AMOUR, GOBLIN MARKET, and CORALINE, as well as his scripts NIGHTMARES & NIGHTCAPS, A SHADOW BRIGHT AND BURNING, and MARY ROSE (Jeff Nomination: New Work). Promethean Theatre Ensemble: artistic associate, where he directed THE LIAR, his adaptation of Peter S. Beagle's THE LAST UNICORN, THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE and BEYOND THERAPY. Book & Lyrics: the parody musical MURDER, REWROTE and MARY ROSE. As an actor, he's performed with City Lit, Drury Lane Oakbrook, Porchlight, Theater Wit and many others. A graduate of Northwestern's theater program, he also completed his MBA at Kellogg. ed-rutherford.com

 

Brian Pastor (they/them, Executive Artistic Director, Director SHERLOCK HOMES AND THE CHRISTMAS CLOWNS) Brian Pastor is a trans/non-binary producer, director, actor, and playwright in Chicago and the Executive Artistic Director of City Lit Theater. Brian previously spent ten and a half years on staff at City Lit, including nine as Managing Director. From 2019 to 2024, Brian served as City Lit’s Resident Director, where they directed THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER, THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD, George Bernard Shaw’s ARMS AND THE MAN, Archibald MacLeish’s J.B., and their own acclaimed adaptation of Robert Kennedy’s THIRTEEN DAYS. Most recently, Brian directed the Chicago Premiere of Reina Hardy's GLASSHEART. Brian is a founder and Emeritus Artistic Director of Chicago’s Promethean Theatre Ensemble, where they directed THE LION IN WINTER, THE WINTER’S TALE, and GROSS INDECENCY: THE THREE TRIALS OF OSCAR WILDE (all Broadway World Award Nominated- Best Director), as well as HENRY V and THE DARK SIDE OF THE BARD. Brian also directed the world premiere of THE BLACK KNIGHT by Angeli Primlani, the inaugural show for Lifeboat Productions. As an actor, Brian has worked with Strawdog, Raven, WildClaw, Promethean, Accomplice, and City Lit, among others. Brian is the former Executive Director of Sideshow Theatre and the former Executive Director of Raven Theatre. They also served as a board and company member of The Mime Company and as a founding company member of Chicago dell’Arte. A Pittsburgh native, Brian has called Chicago home since their graduation from Northwestern University in 2003.

 

Kevin Theis (Director, CHANGING CHANNELS)  is thrilled to return to City Lit, having directed six previous shows with the company including TARTUFFE, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST and JEEVES AND THE MATING SEASON (Jeff nomination). Kevin has been a director and actor in Chicago for over thirty years, having staged shows at Lifeline Theatre, CT20 Ensemble, Seanachai Theatre, Oak Park Festival and Timber Lake Playhouse.  Favorite shows include THE FAIR MAID OF THE WEST (CT20), NOISES OFF (Timber Lake) and MONSTROUS REGIMENT (Lifeline).

 

Beth Wolf (Director, SCARAMOUCHE) is delighted to return to City Lit many years after some earlier credits with the company: assistant directing for Mike Nussbaum on DASHIELL HAMLET in 2009, as well as winning first place at the 2012 City Lit Art of Adaptation Festival alongside playwright Jordan Mann. Now, she is a twice Jeff-nominated Chicago theatre director as well as the founder and Producing Artistic Director of Midsommer Flight, where she has directed a dozen Shakespeare plays in Chicago parks since the company’s inception in 2012, including critically acclaimed productions of ROMEO AND JULIET, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, CYMBELINE, and TWELFTH NIGHT, among others. Recognition for Beth’s work includes Equity Jeff Award Nominations for Best Director for SILENT SKY (2024) and OUTSIDE MULLINGAR (2022) at Citadel Theatre, both of which were also nominated for Best Production. Other recent credits include THE ROOMMATE at Citadel Theatre; NON-PLAYER CHARACTER (Non-Equity Jeff nomination, Projection Co-design) at Red Theater; and THE SUFFRAGE PLAYS at Artemisia. Beth is also a co-founder and the former Artistic Director of Promethean Theatre Ensemble, where she directed ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD, SEASCAPE WITH SHARKS AND DANCER, BURY THE DEAD, THE FANTASTICKS, and multiple EVENINGS OF SHAKESPEARE. She is a proud Northwestern graduate with a double major in theatre and gender studies.

 

ABOUT CITY LIT THEATER COMPANY:

 

City Lit is the eighth oldest continuously-operating theatre company in Chicago, behind only Goodman, Court, Northlight, Oak Park Festival, Black Ensemble Theatre, Steppenwolf, and Pegasus theatres.  It was founded in 1979 with $210 pooled by Arnold Aprill, David Dillon, and Lorell Wyatt.  For its current season, its 44th , it operates with a budget slightly over $200,000.  It was the first theatre in the nation devoted to stage adaptations of literary material.  There were so few theatres in Chicago at the time of its founding that at City Lit’s launch event, the founders were able to read a congratulatory letter they had received from Tennessee Williams.

 

For four decades and counting, City Lit has explored fiction, non-fiction, poetry, memoirs, songs, essays and drama in performance. A theatre that specializes in literary work communicates a commitment to certain civilizing influences—tradition imaginatively explored, a life of the mind, trust in an audience’s intelligence—that not every cultural outlet shares.

 

City Lit is located in the historic Edgewater Presbyterian Church building at 1020 West Bryn Mawr Avenue. Its work is supported in part by the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council Agency,  and the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events CityArts program.  An Illinois not-for-profit corporation and a 501(c)(3) federal tax-exempt organization, City Lit keeps ticket prices below the actual cost of producing plays and depends on the support of those who share its belief in the beauty and power of the spoken written word.