REVIEW: Multigenerational Murder Limbo: The World Premiere of The Posthumous Trial of Giulia Tofana Now Playing Through April 5, 2026

 ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Larkspur Productions Opens World Premiere of
The Posthumous Trial of Giulia Tofana
By Gwyneth Forsythe
Directed by Cheryl Snodgrass
March 20th - April 5th at The Den Theatre

Sydney Genco in The Posthumous Trial of Giulia Tofana

Photo by August Holiday Photography

REVIEW

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

As I pass the bottled water aisle I see Acqua Panna and Aquafina, and my mind turns to Aqua Tofana, the poison rumored to kill 600 men in 17th-century Italy. Was the herbalist and healer, Giulia Tofana, a monster serial killer, or a champion of battered women? How many did she save with her death-giving elixir? Who tells the story? It was fascinating to learn more about Giulia Tofana, trained by a mother who was murdered as a witch, who passed along her skills to her daughter who met the same fate.

You can hear the story straight from Giulia Tofana, from beyond the grave, through Sydney Genco, now through Sunday, April 5, 2026. We meet Tofana centuries after her death, still stuck in purgatory, as she's wracked with guilt for her daughter's fate, though clear of conscience for the women she freed from abusive men. 

Murderer. Witch. Savior. Executed in 1659 for the murder of 600 men. That's how history remembers Giulia Tofana, the infamous creator of the Aqua Tofana poison. This is her story straight from Purgatory, thanks to Playwright, Gwyneth Forsythe. We adore the way this trio of women, Playwright: Gwyneth Forsythe, Director: Cheryl Snodgrass, and Cast: Sydney Genco (Giulia Tofana) humanize the tragic tale of another trio of women. This show reframes history and brings up important questions as relevant today as they were in the 1600s. 

Why have we demonized and killed our healers for centuries? Why do men still abuse and murder women with few consequences? This production is sadly still all too timely. In our current Epstein scandle era, powerful men still abuse women and children with impunity and those who help them or speak out often bear consequences far greater than the abusers. Where are our twenty first century Tofanas when we need them? This production is a fascinating slice of history, and these three generations of badass healers and protectors are best not forgotten. 

Anyone who adores Chicago's infamous queens of camp, Hell in a Handbag Productions, is likely familiar with both Sydney Genco (performer & makeup artist) and Cheryl Snodgrass (director). But you've never seen this power duo team up like this. There's no drag here or over the top parody. Genco gives us a quiet, candle lit reckoning for a woman who gave her life to save abused women, who's been stuck in limbo for centuries, because she can't make peace with the fate her daughter freely chose. This heart wrenching piece is a must see. 

Head on over to The Den Theatre for some serious talk from a healer and helper of battered women from beyond the grave. Don't miss this macabre masterpiece. ChiIL Live Shows on our radar. Recommended. Three out of four stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bonnie is a Chicago based writer, theatre critic, photographer, artist, and Mama to 2 amazing adults. She owns two websites where she publishes frequently: ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) & ChiILMama.com (family friendly).

Larkspur Productions is pleased to announce the world premiere of The Posthumous Trial of Giulia Tofana. Directed by Cheryl Snodgrass, The Posthumous Trial of Giulia Tofana will play March 20th - April 5th at The Den Theatre, 1331 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago IL.

Tickets are on sale at https://thedentheatre.com/performances/2026/3/20/the-posthumous-trial-of-giulia-tofana-the-den-theatre-comedy-club-chicago

This one person show is performed by Sydney Genco. 

Comments playwright Gwyneth Forsythe: In a time when bodily autonomy and human rights are being actively taken away and the very idea of justice seems out of reach, stories from the past, like Giulia Tofana’s, are more important than ever. We cannot wait to share hers with you.

The production team includes Matthew York (Scenic Designer), Kate Kamphausen (Costume Designer), Garrett Bell (Lighting Designer), DJ Douglass (Sound Designer), Tina Haglund-Spitza (Props Designer), Tom Daniel (Scenic Carpenter), Henry Bender (Master Electrician) and Drew Donnelly (Technical Director).

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Title: The Posthumous Trial of Giulia Tofana

Playwright: Gwyneth Forsythe

Director: Cheryl Snodgrass

Cast: Sydney Genco (Giulia Tofana)

Location: The Den Theatre, 1331 N Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60622

Regular run: March 20 – Sunday, April 5, 2026

Curtain Times: Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm. Sunday, April 5th at 3pm. Please note: there will be an added performance on Monday, March 30th @ 8pm (Industry Night).

Tickets: General admission: $25. https://thedentheatre.com/performances/2026/3/20/the-posthumous-trial-of-giulia-tofana-the-den-theatre-comedy-club-chicago

About the Artists:

Gwyneth Forsythe (Playwright) is a writer, educator and theatre artist who splits her time between Iowa City and Chicago. She received two BAs (Theatre Arts and History) from the University of Iowa and her MFA in Writing for the Screen and Stage from Northwestern University, where she was awarded the Krevoy Screenwriting Prize. Gwyneth has worked as a freelance writer, taught for the Chicago City Colleges, and was a 2024 semi-finalist for the Eugene O'Neill Center's National Playwrights Conference. Last summer, her work was featured in the Heretic Theatre Festival produced by RJ Theatre Company in New York City. In the fall, she directed and produced “Ghosts on the Radio Vol. II: A Haunted Audio Anthology” for the Iowa Youth Writing Project and assistant-directed Global Express for the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa. She has taught and developed writing courses in playwriting, screenwriting, horror, humor, and creative non-fiction for writers worldwide of all ages and experience levels.

Cheryl Snodgrass (Director) is passionate about directing new works. She is an alumni ensemble member of Hell in a Handbag where she’s directed multiple premieres including The Drag Seed, which performed at the famous LaMama Theatre in NYC. Other Handbag shows include The Birds, Scary Town, L’Imitation of Life, and Die, Mommie! Die! Cheryl has worked extensively as a visiting artist at Mill Mountain Theatre and Studio Roanoke (Roanoke, VA). She has also directed for a number of Chicago companies that include Sweetback, Glass Apple, Trap Door, The Foundlings, Tellin’ Tales, Jonny Staxx Presents, and Filet of Solo. Most recently, Cheryl directed John Cariani’s (playwright of Almost, Maine) new play Darker the Night Brighter the Stars for Penobscot Theatre in Bangor, ME and is very excited to be included in the published version as a premiere production.

