Theater Grottesco Presents ACTION AT A DISTANCE… IN 2025 NOVEMBER 13 - 16 AT FACILITY THEATER

SIX PLAYS, FOUR ACTORS, ONE STAGE: COLLIDE IN 

ACTION AT A DISTANCE… IN 2025 

A BOLD THEATRICAL CHICAGO PREMIERE OF A FAY|GLASSMAN PERFORMANCE STAGED WITH THE COLLABORATION OF THEATER GROTTESCO

NOVEMBER 13 - 16 AT FACILITY THEATER 

Santa Fe’s celebrated physical theater ensemble, Theater Grottesco, proudly announces a limited Chicago engagement for Action at a Distance … in 2025, November 13 - 16 at Facility Theater, 1138 N. California Ave. Action at a Distance … in 2025 is a bold theatrical experiment from Fay|Glassman Performance crafted in collaboration with Theater Grottesco. 

This new production, graphically scored in detail, offers a kaleidoscopic theatrical experience that is closer to music composition and dance, blending six simultaneous plays performed on a 10ft x 10ft stage by four actors. In 2018, the two companies received a national grant from the Network of Ensemble Theaters for five weeks of outlandish theatrical research and development. 

After four months of intensive work in 2025, the fully-developed production comes to Chicago for a limited engagement. The performance schedule is Thursday, Nov. 13 - Saturday, Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 16 at 3 and 8 p.m. 

Theater Grottesco and Fay|Glassman Performance are committed to making the performances accessible. As part of this commitment, the companies welcome audiences with a sliding scale of ticket prices from $15 - $30.

 Tickets are on sale now and available at: LisaFayAndJeffGlassmanDuo.org/tickets. Action at a Distance ... in 2025 is an original work of new theatrical form that breaches several of theatre’s conventional boundaries. Using techniques often found in film, musical composition and dance such as innovative physical “jump cuts” and “gestural choreography,” characters and actions depart from common representations of time and space, to create moments of astonishing synchronicity, while actors fluidly transform among multiple characters and interact across disparate scenes. 

This dynamic, multilayered performance challenges traditional storytelling, immersing audiences in a constantly shifting mosaic of interactions and emotions. Action at a Distance … in 2025 follows the structural truths when people distraught and disconnected from one another live together, in imperceptible yet finely-tuned synchronicity, as do the actors on this stage. Much like the bustle of a crowded airport, Action at a Distance captures the unpredictability within human connections. 

Six original plays happen simultaneously as performed by four dynamic actors who seamlessly switch between narratives using some of the techniques invented by the Fay|Glassman Performance duo, creating an ever-shifting structural mosaic of simultaneous stories, with juxtaposition, montage, irony and satire, brought to life on a 10ft x 10ft stage. 

Six plays. One tiny stage. All happening at once. But what does that actually mean? The plays: 1. A family with a crying child frantically prepares to evacuate their home in advance of a hurricane. 2. An international human rights lawyer flees her international arms-dealing partner. 3. A filmmaker interviews a doctor who volunteered at the Occupy Wall Street tent camp in 2011. 4. A union local hosts an address by a revolutionary Venezuelan union leader. 5. An artist prepares a gallery installation of the UN negotiator's office for the 1948 Palestine Mandate, just before the negotiator’s assassination by the Stern Gang. 6. A financial mogul is unnerved by a rock, with a photo attached, smashing his window. 

The Action at a Distance … in 2025 cast includes John Flax (he/him), Apollo Garcia Orellana (he/they), Elizabeth Glass (she/her) and Danielle Louise Reddick (she/her). The creative team includes Jeff Glassman (he/him, composition/director); Lisa Fay (she/her, composition); Elizabeth Glass (she/her, Santa Fe directing assistance); William Miglino (he/him, Santa Fe rehearsal manager); Richard Norwood (he/him, lighting, Chicago); Joshua Billiter (he/him, lighting, Santa Fe); Julie Williams (she/her, production manager and consultant, Chicago); Stefan Brun (he/him, production manager and consultant, Chicago); Marc Romanelli (photography) and Mariah Olesen (she/her, media materials, consulting and photography). 

ABOUT THE LISA FAY AND JEFF GLASSMAN DUO (FAY|GLASSMAN PERFORMANCE) The Lisa Fay and Jeff Glassman Duo are known for creating theatre that ranges from humorous and disarming to mesmerizing and disorienting. Their work applies composed structures to ordinary human behavior, just as electronic music applies composed structures to ordinary sounds. The techniques they’ve developed over 40 years allow us to observe methodically re-organized behavior in social space. The reflections can be cathartic and awakening, opening windows on new ways of seeing humanity. New doubts and new truths arise about what’s happening “right now.” 

ABOUT THEATER GROTTESCO Founded in Paris in 1983, Theater Grottesco is known internationally for visual and explosive physical productions. The Grottesco Ensemble rekindles interest in live performance by juxtaposing classical and modern theatrical styles with daring, poetic research of culture and imagination, giving voice to marginal elements of contemporary society and taking audiences to the brink of emotional wonder and soulful reflection. Theater Grottesco is celebrating its 29th year in Santa Fe and is a 2017 award winner of the National Theater Program. 

ABOUT THE CREATIVE PROCESS Both companies create collaboratively, involving intensive workshops, improvisation and experimentation with an eye toward making a new work of art instead of crafting an already existing play. Devising a new play often takes years. As for the work's rigorous movement, Glassman has said, “Theater Grottesco is the only company I know of that could handle the strange physicality of this work.” Special thanks for media and publicity materials and advising to Mariah Olesen, Santa Fe; to artists Myriah Duda and Koppany Pusztai, Santa Fe; to Estevan Vigil on lights, Santa Fe; Fay|Glassman Performance for their production support and to Lisa Fay for her keen and cracking good, decades long, artistic consultation and enduring support for this project.

This program supported in part by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council

HUBBARD STREET DANCE CHICAGO'S SEASON 48 FALL SERIES RETURNS NOVEMBER 14–23, 20

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HUBBARD STREET DANCE CHICAGO RETURNS TO STEPPENWOLF THEATRE COMPANY FOR

SEASON 48 FALL SERIES

NOVEMBER 14–23, 2025

HUBBARD STREET DANCE CHICAGO RETURNS TO STEPPENWOLF THEATRE COMPANY FOR SEASON 48 FALL SERIES, NOVEMBER 14–23, 2025 Program features Ohad Naharin’s Black Milk, Bob Fosse’s Percussion IV, Aszure Barton’s A Duo and Johan Inger’s IMPASSE Tickets for the Season 48 Fall Series Are Available Now at Hubbardstreetdance.com.

Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell, Artistic Director of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (Hubbard Street), and Executive Director David McDermott are proud to announce programming for the company’s Season 48 Fall Series, marking Hubbard Street’s return to Steppenwolf Theatre Company following last season’s sold-out debut. The engagement runs Friday, November 14 through Sunday, November 23, 2025 in Steppenwolf’s intimate Downstairs Theater (1650 N. Halsted St.). 

Following a record-breaking, landmark year of bold premieres and historic collaborations, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago launches Season 48 with a program that showcases the company’s extraordinary physicality, range, and commitment to presenting both fresh voices and iconic works. The Fall Series includes Ohad Naharin’s Black Milk, described by the Chicago Tribune as “by turns elegant and feral”; Percussion IV, originally choreographed by Bob Fosse for his Broadway hit Dancin’ and returning to the company as part of its ongoing collaboration with The Verdon Fosse® Legacy; A Duo, a dynamic duet by Resident Artist Aszure Barton continuing her creative residency, now in its third season; and IMPASSE, Johan Inger’s theatrical, exuberant favorite brimming with joy and inventive movement. 

The return of Percussion IV to Hubbard Street marks a meaningful full-circle moment. Gwen Verdon’s admiration for the company began in the 1980s when she sought to adapt Bob Fosse’s works for concert dance, a vision that included staging Percussion IV for Hubbard Street during Fisher-Harrell’s tenure as a company dancer. Last season’s Fall Series marked the launch of a historic partnership with The Verdon Fosse® Legacy, making Hubbard Street the only company in the world authorized to hold a Bob Fosse work in its repertoire—a distinction that continues in Season 48. 

“This program brings together four works that, collectively, speak to the vast possibilities of contemporary dance,” said Fisher-Harrell. “From the raw, elemental power of Naharin’s Black Milk to the precision and lineage embodied in Fosse’s Percussion IV, the inventiveness of Barton’s A Duo, and the exuberance of Inger’s IMPASSE, each piece challenges our artists in distinct ways while offering audiences an expansive journey through movement and emotion.” 

