Displaying items by tag: live theatre

Rogers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific has long been one of my favorite musicals, not just for its sweeping romance and unforgettable score, but for the way it tackles big ideas with such touching honesty. Set on a remote island during World War II, the show blends sunlit escapism with the very real tensions shaping its characters’ lives, creating a story that’s as heartfelt as it is enduring.

South Pacific follows two intertwined love stories set against the backdrop of World War II, each colored and strained by the racial prejudices of the era. The musical centers on Nellie Forbush, an American nurse from Arkansas, who falls for Emile de Becque, a French plantation owner living on a South Pacific island. Their romance is warm, hopeful, and immediate, but Nellie falters when she learns that Emile has mixed-race children, forcing her to confront the biases she didn’t realize she carried. Meanwhile, a young Marine lieutenant, Joseph Cable, falls in love with Liat, a Tonkinese woman, only to recoil from the social consequences of marrying her. These parallel stories expose the poignant cost of prejudice, a theme the musical tackles directly and candidly.

The show’s creators - Richard Rodgers (music), Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics and co-book), and Joshua Logan (co-book) - adapted the musical from James A. Michener’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Tales of the South Pacific. Their adaptation blends romance, wartime tension, and social critique, using songs like “Some Enchanted Evening,” “Younger Than Springtime,” and the pointed “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught” to deepen the narrative’s resonant and political stakes. The hit 1958 film version, starring Mitzi Gaynor and Rossano Brazzi, helped cement South Pacific as a cultural landmark and carried its most iconic songs to an even wider audience. South Pacific debuted on Broadway in 1949, where it became an immediate hit and went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and now the beloved musical has found a temporary home at Paramount Theatre’s massive stage in Aurora's thriving downtown theater district.

Paramount’s production is anchored by a cast that brings both freshness and passionate sharpness to this classic musical.

Strong pecs are de rigueur for a troop of World War II U.S. Navy seabees stationed on a tropical island in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific, playing now through June 14 at downtown Aurora’s Paramount Theatre. For tickets, visit ParamountAurora.com or call (630) 896-6666.

Allsun O’Malley brings a bright, grounded sincerity to Nellie Forbush, making her Paramount debut with a turn that feels fully lived-in rather than broadly sketched. Her Nellie is warm, funny, and emotionally accessible, and she brings each of her songs to life with bright, expressive vocals - especially “A Wonderful Guy,” which she delivers with pure joy, and a buoyant optimism that never obscures the character’s underlying complexity. O’Malley also reveals Nellie’s internal contradictions with clear, intentional choices, letting the audience see the exact moments when her optimism collides with what she calls an inherited prejudice. Playing opposite, Devin Archer delivers a commanding and deeply felt Emile de Becque. Archer’s rich velvety voice has the kind of effortless power that makes “Some Enchanted Evening” land with full romantic weight. Also, the quiet, wounded dignity he brings to Emile’s past gives the role its human spine. The chemistry of the two is undeniable. Archer and O’Malley form a partnership that feels real, tender, and the kind of connection every couple hopes for.

Cindy Chang’s Bloody Mary is a standout from her first entrance, played with sharp wit and a knowing edge that never slips into stereotype. Chang gives the character agency and intelligence, making her both a shrewd survivor and a mother navigating impossible circumstances. Anthony Maggio, as Lt. Joseph Cable, delivers a performance that balances youthful idealism with the crushing weight of societal expectation. His later scenes - especially his deeply felt rendition of “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught,” the song that argues hate is learned, not innate - give Maggio’s work real force and heartfelt depth.

Matthew Michael Janisse is absolutely wonderful as Luther Billis, perfectly cast and firing off some of the evening’s sharpest comedic timing. He brings a mischievous ease to every entrance, shaping the humor with character-driven precision rather than broad antics, and his presence reliably lifts the energy of each scene he touches. Louisa Darr’s Liat offers a gentle, luminous counterbalance, shaping the role with quiet grace. Esteban Ortiz‑Villacorta (Professor) and Chris Khoshaba (Stewpot) add texture and humor to the ensemble, while Joshua L. Green’s Captain George Brackett and David Rossetti’s Commander William Harbison provide crisp, authoritative counterpoints. Young performers Evelyn Dorough and Elle Laroco (Ngana) and Bennet Angsurat and Vin Laroco (Jerome) bring charm and authenticity to their scenes, rounding out a talented cast that feels cohesive, committed, and fully engaged in the world of the production.

The ensemble is exceptional across the board, moving with a unified energy that enriches every scene. Their vocal blend, character detail, and fantastic dancing give this interpretation its heartbeat, making the world of the island feel alive with youthful energy.

Nellie Forbush (Allsun O'Malley) admits to her fellow nurses she’s in love with a wonderful guy in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific, the 2025-26 Broadway Series finale at downtown Aurora’s Paramount Theatre. 

One of my favorite South Pacific moments comes when Cindy Chang steps into “Bali Ha’i,” singing with a hypnotic calm and quiet urgency that makes the number seem both inviting and faintly mysterious, as if she’s revealing a world only she can fully see. That spell is followed by the sailors’ showstopping “There Is Nothin’ Like a Dame,” a riot of comic bravado and tight choreography that electrifies the stage. And just when the energy peaks, the nurses answer with a gleeful, splashy rendition of “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair,” led by Allsun O’Malley and complete with real water cascading from onstage showers - a burst of theatrical fun the audience clearly loved.

Co-directors Devon Hayakawa and Trent Stork guide this Rodgers and Hammerstein masterpiece with a confident, contemporary touch, shaping a presentation that honors the show’s sweeping romance while sharpening its sincere and thematic edges. Their staging is purposeful and fluid, allowing humor, heart, and tension to coexist without competing. Choreographer Morgan DiFonzo adds another vital layer, crafting movement that feels organically rooted in character while giving the staging its rhythmic pulse. Together, the trio delivers a revival that respects the classic while infusing it with fresh perspective and simplicity.

The set and costumes are nothing short of breathtaking, with projections that expand the already majestic environment into a fully realized island in the South Pacific. Jeffrey D. Kmiec’s scenic design features towering, densely layered trees that rise beyond the height of the stage, using every inch of space with intention and beauty. Izumi Inaba’s costumes enrich the world with texture and authenticity, while Greg Hofmann’s magical lighting bathes the stage in shifting moods that deepen the sense of place. Adam Rosenthal’s sound design adds precision and atmosphere, and Mike Tutaj’s projections provide some of the production’s most magical touches - most memorably a stunning firefly-filled night scene that seems to shimmer in the air. As a unit, the design team created a world that feels immersive, transportive, and alive with the beauty of island nature. 

