Chicago Shakespeare Theater Presents the Midwest Premiere ofJaja's African Hair Braiding January 14–February 2, 2025

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents

the Midwest Premiere of

Jaja’s African Hair Braiding

Direct from a Tony Award-winning Broadway run

A vibrant comedy about West African immigrant women who find community in a Harlem salon

Written by Jocelyn Bioh and directed by Chicago native Whitney White

January 14–February 2 in The Yard

Straight from a twice-extended Broadway run, Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) presents the Midwest premiere of Jaja’s African Hair Braiding. Hailed as “wickedly entertaining” by The Washington Post and nominated for five Tony Awards including Best Play, Jaja’s African Hair Braiding was written by award-winning, Ghanaian-American playwright Jocelyn Bioh (School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, Nollywood Dreams) and is directed by Chicago native, Tony Award nominee, and Obie Award winner Whitney White (Our Dear Dead Drug Lord, What to Send Up When It Goes Down). The production runs January 14–February 2, 2025 in The Yard. 

The cast includes Melanie Brezill, Leovina Charles, Victoire Charles, Yao Dogbe, Mia Ellis, Tiffany Renee Johnson, Jordan Rice, Awa Sal Secka, Aisha Sougou, and Bisserat Tseggai.

This vibrant comedic gem offers a glimpse into the lives of a group of West African immigrant women who find community in a bustling Harlem hair salon. Over the course of a sweltering summer day, love ignites, dreams soar, and secrets unravel. Uncertainty simmers below the surface, and when it boils over, this tight-knit community is forced to confront what it means to be an outsider on the edge of the place they call home. With humor as rich as its characters, this play weaves hilarious moments with profound insights to create “an overwhelmingly affectionate portrait of Black female joy” (TheaterMania). 

Jaja's African Hair Braiding is a co-production with Arena Stage, Berkeley Repertory Theater, and La Jolla Playhouse and is presented in association with Madison Wells Live and LaChanze. The play had its world premiere at Manhattan Theatre Club.

"It's such a joy to be able to give the gift of this whip smart, funny, and original comedy to Chicago audiences,” shared Artistic Director Edward Hall. “Like all great comedies, there is plenty to laugh about and reflect on as Whitney White has orchestrated Jocelyn Bioh's play with the kind of dramatic perfection that is as rare as it is supremely enjoyable.”

"I am thrilled and honored that audiences beyond Broadway will get to come to 'the shop' and meet the vibrant women of Jaja's African Hair Braiding,” says Playwright Jocelyn Bioh. “This play means so much to me as both a native New Yorker and as a first-generation Ghanaian American as it speaks to the heart of what makes our country so beautifully unique: its rich diversity of people and culture. There is a real universality to these women's experiences, and I can't wait for audiences to connect and fall in love with each of them." 

The cast features three performers returning to the Chicago Shakespeare stage: Melanie Brezill, whose CST credits include As You Like It and The Comedy of Errors, along with Broadway and National Tour credits in The Book of Mormon, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and Mamma Mia!; Yao Dogbe, returning to CST after appearing in Richard III, Twelfth Night, and Short Shakespeare! Macbeth; and Tiffany Renee Johnson, who appeared in CST’s Red Velvet and whose other Chicago credits include Blues for an Alabama Sky at Remy Bumppo Theatre, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play at Goodman Theatre, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom at Writers Theatre. 

Making CST debuts are Leovina Charles (The Lion King on Broadway, Lempicka at La Jolla Playhouse), Victoire Charles (Golden Age and Ruined at Manhattan Theatre Club), Mia Ellis (The Amen Corner at Shakespeare Theatre Company), Jordan Rice (Ava DuVernay’s film Selma), Awa Sal Secka (After Midnight at Paper Mill Playhouse, Goddess at Berkeley Repertory Theater), Aisha Sougou (Beehive and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical at Marriott Theatre), and Bisserat Tseggai (The Jungle at St. Ann’s Warehouse, For All The Women Who Thought They Were Mad at Soho Repertory Theater).

Playwright Jocelyn Bioh is a Tony Award-nominated, Ghanian-American writer and performer from New York City. Her other work includes Merry Wives, which won the 2022 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Adaptation, Nollywood Dreams, Broadway-bound musical Goddess, and the multi-award-winning School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, which has been produced more than 65 times regionally and in the UK. She was a Tow Playwriting Fellow and has won several playwriting awards including the Drama Guild’s Hull-Warriner Prize, Steinberg Playwright Award, Lortel Award, and Drama Desk Award. Bioh has also written for TV series including Russian Doll, Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It, Tiny Beautiful Things, and The Acolyte, and is also writing the upcoming film adaptation of the Broadway musical Once on This Island for Disney.

Director Whitney White is an Obie Award and Lilly Award-winning, as well as a Tony Award-nominated, director, writer, and musician from Chicago. Jaja’s African Hair Braiding marks her CST debut, but it is also a homecoming; she fondly remembers field trips to CST productions as a high school student and credits a Shakespeare workshop at CST as an impactful early-career experience. Her Chicago credits include directing The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington at Steppenwolf Theatre, and other directing credits include the upcoming Broadway production of The Last Five Years starring Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren, What To Send Up When It Goes Down (NYT Critic’s Pick) and Jordans at The Public Theater, The Secret Life of Bees at The Almeida in the UK, and Soft at MCC Theatre (NYT Critic’s Pick). Original works include Semblance (New York Theatre Workshop), Definition (Bushwick Starr), and Macbeth in Stride (American Repertory Theater, Under the Radar Festival at The Public Theater), for which she won an Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Musical Performance. Her four-part cycle deconstructing Shakespeare’s women is currently in development with American Repertory Theater and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

White is joined by the creative team from the Broadway production, including three-time Tony-winning scenic designer David Zinn (Stereophonic, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical, The Humans), returning to CST after designing the set for The Notebook; costume designer Dede Ayite, the first Black woman to win a Tony Award for Best Costume Design of a Play (Jaja’s African Hair Braiding); Tony Award-nominated lighting designer Jiyoun Chang (Stereophonic, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf, Slave Play); Tony-nominated original music and sound designer Justin Ellington (Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf); Tony-nominated video designer Stefania Bulbarella (Jaja’s African Hair Braiding); and Tony Award-winning hair and wig designer Nikiya Mathis (Jaja’s African Hair Braiding). The company also includes associate director Manna-Symone Middlebrooks, dialect and vocal coach Yetunde Felix-Ukwu, intimacy consultant Sierra Young, associate sound designer Dwaine Potts, stage manager Melanie J. Lisby, and assistant stage manager Brillian Qi-Bell. Casting is by Caparelliotis Casting, Kelly Gillespie and Erica A. Hart.

There will be a student matinee performance during the run which will host nearly 600 students, 90% of whom are from Chicago Public Schools. This is one of many live performance opportunities for students offered in the 2024/2025 season, including student matinees of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Pericles this fall and 40 performances of Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the spring.

I'll be out for the press opening for Jaja’s African Hair Braiding on January 17th, so check back shortly after for my full review. 

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

PERFORMANCE DETAILS:

Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m.

Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (no matinee on January 15)

Thursdays at 7:00 p.m.

Fridays at 7:00 p.m.

Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Sundays at 2:00 p.m.

Chicago Shakespeare strives to make its facility and performances accessible to all patrons. Accessible seating, assistive listening devices, large-print and Braille programs, and sensory tools are available at every performance. Enhanced performances include:

Audio-described performance with optional touch tour – Sunday, January 26 at 2:00 p.m.

A program that provides spoken narration of a play’s key visual elements for patrons who are blind or have low vision. Touch Tours provide patrons the opportunity to experience, firsthand, a production’s design elements.

Open captioned performances – Wednesday, January 29 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

A text display of the words and sounds heard during a play, synced live with the action onstage.

ASL interpreted performance – Thursday, January 30 at 7:00 p.m.