Season 48 subscriptions and tickets are available now online or by calling the Hubbard Street Box Office at 312-850-9744, ext. 5. Tickets range from $23 to $128.80 (including fees). For ticket information, program details, or to learn more about how you can join in the movement, visit Hubbardstreetdance.com.

Hubbard Street is grateful to our Season 48 Partners Athletico Physical Therapy and the Illinois Arts Council for their continued support. 

The Season 48 Fall Series performance schedule is as follows: 

Fall Series at Steppenwolf Theatre Company (Downstairs Theater) November 14-23, 2025 

Featuring: Black Milk by Ohad Naharin Percussion IV by Bob Fosse 

A Duo by Resident Artist Aszure Barton 

IMPASSE by Johan Inger 

About Hubbard Street Dance Chicago 

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s mission is to awaken the human spirit through contemporary dance, envisioning a dance landscape that is relevant and accessible to all. 

For 48 years, Hubbard Street has been one of the most original forces in contemporary dance – bringing top choreographers and works to Chicago and beyond. Hubbard Street’s ever-evolving repertory, created by today’s leading choreographic voices, makes them a company that dancers aspire to join and performance venues all over the world are eager to host. To date, the main company has performed globally in 19 countries and 44 U.S. states. 

At home in Chicago, Hubbard Street performs 20 times a year and delivers renowned education programs in 50 classrooms across 17 Chicagoland schools. Hubbard Street Education utilizes the choreographic process to teach essential problem-solving skills, creativity, and collaboration - expanding our reach beyond traditional concert dance audiences, ensuring that everyone has access to world-class dance and instruction. 

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago grew out of the Lou Conte Dance Studio in 1977, and Conte served as Artistic Director for 23 years. Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell began her tenure at the company in March 2021. In January 2022, Hubbard Street moved to their new home in Water Tower Place on Michigan Avenue and acclaimed choreographer Aszure Barton was named Resident Artist in January 2023. Visit Hubbardstreetdance.com for more information. 

About The Verdon Fosse® Legacy 

The mission of The Verdon Fosse Legacy® is to promote, preserve, and protect the artistic and intellectual property of Bob Fosse® and Gwen Verdon. Through its range of educational programs, Legacy-sanctioned teachers and reconstructeurs teach Fosse® style, technique, and work ethic to students and professionals in the US & internationally. The Legacy aims to foster and educate performers, directors, and choreographers, as well as scholars and students interested in American film and musical theatre. It partners with universities, dance studios, museums, libraries, publishing companies, film screenings, and non-profit organizations to honor the work and methodology of Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse. The Verdon Fosse Legacy Professional Training Program’s mission is to empower today’s artists through diverse dance training, instilling the original integrity and intent of Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon’s work to build uniquely powerful entertainers for tomorrow. The Verdon Fosse Legacy oversees the licensing of Bob Fosse’s work for non-profit and for-profit commercial use. The Legacy protects the image, artistic, and intellectual property of Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse and owns the trademarks for Fosse® and Bob Fosse® whose indelible influences can be seen across pop culture today. 

About Steppenwolf Theatre Company 

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation’s premier Ensemble Theater with 49 members who are among the top actors, playwrights and directors in the field. Thrilling, powerful, groundbreaking productions have made this theatre legendary. From the 1980 phenomenon of Balm in Gilead, to The Grapes of Wrath, August: Osage County, Downstate, The Brother/Sister Plays, and now, the 2025 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Purpose, Steppenwolf Theatre has had a long-running and undeniable impact on American Theater and Chicago's cultural landscape. Founded in 1976, Steppenwolf started as a group of teens performing in the basement of a church. Today, the company's artistic force remains rooted in the original vision of its founders: an artist-driven theatre, whose vitality is defined by its appetite for bold and innovative work. Every aspect of Steppenwolf is rooted in its Ensemble ethos, from the intergenerational artistic programming to the multi-genre performance series LookOut, to the nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf Education and Engagement which serves nearly 15,000 teens annually. While grounded in the Chicago community, more than 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Steppenwolf also holds accolades that include the National Medal of Arts, 14 Tony Awards, two Pulitzer Prize-winning commissions and more. Led by Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, Executive Director Brooke Flanagan and Board of Trustees Chair Keating Crown — Steppenwolf continually redefines the boundaries of live theater and pushes the limits of acting and performance. Steppenwolf’s Mission: Steppenwolf strives to create thrilling, courageous and provocative art in a thoughtful and inclusive environment. We succeed when we disrupt your routine with experiences that spark curiosity, empathy and joy. We invite you to join our ensemble as we navigate, together, our complex world. steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.

(BACA) ANNOUNCES THE 2025 BLACK EXCELLENCE AWARDS NOVEMBER 3, 2025 AT BLACK ENSEMBLE THEATER

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BLACK ARTS & CULTURE ALLIANCE OF CHICAGO (BACA) ANNOUNCES

THE 2025 BLACK EXCELLENCE AWARDS

THE EVENING OF CELEBRATION WILL BE HELD MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2025

AT BLACK ENSEMBLE THEATER

Special honors will be awarded to Pemon Rami, Eve L. Ewing

and Professor Roxanne Stevenson, in addition to nominees in literature. visual arts, dance, theater and music

The Black Arts & Culture Alliance of Chicago (BACA) announces the 2025 Black Excellence Awards, honoring and celebrating Chicago theatre, dance, music, film, literary, and visual artists. The 24th annual event will be held at 7:30pm on Monday, November 3, 2025, at Black Ensemble Theater, 4450 N. Clark St. in Chicago.

For Black Excellence Awards tickets, event updates, and more information about the Black Arts and Culture Alliance of Chicago, visit https://www.bacachi.org/. Tickets are $50; $25 for students and seniors.

Throughout the evening, three Special Honor Awards will be presented to: Pemon Rami (Excellence in Film); Eve L. Ewing (Excellence in Literature); and Professor Roxanne Stevenson (Excellence in Music and Music Education).

The evening’s nominees are:

Literature
For Excellence in Community Engagement: Underground Bookstore, Da Book Joint, and Salty Books and Beans


Visual Arts
Gallery Exhibition: Faie African Art Gallery, Gallery Guichard, and Blanc Gallery

Artist: Dayo Laoye, Natasha Moustache, George Crump, and Ahmad Lee


Dance
Performance: Praize Production, Deeply Rooted, and Red Clay Dance

Choregraphy: Maiya Redding, Nicole Clarke Springer, Enneressa LaNette, Rasheida Smith and Brandee Lathon


Theater
Production: Definition Theater, Black Ensemble Theater, Theater 47, MPAACT and Pegasus Theater

Production Director: Jackie Taylor, Tyrone Phillips, Carla Stillwell, Daryl D. Brooks, John Ruffin and Ilesa Duncan

Actor Male: Ronald L. Connor, Vincent Jordan, Tamarus Harvel and Michael Kenady

Actor Female: Rhonda Preston, Alexandria Crawford, Tamara Batiest, Ariya Hawkins and Caitlin Dobbins

Special Recognition Director: Lili Ann Brown, Malika Stampley, Ron OJ Parson, Shanesia Davis, Awoye Timpo and Gabrielle Randle-Bent

Special Recognition Actor/Actress: Anji White, Gregory Fenner, Namir Smallwood, Brittney Mack, Kelvin Roston, Jr. and Shanesia Davis

Music
Female Vocalist: Lucy Smith and Zemrah

Male Vocalist: Gregory Gibbs, Theodis Rogers Jazz Trio and Jovan Watson


About The Black Arts & Culture Alliance of Chicago
The mission of the Black Arts & Culture Alliance of Chicago is to collectively advance excellence in the work of the Black arts and culture sector. The Alliance works to increase interaction, communication and development of black arts organizations and artists, while delivering programs that increase their visibility, marketability, stability, and sustainability.

Founded in 1997 as the African American Arts Alliance of Chicago and rebranded the Black Arts & Cultural Alliance of Chicago (BACA) in 2023, BACA offers a diverse range of events and programs that celebrate the rich heritage of the Black arts community in Chicago. Events and programs are designed to engage, educate, and inspire individuals (artists and patrons) who are passionate about Chicago’s Black arts and culture.

With new leadership in November 2024, the organization has been reorganized and revitalized, including a return to its original mission and a new focus in building the Board and programming, increasing membership, and creating websites that appropriately support BACA’s mission and purpose.

BACA is going strong after 28 years, with a full slate of events and programs celebrating the rich heritage of the Black arts community in Chicago.