Under the baton of Music Director and Conductor Kory Danielson, the orchestra sounds vibrant, balanced, and enthusiastically attuned to the storytelling. Danielson shapes the score with clarity and warmth, giving the big ensemble numbers buoyant lift while letting the more intimate moments breathe. His leadership keeps the musical pulse steady and expressive, ensuring the show’s soulful arcs land with full impact.

This South Pacific is a richly imagined, beautifully performed revival that captures the sweep, humor, and emotional punch of the Rodgers and Hammerstein defining musical while giving it a revitalized, contemporary pulse. From the stunning design work to the standout performances and thoughtfully shaped direction, every element comes together with definition and heart. It’s a staging that invites you in, holds you close, and stays with you long after the final notes fade. Rogers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific runs through June 14th, and it’s absolutely worth catching before it sails away.

I highly recommend this breathtaking and deeply romantic beloved musical. 

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

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

Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of theater and a lot of musical performances. And because of that, people regularly ask what the best show I’ve seen is. Without hesitation, I tell them it was the 2018 Jeff Award-winning production of The Buddy Holly Story at American Blues Theater.

So, when I took my seat for American Blues Theater’s current production of Always…Patsy Cline and opened my program, I was thrilled to see many of the same names I remembered from the Buddy Holly cast and orchestra. And when I looked to my right, I was even more thrilled to see Michael Mahler - the musical director of the Buddy Holly show - seated just down the row, as he’s filling the same role with this show. I knew right then I was in for a night of good music.

Scenic designer Tara A. Houston’s bandstand - this was my first time attending a show at the theater’s Lincoln Avenue digs, which I found to be a really inviting venue - seconded the promise of a good time with its upright piano, upright bass, and lone classic silver Shure microphone just waiting for words to be sung to it. I was so excited for the music that I hardly noticed the rest of Houston’s set - a quaint mid-century kitchen tucked off to the side.

Because that’s the thing… I got to Always…Patsy Cline thinking I was just going to see yet another jukebox musical, albeit one done really well. But with this show, the audience gets a whole lot more than a standard IRL biopic.

Yes, it begins with Liz Chidester waltzing up to that Shure mic and singing into it about being back in her baby’s arms, of going out walking after midnight, of falling to pieces, and of being crazy for feeling so blue. Chidester nails Cline’s look - thanks in no small part to gorgeous costume design by Lily Walls which transports us back to the middle of the 20^th century one chic outfit at a time. And Chidester’s got a wonderful voice that gets to the places Cline’s voice got to, while mimicking that magical warmth and sheen that recordings of that era lent a vocalist. Yes, she makes a fine Patsy Cline.

And yes, the band is killer. Ian Paul Custer conducts while also adding Floyd Cramer-esque flourishes on the piano. Lior Shragg provides more than twenty musical numbers with their steady beat (and his beat-keeping becomes a plot point), joined in the rhythm section by versatile bassist, Marc Edelstein. Lauren Vogel’s fiddle goes from heartbreak to hoedown. And guitarist Nilko Andreas’ Fender Stratocaster approximates the whines of a lap steel one moment before slipping into more stately countrypolitan accompaniment.

Yes, if you go see Always…Patsy Cline simply for an overly generous and expertly played evening of deep cuts (I’d forgotten all about “Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray,” but it was a highlight) and country classics (Chidester’s dreamy vocals carried me off as she harkened the Nile and “old Algiers”), you will get way more than your money’s worth.

But while all of this is going on - while Chidester and her band are transporting us with song after song - this show is also not just another jukebox musical. Instead, it looks at how those singular talents worthy of their own musical affect us, the audience.

That role - of fan, of the one experiencing the music and being transported by the artist - is played onstage by the second member of this two-woman cast. Molly Hernandez - who played Buddy Holly’s wife and muse Maria Elena in not just the 2018 production I so loved but in a more recent Marriott Theatre production of the same, and who’s graced many other stages around Chicago in the years since - plays Louise, a hilarious, hard-drinking, fast-talking, all-heart Texas gal who just loves the records by this Patsy Cline. She loves those records so much, in fact, it leads to a one-night friendship and a lifelong (not long enough, sadly) pen-pal relationship between the two women. While her character’s name isn’t on the marquee, Hernandez is the show’s MVP. She’s the narrator. She’s the heart. And she’s a real hoot - strutting and sassing and boot-scooting all over the place, giving the show a real-world grounding that even the best shows about famous people can’t provide.

What was so unexpected about Always…Patsy Cline is that it understands something most jukebox musicals miss entirely (even the one at the top of my list!): the songs aren’t really the story. The people carrying them around in their hearts are. Director Harmony France gives us the larger-than-life Patsy Cline we paid to see by looking at her through the eyes of one of the millions spinning her records on their turntable.

And that’s what’s still sticking with me… Yes, I’ll remember Chidester’s velvety vocals, Hernandez’s comic and dramatic talent, and again, a killer country-and-western band. But mostly I’ll remember Always…Patsy Cline as less of a biopic than a love letter: to fandom, to friendship, to old country songs, and to the artists whose voices keep reaching across decades to soundtrack our lives. American Blues Theater has done it again with Always…Patsy Cline, running now through June 21st.

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

Lake Forest's Citadel Theatre has announced its 2026-27 mainstage season, which will include two favorites and two acclaimed recent pieces that may be new to north shore audiences. The season will commence with the satirical comedy EUREKA DAY, which examines the frequently contradictory practices of a fictional, highly progressive private school located in Berkeley, California. The play, which premiered in Berkeley in 2018, deals with topical subjects like vaccinations, privilege, and communication, utilizing sharp wit, farce, and intense dialogue to create laughter  It was produced on Broadway in the 2024-25 season and won the 2025 Tony Award for Best Revival of Play. Scott Westerman, the director of such Citadel hits as MISERY, A JUKEBOX FOR THE ALGONQUIN, THE MOUSETRAP, and SEX WITH STRANGERS, will direct. EUREKA DAY will open Friday, September 11 at 7:30 pm, following a preview on September 9, and play through October 11.
 
