SAVE THE DATES: BROADWAY IN CHICAGO ANNOUNCES NEXT SEASON ON SALE 3/28/18

Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:

BROADWAY IN CHICAGO ANNOUNCES 
NEXT SEASON TO FEATURE

TONY® AND GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING BEST MUSICAL DEAR EVAN HANSEN,

PRE-BROADWAY WORLD PREMIERE OF THE NEW COMEDY MUSICAL, TOOTSIE,

TONY®-WINNING BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL HELLO, DOLLY! STARRING

BROADWAY LEGEND BETTY BUCKLEY,

ROALD DAHL’S CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY,

MISS SAIGON and THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG

OFF-SEASON SPECIALS WILL INCLUDE 

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

AND BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND, THE BOOK OF MORMON

On Sale to the General Public Wednesday, March 28

Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows, we've been promoting and reviewing Broadway In Chicago shows since 2010. We're eager to catch this new season too. It's packed with award winning productions, another Pre-Broadway World Premiere, old favorites, and new shows. Tickets are on sale March 28th. Check it out.

Broadway In Chicago is delighted to announce its upcoming season line-up which features six time 2017 Tony and 2018 Grammy Award winning Best Musical DEAR EVAN HANSEN, the Pre-Broadway World Premiere of the new comedy musical, TOOTSIE, the Tony Award-winning Best Musical Revival HELLO, DOLLY! starring Broadway legend Betty Buckley, ROALD DAHL’S CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, MISS SAIGON and THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG.

Off-season specials will include: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and, back by popular demand, THE BOOK OF MORMON returns to Chicago.

The upcoming season will go on sale to the public on Wednesday, March 28, 2018, and the six-show packages begin at $144. Current subscribers can renew now by visiting BroadwayInChicago.com or calling 312-977-1717.

Subscriber benefits include savings of up to 48% off ticket prices, discounts on parking and suite service, invitations to Broadway In Chicago exclusive events, exchange privileges based on availability and more. The Broadway In Chicago line-up, including performance dates and venues, is as follows:

TOOTSIE
Pre-Broadway World Premiere!
Sept. 11 – Oct. 14, 2018
Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph
The world premiere comedy musical, TOOTSIE, tells the story of a talented but difficult actor who struggles to find work until an audacious, desperate stunt lands him the role of a lifetime. TOOTSIE will star Tony Award nominee SANTINO FONTANA as struggling actor Michael Dorsey.  Santino is well known to TV and film audiences for his role as Greg on “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” and for providing the voice to the villainous ‘Prince Hans’ in the blockbuster animated film, Frozen. TOOTSIE features an original score by Tony Award nominee David Yazbek (The Band’s Visit, The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), a book by Robert Horn (13; Dame Edna, Back with a Vengeance), choreography by Tony Award nominee Denis Jones (Holiday Inn, Honeymoon in Vegas), and musical direction by Andrea Grody (The Band’s Visit).  TOOTSIE will be directed by eight-time Tony Award nominee and Olivier Award winner Scott Ellis (She Loves Me, On the Twentieth Century). 




ROALD DAHL’S CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
Oct. 2 – Oct. 21, 2018            
Oriental Theatre, 24 W. Randolph  
Roald Dahl's amazing tale is now Chicago’s golden ticket! It's the perfect recipe for a delectable treat: songs from the original film, including "Pure Imagination," "The Candy Man," and "I've Got a Golden Ticket," alongside a toe-tapping and ear-tickling new score from the songwriters of Hairspray. Get ready for Oompa-Loompas, incredible inventions, the great glass elevator, and more, more, more at this everlasting showstopper! Entertainment Weekly raves “Broadway’s Big Treat” and NPR exclaims “You’ll have a ball!”



HELLO, DOLLY!
Oct. 23 – Nov. 17, 2018         
Oriental Theatre, 24 W. Randolph
Tony Award-winning Broadway legend Betty Buckley stars in HELLO, DOLLY! – the universally acclaimed smash that NPR calls “the best show of the year!”  Winner of four Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival, director Jerry Zaks’ “gorgeous” new production (Vogue) is “making people crazy happy!” (The Washington Post).  Breaking box office records week after week and receiving thunderous raves on Broadway, this HELLO, DOLLY! pays tribute to the original work of legendary director/choreographer Gower Champion – hailed both then and now as one of the greatest stagings in musical theater history.  Rolling Stone calls it “a must-see event. A musical comedy dream. If you’re lucky enough to score a ticket, you’ll be seeing something historic. Wow, wow, wow, indeed!”