REVIEW: The Cuttlefish, or the Hyrcanian Worldview Now Playing at Trap Door Theatre Through April 25, 2026

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Trap Door Theatre Presents

The Cuttlefish, or the Hyrcanian Worldview

Written by Stanisław I. Witkiewicz

Translated by Daniel Gerould

Directed by Nicole Wiesner

March 19–April 25, 2026

Run time: 1 hour and 20 minutes without an intermission. 

Tickets are $32 with two-for-one admission on Thursdays.

GUEST REVIEW

By Barbara Belcore

I walked into The Cuttlefish, or the Hyrcanian Worldview at Trap Door Theater with no real sense of what I was about to see, and left a genuine fan. It is strange in a way that feels intentional rather than indulgent, fully committing to its own offbeat logic from the very beginning. Even before the play officially began, the actors were already on stage as the audience took their seats, moving slowly and deliberately, setting a tone that felt deeply ominous.

David Lovejoy (King Hyrcan IV) and Nicole Wiesner (Paweł Rockoffer). Credit for all production photos: Michal Janicki.

The production opens in a darker, more controlled space, but somewhere midway through it loosens its grip and transforms into something closer to an absurd fever dream. That shift could easily lose an audience, but here it has the opposite effect. The room stayed engaged, alive with reaction. There were gasps, giggles, and those involuntary sounds of agreement when something lands a little too well. It felt communal in a way that’s hard to manufacture, helped along by brief breaks of the fourth wall that ground the performance in flashes of real world context. In one moment, audience members are pulled in to serve bit parts, adding to the unpredictability and personal relevance of the experience.

At its core, the play explores the internal conflict of an artist being pulled to belong while still struggling to maintain control and individuality. That tension unfolds through a world where art, religion, philosophy, and identity are all pulled into orbit around a loud, self-proclaimed king of an imaginary kingdom. The metaphor is elastic enough to be interpreted in multiple ways, but grounded enough to keep you from drifting too far.

Keith Surney (Statue of Alice d’Or) and Nicole Wiesner (Paweł Rockoffer). 

What makes it work is the cast’s complete commitment. They lean fully into the absurdity without ever winking at it, which gives the production its weight. It is not always clean or straightforward, but it is compelling throughout. If you’re willing to meet it where it is, it becomes a genuinely memorable experience. This is the kind of theater that stays with you long after you leave your seat. Highly recommended. ★★★★ Four out of four stars.

Barbara is a Chicago-area home birth midwife, maker, theater enthusiast, avid reader, and mom of two quirky, creative teens. She is currently snuggling three cats who are perpetually convinced that they have never been fed. 

David Lovejoy (King Hyrcan IV) and Emily Lotspeich (Pope Julius II). 

Trap Door Theatre is thrilled to continue its mainstage work of their 32nd season with a production of Trap Door’s favorite playwright Stanislaw Witkiewicz’s The Cuttlefish, or the Hyrcanian Worldview, directed by Nicole Wiesner. The Cuttlefish will play March 19 – April 25, 2026 at Trap Door Theatre, 1655 W Cortland St. in Chicago. Tickets are now on sale at trapdoortheatre.com or by calling (773)-384-0494. 

The cast includes Venice Averyheart, Emily Lotspeich, David Lovejoy, Keith Surney, Gus Thomas, and Nicole Wiesner.

Part philosophical farce, part surreal fever dream—Witkiewicz’s The Cuttlefish, or the Hyrcanian Worldview is a razor-sharp satire of art under pressure. In a world where creativity is consumed by control and individuality is crushed beneath the weight of conformity, an artist spirals into crisis—torn between integrity and survival, freedom and obedience. Witkiewicz exposes the seductive dance between artist and authority, where every act of creation risks becoming an act of submission. Decades ahead of its time, this anarchic comedy lays bare the modern artist’s impossible choice: stay true to your vision, or surrender it for comfort and applause.

The production team includes Merje Veski (Scenic Design), Rachel Sypniewski (Costume Design), Richard Norwood (Lighting Design), Danny Rockett (Sound Design), Kasia Olechno (Stage Manager), Zsofia Otvos (Make Up Design), Dan Cobbler (Assistant Director), Milan Pribisic (Dramaturg), Michal Janicki (Graphic Design), and Dan Cobbler, Juliet Kang Huneke, Mitchell Jackson, and Gracie Wallace (Understudies).

Location: Trap Door Theatre, 1655 W. Cortland St. Chicago, IL 60622

Dates: Regular Run: Thursday, March 19th –Saturday, April 25th, 2026Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8:00 pm, and Sundays 4/12 and 4/19 at 3PM.

Tickets: $32 with 2-for-1 admission on Thursdays. Tickets are currently available at https://our.show/the-cuttlefish or by calling (773) 384-0494. Group tickets: Special group rates are available. For information, call (773) 384-0494 or email boxofficetrapdoor@gmail.com.

Plan your visit:

Free street parking is available.

Buses: #9 (Ashland), #50 (Damen), #72 (North), #73 (Armitage).

Metra: Clybourn metra stop.

Accessibility:

Trap Door Theatre is wheelchair accessible.

About the Artists

Stanislaw I. Witkiewicz (1885-1939) is one the most brilliant figures of the European avant-garde. Witkiewicz was a poet, painter, playwright, an expert on drugs, an early spokesman for a radically non-realistic theatre and an original philosopher and social critic of mass culture, post-industrial society, and the rise of totalitarianism. He was also a pioneer in serious experimentation with narcotics and prophetically recognized the growing importance that they would have on Western civilization. Witkiewicz committed suicide shortly after the outbreak of War in September of 1939. He is best knownfor his plays The Madman and the Nun, The Mother, The Water Hen, The Anonymous Work, and The Shoemakers.

Nicole Wiesner (she/her) joined the Trap ensemble in 1999, and currently serves as the Managing Director. Directing credits for the company: Minna, The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls, Phedre, Monsieur D’eon is a Woman, The Old Woman Broods, The White Plague, Decomposed Theatre Episode 5, The Martyrdom of Peter Ohey, Joan and the Fire, Nana, and The Mannequins’ Ball. Some of her favorite Trap acting credits include First Ladies (dir. Zeljko Djukic, Joseph Jefferson Citation: Outstanding Actress); OVERWEIGHT, unimportant: MISSHAPE (dir. Yasen Peyankov); and the title roles in The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant; Nana (dir. Beata Pilch) and Alice in Bed. (Director Dado). Regionally, she has appeared at the Goodman Theatre in 2666, directed by Robert Falls and Seth Bockley; Shining City directed by Robert Falls; and Passion Play, directed by Mark Wing-Davy (After Dark Award, Outstanding Performance). Other credits include Shining City at the Huntington Theatre in Boston; Passion Play at Yale Repertory Theatre and Epic Theatre NYC; The Book Thief (dir. Hallie Gordon), South of Settling (dir. Adam Goldstein) and Dublin Carol (Dir. Amy Morton) at Steppenwolf Theatre; Dying City (dir. Jason Loewith) at Next Theatre, Great Men of Science (dir. Tracy Letts) at Lookingglass Theatre; and Phedre (dir. JoAnn Akalitis) at The Court Theater.