In November and December, Citadel will be visited by Clarence the Angel and the beleaguered George Bailey when the company presents IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: THE LIVE RADIO PLAY, based on the perennial favorite holiday film that starred James Stewart and Donna Reed. When the film premiered in 1946, before the television era, it was a common practice for popular films to be performed as live radio plays, and IT'S WONDERFUL LIFE was performed live on THE LUX RADIO THEATRE with Stewart recreating his role as George Bailey on December 23, 1947. This radio play adaptation by playwright Joe Landry not only brings the film's beloved story to the stage, but it also recreates the magic of the heyday of radio dramas. Landry has added original pastiches of commercial jingles that run throughout the play and created characters of the radio actors who are playing the characters of the film. Jack Hickey, the former Artistic Director of Oak Park Festival Theatre, who directed Citadel's THE COTTAGE in 2024, will return to Citadel to direct. IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY will open on Friday, November 13 after previews on November 11 and 12, and play through December 13.
 
Citadel will follow IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE with another story from the 1940's that has never faded in popularity: Tennessee Williams' THE GLASS MENAGERIE. In depression-era St. Louis, Amanda Wingfield dreams of her past as an attractive, sought-after southern belle and wants to believe her painfully shy daughter can enjoy the same sort of popularity. Amanda's adult son Tom spends his days working in a shoe warehouse and his nights at the movies, dreaming of a way to find a more exciting life. THE GLASS MENAGERIE premiered in Chicago on December 26, 1944, and was an instant sensation, establishing Williams as a major American playwright. This poetic and emotional work exploring the tension between reality and illusion, will be directed by Scott Shallenbarger, who helmed Citadel's I AND YOU and MIRACLE ON SOUTH DIVISION STREET. Citadel co-founder Ellen Phelps will take on the iconic role of Amanda Wingfield. THE GLASS MENAGERIE will open on Friday, February 12, following previews on February 10 and 11 and play through March 14.
 
Closing Citadel's 2026-27 season will be ORDINARY DAYS, a musical about four young New Yorkers whose lives intersect as they search for fulfillment, happiness, love and cabs. This sung-through musical featuring 21 songs has been an international hit since it premiered in 2008 in a production at Penn State University. Over the next ten years, it was produced in London (six times), Paris, Barcelona, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, and Wellington, New Zealand before finally making its off-Broadway premiere in 2018. It has enjoyed continued popularity around the world since then, and its ballad, "I'll Be Here" has been recorded by such artists as Audra McDonald and Liz Callaway. ORDINARY DAYS will be directed for Citadel by Christina Ramirez, who directed RUTHLESS! THE MUSICAL for Citadel Theatre in April and May 2026. ORDINARY DAYS will open to the press on Friday, April 16, following previews on April 14 and 15, and play through May 16.
 
Season subscriptions are available for the full four-show season at $140.00, or as flex passes that can be used for the patron's choice of either three shows for $115.00 or two shows for $80.00. Preview flex passes are also available for $45 (two shows), $55 (three shows), or $65 (four shows). Subscriptions and single tickets priced at $50 (plus ticketing. Fees) are now on sale at www.citadeltheatre.org. 
 
Citadel Theatre is in residence in the West Campus of the Lake Forest School District at 300 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest. Further information and ticketing is available on the company's website at www.citadeltheatre.org. 

Your favorite kids show is back! The Second City is excited to welcome the return of its wildly popular summer hit for young audiences. No Grown-Ups Allowed is a high-energy, fast-paced sketch and improv comedy show delivering 60 minutes of non-stop laughter for the whole family. Tickets sell fast every year! For tickets and more information, visit secondcity.com or call The Second City box office at 312-337-3992.

The show features a mix of family-friendly songs and sketches from The Second City's iconic comedy archives, alongside fresh new material created just for young audiences. And of course, it's all brought to life with the ridiculous improv hijinks The Second City is known for.

Starring a hilarious cast, No Grown-Ups Allowed is a one-of-a-kind interactive theatrical experience, giving kids the chance to jump into the action, whether from their seats or by joining performers live onstage.

No Grown-Ups Allowed runs Saturdays at 11am and 1pm, June 6 through August 29, with one added Sunday performance on July 5 at 11am and 1pm. Tickets are $29. Perfect for ages 6-13.

About The Second City

The Second City opened its doors in 1959 as a small comedy cabaret and has since grown into the world's most influential name in improvisation and comedy, celebrating its 65th anniversary in 2024. The Second City's stages, Touring Companies, and Training Centers across North America have proudly been the launch pad and artistic home for many of the funniest performers, writers, directors, and comedic minds on the planet. As well, for decades The Second City's corporate education and entertainment arm, Second City Works, has supported global businesses using the same methods pioneered on its stages to drive individual growth and organizational improvement.

For more information on The Second City, visit www.secondcity.com and follow The Second City on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Get ready for a cosmic comedy of gods, monsters, and mayhem that refuses to play by the old rules. That’s right - the universe is ending, and apparently it booked a headliner.

In Lifeline’s world premiere Loki: The End of the World Tour, we travel to another universe where Norse gods wrestle with fate, power, and the consequences of welcoming a trickster into their midst. Loki, half‑god and half‑giant, storms into Asgard with the force of a live wire, intent on reshaping his identity and carving out a place in the celestial hierarchy. His charm wins over Odin almost immediately, but the rest of the pantheon isn’t so easily convinced. While gentle Baldur welcomes him with the sunny goodwill he offers everyone, Thor bristles at the sudden competition for his father’s attention, and Freya senses danger in him from the start. Meanwhile, Loki’s three unusual children - Hel, Fenris (a wolfen creature), and the slithery Midgard Serpent - appear in Asgard as the very figures described in the prophecy Odin dreads, the beings destined to spark Ragnarok and bring the realm to its knees. Caught in the middle, Sigyn finds herself drawn to Loki’s restless spirit even as these revelations cast a looming war between gods and giants across their path. Loki’s return from the land of giants sets off a quiet upheaval in Asgard, and it’s clear the realm will never look the same again. Yep, Lifeline Theatre certainly lives up to its “Big Stories, Up Close” tagline in this original creation, transforming ancient myth into a visceral, close‑quarters clash of gods, secrets, and fate.