All dialogue and lyrics are translated into American Sign Language by two certified interpreters

CREATIVE TEAM

Jocelyn Bioh - Playwright

Whitney White - Director 

David Zinn - Set Designer

Dede Ayite - Costume Designer

Jiyoun Chang - Lighting Designer 

Justin Ellington - Original Music and Sound Designer

Stefania Bulbarella - Video Designer

Nikiya Mathis - Hair and Wig Designer

Manna-Symone Middlebrooks - Associate Director

Yetunde Felix-Ukwu - Dialect and Vocal Coach

Erica A. Hart, CSA - Casting

Kelly Gillespie, CSA - Casting

David Caparelliotis, CSA - Casting

Sierra Young - Intimacy Consultant

Dwaine Potts - Associate Sound Designer

Melanie J. Lisby - Stage Manager

Brillian Qi-Bell - Assistant Stage Manager

CAST

Melanie Brezill - Michelle, Chrissy, LaNiece

Leovina Charles - Vanessa, Sheila, Radia

Victoire Charles - Jaja

Yao Dogbe - James, Franklin, Olu, Eric

Mia Ellis - Jennifer

Tiffany Renee Johnson - Aminata

Jordan Rice - Marie

Awa Sal Secka - Bea

Aisha Sougou - Ndidi

Bisserat Tseggai - Miriam

Onye Eme-Akwari - Nollywood Dreams Actor

Morgan Scott - Nollywood Dreams Actor

Kevin Medesse Aousso - Understudy

Renea S. Brown - Understudy

Debora Crabbe - Understudy

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER (CST)

A Regional Tony Award recipient, Chicago Shakespeare Theater produces a bold and innovative year-round season that includes Shakespeare, original plays, musicals, family programming, and international theatrical events. CST is committed to serving as a cultural center across its three stages—the 700+ seat Yard, 500 seat Jentes Family Courtyard Theater, and the 200 seat Carl and Marilynn Thoma Upstairs Studio as well as in classrooms, neighborhoods, and venues around the world. CST has a deep commitment to education and lifelong learning with robust programming for students, teachers, and lifelong learners, and engagement with communities across the city. Onstage, in classrooms and neighborhoods across the city, and in venues around the world, Chicago Shakespeare is a multifaceted theater—inviting audiences, artists, and community members to share powerful stories that illuminate the complexities, ambiguities, and wonders of our world. www.chicagoshakes.com

SAVE THE DATE: Three-time Jeff Award winner Ron OJ Parson to direct Hymn at Chicago Shakespeare Theater April 29–May 25

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

Three-time Jeff Award winner Ron OJ Parson to direct 

Hymn

Olivier Award winner Lolita Chakrabarti  re-sets her acclaimed play in Chicago

April 29–May 25 in the Courtyard Theater

Three-time Jeff Award winner, Ron OJ Parson and Hymn, Olivier Award winner, Lolita Chakrabarti

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces renowned Chicago director Ron OJ Parson will helm the North American premiere of Lolita Chakrabarti’s Hymn, making his CST directorial debut. Chakrabarti has re-imagined her play in the South Side of Chicago, following an acclaimed premiere at London’s Almeida Theatre. The creative team also includes scenic and projection designer Rasean Davonté Johnson, costume designer Yvonne Miranda, lighting designer Jason Lynch, and sound designer and composer Willow James. The production runs April 29–May 25, 2025 in the Jentes Family Courtyard Theater. 

Hymn charts the lives of two middle-aged Black men as they form a deep bond in an intimate exploration of the loyalties and betrayals of brothers, fathers, and sons. The play received five-star reviews in its UK premiere from The Observer, The Daily Mail, and WhatsOnStage, which hailed it as “mind-blowingly excellent.”

“I wanted to write a story of two Black men who find love with each other—a familial, platonic love,” says Chakrabarti. “My own male friends have often surprised me with their sensitivity, femininity, fussiness, insecurities, fun, kindness, and warmth—the list goes on. Hymn was born out of my desire to tell a different story. To reframe this play for Chicago is very exciting indeed, and I believe it will lend itself beautifully to this city’s rich culture.”

CST artistic director Edward Hall said, "In my brief time in Chicago it has not taken me long to get acquainted with the work of the brilliant Ron OJ Parson. Both Lolita and I felt he was the missing piece in this delicate jigsaw, and I am deeply happy that the play resonated so powerfully with him. This will be Ron’s Chicago Shakespeare debut, and I am delighted to be welcoming the director of such a huge and important body of work into our company."

“I’ve long admired the work at Chicago Shakespeare, during my theater journey here in Chicago,” said Parson. “I am truly honored to be working on Hymn by world-renowned playwright Lolita Chakrabarti. As my journey continues, what better play than a play about brothers, family, love, faith, and hope. What the world needs a lot of. Peace.”

Lolita Chakrabarti won the Olivier Award for Best New Play for her adaptation of Yann Martel’s novel Life of Pi, which later went on to a Tony Award-winning Broadway run and a national tour. Her adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel Hamnet premiered at the Royal Shakespeare Company and the West End last year. Chakrabarti’s debut play Red Velvet enjoyed an acclaimed run at CST in 2017.

Ron OJ Parson is the co-founder and former artistic director of Onyx Theatre Ensemble, a resident artist at Court Theatre, and an ensemble member at TimeLine Theatre. In 2022, he received the Zelda Fichandler Award from the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation and was recognized as the Chicago Tribune’s Chicagoan of the Year for Theater. He has won three Jeff Awards for directing for Relentless at TimeLine Theatre, and Blues for an Alabama Sky and Fences at Court Theatre. Other credits include East Texas Hot Links, The Lion In Winter, Arsenic and Old Lace, Two Trains Running, King Hedley II, Radio Golf, Five Guys Named Moe, Gem of the Ocean, Seven Guitars, Jitney, and The Piano Lesson at Court Theatre, Trouble in Mind, Too Heavy For Your Pocket, and A Raisin in the Sun at TimeLine Theatre Company, Toni Stone and Sweat at Goodman Theatre, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and East Texas Hot Links at Writers Theatre.

Parson is joined on the creative team by scenic and projection designer Rasean Davonté Johnson, a two-time Jeff Award winner returning to Chicago Shakespeare after Measure for Measure and It Came From Outer Space, with other recent credits including Romeo and Juliet at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Lucha Teotl at Goodman Theatre, and Her Honor Jane Byrne at Lookingglass Theatre; costume designer Yvonne Miranda, who makes her CST debut with recent credits including Leroy & Lucy at Steppenwolf Theatre, Primary Trust at Goodman Theatre, and The Hot Wing King at Writers Theatre; lighting designer Jason Lynch, a Jeff Award winner returning to CST after Beauty and the Beast, with other credits including Layalina and the ripple, the wave that carried me home at Goodman Theatre and Choir Boy at Steppenwolf Theatre; and sound designer and composer Willow James, who returns to CST after Twelfth Night, with other credits including A Christmas Carol, The Penelopiad, and The Nacirema Society at Goodman Theatre.

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

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER (CST)

A Regional Tony Award recipient, Chicago Shakespeare Theater produces a bold and innovative year-round season that includes Shakespeare, original plays, musicals, family programming, and international theatrical events. CST is committed to serving as a cultural center across its three stages—the 700+ seat Yard, 500 seat Jentes Family Courtyard Theater, and the 200 seat Carl and Marilynn Thoma Upstairs Studio as well as in classrooms, neighborhoods, and venues around the world. CST has a deep commitment to education and lifelong learning with robust programming for students, teachers, and lifelong learners, and engagement with communities across the city. Onstage, in classrooms and neighborhoods across the city, and in venues around the world, Chicago Shakespeare is a multifaceted theater—inviting audiences, artists, and community members to share powerful stories that illuminate the complexities, ambiguities, and wonders of our world. www.chicagoshakes.com

Chicago Shakespeare Theater Presents Henry V September 6–October 6, 2024

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Henry V

September 6–October 6, 2024

Artistic Director Edward Hall directs a powerhouse ensemble cast in Shakespeare’s epic tale of war and power

Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents William Shakespeare’s Henry V, staged by Artistic Director Edward Hall in the Courtyard Theater, September 6–October 6. Elijah Jones makes his Chicago Shakespeare Theater debut in the title role, leading a company that also features Scott Aiello, Donté Bonner, Ronald L. Conner, Rachel Crowl, Alejandra Escalante, Sean Fortunato, Kate Fry, Courtney Rikki Green, Gregory Linington, Jaylon Muchison, Adam Poss, and Demetrios Troy. 

