Displaying items by tag: Chicago events

One of the things I have always thought that concerts and other live events had over theatre is the energy of the crowd afterward. While people certainly leave plays and musicals moved, impressed, or deep in conversation, there is often a certain reserve to the way theatre audiences spill out onto the sidewalk. That was not the case after Champions of Magic at Studebaker Theater.

Leaving the theatre, the crowd was electric. People of all ages and backgrounds were in full childlike awe, excitedly recounting their favorite tricks, debating the moments that scared or shocked them most, and trying (mostly unsuccessfully) to understand how any of it could have been done. At one point, while my friend and I were part of the herd heading toward the train, an older man turned to us mid-discussion and said, “Usually, I see tricks and, even if I don’t know exactly how they did it, I can wrap my head around it just being an illusion. That was true magic.” And it was – that’s the only explanation.

That reaction captures the biggest strength of the night: it makes magic feel genuinely special again. In an age when so much of our entertainment is filtered through screens, clips, and behind-the-scenes explainers, it is easy to think you have already “experienced” these kinds of illusions through television or YouTube. But seeing them live, in a room full of people gasping, laughing, screaming, and turning to strangers in disbelief, is a completely different kind of experience – one you can only get from the Champions of Magic, themselves.

The large-scale magic show runs upwards of 2.5 hours, including one intermission, and is loosely structured as a rotation between three featured acts: Young & Strange (Richard Young, Sam Strange), Liberty Laren, and Fernando Velasco. While each performer brings their own style and specialties, the show works best when it feels like a shared, collaborative spectacle. There is something especially exciting about seeing different magicians combine their individual strengths to create an experience that feels bigger, stranger, and more theatrical than a traditional magic show.

The company of Champions Of Magic - photo by Bill Axell.

The variety of tricks is especially impressive. Champions of Magic includes everything from classic illusions, like the classic woman-sawed-in-half, to large-scale and death-defying stunts, to more intimate pieces of sleight of hand with audience interaction. Some tricks are quick and funny; others are story-driven and beautiful. The show also includes bits of magic history, particularly through fourth-generation magician Liberty Larsen’s family history as the founders of the Magic Castle. This was one of the most interesting threads in the evening, and I found myself wishing there had been even more of that magical history woven throughout the show.

The production is also extremely audience - and family-friendly, with plenty of built-in participation. Volunteers are selected in playful ways, such as by launching ping-pong balls into the audience, and several children are brought onstage as assistants. That said, parents should be warned before intermission: the glowing “red light, green light” magic toy promoted during the show costs $30 in the lobby – much more than I expected and not advertised until kids were already next in line for their new toy.

Aside from the occasional product placement, the show’s biggest issue was with pacing. I understand that a production of this scale needs slower, smaller tricks for both budget and timing reasons, and not every moment can or should be a massive illusion. Still, for a show pushing two and a half, there were stretches that felt extensively padded with smaller-scale filler. Ironically, the grand finale had the opposite problem. It was packed with multiple incredible tricks, but they came so quickly - back-to-back - that there was barely time to absorb one astonishing moment before the next was already underway. A little more breathing room there would have made the ending feel even more satisfying, without risking exposing the secrets at play.

Even with those pacing issues, Champions of Magic is a very fun, very unique night out. It is bigger, more surprising, and more communal than I expected, and it reminded me how powerful live spectacle can be when experienced with an audience fully willing to believe in what they are seeing. Whether or not it was “true magic,” it certainly felt like it.

Originally scheduled to run through July 5th, Champions of Magic was extended before opening due to popular demand – now running at Studebaker Theater through August 23rd. Tickets are available at https://championsofmagictour.com/.

*Extended through September 2nd

Lookingglass Theatre Company continues its tradition of staging visually inventive and thought-provoking world premieres with its latest production, Untitled Vampire Play. Written by Lookingglass Ensemble Member Kevin Douglas - who has previously crafted well-received work for the company, including Thaddeus and Slocum: A Vaudeville Adventure - this comedy-drama uses supernatural lore to dissect the vulnerabilities of modern relationships.

The story centers on a delightfully bizarre “meet the parents” scenario. Dom (Jordan Anthony Arredondo), an everyman bartender, introduces his parents to his new girlfriend, Val (Courtney Rikki Green). The twist? Val is a centuries-old vampire. But don’t worry - she gets her blood from ethical sources, not human victims. Dom’s parents laugh it off, though, thinking their son’s girlfriend has a few screws loose.

Meanwhile, Val’s “brother” Roderick (Walter Briggs) resurfaces, wanting to reconnect. In reality, they are former lovers, but after his betrayal, she ran away. Val doubts that he’s changed, but her progeny, Rose (Jin Park), gets sucked into his orbit despite being under Val’s supernatural control. As Roderick carelessly makes kills in Chicago, bodies begin piling up, drawing the attention of Dom’s mother - a police detective - and a vampire hunter descended from Van Helsing. Who said love was easy? The result is a look at relationships in all of their messy, bloody glory.

Briggs turns in an excellent performance as Roderick, playing the charismatic bad boy with ease. He channels the classic Hollywood vampire aesthetic with immaculate fashion and a distinct, formal vocal cadence that commands the room. Sure, he’s a villain, but he’s fun to watch, especially with the little flairs he adds to his characterization.

Kareem Bandealy is another standout, tackling two completely contrasting roles. He plays Dom's father, Louie, with a relentless barrage of corny vampire dad jokes, then completely transforms into Lance Tardis Van Helsing, a fierce vampire hunter with an equally fierce hair flip.

Courtney Rikki Green as Val inUntitled Vampire Play at Lookingglass Theatre. Photo by Justin Barbin.

Anchoring the whole cast, though, is Green, who brings immense emotional weight to her performance as the complex Val. Serving as the real window into this hidden world, Green charts her character's profound transformation, as Val wrestles with whether she is seeking genuine love or simply trying to outrun eternal loneliness.

Beneath the fangs, the play asks a deeply human question: What does it mean to love someone? It explores the underlying selfishness that often masks itself as romance. Val wants Dom to turn into a vampire so they can be together forever, viewing his reluctance as a rejection of her identity rather than a defense of his own humanity. Meanwhile, Dom uses Val as an emotional security blanket to quiet his own intense insecurities. Through these characters, Douglas examines how control, weakness, danger, and even lust can taint love, or at least the illusion of it.

