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ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar
World Premiere!
The Story Theatre Presents
the love object
Pictured (left to right) Mollyanne Nunn, Emily Holland, Spencer Diaz Tootle and Cat Christmas
The Story Theatre’s world premiere of the love object. Photo by David Hagen.
By Justine Gelfman
Directed by Jasmine B. Gunter
October 10 – November 3, 2024
The Story Theatre is pleased to welcome back audiences with its world premiere of the love object by Emerging Playwright-in-Residence Justine Gelfman, directed by Northwestern MFA Directing alum Jasmine B. Gunter. This new play, which explores agency, betrayal and power through the bubblegum veneer of the early 2000s pop music industry, will take place October 10 - November 3, 2024 on Raven Theatre’s Schwartz Stage, 6157 N. Clark St. (at Granville) in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at thestorytheatre.org/tickets or by calling (773) 338-2177. I'll be out for the press opening, October 13th so check back soon after for my full review.
The production will feature Cat Christmas, Kaylah Marie Crosby, Spencer Díaz Tootle, Emily Holland, Mollyanne Nunn and William Anthony Sebastian Rose II. Understudies include Jordan Marie Ford, Freddy Mauricio Jr., Mollyanne Nunn and Jacinda Ratcliffe.
On the eve of Ramona’s sold-out stadium tour, her best friend and trusted assistant Paula announces she is leaving to pursue her own artistry. Fearing the loss of her closest confidante, Ramona reveals that a sex tape she made is about to be released, tainting her image (and ticket sales) forever. Will Paula stay and clean up Ramona’s mess one more time or finally escape the oppressive celebrity machine for good? A contemporary adaptation of Euripides’ Hippolytus, the love object examines the hyper-sexualization of women celebrities, the power struggles of interracial friendship and the tragedies of late-stage capitalism, all through the bubblegum veneer of an early 2000s pop superstar.
The production team includes Tianxuan Chen (Scenic Design), Ben Argenta Kress (Costume Design), Seojung Jang (Lighting Design), Newt Schottelkotte (Sound Design, Original Composition), Angelíca Grace (Choreographer), Racquel Postiglione (Prop Design), Courtney Abbott (Violence & Intimacy Design), Stina Taylor (Technical Direction), Ruby Lowe (Master Electrician), Ariel Beller (Stage Manager), Emma Johnson (Assistant Stage Manager), Lucy Whipp* (Production Manager), Brenna DiStasio*, Paul Michael Thomson*, Terry Guest* (Producers) and Ayanna Bria Bakari* (Associate Producer)
*denotes a member of The Story Theatre’s Governing Ensemble
Content Advisory: This production features strobe light effects and a confetti cannon. This play explores the hyper-sexualization of women and features designed intimacy. If you would like more details before purchasing your ticket, please feel free to email production@thestorytheatre.org. The Story recognizes that individual sensitivities are myriad, and we encourage you to reach out with any questions.
Production Details:
Title: the love object
Playwright: Emerging Playwright-in-Residence Justine Gelfman
Director: Jasmine B. Gunter
Cast (in alphabetical order): Cat Christmas (Tish), Kaylah Marie Crosby (Paula), Spencer Díaz Tootle (Randy), Emily Holland (Ramona), Mollyanne Nunn (Kylie) and William Anthony Sebastian Rose II (Simon).
Understudies: Jordan Marie Ford, Freddy Mauricio Jr., Mollyanne Nunn and Jacinda Ratcliffe.
Location: Raven Theatre Schwartz Stage, 6157 N. Clark St (at Granville), Chicago
Dates: Previews: Thursday, October 10 at 7:30 pm and Friday, October 11 at 7:30 pm
Friends and Family Opening: Saturday, October 12 at 7:30 pm
Press Opening: Sunday, October 13 at 3 pm
Regular run: Thursday, October 10 – Sunday, November 3, 2024
Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 3 pm
Tickets: Previews $15, Regular run $20, Students/active military and veterans $10
Tickets are available at thestorytheatre.org/tickets or by calling (773) 338-2177
Group tickets: Special group grates are available. For more information, call (773) 338-2177 or email paulmichael@thestorytheatre.org.
Plan Your Visit:
Free parking is provided in a lot adjacent to the theatre—additional street parking is available.
Nearest El station: Granville Red Line. Buses: #22 (Clark), #36 (Broadway), #151 (Sheridan), #155 (Devon), #84 (Peterson).
