REVIEW: THE NOTEBOOK is Now Playing Through August 16 Only

ChiIL Live Shows on our Radar

THE ACCLAIMED BROADWAY MUSICAL 

BASED ON THE BESTSELLING NOVEL THAT INSPIRED THE ICONIC FILM

THE NOTEBOOK

NOW PLAYING AT

BROADWAY IN CHICAGO’S

JAMES M. NEDERLANDER THEATRE

THROUGH AUGUST 16 ONLY

FEATURING AN AWARD-WINNING CREATIVE TEAM

Music & Lyrics by INGRID MICHAELSON

Book by BEKAH BRUNSTETTER

Choreography by KATIE SPELMAN

Directed by MICHAEL GREIF and SCHELE WILLIAMS

“A romantic musical for the ages.” – Chicago Sun-Times

Beau Gravitte (Older Noah) and Sharon Catherine Brown (Older Allie)

All Production Photos by Roger Mastroianni

REVIEW

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

I found myself in downtown Chicago last night with tears streaming down my face and not a tissue in sight. The Notebook is back in town and the waterworks flowed as freely as the gorgeous rain showers on stage. By the unanimous standing ovation I don't think there was a dry eye in the house. 

Ken Wulf Clark (Middle Noah) and Alysha Deslorieux (Middle Allie)

When we saw opening night of The Notebook world premiere in Summer 2022 at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, I found it to be poignant and powerful. It's a brutally beautiful love story beginning to end. And this tour is every bit as moving. This is no rom-com or summer fling. The Notebook stands as an artistic monument to being truly seen, deeply loved, and bonded for a lifetime, for better or for worse. 

Sharon Catherine Brown (Older Allie) and Beau Gravitte (Older Noah)

This time around the production hit me even more intensely. In December of 2024 my parents were in a bad car accident and since then my dad has had ongoing, incapacitating health issues. I've been trying to get down to help them at least once a month, driving the 12 hour round trip, and I can attest it's tough to navigate the aging parents years. Yet my 88 year old mother has been his caregiver 24/7 at home for over 20 months now. And during numerous hospital and care center stays she was by his side for hours on end. They're celebrating their 64th wedding anniversary August 18th. That type of deep, selfless, abiding love is what The Notebook challenges us to aspire to, with a soaring score, and three interwoven storylines involving teenage passion and rebellion, active young adult choices, and devotion through the devastation of dementia. 

 

I've long admired the work of playwright Bekah Brunstetter (writer and producer on NBC's “This Is Us,” The Cake), and she more than did the novel justice with this heart-wrenching yet hopeful adaptation for the stage. In fact, the entire cast, crew, and creatives are exceptional at bringing this story to life and evoking emotions in the audience without crossing over into the maudlin. The Notebook is truly an empathy inducing tearjerker that reminds us of the best qualities of being human. ChiIL Live Shows on our Radar. Highly Recommended. ★★★★ Four out of four stars. Don't miss this! 

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

Producers Kevin McCollum and Kurt Deutsch, along with Broadway In Chicago are thrilled to announce THE NOTEBOOK, a new musical based on the best-selling novel that inspired the iconic film, is now playing at Broadway In Chicago’s James M. Nederlander Theatre (24 W. Randolph St.). THE NOTEBOOK is playing for a limited engagement through August 16 only. Returning to Chicago following the world premiere in Summer 2022, audiences in Chicago are about to fall in love all over again with this beloved story.

“THE NOTEBOOK is ultimately a celebration of life, love, and the power of memory,” said producers Kevin McCollum and Kurt Deutsch . “Audiences first fell in love with this timeless story as a novel, then as an iconic film, and now they can experience it anew as a moving musical event. With multi-platinum artist Ingrid Michaelson’s unforgettable score and Tony Award nominated Bekah Brunstetter’s beautifully crafted book, THE NOTEBOOK comes to life on stage in a way that will resonate deeply with audiences across North America.”