MISS SAIGON                                   
Nov. 13 – Dec. 8, 2018
Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph           
Experience the acclaimed new production of the legendary musical MISS SAIGON, from the creators of Les Misérables. In the last days of the Vietnam War, 17-year-old Kim is forced to work in a bar run by a notorious character known as the Engineer. There she meets and falls in love with an American G.I. named Chris but they are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. For three years, Kim goes on an epic journey of survival to find her way back to Chris, who has no idea he's fathered a son.  This new production features stunning spectacle and a sensational cast of 42 performing the soaring score featuring Broadway hits including “The Heat is On in Saigon,” “The Movie in My Mind,” and “Last Night of the World.”  The New Yorker raves “A DYNAMITE BROADWAY REVIVAL.”


THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG                        
Dec. 4 – Dec. 16, 2018
Oriental Theatre, 24 W. Randolph                      
What would happen if Sherlock Holmes and Monty Python had an illegitimate Broadway baby?  You’d get THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG, Broadway & London’s award-winning smash comedy!  Called “A GUT-BUSTING HIT” (The New York Times) and “THE FUNNIEST PLAY BROADWAY HAS EVER SEEN” (HuffPost), this classic murder mystery is chock-full of mishaps and madcap mania delivering “A RIOTOUS EXPLOSION OF COMEDY” (Daily Beast).  Welcome to opening night of The Murder at Haversham Manor where things are quickly going from bad to utterly disastrous. With an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can’t play dead, and actors who trip over everything (including their lines), it’s “TONS OF FUN FOR ALL AGES” (HuffPost) and “COMIC GOLD” (Variety) – sure to bring down the house!




DEAR EVAN HANSEN        
Feb. 12 – March 10, 2019        
Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph     
WINNER OF SIX 2017 TONY AWARDS® INCLUDING BEST MUSICAL AND THE 2018 GRAMMY AWARD FOR BEST MUSICAL THEATRE ALBUM!
A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have.  Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he’s always wanted: a chance to finally fit in.  DEAR EVAN HANSEN is the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it.  The Washington Post says DEAR EVAN HANSEN is “ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE SHOWS IN MUSICAL THEATER HISTORY.”  Rolling Stone calls DEAR EVAN HANSEN, “a game-changer that hits you like a shot in the heart” and NBC News says the musical is “an inspiring anthem resonating on Broadway and beyond.”   The Original Broadway Cast Recording of DEAR EVAN HANSEN, produced by Atlantic Records, made an extraordinary debut on the Billboard 200 when released and entered the chart at #8 – the highest charting debut position for an original cast album since 1961—before winning the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.


OFF-SEASON SPECIALS WILL INCLUDE:

THE BOOK OF MORMON
Nov. 20 – Dec. 2, 2018          
Oriental Theatre, 24 W. Randolph
The New York Times calls it, “The best musical of the century.” The Washington Post says, “It is the kind of evening that restores your faith in musicals.” And Entertainment Weekly says, “Grade A: the funniest musical of all time.”  Jimmy Fallon of The Tonight Show calls it “Genius. Brilliant. Phenomenal.” It’s THE BOOK OF MORMON, the nine-time Tony Award®-winning BEST MUSICAL.  This outrageous musical comedy follows the misadventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent halfway across the world to spread the Good Word. Now with standing room only productions in Australia, London, on Broadway, and across North America, THE BOOK OF MORMON has truly become an international sensation. Contains explicit language.


FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
Dec. 18, 2018 – Jan. 6, 2019
Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph
“An entirely fresh, funny, and gorgeous new production. A REASON FOR CELEBRATION!” – New York Magazine.  Rich with musical hits you know and love, including "Tradition," "Sunrise, Sunset;' "If I Were A Rich Man;' "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" and "To Life (L'Chaim!)," FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is the heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and life, love and laughter.  Tony®-winning director Bartlett Sher and the team behind South Pacific, The King and I and 2017 Tony-winning Best Play Oslo, bring a fresh and authentic vision to this beloved theatrical masterpiece from Tony winner Joseph Stein and Pulitzer Prize winners Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick.  Featuring a talented cast, lavish orchestra and stunning movement and dance from Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter, based on the original staging by Jerome Robbins, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF will introduce a new generation to the uplifting celebration that raises its cup to joy! To love! To life!



ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 18 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country.  A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining well up more than 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, Oriental Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. 

For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.   Facebook @BroadwayInChicago ● Twitter @broadwaychicago ● Instagram @broadwayinchicago ● #broadwayinchicago

SEASON ANNOUNCED: Chicago Shakespeare Theater's 2017-18 Season To Include 3rd Stage, The Yard

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces

2017/18 Season

Including the introduction of innovative third venue:

The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare

Here at ChiIL Live Shows and ChiIL Mama, we're elated about Chicago Shakespeare Theater's new season and new stage, a third Navy Pier performance venue, The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare! We can't wait to check it out.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces nine productions of the 2017/18 Season—which will engage audiences with timeless stories in transformational settings. The season also marks the introduction of the Theater's new and innovative third performance venue, The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare. Additional productions are to be announced this summer.

Artistic Director and Carl and Marilynn Thoma Endowed Chair Barbara Gaines said, "On the heels of the Theater's 30th Anniversary and the yearlong Shakespeare 400 Chicago festival, we have curated a season that reflects upon historic moments with radically fresh eyes—and at the same time blazes a trail forward by reimagining Shakespeare’s plays for today’s audiences. These works give voice to our collective soul, and serve to unite us in a time when the world feels more divided than ever.”

Regarding the opening of The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, Executive Director Criss Henderson shared, "We are thrilled to introduce audiences this season to The Yard—a forward-thinking venue that is one-of-a-kind in terms of its flexibility and artistic vision. In concert with our existing spaces in the Courtyard Theater and Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, The Yard allows us to best serve our artists and audiences with a dynamic range of spaces that will be responsive to theater-makers for generations to come."

Opening in the 2017/18 Season,The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare redefines the traditional, fixed relationship between artist and audience—offering a radically versatile theatrical platform. Repurposing the footprint of Navy Pier's former Skyline Stage with an enclosed, year-round theater space, this third performance venue connects to Chicago Shakespeare's two existing spaces—the Courtyard Theater and the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare—through expanded lobbies. The innovative design features a series of mobile towers that allow the space to be configured in a variety of shapes and sizes with audience capacities ranging from 150 to 850. The new space allows the Theater to expand its programming, host a wide range of international productions, and double its service to students and teachers.

Kicking off the season, Barbara Gaines re-examines Shakespeare's notorious "battle of the sexes" in The Taming of the Shrew (September 16–November 12, 2017; Courtyard Theater) with an all-woman company. Gaines partners with playwright Ron West (CST's The Comedy of Errors, 2008) to frame Shakespeare's story as a performance by a group of Suffragettes in 1919—on the eve of the passing of the 19th Amendment.

In The Yard is James Thierrée's The Toad Knew (September 19–23, 2017; The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare), presented by his La Compagnie du Hanneton from France as part of CST’s World’s Stage series. Blending together the artistry of dancers, contortionists, and high-wire artists with Thierrée's extraordinary physical prowess, this spectacle premiered at the Edinburgh International Festival, where it was called "flamboyant, hallucinatory and ravishingly beautiful" by The Guardian. Thierrée returns to CST after his magnificent Farewell Umbrella (2007) and Bright Abyss (2005). Tickets for The Toad Knew will go on sale later this summer; CST subscribers and donors will have early access to this limited engagement.

Chicago Shakespeare then partners with the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA) in its inaugural International Latino Theater Festival (Fall 2017; Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare) with a Latin American production as part of the World’s Stage series to be announced. Founded through an alliance between the National Museum of Mexican Art, Puerto Rican Arts Alliance, and the International Cultural Center, CLATA aims to celebrate and amplify the voices of Latino theater artists in Chicago.

A theatrical revolution comes to the stage in Red Velvet (December 1, 2017–January 21, 2018; Courtyard Theater), staged by leading Broadway and Chicago director Gary Griffin. The award-winning play by Lolita Chakrabarti chronicles the seldom-told, true story of Ira Aldridge, an African-American actor who challenged convention by taking the London stage as the first black Othello in 1833—sending shockwaves through the city at a time when anti-abolition protesters rioted in the streets.