The script could use a bit of trimming in its exploration, as there are moments that feel repetitive, alongside a few minor plot weaknesses. For instance, it seems odd that a police detective would wait so long to investigate self-proclaimed vampires once gruesome deaths with animal-like attack marks begin happening. Furthermore, one thing I certainly could have gone without was a gruesome scene where the vampires feast on a victim, using gummy worms to simulate intestines. Still, beneath those rough edges, the play’s core story has real spark, offering a fresh, funny twist on vampire mythology that keeps the audience engaged.

I’d be remiss not to praise the play’s design. The technical execution is a masterclass in atmospheric world-building. Scenic designer Alyssa Mohn delivers an expert landscape featuring coffins that seamlessly rise from and sink into the stage floor. This clever staging pairs beautifully with Andre Pluess’s precise sound design and Jason Lynch’s lighting choices - ranging from moody washes to stark spotlights and flashing accents - to wrap the theater in an escalating sense of intrigue and peril. The atmosphere creates moments when you’re not sure if you might be the next victim.

Inventively directed by Devon de Mayo, the production also incorporates fun moments of audience engagement, whether it’s handing theatergoers caution tape to hold at a crime scene or a rather messy vampire kill that sprays stage blood into the front row.

While it doesn’t entirely break new ground, Untitled Vampire Play is creative and visually arresting. At a time when modern relationships are being heavily dissected in media - such as in the hit Obsession - Untitled Vampire Play tosses its fangs into the conversation, leaving the audience to wrestle with what should encompass the core tenets of love.

Recommended.

Untitled Vampire Play is being performed at Lookingglass Theatre through July 12^th.

This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com. 

What would you do if you found out your heritage wasn’t what you thought it was? In Tom Stoppard’s case, he wrote a sweeping, epic play about it. Glencoe’s Writers Theatre brings Leopoldstadt to the Chicago area for the first time since its West End and Broadway runs in the early 2020s. Directed by Carey Perloff, a longtime friend and collaborator of Stoppard’s, this final stage play proves to be among his best.

Stoppard passed away late last year but he left a decades-long cannon of seminal stage and screenplays. When his semi-autobiographical play “Leopoldstadt” began performances in the West End in early 2020, he was sure it would be his last. Though he wrote it in a year, it took nearly 30 years to find the narrative. Stoppard, who was raised as a gentile most of his life, was told by a family member in 1993 he was of Jewish heritage and that many of his family members were murdered in the Holocaust. Stoppard escaped Czechoslovakia as a child and was raised in the UK entirely unaware.

A blended Jewish-Catholic family’s history in 20th century Vienna is divided neatly into four pivotal scenes with a sizeable cast of some of Chicago’s best. In the first scene, a Christmas party (1900), we’re shown a Vienna in which Jews were considered equals. Families had interfaith marriages and shared holiday celebrations. By the second scene (1924), WWI has redrawn the maps of Europe. Austria, as well as the family, finds itself in a precarious place. Scene three (1938) portrays an Austria fully committed to the Third Reich and family alliances are put to the test when the family is forced out of their home by the Nazis. The final scene (1955) happens in the aftermath of Austria’s reunification following WWII. This last scene mirrors Stoppard’s own life and serves as an emotional climax to a play that is often dense with political and historical theory.

The cast of Leopoldstadt. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

Writers Theatre’s production is as faithful to the original as you can get. Carey Perloff directed the Boston and D.C. premieres too. Along with an all-star cast of Chicago heavy hitters, Perloff’s production will likely be remembered as the definitive Midwestern revival. Between Ken MacDonald’s set and Alex Jeager’s costumes, audiences are sure to be swept away to a different time and place that can feel eerily reminiscent to the present.

As the eras change so do the actors playing the characters. Stoppard’s script trusts that the storytelling is so engaging that audiences will figure out who’s who by the context clues, and he was right. Some may find the story hard to follow but thankfully a helpful lobby installation catches everyone up on the history of Austria during this time period.

Writers Theatre favorite Kate Fry plays a Catholic woman, Gretl, who marries into a prominent Jewish family. Her performance is at first charming but by the end heartbreaking. Jessie Fischer delivers a transformative performance, particularly during the final scene. Rounding out the male ensemble is Ian Barford as Hermann who plays a converted catholic, but it’s his deterioration that is unforgettable. Justin Albinder is given the meatiest part of the final scene and his ability to switch from one emotion to the next is some of the most natural acting of the evening.

Leopoldstadt is every bit as epic as something like Gone with the Wind. Much like the famed novel and movie, this play tells the story of a civilization, a family, lost to the tragedy of war. It’s a story of a family’s near extinction. Stoppard’s brilliance is on full display and how lucky are we to have this capstone for his illustrious career?

Through August 16 at Writers Theatre. 325 Tudor Ct, Glencoe, IL.  847-242-6000

https://www.writerstheatre.org/events/leopoldstadt

This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com. 

Join the fun this summer as PlayMakers Laboratory (PML) celebrates a major milestone at That's Weird, Grandma's 25^th Birthday, marking a quarter century of the company's long-running original sketch comedy show. Directed by Program Director Brandon Cloyd, the family-friendly comedy extravaganza will play five performances only August 23 – September 6, 2026 at the Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, July 1, 2026 at www.playmakerslab.org. The press opening is Sunday, August 23 at 2 pm.

That's Weird, Grandma's 25^th Birthday will feature current Company Members with PML emeritus members making cameo appearances throughout the run. The cast currently includes Company Members Linnaea Groh, Barry Irving, Lucas Johnson, Indi Gutierrez Marrero, Sam Nieves, Yongwoo Park, Lee Peters, Allison Sokolowski, Brad Stevens, Lex Mann Turner and Tyara Whitted, with emeritus Company Members Nancy Casas, Allison Grischow, Ricky Harris, Jasmine Hernri Jordan, Tom Malinowski, Kate Staiger, Mary Tilden and more!

That's Weird, Grandma features adaptations of stories written during PML's creative writing residencies in Chicago elementary schools. PML's ensemble of professional actors, comedians and musicians bring the young authors' stories to life as raucous sketches, songs and movement pieces, performing first for students in their schools and then for the public. These stories – from hilarious dialogues between unlikely characters to poignant pleas for social change, along with holiday-inspired stories – resonate with adults while celebrating the imaginations of young people.

Production team: Daniel Parsons (Stage Manager).

Performance Schedule:

Sunday, August 23 at 2 pm

Saturday, August 29 at 2 pm

Sunday, August 30 at 2 pm

Saturday, September 5 at 2 pm

Sunday, September 6 at 2 pm

Ticket Prices: adults: $26.06*; youth (aged 4 – 15) $15.76*; Children 3 and under: free **Ticket prices include a processing fee Tickets go on sale Wednesday, July 1, 2026 at www.playmakerslab.org.