About Trap Door Theatre

Founded in 1994 by Artistic Director Beata Pilch, Trap Door Theatre is dedicated to seeking out challenging, obscure, and culturally significant works rooted in political outcry that address timeless and borderless existential themes. Our mission is to provide a platform for voices that confront and question social norms, inspire dialogue, and foster understanding across diverse cultures and perspectives. Through bold, imaginative productions, we strive to push artistic boundaries and create transformative experiences for our audiences. We are committed to serving as a cultural hub for our community, supporting artists through equitable practices, and engaging audiences with works that illuminate the human condition in innovative and thought-provoking ways.

Trap Door Theatre is funded in part by The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, The Bayless Family Foundation, a CityArts Program Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The John R Halligan Charitable Fund, The Illinois Arts Council Agency, The Reva and David Logan Foundation, and the generosity of individuals like you.

For additional information, visit trapdoortheatre.com 

Gus Thomas (Ella) and Venice Averyheart (Mother I/II and Foley Artist). 

World Premiere: THE OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY Via Her Story Theatre March 28 - April 19, 2026 at The Den

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar: Her Story Theatre presents World Premiere of  THE OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY  March 28 - April 19 at The Den An aging novelist and a young writer of creative non-fiction flirt with the seduction and danger of storytelling as they play cat and mouse with conflicting versions of the truth.

Her Story Theatre has announced the World Premiere of Kurt McGinnis Brown’s two-hander THE OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY, to play March 28 – April 19 at The Den Theatre in Chicago. When young black journalist Xan Smith is assigned to interview the once successful, now aging white novelist, Henry Percival, the two form an unlikely bond during their contentious meetings. After Henry reveals something unexpected about his past, the two writers must consider the uncertain relationship of truth to storytelling in general, and specifically to the story of Henry’s life. THE OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY will keep audiences guessing as they follow its plot twists, surprises, and suspect decisions. The drama, which was workshopped at Chicago Dramatists in 2017 and Art Lit Lab in Madison, Wisconsin in 2016, is the work of prolific playwright Kurt McGinnis Brown, who has had plays produced across the country, including in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. The Jeff Award-winner and former Artistic Director of Strawdog Theatre Richard Shavzin will direct. Previews on March 28, 29 and 31. It will play through April 19. Veteran Chicago actor and Actors Equity member Gary Houston, whose many credits include GEM OF THE OCEAN and JOE TURNER’S COME AND GONE at the Goodman Theatre, will play the septuagenarian novelist Henry Percival. Shelby Marie Edwards, seen most recently in Pegasus Players’ YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL and RABBITS IN THEIR POCKETS at Lifeline Theatre, has been cast as the young journalist Xan Smith.   The production team includes Garrett Bell (Set Design), Sam Bessler (Lighting Design), Mary Bonnett (Costume Design), George Zahora (Sound Design), Wendye Clarendon* (Actors Equity member, Stage Manager), Morgan Watkinson and Josh Hogan (Assistant Stage Managers), Steve Kruse (Technical Director), Tristan Predmore (Lighting Technician), Nora Brooks (Scenic Painter), and Lucas Holeman (Carpenter).  Tickets to THE OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY are $40 for General Admission and $30.00 for Seniors plus taxes and fees) for regular performances; and $35 General Admission for previews. Students and industry members are $20.00 all performances, and group prices are $30.00 per person for all performances. Tickets are on sale now at www.thedenthreatre.com and The Den Theatre Box Office 773-697-3830.

Her Story Theatre THE OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY WORLD PREMIERE By Kurt McGinnis Brown Directed by Richard Shavzin Featuring Gary Houston and  Shelby Marie Edwards March 28 – April 19, 2026 Previews Saturday, March 28 at 7:30 pm, Sunday, March 29 at 3:00 pm, and Tuesday, March 31 at 7:30 pm Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 3 pm (No performance Easter Sunday, April 5) The Den Theatre Upstairs Main Stage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago 60622

Ticket Prices: Previews – General Admission $35.00, plus taxes and fees. Regular performances - General Admission - $40.00, Seniors - $35.00. Students and industry $20.00 all performances. Groups $30.00 per person all performances. Tickets on sale now at www.thedentheatre.com and The Den Theatre Box Office 773-697-3830 Info: www.HerStoryTheater.org   When young black journalist Xan Smith is assigned to interview the once successful, now aging, white novelist, Henry Percival, her mission is clear. She is prepared to dismantle his career with a scathing expose that will cement her own reputation as a fearless cultural critic. But during their contentious meetings, Henry reveals something unexpected about his past. As she digs deeper, the story she uncovers changes the one she came to write. Xan must decide what she's willing to tell, because in this game of perception and power, the biggest revelation may be about herself.  BIOS

Gary Houston (Henry Percival) was last seen onstage at the Goodman Theater in August Wilson's GEM OF THE OCEAN and JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE, both directed by Chuck Smith.  As well as numerous film roles, Gary is a Jeff-nominated actor, with a long history of performances at Northlight, Writers Theatre, Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens, Wisdom Bridge, National Jewish Theater and in the original Organic Theatre ensemble. As a former books and arts staffer for the CHICAGO SUN TIMES, he interviewed Studs Terkel, Saul Bellow, Joseph Heller, and Elie Wiesel. Gary is presently managing editor of CHICAGO QUARTERLY REVIEW and a member of Actors’ Equity and SAG-AFTRA. (Photo by Sandy Morris)

