In the absence of humans, the stage has gained the ability to put on mechanized performances to please only itself. Using text from the works of Chuck Mee, Gertrude Stein, and Matei Vişniec, in a series of theatrical dares, the actors of Trap Door Theatre will attempt to retake the stage, confronting notions of live performance, automation, and the cycles we perpetuate.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) may not be for everyone. In fact, it may not be for ANYONE. The idea that a trio of classically trained Shakespearean actors - and a spooky sock puppet -- can actually manage to capture, in just over 60 minutes, the essence of everything ever written by the greatest playwright of all time, is just little nuts. Particularly when you realize that the only one who is classically trained is the sock puppet.

The world-premiere musical begins its national tour in Skokie. Popular Chicago comedienne Jan Slavin and Gold Coast award-winner Carla Gordon alternately star at The Bubbie. At a "taping" of her fictional TV cooking show, Bubbie entertains you with comedy skits, original songs, and the sage advice that only a Bubbie can dispense.

A Royal Wedding is looming. The Duchess and The Soon-to-be-Duchess are meeting face-to-face for the first time to go over everything you ever needed to know to become a duchess. There are rules. There's a way of doing things. Remember, everybody is watching. And you don't want to know what happens if you step out of line. Duchess! Duchess! Duchess! looks at the hidden costs of being the "luckiest girl in the world."

You're gonna want to sit down for this news. We're warming up the bentwood chairs and ready to invite you back inside our theater! Join humans on stage making humans in the audience laugh as we toast being together again. Our Mainstage performances are a celebration of our resilience, our relationships, and our mutual need to get back into the habit of making eye contact. We've been pushed apart both physically and politically for way too long...now it's time to enjoy some good, clean (or at the very least...ultra-hygienic) togetherness.

A self-obsessed supervillain is mere minutes away from unleashing their simmering vengeance upon a helpless city, and right-hand helpers Oona and Jarlath are there every step of the way. Unfortunately (for them at least), something goes very, very wrong. Now these bewildered baddies must face an army of blood-thirsty foot soldiers, a formidable superhero, and their own feelings of distrust, self-worth, and burgeoning friendship in this new comedy.

A groundbreaking audio adaptation of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, a Chicago story about family, community and coming together even when that feels impossible. Julia, a Chicago high school student, navigates the trials and tribulations of following her dreams of becoming a writer alongside the death of her sister, Olga-who might not have been quite as perfect as she seemed. Author of the novel Erika L. Sanchez has created an indelible protagonist in student Julia Reyes, who searches for her truest self while navigating the struggles of adolescence-depression, grief, self-doubt-in addition to the anxieties unique to a child of immigrants with a foot in two very different worlds. Julia is torn between a future limited by the same socioeconomic forces that curtail the opportunities open to her parents and her fervent ambitions to seek a more expansive life for herself as a writer.

KICKBACK is an online festival of original plays and performances that highlights the intersection of queerness and Blackness in all its beauty and glory. When just being alive and living your best life is an act of rebellion, it's time to turn up the music and make some noise! About Face Theatre has commissioned a cohort of Black LGBTQ+ artists to create new works in conversation with Rebuild Foundation's extensive collection of African-American art and cultural artifacts. This bold online performance series will be an unapologetic celebration of Black lives now and through the ages.

This smash Off-Broadway hit takes you to the 1958 Springfield High School prom, where we meet Betty Jean, Cindy Lou, Missy, and Suzy: four girls with hopes and dreams as big as their crinoline skirts! As we learn about their lives and loves, the girls serenade us with classic '50s hits including "Lollipop," "Dream Lover," "Stupid Cupid," and "Lipstick on Your Collar." In Act II, the Wonderettes reunite to take the stage and perform at their ten-year reunion. We learn about the highs and lows the girls have experienced in the past decade and are charmed to find that no matter what life throws their way, they will conquer it together. Featuring over 30 classic '50s and '60s hits, The Marvelous Wonderettes will keep you smiling in this must-take musical trip down memory lane!

Medieval Times is an exciting, family-friendly dinner attraction inspired by an 11th century feast and tournament. Guests are served a four-course banquet and cheer for one of six knights as they compete in the joust and other tests of skill. Expect lots of jousting, swordsmanship, thrilling hand-to-hand combat, and displays of extraordinary horsemanship as part of an exciting story set in Medieval Spain.

My Way is an award-winning, finger-snapping revue featuring countless songs recorded by crooning legend Frank Sinatra. This classy tribute transports you into the swinging era of "Old Blue Eyes", while showcasing some of the 20th century's most beautiful and popular songs. My Way features captivating singers, each highlighting a key element of "The Chairman of the Board's" one of a kind talent. Take a trip down memory lane while celebrating Sinatra's remarkable five-decade career. Unforgettable songs include: All of Me, Fly Me to the Moon, Strangers in the Night, New York New York, The Way You Look Tonight and many more. Let's fall in love and fly away with the music of one of the most celebrated recording artists of all time, just as he would have wanted it: a few stories, a few drinks, and plenty of knockout tunes.

Six high school students are forced into the world of standardized testing. What does it mean to be of “National Merit” status? What is the cost of toiling for this title? Who even gets to achieve it? With humor and heart, Valen-Marie Santos’s new play NATIONAL MERIT scrutinizes academic achievement, socioeconomic privilege, and racial injustice within a private school setting. BoHo is thrilled to partner once again with Northwestern University to present this in-development reading from an up-and-coming playwright.

Next to Normal is a 2008 American rock musical with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt. The story centers on a mother who struggles with worsening bipolar disorder and the effects that managing her illness has on her family. Dad's an architect; Mom rushes to pack lunches and pour cereal; their daughter and son are bright, wise-cracking teens, appearing to be a typical American family. And yet their lives are anything but normal. Next to Normal takes audiences into the minds and hearts of each character, presenting their family's story with love, sympathy and heart. Next to Normal is an emotional powerhouse that addresses such issues as grieving a loss, ethics in modern psychiatry, and suburban life.

THIS NEWS MIGHT REQUIRE ALL-CAPS. The Second City's favorite lower-case stage is back, live and in-person! Join our raring-to-go cast of comedians for this laugh-packed adventure. From improv games to classic sketches from the archives, this experience is a great way for us all to laugh our way into the new normal. We can't wait to welcome you back to The Second City e.t.c, where laughs (and masks!) are mandatory.

The red folder belongs to a first grader. It is the source of all his woes. Years later, he seeks vengeance.

A timely story about an African-American living in corporate America that gets let go during the pandemic, becomes an Uber driver and struggles mentally with his sanity while trying to pay bills and keep up with life's obstacles during the pandemic. The play will be filmed at a Los Angeles studio and will be available for streaming exclusively as part of the Writers Theatre 2020-2021 Season from June 9 - July 11, 2021.

Cabinet of Curiosity is proud to present Sea Change, an outdoor celebration exploring the power of the sea and the feminine divine. It is a series of wild, strange, lovely puppet shows written by emerging female playwrights and lyricists Liz Chidester, Kasey Foster, Bethany Thomas, and Lindsey Noel Whiting, with original musical compositions by Manae Hammond and Charlie Otto, additional text by Seth Bockley, and the searcher performed by Time Brickey. Giant puppets, mechanical devices, and original, live music weave together to create an evening of pageantry, puppetry, wonder and hope.