In 2018, the abridged Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night's Dream (January 24–March 10, 2018; The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare) introduces Shakespeare's mystical comedy to family and student audiences in a new production in The Yard, where its extended run will serve thousands of additional students and teachers next year.

Two resolute rulers—Queen Elizabeth I of England and Mary, Queen of Scots—face off in a struggle for the faith of the nation in Schiller's Mary Stuart (February 21–April 15, 2018; Courtyard Theater), with an electric adaptation by Peter Oswald. The production is staged by acclaimed director Jenn Thompson, former artistic director of The Actors Company Theater (TACT), which was named "Company of the Year" by The Wall Street Journal during her tenure.

Celebrated director and playwright Aaron Posner and Teller (of famous duo Penn & Teller) join forces with a new production of Macbeth (April 25–June 24, 2018; The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare), returning after their Jeff Award-winning production of The Tempest at Chicago Shakespeare in 2015. This supernatural thriller dives into the psyches of the power-hungry Macbeth and Lady Macbeth with astounding magic to immerse audiences in the storytelling.

Featured as part of Chicago Shakespeare's World's Stage series is Samuel Beckett's masterpiece Waiting for Godot (May 23–June 3, 2018; Courtyard Theater), presented by Ireland's Druid Theatre and staged by Tony Award-winning director Garry Hynes. The Irish Times called it, "the freshest, funniest and most affecting production of the play in at least a quarter of a century." This production marks the company's third return to Chicago Shakespeare following The Cripple of Inishmaan (2011) and The Walworth Farce (2009).

Touring to neighborhood parks across the City in Summer 2017 in partnership with the City of Chicago, Chicago Park District, Boeing and production sponsor BMO Harris, Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks presents FREE performances of Shakespeare's timeless Romeo and Juliet (July–August, 2017; neighborhood parks across Chicago) in a gripping 75-minute production, adapted and directed by Marti Lyons.

These productions join the previously announced summer family musical, Madagascar – A Musical Adventure (July 13–August 27, 2017; Courtyard Theater). Based on the DreamWorks Animation motion picture, this wild new musical is directed and choreographed by Matt Raftery at the Theater's home on Navy Pier.

For information on purchasing tickets, visit www.chicagoshakes.com or call the CST Box Office at 312.595.5600. A variety of flexible packages start at just $180—offering savings over single tickets, and guaranteeing your seat at every production you choose to see. Discounted tickets are also available for groups of 10 or more; Access Shakespeare patrons; and anyone under age 35 through the CST for $20 initiative.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater's 2017/18 Season (at press time)

Madagascar – A Musical Adventure

in CST's Courtyard Theater

July 13–August 27, 2017

based on the DreamWorks Animation Motion Picture

book by Kevin Del Aguila | original music and lyrics by George Noriega & Joel Someillan

directed and choreographed by Matt Raftery

Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks

Romeo and Juliet

in neighborhood parks across Chicago

July–August, 2017

by William Shakespeare

adapted and directed by Marti Lyons

The Taming of the Shrew

in CST's Courtyard Theater

September 16–November 12, 2017

by William Shakespeare

adapted and directed by Barbara Gaines

additional dialogue by Ron West

from FRANCE | La Compagnie du Hanneton

The Toad Knew

in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare

September 19–23, 2017

by James Thierrée

International Latino Theater Festival

Title to be announced

Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare

Fall 2017

Red Velvet

in CST's Courtyard Theater

December 1, 2017–January 21, 2018

by Lolita Chakrabarti 

directed by Gary Griffin

Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night's Dream

in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare

January 24–March 10, 2018

by William Shakespeare

Schiller's Mary Stuart

in CST's Courtyard Theater

February 21–April 15, 2018

in a new version by Peter Oswald

directed by Jenn Thompson

Macbeth

in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare

April 25–June 24, 2018

by William Shakespeare

adapted and directed by Aaron Posner and Teller

from IRELAND | Druid Theatre

Waiting for Godot

in CST's Courtyard Theater

May 23–June 3, 2018

by Samuel Beckett

directed by Garry Hynes

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is a leading international theater company and a recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award®. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, CST is dedicated to creating extraordinary production of classics, new works and family programming; to unlocking Shakespeare's work for educators and students; and to serving as Chicago's cultural ambassador through its World's Stage Series. Through a year-round season encompassing more than 650 performances, CST attracts 225,000 audience members annually. One in four of its audience members is under eighteen years old, and today its education programs have impacted the learning of over one million students. CST is proud to take an active role in empowering the next generation of literate, engaged cultural champions and creative minds. Throughout 2016, CST spearheaded the international arts and culture festival, Shakespeare 400 Chicago, a yearlong, citywide celebration of the playwright's 400-year legacy.