The show kicks off with a blast of rock‑and‑roll as the onstage trio - guitarist and music director Kelan Smith, keyboardist Kara Alexander, and drummer/bassist Alek Boggio - tears into the opening number. These three performers also serve as the Norns, guiding the audience through the story with a mix of narration, commentary, and musical firepower. Penned by Lifeline ensemble members Christina Calvit and George Howe and directed by Heather Currie, the “World Tour” concept gives the production a playful, concert‑style frame that keeps the energy high from the very first chord. Earplugs are free for anyone who wants them, and even with the show’s solid sound mix, you might be glad to have a pair handy - particularly in Act Two, when Boggio unleashes a drum assault that rattles the room.

Jack Chylinski leads the company with a magnetic, mercurial turn as Loki, slipping between charm, menace, and mischief with the ease of a born shapeshifter. The physicality is sharp and unpredictable, and they ride the rock score with a swagger that makes the trickster god both dangerous and oddly irresistible. Opposite him, Scott Danielson brings a seasoned authority to Odin, grounding the production with a commanding presence and vocals that cut cleanly through the music. Danielson’s All‑Father carries the weight of prophecy and fear in every scene, and the show deepens whenever he steps into the light.

Kelan Smith, Alek Boggio, Kara Olander, Janelle Anabria in LOKI THE END OF THE WORLD TOUR. Photo by Josh Bernaski.

Janelle Sanabria’s Freya is a powerhouse in every sense, her vocals soaring across the theatre with clarity, range, and emotional bite. She plays the goddess with fierce intelligence and a simmering distrust that adds real tension to the pantheon. Keenan Odenkirk, meanwhile, delivers a standout comedic performance as Thor, balancing bluster, jealousy, and impeccable timing. His ability to punch a line, hold a beat, and land a laugh gives the show some of its sharpest moments. Peter Gertas brings a bright, buoyant charm to Baldur, radiating warmth as the god of light and shifting effortlessly into his more grounded work as Mason.

India Renteria offers a luminous, heartfelt Sigyn, grounding the chaos around her with sincerity and emotional clarity. Loki’s three children - Grace Reidenauer as the coolly witty Hel, Anthony Kayer as the feral and unexpectedly tender Fenris (and the delightfully bold Thrym), and Avery Thompson as the playful, serpentine Middy - round out the ensemble with vivid, memorable performances. Each brings a distinct energy to the stage, and together they form a trio that’s as funny as it is thematically essential. The cast as a whole fuels the production with personality, precision, and a rock‑and‑roll spirit that never lets the momentum dip.

The physical world of the production is intentionally spare, yet it feels remarkably tailored to the story thanks to the combined work of scenic designer Lindsay Mummert, props designer Saskia Bakker, and lighting designer G. “Max” Maxin IV. Instead of overwhelming the stage with spectacle, the design team leans into simplicity and lets the atmosphere do the heavy lifting. The band sits off to one side in full view, their presence giving the show the pulse and immediacy of a live concert rather than a traditional musical. Maxin’s washes of purple light bathe the space in an otherworldly glow, transforming the minimalist set into something mythic, shifting, and just a little dangerous.

Anthony Kayer, Jack Chylinski, Grace Reidenauer and Avery Thompson in LOKI THE END OF THE WORLD TOUR. Photo by Josh Bernaski.

This production feels like lightning in a bottle, and the cast - backed by that ferocious onstage band - absolutely tears into it. New, original musicals don’t always find their musical footing right away, but this one arrives with a score that feels confident, catchy, and fully realized. Several numbers grabbed me on first listen, and by the time the show barrels into its final sequence, the music swells into a full‑throttle rock anthem that literally dares the audience to join in. The closing chorus suggests, with a wink and a blast of guitar, that if the world really is ending, we might as well crank the volume and go out in a rockin’ blaze of sound - and honestly, it’s hard to argue with that.

Loki: The End of the World Tour is the kind of original musical that proves, yet again, how fiercely inventive Chicago storefront theatre can be when it fires on all cylinders. Lifeline’s ensemble throws themselves into the chaos with precision, personality, and a rock‑and‑roll fearlessness that makes the whole night feel like a small miracle happening a few feet away. It’s smart, loud, heartfelt, and just strange enough to feel genuinely new - the sort of show you want to tell people about before it closes. And with the production running through June 27th, there’s still time to catch the lightning (or Thor's hammer) for yourself. As for logistics, street parking in the neighborhood remains one of the city’s best‑kept secrets: arrive a little early and you’ll likely snag a spot without the headache of garages or meters. For a show this fun, this fresh, and this full of talent, the trip is absolutely worth it.

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

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

The Wedding Singer is currently onstage at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights, offering a faithful and upbeat interpretation of the Adam Sandler–Drew Barrymore film. The production leans into the story’s rom‑com roots while making effective use of the Metropolis space, integrating ensemble work, clear character moments, and a series of well‑staged song‑and‑dance numbers to establish its easygoing, ’80s‑infused tone.

Before getting deeper into the production itself, it’s worth pausing to talk about the music. Not being familiar with the stage version - but very familiar with the film - I walked in fully expecting a night filled with Culture Club, The Cars, Depeche Mode, Dead or Alive, Huey Lewis, the B‑52s and, of course, Billy Idol. After all, Broadway has reimagined just about everything, so why not build a soundtrack from these great artists? But that isn’t what the musical sets out to deliver. While the film rolls out one 1980s hit after another, the stage adaptation replaces those songs with an entirely original score. Curious about the shift, and assuming it might be a budget decision, I did some digging - and here’s what I found.

Ok, so The Wedding Singer stage musical wasn’t conceived as a jukebox show. When Chad Beguelin, Tim Herlihy, and Matthew Sklar adapted the film for the stage, they chose to create an original score rather than license the movie’s well‑known pop hits. Securing rights to songs from multiple artists, labels, and publishers would have been enormously complex and prohibitively expensive (I was partially correct), and it would have limited the creative team to a patchwork of pre‑existing material. By writing new music, the creative team could shape songs around character development, pacing, and theatrical storytelling, all while capturing the spirit of the 1980s without relying on specific chart‑toppers. And while it may be a slight letdown for anyone hoping to hear those iconic hits, the production does nod to the film’s soundtrack: many of those artists play over the speakers as audiences enter, setting the mood with a warm wave of ’80s nostalgia before the show even begins.

From left - Cristina Benighoff, Kylie Tollefson, Jamie Dillon Grossman as Holly,  Teah Kiang Mirabelli as Julia and Jodi Gage as Angie. 

