The new musical runs June 20 through August 9, 2026 in the 856-seat Albert Theatre, with opening night set for June 29. Demand has been so strong that The Goodman announced a two-week extension before the show even opened, pushing the run past its original July 26 closing date.
A Real-Life Married Couple, Onstage Together
For Chicago audiences, the pairing is a genuine event. Mullally and Offerman have been married since 2003 and have appeared opposite each other on screen and stage, but "Iceboy!" brings them together in a full-scale new musical. The production is also a homecoming for both. Offerman grew up in Minooka, Illinois, cut his teeth in Chicago storefront theatre as a founding member of Defiant Theatre, and worked at Steppenwolf, A Red Orchid, Wisdom Bridge and Chicago Shakespeare before making his Goodman debut in 1994 in "Richard II.""We are thoroughly excited to bring the heat of our marriage back to Chicago," the couple said in a joint statement announcing the production, joking that they had originally hoped to mount a Tennessee Williams title before settling on this "considerably less spicy" new musical.
Mullally's stage resume is no less impressive. Her Broadway credits include "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," "Young Frankenstein" and "Grease," plus "Guys and Dolls" at Carnegie Hall opposite Nathan Lane.
The Story
Broadway's brightest star of 1939, Vera Vimm (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 (Tony nominee Grey Henson of Broadway's "Mean Girls") thaws, he unexpectedly becomes a theatrical sensation, inspiring the "father of the American drama" Eugene O'Neill (Offerman) and challenging his legendary mother for center stage. Think "All About Eve," if only Eve was a caveman.A Pedigreed Creative Team
"Iceboy!" comes from the Tony Award-winning minds behind two of the most original musicals of the past 25 years. Mark Hollmann, co-creator of "Urinetown," wrote the music and co-wrote the lyrics with Jay Reiss, one of the creators of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." The book is by Erin Quinn Purcell and Reiss. Marc Bruni, who directed Broadway's "The Great Gatsby" and "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical," directs, with choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter.For Hollmann, a downstate Illinois native who spent his early career in Chicago storefront theatre, the premiere carries extra weight. He called it "an honor to now have one of my own musicals premiere on this stage."
The production caps The Goodman's Centennial Season and continues the theatre's long tradition of premiering large-scale American musicals, with 46 produced since 1970, including 21 premieres. The Goodman also has deep history with Eugene O'Neill himself, having twice produced "The Iceman Cometh," most recently in 2012 with Nathan Lane and Brian Dennehy.
The Cast
Joining Mullally, Offerman and Henson are Cedric Yarbrough ("Reno 911!"), Tony nominee Sarah Stiles (Broadway's "Tootsie") and Chicago favorite Alex Goodrich (Marriott Theatre's "Hero: The Musical"), along with Donterrio, Melanie Brezill, Will Koski, Linda Mugleston, Shawn Pfautsch, Andrea San Miguel, Will Lidke, Leah Morrow and Jeff Parker.Note for ticket buyers: Shawn Pfautsch plays Eugene O'Neill, the role typically performed by Offerman, at the June 20, 21, 23 and 24 preview performances and on July 30, July 31 and August 1.