38th Season Announced at American Players Theatre in Spring Green Wisconsin

Theatre Road Trip:

Live Shows On Our Radar

American Players Theatre announces 38th Summer Festival Season

June 10 – October 22, 2017

Diverse lineup of eight classical and contemporary works in repertory,

Including the return of Chicago director William Brown

TICKETS ON SALE TO RETURNING PATRONS MARCH 13;

GENERAL PUBLIC ON APRIL 24

American Players Theatre (APT) announces its 38th Summer Festival Season, June 10 – October 22, 2017, a diverse lineup of eight classical and contemporary plays in repertory that includes the return and work of visiting Chicago director and Jeff Award-winner William Brown taking on Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters in APT’s newly renovated flagship 1140-seat outdoor amphitheater on the Hill. 

Additional outdoor productions for 2017 include: William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Pericles, Prince of Tyre, Georges Feydeau’s A Flea in her Ear and Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac. Playing in APT’s intimate 200-seat Touchstone Theatre are Jean Genet’s The Maids, Yasmina Reza’s The Unexpected Man and Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge. The Creditors by August Strindberg will run in the Touchstone Theatre from November 2-19 after the regular season closes.

Located on 110 acres of hilly woods and meadows above the Wisconsin River in Spring Green, Wisconsin, American Players Theatre was founded in 1979 and continues to be one of the most popular outdoor classical theaters in the nation. 

Returning patrons can purchase tickets beginning Monday, March 13 and tickets go on sale to the general public Monday, April 24. Single tickets for APT’s 2017 Season start at $49, with special Four Pack ticket packages starting at just $112 for four tickets in the Very Fine seating level to select shows in the Hill Theatre. Ticket and lodging packages are also available at discounted rates. For more information on ticket prices, schedules, plays and casting, call the APT Box Office at 608-588-2361 starting March 13, or visit www.americanplayers.org.

American Players Theatre’s 2017 

Summer Festival Season

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – June 10 to October 8, 2017 (On the Hill)

By William Shakespeare │Directed by John Langs

Opening night: June 17 at 8 p.m.

APT’s first season on its newly rebuilt stage will be christened by the same play that kicked off its first season in 1980. Wedding plans between Theseus, Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons are underway when the couple is interrupted by angry parents trying to stop their headstrong daughter, Hermia, from marrying Lysander instead of their choice, Demetrius. A plan that backfires as the couple flees into the mystical Forest of Arden followed by Demetrius and Helena, (who is, in turn, love with Demetrius). There, Oberon and Titania – king and queen of the fairies – are having a quarrel of their own. And when Oberon enlists his servant Puck to cast a spell on his queen, everyone gets caught up in the magic of this iconic Shakespearean fairy tale.

Featuring Colleen Madden as Titania, Gavin Lawrence as Oberon and Cristina Panfilio as Puck.

A Flea in Her Ear – June 16 to October 7, 2017 (On the Hill)

By Georges Feydeau │ Directed by David Frank

Opening night: June 24 at 8 p.m.

The lovely Raymonde Chandebise wonders why her husband has stopped visiting her bedroom, and assumes he must be having an affair. So she asks her friend Lucienne to write him a love letter meant to lure him to a rendezvous where she can catch him in the act of being unfaithful. But when Raymonde’s (very faithful) husband Victor Emmanuel receives the letter, he assumes it’s for his bachelor friend Tournel and gives it to him instead, setting in motion a hilarious series of events that bounces from the Chandebise home to a hotel of ill repute, where anything (and apparently everyone) goes. Featuring David Daniel as Victor Emmanuel and Marcus Truschinski as Tournel.

Cyrano de Bergerac – June 23 to October 6, 2017 (On the Hill)

By Edmond Rostand│ Directed by James DeVita

Opening night: July 1 at 8 p.m.

