In this original dark comedy, 36-year-old actress Nina Sallinen, portrays a 90 year-old Grande Dame (also named Nina Sallinen) of the Scandinavian Theater. The old actress has brazenly chosen Shakespeare’s King Lear as the material for her final artistic farewell performance. She has a special interest in the theme as she believes her own two daughters to be just as greedy and neglectful as King Lear’s. The performance, which she stages in her own apartment, unintentionally highlights the artist’s own life story, as she gradually becomes cognizant of the deeper parallels between her life and that of King Lear’s. Instead of shaking up her own daughters with her performance, the old diva shakes up herself. Her priorities and past choices come into question.

Fully Committed is a fast-paced, hilarious one-person comedy that takes audiences behind the scenes of New York's hottest restaurant. One actor brings to life nearly 40 characters-from desperate celebrities and ruthless socialites to frazzled staff and at the center of it all, one very overworked reservationist. It's a razor-sharp satire of status, ambition, and customer service madness. This is the first time FULLY COMMITTED has been seen in Chicago in more than 25 years.

In this Original TATL adaptation by Michael Dalberg (Grimm, The Blood Countess, The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde) Cyrano cannot share her love to the multi-courted Roxanne. Thus, she speaks her truth through dim witted Christian, Roxanne's true desire. In a romantically comical retelling of the classic, body image, self-doubt and misogyny are central themes. With some food fights along the way you'll see that sometimes love is right in front of your nose!

In London. It's plague time again. When a wealthy gentleman flees to the country, his trusted servant opens his house to a pair of con artists and sets up a den of criminal capitalism. Claiming alchemical powers, the quick-witted trio swindle an array of greedy neighbors with their unique ability to improvise as things quickly spin out of control. A contemporary comedy about the past, this satire for our current situation will be the first production at the New Elgin Art Showcase.

Meet Cio-Cio-San - known as Madama Butterfly - a faithful but doomed geisha in love with B.F. Pinkerton. Everyone but Butterfly knows the Navy lieutenant will break her heart and ruin her life. Opera newcomers will be swept away by the familiar melodies, gorgeous costuming, and colorful sets - and seasoned opera fans will thrill at this beautiful, thoughtful production from Lyric Opera's own Matthew Ozawa that brings new dimension to an age-old story. Conducted by Domingo Hindoyan and starring Karah Son, one of the leading interpreters of Butterfly in our time, Puccini's soaring and often heartbreaking melodies unite with captivating stagecraft for a singular experience.

Peppa Pig, along with Mummy Pig, Daddy Pig, George and new baby sister Evie, are coming to SKOKIE for PEPPA PIG: MY FIRST CONCERT - a fun, interactive introduction to a live orchestra for ages 18 months and older. Join Peppa and George to learn all about the different sounds that instruments make together! Enjoy some of your favorite music from the show played by a live orchestra and discover some other exciting orchestral pieces perfect for children. Plus, some little piggies can join Peppa and her family to make music of their own!

Get into the good vibes as Broadway's Michael Mahler celebrates pop music's premier poet, Paul Simon. In a virtuosic performance, award-winning composer/lyricist and actor Mahler (Broadway's MISS SAIGON, DIARY OFA WIMPY KID) leads a folk-rock fantasia, exploring Simon's musical masterpieces and famous relationships with harmony, humor, and heart. Featuring a sublime band, hit songs include "The Sound of Silence," "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover," "Late in the Evening," "You Can Call Me Al," and "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard."

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.

Set in present day New York City and Greenwich, Connecticut, this world premiere is the queer and trans rom-com you’ve been waiting for. After his partner of five years abruptly ends their relationship, 28-year-old Adam must navigate the world of dating for the first time since coming out as a trans man. But Adam’s hopes for a fresh start are quickly derailed when a chaotic new girlfriend, the return of his ex, and long-ignored personal demons force him to finally confront his complicated relationship to his own identity.

OFF NIGHTS AT THE SOMETIME CAFE is a campy parody of a noir mystery that follows a cafe pianist in lieu of a detective. As this narrator plays his way through the show, he guides the audience through the tangled web of attraction, seduction, and general silliness that occurs when a bunch of attractive queer people end up in the same place. Dave Walther's Off-Nights at the Sometimes Cafe is a delightful, poignantly unserious celebration of queer joy and desire.

