| 1980 (Or Why I'm Voting for John Anderson) |
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Jackalope Theatre at
Broadway Armory |
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| It's 1980 and an unknown congressman from Illinois, John Anderson, just might have a chance to be President of the United States. In the candidate's Boston campaign office, four idealistic young campaign workers struggle to spread the hope that their long-shot candidate might bring to the country and to their lives, while staving off that era's Unthinkable Presidency. 1980 (Or Why I'm Voting For John Anderson) pits youthful optimism against the status quo, in a world premiere comedy about class, race, and the politics of change. |
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| Alias Grace |
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Rivendell Theatre
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| A world premiere adaptation of Margaret Atwood's acclaimed novel Alias Grace takes a look at one of Canada's most notorious murderers. In 1843, 16-year-old Grace Marks was accused of brutally murdering her employer and his housekeeper. Imprisoned for years, Grace swears she has no memory of the killings. A doctor in the emerging field of mental health arrives to try to find out the truth of the matter. Alias Grace is a fascinating study of memory, culpability, and the shadowy spaces within the human mind. |
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| Amarillo |
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Chicago Shakespeare Theater
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| Amarillo tells the story of a man who departs Mexico for a land of dreams: Amarillo, Texas-but vanishes before reaching his destination. Far away, a woman reconstructs his journey, imagining what might have transpired not only for him, but for the other thousands of faceless men and women who have taken the same path-and for those who were left behind. Combining stunning multimedia projections, visceral imagery and poetic storytelling, the production is a rich theatrical meditation on the harsh realities faced by immigrants and their families. Amarillo is performed in Spanish with projected English translation. |
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| Arnie The Doughnut |
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Lifeline Theatre
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| Arnie, a loveable chocolate-frosted, rainbow-sprinkled doughnut, is the happiest pastry in the bakery when he's chosen to be taken home by a new owner. But when mild-mannered Mr. Bing tries to eat the unsuspecting Arnie, both are in for the surprise of their lives. Man and doughnut are drawn into a sugar-fueled existential crisis as they work to redefine their relationship while trying to outwit the meddlesome President of the Cozy Confines Condo Community. Join Arnie on a zany quest to prove that he's more than just delicious - and that friends come in all shapes and sizes - in this hit musical adaptation of the 2003 book that kicked off the beloved series by Laurie Keller. This production is recommended for children ages five and up (children under two not permitted), and runs approximately one hour with no intermission. |
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| Ashes of Light |
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Victory Gardens Theater - Biograph
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| It's unfortunately rare to see Dominican culture represented on the stage, so don't miss this chance to see the probing new drama Ashes of Light at Richard Christiansen Theater. Part of the Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, it's an intimate portrayal of an estranged mother and son trying to rekindle their love for each other, each representing a different generation of Dominicans living on the north side of Chicago. Over the course of two evenings, the play explores their frayed connection, as long-held secrets begin to emerge and threaten to destroy their already thin bond forever. |
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| The Audience |
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TimeLine Theatre Company
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| A portrait of a dynamic and provocative woman-the symbol of a nation-as she weathers decades of history and political strife. Every Tuesday afternoon for more than 60 years, Queen Elizabeth II has met with each of her 12 Prime Ministers in a private audience, a gesture of unity between government and Crown. Through moments of tension, negotiation, war, and unrest, these conversations with political leaders from Winston Churchill to Harold Wilson to Margaret Thatcher have remained a constant across the years. Playwright Peter Morgan re-imagines each of these meetings, giving us a glimpse at the queen's role in guiding the circumstances that have shaped Great Britain, and a window into the mystery, compassion and humor of the woman behind the iconic crown. |
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| Augusta and Noble |
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Merle Reskin Theatre
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| Worlds collide in the drama Augusta and Noble when Gabi, who has lived in a vibrant Latino community in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago, begins high school across the city at Northside College Prep, where she is exposed to new people and a spectrum of possibilities. As Gabi begins to explore her heritage, and discover the truth about her parents' arrival in America, she must figure out exactly where she belongs. Presented at the Merle Reskin Theatre, Augusta and Noble celebrates the rich history and bright futures of the immigrants who call the Windy City home. |
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| Bachelorette |
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Level 11 Theatre at
The Den Theatre
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| Ten years after their high school graduation, three young women — the cokehead-next-door, the
alcoholic prom queen, and the ferocious maid-of-honor — crash their best friend’s bridal suite
for an impromptu bachelorette party. An hour later, men have joined the mix, pills have been
spilled, a wedding dress is in two pieces and a night of debauchery is just getting warmed up. A
smash hit Off-Broadway and later adapted for film, Bachelorette reminds us that, sometimes, it
isn’t until we’re passed out in a tub of iced champagne that we realize who our real friends are. |
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| Becky Shaw |
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Windy City Playhouse