Shelby Marie Edwards (Xan Smith) is an actor-musician and solo performer. Chicago theatre Credits include RABBITS IN THEIR POCKETS (Lifeline Theatre), YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL (Pegasus Theatre Chicago), QUALIA (Subtext Studio Theatre), A BRONX TALE, THE WEDDING SINGER (Surging Films and Theatrics), HOLLY’S IVY, LOST HOME WIN HOME (Lifeline Theatre’s Fillet of Solo Festival). Regional credits include: ABIYOYO (Chicago Symphony Orchestra), FLEX (Summit Performance Indianapolis), CHICKEN & BISCUITS (Virginia Repertory Theatre), LITTLE WOMEN (Virginia Theatre Festival). Education: M.A. from the University of Chicago and B.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University. Film Credits include HBO’s LOVECRAFT COUNTRY. Shelby is a proud alumna of Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s professional leadership program. IG: @ShelbyMarieEdwards

Kurt McGinnis Brown (Playwright) has had plays performed across the country, including in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. His fiction has appeared in national journals such as AMERICAN LITERARY REVIEW, DENVER QUARTERLY, GLIMMER TRAIN, and NEW LETTERS, and he recently completed a memoir about crime and creativity. Kurt’s work on land and poverty issues took him to Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Peru, and Russia; a few lives perhaps are better for it. Richard Shavzin (Director) is delighted to have had the opportunity to help bring this excellent new play into the American theatrical canon. He has also directed the world premieres of the musical ANY SOMEONE AT ALL at Second City; DEFAMATION, TOPS OR BOTTOMS, and FALLOUT for Canamac Productions; TEN CENT NIGHT (Chicago Dramatists); NEVER THE BRIDESMAID (Polarity Ensemble), KLUB KOKOMO (PS Theatricals); and Studs Terkel's RACE at Strawdog Theatre, where he was the Artistic Director from 1993-1998 and won a Jeff for Direction for BURN THIS. He is a member of Perennial Theatre Company, an Artistic Affiliate Emeritus with American Blues, and an Associate Artist at Chicago Dramatists, where he has directed almost 100 readings of new plays over the last 32 years. Mary Bonnett (Producing Artistic Director) is an award-winning artist who is the founder and Producing Artistic Director of Her Story Theater. As a playwright, her work has been seen in Chicago, NYC, Houston, Philadelphia, Wyoming and Connecticut. She has written a series of plays on domestic sex trafficking in Chicago. Her work also includes monologues, one acts and full-length plays. She is a member of Chicago Dramatist, Dramatist Guild, Perennial Theatre, Chicago Radio Players and SAG-AFTRA. Her new play, THE NOVELIST, has most recently had readings in Chicago and London, England. Mary is also a novelist with a published children's book and an adult literary novel on the way. Since 2011, Her Story Theater's mission has been to shine bright lights in dark places on women and children in need of social justice and community support.   HER STORY THEATER Her Story Theater was founded in 2011 and has focused primarily on raising awareness of the epidemic of sexual exploitation of minors and homelessness. The four produced plays in Her Story’s “Chicago Sex Trafficking Cycle” include SHADOW TOWN (2013), THE JOHNS (2014), MONEY MAKE'M SMILE (2016, 2017) and MONGER (2018).  As a group, the plays depict domestic sex trafficking from the perspectives of the various participants – the traffickers, the youths who are trafficked, and the men who buy them. INVISIBLE (2019) is concerned with issues of bigotry, nativism and violence against minorities. Her Story Theater continues its work to raise awareness of the prevalence of domestic sex trafficking and the trauma-based victim through its touring presentations and programs.   Her Story Theater is a theater for social change. Through theater and the written word, our mission is to shine bright lights in dark places on women and children in need of social justice and community support. Since 2011, we have partnered with countless organizations to raise awareness on current issues that impact women and children.  Her Story Theater is supported by Driehaus Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Illinois Arts Council, Oppenheimer Family Foundation, Com Ed Powering the Arts, Northern Trust, Sunlight Project, Vanguard Charitable and private donations.

World Premiere of The Posthumous Trial of Giulia Tofana March 20th - April 5th at The Den Theatre

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Larkspur Productions Opens World Premiere of
The Posthumous Trial of Giulia Tofana
By Gwyneth Forsythe
Directed by Cheryl Snodgrass
March 20th - April 5th at The Den Theatre

Larkspur Productions is pleased to announce the world premiere of The Posthumous Trial of Giulia Tofana. Directed by Cheryl Snodgrass, The Posthumous Trial of Giulia Tofana will play March 20th - April 5th at The Den Theatre, 1331 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago IL.

Tickets are on sale at https://thedentheatre.com/performances/2026/3/20/the-posthumous-trial-of-giulia-tofana-the-den-theatre-comedy-club-chicago

Murderer. Witch. Savior. Executed in 1659 for the murder of 600 men. That's how history remembers Giulia Tofana, the infamous creator of the Aqua Tofana poison. This is her story straight from Purgatory.

This one person show is performed by Sydney Genco. 

Comments playwright Gwyneth Forsythe: In a time when bodily autonomy and human rights are being actively taken away and the very idea of justice seems out of reach, stories from the past, like Giulia Tofana’s, are more important than ever. We cannot wait to share hers with you.

The production team includes Matthew York (Scenic Designer), Kate Kamphausen (Costume Designer), Garrett Bell (Lighting Designer), DJ Douglass (Sound Designer), Tina Haglund-Spitza (Props Designer), Tom Daniel (Scenic Carpenter), Henry Bender (Master Electrician) and Drew Donnelly (Technical Director).

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Title: The Posthumous Trial of Giulia Tofana

Playwright: Gwyneth Forsythe

Director: Cheryl Snodgrass

Cast: Sydney Genco (Giulia Tofana)

Location: The Den Theatre, 1331 N Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60622

Regular run: March 20 – Sunday, April 5, 2026

Curtain Times: Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm. Sunday, April 5th at 3pm. Please note: there will be an added performance on Monday, March 30th @ 8pm (Industry Night).

Tickets: General admission: $25. https://thedentheatre.com/performances/2026/3/20/the-posthumous-trial-of-giulia-tofana-the-den-theatre-comedy-club-chicago

About the Artists:

Gwyneth Forsythe (Playwright) is a writer, educator and theatre artist who splits her time between Iowa City and Chicago. She received two BAs (Theatre Arts and History) from the University of Iowa and her MFA in Writing for the Screen and Stage from Northwestern University, where she was awarded the Krevoy Screenwriting Prize. Gwyneth has worked as a freelance writer, taught for the Chicago City Colleges, and was a 2024 semi-finalist for the Eugene O'Neill Center's National Playwrights Conference. Last summer, her work was featured in the Heretic Theatre Festival produced by RJ Theatre Company in New York City. In the fall, she directed and produced “Ghosts on the Radio Vol. II: A Haunted Audio Anthology” for the Iowa Youth Writing Project and assistant-directed Global Express for the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa. She has taught and developed writing courses in playwriting, screenwriting, horror, humor, and creative non-fiction for writers worldwide of all ages and experience levels.