The musical adaptation of The Wedding Singer - with a book and music by the above mentioned Chad Beguelin, Tim Herlihy and Matthew Sklar - premiered at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre on February 8, 2006, following previews that began January 31. It later transferred to Broadway, where it began previews on March 30 and officially opened at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on April 27, 2006. Now, twenty years later, almost to the day after its Broadway debut, it has arrived in Arlington Heights.

For those anticipating a beat‑for‑beat version of the movie, the stage musical instead embraces a more expansive, stage‑shaped version of the story - exactly what a musical adaptation calls for. The core story and main characters remain, but it’s the show’s original songs, larger ensemble numbers, and broader comedic beats that naturally shift the tone. Certain plot points are streamlined, and some supporting characters are reimagined or expanded, while others, like the over-the-top lounge-singing character Jimmie Moore played by John Lovitz, don’t appear at all. The result keeps the spirit of the film intact, but filters it through the pacing, structure, and heightened style of a full musical.

At the center of the story is Robbie Hart, New Jersey’s go‑to wedding singer whose life unravels after his fiancée, Linda, leaves him at the altar. The musical charts his shift from upbeat crowd‑pleaser to heartbroken mess, blending the film’s familiar humor with a more expansive emotional arc. Robbie’s missteps, meltdowns, and attempts at recovery take on a brighter, more expressive energy onstage, all while staying true to the spirit of the original film.

Julia, the warm‑hearted waitress engaged to the wrong man, grounds the narrative and becomes the catalyst for Robbie’s rediscovery of hope. Their growing connection unfolds through new songs and heightened character moments as the two become closer and closer, surrounded by neon nostalgia and a fizzy sense of fun. By the time the show reaches its finale, it captures the same earnest, feel‑good spirit that made the Sandler and Barrymore film a favorite, now delivered with Broadway‑sized verve and a wink to every ’80s love story that came before it.

The score leans into the show’s 1980s setting with a mix of upbeat pop styles and earnest ballads, and while the songs themselves aren’t the most memorable, they’re delivered with strong vocals and crisp musical direction. Numbers like “It’s Your Wedding Day” and “Saturday Night in the City” bring plenty of energy, and pieces such as “Someday” and “If I Told You” give Robbie and Julia room to explore their emotional arcs. Altogether, the score creates a fun, nostalgia‑tinged atmosphere that supports the story even if the tunes don’t linger long after the curtain.

The Metropolis cast brings The Wedding Singer to life with an easy, infectious force that suits the show’s playful spirit. Abraham Deitz‑Green leads the production as Robbie Hart, offering strong vocals and confident movement throughout. His strength shows most clearly in the musical numbers, where his singing and dancing bring real appeal to the role and highlight where his talents truly land. His rendition of Adam Sandler’s “Grow Old with You” is especially sweet, giving the show one of its most heartfelt moments. There’s a sincerity in his approach that keeps the character engaging and makes it easy to root for him from start to finish. “Casualty of Love” lets Robbie hit rock bottom in spectacular fashion, and Deitz‑Green tears into the collapse with a mix of wild humor and crisp musicality.

Opposite Deitz‑Green, Teah Kiang Mirabelli brings Julia to the stage with a gentle warmth that immediately draws the audience in, and she positively glows as the character’s optimism and sincerity take shape. Her growing connection with Robbie feels effortless and genuine, supported by acting choices that are both clear and confidently delivered. Mirabelli gives Julia a grounded sincerity, a bright sense of humor, and a quiet emotional intelligence that enrich every scene she’s in. It’s a performance that consistently elevates the material and gives the show much of its heart.

Abraham Deitz-Green as Robbie Hart.

Around them, the supporting cast adds plenty of texture and momentum. Peyton Schoenhofer gives Glen just the right amount of slick confidence and the perfect touch of cockiness, while Andres J. DeLeon’s George and Danny Dollase’s Sammy bring sharp comedic timing to Robbie’s inner circle and enjoy several standout moments of their own, turning in multiple scene‑stealing bits that consistently lift the energy onstage. Jamie Dillon Grossman’s Holly brings a spark every time she appears drawing lots of laughs, and her vocals add real lift to the ensemble. Caron Buinis offers a crowd‑pleasing turn as Rosie, finding the humor in the role without tipping into caricature and ultimately delivering one of the show’s funniest performances. As Linda, Katherine Abel delivers a compact but very funny performance that adds just the right jolt of attitude.

The strong ensemble keeps the show moving with crisp choreography by Nich O'Neil and bright character work, giving the production a lively pulse from scene to scene. The airplane scene, packed with gleefully exaggerated celebrity impersonators, brings a burst of chaotic fun and stands out as one of the production’s funniest moments.

Guiding it all is director Amber Mak, whose steady hand shapes the blend of ’80s nostalgia, rom‑com sweetness, and high‑energy musical comedy. Her approach highlights the story’s heart without sacrificing its humor, creating a production that feels both affectionate toward the original film and confidently theatrical in its own right. The production maintains a lively pace from start to finish, striking a rhythm that keeps the story engaging without a single stretch that feels slow.

The glitzy, wedding‑themed set by Milo Blue gives the show a bright visual identity, and the choice to keep the live band visible throughout adds a dynamic, concert‑like presence that energizes every scene. Getting to watch the musicians play in full view is always a big plus for me. The band is beautifully led by Carolyn Brady - not Carol Brady; that would take us back to the ’70s.

One of the pleasures of this production is the steady stream of 1980s references woven throughout. A Mr. Belvedere shout‑out, a five‑pound car‑phone battery, a nod to the “Time to make the donuts” guy, and a perfectly timed “Where’s the beef?” all land with an easy, throwback charm. The show adds plenty of other touches from the era, delivered with just the right touch of silliness. From fashion jokes to pop‑culture moments I’m surely forgetting, each reference lands like a small time‑capsule detail that keeps the audience laughing and taps into the easy lure of the 1980s.

The Wedding Singer at Metropolis ultimately delivers a bright, good‑natured night out with plenty of laughs and well-choreographed musical numbers along the way. It leans into its ’80s nostalgia and rom‑com charm without taking itself too seriously, making it an easy pick for anyone in the mood for something fun and feel‑good. If you’re looking for a show that will lift your spirits and leave you smiling, this one is well worth the trip to Arlington Heights.

Through May 24^th at Metropolis Performing Arts Center.

