On a sweltering Texas night, Vernita Manifold summons her daughters back to the family bayou after the richest man in East Texas turns up dead—his severed head delivered to her back porch. As buried truths rise from the swamp and ancestors hover in the mist, the Manifold women must decide whether this moment is finally theirs. Wickedly funny and razor-sharp, Black Cypress Bayou is a haunting reckoning where justice, legacy, and survival collide.

Based on the beloved novel by Roald Dahl, enjoy this delightfully scrumptious musical adaptation that brings to life all of your favourite characters, songs, and confections. A gobstoppingly good time for the whole family! Grab your golden ticket and join Charlie Bucket on this delectable adventure into Willy Wonka’s world famous chocolate factory!

In the alleys of a sunless Big City, sibling stray cats Kitty and Tom use the garbage around them to make their world a more magical place. But when Kitty trades one of Tom's precious creations for some magic beans, Tom angrily throws them away-only to have them sprout into a magnificent beanstalk. When they climb it, they discover why the sun has vanished from the city below (hint: a giant is involved). A world premiere with music for kids ages 4-10 and their families.

Music On Stage presents the first community theatre production of "Arthur and Friends Make a Musical." Based on the beloved children's show, this musical for young audiences tells the story of Arthur the aardvark, whose teacher has announced his class has been selected to write and perform a musical for all of Elwood City to see! Everyone is thrilled at the opportunity . . . everyone but Arthur, that is. What should he do? Arthur feels more and more nervous as the big performance gets closer and closer . . . but with the help of his family and friends Buster, Brian, Francine, and Muffy - and even little sister D.W., Arthur learns the importance of being his best, unique self.

With over 7 million followers across his social media, Josh Johnson was recently called "the funniest guy on the internet" by WIRED and is a star on the rise. He is an Emmy-nominated writer, stand-up comedian, actor, and NAACP award-winner from Louisiana by way of Chicago. Johnson is currently a rotating host and correspondent on Comedy Central's Emmy & Peabody Award-winning program The Daily Show where he was previously a writer for seven years. Johnson is also a former writer and performer on NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he made his late-night debut in 2017.

Chekhov’s classic story of love, ambition, family, and art gets a brand new adaption featuring a cast of Chicago’s sharpest storefront actors.

In this a-MEOW-zing musical show, Gabby unboxes a special acorn that needs the magical touch of a rainbow to grow. But when CatRat causes a color cat-astrophe and breaks the rainbow, Gabby and the Gabby Cats must find the colors again to set things right.

Experience the raw emotion and unforgettable anthems of the 1990s reimagined in an intimate acoustic setting at Candlelight: 90s Unplugged, where the Listeso String Quartet breathes new life into grunge, alternative rock, and power ballads that defined a generation. This 60-minute journey features stripped-down interpretations of iconic tracks from Nirvana, Foo Fighters, The Cranberries, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead, and more, transforming electric guitar riffs and drum-driven energy into hauntingly beautiful string arrangements that reveal the profound musicality beneath these beloved songs.

Candlelight: Ed Sheeran Meets Coldplay pairs two stadium-sized catalogs with the intimacy of a classical performance, inviting audiences to hear familiar pop anthems transformed into rich, cinematic arrangements performed by the Listeso String Quartet in a warmly lit sea of candles. Expect a sweeping mix of soaring ballads and high-energy crowd favorites as Coldplay and Ed Sheeran melodies are reimagined for strings—moving from the pulse and sparkle of songs like “Clocks,” “Something Just Like This,” and “Adventure of a Lifetime” to the emotional lift of “Fix You,” “The Scientist,” “Photograph,” and “Perfect,” and building toward big-singalong finales such as “Viva la Vida,” “Give Me Love,” and “A Sky Full of Stars.”

Candlelight: The Best of Joe Hisaishi is an intimate, candlelit concert that celebrates the sweeping, instantly recognizable melodies of Joe Hisaishi—best known for his iconic film music in the Studio Ghibli universe—reimagined for string quartet in a warm, cinematic setting where every theme feels close enough to breathe. Over the course of the program, Listeso’s quartet moves from soaring adventure to tender lullaby and quiet wonder, featuring beloved selections from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, Ponyo, and Howl’s Moving Castle, creating a nostalgic journey that’s as transportive for longtime fans as it is enchanting for first-time listeners.

A staple of Chicago theater for 25 years, CUT TO THE CHASE presents six staged new plays - three world premieres and three Chicago premieres - as one fun night of theater. The plays all share the theme "I'm Still Here," and celebrate perseverance in the face of change. With a cast of 19, this year's CUT TO THE CHASE is a perfect taste of dynamic theater in an intimate space. The show runs as one program, with the six plays back-to-back, running approximately 90 minutes.

Jim Gaffigan is back, and this time he's touring with his signature deadpan delivery and sharp wit on the Everything Is Wonderful tour. Don't let the name fool you-if there's anything that Gaffigan does better than anyone else, it's digging up the absurd in the mundane. Food obsession, parenting hell, and the inanities of modern life are just a few of the subjects on which the man turns the ordinary into apparent humor gold.

The charismatic leader of an insular religious community begins preaching that certain members of her congregation can achieve ecstatic transcendence as mortal angels. Ben, a twelve-year-old boy, believes he is one of the chosen few. His mother Meredith, believing her son has been swept up in a religious fervor, resorts to desperate measures to save her son.

In a grimy hostel in Amsterdam, Matt and Davis meet Christina, who changes one of their lives. A year later, in a grimier studio apartment in New York, Matt and Davis meet Christina again, who changes the other's life. A play about fictions, connection, and love that is begged, borrowed, and stolen.

Oscar knows that a nerdy Dominican college freshman isn't anyone's idea of a romantic hero. But with the encouragement of Yunior, his new roommate, he is determined to give love another chance. But as Oscar sets out from New Jersey to Santo Domingo to prove his undeniable hope, can he shake the dark "fuk?" that has haunted his family for generations? Junot D?az's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel comes to vivid life in this world-premiere stage adaptation, a celebration of risk and the power of perseverance against all odds.

Experience the greatest rock anthems of the 1980s reimagined in an intimate candlelit setting at Candlelight: 80s Rock Anthems. The Metropolis String Quartet brings iconic hits from legends like Queen, U2, Guns N' Roses, Metallica, and Michael Jackson to life through stunning string arrangements, transforming power ballads and stadium anthems into elegant classical performances. Surrounded by the warm glow of hundreds of candles, audiences will hear beloved songs including "Sweet Child O' Mine," "Under Pressure," "Africa," and "Beat It" performed with classical sophistication while maintaining the raw energy that defined the decade. This 60-minute concert offers a unique multi-sensory experience that bridges the worlds of rock and classical music, perfect for both devoted fans of 80s rock and those seeking an enchanting evening of live music in an unforgettable atmosphere.

Trapped under house arrest, novelist Maria Celia and her sister Sofia can still hear the rumors of the Russians' departure from Cuba in 1991. While awaiting news from Maria's exiled husband and dreaming of their freedom, the two sisters find their small world unexpectedly shaken by the arrival of a romantic young piano tuner and a charismatic military officer infatuated with Maria's writing. Pulitzer Prize winner Nilo Cruz (Anna in the Tropics) weaves an authentic tale of oppression, human spirit, and intertwining fates in a world of shifting global politics.