Cheryl Snodgrass (Director) is passionate about directing new works. She is an alumni ensemble member of Hell in a Handbag where she’s directed multiple premieres including The Drag Seed, which performed at the famous LaMama Theatre in NYC. Other Handbag shows include The Birds, Scary Town, L’Imitation of Life, and Die, Mommie! Die! Cheryl has worked extensively as a visiting artist at Mill Mountain Theatre and Studio Roanoke (Roanoke, VA). She has also directed for a number of Chicago companies that include Sweetback, Glass Apple, Trap Door, The Foundlings, Tellin’ Tales, Jonny Staxx Presents, and Filet of Solo. Most recently, Cheryl directed John Cariani’s (playwright of Almost, Maine) new play Darker the Night Brighter the Stars for Penobscot Theatre in Bangor, ME and is very excited to be included in the published version as a premiere production.

Lyric Opera of Chicago Presents El último sueño de Frida y Diego March 21 – April 4, 2026

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar: 

When art transcends death: What you need to know about 

El último sueño de Frida y Diego

the new Spanish-language opera at Lyric

Gabriela Lena Frank and Nilo Cruz’s rapturous opera brings Frida Kahlo’s art and world to vivid operatic life, March 21 – April 4, 2026

Language: Sung in Spanish, with easy-to-follow projected English titles above the stage.
Running time: Approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes, including one intermission.

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents Gabriela Lena Frank and Nilo Cruz’s El último sueño de Frida y Diego (The Last Dream of Frida and Diego), on stage March 21 – April 4, 2026. This new opera poses an impossible question: How would you spend a single day reunited with lost love? On the Day of the Dead, three years after her death, Mexican artist Frida Kahlo crosses over from the underworld for 24 fleeting hours with husband and artist Diego Rivera. What unfolds is a dreamlike journey through memory, passion, and everything they created together — both on canvas and in life.

I'll be there this Saturday for opening night, reviewing for ChiIL Live Shows. Check back soon for my full review. We've long adored Frida Kahlo's art and have seen several other iterations of her life and relationship with Diego Rivera on stage. We're excited to see Lyric's operatic take on this iconic couple.  

Following its critically praised 2022 world premiere in San Diego, this opera, steeped in magical realism, arrives as the second full-length Spanish-language opera presented by Lyric, following Daniel Catán and Marcela Fuentes-Berain’s Florencia en el Amazonas in the 2021/22 Season. With vivid colors, music inspired by Mexican folk traditions, and staging that transforms the Lyric Opera House into a portal between worlds, this production brings Frida Kahlo’s artistic vision to theatrical life. Mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack stars as Frida in her return to Lyric, joined by baritone Alfredo Daza in his Lyric debut as Diego, soprano Ana María Martínez as Catrina, and countertenor Key’mon W. Murrah in his Lyric debut as Leonardo. Director Lorena Maza and conductor Roberto Kalb, both in their Lyric debuts, lead a creative team that honors the Mexican culture and artistry at the opera’s heart.

A love story that transcends death. El último sueño de Frida y Diego unfolds in 1957, three years after Frida Kahlo’s death. Diego Rivera, aging and consumed by grief, longs for one final moment with Frida. In Mictlán, the Aztec underworld, Frida has found peace, free from the physical pain and heartbreak that defined her earthly life. But Catrina, Keeper of the Dead, insists she must accompany Diego as he nears the end of his life, while Leonardo, the spirit of a young actor, urges her to return — not just for Diego, but for herself and her art.

Frida agrees to return for 24 hours with one unbreakable rule: she cannot touch the living. Her reunion with Diego unfolds in magical realism as the two artists wander through Alameda Park and Casa Azul, rediscovering joy and trying to heal old wounds, both physical and emotional. When Frida breaks the rule and touches Diego, the memories of pain and trauma come flooding back. Yet even in suffering, she finds clarity: Art is the only way to outlive death.

Authors who capture the soul of the story. The creative partnership between composer Gabriela Lena Frank and librettist Nilo Cruz brings extraordinary credentials and deep cultural understanding to El último sueño de Frida y Diego. Their opera functions as both an intimate character study and a vibrant celebration of Mexican artistic heritage while speaking to universal themes of love, loss, and artistic legacy.

Grammy Award-winning composer Gabriela Lena Frank, recently named Musical America’s 2026 Composer of the Year, is one of America’s most celebrated living composers, known for music that explores her multicultural heritage — Peruvian, Chinese, Lithuanian, and Jewish — with particular focus on Latin American musical traditions. Born with high-moderate/near-profound hearing loss, Frank has become a powerful voice for disability representation in classical music, demonstrating that composers can create extraordinary work through different ways of experiencing sound. Frank has received numerous honors including the Latin Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition; the 2020 Heinz Award recognizing her for breaking gender, disability, and cultural barriers in classical music; a Guggenheim Fellowship; and commissions from major orchestras and opera companies worldwide. Her music weaves together orchestral colors with rhythms and melodies inspired by Mexican folk music, capturing the surrealist beauty of Frida’s visual art while honoring the emotional depth of her lived experience.

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Nilo Cruz created the libretto, bringing his gift for poetic, emotionally resonant language to Frida and Diego’s story. His Spanish text moves fluidly between the real and the imagined, the painful and the joyful, giving voice to Frida’s fierce independence, her artistic vision, and her complex relationship with Diego — a love marked by both deep devotion and profound betrayal. In 2003, Cruz became the first Latino to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play Anna in the Tropics. His work is known for its lyrical beauty, its exploration of Latin American and Cuban-American experience, and its ability to find magic in everyday moments. Cruz previously collaborated with Lyric and composer Jimmy López in the 2015/16 Season for the world premiere of Bel Canto, based on the Ann Patchett novel.

A singing actress who embodies Frida’s fire and fragility. Mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack returns to Lyric to star as Frida Kahlo, bringing to the role her acclaimed artistry and commanding stage presence. Mack recently appeared at Lyric as Angela in Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek’s The Listeners in the 2024/25 Season, earning praise for her dramatic intensity and vocal beauty. Her international career includes performances at the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, and major European houses. Known for her ability to inhabit complex, unconventional characters, Mack possesses both the rich, warm timbre ideal for Frank’s melodic writing and the dramatic fire needed to capture Frida’s indomitable spirit. Stephanie Sanchezsings the role of Frida on Wednesday, April 1.