Allie and Noah, two people from different worlds, share a lifetime of love despite the forces that threaten to pull them apart. “Full of butterfly-inducing highs and beautiful songs” (Entertainment Weekly), THE NOTEBOOK is a deeply moving portrait of the enduring power of love.

Based on the book that has sold millions of copies worldwide and a film that is one of the highest-grossing romantic dramas of all-time, the musical adaptation of THE NOTEBOOK played Broadway at the Schoenfeld Theatre from March 2024 to December 2024 following a critically acclaimed world premiere engagement at Chicago Shakespeare Theater in 2022.

“Absolutely gorgeous. Not to be missed.” – Chicago Tribune
THE NOTEBOOK features music and lyrics by multi-platinum singer-songwriter IngridMichaelson and a book by playwright Bekah Brunstetter (writer and producer on NBC's “This Is Us,” The Cake). The production is directed by Michael Greif (Dear Evan Hansen, Next to Normal, RENT) and Schele Williams (Aida, The Wiz), with choreography by Katie Spelman (Associate Choreographer on Moulin Rouge! The Musical).

“Romantic, life-affirming and ingeniously adapted.” – USA Today

Chloë Cheers (Younger Allie) and Kyle Mangold (Younger Noah)

The creative team for the tour includes scenic design by David Zinn and Brett J. Banakis, costume design by Paloma Young, lighting design by Ben Stanton, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, hair and wig design by Mia Neal, and projection design by Lucy Mackinnon. The production’s music supervisor is Carmel Dean, who also collaborated on arrangements with Ingrid Michaelson and on orchestrations with John Clancy, and the music director is Tina Faye. Casting by The Telsey Office, Patrick Goodwin , CSA.

The production was recently recognized with three 2024 Tony Award nominations (Best Book of a Musical, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical), Drama League Award nominations for Outstanding Production of a Musical, two Distinguished Performance Awards and the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing, Drama Desk Award nominations for Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, and an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Musical.

“A love story for the ages.” – The New York Daily News

Atlantic Records officially released the Grammy-nominated THE NOTEBOOK (Original Broadway Cast Recording), with a score that Vanity Fair calls “strikingly beautiful” by multiplatinum singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson, available HERE. 

Following its release, THE NOTEBOOK (Original Broadway Cast Recording) debuted at #1 on the Top Broadway chart in Music Connect, with breakout single “My Days” now surpassing 9 million streams on Spotify alone.

www.NotebookMusical.com

Follow THE NOTEBOOK on X, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesday, August 4 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, August 5 – 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 6 – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, August 7 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 8 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 9 – 1:00 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, August 11 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, August 12 – 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 13 – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, August 14 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 15 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 16 – 1:00 p.m.

Alysha Deslorieux (Middle Allie) and Ken Wulf Clark (Middle Noah)

TICKET INFORMATION As of August 4, based on availability and subject to change)
Individual tickets for THE NOTEBOOK are on sale now and range from $37.00 - $132.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. Ticket price listed is when purchased in person at the box office. Additional fees apply for online purchases. Patrons can also participate in a digital lottery for a chance to purchase $30.00 tickets for each performance, which is inclusive of all mandatory taxes, restoration, handling, and third-party fees. In addition to the lottery, a limited number of day-of-show, in-person Rush tickets will be available for $49.00 for all performances. Click here for more info on Digital Lottery and In-Person Rush. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing GroupSales@BroadwayInChicago.com. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Chloë Cheers (Younger Allie) and Kyle Mangold (Younger Noah)

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 26 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, The Auditorium, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place.