Following his groundbreaking production of Richard III last season, Artistic Director Edward Hall opens the fall season with Henry V. Shakespeare’s tale of power and youthful ambition examines the realities of war and nationalism at its most dangerous and seductive. From the evocative opening line, “O for a Muse of Fire,” the play includes some of Shakespeare’s most famous speeches and stirring poetry. 

“Henry V remains one of the most revealing plays about war, nationalism, the consequences of both, and our need for common causes to bind us together,” said Hall. “It is uncompromising in its honesty—a real world story about ideas that remain ever-present in our lives. There has never been a more prescient moment to explore our reflex for conflict through the prism of a story that contains some of the greatest writing in the English language.”

Elijah Jones makes his Chicago Shakespeare debut as the young King Henry V. He is a recent graduate of the Juilliard School, where he performed the title role in Coriolanus, Orsino in Twelfth Night, and Leontes in The Winter’s Tale. His other credits include Richard II at The Public Theater, The Rolling Stone at Lincoln Center Theater, Airness and As You Like It at Chautauqua Theater Company, and Macbeth, The Many Deaths of Nathan Stubblefield, and A Christmas Carol at Actors Theatre of Louisville. 

Jones leads an ensemble cast that includes both actors familiar to the Chicago Shakespeare stage and exciting debut performances. 

Scott Aiello (Duke of Salisbury/Williams/Nym) was recently seen as Clarence and Stanley in CST’s Richard III, and other credits include an acclaimed performance as Eddie in Shattered Globe Theatre’s A View From the Bridge. 

Donté Bonner (Duke of Exeter) makes his Chicago Shakespeare debut, with credits including Romeo and Juliet on Broadway, Occupied Territories at 59E59, and War at Yale Repertory Theatre.

Ronald L. Conner (Bardolph/Duke of Orleans) was recently seen as Lord Capulet in Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet and Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night at CST. 

Rachel Crowl (Fluellen/Grey) makes her Chicago Shakespeare debut, with recent credits including Between Two Knees at Yale Repertory Theatre, The Swindlers at Baltimore Repertory Theatre, and work at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Alejandra Escalante (Dauphin of France/Bishop of Ely/Nell) returns to CST after appearing as Mariana in Measure for Measure and Helena in All’s Well That Ends Well, with other recent credits including The Cherry Orchard at Goodman Theatre.

Sean Fortunato (King of France/Erpingham/Duke of York) has performed in over two dozen Chicago Shakespeare productions, most recently as the Duchess of York and Lord Rivers in Richard III; other recent credits include Damn Yankees at Marriott Theatre and Young Frankenstein at Mercury Theater.

Kate Fry (Duke of Westmoreland/ Monsieur le Fer/Alice) has many Chicago Shakespeare credits, including As You Like It, Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, and The Merchant of Venice and recently seen in acclaimed performances in The Cherry Orchard at Goodman Theatre and Birthday Candles at Northlight Theatre.

Courtney Rikki Green (Katherine, Princess of France/Lad) makes her Chicago Shakespeare debut, with recent credits including Romeo and Juliet at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and work with Drunk Shakespeare Chicago.

Gregory Linington (Archbishop of Canterbury/Bates/Governor of Harfleur) was seen in CST’s in Measure for Measure, after 12 years with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Jaylon Muchison (Mountjoy/Scroop) makes his Chicago Shakespeare debut, with recent credits including The Royale at American Players Theatre and Much Ado About Nothing and King Lear with the Illinois Shakespeare Festival.

Adam Poss (Constable of France/Cambridge) returns to CST after appearing as Antonio in Twelfth Night and Angelo in Measure for Measure, and most recently on Broadway in Patriots.

Demetrios Troy (Pistol/Duke of Burgundy) most recently appeared as King Edward IV and Richmond in Richard III, with many other CST credits including King Charles III, Henry V, and Julius Caesar.

Understudies include Kevin Aoussou, Emma Jo Boyden, Keenan Odenkirk, and Faiz Siddique.

In addition to Hall, the creative team of Henry V includes Scenic and Costume Designer Michael Pavelka, Musical Director, Arrangements, and Original Music by Jonathan Trenchard,, Lighting Designer Marcus Doshi, Sound Designer Emily Hayman, Voice and Dialect Coach Scott Aiello, Assistant Director Sola Thompson, Assistant Lighting Designer Daphne Manuela Agosin Orellana, Assistant Sound Designer Forrest Gregor, Directing Apprentice Philippa Lawford, Casting Director Bob Mason, Production Stage Manager Jinni Pike, Assistant Stage Manager Danny Fender, and Production Assistant Caroline Uy.

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

PERFORMANCE DETAILS:

Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. (except September 24)

Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Thursdays at 7:00 p.m.

Fridays at 7:00 p.m.

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

Sundays at 2:00 p.m.

Chicago Shakespeare strives to make its facility and performances accessible to all patrons. Accessible seating, assistive listening devices, large-print and Braille programs, and sensory tools are available at every performance. Enhanced performances include:

ASL interpreted performance – Friday, September 27, 2024, 7:00 p.m.

All dialogue and lyrics are translated into American Sign Language by two certified interpreters

Audio-described performance with optional touch tour – Sunday, September 29, 2024, 2:00 p.m.

A program that provides spoken narration of a play’s key visual elements for patrons who are blind or have low vision. Touch Tours provide patrons the opportunity to experience, firsthand, a production’s design elements.

Projected Spanish translated performance - Tuesday, October 1, 2024, at 7:00 p.m.

A text display of the words of the play, translated into Spanish, synced live with the dialogue.

Open captioning – Wed, October 2, 2024, 1:00 & 7:00 p.m.

A text display of the words and sounds heard during a play, synced live with the action onstage.

Creative Team

Edward Hall Director 

Michael Pavelka Scenic and Costume Designer

Jonathan Trenchard Musical Director, Arranger, and Composer 

Marcus Doshi Lighting Designer 

Emily Hayman Sound Designer

Scott Aiello Voice and Dialect Coach

Sola Thompson Assistant Director Daphne Manuela Agosin Orellana Assistant Lighting Designer

Forrest Gregor Assistant Sound Designer

Philippa Lawford Directing Apprentice

Bob Mason Casting 

Jinni Pike Production Stage Manager 

Danny Fender Assistant Stage Manager Caroline Uy Production Assistant

Cast

Scott Aiello

Donté Bonner

Ronald L. Conner

Rachel Crowl

Alejandra Escalante

Elijah Jones

Sean Fortunato

Kate Fry

Courtney Rikki Green

Gregory Linington

Jaylon Muchison

Adam Poss

Demetrios Troy

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER

A Regional Tony Award recipient, Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) produces a bold and innovative year-round season—plays, musicals, world premieres, family productions, and theatrical presentations from around the globe—alongside education programming for students, teachers, and lifelong learners, and engagement with communities across the city. Located on Chicago’s iconic Navy Pier, CST’s campus features the Jentes Family Courtyard Theater, The Yard, and the Carl and Marilynn Thoma Upstairs Studio. Onstage, in classrooms and neighborhoods across the city, and in venues around the world, Chicago Shakespeare is a multifaceted cultural center—inviting audiences, artists, and community members to share powerful stories that connect and inspire..

Rehearsals are now underway (pictured above). I'll be out for the press opening September 13th, so check back soon for my full review at ChiLLiveShows.com

First Look: Production Photos for Judgment Day World Premiere Starring Tony and Emmy winner Jason Alexander April 23–May 26, 2024

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Chicago Shakespeare Theater Presents 

Judgment Day

Starring Tony and Emmy winner Jason Alexander

Written by Golden Globe winner Rob Ulin and directed by Tony nominee Moritz von Stuelpnagel

April 23–May 26, 2024

Jason Alexander (at right) stars as a corrupt lawyer visited by a terrifying angel, played by Candy Buckley, after a near death experience. Photo by Liz Lauren.

