Northlight Theatre inaugurates its new home in Downtown Evanston with the world premiere of The Front Page, Jeffrey Hatcher's new adaptation of the rapid-fire classic comedy by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, the play that also inspired the 1940 film His Girl Friday. Directed by Artistic Director BJ Jones, the production runs September 9 through October 18, 2026 at the company's brand new theater at 1012 Church Street in Evanston.

Set in a 1930s Chicago press room, the story finds a gang of wise-cracking reporters abuzz with the latest news: ace reporter Hildy Johnson is quitting her job and getting married. Her editor, Walter Burns, has no intention of letting her go, out of the newsroom or into the arms of another man. When a death row convict manages a daring escape, Walter wrangles Hildy into covering one last irresistible story, a tangle of rival reporters, crooked politicians, and a scoop too big to ignore.

The cast brings together an impressive roster of Chicago talent, featuring Kate Fry as Hildy Johnson and Timothy Edward Kane as Walter Burns, alongside Joe Dempsey (McCue), William Dick (Sheriff Hartman), John Drea (Earl Williams), Cindy Gold (Mrs. Hefflefinger), Mark David Kaplan (Bensinger), Tim Kazurinsky (Pincus), John Lister (The Mayor), Peter Moore (Brad Hefflefinger), Sadieh Rifai (Molle Malloy), Kelan Smith (Kruger), and Guy Van Swearingen (Endicott).

BJ Jones comments, "To open our new home in Evanston, we are celebrating our roots with a brand new adaptation of The Front Page, a nearly 100-year-old play set in Chicago, by Chicago playwrights and with local stars, including Evanston residents Kate Fry, Tim Kane and Tim Kazurinsky. The play is refreshed and adapted by one of America's most produced playwrights Jeffrey Hatcher, who also wrote the adaptation of Dial M for Murder seen at Northlight in 2023."

The creative team includes Jeff Kmiec (set design), Izumi Inaba (costume design), JR Lederle (lighting design), and Andre Pluess (sound design). The stage manager is Katie Klemme, resident properties supervisor is Nick Bartleson, and the resident violence and intimacy coordinator is Jyreika Guest.

The production marks a milestone moment for Northlight, led by Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, as the company settles into its new state-of-the-art facility in the heart of downtown Evanston. The theater features approximately 285 comfortable seats with excellent sight lines, state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems, a dedicated box office and contemporary bar in the lobby, a second floor rehearsal and event space, and lounge and gathering areas on the first and second floors. With easy access to parking and public transportation via CTA and Metra, the new venue is poised to become a major component of the arts and cultural scene in Chicagoland and the North Shore.

The Front Page runs September 9 through October 18, 2026 at Northlight Theatre, 1012 Church Street, Evanston. Tickets start at $36 and are available at northlight.org or 847.563.8400. Season subscriptions, including traditional 5-Play Subscriptions and 4-Ticket Flex Passes, are available at northlight.org/subscribe. Convenient, free parking is available for all patrons at the 1800 Maple Self Park Garage, with details at northlight.org/location.