For more information and tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
Follow @BroadwayInChicago on
Facebook ● Instagram ● TikTok ● Bluesky ● YouTube
#broadwayinchicago

REVIEW: Kokandy's Hair Kills It With Ritual to Remember, Debauchery to Forget

Chi, IL Live Shows on our Radar

Kokandy Productions Opens 2026 Season with

HAIR

The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical

Book and Lyrics by Gerome Ragni & James Rado

Music by Galt MacDermot

Directed and Choreographed by Brennan Urbi

Music Direction by Kara Olander

 

Now Playing Through September 13, 2026 on The Chopin Theatre Mainstage

Pictured (clockwise from center) Gavin Rhys, Diana Marilyn Alvarez, Nicki Rossi, Chosen Mitchell, Quinn Simmons, Stone TeSelle,Shayla Florence, Joshua Emmanuel and Zac Richey in Kokandy Productions’ revival of HAIR. All Production Photos by Michael Brosilow unless otherwise noted.

REVIEW

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

Hair... the hippy love musical of 60s counterculture. It's infamous for big, beautiful afros, pushing PC boundaries, over the top costumes, and an iconic score. If you've come looking for the summer of love, Kokandy's extravaganza at Chopin Theatre does not disappoint, pushing back against the mores of banal suburban sprawl with a bacchanal of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. 

(left to right) Diana Marilyn Alvarez, Joshua Emmanuel, Chosen Mitchell, Kijani X and Caitlin Dobbins 

But Hair has deep, dark roots and multilayered storytelling as well. Kokandy Productions has mounted an intimate, excellent, and sexy as hell production that encapsulates the fierce communal energy of a generation of teens facing mortality far too young. We sat in a pillow pile, left with baby's breath flowers in our hair, and graffitied the space at intermission. It was more of a happening we were active participants in than a spectacle. We loved this love-in! ChiIL Live Shows on our radar. Highly recommended. Four out of Four Stars. ★★★★ 

(center) Gavin Rhys with the cast of Kokandy Productions’ revival of HAIR.

This production embraces the DIY hippy aesthetic, providing markers and inviting the audience to graffiti the space at intermission.  I added a quote I made up years ago, and still believe are word to live by: Prevent Perfection -- Prefer a Perceptive Perspective. My Greek born friend, Flo added the Greek word for HAIR. Whether intentionally or inadvertently, the interactive elements bridge generations, and decades to bring a good dose of 2026 into this period piece. Amid general calls for peace and vintage poster quotes, graffiti with anti ICE and anti Trump sentiments fit right in.

Our world is on fire, and 60 years later we're still fighting back against political and religious institutions bent on eliminating personal freedom and bodily autonomy. Women still fight misogyny, racism is rampant, single moms still face the impending time bomb of an unwanted pregnancy without society's support, and found family fills the gaps. 

(center, l to r) Nicki Rossi and Gavin Rhys with the cast of Kokandy Productions’ revival of HAIR. 

(left to right) Zac Richey, Gavin Rhys, Joshua Emmanuel, Diana Marilyn Alvarez and Caitlin Dobbins

Hair gives us archetypes, and iconic characters born to war widows and soldiers with PTSD, in the post WW11 baby boom. Kokandy gives us the unique, authentic casting they're legendary for, with a brilliant range of types, for a powerhouse cast brimming with talent. Come ready to party and mourn, rage and remember. Shout out to the set design that gives us the powerful visuals of lockers to coffins and scaffolding to climb, as well as the costume design that seamlessly melds flower child with Gen Z thrift chic. In fact, chef's kiss to all the show's cast and creatives, who have combined talents to bring to life a magnificently moving piece in true Kokandy style.  

(center, l to r) Diana Marilyn Alvarez, Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor and Stone TeSelle 

Our country is again forcing a mandatory draft, gassing and arresting protestors, and causing environmental destruction. The US is once again spending billions in an unpopular, unjustified war, and the young pay the highest price. Hair is more than a fashion statement, it's a rallying cry, as true now as it was in 1967. 