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

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

Buffalo Theatre Ensemble (BTE), the professional Equity theater company in residence at the McAninch Arts Center (MAC), announced it will mark its 40th anniversary season with three productions spanning beloved literary adaptations, classic suspense and broad British comedy. The season opens with "Louisa May Alcott's Little Women," by Lauren Gunderson (Nov. 12-Dec. 13). It will be followed by "Dial M for Murder" adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, from the original by Frederick Knott,  directed by Steve Scott (Jan. 28-Feb. 28) and Richard Bean's "One Man, Two Guvnors" directed by Ensemble member Connie Canaday Howard (May 6-June 6).

"Forty years of sharing stories on stage has been made possible by our outstanding community of audience members who have made Buffalo Theatre Ensemble their theatrical home. These plays, filled with humor and heart, are a thank you to our loyal patrons and an open invitation to new friends to experience Buffalo Theatre Ensemble during this milestone season,"says Daniel Millhouse, Interim Managing Artistic Director.

BTE's 2026-2027 three-play season is as follows.

"Louisa May Alcott's Little Women"
By Lauren Gunderson
Director to be Announced
Nov. 12 – Dec. 13, 2026
Preview: Thursday, Nov. 12, Press Opening: Friday, Nov. 13
Performances: 7:30 p.m. Thursday - Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday
Note: No show on Thursday Nov. 26 (Thanksgiving); added performance Saturday, Nov. 28 at 3 p.m.

In Lauren Gunderson's fresh and heartfelt adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's classic novel "Little Women," the beloved four March sisters step onto the stage with new vitality and emotional clarity. As Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy navigate growing up during the Civil War in Massachusetts, they chase dreams, confront loss and discover the fierce power of family. Gunderson, co-writer of the popular "Christmas at Pemberly" trilogy, illuminates Alcott's timeless story, celebrating imagination, resilience and the enduring bonds that shape who we become. Splash Magazine calls it, "an absolute delight from start to finish," and Chicago Stage and Screen calls it, "a heartwarming experience perfect for the holiday season."

"Dial M for Murder"
Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the original by Frederick Knott
Directed by Steve Scott
Jan. 28 – Feb. 28, 2027
Preview: Thursday, Jan. 28, Press Opening: Friday, Jan. 29
Performances: 7:30 p.m. Thursday - Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday

A sophisticated game of cat and mouse unfolds in this classic suspense thriller when a carefully constructed murder plot begins to unravel in unexpected ways. What follows is a razor-sharp battle of wits filled with deception, twists and chilling surprises. The Chicago Sun-Times says, "'Dial M' calls up a noirish universe filled with shady corners and shadier characters," and the Chicago Tribune calls it, "an entertaining evening of old-fashioned suspense." Originally written for a 1952 BBC broadcast, Knott's play was adapted for London and Broadway stages, TV and a 1954 Alfred Hitchcock film starring Ray Miland, Grace Kelly and Robert Cummings.

"One Man, Two Guvnors"
By Richard Bean
Based on "The Servant of Two Masters" by Carlo Goldoni
With "Tomorrow Looks Good from Here," Music by Grant Olding, Lyrics by Richard Bean  and Grant Olding
Directed by Connie Canaday Howard
May 6-June 6, 2027
Preview: Thursday, May 6, Press Opening: Friday, May 7
Performances: 7:30 p.m. Thursday - Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday

The perpetually hungry Francis Henshall accidentally winds up employed by two men: a fearsome gangster and a criminal on the run. Both guvnors are entangled in a web of schemes, shakedowns and seductions. To keep his double-dealing a secret, Henshall must juggle both guvnors, chase a decent meal and win the girl. Playwright Bean transports the classic commedia dell'arte tale "The Servant of Two Masters" (1746) into the bright, brash world of seaside Brighton in 1963. Daily Variety calls "One Man, Two Guvnors" "...sheer comic delirium," and London Theatre calls it "one of the funniest shows I've seen ... a rip-roaring hit."

For each play, there will be a pre-show discussion before the Thursday preview performances, and a post-show discussion following the second Friday performance. There will be an ASL Performance on the fourth Thursday of each run.

Tickets

Subscriptions are now on sale. Those subscribing by June 10 save 25% off single show ticket prices. After that date, subscribers receive 20% off single show ticket prices. A Season Flex-Pass is also available redeemable for each production during BTE's 2026-2027 Season. Subscriber benefits include free ticket exchanges, invitations to subscriber nights, a subscription to the SuBTExt newsletter, 10% discount at the MAC Gift Shop and two complimentary tickets to a COD student performance. Subscriptions are $103.50 (Adult) and $99 (Senior) - add $9/subscription for all-in pricing. Online flex-pass subscription is $103.50, plus $9 subscription fee and additional online fees.  

Single show tickets for all BTE shows are $46. For all-in pricing visit AtTheMAC.org or call the box office at 630.942.4000. BTE's 2026-2027 Season performances will take place in the Playhouse Theatre of the McAninch Arts Center located at 425 Fawell Blvd. on the campus of College of DuPage. .

Single show tickets go on sale in July. For all-i n]pricing visit AtTheMAC.org or call the box office at 630.942.4000. Single show tickets for all BTE shows are $46. BTE's 2026-2027 Season performances will take place in the Playhouse Theatre of the McAninch Arts Center located at 425 Fawell Blvd. on the campus of College of DuPage.
About Buffalo Theatre Ensemble 

The mission of Buffalo Theatre Ensemble is to provide a forum in which artists, scholars, writers, students and community members explore new ideas and provocative issues through the production of quality theater for the enjoyment of its audiences. Since 1986 BTE has staged more than 125 productions. The Artistic Staff for BTE includes Daniel Millhouse* (Interim Managing Artistic Director), and Bryan Burke+* (Business Manager).

BTE Ensemble members are Aly Renee Amidei^, Robert Jordan Bailey*, Amelia Barrett*, Bryan Burke*, Connie Canaday Howard*, Rebecca Cox, Lisa Dawn, Nick DuFloth, Jon Gantt, Christopher Kriz^, Laura Leonardo Ownby, Michael W. Moon, Kurt Naebig*, Galen G. Ramsey*, William "Sandy" Smillie* and Kelli Walker. For more information about BTE, visit btechicago.com. 