It's about to be Wednesday in the park with George (Costanza), AKA: Jason Alexander, for opening night of Judgment Day, May 1, at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and we're here for it! You can also call him Sammy Campo. I'll be out reviewing this world premiere for ChiIL Live Shows and ChiIL Mama. It's  Jason Alexander's Chicago stage debut, in a production laden with a multi award winning cast and creatives, and we can't wait. Don't miss this!

Jason Alexander makes his Chicago stage debut in the world premiere comedy Judgment Day at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel. In The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare through May 26, 2024. Photo by Liz Lauren.

ChiIL Mama’s ChiIL Picks List: 

Adult Shows With Family Themes On Our Radar

Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents Judgment Day, a hilariously irreverent world premiere comedy starring Tony and Emmy Award winner Jason Alexander (Seinfeld) in his Chicago stage debut. Alexander leads a cast that features Tony Award nominee Daniel Breaker as Father Michael and Candy Buckley as the Angel, along with Maggie Bofill, Olivia Denise Dawson, Joe Dempsey, Michael Kostroff, Ellis Myers, and Meg Thalken. 

Jason Alexander and Ellis Myers. Photo by Liz Lauren. 

Judgment Day unites the powerhouse comedic talents of Alexander with director Moritz von Stuelpnagel, a Tony Award nominee and leading director of stage comedy, and playwright Rob Ulin, a Golden Globe and Peabody Award-winning television writer. Judgment Day debuts April 23–May 26, 2024, in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare.

Jason Alexander stars as a corrupt lawyer attempting to make amends with the help of a conflicted priest, played by Daniel Breaker. Photo by Liz Lauren.

Judgment Day tells the story of Sammy Campo, a staggeringly corrupt, morally bankrupt lawyer who's threatened with eternal damnation by a terrifying angel after a near-death experience. In a desperate attempt to redeem himself, Sammy forms an unlikely bond with a Catholic priest who is having his own crisis of faith. Filled with razor-sharp wit, this deliciously devious comedy rollicks through the timeless questions of Western philosophy—“morality,” “faith,” and “Are people any damn good?”

Jason Alexander and Maggie Bofill in the world premiere comedy Judgment Day. In The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare through May 26, 2024. Photo by Liz Lauren.

Jason Alexander, who stars as Sammy, is best known for his role as George Costanza on the long-running hit TV series Seinfeld, for which he was nominated for seven consecutive Emmy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards. Alexander began his career in the original Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along. He won the 1989 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in Jerome Robbins’ Broadway and performed as Max Bialystock in the Los Angeles production of The Producers. Alexander made his Broadway directorial debut last year with The Cottage. His many film and television credits include Pretty Woman, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Daniel Breaker in the world premiere comedy Judgment Day. In The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare through May 26, 2024. Photo by Liz Lauren.

Daniel Breaker plays the conflicted Catholic priest Father Michael. Breaker was last seen in Chicago as Aaron Burr in Hamilton, a role he subsequently performed on Broadway. He also performed in the original Broadway cast of Shrek The Musical, originating the role of Donkey, and received a Tony nomination and an Obie Award for his leading performance in Passing Strange. Other theater credits include The Book of Mormon and The Performers on Broadway and the Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park musical production of Love’s Labor’s Lost. Breaker has been a series regular on Showtime’s Billions and the Peacock series Girls5Eva.

Daniel Breaker and Michael Kostroff in the world premiere comedy Judgment Day. In The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare through May 26, 2024. Photo by Liz Lauren.

Candy Buckley appears as the Angel. Buckley has performed on Broadway in Cabaret, After the Fall, Scandalous, and Thoroughly Modern Millie; her many additional stage credits include Lincoln Center Theater’s Becky Nurse of Salem, the Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park production of The Taming of the Shrew, American Repertory Theatre’s Hedda Gabler, and The Old Globe’s Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Buckley’s film and television credits include The Kill Room, Rare Objects, and WeCrashed.

In the role of Sammy’s wife Tracy is Maggie Bofill. Bofill’s prolific acting credits include Nora in A Doll’s House Part Two at Long Wharf Theater, Between Riverside and Crazy at Second Stage, and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot at the Public Theater. A writer in addition to her work as an actor, Bofill wrote and starred in Devil of Choice, which premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and is a member of LAByrinth Theater Company and Ensemble Studio Theatre. Michael Kostroff plays the Monsignor. Kostroff is best known as Maury Levy on HBO’s The Wire, in addition to recurring roles on The Blacklist, Billions, The Good Wife, and Law and Order: SVU. He performed in The Nance on Broadway, the first national tour of The Producers, and as Thénardier in the touring company of Les Misérables. Ellis Myers plays Sammy and Tracy’s young son Casper. Myers’ credits include the film Perpetrator, in addition to voiceover and commercial work. 

Olivia Denise Dawson and Jason Alexander in the world premiere comedy Judgment Day. In The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare through May 26, 2024. Photo by Liz Lauren.

Olivia Denise Dawson plays Della, Sammy’s faithful, world-weary secretary. Dawson performed in The Comedy of Errors, The Book of Will, and The Tempest with the Illinois Shakespeare Festival’s 2023 season and has also worked at Steppenwolf Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Portland Center Stage, and many more. In the role of Jackson, a cranky and crooked insurance adjuster, is Joe Dempsey. Dempsey returns to Chicago Shakespeare after appearing in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Short Shakespeare! The Taming of the Shrew. Other credits include work with American Blues Theater, Lookingglass Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, and many more. Meg Thalken plays Edna, a widow whom Sammy must help in his quest to become a better person. Thalken’s Chicago credits include work at Rivendell Theatre, Steep Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, and more. She was most recently seen in Becky Nurse of Salem at Trinity Repertory Theatre.

Understudies include Jodi Gage, Tasha Anne James, Steve McDonagh, Reginald Robinson Jr., and Gabriel Solis.

One of the most in-demand directors nationwide, Moritz von Stuelpnagel’s credits include the Broadway productions Bernhardt/Hamlet, Present Laughter, Hand to God, for which he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Director, and most recently, I Need That starring Danny DeVito. Off-Broadway credits include Seared, The Thanksgiving Play, Teenage Dick, Important Hats of the 20th Century, and Verité. Rob Ulin, a Golden Globe and Peabody Award winner who got his start as a professional comedy writer with the legendary Norman Lear, has written and produced acclaimed sitcoms such as Ramy, Young Sheldon, Malcolm in the Middle, Roseanne, and Dinosaurs.

In addition to Ulin and von Stuelpnagel, the creative team includes Scenic Designer Beowulf Boritt, Costume Designer Tilly Grimes, Lighting Designer Amith Chandrashaker, Sound Designer Mikaal Sulaiman, Hair and Make-up Designer Tommy Kurzman, Fight and Intimacy Director Max Fabian, Dialect Coach Eva Breneman, Wing Design and Fabrication by Mio Design Studio, Chicago Casting Director Bob Mason, New York Casting Director Laura Stanczyk, C.S.A., Assistant Director Mallory Metoxen, Assistant Scenic Designer Alexis Distler, Assistant Costume Designer Caity Mulkearns, Assistant Lighting Designer Max Grano De Oro, Young Performer Supervisor Gabe Anderle, Production Stage Manager Jinni Pike, Assistant Stage Manager Mary Zanger, and Production Assistant Jojo Wallenberg.

Judgment Day is the latest opportunity for Chicago Shakespeare audiences to be the first to experience thrilling new theatrical events. A celebrated incubator for new work development, CST has commissioned more than 30 world premieres that have gone on to productions on hundreds of stages around the world. Chicago Shakespeare’s artistic team nurtures and empowers theatermakers in crafting new plays, musicals, and adaptations through readings, workshops, and direct support. There are currently three Chicago Shakespeare productions on Broadway: Illinoise, which had its sold-out press premiere at CST in February; CST’s world premiere musical The Notebook; and CST’s North American premiere of SIX. Also on tour across the US and Canada, SIX garnered the Tony Award for Best Original Score, the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, and a Grammy Award nomination.

Accessible and enhanced performances for Judgment Day include:

ASL-interpretation – Friday, May 10, 2024, 7:30

All dialogue and lyrics are translated into American Sign Language by two certified interpreters.

Open-captioning – Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 1:00 & 7:30

A text display of the words and sounds heard during a play, synced live with the action onstage.