A cast that brings passion and artistry to every role. Colombian baritone Alfredo Daza makes his Lyric debut as Diego Rivera, the legendary muralist whose tumultuous marriage to Frida forms the opera’s emotional core. Daza has performed at major opera houses throughout Latin America, Europe, and the United States, earning particular acclaim for his portrayals of complex, larger-than-life characters. His rich baritone and powerful stage presence make him ideal for Diego, whose outsized personality and artistic genius were matched only by his capacity for passionate and perilous living.

Puerto Rican soprano Ana María Martínez, on stage at Lyric this winter as Despina in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, sings the role of Catrina, the skeletal Keeper of the Dead who bridges the worlds of the living and the departed. Martínez last appeared at Lyric in the title role of Florencia en el Amazonas in the 2021/22 Season. Her luminous soprano and elegant stage presence have made her one of the leading interpreters of Latin American opera, with performances at the Metropolitan Opera, LA Opera, and internationally. As Catrina, Martínez brings both authority and compassion to this figure drawn from Mexican Day of the Dead traditions.

Rising-star countertenor Key’mon W. Murrah makes his Lyric debut as Leonardo, the spirit who encourages Frida to return to the living world. Winner of Washington National Opera’s Marian Anderson Award in 2024, Murrah’s burgeoning career includes performances at major American opera companies, where his distinctive countertenor voice and natural charisma have earned critical praise. His portrayal of Leonardo provides a crucial voice urging Frida toward life and art, even as she resists.

The production also features Ensemble members from Lyric’s acclaimed artist-development program, The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, including tenor Finn Sagal as 1st Villager, tenor Daniel Luis Espinal as 2nd Villager & A Young Man, bass-baritone Benjamin R. Sokol as 3rd Villager, soprano Adia Evansas 1st Frida Image, mezzo-soprano Alexis Peart as 2nd Frida Image, and mezzo-soprano Camille Robles as 3rd Frida Image. Mezzo-soprano Corinne Wallace-Crane sings the role of Guadalupe Ponti.

A conductor who honors the music’s cultural roots. Mexican-born conductor Roberto Kalb makes his Lyric debut leading El último sueño de Frida y Diego, bringing a deep understanding of both Latin American musical traditions and contemporary opera. He conducted the opera's world premiere at San Diego Opera and subsequent performances at San Francisco Opera. Music Director of Detroit Opera since 2022, Kalb has built an international career conducting orchestras and opera companies throughout the Americas and Europe. He has particular expertise in contemporary repertoire and works that incorporate folk music traditions into classical forms. His leadership ensures that Frank’s score receives performances that honor both its Mexican folk inspirations and its sophisticated orchestral writing. Under Kalb’s baton, the Lyric Opera Orchestra becomes an essential character in the storytelling, painting Frida’s emotional journey through sound. Chorus Director Michael Black leads the 44 members of the Lyric Opera Chorus.

A director who brings Frida’s visual world to life. Director Lorena Maza makes her Lyric debut with El último sueño de Frida y Diego, bringing her distinctive theatrical vision to this production. A native of Mexico, Maza brings cultural authenticity and deep understanding of the artistic traditions that shaped both Frida and Diego’s work. Her direction emphasizes the opera’s magical realism, creating a production where the boundaries between life and death, memory and reality, past and present, all dissolve into dreamlike theatrical poetry. Maza’s staging honors the surrealist touches that made Frida’s paintings so distinctive while ensuring the emotional truth of the story remains central.

A production that dazzles the eye. The creative team includes set designer Jorge Ballina in his Lyric debut, whose designs evoke both the vivid colors of Frida’s paintings and the liminal space between worlds; costume designer Eloise Kazan in her Lyric debut, whose creations honor Mexican traditional dress and incorporate surrealist elements; lighting designer Victor Zapatero in his Lyric debut; and choreographer August Tye, a longtime Lyric collaborator who has participated in more than three dozen productions. Together, they create a visual experience as rapturous as Frida’s own canvases — a production where endlessly blooming marigolds, skeletal Catrinas, and the jewel-toned walls of Casa Azul transport audiences into Frida’s artistic vision.

When art becomes the bridge between worlds. Beyond its story of love and loss, El último sueño de Frida y Diego is a celebration of Mexican culture and the Day of the Dead traditions that honor the continuing connection between the living and those who have passed. Like the candlelit ofrendas offered on Día de Muertos, this opera doesn’t simply portray two artists’ fantastical reunion but honors the rituals of remembrance that keep memory and love alive. Frank’s sweeping music and Cruz’s poetic libretto create an operatic experience as emotionally rich as the lives that inspired it — a work that affirms art’s power to transcend death and keep our most important connections alive forever.

Performance Dates: Six chances to see El último sueño de Frida y Diego:

Saturday, March 21, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at 7 p.m.
Thursday, March 26, 2026 at 7 p.m.
Sunday, March 29, 2026 at 2 p.m.
Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at 2 p.m.
Saturday, April 4, 2026 at 2 p.m.

Pre-performance talks: Ticketholders are invited to a free pre-opera talk on El último sueño de Frida y Diego's composition history and cultural context; the talks begin one hour before each performance in the theater’s Steiner Parquet (the main floor).

Accessibility: Audio description, a guided touch tour of the set, and SoundShirts are available at the Sunday, March 29 matinee performance. Braille and large-print programs, high-powered opera glasses, assistive listening devices, and booster seats are available from the theater’s Steiner Parquet coat checks at all performances. For more information on these and other accessibility assets, visit lyricopera.org/accessibility.

Production history: A co-production of San Diego Opera (world premiere, 2022) and San Francisco Opera.

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

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

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

Lyric’s presentation of Gabriela Lena Frank and Nilo Cruz’s El último sueño de Frida y Diego is generously made possible by the Zell Family Foundation, the Pritzker Foundation, and Ethel Gofen.

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

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

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

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

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

For more information, visit lyricopera.org.

Two Shows Only at Lyric Opera: Disney’s Mary Poppins in Concert Live to Film April 10 and 11th, 2026

ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List:

Disney’s Mary Poppins in Concert Live to Film

 

Lyric Opera House Friday, April 10, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., and Saturday, April 11, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. 

The running time for this performance is approximately 2 hours and 55 minutes, including one intermission.

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents Disney’s Mary Poppins in Concert Live to Film, featuring the full-length film projected on a massive screen above the stage while the award-winning musical score by composers Richard Sherman and Robert Sherman is performed live by the Lyric Opera Orchestra, conducted by Anthony Parnther.