In August 2025, BACA launched the Black Arts Directory of Chicago to serve as a vibrant online hub for African American and minority performing arts and culture in Chicago and beyond. The directory spotlights theatre, dance, music, and cultural events to celebrate rich artistic traditions. BACA prioritizes connecting audiences with diverse cultural experiences, showcasing the talents of Black and Brown artists that showcase the dynamic ingenuity and creativity of Chicago’s Black artists and organizations. It celebrates the rich narratives, historical relevance and artistic expressions that define African American and minority performing arts.

To find out more and view the Black Arts Directory visit https://www.blackartsdirectory.org/. The Black Arts Directory is made possible by an Arts Recovery Program grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

The BACA staff is Executive Director Luther Goins, Grants Writer & Development Manager Ilesa Duncan, and PR, Marketing & Design Director Doc Wheeler. The Board of Directors includes President Jackie Taylor, Vice President Sydney Chatman, and members Cheryl Lynn Bruce, Troy O. Pryor, Portia McFarland, William Gill, Ericka Ratcliff, Shawn Wallace, Daryl D. Brooks, and Roxanna Conner.



Upcoming BACA Events and Programs include:

Black Excellence Awards Ceremony 2025
Monday, November 3, 2025, 7:30pm-9:00pm
Black Ensemble Theater, 4450 N Clark St, Chicago
Tickets: $25-$50
https://www.bacachi.org/

The Black Excellence Awards Ceremony, presented annually by the Black Arts & Culture Alliance of Chicago, honors, celebrates, supports, and promotes Chicago theatre, dance, music, film, literary, and visual artists.

Martin Luther King Celebration: The Black Arts & Culture Town Hall
January 19, 2026

This celebration and panel discussion honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and discusses the challenges and commonalities faced by Black artists and arts organizations and will launch the 2026 Black to Black Workshop Series.


Black to Black Series: Entertainment Business for the Black Artist
March 2026

Workshops
Black to Black Series: Working & Thriving in Chicago
May 2026
Panel Discussion

Cookout In The Blackyard Summer Networking Event
August 2026
Join BACA for an amazing networking opportunity featuring barbecue, drink, music, and fun.


Black to Black Series: History & Fundamentals of Black Organizations
October 2026
Workshops & Auditions

Black Excellence Awards
November 2026

Black Arts Hall of Fame 2026
November 2026



About Black Arts & Culture Alliance of Chicago (BACA)
The mission of the Black Arts & Culture Alliance of Chicago is to collectively advance excellence in the work of the Black arts and culture sector. The Alliance works to increase interaction, communication and development of black arts organizations and artists, while delivering programs that increase their visibility, marketability, stability, and sustainability.

For tickets, event updates, and more information about the Black Arts and Culture Alliance of Chicago, visit https://www.bacachi.org/.

A 225+ Artist Carmina Burana at Lyric Opera of Chicago November 14–18, 2025

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What you need to know about 

Carmina Burana

More than 225 artists bring Orff’s classic work to the Lyric stage

Running time: Approximately 1 hour and 5 minutes, no intermission.

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents the company premiere of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, November 14–18, 2025. For three performances only, Music Director Enrique Mazzola conducts the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus in this 20th-century masterpiece, joined by soprano Jasmine Habersham, tenor David Portillo, baritone Ian Rucker, and the Uniting Voices Chicago children’s choir. From the thunderous opening chorus "O Fortuna" to passages of hushed intimacy, Carmina Burana captures the full sweep of human experience in music that is at once visceral, dramatic, and unforgettable.

Three performances only: Friday, November 14 at 7:00 p.m.; Sunday, November 16 at 2:00 p.m.; and Tuesday, November 18 at 7:00 p.m.

The songs of fate, fortune, and fleeting joy. Orff’s score is based on a set of medieval poems discovered in Bavaria, written by students and clergy between the 11th and 13th centuries. His selections explore love, lust, gambling, drinking, and the transience of life with bold rhythmic drive and theatrical force. The result is music that feels both primal and timeless, a raw spectacle of choral power, lush orchestration, and unforgettable immediacy.

Every note resonates with power and precision. Music Director Enrique Mazzola conducts the Lyric Opera Orchestra with a distinctive blend of clarity, vigor, and stylistic insight. Internationally recognized as a leading interpreter of bel canto, French repertoire, and early Verdi, he has appeared at major houses including La Scala, the Metropolitan Opera, and Deutsche Oper Berlin, as well as festivals from Salzburg to Glyndebourne. At Lyric, he has led productions that showcase his ability to illuminate the majesty and power of large-scale choral writing such as Mozart’s Requiem (2023/24), Verdi’s Aida (2023/24), Beethoven’s Fidelio (2024/25), and the Wondrous Sound celebration of chorus and orchestra (2024/25).

Chorus Director Michael Black directs the 100-member Lyric Opera Chorus, one of the most distinguished ensembles of its kind in the world and a cornerstone of Lyric’s performances. Renowned for the beauty of their sound and stylistic versatility, the Chorus has collaborated with conductors including Enrique Mazzola, Sir Andrew Davis, Jakub Hrůša, Marco Armiliato, Harry Bicket, James Gaffigan, and Emmanuel Villaume. In the 2024/25 Season, the Chorus showcased its versatility to new audiences across the city and surrounding areas in the Great Choral Works community tour, performing operatic favorites alongside spirituals and musical theater selections. For Carmina Burana, the Chorus is joined by 50 treble voices from Uniting Voices Chicago (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir), directed by Josephine Lee, whose artistry and youthful energy provide a brilliant complement to Orff’s massive choral forces.

A dazzling trio of soloists brings these iconic vocal lines to life. Soprano Jasmine Habersham, who made her Lyric debut in the 2024/25 Season as Ashley in Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek’s The Listeners, has quickly become known for her radiant tone and vibrant stage presence. Chicago audiences may also know her from her starring role as Claudette Colvin in Chicago Opera Theater’s world premiere of Jasmine Barnes and Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton’s She Who Dared last summer. She has starred as Juliette in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette with Opera San José, Susanna in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro with Madison Opera, and Cleopatra in Handel’s Giulio Cesare with Atlanta Opera, and she recently appeared in Barcelona at the Gran Teatre del Liceu as Frasquita in Bizet’s Carmen. Her concert work has taken her to stages with the Baltimore Symphony, Dallas Symphony, and Rochester Philharmonic.

Tenor David Portillo, a distinguished alumnus of Lyric’s Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, has performed ten roles with the company since his debut in 2007, including Arbace in Mozart’s Idomeneo, and Andres in Berg’s Wozzeck. A regular at the Metropolitan Opera, he has sung Tamino in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Count Almaviva in Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, and the Chevalier de la Force in Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites. His credits span Glyndebourne, Houston Grand Opera, Washington National Opera, and the Salzburg Festival. Portillo was honored with the 2024 Sphinx Medal of Excellence, and his upcoming engagements include Frederic in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance with Seattle Opera and Jupiter in Handel’s Semele at Dutch National Opera.

Baritone Ian Rucker, another proud Ryan Opera Center alumnus, has built a strong presence at Lyric since his debut in the 2022/23 Season. His company appearances have included Raimbaud in Rossini’s Le Comte Ory, Moralès in Bizet’s Carmen, the Foreman in Janáček’s Jenůfa, and Schaunard in Puccini’s La Bohème. He returns in 2025/26 as Guglielmo in Mozart’s Così fan tutte. Beyond Lyric, Rucker has performed Dandini in Rossini’s La Cenerentola with Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Count Almaviva in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro with Scottish Opera, and the title role in the world premiere of Oliver Leith’s The Story of Billy Budd at Festival d’Aix-en-Provence. A recent prizewinner at the prestigious Neue Stimmen competition, he has also sung at the Salzburg Festival and with Palm Beach Opera. Originally from Wisconsin, Rucker studied at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire and Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music.

The production team for Carmina Burana includes Lighting Designer Sarah Riffle and Projection Designer Adam Larsen.

A landmark premiere for Lyric. With its sheer sonic power, unforgettable choral writing, and themes that still resonate today, Carmina Burana is one of the most electrifying works in the concert repertoire. This long-awaited Lyric premiere is set to be a highlight of the Chicago cultural season.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW

· Language: Sung in Latin, Middle High German, and Old French, with easy-to-follow English titles projected above the stage.

· Pre-performance talks: Ticketholders are invited to a free 30-minute preview by Dr. Johann Buis one hour before each performance in the Ardis Krainik Theatre. Seating is unreserved; ticket required for entry.

· Accessibility: Braille and large-print programs, high-powered opera glasses, assistive listening devices, and booster seats are available from the Steiner Parquet coat checks at all performances. For more information, visit lyricopera.org/accessibility.

· Location: Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL.