Projected Spanish Translation – Thursday, May 16, 2024, 7:30

A text display of the words and sounds heard during a play, synced live with the action onstage.

Audio-description with optional touch tour –

Sunday, May 19, 2024, 2:00

A program that provides spoken narration of a play’s key visual elements for patrons who are blind or have low vision. Touch Tours provide patrons the opportunity to experience, firsthand, a production’s design elements.

More information at www.chicagoshakes.com/judgment or social media at @chicagoshakes and @judgmentdaybroadway.

Judgment Day will be presented April 23–May 26, 2024, in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Single tickets starting at $45 are on sale now. Special discounts are available for audience members under the age of 35 and for groups of 10 or more. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit www.chicagoshakes.com.

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER

Regional Tony Award-recipient Chicago Shakespeare Theater produces a bold and innovative year-round season—plays, musicals, world premieres, family productions, and theatrical presentations from around the globe—alongside nationally recognized education programming serving tens of thousands of students, teachers, and lifelong learners each year. Founded in 1986, Chicago Shakespeare’s onstage work has expanded to as many as twenty productions and 650 performances annually. CST is dedicated to welcoming the next generation of theatergoers; one in four of its audience members is under the age of eighteen. As a nonprofit organization, Chicago Shakespeare works to embrace diversity, prioritize inclusion, provide equitable opportunities, and offer an accessible experience for all. On CST’s three stages at its home on Navy Pier, in classrooms and neighborhoods across the city, and in venues around the world, Chicago Shakespeare Theater is a multifaceted cultural hub—inviting audiences, artists, and community members to share powerful stories that connect and inspire www.chicagoshakes.com.

Behind The Scenes: Rehearsal Photos

Jason Alexander makes his Chicago stage debut in the world premiere comedy Judgment Day at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel. Performances begin April 23, 2024. Photo by Liz Lauren.

Director Moritz von Stuelpnagel in rehearsal for Judgment Day. Photo by Liz Lauren.

Jason Alexander, Olivia Denise Dawson, and Daniel Breaker in rehearsal for Judgment Day. Photo by Liz Lauren.

The company of Judgment Day in rehearsal, including Candy Buckley (far left) and Jason Alexander (far right). Photo by Liz Lauren.

Ellis Myers and Jason Alexander in rehearsal for Judgment Day. Photo by Liz Lauren.

Daniel Breaker and Jason Alexander in rehearsal for Judgment Day. Photo by Liz Lauren.

Ellis Myers and Jason Alexander receive notes from playwright Rob Ulin and director Moritz von Stuelpnagel in rehearsal for Judgment Day. Photo by Liz Lauren.

Maggie Bofill and Jason Alexander in rehearsal for Judgment Day. Photo by Liz Lauren.

The cast of Judgment Day features, from left to right seated, Meg Thalken, Gabriel Solis, Ellis Myers, and Daniel Breaker, from left to right standing, Steve McDonagh, Joe Dempsey, Olivia Denise Dawson, Jason Alexander, Maggie Bofill, Michael Kostroff, and Candy Buckley. Photo by Liz Lauren.

Judgment Day, a world premiere comedy starring Jason Alexander in his Chicago stage debut, runs April 23–May 26 in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare. Photo by Vito Palmisano.

A.B.L.E. presents "The Odyssey" at Chicago Shakespeare Theater One Night Only On May 11th, 2024

ChiIL Mama’s ChiIL Picks List: 

Set sail for an inclusive adventure 

with A.B.L.E. & Chicago Shakespeare Theater

A.B.L.E.’s Sunday ensemble clusters together for a silly group photo. This team will join forces with A.B.L.E.’s Monday ensemble to present The Odyssey. In total, 44 performers will take the stage on Saturday, May 11, 2024.

24 performers with Down syndrome 

and other intellectual and developmental disabilities 

re-imagine an epic classic for our modern times

Here at ChiIL Mama, we have several friends with Down syndrome who have been in productions with A.B.L.E.--Artists Breaking Limits & Expectations, for years. It's been a great experience for them, and their families are enthusiastic about the program. Come check out these creative kids who are absolutely ready and A.B.L.E. to bring you a re-imagining of the epic classic The Odyssey.

A.B.L.E., a Chicago-based nonprofit that creates theatre and film for, with, and by individuals with Down syndrome and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) partner up once again to ensuring everyone feels they have a space in the theatre. 

A.B.L.E.'s production weaves music, movement, shadow puppetry, and scenes devised by the group into a powerful and joyful celebration of the choices we make, and the challenges we face along our journey. The vibrant adaptation features a neurodiverse cast of 44 performers, including 24 actors with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The performance in the Courtyard Theater on May 11, 2024 at 2:00pm will mark the two companies’ 7th collaboration, most recently having co-produced A Midsummer Night’s Dream last spring.

Christian Boyd leans in close to the camera and raises his hands as if coming to grab the viewer. Christian will appear as one of the sirens. In A.B.L.E.’s version, these seductive songstresses will tempt Odysseus and crew with an original rap written by the cast. Photo by Joe Mazza/Brave Lux.

The theme of fate vs. agency is prevalent in Homer’s tale, and it’s one that co-directors Braden Cleary and Katie Yohe particularly wanted to highlight with the Ensembles. Currently, 24 actors with varying disabilities including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and autism take part in A.B.L.E.’s performance ensembles. “Folks with intellectual and developmental disabilities often have a lot of choices made for them, or it’s presumed that they are not capable of making their own choices,” says Yohe, also A.B.L.E.’s Executive Artistic Director. “Braden and I drafted a loose skeleton of the story but the script and production is really actor-led.” Each actor self-identified where their strengths lie as a performer, and were assigned to a chapter of the story based on their interests.

Actor Lucas Miezal holds a green sheet of paper as he shares ideas during a writing session. Actors developed original dialogue and movement pieces for their scenes. Photo by Joe Mazza/Brave Lux.

Over the course of a 10-week rehearsal process, actors collaborated with a team of volunteer facilitators to build the story. Facilitator Kara Davidson, a company member at Manual Cinema, helped actors design and build shadow puppets to bring to life monsters like the Cyclops and Scylla. Music Educator Polly Yukevich loaned the ensembles 15 ukuleles to bring musical magic to The Lotus Eaters and the seductive Sirens.

A.B.L.E. is committed to ensuring everyone feels they have a space in the theatre. The sensory-friendly performance will include numerous accessibility supports for audience members of all ages and ability levels. This includes dual ASL interpretation and open captioning. A.B.L.E. also reserves a designated movement zone for audience members who need to move around to help them focus. Audience members will receive a social story and sensory guide before the show to help audience members know what to expect from their trip to the theatre. “We hope we can set an example for our community of what true inclusion looks like both onstage and off.”

EVENT DETAILS

Saturday May 11, 2024 at 2:00pm

Chicago Shakespeare’s Courtyard Theater

800 East Grand Avenue

Chicago, IL 60611

Co-director Katie Yohe introduces a jointed Cyclops shadow puppet to members of the ensemble. The Odyssey will feature shadow puppet monsters and settings with consultation from Manual Cinema company member, Kara Davidson. Photo by Joe Mazza/Brave Lux. 

Tickets: All tickets are Pay-what-you-can starting at $15, general admission

Online: ableensemble.com/events

Phone: 312.595.5600

In person: at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater Box Office

Access: Performances will be open captioned and dual ASL interpreted. Out of consideration for our immunocompromised community members, masks are required in the theater.

This production of The Odyssey is sponsored by Gail and Dennis Rossow. A.B.L.E.’s 2023-2024 Season is partially supported by grants from The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, FunFund, The Illinois Arts Council, Innovation 80, The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, and The National Endowment for the Arts.

ABOUT A.B.L.E.