About the Artists:
Justine Gelfman (Playwright) is a Brooklyn-based playwright and the Season IV Emerging Playwright-in-Residence at The Story Theatre. Her work has been developed or produced at Ars Nova, Williamstown Theatre Festival, IRT Theater, Theater Masters’ Take Ten, ESPA/Primary Stages, Dixon Place, The Story, Crashbox, Pete's Candy Store, New Women Space, New York Fringe Festival, UT Austin, Northwestern University and Kenyon College. She has been a resident at Yaddo, Colt Coeur, SPACE on Ryder Farm, Sewanee Writers' Conference, Vineyard Arts Project and Kenyon Playwrights Conference. Her writing has been published by Concord Theatricals. Her plays include the love object (The Story Theatre, 2024 Eugene O'Neill Theater Center semi-finalist), In Sisters We Trust, or My F**ked Up American Girl Doll Play (2019/20 DVRF Playwrights Program Winner, 2023 Kennedy Center NAPAT Award finalist, 2024 Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival finalist, 2020 Leah Ryan’s FEWW Prize finalist, 2020 New Harmony Project finalist, Playwrights Realm's 2020 Scratchpad Series semi-finalist, 2021 Eugene O'Neill Theater Center semi-finalist), The Galas (Ars Nova), The Technicians (2019 Seven Devils Playwrights Conference finalist, 2019 Blue Ink Playwriting Award finalist, 2019 Bay Area Playwrights Festival semi-finalist, 2019 Eugene O'Neill Theater Center semi-finalist), Doormat (2021 Theater Masters’ Take Ten MFA Festival) and The Thing That Never Happened (FringeFAVE at the New York Fringe Festival). Justine was the assistant to writer/director Annie Baker on her A24 film, Janet Planet. MFA: The University of Texas at Austin. BA: Northwestern University.
Jasmine B. Gunter (Director) is the current Resident Director/Associate Producer at Geva Theatre Center in Rochester, NY. In the spring of 2024, Jasmine finished her studies as an MFA directing candidate at Northwestern University. She was the 2021 recipient of the Hangar Directing Drama League fellowship, the 2020 recipient of the Leighton M. Ballew Directing Scholarship and a proud SDC associate member. Recent directing credits include Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really (Northwestern University), The Revolutionists (Northwestern University), jump (Northwestern University) Lost Girl (Hangar Theatre), The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Hangar Theatre), Hedda Gabler (Northwestern University) Wine in the Wilderness (Northwestern University), Intimate Apparel (SUNY Brockport), Ghost Story (Kane Repertory Theatre), Lines in the Dust (Geva Theatre Center), Reroute (24 Hour Plays: Nationals). Associate/Assistant Credit: Blues for an Alabama Sky (Remy Bumppo), Nina Simone: Four Women (Arena Stage), In the Heights (Seattle Rep), Quixote Nuevo (Hartford Stage/Huntington Theatre Company) and The Luckiest People (Actors Theatre of Charlotte/NNPN). Jasmine has also taught as a teaching artist at the Berkshire Theatre Group and the Redhouse Arts Center in Syracuse, NY.
About The Story Theatre:
Founded in 2018, The Story Theatre will pose questions rather than provide answers. We develop and produce new work that is whimsical, melancholic, mythic in vision and intimate in scale. We are run by a Governing Artistic Ensemble, who ensures our work is actively dismantling racism and inequity, while cultivating community through activism and catharsis.
Our Emerging Playwright Residency Program fosters the growth of a playwright at the beginnings of an exciting career. After an intensive application and interview process, the Governing Ensemble chooses one playwright-in-residence and offers them: a fully-produced run of a completed full-length play; the development of a new script through our unique inquiry-based workshop process; a free public staged reading of this new script; and our trusted advocacy with industry professionals every step of the way.
The Story Theatre is funded in part by The Michael and Mona Heath Fund, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, The Saints of Chicago, The Iole Foundation, and the CrossRoads Seed Fund.
Chi, IL Live Shows On Our Radar
Drury Lane announces the 2025/26 Season
featuring a lineup of shows that invite audiences to escape the ordinary
including the Chicago premiere of The Da Vinci Code, Always…Patsy Cline, Dial M For Murder, Sister Act, and the Chicago regional premiere of On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan
Drury Lane Theatre invites audiences to escape the ordinary with an enticing lineup of productions in its 2025/2026 season, including a gripping Chicago premiere, a tale of envy and murder, and a trio of beloved female-driven musicals sure to have you singing along. The new season is packed with shows audiences have been clamoring for, and Drury Lane is proud to present them as only it can, with unparalleled theatrical artistry.