For more information and tickets, visit lyricopera.org/carmina or call 312.827.5600.


Lyric’s 2025/26 Season is presented by the Robert and Penelope Steiner Family Foundation.

Lyric’s presentation of Orff’s Carmina Burana is generously made possible by Irene D. Pritzker in honor of Michael Black.

Maestro Enrique Mazzola is generously sponsored by Alice & John Butler, H. Gael Neeson, Sylvia Neil & Daniel Fischel, the Robert and Penelope Steiner Family Foundation, Mary Stowell, and the Zell Family Foundation as members of the Enrique Circle.

Lyric Opera of Chicago thanks its Official Airline, United Airlines, and acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council.



About Lyric

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

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

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

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

For more information, visit lyricopera.org.




Lyric Opera of Chicago
20 N. Wacker Drive
Suite 860
Chicago, IL 60606
United States

Photo: John Shaw/Lyric Opera of Chicago

Marriott Theatre Celebrates the Season with Rockin’ Million Dollar Quartet Christmas November 12 at 7pm, and runs through January 4, 2026

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Peter Blair, Executive Producer

Peter Marston Sullivan, Artistic Director

Presents

Marriott Theatre Celebrates the Season with Rockin’ 

Million Dollar Quartet Christmas

This holiday season, the Marriott Theatre, Chicagoland’s longest running musical theatre, concludes its unforgettable 50th anniversary season by inviting audiences to turn up the cheer and rock out with Million Dollar Quartet Christmas, a high-voltage musical celebration. Directed by Jeff Award winner Scott Weinstein (Marriott Theatre: Grease, Something Rotten!; Drury Lane: The Little Mermaid, Always, Patsy Cline) with Musical Direction by Jeff Award nominee Matt Deitchman, this festive spin on the Tony-nominated hit brings together four legendary voices - Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley - for a one-of-a-kind holiday jam session at Sun Records. 

Million Dollar Quartet Christmas previews November 5, 2025, opens Wednesday, November 12 at 7pm, and runs through January 4, 2026.

“I’m so thrilled to be returning to direct at Marriott Theatre - one of my absolute favorite theatres to work at,” says Director Scott Weinstein. “It’s doubly meaningful because one of my first professional directing jobs was as the associate and resident director on the original production of Million Dollar Quartet, which ran at the Apollo Theatre for eight years and impacted my life in innumerable and profound ways. So getting to bring this new holiday version (which I had the privilege of helping develop) to Chicago for the first time at one of my favorite theatres - it’s hard to imagine a better holiday.”

From the creators of the original Million Dollar Quartet, this brand-new production transforms a legendary night in music history into a rockin’ Christmas spectacular. Set in the iconic Memphis studio, the show is packed with seasonal favorites and the chart-topping hits that made these icons famous. Audiences will be treated to a nostalgic journey through stories of Christmas past, present, and future, told through unforgettable performances and playful antics. With a soundtrack that blends rockabilly, gospel, and country, Million Dollar Quartet Christmas delivers a joyful, toe-tapping tribute to the spirit of the season and the enduring power of music.

Million Dollar Quartet Christmas stars JP Coletta as “Jerry Lee Lewis,” Trevor Lindley Craft as “Carl Perkins,” Michael D. Potter as “Johnny Cash,” Colton Sims as “Elvis Presley,” Ross Griffin as “Sam Phillips,” Teah Kiang Mirabelli as “Dyanne,” Jed Feder as “Fluke,” Cody Siragusa as “Brother Jay,” with understudies Jake Busse, Nathan Gallop, Madison Kauffman, Justin Akira Kono, Adelina Marinello, Kelan M. Smith, and Zachary Tate.

The artistic team features Scenic Designer Milo Bue, Costume Designer Nicholas Hartman, Lighting Designer Jesse Klug, Sound Designer Michael Daly, Video/Projections Designer Tony Churchill, Wig, Hair & Makeup Designer Miguel A. Armstrong, Props Designer Sally Zack, Dialect Coach Susan Gosdick, and Stage Manager Richard Strimer.

Marriott Theatre is committed to cultivating a culture of inclusivity for its audience. To provide increased enjoyment of their performances for people with hearing loss or other issues which prevent them from understanding performers without effort, they are one of the first theatres in the country to install the new assistive listening system Auracast™ broadcast audio in addition to their existing Hearing Loop. Anyone with Auracast compatible hearing aids or consumer earbuds can tune in and receive crystal-clear audio directly to their ears while reducing external sounds.

 
Million Dollar Quartet Christmas runs Wednesdays at 1 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., Thursdays at 7:00 p.m., Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., with select Thursday 1:00 p.m. shows. Call for group, dinner-theatre, student, senior, and military discounts. 

Free parking is available at all performances. To reserve tickets or become a Marriott Theatre subscriber, please call the Marriott Theatre Box Office at 847.634.0200 or go to www.tickets.marriotttheatre.com. Visit www.MarriottTheatre.com for more information. Attendees are also invited to visit Three Embers Restaurant before the show to experience a pop-up experience that will coincide with Million Dollar Quartet Christmas, transporting guests to another realm while enjoying a themed food and beverage menu led by the culinary team at Three Embers Restaurant.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater Presents Much Ado About Nothing November 18 Through December 21, 2025

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Casting announced for 

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Selina Cadell

Just in time for the holiday season, Shakespeare’s wittiest rom-com is “as merry as the day is long!”

Running November 18‑December 21 in the Courtyard Theater

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces the cast and creative team for Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare’s wittiest rom-com playing just in time for the holiday season, November 18-December 21. Beatrice is living it up as a fiercely independent woman who answers to no man. Benedick is an avowed bachelor with no plans to settle down. But when these stubborn singles finally meet their match under the sultry Sicilian sun, who can resist romance? Linguistic fireworks and a hilarious battle of wits dazzle in the original “enemies-to-lovers" rom-com. Staged by famed director Selina Cadell, you’ll be transported on holiday to the warm embrace of the Italian countryside in CST’s Jentes Family Courtyard Theater, considered one of the finest spaces to experience Shakespeare’s stories live in performance. Deborah Hay and Craig Bierko star as Beatrice and Benedick, leading an exceptionally talented ensemble cast that also features Debo Balogun, Mark Bedard, Joey Chelius, Sean Fortunato, Kevin Gudahl, Suzanne Hannau, Colin Huerta, Samuel B. Jackson, Mi Kang, Jaylon Muchison, Felicia Oduh, Yona Moises Olivares, Jeff Parker, and Tiffany Scott.

“Much Ado About Nothing is a wonderfully well-rounded, mature, romantic story which embraces all the ridiculous ups and downs of our own behavior when we're in the throes of deep feeling,” shared Artistic Director Edward Hall. “It also offers some of Shakespeare’s wittiest prose and most dazzling language. A truly warm and inviting treat for audiences during the holiday season.”

Director Selina Cadell stated, “In a turbulent world, where charm turns on a dime to hot-headed decisions and disproven assumptions, Much Ado About Nothing is a play for our times, reflecting the tangles of a powerful patriarchy and the wrongful accusations made when power and reputation take precedent over listening and truth. Shakespeare balances this tragic lens with comedy and compassion, as Beatrice and Benedick guide themselves and us through the obstacles that can thwart enduring love.”

In the role of Beatrice, Deborah Hay returns to Chicago Shakespeare after appearing in As You Like It and The School for Lies. Her other credits include nine seasons at the Shaw Festival and seven seasons at the Stratford Festival. Craig Bierko makes his Chicago Shakespeare debut in the role of Benedick, with Broadway credits including The Music Man (Tony Award nomination), Guys and Dolls, Matilda the Musical, and Girl from the North Country. The company also includes Debo Balogun (Richard III, Measure for Measure at CST), Mark Bedard (All’s Well That Ends Well, Richard III at CST), Joey Chelius (Sunny Afternoon at CST), Sean Fortunato (multiple CST credits, including Sunny Afternoon, Henry V, and Richard III), Kevin Gudahl (multiple CST credits, including The Comedy of Errors, Measure for Measure, and As You Like It), Suzanne Hannau (The Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale at CST), Colin Huerta (CST debut, with credits at The Colony Theatre, Jackalope Theater, and DePaul University), Samuel B. Jackson (CST debut, with credits at Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, and Black Ensemble Theatre), Mi Kang (CST debut, with credits at Goodman Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, and TimeLine Theatre), Jaylon Muchison (Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Henry V at CST), Felicia Oduh (Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet and Measure for Measure at CST), Yona Moises Olivares (CST debut, with credits at Steppenwolf Theatre, About Face Theatre, and Remy Bumppo), Jeff Parker (The Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale, As You Like It, The King’s Speech and more at CST), and Tiffany Scott (The King’s Speech, Sense and Sensibility, and more at CST).