A.B.L.E.—Artists Breaking Limits & Expectations - is celebrating their 8th anniversary of creating theatre and film for, with, and by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A.B.L.E. engages actors ages 13 and up through ensembles and outreach programming. Whether in person or online, all A.B.L.E. programs strive to foster agency, and nurture lifelong skills like communication, collaboration, and creativity. A.B.L.E.'s ensembles have produced more than 25 projects for the stage and screen, ranging from adaptations of theatrical classics by Shakespeare, Dickens, and Gilbert & Sullivan, to original work, to innovative Zoom projects including Romeo & Juliet Remix. A.B.L.E.’s feature films have been recognized by several local and international festivals. By placing people with disabilities in the spotlight, A.B.L.E.’s work strives to shift societal preconceptions, and build more inclusive, empathetic communities. For more information about A.B.L.E., please visit www.ableensemble.com and find them on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER

Regional Tony Award-recipient Chicago Shakespeare Theater produces a bold and innovative year-round season—plays, musicals, world premieres, family productions, and theatrical presentations from around the globe—alongside nationally recognized education programming serving tens of thousands of students, teachers, and lifelong learners each year. Founded in 1986, the Theater’s onstage work has expanded to as many as twenty productions and 650 performances annually. Chicago Shakespeare is dedicated to welcoming the next generation of theatergoers; one in four of its audience members is under the age of eighteen. As a nonprofit organization, the Theater works to embrace diversity, prioritize inclusion, provide equitable opportunities, and offer an accessible experience for all. On the Theater’s three stages at its home on Navy Pier, in classrooms and neighborhoods across the city, and in venues around the world, Chicago Shakespeare is a multifaceted cultural hub—inviting audiences, artists, and community members to share powerful stories that connect and inspire. www.chicagoshakes.com.

Eddie Izzard performs Shakespeare’s "Hamlet" at Chicago Shakespeare Theater in limited engagement, April 19–May 4

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces

Direct from triple-extended New York run prior to London transfer

Eddie Izzard performs Shakespeare’s Hamlet

Strictly limited engagement! April 19–May 4, 2024

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces today a thrilling addition to the season: Tony Award-nominated actor Eddie Izzard brings her celebrated solo theatrical performance of Hamlet to Chicago, direct from a triple-extended New York run at the Orpheum and Greenwich House Theaters and prior to launching a highly anticipated London transfer at Riverside Studios. Izzard portrays 23 characters in William Shakespeare’s iconic play in this dynamic new staging adapted by Mark Izzard and directed by Selina Cadell. This strictly limited two-week engagement plays April 19–May 4, 2024 in the Courtyard Theater.

In Hamlet, The King of Denmark is dead, and Prince Hamlet is determined to take revenge—initiating a cascade of events that will destroy both family and state. Izzard portrays men, women, ghosts, scholars, tyrants, courtiers, lovers, fools, and poets.

She says of the monumental undertaking, “I have always gravitated towards playing complex and challenging characters and Hamlet is the ultimate. This is a production for everyone, a timeless drama with an accidental hero. Selina, Mark, and I want audiences to see and hear an accessible, touching, scary, and dramatic Hamlet.”

CST Executive Director Kimberly Motes and Artistic Director Edward Hall shared, “After seeing Eddie's extraordinary performance in New York, we are thrilled she’s agreed to join us at CST and share her Hamlet with Chicago audiences before London. It's a rare opportunity to see a Hamlet that makes this a play for all of us—truly a play for today.”

A Tony Award-nominated and Emmy Award-winning actor, Izzard’s boundary-pushing career includes critically acclaimed roles in theater, film, and television. On Broadway, Izzard starred in Roundabout Theatre Company’s 2003 revival of A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, garnering the Tony nomination for Leading Actor in a Play—and appeared in David Mamet’s Race. Major London stage credits include The Cryptogram, Edward II, 900 Oneonta, Joe Egg, and Lenny. Izzard made her West End debut in 1993 in the solo show Live at the Ambassadors, receiving an Olivier Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement. Izzard’s film roles include Stephen Frears’ Victoria & Abdul opposite Dame Judi Dench, Julie Taymor's Across the Universe, Peter Bogdanovich's The Cat's Meow, Valkyrie, Ocean’s Twelve, Ocean’s Thirteen, and the recent Doctor Jekyll in which she plays Dr. Nina Jekyll and Rachel Hyde. She is the recipient of two Emmy Awards for her televised special, Dressed to Kill. She’s also been seen as Dr. Abel Gideon in “Hannibal” and in FX’s critically acclaimed series, “The Riches,” in which Izzard both starred and executive produced.

In 2022, Izzard performed a solo adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations—also created in collaboration with Mark Izzard and Selina Cadell—which played to rave reviews and sold-out audiences in New York and in London’s West End. The creative team reunites for Hamlet, which features set design by Tom Piper, lighting by Tyler Elich, costume styled by Tom Piper and Libby DaCosta, composer Eliza Thompson, movement director Didi Hopkins, and fight director J. Allen Suddeth. It is produced by Westbeth Entertainment, Mick Perrin Worldwide, and John Gore.

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

Hamlet will be presented April 19–May 4, 2024, in the Courtyard Theater. Single tickets starting at $69 are on sale now. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit www.chicagoshakes.com.

Announcing a digital lottery for Eddie Izzard’s solo HAMLET! 

A limited number of $35 tickets will made be available for each performance on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to availability. They will go on sale at 9:00 a.m. one day before each performance.Sign up to be in the know at www.chicagoshakes.com/lottery 

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER

Regional Tony Award-recipient Chicago Shakespeare Theater produces a bold and innovative year-round season—plays, musicals, world premieres, family productions, and theatrical presentations from around the globe—alongside nationally recognized education programming serving tens of thousands of students, teachers, and lifelong learners each year. Founded in 1986, Chicago Shakespeare’s onstage work has expanded to as many as twenty productions and 650 performances annually. CST is dedicated to welcoming the next generation of theatergoers; one in four of its audience members is under the age of eighteen. As a nonprofit organization, Chicago Shakespeare works to embrace diversity, prioritize inclusion, provide equitable opportunities, and offer an accessible experience for all. On CST’s three stages at its home on Navy Pier, in classrooms and neighborhoods across the city, and in venues around the world, Chicago Shakespeare Theater is a multifaceted cultural hub—inviting audiences, artists, and community members to share powerful stories that connect and inspire. www.chicagoshakes.com.

World Premiere Comedy Judgment Day Starring Jason Alexander To Play Chicago Shakespeare Theater April 23–May 26, 2024

Save the Dates: ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar  

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces

the full cast and creative team of the world premiere comedy

Judgment Day

Tony and Emmy Award winner Jason Alexander makes his Chicago stage debut in the hilariously irreverent world premiere Judgment Day, April 23–May 26 in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare. 

Photo by Rebecca J. Michelson.

Starring Tony and Emmy winner Jason Alexander

Written by Golden Globe winner Rob Ulin and directed by Tony nominee Moritz von Stuelpnagel

April 23–May 26, 2024

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces today the full company of Judgment Day, a hilariously irreverent world premiere comedy starring Tony and Emmy Award winner Jason Alexander (Seinfeld) in his Chicago stage debut. Alexander leads a cast that features Daniel Breaker as Father Michael and Candy Buckley as the Angel, along with Maggie Bofill, Olivia Denise Dawson, Joe Dempsey, Michael Kostroff, Ellis Myers, and Meg Thalken. Judgment Day unites the powerhouse comedic talents of Alexander with director Moritz von Stuelpnagel, a Tony Award nominee and leading director of stage comedy, and playwright Rob Ulin, a Golden Globe and Peabody Award-winning television writer. Judgment Day debuts April 23–May 26, 2024, in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare.

Judgment Day tells the story of Sammy Campo, a staggeringly corrupt, morally bankrupt lawyer who's threatened with eternal damnation by a terrifying angel after a near-death experience. In a desperate attempt to redeem himself, Sammy forms an unlikely bond with a Catholic priest who is having his own crisis of faith. Filled with razor-sharp wit, this deliciously devious comedy rollicks through the timeless questions of Western philosophy—“morality,” “faith,” and “Are people any damn good?”