Drury Lane kicks off the 2025/26 season with the action-packed Chicago premiere of The Da Vinci Code, adapted from the best-selling novel by Dan Brown; a tale of friendship and heartache based on a true story in Always…Patsy Cline; a new adaptation of the beloved thriller of jealousy and deception, Dial M For Murder, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the original by Frederick Knott; the heavenly musical comedy Sister Act, based on the hit 1992 film; and the Chicago regional premiere of the unstoppable rhythm of the Miami Sound Machine in On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan.
Drury Lane’s new season runs from April 1, 2025 – March 22, 2026, at 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. For more information, visit www.drurylanetheatre.com.
“For me, announcing the 2025-2026 season is a thrilling experience. Drury Lane has crafted a groundbreaking series of productions with titles you will recognize, music you can start singing now, and surprises that I hope will bring thrills and chills,” comments Drury Lane Managing Director Wendy Stark Prey.
The performance schedule for Drury Lane’s 2025/2026 Season is Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m., Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Excellence isn’t limited to the stage at Drury Lane! Before or after the show, theatergoers can indulge in delicious onsite dining at Lucille Restaurant, which features seasonal pre-fixe menus and an elevated atmosphere to complete their experience. Boasting over a century of collective expertise in hospitality, the dedicated team ensures that you will be cared for with freshly prepared meals, handcrafted cocktails, and exceptional service. At Drury Lane, everything is in one place, so you will never be late for your performance.
Drury Lane Theatre Membership Program
Lock in your seats for a season of spectacular theatre with Drury Lane’s new Membership Program! Members have exclusive access to uniquely tailored benefits designed to enrich their Drury Lane experience, all at a cost savings of more than 50% off single ticket prices. Membership includes Tier One seating for all five Drury Lane Theatre productions, free ticket exchanges, dedicated dining credits at Lucille Restaurant, exclusive event invitations, Member pre-sales and unlimited single ticket discounts. Membership prices range from $229.25 - $260.75. For more information, visit www.drurylanetheatre.com.
Group tickets start at $45 and Student group tickets start at just $35. To book a group of 10 people or more, call Group Services at 630-570-7272 or email Groups@DruryLane.com.
The Drury Lane Theatre 2024/2025 Mainstage Season is as follows:
Chicago Premiere
The Da Vinci Code
Adapted by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel
Based on the novel by Dan Brown
April 9 – June 1, 2025
Press Opening: Thursday, April 17, 2025 at 7pm
Witness the action-packed novel live on stage as Professor Robert Langdon and cryptologist Sophie Neveu race against the clock to unlock the secrets of Da Vinci in this Chicago regional premiere.
Based on a True Story
Always…Patsy Cline
Created and originally directed by Ted Swindley
June 11 - August 3, 2025
Press Opening: Thursday, June 19, 2025 at 7pm
Featuring 27 of Patsy Cline’s biggest hits, this is the ultimate love letter to one of the most celebrated and influential performers of the 20th century.
New Adaptation
Dial M For Murder
Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher
From the original by Frederick Knott
September 3 - October 26, 2025
Press Opening: Thursday, September 11, 2025 at 7pm
An affair, a fortune on the line, and the perfect murder…But what happens when it all goes wrong? Find out in this riveting new adaptation.
Sister Act
Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Glenn Slater
Book by Cheri Steinkellner & Bill Steinkellner
Additional Book Material by Douglas Carter Beane
November 12, 2025 - January 11, 2026
Press Opening: Thursday, November 20, 2025 at 7pm
Based on the hit 1992 film, this divine, feel-good comedy will have you rejoicing with your group this holiday season.
Chicago Regional Premiere
On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan
Book by Alexander Dinelaris
Featuring Music Produced and Recorded by Emilio & Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
January 28 - March 22, 2026
Press Opening: Thursday, February 5, 2026 at 7pm
Filled with the exhilarating music of the Miami Sound Machine, this celebration of Gloria Estefan’s greatest hits will have you dancing in the aisles.