Director Selina Cadell is an acclaimed director and actress. She directed Eddie Izzard’s Hamlet, which saw a record-breaking run at Chicago Shakespeare last year, and also directed Izzard in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. Her other directing credits include Love for Love (Royal Shakespeare Company), The Life I Lead (West End), The Double Dealer (Orange Tree London), The Rivals (Arcola London), The Way of the World and The Rake’s Progress (Wilton’s London). As an actor, her many credits include Top Girls (NYC) /Obie Award, Stanley (NYC), The Madness of King George (NYC), Twelfth Night, The Cherry Orchard (NYC), and A Monster Calls (London), and she has been seen on TV in Midsomer Murders, Queens of Mystery, Poirot, and Doc Martin (Mrs. Tishell). Cadell also runs an opera company with Eliza Thompson, OperaGlass Works, which released a filmed version of La Traviata earlier this year.

The creative team for Much Ado About Nothing also includes Amber Mak (Movement Director), Tom Piper (Scenic and Costume Designer), Jason Lynch (Lighting Designer), Nicholas Pope (Sound Designer), Eliza Thompson (Composer), Bob Mason (Casting), Nathan Allen (Associate Director), Jinni Pike (Production Stage Manager), Katrina Herrmann (Assistant Stage Manager), and Tuesday Thacker (Production Assistant)

PERFORMANCES

Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m.

Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. (no matinee November 19, no evening performance November 26)

Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. (no performance on Thanksgiving, November 27)

Fridays at 7:00 p.m.

Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (no matinee November 22)

Sundays at 2:00 p.m. (plus 6:30 p.m. on November 30)

More information at chicagoshakes.com/muchado or on social media at @chicagoshakes.


CREATIVE TEAM

Selina Cadell - Director
Amber Mak - Movement Director
Tom Piper - Scenic and Costume Designer
Jason Lynch - Lighting Designer
Nicholas Pope - Sound Designer
Eliza Thompson - Composer
Bob Mason - Casting
Nathan Allen - Associate Director
Jinni Pike - Production Stage Manager
Katrina Herrmann - Assistant Stage Manager
Tuesday Thacker - Production Assistant


CAST
Debo Balogun - Don Pedro
Mark Bedard - Don John
Craig Bierko - Benedick
Joey Chelius - Messenger / Second Watch
Sean Fortunato - Dogberry
Kevin Gudahl - Leonato
Suzanne Hannau - First Watch
Deborah Hay - Beatrice
Colin Huerta - Conrade
Samuel B. Jackson - Claudio
Mi Kang - Hero
Jaylon Muchison - Friar / Verges / Balthasar
Felicia Oduh - Ursula
Yona Moises Olivares - Borachio
Jeff Parker - Antonio / Sexton
Tiffany Scott - Margaret
Will Burdin - Understudy
Jonathan Gillard Daly – Understudy
Caroline Kidwell - Understudy
Josh Zambrano - Understudy


CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER (CST)

CST is a leading international theater company and the nation’s largest year-round theater dedicated to the works of Shakespeare. Under the visionary leadership of Artistic Director Edward Hall and Executive Director Kimberly Motes, the Regional Tony Award recipient is committed to creating vivid, entertaining theatrical experiences that invigorate and engage people of all ages and identities by illuminating the complexity, ambiguity, and wonder of our world. Each year, nearly a quarter of a million people experience CST’s artistry through more than 12 productions. With Shakespeare at the heart of the artistic work, CST also produces compelling, contemporary stories from fresh voices of today. CST brings the world to Chicago and sends Chicago out into the world as Chicago’s foremost presenter of international theater, and consistent producer of North American and world premieres. Serving more students and teachers than any theater in the city, CST annually welcomes more than 20,000 students to performances and programs like Chicago Shakespeare SLAM, alongside professional development opportunities for teachers. CST activates its campus with three venues: 700-seat The Yard; the 500-seat Jentes Family Courtyard Theater; and the 200-seat Carl and Marilynn Thoma Upstairs Studio. Free programs like Shakes in the City bring performances to parks and community spaces across Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods. Shared humanity and unforgettable stories—now THIS is Chicago Shakespeare. www.chicagoshakes.com

THE HOUSE THAT WILL NOT STAND Via Invictus Theatre Company October 28 - December 14, 2025

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Cast and production team announced for 

THE HOUSE THAT WILL NOT STAND

October 28 - December 14, 2025

Aaron Reese Boseman to direct Marcus Gardley’s drama set in 1813 New Orleans

Invictus Theatre Company’s follow-up to its enormously successful production of ANGELS IN AMERICA will be THE HOUSE THAT WILL NOT STAND, by Marcus Gardley, a former playwright-in-residence at Chicago’s Victory Gardens Theatre. Company member and Jeff Award nominee, Aaron Reese Boseman, who previously directed Invictus’s productions of TOPDPOG/UNDERDOG (2024), THE MOUNTAINTOP (2023), and A RAISIN IN THE SUN (2020), will direct. Gardley’s drama, inspired by Federico Garcia Lorca’s THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA, is set in 1813 New Orleans, as the French-owned Louisiana Territory is about to be acquired by the United States, threatening the liberty of the free people of color residing on the land. A young woman skilled in the art of voodoo, and the appearance of a ghost, play into this story set during a very real, but little-known and disturbing chapter of United States history. 

THE HOUSE THAT WILL NOT STAND has been produced at some of North America’s most prestigious theaters, including Berkeley Rep, Yale Rep, the New York Theatre Workshop (where it won the Off-Broadway OBIE Award for Playwriting), and the Shaw Festival in Ontario, Canada. Invictus’ production will be the drama’s first professional Chicago production since it was staged at Victory Gardens Theater in 2016. Performances are at the Windy City Playhouse, 3014 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago. I'll be out for the press opening Monday, November 3rd, so check back soon after for my full review. 

Boseman announced his cast today. Appearing as Beartrice Albans, a free woman of color who struggles to maintain her daughters’ independence, will be Britt Edwards, a veteran of seven shows at Black Ensemble Theatre, where she has played such luminaries as Donna Summer, Sheila E, and Tina Turner. Agnès Albans, the strong-willed and sensual eldest daughter, will be played by Kaylah Marie Crosby, whose credits include performances with Steppenwolf, Writers Theatre, and Court Theatre. Cast as Maude Lynn Albans, Beartrice’s light-hearted middle daughter, is Sierra Coachman, who appeared in BENEATH THE WILLOW TREE for Pulse Theatre. Coachman has also performed at the Goodman, Court Theatre and Griffin Theatre, among others. Odette Albans, the youngest daughter, will be played by Aysia Slade, making her Chicago debut after many credits in Raleigh, North Carolina. Shenise Brown, a veteran of productions with Northlight Theatre, Black Ensemble Theatre, MPAACT, and others, will be Makeda — the Albans’ servant who is known for her wisdom and regal presence.

Playing La Veuve, a free woman of color who is Beartrice’s sworn enemy, will be Sandra Adjoumani. Adjoumani appeared in THE MAMALOGUES for Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre and additionally has many credits with Yellow Rose Theatre and Second City Skybox. Marie Josephine, Beartrice’s clairvoyant sister, will be played by Jimiece Gilbert, who has appeared with such companies as ETA Creative Arts, Black Ensemble Theatre, and Invictus, where she understudied key roles in A RAISIN IN THE SUN and ‘NIGHT, MOTHER.

Longtime Chicago actor Ron Quade, whose recent appearances include THE INNOCENCE OF SEDUCTION with City Lit Theatre, will play Lazare, the father of Beartrice’s daughters. Bryan Nicholas Carter, who is just completing his role in GANGSTA BABY with Open Space Arts, will play The Man with the Bamboula. Understudies are Quenna Lené (u/s Beartrice, Marie Josephine), Sarah Driessen (u/s Agnés, Maude Lynn), Karli Scott (u/s Odette), LaTorious R. Givens (u/s Makeda, La Veuve), Ronald McDowell (u/s Man with the Bamboula), and Charles Askenaizer (Lazare).