(left to right) Stone TeSelle, Zac Richey and Joshua Emmanuel

(left to right) Nicki Rossi, Diana Marilyn Alvarez, Gavin Rhys, Stone TeSelle and Chosen Mitchell 

As the characters gather around a bonfire to burn the American flag and their draft cards, as well as to celebrate life, I'm reminded of the bonfire that is Kokandy Productions. They began with a spark in 2010, and we've caught every production since. We've watched their work smolder, smoke, and grow to a blaze. We've seen their humble beginnings, their ambitious undertakings in Chopin's basement space, and we've watched their rise to the Chopin's Main Stage upstairs with admiration. Now they're on the cusp of running Hair as well as their impending remount of Sunday in the Park With George in Chopin's basement space beginning in mid August. 

This fall, Kokandy's bonfire burns brighter still, as the critically acclaimed revival of their 10-time 2025 Jeff Award-nominated musical JEKYLL & HYDE will make its Broadway In Chicago debut at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place! I caught it last Halloween night and was blown away by their talent and aesthetic. I can't wait to see it again in the Broadway footlights. Despite their increasing fame and acclaim, Kokandy's dedication to casting up and coming local artists and telling complex stories through musical theatre has never wavered.

It's a new millennium and we're still near the dawning of The Age of Aquarius, as each age lasts over 2,000 years. Many debate whether we have even begun it yet. If we have any hope of moving from "me to we" as we collectively claw our way up from The Age of Pisces, with its focus on hierarchy, religion, and structured belief systems, my money's on the Gen Z theatre kids to show us the way.  

(left to right) Zac Richey, Gavin Rhys, Joshua Emmanuel, Diana Marilyn Alvarez and Caitlin Dobbins

As we left the theatre on opening night of Hair, my friend said, "I need to see this 2 or 3 more times!" and someone behind us said "I know, right?! This is our second time already." What more can I say. Don't miss this! 

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

 (center) Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor and the cast of Kokandy Productions’ revival of HAIR. 

Hot off their record-breaking, award-winning runs of Jekyll & Hyde and Amélie, KokandyProductions is pleased to launch its 2026 Season with the revolutionary “love-rock” musical HAIR, playing July 2 – September 13, 2026 on The Chopin Theatre Mainstage, 1543 W. Division St. in Chicago. Directed and choreographed by Brennan Urbi with music direction by Kara Olander, HAIR features book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni & James Rado and music by Galt MacDermot. Tickets are on sale now at kokandyproductions.com or bit.ly/HairChicago. 

(center) Gavin Rhys with the cast of Kokandy Productions’ revival of HAIR.

(left to right) Nicki Rossi, Mateo Palm, Amy Yesom Kim, Diana Marilyn Alvarez, Zac Richey, Stone TeSelle, Shayla Florence and Kijani X

Uniting for an exhilarating summer of peace, love and fury, HAIR features Gavin Rhys as Claude, Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor as Sheila, Zac Richey as Berger, Amy Yesom Kim as Crissy, Chosen Mitchell as Dionne, Stone TeSelle as Woof, Nicki Rossi as Jeannie and Joshua Emmanuel as Hud with an ensemble including Diana Marilyn Alvarez, Caitlin Dobbins, Shayla Florence, Isadora Coco Gonzalez, Wolfie J, Mateo Palm, Quinn Simmons and Kijani X.

Swings include Justin Aponte, Morgan Barber, Kevin Chlapecka, Allyriane Huq, Víctór López, Kenny Miller, Jack Saunders and Maliha Sayed.

Amy Yesom Kim 

(left to right) Nicki Rossi, Caitlin Dobbins, Shayla Florence, Stone TeSelle, Chosen Mitchell, Wolfie J and Diana Marilyn Alvarez

About the Production

The American tribal love rock musical HAIR celebrates the sixties counterculture in all its barefoot, long-haired, bell-bottomed, beaded and fringed glory. To an infectiously energetic rock beat, the show wows audiences with songs like “Aquarius,” “Good Morning, Starshine,” “Hair,” “I Got Life” and “Let The Sunshine In.” Exploring ideas of identity, community, global responsibility and peace, HAIR remains relevant as ever as it examines what it means to be a young person in a changing world.