Theatre for Young Audiences 2025
A Christmas Carol
By Charles Dickens
November 28 – December 27, 2025
Single Tickets: $30-$40, Group Tickets: $17.50 (10 or more)
Continue your tradition or start a new one by gathering the whole family for Drury Lane Theatre's heartwarming production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Set in Victorian-era London, A Christmas Carol tells the classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and the ghosts that visit him one fateful Christmas Eve hoping to change his miserly ways. Complete with falling snow and magical illusions, the play is a visually stunning experience and, at one hour long, perfect for children of all ages.
About Drury Lane Theatre
Built from scratch. Built in Oakbrook. Built for you.
Founded by Anthony DeSantis over 60 years ago, Drury Lane remains a family-run organization under the leadership of President Kyle DeSantis. Drury Lane Theatre continues as a major force in the Chicagoland theatre scene, producing world-class theatre in collaboration with some of the nation’s leading actors, directors, and creative minds. Drury Lane Theatre produces the highest quality theatrical experience that immerses and supports our artists and audiences in the exploration of what it means to be human and to experience the transcending power of the performing and visual arts. Drury Lane strives to create an environment in which every individual or group is welcomed, respected, supported, valued and able to fully experience and participate in this transformative art form.
The theatre has staged more than 2,000 productions and has been nominated for over 360 Joseph Jefferson Awards. Drury Lane proudly employs thousands of professional actors, musicians, designers, and crew members to entertain upwards of nine million audience members and counting
ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar
Steep Theatre Presents The World Premiere of
Happy Days Are Here (Again)
By Omer Abbas Salem Directed by Azar Kazemi
September 13 - October 27, 2024
A World Premiere commission by Steep ensemble member Omer Abbas Salem, examines man-made "divine" power, who wields it, and if they should be trusted.
This September, Steep Theatre will present the World Premiere of ensemble member Omer Abbas Salem’s Happy Days Are Here (Again) directed by Azar Kazemi. Preview performances begin Friday, September 13th, at Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theater as renovations progress on Steep’s recently acquired home, and the production officially opens on Friday, September 20th. The show will run through October 27th. This world premiere is Steep’s follow-up to the sold-out run of Samuel D. Hunter’s A Case for the Existence of God, which closes on September 7, 2024.
An unanswered question rings through the halls of St. Boniface High School: "Who will help me?" This large ensemble piece explores how people in power abuse their systems and the resilience that fighting them requires. The thirteen-person cast features Steep ensemble members Patricia Donegan (Earthquakes in London, Love and Money) and Alex Gillmor (Paris, First Love is the Revolution); previous Steep collaborators Ashlyn Lozano (Light Falls, Pomona) and Maya Hlava (Zurich); and a collection of first-time Steep artists, including John Zhou Duncan, Katie Incardona, Rich Adrian Lazatin, Eric Lindahl, Oliver Maalouf, Carter Shimp, Yourtana Sulaiman, Gage Wallace, and Jocelyn Zamudio.
Commissioned and workshopped by Steep over the last year, Happy Days Are Here (Again) is Salem’s first collaboration as a playwright with the theater company. He has been produced by the Actors Theatre of Louisville, The New Colony, Jackalope Theatre, Theatre Viscera, Means of Production, Definition Theatre, and Steppenwolf Theatre. His play Mosque4Mosque was developed with Steppenwolf Theatre’s SCOUT program. This production will mark director Azar Kazemi’s debut with Steep Theatre. Kazemi recently directed Rivendell Theatre’s smash-hit, world premiere production of Tuckie White’s Motherhouse, which won Jeff Awards for both Best New Work and Best Ensemble.
Tickets are available on Steppenwolf’s website (www.steppenwolf.org) and prices range from $10 - $40 with performances Thursday - Sunday throughout the production run.