Top Row (Left to Right): Sandra Adjoumani (La Veuve), Shenise Brown (Makeda), Bryan Nicholas Carter (Man with the Bamboula), Sierra Coachman (Maude Lynn)

Second Row Down from Top (Left to Right): Kaylah Marie Crosby (Agnés), Sarah Driessen (U/S-Agnés and Maude Lynn), Britt Edwards (Beartrice), Jimiece Gilbert (Marie Josephine)

Third Row Down from Top (Left to Right): LaTorious R. Givens (U/S- Makeda and La Veuve), Quenna Lené (U/S- Beartrice and Marie Josephine), Ronald McDowell (U/S-Man With The Bamboula), Ron Quade (Lazare)

Bottom Row (Left to Right): Karli Scott (U/S- Odette), Aysia Slade (Odette)

The production team that will recreate the beauty and romance of New Orleans of 1813 in the Windy City Playhouse will include Jeff Award winners Kevin Rolfs (Scenic Designer) and Petter Wahlbäck (Sound Designer); and Christie Chiles Twillie (Composer), Terrie Devine (Costume Designer), Anika Splettstoeszer (Wardrobe Supervisor), Levi J. Wilkins (Lighting Designer), Mark Brown (Production Electrician), Mariah Bennett (Properties Designer), Rueben Echoles (Wig, Hair, and Makeup Designer), Jessica Moore (Wig, Hair, and Makeup Assistant), Greg Geffrard (Violence and Intimacy), Susan Gosdick (Dialect Coach), Cliford St. Laurent (Dialect Consultant), Isis Elizabeth (Assistant Director and Movement), Anthony Doyle (Stage Manager), Laura Courtney (Assistant Stage Manager), Tom McNelis (Technical Director), and Becca Holloway (Casting Director). Invictus staff includes Charles Askenaizer (Artistic Director), Todd Henry Faulstich (Executive Producer), Mary Carroll Dougherty (Marketing Director), and Ana Schedler (Graphic Design).

Performances are Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays at 7:00 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays at 1:00 p.m. (No performances November 28, 29 and 30). Tickets are $38.00 for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday performances and $25.00 for Monday performances (except opening night, Monday, November 3). Tickets are on sale now at https://www.invictustheatreco.com/house.

Production Details
October 28 – December 14, 2025
Previews: October 28 and 31 at 7 p.m., November 1 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., November 2 at 1 p.m.
Press Opening: Monday, November 3 at 7 p.m.
Closing: Sunday December 14 at 1 p.m.

Performances Fridays, Saturdays, Mondays at 7 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays at 1 p.m.
No performances November 28, 29 and 30 (Thanksgiving Weekend)
Performances at Windy City Playhouse, 3014 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago
Ticket prices: Previews $25. Mondays $25 (except Opening Night 11/3 is $38).

In early nineteenth-century New Orleans, widowed mother Beartrice struggles to manage her headstrong daughters after the death of her second husband. But as the matriarch takes her place as head of the household, a more ominous transfer of power transpires in the region. The French-owned Louisiana Territory is about to be acquired by the United States, threatening the liberty of the free people of color residing on the land. A gripping examination of intersecting captivities, THE HOUSE THAT WILL NOT STAND follows four women in mourning as they look ahead to an uncertain and haunting future.

BIOS

Aaron Reese Boseman (Director) is a Chicago native and a graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Direction and Acting. He directed Invictus’s acclaimed productions of TOPDOG/UNDERDOG, THE MOUNTAINTOP, and A RAISIN IN THE SUN and is a Jeff Award, Black Excellence Award, and Black Theatre Alliance Award nominated theatre artist. He is also co-founder and Artistic Director of PULSE Theatre Chicago, where his directing credits include the world premiere of BENEATH THE WILLOW TREE by Isis Elizabeth, the Jeff Award Winning production of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, IN THE BLOOD, THE COLORED MUSEUM, FABULATION, OR THE RE-EDUCATION OF UNDINE, and A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE. Other directing credits include AMERICAN SON (Ghostlight Theatre), NETWORTH, ROOM FOR MORE (Film Series), FABULATION OR, THE RE-EDUCATION OF UNDINE, DETROIT '67 (Columbia College Chicago-Mainstage),THE MUSIC MAN (Metropolis Performing Arts) and FAIRVIEW (Theatre at Cedar Rapids), THE TIGER WHO WORE WHITE GLOVES (eta Creative Arts Foundation), THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT, S'KIN, THE PHILADELPHIA (Columbia College Chicago). Boseman is also an adjunct professor of Theatre at Columbia College Chicago.

Recent Acting Credits include BLUE HEAVEN (Black Ensemble Theater), RAGTIME (Metropolis Performing Arts), RUINED (Invictus Theatre), BIG RIVER (TATC), SHREK THE MUSICAL (Windy City Performs), IN THE HEIGHTS (The Miracle Center, Slate), VIOLET, BALM IN GILEAD (Griffin Theatre and Loyola University), GOLDEN BOY, DO RE MI (Porchlight Music Theatre), RENT (CCC), and LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Skylight Music Theatre and Citadel Theatre).

Marcus Gardley (Playwright) is an acclaimed poet, playwright, and screenwriter whom THE NEW YORKER describes as “the heir to Garcia Lorca, Pirandello and Tennessee Williams.” His plays include THE HOUSE THAT WILL NOT STAND, which had its world premiere at Yale Rep in 2014, and for which he received the 2018 AUDELCO Award and the 2019 OBIE Award; X: OR, BETTY SHABAZZ V. THE NATION; BLACK ODYSSEY (2023 Drama Desk nomination); THE GOSPEL OF LOVING KINDNESS; EVERY TONGUE CONFESS; ON THE LEVEE, music and lyrics by Todd Almond (commissioned by Yale Rep); …AND JESUS MOONWALKS THE MISSISSIPPI; THE ROAD WEEPS, THE WELL RUNS DRY; and DANCE OF THE HOLY GHOSTS (Yale Rep world premiere, 2006).

Charles Askenaizer (Artistic Director) is the Founding Artistic Director of Invictus Theatre Company. He won the 2023 Jeff Award (Non-Equity Wing) for his direction of the company’s WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?, which also won Jeff Awards for Production of a Play, Scenic Design (Kevin Rolfs), and Performer in a Supporting Role – Play (Rachel Livingston). Other recent Invictus directing credits include: ANGELS IN AMERICA, THE WINTER’S TALE, NETWORK, THREE SISTERS, THE CRUCIBLE (Jeff Award Nominations-Director, Production), JULIUS CAESAR, HAMLET, 'NIGHT, MOTHER (Associate Director), THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, and OTHELLO: THE MOOR OF VENICE. Directing credits outside of Invictus include TITUS ANDRONICUS (Bare Knuckles Theater), JULIUS CAESAR (Associate Director- Brown Paper Box), THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA (Reutan Collective) and readings with Chicago Dramatists and Piccolo Theater. Since 2018, Charles has also directed several productions for Invictus's outreach programming in partnership with the Cook County Juvenile Justice System and Lawrence Hall. In 2024, Charles was named one of New City Magazine’s “Players 50 2024: The Rising Stars and Storefront Stalwarts.”

ABOUT INVICTUS THEATRE COMPANY

At Invictus Theatre Company, our mission is to create theatre that promotes a better understanding of language: its poetry, its rhythm, its resonance; through diverse works by diverse artists. We respect the power of heightened language: spoken, written, sung; to express the breadth of the human condition. We work to harness the power of language: to promote diversity, to engender respect, to foster collaboration; and to empower our communities to share their voices.

Invictus Theatre Company incorporated in January 2017 and received its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in February 2017. A diverse group of Chicago actors and directors founded Invictus with the vision to empower their communities through theatrical productions of heightened language. We are committed to the idea that our productions should reflect the communities we represent, and, to that end, we are committed to non-discriminatory hiring practices. In working with local artists, designers, and production teams, Invictus Theatre Company does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, nationality, citizenship, religion, or any other status protected by law.

Invictus Theatre Company is generously supported by Michael and Mona Heath of The Heath Fund, The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Untouchable Times Tours, Inc., and the Illinois Arts Council

JEKYLL & HYDE Via Kokandy Productions at The Chopin Theatre October 9 – December 21, 2025

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Kokandy Productions Presents

JEKYLL & HYDE

October 9 – December 21, 2025 at The Chopin Theatre

Pictured (left to right) Emily McCormick, David Moreland and Ava Stovall in a publicity image

for Kokandy Productions’ production of Jekyll & Hyde. Photo by Collin Quinn Rice.

Just in time for Halloween, Kokandy Productions embraces gothic horror with a revival of Jekyll & Hyde – the first Chicago staging of the macabre musical in over 15 years. Directed by Producing Artistic Director Derek Van Barham with music direction by Nick Sula and choreography by Brenda Didier, Jekyll & Hyde will play October 9 – December 21, 2025 on the The Chopin Theatre Mainstage, 1543 W. Division St. in Chicago. I'll be ChiILin' with Chi, IL's Kokandy Productions on Halloween night, so check back shortly after for my full review. Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we've been covering Kokandy's fabulous productions since their inception in 2010 and they just get better every season! 