Cyrano de Bergerac is a fearless soldier. A loyal braggadocio. And a man furiously self-conscious about his very protuberant nose. He’s also a man in love with a woman (Roxane) who’s in love with someone else (Christian), and promised in marriage to yet another (De Guiche). When Christian is assigned to Cyrano’s platoon, Roxane begs him to protect her love, which Cyrano reluctantly agrees to do. And when Christian in turn begs Cyrano to help him woo Roxane, a plot unfurls that begs the question: does love truly lie in the eyes or in the soul? A funny, action-packed romance with a heart full of poetry. Featuring James Ridge as Cyrano.

Three Sisters – August 4 to September 23, 2017 (On the Hill)

By Anton Chekhov │Directed by William Brown

Opening night: August 12 at 8:00 p.m.

Anton Chekhov (The Seagull, staged by APT in 2014) returns with another soul-searing masterpiece about hope, regret and the complexities of love. Three sisters – Olga, an unwed schoolteacher; Masha, a pianist in an unhappy marriage and Irina, an idealist with plans for a vibrant future – live together with their brother Andrei. In the past, the family lived well-to-do in Moscow, but moved to a provincial town with their father, who had been a military general before his death a year prior. The girls dream of moving back to the city, and more aristocratic lives. Surrounded by soldiers from a nearby artillery post with whom the family has grown close, they watch their lives play out in ways they’d never imagined. A hearty, cathartic story about the moments we allow to pass, and how they shape the future. Featuring Kelsey Brennan as Masha.

Pericles, Prince of Tyre – August 11 to September 29, 2017 (On the Hill)

By William Shakespeare │Directed by Eric Tucker

Opening night: August 19 at 8 p.m.

The most epic of Shakespeare’s late romances, Pericles, Prince of Tyre sails from island to island in a search for love and a place to call home. The first stop is Antioch, where Pericles has traveled to attempt to win the hand of Antiochus’ daughter. But once there, the young prince discovers a secret that could cost him his life. As Pericles flees before he can be murdered, he’s shipwrecked in a storm and recovered by fishermen in Pentopolis, where he catches the eye of Princess Thaisa. Together they create a story that spans oceans, decades and the expanse of the human heart.

The Unexpected Man – June 10 to September 30, 2017 (Touchstone Theatre)

By Yasmina Reza│ Directed by Laura Gordon

Opening night: June 17 at 2 p.m.

Yasmina Reza, author of the international hit Art, brings her unique style of existential comedy to the Touchstone Theatre. Two strangers on a train – an author and a devoted fan – have a secret power struggle as they silently size each other up while reflecting on the decisions and events that led them to their shared train car. A story told through a series of fascinating and funny internal monologues, as two brilliant, lonely people search for a moment of connection. Featuring Sarah Day and Brian Mani.

The Maids – June 27 to October 5, 2017 (Touchstone Theatre)

By Jean Genet│ Directed by Gigi Buffington

Opening night: July 1 at 2 p.m.

Claire and Solange are sisters and servants. Trapped in a life they didn’t ask for and can’t leave, they pass the time by impersonating their Madame, with Claire dressing up in her fine clothes and makeup and relishing her role as the cruel, bullying mistress; using her character to spar with Solange. As the sisters dig deeper into their make-believe, their games become more sinister as they struggle against and within their identities and class roles. A provocative, absurdist fantasy about sex and pain; power and playacting. Featuring Melisa Pereyra as Claire.

A View from the Bridge – August 12 to October 22, 2017 (Touchstone Theatre)

By Arthur Miller│ Directed by Tim Ocel

Opening night: August 19 at 2 p.m. 

In Eddie and Beatrice’s humble and hardworking Brooklyn neighborhood, family ties are a fierce point of pride. Case in point, Bea’s orphaned niece, Catherine has lived with them since she was a child and is now ready to make her way in the world, though Eddie seems reluctant to let her grow up. When the couple agrees to take in two of Bea’s cousins, Marco and Rodolpho, who have traveled from Italy to find work illegally, Catherine and Rodolpho start spending more time together, fanning Eddie’s hot temper and driving the family to an emotional boiling point. A Greek Tragedy set in in 1950s Brooklyn. Featuring Jim DeVita.