About the Director

Brandon Cloyd joined PlayMakers Laboratory in 2007 and has been deeply involved in many facets of the company ever since. Prior to joining PML, Brandon graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and a minor in Business Institutions. Brandon has held many roles in PlayMakers Laboratory before becoming the company's Artistic & Program Director in September 2017. He served with PML as an actor, teaching artist, lead teacher, a member of Teacher Corps, as well as directing shows for schools and public performances of That's Weird, Grandma. Outside of PML, he worked as the Associate Director of Camp Echo, where he has spent 13 summers managing campers and staff at a co-ed sleepaway camp in Upstate New York. Brandon has worked with other theatre companies including Urban Theatre Company, American Theater Company, Filament Theatre, InGen Productions, ACLE's Teatrino in Italy and a founding director with Purple Crayon Players at Northwestern University. Brandon is also a former board member for the League of Chicago Theatres.

About PlayMakers Laboratory

For 29 years, PlayMakers Laboratory has served Chicago Public School students by providing a creative writing residency program aimed primarily at elementary schools. Our company of over 60 teaching artists utilize creative drama and storytelling to promote literacy and self-esteem during our in-school residencies and park district programming. Each year, our programs serve more than 4,000 young people across Chicago. In our six-week writing residencies, a whopping 88% of students improve writing scores by at least one level over the course of our residencies. Plus, 100% of classroom teachers report that our program supports their student's writing and improves confidence and self-esteem.

PlayMakers Laboratory is sponsored in part by Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, The Crown Family Philanthropies, The Field Foundation, The Mardi Gras Fund, Illinois Arts Council, Paul M. Angell Foundation, The Polk Bros Foundation, Siragusa Family Foundation, S&C Electric and generous individuals like you!

Following its recent winter production of Sister Act, Drury Lane Theatre returns to the convent with Nunsense, a light-hearted musical comedy which, as the title implies, is a lot of nonsense.

The premise is funny, albeit morbid. After an unfortunate mishap, 52 members of the Little Sisters of Hoboken die from tainted soup prepared by Sister Julia, Child of God. With limited resources, the surviving nuns can only cover the funeral expenses of some of their sisters - leaving the remaining four bodies in their convent freezer, awaiting burial. How can they solve this problem? Well, stage a variety show, obviously! After all, while these women are nuns, they all wanted a moment in the spotlight.

E. Faye Butler, who also directed Sister Act, returns to stage Nunsense and injects the same optimism into this show. Unfortunately, it lacks the same substance, failing to elevate its premise beyond the initial idea.

The origin of Nunsense seems to explain its structural weakness. In the early 1980s, playwright Dan Goggin created a line of tongue-in-cheek greeting cards featuring a nun offering witty, irreverent quips. The cards were a hit, and Goggin used them as a jumping-off point for a cabaret show, which was later expanded into a full-length musical.

Unfortunately, the script doesn’t have much narrative depth or structural momentum. It seems to wander through quips and gags, trying to find a laugh rather than developing character or plot. At one point, we learn that a health inspector will fine them if they can’t raise the money by tomorrow, but it doesn’t land as a serious threat or even a driving force for the remainder of the show. The problem even has a quick resolution when Sister Mary Amnesia remembers her identity and discovers she’s suddenly rich thanks to a contest - talk about a deus ex machina (mary-ina, if you will).

Rachel Carreras in Drury Lane THeatre's Nunsense. Photos by Caitlin Dennis.

The book’s weaknesses are unfortunate because the cast is genuinely strong. Every member brings spectacular vocals to the stage, effortlessly belting out musical numbers and sounding excellent throughout.

Sharriese Hamilton delivers a standout performance as Sister Hubert. Her sassy comebacks and vocal riffs are hilarious, especially her trill in their rap. Her big second-act number, "Holier Than Thou," takes the audience to church and gives the show a much-needed jolt of energy. Cory Goodrich, Rachel Carreras, Kelly Felthous, and Aurora Boe also do well in their solo moments, whether it’s physical comedy, playing with a puppet, or ballet. Felthous gets to shine with her audience work and banter, and it is fun to see the cast do callbacks to specific interactions, such as flirting with or chiding audience members.

The show succeeds best when it moves quickly. Without much plot, gags can get tired easily. For instance, the Reverend Mother accidentally inhales a drug found in the girls’ locker room and goes to pieces. The sequence goes on a few beats too long. Transitions also could be tightened so the show doesn’t lose steam between numbers.

Nunsense is a fun idea, but the script fails to execute it satisfyingly. It’s also unclear who the intended audience is; the PG‑13 tone might make it a slightly tougher fit for families, even though they’d otherwise be a natural demographic.

While each performer gets a well-deserved moment to shine, it is a shame that such a talented cast doesn't have better material to serve either their collective skills or a meaningful story. Drury Lane's Nunsense has its moments, but it never quite reaches divine heights.

This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com. 

Northlight Theatre's Board of Directors proudly presents Northlight Theatre's Grand Opening Gala, "Celebrating our Past, Building our Future," marking the culmination of the company's 50^th Anniversary Season and the beginning of a new era in Evanston. The Grand Opening benefit event will be held on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at Northlight Theatre, 1012 Church Street in Evanston, IL. Supporters and friends will enjoy an evening of food, fun, entertainment and more at Northlight's brand-new home in Evanston.

Musical entertainment will be by celebrated performers and Evanston natives Abby Mueller (Grammy nominee, Six: The Musical), Andrew Mueller (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), Tony Award winner Jessie Mueller (Waitress and Beautiful) and Matt Mueller (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), with music direction by Northwestern University alumnus Ian Weinberger (Hamilton, Chess). The Gala evening's Master of Ceremonies is Rob Lindley and the auctioneer is Chris Hensley.

The evening on August 15 will kick off at 6:00pm with appetizers and cocktails in the lobby and food stations throughout the building. At 8:00pm guests will enter the brand-new 287-seat theatre for musical entertainment by siblings Abby, Andrew, Jessie, and Matt Mueller, accompanied by Ian Weinberger. These five born and bred Evanstonians have gone on to regional, national, and Broadway acclaim, and are coming home to Evanston for a rare joint appearance. The evening will continue with a live auction and paddle raise, followed by dessert, DJ and dancing in the second-floor rehearsal room.

The building's ribbon cutting will be held on July 28, 2026. The inaugural season in Evanston will begin on September 9, 2026, with the world premiere of The Front Page, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the original by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. The production, directed by Artistic Director BJ Jones and featuring Kate Fry and Timothy Edward Kane, runs September 9 - October 18, 2026 with the opening set for Friday, September 18, 2026.