Featuring the full orchestration and a 15-piece orchestra, the epic and sweeping score takes the company to the Chopin Mainstage for the first time, creating a chilling chamber for this haunting tale. Tickets are on sale now at kokandyproductions.com or bit.ly/JekyllChicago. 
Based on the story by Robert Louis Stevenson, Jekyll & Hyde is conceived for the stage by Frank Wildhorn and Steve Cuden, with book and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and music by Frank Wildhorn.

Audiences will be taken to the moral limit by David Moreland (Cruel Intentions, American Psycho) in the titular roles of Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Edward Hyde. Ava Stovall (Alice by Heart) returns to Kokandy as Lucy Harris (the Red Rat's main attraction and Hyde's obsession) and Emily McCormick makes her Kokandy debut as Emma Carew (Jekyll's fiance). The trio will be joined by Nathan Calaranan (Sir Danvers Carew), Ismael Garcia (Lord Savage), Jon Parker Jackson (Bishop of Basingstoke), Quinn Kelch (Simon Stride), Quinn Rigg (General Lord Glossop), Gabby Sauceda-Koziol (Sir Archibold Proops) Quinn Simmons (Poole), Maiko Terazawa (Lady Beaconsfield) and Kevin Webb (Gabriel John Utterson).

Swings include Jeffrey Gougis Jr, Emily Ling Mei, Caitlin Preuss, Anna Seibert, Jaxson Smith and Kelan M. Smith.

About the Production:
An evocative tale of two men – one, a doctor, passionate and romantic; the other, a terrifying madman – and two women – one, beautiful and trusting; the other, beautiful and trusting only herself – both women in love with the same man and both unaware of his dark secret. A devoted man of science, Dr. Henry Jekyll is driven to find a chemical breakthrough that can solve some of mankind's most challenging medical dilemmas. Rebuffed by the powers that be, he decides to make himself the subject of his own experimental treatments, accidentally unleashing his inner demons along with the man that the world would come to know as Mr. Hyde.

Producing Artistic Director Derek Van Barham comments, “At the heart of Jekyll & Hyde is a question... and a dare: how far is too far, and are we willing to take the risk and find out? In spending our fall with this beloved gothic thriller, we're taking the dare, heading upstairs and going full swoon into penny dreadful pulp. With a 15-piece orchestra supporting our cast, the music will drive us to the edge, taunting and tantalizing us with a curiosity that is provocative, sexy and scary as hell. Do you dare?

Music Director Nick Sula adds, “We are so excited to explore the broad range and color of the full orchestration, to emphasize the theme of duality – powerful brass paired with agile woodwinds, bold synths and percussion contrasting the elegant string quartet – all accompanying the passionate ballads and the intimate duets, from the explosions of full ensemble chorus to the quiet intensity of personal revelations. With the largest orchestra in Kokandy history and a cast of powerhouse voices, this production is sure to be an unforgettable experience!”

The production team includes Sotirios Livaditis (Scenic Design), Rachel Sypniewski (Costume Design), G “Max” Maxin IV (Lighting Design), Matt Reich (Sound Design), Forrest Gregor (Associate Sound Design), Syd Genco (Make-up Design), Keith Ryan (Wig Design), Charlie Baker (Violence Director), Kirsten Baity (Intimacy Director), Shane Roberie (Casting Director), Nicholas Reinhart (Production Manager), Kendyl Meyer (Assistant Production Manager), Hannah Kwak (A1), Christine Burquest (A2), Shelby Burgus (Stage Manager) and Yasmeen Abiad (Assistant Stage Manager).



PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Conceived for the Stage by Frank Wildhorn & Steve Cuden

Book and Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse

Music by Frank Wildhorn

Based on the story by Robert Louis Stevenson

Directed by Derek Van Barham

Music Direction by Nick Sula

Choreography by Brenda Didier

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

Dates: Previews: Thursday, October 9 – Friday, October 24, 2025

Press performance: Saturday, October 25 at 7 pm

Regular run: Sunday, October 26 – Sunday, December 21, 2025

Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm; Sundays at 5 pm. Please note: there will be an added performance on Wednesday, November 26 at 7 pm; there will not be a performance on Thursday, November 27 (Thanksgiving Day).

Tickets: Previews $25 general admission, $33 reserved seating. Regular run $45 general admission, $55 reserved seating. Students/Seniors $35. There will be a limited number of $15 tickets (with code ARTIST) available to artists for each performance. Tickets are on sale now at kokandyproductions.com or bit.ly/JekyllChicago.



About the Artists

Derek Van Barham (Director) is the Producing Artistic Director of Kokandy Productions. Directing credits include Children of Eden in Concert (Broadway In Chicago), Amélie, Into the Woods, Alice by Heart, Sweeney Todd, American Psycho, Head Over Heels (3 Jeff Awards and 2 Jeff nominations, Kokandy); Spring Awakening (Flint Rep); Rock of Ages (Metropolis); The View Upstairs (Circle Theatre); Miracle by Dan Savage, Poseidon (Hell in a Handbag); Carrie, Bat Boy, Merrily We Roll Along (CCPA/Roosevelt University). Choreography credits include Evil Dead (Jeff nomination), Coraline the Musical, Ghost Quartet and Shockheaded Peter (Black Button Eyes). He was previously named one of Windy City Times’ 30 Under 30, and one of Newcity Magazine’s 50 Players 2024. MFA: CCPA/Roosevelt University. IG: @dvbarham

Nick Sula (Music Director) is an award-winning pianist and music director, proud to return to Kokandy Productions and the Chopin Theatre where he served as music director for the Jeff Award-winning productions of Sweeney Todd (Jeff Award for Outstanding Music Direction), Into the Woods (Jeff Awards for Outstanding Music Direction and Orchestrations), as well as the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival. Other Chicago theatre music direction credits include: Anything Goes (Jeff nomination) with Porchlight Music Theatre; Ghost Quartet (Jeff nomination), Mary Rose, Nevermore, Amour and Coraline with Black Button Eyes Productions; Myths & Hymns, The Glorious Ones (Jeff nomination), Hello Again, La Cage aux Folles and Pippin with BoHo Theatre. As a professor of musical theatre he serves as a music director, instructor and vocal coach at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.

Brenda Didier (Choreographer) is thrilled to collaborate with Derek (DVB) for the first time and to return to Kokandy after choreographing Grand Hotel in 2018 (Jeff nomination). Direction and/or Choreography credits include work with: Chicago Shakespeare Theater, The Goodman, Marriott, Paramount, Porchlight Music Theatre, Mercury Theater, Theo and many others. Tour: Kenny Rogers Christmas Tour, Cirque Shanghai: Navy Pier Skyline Stage and productions in Atlantic City, Las Vegas and the New Victory Theatre in New York. Ms. Didier made her TV Choreography debut with T-Mobile's national holiday commercial "Home for the Holidays." She is a multiple Jeff Award recipient in both Direction and Choreography (Equity and Non-Equity wings) and Artistic Director/Founder of The Lincolnshire Academy of Dance, now in its 28th Season. "Thank you to Derek, Nick, Shane, Scot and our incredible cast, design team, band and crew! Thank you for supporting live theatre! Love to Mike, Mom, family and friends!”

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

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

For additional information, visit www.kokandyproductions.com.

The Artistic Home to present Tracy Letts’ SUPERIOR DONUTS November 2 - December 6 at The Den Theatre

ChiIL Live Shows on our Radar:

The Artistic Home to present 

Tracy Letts’ SUPERIOR DONUTS 

November 2 - December 6 at The Den Theatre

Ensemble member John Mossman to direct - full cast announced

The Artistic Home announced today it will stage Tracy Letts’ Chicago-set SUPERIOR DONUTS for a five-week run. This comedy drama, which premiered at Steppenwolf Theatre in 2008 and transferred to Broadway in 2009, is set in a run-down donut shop in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood. The owner, Arthur Przybyszewski, is a former 1960’s radical whose routine is challenged when he hires Franco Wicks, a young African American man who has ideas for upgrading the shop. The play was also developed as a weekly television series for CBS that starred Judd Hirsch and ran for two seasons. SUPERIOR DONUTS will be directed by ensemble member John Mossman, who won a Jeff award for his direction of the company’s REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT. Mossman also boasts three Jeff Award acting nominations and is a filmmaker. He directed and co-wrote the award winning feature film INTO THE WAKE, wrote and directed GOOD GUY WITH A GUN, and has written and directed several short films that have won top awards at numerous international film festivals. SUPERIOR DONUTS will open to the press on Thursday, November 6 at 7:30 pm, following previews from November 2. It will play through December 6 at The Den Theatre at 1331 N. Milwaukee Avenue.