Artists
Omer Abbas Salem (Playwright; Happy Days are Here (Again); he/they) is an actor and playwright. As an actor, they've worked at Roundabout Theatre, Atlantic Theatre, St. Louis Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Goodman, Steep Theatre, Jackalope Theatre, Silk Road Rising, First Floor Theatre, The New Coordinates, About Face Theatre, Griffin Theatre, and The Second City. As a playwright, their work has been produced at The Goodman, Steppenwolf Theatre, About Face Theatre, Steep Theatre, First Floor Theatre, Jackalope Theatre, The New Coordinates, The Story Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, National Queer Theatre, Definition Theatre, and The Theatre School of DePaul. They are a member of the 2021/22 Goodman Playwrights Unit and had a play developed in The Goodman’s New Stages Festival in 2022. They are the winner of the 2022 Blueprint Commission winner from First Floor and recipient of the 2021 Cunningham Commission from DePaul University. They were given an Emerging Playwright commission from Audible Theater and are also the most recent recipient of the Edgerton Commission at Steppenwolf Theater. They also won the 2022 3Arts Award in Theater. They are an ensemble member of Steep Theatre, First Floor Theater, and The New Coordinates. They graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign and the University of Chicago. They are represented by Gray Talent and the Gersh Agency. Find out more at www.omerabbassalem.com
Azar Kazemi (Director, Happy Days Are Here (Again) is first-generation Persian American and a freelance director and educator based in Chicago. She directs socially-charged plays where the political and personal collide, most recently directing the Jeff Award winning world premiere of Motherhouse by Tuckie White at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. Some of Azar’s other Chicago directing credits include: the U.S. premiere of debbie tucker green’s dirty butterfly, the Midwest premiere of Samuel D. Hunter’s Jack’s Precious Moment, and Sarah Kane’s Crave. Azar received her MFA from The Theatre School at DePaul University, where she is also on faculty and received the 2020-21 Excellence in Teaching Award. Azar has worked at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Jackalope Theatre, Victory Gardens, American Theatre Company, Chicago Dramatists, and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. In New York City Azar worked at The New Group where she assistant directed three Off-Broadway productions, two under the direction of her mentor Ethan Hawke. Azar is a proud member of SDC. To learn more please visit: azarkazemi.com
CAST
Patricia Donegan^ John Zhou Duncan Alex Gillmor^ Maya Hlava
Katie Incardona Rich Adrian Lazatin Eric Lindahl
Ashlyn Lozano Oliver Maalouf Carter Shimp Yourtana Sulaiman Gage Wallace* Jocelyn Zamudio
CREATIVE TEAM
Director – Azar Kazemi
Stage Manager – Olivia Sullam
Scenic Designer - Lauren Nichols
Lighting Designer - Conchita Avitia
Costume Designer - Emily McConnellˆ
Sound Designer - Thomas Dixonˆ
Props Designer - Saskia Bakker
Intimacy and Violence Consultant - Gloria Imseih Petrelli Dramaturg - Caroline Uy
Production Electrician - Baylee Speer
Assistant Director - Jordan Kost
Intimacy & Violence Consultant - Gloria Imseih Petrelli Technical Director - Emmanuel Jimenez
Photographer - Joseph Chretien-Golden
Graphic Designer - Stu Kiesow
ˆSteep Company Member
ˆˆ Steep Artistic Associate
* Appearing through an Agreement between Steep Theatre and Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
About Steep Theatre
Founded in 2000 by three actors, Steep has grown into a dynamic ensemble of forty-five theatre artists, supported by a dedicated and inspired team of arts administrators and community members. Described by Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune as "the most fearless theater in town", Steep creates powerful productions of plays by today's most exciting writers and features the work of Chicago's hottest theatre artists in an intimate, accessible space. Steep is known as a home for hard-hitting, finely-tuned ensemble work. With each production, the company has shepherded a growing community of audiences and artists into bold new territories of story and performance. Steep Theatre is committed to creating an inclusive and anti-racist environment for making and watching theatre. To learn more, please visit https://steeptheatre.com/antiracism.
Steep is in the midst of its Lights Up Edgewater Capital Campaign to support the creation of Steep’s new theater and artistic home and to fund robust and equitable compensation for artists and staff. To learn more about this campaign, please visit www.steeptheatre.com/lightsup.
Production Information
WHERE:
Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theater 1700 N Halsted
Chicago, Illinois 60614 www.steppenwolf.org
WHEN:
September 20 - October 27, 2024
Previews: September 13 - September 19, 2024
Press Opening: Friday, September 20, 2024 at 8:00pm
Schedule: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 8:00pm | Sunday matinees at 3:30pm
Accessible Performances:
-Audio Description: Sunday, October 6, 2024 at 3:30pm
-Open Captioning: Saturday, October 12, 2024 at 8:00pm and Sunday, October 13, 2024 at 3:30pm
Contact us at info@steeptheatre.com or 773-649-3186 for more information.
Social: Twitter: @SteepTheatre Facebook: SteepTheatre Instagram: @steeptheatre