Northlight Theatre's new theater, education, and community space is a major component in the arts and cultural scene in Chicagoland and the North Shore and features 287 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. Located in the heart of downtown, with easy, nearby access to parking and public transportation via CTA and Metra, Northlight will contribute to a vibrant local economy and will serve as an economic driver for downtown Evanston.

Artistic Director BJ Jones comments, "Opening our brand-new theatre in our founding hometown is a truly special moment. I cannot begin to list the artists, ticket buyers and donors who, over 50 years, delivered us to this moment. In their honor, we celebrate this special evening by sharing the outstanding, homegrown talent of the Muellers and the joy of welcoming our nearest and dearest supporters to our new stage.

Executive Director Timothy J. Evans adds, "After five decades, Northlight Theatre finally has a home of its own. A home in the heart of a revitalized downtown Evanston entertainment district steps from public transportation, parking, restaurants, shops, and Northwestern University. Our long-awaited homecoming to Evanston will transform the theatre landscape on the North Shore and Chicago. The New Northlight will serve as a vital place for exchanging ideas, storytelling, community gathering and a long-needed cultural hub for the many communities we serve. We can't wait to share it." 

Proceeds from the event will benefit Northlight Theatre's powerful work onstage, extensive youth education programs, and meaningful community partnerships, as well as the Arts for Everyone Free Ticket program which breaks down the barriers to accessing theatre starting with the price of a ticket.

Tickets are $500. Corporate and individual sponsorships are also available at levels from $5000 to $25,000. Tickets are available for purchase at northlight.org/gala. To inquire about sponsorships, contact Northlight Theatre at 847.563.8458.

The Gala Chair is Stacy Hetherington Simpson. The Gala Committee is Candace Corr, Timothy J. Evans, Sandra Farrow, Barb Goodman, Kim Hoopingarner, Abigail Kanes, Mikey Laird, Barbara Liss, Trimmy Stamell, and Nina Uziel-Miller.

The Northlight Board of Trustees is: Robert J. Regan, Chair; Julie Chernoff, Senior Vice-Chair; Donna Frett, Vice-Chair; Tobi Laczkowski, Vice-Chair; Paul Epner, Treasurer; Paul Lehner, Secretary; and Jim Allen, Percy Berger, Carole Cahill, Hamilton Chang, Jennifer W. Christensen, Diana Cohen, Northlight Theatre Executive Director Timothy Evans, Sandra H. Farrow, J. Douglas Gray, Freddi Greenberg, Northlight Theatre Artistic Director BJ Jones, Barbara Liss, Dennis Marino, Mark McCarville, Joanell McKenna, Vasu Modekurti, Meghan Otis, Brenton Rogers, Michele Y. Rogers, Reetu Gowdar Sanders, Bob Silverman, Stacy Hetherington Simpson, Craig Smith, Kent Swanson, Nina Uziel-Miller, Dr. Eric Witherspoon, and Gifford Zimmerman.

Gala Sponsors to date are Premier Level: Bulley & Andrews, Tom Stringer Design Partners; Gold Level: Hagerty, Sloan; Silver Level: Endeavor Health, Exelon, Kirkland & Ellis, LionBird; Bronze Level: Byline Bank, CoBank, Eckenhoff Saunders Architects, Grumman|Butkus Associates, Katten, Mabadi Group, Northwestern University Neighborhood and Community Relations, Quarles, UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement; Special Event Sponsors: Edward Jones, Golub & Company, GreenState Credit Union, John J. Cahill Inc, Mather, Nature's Perspective Landscaping, Romano Wealth Management, Rotary International,  Schuler Shook, Trulee Evanston; and Individual Sponsors: Ann & Brian Balusek, Marcia Caulkins, Paul Lehman and Ronna Stamm, The Martel Family, Mark McCarville, Joanell and Jim McKenna, The Lloyd Morgan Family, Judy Newton,  Sam and Marianne Oliva, Eleanor and William Revelle, Catherine and Bart Rocca, Ingrid and Bill Stafford, and Anne and Greg Taubeneck.

About the Artists

Abby Mueller (Performer) garnered a Drama Desk Award and Grammy nomination for originating the role of Jane Seymour in the Tony Award-winning hit Six: The Musical on Broadway. She can be heard on the landmark Original Broadway Cast Recording Six: Live on Opening Night. After originating the role of Carole for the First National Tour of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Abby was brought back twice to reprise her critically acclaimed performance on Broadway. Other credits include Kinky Boots on Broadway and extensive regional roles. Favorites include Les Misérables (Fantine), The Last 5 Years (Cathy), My Fair Lady (Eliza Doolittle), Miss Saigon (Ellen), The Three Musketeers (Constance), and 1776 (Abigail Adams). TV: The Equalizer, Evil, America's Got Talent, The Today Show, The View, Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon. In addition to working with young people through masterclasses and private coaching, Abby enjoys performing her own cabaret concerts and being a guest vocalist with symphonies and arts organizations across the country. Check out her Broadway.com Vlog "Yas, Queen!" on YouTube, and follow Abby on social media @abcmuell!

Andrew Mueller (Performer) is an Evanston native and has watched his family on many a stage over the years. Chicago credits include: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Jeff Award) and Little Shop of Horrors at Marriott Lincolnshire, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Translations, and Leopoldstadt at Writers Theatre, and Jesus Christ Superstar at Lyric Opera. Off-Broadway: Peter and the Starcatcher and Alice By Heart. With his brother, Matt: Man of La Mancha at Marriott and Peter and the Starcatcher at Drury Lane Oakbrook. With his sister, Jessie: Merrily We Roll Along at Music Theatre Co. With his sister, Abby: a handful of concerts. He has been a fan of his siblings for many years now and might be the reason Ian got tangled up in this whole situation. And he is thrilled for Northlight to bring live theater back to Evanston.

Jessie Mueller (Performer) is an Evanston-born Tony and Grammy Award-winning artist.  She was last seen on Broadway in Tracy Lett's The Minutes. Other recent credits include the Kennedy Center's Guys & Dolls, The Music Man, Julie Jordan in the Broadway revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel (Tony & Grammy nominations, Drama Desk Award), originating the roles of both Jenna in Waitress (Tony, DD & Grammy noms) and Carole King in Beautiful-The Carole King Musical (Tony, Grammy & DD Awards.) Concert appearances include Carnegie Hall, Chicago's Lyric Opera, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the Metropolitan Opera.  Film and Television: Steven Spielberg's The Post, A Good Person, Madam Secretary, Blue Bloods, Hulu's Candy, and Lifetime's Patsy & Loretta.  She can be heard on Netflix' Centaurworld and Wondery's Melon's House Party. New studio recordings include My Heart Says Go and Diary of A Wimpy Kid, The Musical. She is an Arts Education champion for groups such as Rosie's Theatre Kids (rosiestheaterkids.org) and a long-time supporter of The Entertainment Community Fund (entertainmentcommunity.org), Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids (broadwaycares.org), and Chicago's own Season of Concern (seasonofconcern.org). In her spare time, she enjoys singing with these 3 goofballs and playing her favorite role to date: Mom to Ollie! She is so excited to have live theatre back here in her home town!