Mossman’s cast, announced today, will include a mix of Artistic Home ensemble members and newcomers. The role of Arthur Przybyszewski will be played by Scott Westerman*, the Chicago actor/director/filmmaker who appeared as James Whale in 2024’s GODS AND MONSTERS for Book and Lyrics Theatricals. Appearing as Franco Wicks will be John N. Williams, who recently performed in HAIRSPRAY at Beverly Arts Center. Max Tarasov, the owner of a neighboring appliance store who wants to acquire Arthur’s space for expansion of his own business, will be played by Reid Coker* (of the company’s DYING FOR IT). Cast as Randy Osteen, a neighborhood beat cop who takes a liking to Arthur, is Kristin Collins,* last seen in The Artistic Home’s production of WITCH.

The cast also includes Kevin Aoussou (Officer James Bailey), Barbara Roeder Harris (Lady Boyle), Adam Schulmerich (Luther Flynn), Michael Bayler (Kevin Magee), and John Wehrmann (Kiril Ivakin). Understudies are Harold Lloyd (u/s Franco Wicks), Nate Vangine (u/s Officer James Bailey), Mary Mikva (u/s Lady Boyle), John Dooley (u/s Luther Flynn), Christopher Willumsen (u/s Kevin Magee).

* indicates Artistic Home Ensemble member.

Row One L-R: Scott Westerman, John N. Williams, Reid Coker, Kristin Collins

Row Two L-R: Kevin Aoussou, Barbara Roeder Harris, Adam Schulmerich, Michael Bayler, John Wehrman

Row 3 L-R. Mary Mikva, Chris Willumsen, Harold Lloyd, John Dooley, Nate Vangine

The SUPERIOR DONUTS production team includes Kevin Hagan (Scenic Design), Rachel Lambert (Costume Design), Petter Wahlbäck (Sound Design and Original Music), Ellie Fey (Lighting Design), Randy Rozler (Properties Design), and David Blixt (Violence Design).

Previews are Sunday, November 2 at 3:00 pm, Tuesday, November 4 at 7:30 pm, and Wednesday November 6 at 7:30 pm. Beginning with the press opening on Thursday, November 6, the regular performance schedule will be Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 3:00 pm. There will be two performances on Sunday, November 30: a matinee at 1:00 pm at which coffee and donuts will be served, and an early evening performance at 5:00 pm. There will be a matinee on Saturday, December 6 at 3:00 pm. There will be no performance on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27.

The Artistic Home performs at The Den Theatre and also maintains an acting studio and rehearsal space at 3054 N. Milwaukee Avenue in the Avondale/Logan neighborhood. Tickets are $35 general, $20 student, and $20 for previews and are on sale at www.thedentheatre.com.

* Artistic Home ensemble member

PRODUCTION DETAILS:
November 2 - December 6, 2025
Previews Sunday, November 2 at 3:00 pm; Tuesday November 4 and Wednesday, November 5 at 7:30 pm
Press Opening Thursday, November 6 at 7:30 pm
Regular run performances Thursdays*, Fridays, and Saturdays** at 7:30 pm; and Sundays*** at 3:00 pm

* No performance Thanksgiving Day, November 27
** Additional matinee Saturday, December 6 at 3:00 pm
*** Sunday, November 30: Performances at 1:00 pm (special coffee and donuts) and 5:00 pm

The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago
Ticket prices Regular performances: $35 general, $20 students/seniors; previews $20 all seats
Tickets available at www.thedentheatre.com, or by phone at 773-697-3830
More information at www.theartistichome.org

Arthur Przybyszewski owns a decrepit donut shop in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago. Franco Wicks, a black teenager who is his only employee, wants to change the shop for the better. This comedy-drama by Tony Award® and Pulitzer Prize–winning author Tracy Letts explores the challenges of embracing the past and the redemptive power of friendship.

BIOS

John Mossman (Director) John Mossman is co-founder of The Artistic Home, where he directed REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT, winner of four Jeff Awards including Direction of a Play, Production of a Play, Performer in a Principal Role - Play, and Sound Design. He also directed the hit production of BY THE BOG OF CATS, and adapted and directed the world premiere of Paddy Chayefsky's Oscar nominated screenplay THE GODDESS, for which he received an equity Jeff Award for New Adaptation. John’s other Artistic Home productions include directing the Jeff Nominated JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK, LOOK HOMEWARD ANGEL, MARISOL, and the acclaimed revival of William Inge's NATURAL AFFECTION. Other productions include LANDSCAPE OF THE BODY, the revival of Clifford Odet's CLASH BY NIGHT, Beth Henley's THE MISS FIRECRACKER CONTEST, and RIDERS TO THE SEA by J.M. Synge. He directed THE SHADOW OF A GUNMAN for Seanachai Theater, for which he was named one of the top Directors of 2011 by WBEZ; and JULIUS CAESAR for Lakeside Shakespeare Theater.

Also a filmmaker, Mossman directed and co-wrote the award winning feature film INTO THE WAKE, wrote and directed GOOD GUY WITH A GUN, and has written and directed several short films that have won top awards at numerous international film festivals, including the Artistic Home-produced SPACEMAN DAN'S 243RD FLIGHT. He directed the short films DRAGGAGE and JELL-OHH LADY, featured in the American Cinematheque Series at LA's Egyptian Theater, for which he received the Best Director of 2002 award at the Midwest Independent Film Fest. Documentaries include THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS CRAZY, which received a Telly and a Voice Award for its portrayal of teenagers struggling with mental illness. His feature film GOOD GUY WITH A GUN was released in 2022, and his film LINE COOKS is currently in production. His many roles as an actor include Jeff Award nominations as Performer in a Principal Role for PEER GYNT and HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE; and Performer in a Supporting Role for ADA AND THE ENGINE, all with The Artistic Home.

Tracy Letts (Playwright) is an American actor, playwright, and screenwriter. He started his career at the Steppenwolf Theatre before making his Broadway debut as a playwright for AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (2007), for which he received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play. As an actor, he won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for the Broadway revival of WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? (2013). As a playwright, Letts' works include KILLER JOE, BUG, MAN FROM NEBRASKA, AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, SUPERIOR DONUTS, an adaptation of Chekov’s THREE SISTERS, THE STRETCH, MARY PAGE MARLOWE, LINDA VISTA, and THE MINUTES. Letts has adapted three of his plays into films: BUG and KILLER JOE, both directed by William Friedkin: and AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, directed by John Wells.

ABOUT THE ARTISTIC HOME

The Artistic Home is noted for their innovative and intimate presentations of rarely produced classics as well for developing new works. The company has been frequently honored in the Jeff Awards. For 2024, the company was named with two nominations for BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK. For 2023, they received nine nominations for WITCH and DYING FOR IT, including a nomination for Production of a Play (DYING FOR IT) and a win for Kevin Hagan’s scenic design of DYING FOR IT. In 2022, they received nine nominations and two wins – one for New Work (MALAPERT LOVE, written by ensemble member Siah Berlatsky) and one for Supporting Actor in a play (Todd Wojcik – in THE PAVILION). The company’s 2022 nominations also included two for Best Play production (MALAPERT LOVE and THE PAVILION). The Artistic Home was one of the big winners in the 2019 Jeff Awards, with four awards including Production of a Play, Director of a Play, Principal Performer in a Play, and Sound Design, all for REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT. Brookelyn Hebert won a Jeff as Principal Performer in a Play for the company’s 2020 production of ADA AND THE ENGINE. The company was nominated for Jeff Awards in 2019 for ROCK ‘N’ ROLL, and in 2018 for HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE.

Other memorable productions of recent years include 2017’s WEDDING BAND, BY THE BOG OF CATS and THE SCHOOL FOR LIES; their Jeff-nominated productions of THE SEAGULL, WATCH ON THE RHINE, MACBETH and THE LATE HENRY MOSS; and their 2013 Jeff Award-winner THE GODDESS. Other Artistic Home productions include the Jeff-Award-winning production of JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK, which also received three After Dark Awards, the Jeff-Nominated SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH, THE TALLEST MAN, LANDSCAPE OF THE BODY, NATURAL AFFECTION, FIVE WOMEN WEARING THE SAME DRESS, AFTER THE FALL and PEER GYNT (which also received an After Dark award for Direction).

For more than 25 years, The Artistic Home has consistently produced compelling theatre in Chicago. First formed in 1998 with the belief that the actor is at the heart of great theater, the company strives to give birth to unforgettable moments; to touch audiences who are increasingly distanced from human contact; to readdress the classics and explore new works with passion.