Jason Alexander, who stars as Sammy, is best known for his role as George Costanza on the long-running hit TV series Seinfeld, for which he was nominated for seven consecutive Emmy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards. Alexander began his career in the original Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along. He won the 1989 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in Jerome Robbins’ Broadway and performed as Max Bialystock in the Los Angeles production of The Producers. Alexander made his Broadway directorial debut last year with The Cottage. His many film and television credits include Pretty Woman, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Daniel Breaker plays the conflicted Catholic priest Father Michael. Breaker was last seen in Chicago as Aaron Burr in Hamilton, a role he subsequently performed on Broadway. He also performed in the original Broadway cast of Shrek The Musical, originating the role of Donkey, and won an Obie Award for his leading performance in the Off-Broadway premiere of Passing Strange. Other theater credits include The Book of Mormon and The Performers on Broadway and the Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park musical production of Love’s Labor’s Lost. Breaker’s television credits include Billions and the Peacock series Girls5Eva.

Candy Buckley appears as the Angel. Buckley has performed on Broadway in Cabaret, After the Fall, Scandalous, and Thoroughly Modern Millie; her many additional stage credits include Lincoln Center Theater’s Becky Nurse of Salem, the Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park production of The Taming of the Shrew, American Repertory Theatre’s Hedda Gabler, and The Old Globe’s Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Buckley’s film and television credits include The Kill Room, Rare Objects, and WeCrashed.

In the role of Sammy’s wife Tracy is Maggie Bofill. Bofill’s prolific acting credits include Nora in A Doll’s House Part Two at Long Wharf Theater, Between Riverside and Crazy at Second Stage, and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot at the Public Theater. A writer in addition to her work as an actor, Bofill wrote and starred in Devil of Choice, which premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and is a member of LAByrinth Theater Company and Ensemble Studio Theatre. Michael Kostroff plays the Monsignor. Kostroff is best known as Maury Levy on HBO’s The Wire, in addition to recurring roles on The Blacklist, Billions, The Good Wife, and Law and Order: SVU. He performed in The Nance on Broadway, the first national tour of The Producers, and as Thénardier in the touring company of Les Misérables. Ellis Myers plays Sammy and Tracy’s young son Casper. Myers’ credits include the film Perpetrator, in addition to voiceover and commercial work. 

Olivia Denise Dawson plays Della, Sammy’s faithful, world-weary secretary. Dawson performed in The Comedy of Errors, The Book of Will, and The Tempest with the Illinois Shakespeare Festival’s 2023 season and has also worked at Steppenwolf Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Portland Center Stage, and many more. In the role of Jackson, a cranky and crooked insurance adjuster, is Joe Dempsey. Dempsey returns to Chicago Shakespeare after appearing in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Short Shakespeare! The Taming of the Shrew. Other credits include work with American Blues Theater, Lookingglass Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, and many more. Meg Thalken plays Edna, a widow whom Sammy must help in his quest to become a better person. Thalken’s Chicago credits include work at Rivendell Theatre, Steep Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, and more. She was most recently seen in Becky Nurse of Salem at Trinity Repertory Theatre.

One of the most in-demand directors nationwide, Moritz von Stuelpnagel’s credits include the Broadway productions Bernhardt/Hamlet, Present Laughter, Hand to God, for which he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Director, and most recently, I Need That starring Danny DeVito. Off-Broadway credits include Seared, The Thanksgiving Play, Teenage Dick, Important Hats of the 20th Century, and Verité. Rob Ulin, a Golden Globe and Peabody Award winner who got his start as a professional comedy writer with the legendary Norman Lear, has written and produced acclaimed sitcoms such as Ramy, Young Sheldon, Malcolm in the Middle, Roseanne, and Dinosaurs.

In addition to Ulin and von Stuelpnagel, the creative team includes Scenic Designer Beowulf Boritt, Costume Designer Tilly Grimes, Lighting Designer Amith Chandrashaker, Sound Designer Mikaal Sulaiman, Hair and Make-up Designer Tommy Kurzman, Fight and Intimacy Director Max Fabian, Chicago Casting Director Bob Mason, New York Casting Director Laura Stanczyk, C.S.A., Assistant Director Mallory Metoxen, Assistant Scenic Designer Alexis Distler, Assistant Costume Designer Caity Mulkearns, Assistant Lighting Designer Max Grano De Oro, Production Stage Manager Jinni Pike, and Assistant Stage Manager Mary Zanger.

Judgment Day is the latest opportunity for Chicago Shakespeare audiences to be the first to experience thrilling new theatrical events. A celebrated incubator for new work development, CST has commissioned more than 30 world premieres that have gone on to productions on hundreds of stages around the world. Chicago Shakespeare’s artistic team nurtures and empowers theatermakers in crafting new plays, musicals, and adaptations through readings, workshops, and direct support. CST most recently celebrated the sold-out press premiere of Illinoise, which next transfers to Park Avenue Armory beginning March 2. On March 14, Chicago Shakespeare’s world premiere musical The Notebook opens at the Schoenfeld Theatre on Broadway, joining CST’s North American premiere of SIX, now playing at the Lena Horne Theatre. Also on tour across the US and Canada, SIX garnered the Tony Award for Best Original Score, the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, and a Grammy Award nomination.

Accessible and enhanced performances for Judgment Day include:

ASL-interpretation – Friday, May 10, 2024, 7:30

All dialogue and lyrics are translated into American Sign Language by two certified interpreters.

Open-captioning – Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 1:00 & 7:30

A text display of the words and sounds heard during a play, synced live with the action onstage.

Projected Spanish Translation – Thursday, May 16, 2024, 7:30

A text display of the words and sounds heard during a play, synced live with the action onstage.

Audio-description with optional touch tour –

Sunday, May 19, 2024, 2:00

A program that provides spoken narration of a play’s key visual elements for patrons who are blind or have low vision. Touch Tours provide patrons the opportunity to experience, firsthand, a production’s design elements.

More information at www.chicagoshakes.com/judgment or social media at @chicagoshakes and @judgmentdaybroadway.

Judgment Day will be presented April 23–May 26, 2024, in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Single tickets starting at $45 are on sale now. Special discounts are available for audience members under the age of 35 and for groups of 10 or more. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit www.chicagoshakes.com.

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER

Regional Tony Award-recipient Chicago Shakespeare Theater produces a bold and innovative year-round season—plays, musicals, world premieres, family productions, and theatrical presentations from around the globe—alongside nationally recognized education programming serving tens of thousands of students, teachers, and lifelong learners each year. Founded in 1986, Chicago Shakespeare’s onstage work has expanded to as many as twenty productions and 650 performances annually. CST is dedicated to welcoming the next generation of theatergoers; one in four of its audience members is under the age of eighteen. As a nonprofit organization, Chicago Shakespeare works to embrace diversity, prioritize inclusion, provide equitable opportunities, and offer an accessible experience for all. On CST’s three stages at its home on Navy Pier, in classrooms and neighborhoods across the city, and in venues around the world, Chicago Shakespeare Theater is a multifaceted cultural hub—inviting audiences, artists, and community members to share powerful stories that connect and inspire www.chicagoshakes.com.

Barbara Gaines' Final Production as Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Artistic Director: THE COMEDY OF ERRORS March 9–April 16, 2023

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces 

the cast and creative team of

THE COMEDY OF ERRORS 

March 9–April 16, 2023

Barbara Gaines celebrates a legacy of joyful collaboration in her final production as artistic director

 

In her final production as Chicago Shakespeare Theater artistic director, Barbara Gaines stages Shakespeare’s riotous The Comedy of Errors, imprinting her legacy of inventive and captivating interpretations of the Bard’s work for today’s audiences. The production features original framing scenes penned by Second City veteran Ron West and showcases an ensemble cast of beloved Chicago Shakespeare collaborators whose combined credits span the Theater’s 37-year history—from the first production on the rooftop of the Red Lion Pub to last fall’s searing Measure for Measure. The Comedy of Errors runs March 9–April 16, 2023, in the Courtyard Theater.

An eccentric group of stage and screen actors gather on a London movie set in 1941 to film Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors as much-needed comic relief for the troops. Backstage antics and hilarious complications abound as Antipholus and Dromio search for their long-lost identical twins. In over three decades with Chicago Shakespeare, Gaines has directed scores of productions, including nearly all of Shakespeare’s 38 plays and six world premieres. She now revisits Shakespeare’s high-spirited comedy with longtime collaborator Ron West, newly adapted from the Theater’s 2008 production.