Matt Mueller (Performer) Broadway: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Ron Weasley. Tour: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Ron Weasley, The Play That Goes Wrong – Chicago. Regional: Once (Writers Theatre), Taming of the Shrew, Julius Caesar, Merry Wives (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Man of La Mancha (Marriott Theatre), Peter and the Starcatcher (Drury Lane Theatre), Shining Lives (Northlight Theatre), Shakespeare in Love, Rhinoceros, Hero: the Musical (Asolo Repertory Theatre), Dial "M" for Murder (Indiana Repertory Theatre), The Mousetrap (Milwaukee Rep), Peter and the Starcatcher, Sense & Sensibility (Lyric Repertory Company), multiple productions at Utah Shakespeare Festival, Colorado Shakespeare Festival and Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, and multiple productions of Woody Guthrie's American Song. Television includes: "Chicago Justice" Film includes: Popper Baxton's Sickly Stew.

Rob Lindley (Master of Ceremonies) Northlight audiences may know Rob's work from directing 2024's 2 Pianos 4 Hands and the Jeff Award-Winning hit Songs for Nobodies (2021) and appearing onstage in Andy Warhol in Iran and in Funnyman. Other acting credits include shows at Court Theatre, Marriott Lincolnshire, Drury Lane Oakbrook, Writers, Victory Garden, and About Face. Rob also appeared in Titanique (Broadway in Chicago/Porchlight) and in the National Tour of Phantom of the Opera. Rob has hosted and curated concerts for many Chicago organizations and theatres, most notably The Chicago Humanities Festival and Ravinia Festival with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the (Queer) Sacred Space Salon each month at Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church. 

Ian Weinberger is the music director of Chess on Broadway. His other Broadway credits as music director and/or pianist include Hamilton, Freestyle Love Supreme, Kinky Boots, The Book of Mormon, Side Show, Rocky the Musical and Chaplin. Orchestrations/arrangements: Titanic, Disney's Zootopia and Moana Jr. Concerts: Orchestra of St. Luke's, Louisiana Philharmonic, Jacksonville Symphony. TV: Fosse/Verdon, The Eyes of the World, American Heart in WWI, The Tony Awards. Cast albums: Chess, A New Brain, The Christmas Schooner, The Theory of Relativity. He is a proud Evanston native and graduate of Northwestern University (music education/percussion performance) and NYU (jazz piano).

Chris Hensley (Auctioneer) is a nationally recognized, award-winning benefit auctioneer who helps nonprofit organizations turn generosity into lasting impact. Chris partners with charities across the country, leading high-energy live auctions and paddle raises that inspire giving. In 2025, Chris helped raise more than $30 million – and set a charity auction record with the sale of a Dale Chihuly Basket Series glass bowl. Chris was recently recognized as the nation's second-best charity auctioneer in the Bid Masters Finale, earning the top distinction for most funds raised among an elite field of peers.

Northlight Theatre aspires to promote change of perspective and encourage compassion by exploring the depth of our humanity across a bold spectrum of theatrical experiences, reflecting our community to the world and the world to our community.

Founded in 1974 with its inaugural season in 1975-76, the organization has mounted over 250 productions, including more than 45 world premieres. Northlight has earned 238 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and 37 Awards, as well as 11 Edgerton Foundation for New Play Awards. As one of the area's premier theatre companies, Northlight is a regional magnet for critical and professional acclaim, as well as talent of the highest quality.

Northlight is supported in part by generous contributions from BMO Harris Bank; Bulley & Andrews; Byline Bank; ComEd, An Exelon Company; Dr. Scholl Foundation; Eckenhoff Saunders Architects, Inc.; The Field Foundation of Illinois; Full Circle Foundation; Grumman Butkus Associates; Hagerty Consulting; Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; John R Halligan Charitable Fund; LionBird; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; Mabadi Realty; Mammel Family Foundation; Modestus Bauer Foundation; Northwestern University; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Pritzker Foundation; The Schubert Foundation, Inc.; The Sullivan Family Foundation; The Weatherlow Foundation; Tom Stringer Design Partners.

A Red Orchid Theatre is thrilled to announce a remount of its critically-acclaimed, father-daughter drama Birds of North America, returning for a limited engagement September 10 – October 4, 2026 at 1531 N. Wells St. in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood. Written by Anna Ouyang Moench and directed by Artistic Director Kirsten Fitzgerald*, the remount will feature the full original cast and creative team. Single tickets go on sale Tuesday, August 4, 2026 at 12 pm at aredorchidtheatre.org or by calling (312) 943-8722. 

Reprising their original roles in Birds of North America are Ensemble Member John Judd* with Cassidy Slaughter-Mason. Understudies include Sahar Dika and Guy Wicke.

About the Production:

John and his daughter Caitlyn are birders. As they scan the skies over their backyard in suburban Maryland looking for elusive birds, years go by. Relationships begin and end. Children grow up and parents age. The climate and the world change in small and vast ways. Birds of North America takes a close look at the relationship of a father and daughter over the course of a decade as they struggle to understand the parts of one another that defy understanding. 

Birds of North America received critical acclaim during its sell-out Chicago premiere:

★★★★

"A gorgeous little 90-minute two-hander, a beautifully acted and directed

father-daughter play capable of transporting you away... I was transported"

"[John] Judd, one of the Chicago theater's most remarkable actors [is] a perfect fit for this role...

a really beautiful performance and one of Judd's best. (I've seen many.)"

–Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune

★★★½

"A gripping generational dialogue... Slaughter-Mason's performance in this production is moving."

–Mike Davis, Chicago Sun-Times/WBEZ Chicago

RECOMMENDED! "A tender portrait that walks the taut line

between pain and sentimentality with the vivid humor of recognition."

–Irene Hsiao, Chicago Reader

The production team includes Morgan Laszlo (Scenic Designer), Ben Argenta Kress (Costume Designer), Seojung Jang (Lighting Designer), Ethan Korvne (Composer & Sound Designer), Spencer Diaz Tootle (Props Designer and Set Dressing), Jojo Brown (Dramaturg), Amy Carpenter (Assistant Director), Kyle Stoffers (Casting Director), Tom Daniel (Technical Director). Alivia Arizaga (Stage Manager) and Faith Locke (Assistant Stage Manager).