Chosen Mitchell 

(center, l to r) Joshua Emmanuel and Chosen Mitchell with the cast of Kokandy Productions’ revival of HAIR.

Director and choreographer Brennan Urbi comments, “This is a show about chosen family and active community, exploring how we can build support and fight for each other – no matter the generation, place or time. We have a knockout cast who are ready to rock! By building today's versions of these well-known characters, we're going to find out how this iconic ‘60s score reverberates all the way to Summer 2026.”

(center, l to r) Zac Richey, Gavin Rhys and Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor with the cast of Kokandy Productions’ revival of HAIR.

The production team includes Eleanor Kahn (Scenic Design), Rachel Sypniewski (Costume Design), G "Max" Maxin IV (Lighting Design), Matt Reich (Sound Design), Lauren Ramos (Properties Design), Syd Genco (Makeup Design), Keith Ryan (Wig Design), Kirsten Baity (Intimacy Director), Chels Morgan (Cultural Competency Specialist), Shane Roberie(Casting Director), Nicholas Reinhart (Production Manager), Kendyl Meyer (Associate Production Manager), David Moreland (Technical Director), Lynsy Folckomer (A1), Alfonso Moreno (A2), Shelby Burgus (Stage Manager),Yasmeen "Yaz" Abiad (Assistant Stage Manager), Michael Coppola (Stage Management Intern), Scot Kokandy(Executive Producer) and Derek Van Barham (Producing Artistic Director).

(left to right) Quinn Simmons, Isadora Coco Gonzalez and Shayla Florence 

(center) Zac Richey with the cast of Kokandy Productions’ revival of HAIR.

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

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

Dates: Previews: Thursday, July 2 – Friday, July 17, 2026

Regular run: Sunday, July 19 – Sunday, September 13, 3026

Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm; Sundays at 5 pm. Please note: there will not be a performance on Saturday, July 4; there will be an added performance on Monday, July 6 at 7 pm.

Tickets: Previews $28.52* general admission, $39.19* reserved seating. Regular run $55.20* general admission, $65.87* reserved seating. Students/seniors $44.52*. There will be a limited number of lower-priced tickets (with code ARTIST) available to artists for each performance. Tickets are on sale now at kokandyproductions.com or bit.ly/HairChicago. *Ticket prices include processing fees

HAIR is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC.
www.concordtheatricals.com

(center, l to r) Zac Richey and Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor with the cast of Kokandy Productions’ revival of HAIR. 

About the Artists

Brennan Urbi (Director and Choreographer) is a stage artist who works with community members, artists and actors alike to build a process specific to the questions and skill sets of the group. B’s NYC credits include Into the Woods, Macbeth, Strays, (un)belonging*, Blood Grudge, Electric World, My Best Friend's Cabaret, Singing Lessons, iii sisters, Connection is Unstable, The Munchies, Leo’s Requiem and Alley Between the House. Assistant on Blackout Songs (MCC) I think Big Cat… (Roundabout). In Chicago, B directed Half-Baked, The Beauty of Your Eyes and Civics and Humanities and assisted productions including Spring Awakening, Children of Eden, Hair and Another Room in Your Head. MFA Directing Columbia University, Recipient of the Neo-Futurist Artist of Color scholarship, BFA Acting Chicago College of Performing Art. Founding member of Pick Six. www.brennanurbi.com @brennan_urbi.

Kara Olander (Music Director) is a multi-instrumentalist, music director and actor in the Chicago area. As a pit musician of many years, her mission is to foster a band and cast that feels empowered to groove in their own individuality. Past shows include Always, Patsy Cline (Drury Lane), Amélie (Kokandy), Porchlight Sings the Season (Porchlight Music Theatre), LOKI: The End of the World Tour (Lifeline Theatre), Rock of Ages (Metropolis), Tell Me On a Sunday (Theo Ubique) and Houston, You Have a Problem (Streamline Theatre). 