"This project is a love letter to theater making—that ineffable process of an ensemble coming together to create something wholly new and magical," said Gaines. "That’s true in our framing of Shakespeare’s comedy on a film set, but it’s also reflected in our incredible company, a group of esteemed artists that I so admire and who embody the collaboration that has infused my time in the theater with joy and love."

Each cast member performs both a role on the London movie set and a character in The Comedy of Errors. The cast includes: Breon Arzell (David/Angelo), Adia Bell (Fanny/Merchant), Melanie Brezill (Alice Boggs/Luciana), Lillian Castillo (Marian/Courtesan), Dan Chameroy (Phil Sullivan/Antipholus of Ephesus), William Dick (Charles Chittick/Second Merchant), Kevin Gudahl (Brian Hallifax/Dromio of Ephesus), Ora Jones (Doris/Aemilia/Abbess), Bill Larkin (Eddie Philpot/Dr. Pinch), Ross Lehman (Dudley Marsh/Dromio of Syracuse), Michael E. Martin (Tom/First Officer), Steve McDonagh (Cyril/Nell), Russell Mernagh (Patch/Balthasar), Susan Moniz (Veronica Marsh/Adriana), Robert Petkoff (Emerson Furbelow/Antipholus of Syracuse), Maya Vinice Prentiss (Priscilla/First Merchant), Greg Vinkler (Admiral Philpot/Egeon), and Bruce A. Young (Monty/Duke Solinus). Understudies include Isabella Abel-Suarez, Michael Joseph Mitchell, Ian Reed, and Jonathan Schwart.

As long-separated twins the Dromios, Jeff Award-winners Ross Lehman and Kevin Gudahl boast over 75 Chicago Shakespeare credits combined. Lehman’s notable roles include Feste in Twelfth Night and the Fool in King Lear, and he appeared on Broadway in The Tempest, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Gudahl was recently seen on the Chicago Shakespeare stage in Measure for Measure and As You Like It; other memorable credits include Hal in Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, Fredrik in A Little Night Music, and title roles in Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra, and Troilus and Cressida. The play’s other set of twins, both named Antipholus, will be played by Dan Chameroy—who has performed in 15 seasons at the Stratford Festival and as Miss Trunchbull in the US national tour of Matilda the Musical—and Robert Petkoff, whose Chicago Shakespeare credits include Buddy in Follies, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet and title roles in Sunday In the Park with George, Hamlet, and Troilus and Cressida. Petkoff appeared in Broadway’s Anything Goes and Ragtime and the US tours of Fun Home and Spamalot.

Jeff Award-winner Susan Moniz was last seen on the Chicago Shakespeare stage in an acclaimed performance as Sally in Follies and has played feature roles in US tours of Fun Home and The Phantom of the Opera, and on Broadway in Grease. In addition to appearing in last season’s hit As You Like It, Melanie Brezill’s credits include work at Court Theatre, Goodman Theatre, and Writers Theatre, along with the Broadway production and US Tour of The Book of Mormon. In addition to appearing on Broadway in Matilda the Musical and Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Ora Jones has been on the Chicago Shakespeare stage numerous times in roles such as Katherine of Aragon in Henry VIII, Queen Charlotte in The Madness of George III, and Maria in Twelfth Night, and most recently as the Countess of Rossillion in last season’s All’s Well That Ends Well. Lillian Castillo, recently seen in Drury Lane’s Steel Magnolias, appeared in Gaines’ The Taming of the Shrew and the US premiere of Ride the Cyclone at Chicago Shakespeare.

Bruce A. Young memorably spoke the first line of Chicago Shakespeare’s inaugural production of Henry V at the Red Lion Pub. He has returned to Chicago Shakespeare many times and performed on Broadway in Macbeth. Greg Vinkler has performed in dozens of Chicago Shakespeare productions, including as Malvolio in Twelfth Night, Falstaff in Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2, and titular roles in King John and King Lear. William Dick’s Chicago Shakespeare credits include last year’s All’s Well That Ends Well, The Wizard of Oz, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and many more; he recently performed in the Jeff Award-winning ensemble of Choir Boy at Steppenwolf Theatre.

Bill Larkin is a comedian and actor who has performed with the Second City and played Genie in Chicago Shakespeare’s production of Aladdin. Russell Mernagh appeared in Chicago Shakespeare’s Ride the Cyclone and was last seen in Broadway in Chicago’s The Play That Goes Wrong. An actor and choreographer, Breon Arzell was recently listed as one of Newcity’s 50 Players of 2023—he has worked with theaters across the city and performed with Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks in 2021. Adia Bell performed in last summer’s Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks ShakesFest and her additional credits include work at Paramount Theatre and Music Theater Works. Both an actor and a Jeff Award-winning fight choreographer, Maya Vinice Prentiss has worked with Chicago Shakespeare in both capacities, most recently on Measure for Measure. Rounding out the cast are Steve McDonagh—a celebrated Food Network chef and actor with credits at the Kennedy Center, Royal George Theatre, and Drury Lane—and Michael E. Martin, who has appeared at Paramount Theatre and in the Jeff Award-winning ensemble of United Flight 232 at the House Theatre of Chicago.

Ron West has created new dialogue for the production to frame Shakespeare’s play. West’s illustrious career includes writing for shows like Whose Line Is It Anyway? and serving as writer and associate artistic director at The Second City. West collaborated with Gaines on an earlier adaptation of The Comedy of Errors, which garnered Jeff Awards for Best Production and Best Adaptation, as well as The Taming of the Shrew in 2017. West also wrote The Second City’s Romeo and Juliet Musical: The People vs. Friar Laurence, The Man Who Killed Romeo and Juliet, which had a wildly popular run at Chicago Shakespeare.

Joining Gaines on the creative team are Scenic Designer James Noone, Costume Designer Mieka van der Ploeg, Lighting Designer Ken Posner, Composer & Sound Designer Lindsay Jones, Hair & Make Up Designer Richard Jarvie, Verse Coach Larry Yando, Music Director Charlotte Rivard-Hoster, Associate Director Peter G. Andersen, Intimacy Director Gregory Geffrard, Fight Choreographer Bruce A. Young, Dialect Coach Kathy Logelin, Dramaturg Martine Kei Green-Rogers, Assistant Intimacy Director Courtney Abbott, Production Stage Manager Katrina Herrmann, and Assistant Stage Manager Elisabeth Schapmann.

Chicago Shakespeare makes its facility and performances accessible to all patrons through its Access Shakespeare programs. Accessible performances for The Comedy of Errors include:

Audio-described Performance – Sunday, April 2, 2023 at 2:00 p.m.

A program that provides spoken narration of a play’s key visual elements for patrons who are blind or have low vision.

Open-captioned Performance – Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at 1:00 & 7:30 p.m.

A text display of the words and sounds heard during a play, synced live with the action onstage.

ASL Duo-interpreted Performance – Friday, April 14, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.

All dialogue and lyrics are translated into American Sign Language by two certified interpreters.

For more information, visit www.chicagoshakes.com/comedy or on social media at @chicagoshakes at #cstComedy.

The Comedy of Errors will be presented March 9–April 16, 2023, in Chicago Shakespeare’s Courtyard Theater. Single tickets ($35–$92) are on sale now. Special discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com.

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER

Regional Tony Award-recipient Chicago Shakespeare Theater produces a bold and innovative year-round season—plays, musicals, world premieres, family productions, and theatrical presentations from around the globe—alongside nationally recognized education programming serving tens of thousands of students, teachers, and lifelong learners each year. Founded in 1986, the Theater’s onstage work has expanded to as many as twenty productions and 650 performances annually. Chicago Shakespeare is dedicated to welcoming the next generation of theatergoers; one in four of its audience members is under the age of eighteen. As a nonprofit organization, the Theater works to embrace diversity, prioritize inclusion, provide equitable opportunities, and offer an accessible experience for all. On the Theater’s three stages at its home on Navy Pier, in classrooms and neighborhoods across the city, and in venues around the world, Chicago Shakespeare is a multifaceted cultural hub—inviting audiences, artists, and community members to share powerful stories that connect and inspire. www.chicagoshakes.com.