Released in 1964, Disney’s Mary Poppins received thirteen Academy Award nominations and won five Oscars, including Original Song for “Chim Chim Cher-ee” and Original Score by Richard Sherman and Robert Sherman. The film stars Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke and remains one of the most celebrated musical films in cinema history.

A magical English nanny, Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews), flies out of the breezy London skies and into the home of two mischievous children and the hearts of their family. With the help of a carefree chimney sweep named Bert (Dick Van Dyke), the spirited nanny turns every chore into a game and every day into a “Jolly Holiday.” Share the music, the magic, and the joy of Mary Poppins with the whole family.

Audiences will hear the Sherman Brothers’ complete score performed live in sync with the film, including beloved songs such as “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.”

American conductor Anthony Parnther is widely recognized as one of today’s leading conductors of film and concert music. Parnther is in his sixth season as Music Director of California’s San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra and serves as conductor of the Gateways Festival Orchestra, which made its sold-out Carnegie Hall debut under his leadership. A specialist in film music, he has led recording sessions for major motion pictures and television series including Oppenheimer (Academy Award–winning), Encanto (Grammy Award–winning), The Mandalorian (Emmy Award–winning), Avatar: The Way of Water, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and has appeared with leading orchestras worldwide.

This presentation marks the second Movie Nights at Lyric title of the 2025/26 Season, following Disney and Pixar’s Coco in Concert Live to Film, which was presented last fall.

Disney’s Mary Poppins in Concert Live to Film will be performed at the Lyric Opera House on Friday, April 10, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., and Saturday, April 11, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. The Friday evening showing will feature American Sign Language interpretation and SoundShirt accessibility services.

Tickets start at $39. For tickets and more information, visit lyricopera.org/MaryPoppins. Presentation licensed by Disney Concerts.

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

United Airlines

Illinois Arts Council

About Lyric

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

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

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

Join us @LyricOpera on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Threads and Facebook. #LongLivePassion For more information on Lyric's upcoming 2024/25 Season, visit lyricopera.org/newseason.

ICEBOY! Premieres at Goodman Theatre JUNE 20 – JULY 26, 2026

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

NICK OFFERMAN SET TO JOIN MEGAN MULLALLY 

FOR THE MUSICAL EVENT OF THE SUMMER: 

ICEBOY! 

OR THE COMPLETELY UNTRUE STORY OF HOW EUGENE O’NEILL CAME TO WRITE THE ICEMAN COMETH

**WITH MUSIC BY MARK HOLLMAN, LYRICS BY HOLLMAN AND JAY REISS, BOOK BY ERIN QUINN PURCELL AND REISS, DIRECTED BY MARC BRUNI**

***TICKETS GO ON SALE FRIDAY, MARCH 20 AT 10AM*** 

The new musical that will melt your heart just got even hotter! Emmy Award-winning actor Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) returns to his hometown this summer to join his wife, Emmy Award winner Megan Mullally (Will & Grace), for Iceboy! Or The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O’Neill Came to Write The Iceman Cometh. With music by Mark Hollman, lyrics by Mark Hollman and Jay Reissand book by Erin Quinn Purcell and Jay Reiss, the Tony Award-winning creators behind Urinetown (Hollmann, with Greg Kotis) and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Reiss, with Rachel Sheinkin and William Finn) premiere their newest musical in The Goodman’s Centennial Season, directed by Marc Bruni (Broadway’s The Great Gatsby and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical). 

Individual tickets ($44 – $164) go on sale Friday, March 20 at 10am for Iceboy! Or The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O’Neill Came to Write The Iceman Cometh, which appears in the 856-seat Albert Theatre June 20 – July 26, 2026* (opening night is June 29); call 312.443.3800 or GoodmanTheatre.org/Iceboy. *NOTE: The production dates for Iceboy! have shifted due to scheduling. Goodman Members or groups holding tickets will be contacted to make arrangements.

“We are thoroughly excited to bring the heat of our marriage back to Chicago, the city where we both cut our theatrical teeth many years ago. Although we were hoping to mount a Tennessee Williams title, city officials reminded us that Chicago has developed an historical aversion to catching on fire and so we have agreed to this considerably less spicy but hilarious new musical called Iceboy!,” said Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman in a joint statement. “Everybody knows this is the best theater town in the country, and the prospect of working together at the venerated Goodman Theatre, which was so important to both of our early careers—especially during its Centennial Season—is just a very special full-circle moment, but within the bounds of the fire code."

Broadway’s brightest star of 1938, Vera Vimm (Megan Mullally), is at the top of her game. But when she adopts a 40,000-year-old Neanderthal discovered frozen in the Arctic, the spotlight begins to shift. As Iceboy thaws, he unexpectedly becomes a theatrical sensation, inspiring the “father of the American drama” Eugene O’Neill (Nick Offerman) and challenging his legendary mother for center stage. It’s All About Eve...if only Eve was a caveman. Complete cast and creative team will be announced soon.

“If you're really lucky, a musical comes your way that makes you breathless with laughter as it captures your heart. And the only thing better than concluding our Centennial Season on a literal high note, is the opportunity to welcome home two virtuoso actors, both of whom have deep Chicago roots,” said Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth. “Megan and Nick together on our stage is nothing short of a dream come true. We can’t wait to begin collaborating with them and the phenomenal Iceboy! creators to make something wholly new and special for our city this summer.”

The Goodman is grateful for the support of Edgerton Foundation (New Play Award), Mayer Brown (Lead Corporate Sponsor) and Athletico (Physical Therapy Provider).

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Megan Mullally (Vera Vimm) created the role of Karen Walker on Will & Grace, a role for which she went on to win two Emmys and four SAG awards. On Broadway, she has starred in How to Succeed in Business, Young Frankenstein, and Grease, in addition to Guys and Dolls at Carnegie Hall, opposite Nathan Lane. On-screen credits include Chasing Summer, Dicks: The Musical, The Righteous Gemstones, Party Down, Reservation Dogs, Bobs’s Burgers, Childrens Hospital, Parks and Recreation, and the upcoming film Goodbye Girl. She tours worldwide with her band Nancy And Beth as creator, lead singer and choreographer.