*Denotes member of Actors' Equity;  ^Denotes member of United Scenic Artists

Buffalo Theatre Ensemble is partially supported and funded by generous grants from Arts DuPage, Choose DuPage, College of DuPage Foundation, The Norm Woodel Inspiration Fund, the DuPage Foundation, and the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

About The MAC  

McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage is located 25 miles west of Chicago near I-88 and I-355. It houses three indoor performance spaces (the 780-seat proscenium Belushi Performance Hall; the 186-seat soft-thrust Playhouse Theatre; and the versatile black box Studio Theatre), the outdoor Lakeside Pavilion, plus the Cleve Carney Museum of Art and classrooms for the college's academic programming. The MAC has presented theater, music, dance and visual art to more than 1.5 million people since its opening in 1986 and typically welcomes more than 100,000 patrons from the greater Chicago area to more than 230 performances each season. For more information visit AtTheMAC.org.

A show somewhere between a play, standup act, memoir, and PowerPoint presentation. A show so chaotic you think it could never work. A show only Brendan Hunt could so perfectly pull off. Hunt’s solo performance is as hilarious as it is unexpectedly emotional, striking a balance between humor and trauma that only a child of divorce could pull off.

Hunt begins in 2022 with the story of the impromptu opportunity he had to meet Paul McCartney. Despite getting the opportunity by virtue of being a celebrity himself, Hunt – a lifelong, second-generation Beatles fan – was starstruck and wanted to tell Paul everything. He refrained, however, and thus The Movement You Need was born: a show where, instead, Hunt tells you everything he wanted to tell Paul. What unfolds is less a traditional narrative and more a kind of extended, often chaotic, and retrospective confession that uses that near-miss encounter as a framing device. It’s a clever but risky structure that gives the show both direction and elasticity, allowing Hunt to bounce between stories, timelines, and emotional registers (as well as lean into his personal neuroticism) without ever letting us forget that he’s fangirling to Sir Paul McCartney.

Loosely structured like a memoir, the show traces Hunt’s life from his earliest memories through adulthood and into fatherhood. Along the way, he paints a picture of growing up as a child of divorce and the son of an addict, filtering those experiences through humor that feels both self-aware and disarmingly honest. The performance leans into its rough edges in a way that works in its favor – featuring remarkably bad impressions, authentically cringey home videos, and stories that range from deeply processed to intentionally brushed past. Often, the line between curated and embarrassing is difficult to walk well (and such is the risk of making art) but as both a writer and performer, under the incredible direction of Ashley Rodbro, Hunt does so perfectly.

The evening, however, actually included more than one Brendan: Brendan Hunt, an avid Beatles fan, and an audience member who we will refer to as Brendan #2 – the lone, brave audience member who admitted to not being a Beatles fan at all. Centering a play around a fandom, even one of the largest of all time, is a premise that, on paper, might seem limiting. And yet, while Hunt’s love for the Beatles is the backbone of the piece, it’s not the barrier to entry you might expect. The show ultimately isn’t about encyclopedic knowledge of the band; it’s about memory, identity, and the stories we carry with us, as well as the way that we use something – anything – to form connections with those around us, even in the hardest of circumstances.

Technically, the production is just as thoroughly considered as the writing. The set strikes a careful balance between cozy realism and subtle nostalgia, creating a space that feels lived-in without becoming cluttered. Design elements – from Meredith Ries’s scenic work to Nick Solyom’s lighting, Kate Marvin’s sound, and Stefania Bulbarella’s projections – support the storytelling without overpowering it. Under the direction of Ashley Rodbro, everything feels intentional, giving Hunt the space to carry the show while ensuring the world around him remains fully realized and reflects his theatrical background, but never overpowering his performance.

Brendan Hunt’s one-man play-comedy-memoir hybrid is, from its writing to acting to production, one of the most cohesive and well-executed pieces of art I have seen in a long time. One big creative risk, the result is a show that feels less like something you watched and more like something you experienced alongside him. It’s funny, yes, and often wildly so – but it’s the emotional honesty underneath that gives it weight, turning what could have been a niche concept into something far more universal.

The Movement You Need: An Evening with Brendan Hunt is running at Steppenwolf Theatre through May 10th. More information and tickets are available at https://www.steppenwolf.org/tickets--events/seasons-/2025-26/the-movement-you-need/.

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

Steppenwolf's LookOut Series is proud to unveil its lineup for Summer 2026, marking ten years of steadfast dedication to Chicago performing artists and companies across form and discipline.

Since launching in 2016, the LookOut Series has hosted 1,043 performances of 365 unique engagements spanning dance, drag, music, comedy, puppetry, storytelling, experimental work and theatre. Over 69,000 patrons have come through the doors of the 1700 Theater to witness the work of more than 3,200 local artists. And the series has injected nearly one million dollars directly into the wallets of the artists and companies that it bolsters.

From June through August, LookOut is throwing a summer-long party to celebrate! Of the 18 unique engagements announced, highlights include many returning acts, including: the homecoming of the cult-classic variety show Erik and Jessie and Everyone You Know (hosted by Erik Hellman and Jessie Fisher), an experimental blending of sound and myth from the indescribable artist collective Mocrep (returning to Steppenwolf for the first time since 2019), the 11th Steppenwolf-hosted iteration of the endlessly popular storytelling showcase You're Being Ridiculous and the triumphant return of local drag icon Bambi Banks with a two week run of an all new drag parody show.

But the summer wouldn't be complete without newcomers to the LookOut Series performing at Steppenwolf for the first time. First time performers include: the comedy show Women Off-Colour, complete with sketches, musical numbers and more, The Lizzie McGuire Movie: The Play fresh off a sold out run at Color Club, award-winning "Comic-To-Watch" in the Chicago standup scene Deanna Ortiz and the Chicago premiere of Forgottonia, a music and storytelling show about West Central Illinois.

Steppenwolf Creative Producer and Co-Founder of the LookOut Series Patrick Zakem comments, "As Steppenwolf nears the end of its 50th Anniversary Season, we're excited to mark another institutional milestone: ten years of the endlessly eclectic LookOut Series. When we launched this program in May 2016, we didn't really imagine that we would still be going ten years later. But over the last decade, LookOut's programming has grown to be a vital resource for Chicago artists of all stripes, from dance and drag to comedy and music. We can't wait to celebrate with old friends and new – see you in the 1700 Theater!"