Creditors – November 2 to November 19, 2017 (Touchstone Theatre)

By August Strindberg │ Directed by Maria Aitken

Opening night: November 4 at 6 p.m. 

Adolph has made a new friend; a mentor of sorts who seeks to guide him both on his artistic ventures and in matters of his marriage to the charming, vivacious Tekla, who is older than Adolph. It quickly becomes apparent that this new friend – Gustav – may have some ulterior motives, as Adolph and Tekla’s relationship becomes more and more fraught due to Gustav’s influence and Adolph’s own insecurities. A dark and chilling psychological experiment played out on the Touchstone stage. Featuring Tracy Michelle Arnold and Jim DeVita.

About American Players Theatre

APT is a professional repertory theater devoted to the great and future classics. It was founded in 1979 and continues to be one of the most popular outdoor classical theaters in the nation.

The Theatre is located in Spring Green, Wis., on 110 acres of hilly woods and meadows above the Wisconsin River. The outdoor amphitheater is built within a natural hollow atop an oak-wooded hill. Under the dome of sky, almost 1,100 comfortably cushioned seats encircle three sides of the stage. In 2009, APT opened the 200-seat indoor Touchstone Theatre, offering a different type of play and experience.

Northlight Theatre's First Selections For Their 40th Season

Northlight Theatre announces the first selections for its 

40^th Season

including Amanda Peet’s New York hit The Commons of Pensacola

Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap

and World Premieres by Bruce Graham

and Jessica Thebus, Andre Pluess and Amanda Dehnert

Our 2014/15 season includes two world premieres, two Midwest debuts, and a classic whodunit that's been running in London's West End for 62 years!

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, announces the first four selections of its 40^th Anniversary Season.  The celebratory season kicks-off with the current Off-Broadway hit The Commons of Pensacola, which is expected to be the first regional production.  The season continues with Agatha Christie’s mystery The Mousetrap, which is the world’s longest-running play.  Playwright Bruce Graham (Stella & Lou, The Outgoing Tide) returns to Northlight for the World Premiere of White Guy on the Bus. Shining Lives: A Musical, based on Melanie Marnich’s play, commissioned by Northlight and written by Jessica Thebus (book & lyrics), Andre Pluess and Amanda Dehnert (music) will make its World Premiere in the Spring.  An additional title is yet to be announced.

Artistic Director BJ Jones comments, “I have been with Northlight as an actor and director since it was the Evanston Theatre Company and I am proud and honored to serve as Artistic Director as we celebrate our 40^th Anniversary. In recent years, Northlight's hallmark has been our embrace of new work by great playwrights—from Jason Robert Brown, Larry Gelbart and Craig Wright, to Bruce Graham and Christian O'Reilly. Additionally, we have presented refreshed classics, intense dramas and great comedies. We have enjoyed a large, loyal audience for 40 years because they enjoy the quality and range of theater Northlight has come to represent. Our 40^th Anniversary mirrors our desire to continue to reflect our community, bringing the world to Northlight—and Northlight to the world.”

The 2014-15 season includes:

The Midwest Premiere of

The Commons of Pensacola

by Amanda Peet

September 12 – October 19, 2014

Judith is a woman in exile, relegated to a Florida condo after her husband’s Madoff-like crimes have expelled her from a luxurious life.  Family ties are tested when her daughter Becca comes to visit for Thanksgiving, joined by Becca’s filmmaker boyfriend and rebellious niece.   Guilt by association, lost wealth, and questionable motives make trying to love your family an uncommonly difficult challenge in this funny, incisive and timely new drama.

The Mousetrap

By Agatha Christie

November 7 – December 14, 2014

On a snowy night at Monkswell Manor, newlyweds Mollie and Giles welcome a group of strangers to their guest house, only to discover news of a murderer in their midst! A police investigation reveals the sordid details of each guest’s mysterious past, but not soon enough to stop the killer from striking again. Agatha Christie’s masterful whodunit weaves an intricate plot filled with nerve-rattling suspense, all leading up to the ultimate final twist!

Renowned mystery writer Agatha Christie is not only the best-selling author of all time, but The Mousetrap is the world’s longest-running play, now at 62 years on London’s West End!