(left to right) Stone TeSelle, Mateo Palm, Caitlin Dobbins, Shayla Florence, Chosen Mitchell, Gavin Rhys, Nicki Rossi, Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor, Amy Yesom Kim, Kijani X, Diana Marilyn Alvarez and Joshua Emmanuel

About Kokandy Productions

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

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

For additional information, visit kokandyproductions.com.

Pictured (center) Gavin Rhys with (clockwise from top) Amy Yesom Kim, Joshua Emmanuel,

Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor, Zac Richey, Stone TeSelle, Nicki Rossi and Chosen Mitchell

in a publicity image for Kokandy Productions’ revival of HAIR. Photo by Kyle Bode.

 

REVIEW: SANDBOX THEATRE COLLECTIVE'S HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARS ROVER Now Playing Through July 5TH

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

SANDBOX THEATRE COLLECTIVE PRESENTS 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARS ROVER

Now Playing Through July 5, 2026

AT MRS. MURPHY & SON’S IRISH BISTRO

REVIEW

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

Happy Birthday Mars Rover is out of this world fun with a scrappy, DIY vibe. Extinction was never so colorful and creative. Don't miss this! ChiIL Live Shows on our radar. Highly recommended. Four out of Four Stars.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sandbox Theatre Collective has produced a show that spans space AND time, from the early days of cave people inventing language, to a stark future on a dying planet. And they manage to make it puppet filled and playful! Best of all, tickets are pay what you can, so they're not sky high, and everyone's welcome. Of course, if you have money, empty your wallet or be generous with a digital donation, so this talented collective can keep making their quirky and compelling art. The cast is a great mix of ethnicities, genders, and types, playing myriad characters with panache. The script is unique and the acting is highly entertaining. 

All Production Photos by Alex Albrecht (@shermzilla)

Full disclosure, our son, Dugan Kenaz-Mara was props designer for this show, so we may be a bit biased in that department, but the Mars Rover he designed was charming, and elicited an audience full of awwwwws and empathy the night we caught the show. When the scientists who analyzed it's data anthropomorphized it a bit, the audience was right there with them, and by the time it played happy birthday to itself, in isolation on a distant planet, we felt the loneliness reverberating through the vast emptiness of space. This props heavy production uses items and quick costume changes to present a dizzying array of people and places. 

The Sandbox Collective includes a heavy dose of Northwestern University alums, some of the best and brightest creative minds around. These wunderkinds are mostly Gen Z who spent their formative years surviving the covid pandemic, and it's attending isolation, and total shutdown of live performances. It's made them wonderfully weird, insightful, and wise beyond their years. The playwright, Preston Choi aptly claims his work focuses on social science fiction, Asian-American/mixed race/queer lives, and the horror of being alive, and we're here for it. I catch an average of 6 professional shows a week and I've seldom seen a more accurate and enjoyable encapsulation of what it means to be human.

Sandbox Theatre Collective has a delightfully unpretentious aesthetic, and sneaks in poignant pieces and deep truths while you're busy laughing. Happy Birthday Mars Rover spans a Dr Who worthy swath of centuries, in a production that's both playful and thought provoking. In a series of vignettes, Happy Birthday Mars Rover explores humanities curiosity, intelligence, love, loss, and longing to be remembered. We adored the old school overhead projector presentations of extinct animals, the actors each drew for themselves, in the style of elementary school kids. 

Happy Birthday Mars Rover proves you can make big ideas come to life in a small space, without a Broadway budget. If aliens were attempting to learn about our planet and people, this production would be a great place to start!

Tickets for this production are pay what you can, with suggested prices ranging from $15-$30+ per ticket. Tickets can be purchased through Sandbox’s website or directly from Ticketsource.