Potted Potter, the spellbinding, international smash-hit parody has enchanted sold-out audiences around the globe – and now it is heading back to Chicago for a limited run! Direct from Las Vegas after a 2,000-performance season, the Olivier Award-nominated family show bravely (and hilariously) crams all seven Harry Potter books into just seventy riotous minutes – complete with a real, on-stage game of Quidditch.

When Asaf's student asks him to sign a petition condemning police brutality, he wants to do the right thing - until he realizes the manifesto turns out to be broader than he imagined, and every choice feels like betrayal. As the debate roars through his Midwestern campus and his ex-girlfriend takes the lead, Asaf is pulled into a political storm that tests his convictions and his sense of self. Will his fumbling entree into activism help or hurt the cause? Who's side is Asaf - and the audience - really on?

On the Day of the Dead, Mexican artist Frida Kahlo crosses over from the underworld for 24 short hours with Diego Rivera, who remains in the living world, alone and grieving her loss. Lyric Opera of Chicago presents El último sueño de Frida y Diego, which had its critically acclaimed world premiere in 2022 and brings the legendary marriage — and revolutionary art — of Frida and Diego to the stage with vivid colors, surrealist touches, and lush, evocative music sung in Spanish and inspired by Mexican folk music traditions.

Candlelight: Anime Soundtracks brings a glowing, multi-sensory concert experience to life as the Metropolis String Quartet performs iconic themes from beloved anime by candlelight, transforming familiar melodies into rich, cinematic string arrangements that move from adrenaline and drama to tenderness and nostalgia. The program draws from major hits across genres and eras—featuring music from Demon Slayer (“Gurenge”), Jujutsu Kaisen (“Kaikai Kitan”), BEASTARS (“Monster”), Detective Conan (the “Case Closed Theme”), ONE PIECE (“New Genesis” and “The Peak”), Yuri!!! On Ice (“In Regards to Love – Eros”), and Neon Genesis Evangelion (“A Cruel Angel’s Thesis”), alongside lyrical selections tied to celebrated animated films such as Your Name. (“Sparkle”) and multiple Studio Ghibli favorites—creating a fan-forward night that’s as transporting for longtime anime lovers as it is welcoming for newcomers who simply want to hear stunning themes played live.

Ten 25th celebrates the long-awaited return of TEN, The Gift Theatre’s annual 10-minute new works festival, as the company heads into its 25th anniversary season in 2026. This edition showcases the talents of ensemble members Cyd Blakewell, Erica Weiss, Gregory Fenner, Jennifer Glasse, Jennifer Rumberger, Jim Farruggio, John Gawlik, Kenny Mihlfried, Pat Weber, Paul D’Addario, and Shanésia Davis, performing a slate of 10-minute world premiere plays from Chicago playwrights John Gawlik, Jennifer Rumberger, Gregory Fenner, Kimberly Dixon-Mays, Dolores Diaz, Stephanie Alison Walker, Emilio Williams, and Brett Neveu.

Idle Muse celebrates 20 years of productions with The Three Musketeers. Based on Alexander Dumas' celebrated 1844 novel, the Jeff Award-winning Robert Kauzlaric adapts the French tale of swashbuckling intrigue, adventure and fellowship as newly-minted musketeer D'Artagnan and the famous "three inseparables," Athos, Porthos and Aramis take on the machinations of a scheming cardinal and his minions.

Candlelight: Songs from Magical Movie Soundtracks is a warm, immersive concert experience that brings beloved film music to life through the rich, cinematic sound of the Metropolis String Quartet, surrounded by the gentle glow of hundreds of candles. Over the course of about an hour, you’ll hear iconic themes and sing-along favorites reimagined for strings—sweeping from Disney classics like “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” “Tale As Old As Time,” “A Whole New World,” “Let It Go,” and “You’ll Be in My Heart,” to crowd-pleasers such as “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” “My Favorite Things,” the playful “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” and unforgettable moments from Star Wars including the “Theme,” “Imperial March,” and “The Throne Room,” all crafted to feel intimate, nostalgic, and downright magical.