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| Becky Shaw is an explosive tale following Suzanna, a woman who has set up her best friend with her husband's co-worker, thinking she's helping them find love; however, what she doesn't anticipate is the chaos that ensues from bringing together a brutally honest businessman and an emotionally-fragile college dropout. |
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| Bewildered |
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Hell in a Handbag Productions at
Stage 773
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| A parody and reimagining of the beloved '60s/'70s television sitcom Bewitched, this spellbinding throwback is told from the point of view of Gladys Kravitz, the poor, misunderstood neighbor who keeps seeing crazy things at the home of Samantha Stephens, a beautiful witch, and her 'ordinary family.' Gladys' husband Abner has had enough and is about to take drastic measures. Can Gladys prove her visions are real without destroying the Stephens family - or is she doomed to a life of pills and institutions? Gladys finally gets her due in this fun and magical musical parody. |
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| Bible Bingo |
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Royal George Theatre
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| From Vicki Quade, the creator of the popular comedy Late Nite Catechism, comes the new interactive comedy Bible Bingo. The Archdiocese's new bingo department needs to raise money for the parish. That's where you come in: Get ready to play bingo for a variety of wacky prizes. Along the way, you'll be drawn into conversation about everything from Adam and Eve to modern sins. Just be careful: You might laugh so hard you forget to yell "bingo." |
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| Billy Elliot the Musical |
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Porchlight Music Theatre at
Ruth Page Center For Arts
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| Billy Elliot the Musical is based on the 2000 film "Billy Elliot" and features music by Elton John with book and lyrics by the film's screenplay writer Lee Hall. Winner of both the Tony Award and Olivier Award for Best Musical, Billy Elliot the Musical is an inspirational story set in an English mining town during the miners' strike of 1984-85. Billy Elliot takes a journey from the boxing ring to a ballet class to make his dreams come true while challenging the long held beliefs of his hometown. Along the way, he discovers a passion for dance that unites his family, inspires his community and changes his life forever. |
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| Blue Man Group |
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Briar Street Theatre
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| Blue Man Group is best known for its award-winning theatrical productions which critics have described as "ground-breaking," "hilarious," "visually stunning" and "musically powerful." These performances feature three enigmatic bald and blue characters who take the audience through a multi-sensory experience that combines theatre, percussive music, art, science and vaudeville into a form of entertainment that is like nothing else. |
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| Blue/Orange |
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Runcible Theatre Company at
Royal George Theatre
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| In a London psychiatric hospital, an enigmatic patient called Christopher claims to be the son of an African dictator - a story that becomes unnervingly plausible. In this psychological thriller, Blue/Orange is an incendiary tale of race, madness and a Darwinian power struggle between two doctors, entrusted with a man's life. |
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| Both Sides of a Famous Love Affair - The Jackie Mason Musical |
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Skokie Theatre
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| Both Sides of a Famous Love Affair:The Jackie Mason Musical, begins at a deli in Miami in 1977, where Jackie - a renown 46 year old Comedian,(played by David R. Gordon), spots twenty-something Ginger (played by Jackie's own daughter - comedian Sheba Mason). Along for the ride is her overbearing mom, Mrs. Olivier, and a hilarious cast of five. Soon Jackie is wooing her each winter whenever he's in South Florida churning up laughs with the South Beach set. The trouble is, Jackie is also wooing Trixie - a ravishing young Latina Rascal House server, and Rosa - a senior Rascal House server with attitude - a fact that sends Ginger into romantic distress. After ten years, she becomes pregnant, Jackie denies his paternity just as stardom re-emerges, while still yearning to be with her, and a complicated relationship begins, including Sheba's own love for the man she knows is her father and whom she wishes she knew. The original score includes "Ode to the Early Bird Special" and "I Never Met This Yenta", written by Ginger Reiter, the girl in the eye of the comedic storm. |
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| Building the Wall |
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Stage Left Theatre at
Athenaeum Theatre
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| From Pulitzer and Tony winner Robert Schenkkan (All The Way, Hacksaw Ridge - Academy Award nomination), comes a provocative 80-minute theatrical event written in a white-hot fury. In a time when shocking campaign rhetoric turns into real policies, Building the Wall urgently reveals the power of theater to question who we are and where we might be going. |
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| Burf of a Nation (Or From Covfefe With Love) |
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MPAACT at
The Greenhouse Theater Center
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| We all knew it was only a matter of time, after the Tweeter in Chief's "covfefe" blunder caught hold of the pop-political zeitgeist like a rabid dog, before it would begin to inspire artistic interpretations. Lucky for us, the result here is the clever and outrageous Burf of a Nation (Or From Covfefe With Love). Covfefe Lamont Jenkins is a southern farmer enraged by the current political climate, repeatedly making his opinions known via an ongoing Twitter beef with the POTUS. However, one day Covfefe is tagged in a tweet that pushes him to take an action so extreme that it sends the entire nation into a tailspin. Find out what happens next at Chicago's Greenhouse Theater Center. |
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