Nick Offerman (Eugene O’Neill) is an actor, author, humorist and woodworker whose credits include the Emmy award-winning role of Bill in The Last of Us (HBO), Ron Swanson on NBC’s Parks and Recreation, Forest in Devs (FX), and Jinx in Margo’s Got Money Troubles (Apple). Stage credits include the role of Ignatius J. Reilly in A Confederacy of Dunces at the Huntington Theatre, Ulysses in Sharr White’s Annapurna, opposite Megan Mullally as Emma at The Odyssey/Evidence Room in LA and The New Group Off-Broadway, Adding Machine at The Minetta Lane (Off-Broadway) and many Chicago credits at Defiant Theatre (Founding Member), Steppenwolf, A Red Orchid, Wisdom Bridge, Chicago Shakespeare and, of course, his 1994 Goodman debut as The Keeper/Fight Captain in Richard II. Recent screen projects include Death by Lightning (Netflix), Sovereign, Voicemails For Isabel (Netflix), Civil War (written and directed by Alex Garland), The Pout Pout Fish, Origin (written and directed by Ava DuVernay), Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, Fargo (FX), Smurfs, The Umbrella Academy (Netflix), and NBC’s Making It (co-host and executive producer). He is the voice of Beef Tobin in the FOX animated series The Great North and audiobook narrator for Wendell Berry’s latest, The Need to Be Whole.

Mark Hollmann (Music and Lyrics) won the Tony Award®, the Obie Award, and the National Broadway Theatre Award for his music and lyrics to Urinetown The Musical, which went from the 1999 New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC) to receive 10 Tony Award® nominations and 11 Drama Desk Award nominations and win the Outer Critics Circle, the Drama League and the Lucille Lortel Awards for best musical. His other shows as composer/lyricist include The Sting (Paper Mill Playhouse), ZM (Village Theatre Beta Series), Yeast Nation (FringeNYC), Bigfoot and Other Lost Souls (Perseverance Theatre), and The Girl, The Grouch and The Goat (University of Kansas Theatre and Chance Theatre). For TV, he has written songs for the Disney Channel’s Johnny and the Sprites. He received his A.B. in music from the University of Chicago, where he won the Louis J. Sudler Award in the Performing and Creative Arts. He has taught at Princeton University, Columbia College Chicago and the Dramatists Guild Institute. He is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) and the Dramatists Guild of America, and has served on the council of the Dramatists Guild as well as on the Tony Award® Nominating Committee.

Jay Reiss (Book and Lyrics) is one of the creators of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which won two Tony awards, and made his Broadway acting debut as the Bee’s word pronouncer, Vice Principal Douglas Panch. He co-wrote the screenplay for The Oranges, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, and starred Hugh Laurie, Allison Janney, Oliver Platt and Catherine Keener. He wrote the documentary New Wave: Dare To Be Different, about legendary NY radio Station WLIR. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and later on Showtime. Reiss is a graduate of The Juilliard School’s playwriting program.

Native Illinoisan Erin Quinn Purcell (Book) has been a mainstay in New York’s downtown theater scene for more than 30 years. She was one of the founding members of the critically acclaimed adobe theatre company, and participated as an actor, writer and/or director in countless productions. Writing credits include Duet! A Romantic Fable (Broadway Play Publishing) The Fiona Apple Kwanzaa Explosion (PSNBC) the musical A Fish Story (Jonathan Larson Foundation award) and the Russ Meyer inspired Go-Go Kitty, Go! (Outstanding Play, 2005 New York Fringe Festival).

Marc Bruni (Director) helmed The Great Gatsby (Broadway, West End, Korea) as well as the Tony, Grammy, and Olivier Award-winning Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Broadway, West End, US and UK Tours, and in Australia- Helpmann Award Best Director). Other credits include Billie Jean (Chicago Shakes), The Sound of Music (Chicago Lyric), Bull Durham (Paper Mill), A Little Night Music (Geffen Hall), Trevor: The Musical (Stage 42, Disney+), Bye Bye Birdie, Guys and Dolls, The Music Man, How to Succeed in Business..., 50 Years of Broadway (Kennedy Center), and Hey, Look Me Over!, Paint Your Wagon, Pipe Dream and Fanny (City Center Encores!), Tale of Despereaux (Old Globe, Berkeley), Love All (La Jolla), The Explorers Club (MTC), Ordinary Days (Roundabout), 9 shows for the St. Louis MUNY.


ABOUT THE GOODMAN
Since 1925, The Goodman has been more than a stage. A theatrical home for artists and a gathering space for community, it’s where stories come to life—bold in artistry and rich in history, deeply rooted in the city it serves.

Led by Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins, The Goodman sparks conversation, connection and change through new plays, reimagined classics and large-scale musicals. With distinctions including nearly 200 world or American premieres, two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and nearly 200 Joseph Jefferson Awards, The Goodman is proud to be the first theater to produce all 10 plays of August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle.” In addition, the theater frequently serves as a production partner—with national and international companies to Chicago’s Off-Loop theaters—to help amplify theatrical voices.

But The Goodman believes a more empathetic, more connected Chicago is created one story at a time, and counts as its greatest legacy the community it’s built. Generation-spanning productions and programs offer theater for a lifetime; from Theater for the Very Young (plays designed for ages 0-5) to the long-running annual A Christmas Carol, which has introduced new generations to theater over five decades, The Goodman is committed to being an asset for all of Chicago. Education and Engagement programs led by Clifford Director of Education and Engagement Jared Bellot and housed in the Alice Rapoport Center use the tools of theater to spark imagination, reflection and belonging. Each year, these programs reach thousands of people (85% from underserved communities) as well as educators, artists and lifelong learners across the city.

The Goodman stands on the unceded homelands of the Council of the Three Fires—the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations—and acknowledges the many other Nations for whom this land now called Chicago has long been home, including the Myaamia, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Wea, Kickapoo, and Mascouten. The Goodman is proud to partner with the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum (Gichigamiin-Museum.org) and the Center for Native Futures (CenterForNativeFutures.org)—organizations devoted to honoring Indigenous stories, preserving cultural memory, and deepening public understanding.

The Goodman was founded by William O. Goodman and his family to honor the memory of Kenneth Sawyer Goodman—a visionary playwright whose bold ideas helped shape Chicago’s early cultural renaissance. That spirit of creativity and generosity endures today. In 2000, through the commitment of Mr. Goodman’s descendants—Albert Ivar Goodman and his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton—The Goodman opened the doors to its current home in the heart of the Loop.

Marsha Cruzan is Chair of the Goodman Theatre Board of Trustees; Diane Landgren is Women’s Board President; and Kelli Garcia is president of the Scenemakers Board for Young Professionals.