Subscribers for A Red Orchid's soon-to-be-announced 2026-2027 Season may add Birds of North America to their package as at a discounted rate. Season subscriptions will be available in July 2026.

*Denotes A Red Orchid Theatre Ensemble Member

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Title: Birds of North America

Playwright: Anna Ouyang Moench
Director: Artistic Director Kirsten Fitzgerald*
Cast: Ensemble Member John Judd* (John) with Cassidy Slaughter-Mason (Caitlyn)

Understudies: Sahar Dika and Guy Wicke

Location: A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells St., Chicago

Dates: Opening: Thursday September 10, 2026 at 7 pm

Regular run: Friday, September 11 – Sunday, October 4, 2026 Curtain Times: Thursdays and Fridays at 7 pm; Saturdays 3 pm & 7 pm; and Sundays at 3 pm.

Tickets: $61*. Access, student, senior and group discounts available.  Single tickets go on sale Tuesday, August 4, 2026 at 12 pm at aredorchidtheatre.org or by calling (312) 943-8722. *Ticket prices include a processing fee.

About the Artists:

Anna Ouyang Moench (Playwright, she/her) is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter. Her plays include Your Local Theater Presents: A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, Again, Man of God, Birds of North America, Mothers and Sin Eaters. Anna's work has been produced at the La Jolla Playhouse, Williamstown Theatre Festival, the Geffen Playhouse, East West Players, the Playwrights Realm, NAATCO at the Public Theater, A Red Orchid Theater Company, The Gift Theatre, and many others. She is a former Jerome Fellow at the Playwrights' Center, Van Lier fellow at the Lark and Page One fellow at the Playwrights Realm. Awards include two 2023 WGA Awards for her work on Severance (Apple TV+), the 2020 Steinberg Playwright Award, the Gerbode Special Award in the Arts, the Paul Stephen Lim Playwriting Award from the Kennedy Center, and the NYFA Award in Playwriting/Screenwriting. Anna received her MFA in Playwriting from UCSD and now lives

in Los Angeles with her family.

Kirsten Fitzgerald (Director, she/her) is a proud member of the Ensemble at A Red Orchid Theatre and has served as the Artistic Director since 2008. Recent directing credits include the world premiere of Gorgeous by Keiko Green at Raven Theatre, The Moors at A Red Orchid (Jeff Award for Best Production and Best Director of a Play-Midsize) and Dance Nation at Northwestern University's Wirtz Center. As an actor Kirsten has originated roles in the world premieres of The Cave, Grey House, Traitor, Pilgrim's Progress, Weapon of Mass Impact, and more (A Red Orchid); Swing State, I hate It Here (Goodman); Lettie, Appropriate (Victory Gardens); Mary Page Marlow, The Qualms (Steppenwolf). TV: Dark Matter, Shining Girls, Somebody Somewhere, The Exorcist, Sirens, The Big Leap, Chicago Med/Fire/Justice, Underemployed, ER. Film: Widows, Working Man. Kirsten is represented by Grossman & Jack Talent.

John Judd (John, he/him) last appeared on the A Red Orchid Theatre stage in Six Men Dressed Like Joseph Stalin, and was previously seen in The Cave, The Malignant Ampersand, and Gagarin Way, as well as the McCarter Theatre's presentation of Simpatico. A Chicago based actor for forty years, John has acted at The Goodman, Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Writer's Theatre, Court Theatre, Drury Lane, Northlight, Shattered Globe, Lookingglass, Victory Gardens and Next, as well as numerous regional, international and Off-Broadway venues.

Cassidy Slaughter-Mason (Caitlyn, she/her) is a Chicago based actor and writer. Recent theater credits include: Brooklyn Laundry (Northlight Theatre), The Luckiest (Raven Theatre, Equity Jeff Award for Best Performer in a Principal Role), How a Boy Falls (Northlight Theatre), Kiss (Haven Theatre), Significant Other (Theatre Wit/About Face) and Rapture Blister Burn (Goodman Theatre, Equity Jeff nomination for Performer in a Supporting Role). Film and TV credits include: All Happy Families, Ultra-City Smiths, Chicago Fire and Easy. Her short film Rabbit Rabbit (co-written with Poppy Golland) will stream this spring on OpenTV. Cassidy is represented by Paonessa Talent Agency.

About A Red Orchid Theatre:

A Red Orchid Theatre has served as an artistic focal point in the heart of the Old Town community of Chicago since 1993 and was honored with a 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. Over the past 32 years, its Resident Ensemble has welcomed into its fold an impressive array of award-winning actors, playwrights and theatre artists with the firm belief that live theatre is the greatest sustenance for the human spirit. A Red Orchid is well known and highly acclaimed for its fearless approach to performance and design in the service of unflinchingly intimate stories.  

A Red Orchid Theatre is: Karen Aldridge, Lance Baker, Kamal Angelo Bolden, Esteban Andres Cruz, Dado, Mike Durst, Sherman Edwards, Myron Elliott, Jennifer Engstrom, Kirsten Fitzgerald, Joseph Fosco, Steve Haggard, Levi Holloway, Mierka Girten, Larry Grimm, John Judd, Karen Kawa, Karen Kessler, Travis A. Knight, Danny McCarthy, Shade Murray, Brett Neveu, Sadieh Rifai, Grant Sabin, Michael Shannon, Guy Van Swearingen, Doug Vickers and Natalie West.  

Mia Chung’s Catch as Catch Can, which premiered with Page 73 in New York in 2018, arrives at Steppenwolf Theatre - one of Chicago’s most dynamic and daring artistic institutions - with a production that immediately embraces the play’s slippery, shape-shifting nature. Chung’s script thrives on emotional volatility and fractured identity, and Steppenwolf’s staging taps into that energy from the outset, preparing the audience for a world where the familiar can tilt, distort, and reassemble without warning.

Catch as Catch Can begins with the familiar comfort of kitchen-table talk between two New England mothers, Roberta Lavecchia and Theresa Phelan. Under Amy Morton’s direction, those early scenes feel lived-in and deceptively ordinary - two longtime friends trading stories, worries, and family updates with the shorthand of people who have known each other for decades. But as the play unfolds, that everyday warmth becomes the launching point for a story that veers into far more disorienting territory. The return of Tim Phelan unsettles the delicate balance between the Lavecchias and the Phelans, stirring up old assumptions, unspoken resentments, and long-dormant family myths. What begins as a simple homecoming slowly reveals itself as a catalyst for emotional slippage, where memories blur, loyalties shift, and the characters’ sense of who they are - and who they have been to each other - starts to fracture. Morton guides this progression from domestic realism to psychological unraveling with remarkable control, allowing the play’s humor, tension, and creeping dread to coexist in the same breath.