The World Premiere of
White Guy on the Bus
by Bruce Graham

January 23– March 1, 2015

Ray, a successful white business executive, rides the bus past the state penitentiary every Saturday.  On his weekly ride he befriends Shatique, a young black woman putting herself through school and struggling to raise a son on her own.  The threads that tie these disparate individuals together gradually unravel in a complex and explosive examination of race, intent, and racial biases from a candid and unexpected perspective.

Bruce Graham, the award-winning playwright and screenwriter behind Northlight’s highly successful The Outgoing Tide and Stella & Lou, has never been sharper than in this fresh, surprising, and gutsy world premiere.

The World Premiere of
Shining Lives: A Musical

book & lyrics by Jessica Thebus
music by Andre Pluess & Amanda Dehnert

Based on the play These Shining Lives by Melanie Marnich

May 8 – June 14, 2015

It’s 1922 and the young women of Chicago’s Radium Dial Company are living a dream— earning good wages and beaming with new-found independence.  After years of hand painting watch dials, the so-called "harmless" radium that provided for so much joy leads to tragic results.  Four courageous women upend their lives with a determination to change the future in this compelling new musical, the transcendent tale of heroic lives that glowed with promise.

This world premiere musical, developed through Northlight’s Interplay Series, is adapted from the play These Shining Lives, both commissioned by Northlight Theatre.

Northlight offers the following Engagement Events for each production:

POST-SHOW DISCUSSIONS
Northlight artistic staff lead a conversation about the play and the artistic process immediately following select performances.

BACKSTAGE WITH BJ

This behind-the-scenes discussion with Artistic Director BJ Jones and other special guests is offered for each show while still in rehearsal.  2014-2015 dates are to be announced and will be available online at northlight.org/events.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Northlight partners with community organizations to offer enrichment opportunities ranging from panel discussions with local experts to scene selections and conversations with the cast and/or director.  Frequent locations include the Skokie Public Library and Wilmette Public Library, among others.  2014-2015 dates are to be announced, and will be posted in the theatre lobby for each production, as well as online at northlight.org/events.

INTERPLAY

Northlight’s Interplay Reading Series gives audiences the opportunity to witness the early stages of play development, as a new play evolves from first draft to full theatrical production.  Since its inception in spring 2006, Interplay has staged readings of 29 new plays, 25 of which have gone on to full productions at Northlight, in Chicago, and around the country.  Readings are open to the public and include a post-show discussion with the playwright. 

Interplay readings will be posted in the lobby and online as they are scheduled.  For more information and upcoming dates, visit northlight.org/interplay.

Curtain times are: Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays at 8:00 p.m.; Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; Sundays at 2:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Subscriptions to the 2014-15 Northlight Season are available through the box office, 9501 Skokie Boulevard in Skokie, by phone at 847.673.6300 or online at northlight.org.  Renewals are currently available.  New subscriptions will be available beginning in May 2014.  With its wide range of ticket prices, discounted subscription packages and complimentary parking, Northlight remains of one of the best theatrical values in Chicagoland. 

Subscriptions range in price from $105-$240.  A limited number of season subscriptions for the Opening Night performances (also includes a reception with the cast) are available for $320, subject to availability.  Northlight subscribers will have the first chance to purchase additional tickets before they go on sale to the general public. For more information, visit northlight.org.

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

Now entering its 40^th season, the organization has mounted over 200 productions, including more than 40 world premieres.  Northlight has earned 151 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and 28 Awards.  As one of the area’s premier theatre companies, Northlight is a regional magnet for critical and professional acclaim, as well as talent of the highest quality.

Northlight is supported in part by generous contributions from BMO Harris Bank; Cramer Krasselt; Draft FCB; the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; ComEd, An Exelon Company; Edgerton Foundation for New American Plays Award; Evanston Community Foundation; First Bank and Trust; The Homestead Hotel; Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; Kirkland & Ellis Foundation; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Melvoin Award for Playwriting; Modestus Bauer Foundation; North Shore Center for the Performing Arts Foundation; The Offield Family Foundation; The Pauls Foundation; Plante Moran; Pioneer Press; Quince at the Homestead; Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation; Room & Board; Sage Products; Sanborn Family Foundation; Shubert Foundation; Skokie Fine Arts Council; Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; Sullivan Family Foundation; Tom Stringer Design Partners; and the Venturous Theater Fund.