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

Happy Birthday Mars Rover by Preston Choi, directed by Kara Toll.

Performances take place on the second floor at Mrs. Murphy and Sons Irish Bistro on select dates this summer, from June 19th - July 5th. Tickets for this production are pay what you can, with suggested prices ranging from $15-$30+ per ticket. Tickets can be purchased through Sandbox’s website or directly from Ticketsource.

Synopsis:

The Mars Rover sings Happy Birthday to itself as it searches for life on Mars as humans back on Earth search to understand what life is. A medley of snapshots, from cave people naming abstract concepts, bubbles that scream when popped, housewives battling existential dread, cows trying to get to heaven, and
the last human on Earth collecting jars of hair. Happy Birthday Mars Rover is a darkly comedic and whimsically morbid attempt to understand the human condition and life itself.

The cast of Happy Birthday Mars Rover includes Ruby Gibson (she/her, Actor One: “Daughter-ish"), Cooper Eidson (they/them, Actor Two: “Son-ish”) Coco Fernandez (she/they, Actor Three: “Mother-ish”), Gustavo Duran (he/him, Actor Four: “Father-ish”), Emma Marie Montoya (she/they, Actor Five: “Grandmother-ish”), and Nathan LoPinto (he/him, Actor Six: “Grandfather-ish”)

The creative team of Happy Birthday Mars Rover includes Preston Choi (he/him, Playwright), Kara Toll (she/they, Director), Francis Brenner (he/him, Stage Manager), Kate Samuels (she/her, Assistant Stage Manager), Madison Smith (she/they, Fight & Intimacy Coordinator), Rachael Dec (she/her, Movement
Director), Nathan Keiller (he/him, Lighting Design), Emilie Wingate (she/her, Puppet Design), Juan Barrera (he/him, Set Designer), Dugan Kenaz-Mara (he/him, Props Designer), Liza Kolesnik (any pronouns, Costumes), Ave Fitzgerald (she/they, Costumes), and Kate Schnetzer (she/her, Sound Design)

About Preston Choi:
Preston Choi is a Los Angeles based playwright whose work focuses on social science fiction, Asian-American/mixed race/queer lives, and the horror of being alive. His plays include Happy Birthday Mars Rover (2022 Planet Earth Arts Playwriting Award, 2022 Darrell Ayers Playwriting Award), performing class (2021-2022 NNPN Bridge Program, 2020-2021 Playwrights Realm Scratchpad Series), A Great Migration or The Migratory Patterns of the North American Monarch Butterfly and the Development of Fatherless Sons (2021 Paul Stephen Lim Playwriting Award, 2019 NNPN National New Play Showcase, 2017 Agnes Nixon Award), and This Is Not A True Story (2018 CAATA ConFest). His plays have been developed with Interact Theatre, Sideshow Theatre, Artist at Play, Silk Road Rising, CAATA, The Passage Theatre, and Our Perspective. He received a BS in Theatre from Northwestern University and an MFA in Playwriting from UC San Diego.

About Sandbox Theatre Collective:

Sandbox Theatre Collective exists to cultivate a supportive theatrical community in pursuit of exciting art and more fulfilled theatre artists. At Sandbox, artists of all levels work together to create the theatre of their dreams while expanding their skills and exploring their curiosity. Founded in 2022, Sandbox Theatre
Collective began as a small group of Chicago artists looking to create a space where theatre-makers of all backgrounds could show up and create their own work. Since that first day, we’ve embraced a non-hierarchical leadership structure, put our focus into new and reimagined works, and created opportunities for as many local artists as possible. In the past three years, we’ve mounted full productions, performed in living rooms and local businesses, and produced multiple new play development workshops (and a new musical workshop!).

Tickets for this production are pay what you can, with suggested prices ranging from $15-$30+ per ticket. Tickets can be purchased through Sandbox’s website or directly from Ticketsource.