The production’s boldest device - three actors portraying all six characters - becomes the heartbeat of the evening. Gary Cole (as Roberta and Robbie Lavecchia), Audrey Francis (as Lon and Daniela Lavecchia), and Tim Hopper (as Theresa Phelan and Tim Phelan) deliver performances that are nothing short of remarkable. Morton directs them with a sculptor’s precision, shaping each transformation through voice, posture, and energy rather than costume changes or props. The actors rarely add so much as an apron, a pair of glasses, or a purse to differentiate roles; instead, they rely on the smallest shifts in breath, cadence, or physical weight. Even the simplest physical actions - threading a needle, folding laundry, lifting a heavy picture onto a wall, or a mother rolling out her famous meatballs - become character markers, subtle cues that signal who is speaking without ever breaking the flow of the scene. At times, it feels as though six fully realized people are occupying the room, even though only three bodies ever stand onstage.

After the opening scene, it took me a few minutes to recalibrate to the production’s rhythm, especially as the actors began switching characters with such speed and minimal visual cues. But that adjustment period is brief. Before long, the doubling feels not only natural but essential, a kind of theatrical language the production teaches you how to read. Once you settle into its cadence, the transformations become thrilling rather than disorienting, sharpening the play’s emotional stakes and deepening its sense of unease.

The rapid-fire switching becomes its own kind of theatrical whiplash. An actor may leap from one character to another every other sentence, often without a single visual clue, and Morton ensures each pivot lands cleanly without losing an ounce of emotional clarity. The play becomes a fault line in constant motion, where identities slide, collide, and splinter beneath the surface.

Gary Cole, Tim Hopper and Audrey Francis (L-R) in Steppenwolf Theatre's Catch As Catch Can. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

All three performers - Gary Cole, Audrey Francis, and Tim Hopper - are longtime Steppenwolf ensemble members, bringing a shared artistic vocabulary that sharpens every transformation onstage.

Cole toggles between Roberta’s brittle warmth and Robbie’s restless bravado with astonishing finesse. This production marks his first return to a Chicago stage in more than 25 years, and it is a triumphant homecoming. He is known to many for Office Space, Talladega Nights, HBO’s Veep, NCIS, and one of my favorite roles - Mike Brady in The Brady Bunch Movie and its sequel. Cole reminds audiences that his stage roots run deep. As Roberta, he carries a soft, fluttering concern that sits right behind the eyes; as Robbie, that same gaze sharpens into something quicker, hotter, and more impulsive. His ability to pivot between those energies with nothing more than a shift in breath or a recalibrated stance makes each transition feel both seamless and startling. It is a performance built on precision, but it never feels mechanical.

Francis brings an equally impressive duality to Lon and Daniela. In addition to being a Steppenwolf ensemble member, she now serves as the company’s artistic director alongside Glenn Davis, a role that underscores her influence on Chicago’s theatrical landscape. Known for standout performances in The Herd, Dance Nation, her work on Chicago Med, and directorial skill in You Will Get Sick, she grounds Lon with a quiet, blue-collar steadiness, a man who absorbs the world before reacting to it. Daniela, by contrast, is all edges and alertness, her movements tighter and her voice pitched with a nervous brightness that hints at deeper cracks. Francis masterfully switches entire gravitational centers. The clarity of her physical vocabulary makes each character instantly legible without a single costume change.

Hopper’s pairing may be the most haunting of the three. With Steppenwolf credits that include The Crucible, The Flick, and Buried Child, he brings a raw, unsettling honesty to both Theresa and Tim. His Theresa is a portrait of unraveling vulnerability, a woman whose emotional seams are beginning to split in ways she can barely articulate. His Tim, meanwhile, carries the quiet desperation of someone trying to hold himself together even as the ground shifts beneath him. Hopper plays both roles with a volatility that feels almost dangerous. The characters mirror and distort one another, creating an emotional echo that deepens the play’s sense of unease. Watching him slip between them is like watching a reflection break apart and reassemble in real time.

Together, these performances form the core of the production’s power. With Morton’s direction guiding every pivot, the trio creates the uncanny sensation that the stage is populated by twice as many people as are physically present. Their transformations are so quick and so clean that the audience must stay alert, tracking identities as they slide, collide, and reform. It is a feat of acting that is both technically dazzling and emotionally resonant, and it is the reason the play’s unstable world feels so alive.

As the story darkens - touching on mental health, racism, cultural tension, and the fragile scaffolding that holds families together - the doubling amplifies the instability. Chung threads moments of racial bias and coded language into the fabric of these families’ interactions, revealing how prejudice can hide inside the most casual exchanges and how easily it can rupture long-standing bonds. Morton understands that the play’s power lies in this slippage, and she allows the actors to push into the unsteady terrain without ever losing emotional truth. The result is a production that feels intimate yet vertiginous, a domestic drama that slowly cracks open into a haunting exploration of identity and the roles we inherit, perform, and sometimes cannot escape.

Andrew Boyce’s scenic design is a quiet marvel, giving the production a sense of dimensionality that feels both naturalistic and subtly disorienting. The main playing space is an open living room, flanked on one side by an entryway and a partial view into the kitchen, and on the other by a long hallway that suggests the deeper interior of the house. Just beyond the living room, another room is visible past a second hallway, creating the impression of a home that extends well beyond the edges of the stage. Boyce’s layout allows the audience to feel as though they’re peering into a fully lived-in environment, one with corners, thresholds, and unseen rooms that hold their own histories. Yuki Nakase Link’s lighting deepens this effect, subtly sculpting each corridor and doorway so the house seems to breathe with possibility - sometimes warm and inviting, sometimes shadowed with tension. It is a multidimensional design that grounds the play’s domestic realism while subtly reinforcing the sense that something inside this home - and inside these families - is evolving.

In their Artistic Director note, Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis frame Catch as Catch Can as a rare convergence of timing, artistry, and ensemble history - a production long delayed, now finally realized with the team that first set out to make it in 2020. They speak to the play’s uncanny pull, describing how Chung’s story has embedded itself in the company’s imagination, refusing to loosen its grip. For them, the doubling is not just a theatrical device but a test of the ensemble’s virtuosity, a chance for Steppenwolf to stretch its actors toward the edges of what performance can hold. And at the heart of their message is the idea that the play’s exploration of identity, home, and the selves we construct makes it a fitting capstone to the theatre’s 50th anniversary season - a reminder of how Steppenwolf’s long-standing commitment to family drama, artistic risk, and shared storytelling continues to shape its legacy.

Catch as Catch Can ultimately lands with the force of a quiet detonation, its emotional aftershocks lingering long after the final blackout. Morton and her trio of actors craft a world that feels both intimate and treacherous, a place where identity slips, refracts, and reforms in ways that are as unsettling as they are compelling. It is the kind of production that rewards close attention and invites conversation long after you’ve left the theatre - about family, perception, and the narratives we inherit without realizing it. Catch as Catch Can runs at Steppenwolf through July 12, with performances throughout the week, and it is very highly recommended for anyone who craves theatre that challenges, unsettles, and stays with you.

For tickets and/ or more show information, click here.

This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com. 

Those familiar with the Factory Theater space might feel themselves do a double take upon entering the theater for Two Out of Three Falls. Scenic Designer Manuel Ortiz completely transforms the space. The three-quarter thrust stage that has been there for years is gone – replaced by a wrestling ring that consumes an entire side of the theater. The ring is detailed, complete with lockers and wall decoration that completely transform that side of the space into a wrestling gym. To say that Ortiz outdoes himself in this endeavor is an understatement, because you might just find that the design is highly effective in drawing you into the thrilling vibe of the event.

Written by Bill Daniel, Two Out of Three Falls follows Johanna Goodish (Brittany Ellis), a wrestler struggling to step out of the shadow of wrestling legend King Kong Bruiser, also known as her father. Haunted by his literal ghost (Eric Frederickson), Goodish commits to the one act that she feels can set her free – challenging her father’s killer, Eduardo Quinones “El Moreton” (Sam Ramirez), to a wrestling match on live TV. If all goes according to plan, Quinones won’t live to see another day.

Directed by Ashley Yates, much of the production feels like a live wrestling match. As Goodish and her various opponents throughout the play take the ring, audience members at this Opening Night performance screamed and hollered. The design invites audiences to choose their opponent of choice, and you might just find that the intimate feel of the theater makes you feel like you are a part of the action. The work of Fight Designer Kate Lass and Wrestling Consultant Axel Rico shines in these scenes and certainly makes for an entertaining and lively evening.

The high-energy wrestling scenes act as a helpful contrast to some of the more intimate moments of the play – particularly within the relationship of Goodish and her manager, Meg Bishop (SaniaFaith). For so much of the story, Ellis brings a strong, confident character to Goodish. She is unafraid to fight back against her opponents, and she ensures that she is the last one standing at all costs. However, with Meg Bishop, we see a different side of Goodish. Ellis brings a quieter, more grounded character to these scenes. There is a vulnerability between Bishop and Goodish that you might just find helps us believe in this duo win. SaniaFaith and Ellis play off each other beautifully, bringing a genuine humor to the relationship that pushes it over the top.

The hype of the wrestling matches alone makes Two Out of Three Falls worth a watch. The stellar scenic design and strong ensemble make it a night of intrigue and fun.

Two Out of Three Falls runs through July 18 at the Factory Theater – 1623 W. Howard Street. For tickets and information, see the Factory Theater website.

RECOMMENDED

This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com. 

Nate Bargatze’s Big Dumb Eyes tour made its stop at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont with the steady, understated presence that has become central to his appeal. Bargatze continues to draw humor from the small missteps and everyday confusions that shape his storytelling, easing the audience into his rhythm rather than pushing for big moments. His unhurried delivery works surprisingly well in a venue of this size, creating a sense of shared focus that settles over the room as he builds each joke with quiet precision.

This powerhouse comedy tour is anchored by host Julian McCullough, whose easygoing charm and quick-hit crowd work set the tone for the night before the headliner ever steps onstage. He’s joined by a sharp trio of comics - Greg Warren, Gary Vider, and Jonnie W - each bringing a distinct comedic style that keeps the momentum building from set to set. Warren’s dry, story-driven humor, Vider’s understated oddball delivery, and Jonnie W’s musical-comedy flair create a well-balanced undercard that feels like a full evening of stand-up on its own. Together, they form a tightly assembled lineup that primes the audience perfectly for the main event.

Julian McCullough, Greg Warren, Gary Vider, and Jonnie W will all be making upcoming appearances at Zanies Rosemont, giving Chicago-area comedy fans several chances to catch them live. McCullough returns to the club on June 5–7, while Greg Warren is scheduled for a special event weekend on May 22–23. Jonnie W will headline Zanies Rosemont on July 26, and Gary Vider’s next Chicago-area dates are at Zanies Chicago on March 27–28, offering multiple showtimes across both nights.

Bargatze has been performing in arenas for some time now, and the format suits him more naturally than one might expect. The in-the-round staging keeps him accessible from every direction, while the large video screens ensure that even the most subtle expressions read clearly throughout the space. It is an effective setup for a comedian whose style relies on nuance rather than volume. In a venue as large as Allstate, laughter does not always erupt all at once - it spreads gradually, section by section, until the entire arena is moving with the same steady momentum.

A significant portion of Bargatze’s material continues to revolve around his family, with stories about parenting, marriage, and the everyday negotiations that come with trying to make sense of the world alongside the people closest to you. But he also branches into the absurdities of modern life, touching on everything from AI to self-driving cars to couples therapy - and even the baffling challenge of buying a horse, because, as he points out, who actually knows the price of a horse? These moments are not exaggerated or heightened for effect. Instead, he treats them with the same calm, observational tone that defines his work. The humor comes from the honesty of the situations and the quiet recognition they spark, especially for audiences who see their own households and daily frustrations reflected in his.

His Rosemont appearance is one stop in a long stretch of dates as the Big Dumb Eyes tour continues across major arenas nationwide. The upcoming schedule includes cities throughout the Midwest, East Coast, and South, each offering a chance for audiences to experience how his understated approach translates to rooms of this scale. At this point, Bargatze stands among the strongest stand-ups touring at the arena level, not because he relies on spectacle, but because his material remains consistent, grounded, and effective no matter the size of the venue.

In the end, the Allstate Arena stop underscored why Bargatze’s rise has felt so steady and assured. His comedy does not demand attention - it earns it through clarity, timing, and a genuine connection to the everyday experiences he describes. For a comedian whose style is built on understatement, filling an arena might seem counterintuitive, yet he makes the space feel surprisingly intimate. It is a testament to his craft and a clear sign that his place on the arena circuit is well deserved.