All LookOut performances take place in Steppenwolf's 1700 Theater, an intimate and flexible venue nestled behind Front Bar, 1700 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. Tickets, which range in price from $13 – $50*, are now on sale by visiting steppenwolf.org/lookout or by calling the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. *Pricing includes a $3 fee

The full Lookout Summer 2026 Season (in chronological order):

You're Being Ridiculous: Plot Twist 
Dates: Thursday, June 4 – Saturday, June 6 at 7:30 pm; Saturday, June 6 at 3 pm 
Ticket Price: $30
Description: At You're Being Ridiculous, real people tell true stories about their lives. Each performance is linked by rotating themes, and by the desire to make you laugh... and, once in a while, cry. Our motto: Good stories are better than good times. We laugh at ourselves and laugh with each other. Everyone has a story to tell. What's yours? 

Softie 
by Tim Felton
Dates: Friday, June 12 & Saturday, June 13 at 7:30 pm
Ticket Price: $20
Description: Sometimes a dad is also a daddy. And sometimes that daddy is also a Softie. Chicago-based comedian, Tim Felton (picture the lovechild of Mr. Rogers Pee-wee Herman and Buster Bluth), invites you along in his journey as he figures out how to connect with people as he gets older... and softer.  

Jillian Ebanks: 
Who All Gone Be There? 
Directed by Kiley Fitzgerald 
Dates: Thursday, June 18 at 7:30 pm 
Ticket Price: $23
Description: Life for Jillian in her 30s has been one big, weird party, and all she has wanted to know is Who All Gone Be There? Come join Jillian for this live taping of new material as she explores the guest list of her life through comedy. 

Funny Slut 
A solo show by Deanna Ortiz
Dates: Saturday, June 20 & Sunday, June 21 at 7:30 pm
Ticket Price: $25
Description: Deanna Ortiz used to think her job was just posting thirst traps for porn stars. Turns out, it was also therapy... with a 401(k). In Funny Slut, Deanna tells the hilarious and unexpectedly heartfelt story of working in social media for the adult entertainment industry where she learned to embrace chaos, confidence and her inner hot girl. 

Mocrep Presents: 
I Live Every Day
Dates: Thursday, June 25 – Saturday, June 27 at 7:30 pm
Ticket Price: $13 – $53
Description: The "mostly performance, arguably music" Chicago-based collective Mocrep returns to the LookOut Series. I Live Every Day is a noisy yet mellifluous riff on twang, repetition, feedback and kitchen appliances simultaneously inspired by the myth of Narcissus and the music of Tammy Wynette. 

Women Off-Colour 
Featuring Anelga Hajjar, Alondra Rios and Mantra
Dates: Wednesday, July 1 – Friday, July 3 at 7:30 pm
Ticket Price: $23
Description: Ethnicities we've dated, ethnicities who've wronged us, dads (alive and not), older sister trauma, ethnic moms, cycles we want to break and growing up with curves. These are some of the topics Mantra, Alondra and Anelga muse on in Women Off-Colour. Featuring musical numbers, sketches and monologues, this show invites women to be offensive, wrong and unapologetic.  

Erik and Jessie and Everyone You Know: 
Past and Future
Dates: Monday, July 6 & Tuesday, July 7 at 7:30 pm
Ticket Price: $43
Description: Ten years ago, Erik Hellman and Jessie Fischer brought everyone they knew to celebrate the opening of the 1700 Theater. Now EVERYONE will return for two nights, TWO DIFFERENT SHOWS! Monday: we visit the PAST. Tuesday: we visit the FUTURE. Join us for either or both. 

Derek Begrudgingly Presents: 
The Lizzie McGuire Movie: The Play
Dates: Friday, July 10 & Saturday, July 11 at 7:30 pm; Saturday, July 11 at 3 pm
Ticket Price: $28 
Description: After two sold out runs at Color Club and winning runner up in Chicago Reader's Best New Play category, The Lizzie McGuire Movie: The Play is back to show you what dreams are really made of. Through dance, drag, a live band, over-the-top acting and giant DIY cardboard props, this parody production reimagines Lizzie McGuire's iconic trip to Rome in a way Disney would never allow and finally answers the question, "what the hell happened to Miranda??" 

Nervous Breakdown in G Minor 
by Lewis Rawlinson 
Dates: Friday, July 17 & Saturday, July 18 at 7:30 pm; Sunday, July 19 at 3 pm 
Ticket Price: $30
Description: How do you pursue an art form you love when you no longer feel you belong? In this solo show with live music, Lewis Rawlinson traces his journey through queerness, addiction and mental health. Nervous Breakdown in G Minor is a lyrical autobiography about growing up Mormon in Montana, training as a classical cellist and confronting the realities of pursuing a life in music.  

Dream Devis: The Death and Life Of 
Created by Abhijeet & Leha Salam
Dates: Thursday, July 23 – Saturday, July 25 at 7:30 pm; Sunday, July 26 at 3 pm 
Ticket Price: $33
Description: Dream Devis, Chicago's trans femme South Asian collective, return to Steppenwolf after their sold-out eponymous show last year. Join our Devis for an existentialist romp through time, history, mythology and pop culture through song, dance and comedy. 

The Real Time – Live! 
With Briana Bower, Ian Paul Custer, Kelan M Smith, Jack Morsovillo & Lior Shragg
Dates: Thursday, July 30 at 7:30 pm
Ticket Price: $23
Description: The Real Time is a Chicago-based female-fronted five-piece band specializing in unique original music. Their music blends multiple eras and genres resulting in their pop-rock-funk sound. They'll be sure to get you movin' and groovin' with their upbeat jams and four-part harmonies. Come rock out with them! 

Michiganderish 
Written and performed by Julie Ganey
Music by Mike Przygoda, Directed by Ann Filmer 
Dates: Saturday, August 1 at 7:30 pm; Sunday, August 2 at 3 pm 
Ticket Price: $15 – $50
Description: Julie Ganey finds a little place for her family to get away from it all in the Great Lakes State and discovers it's not that simple. Cue chainsaws, chipmunks, menacing deer and eco-heroes! Michiganderish is a solo show about apocalyptic nature, reaping what we sow and an examination of what it means to truly belong to a place. 

The Not That Late Show
Dates: Thursday, August 6 at 7:30 pm
Ticket Price: $23
Description: Blending news-driven comedy with late-night-style interviews, The Not That Late Show is a Chicago-based variety show that aims to create space for people to live, laugh, learn... and leave at a reasonable hour. A show for Chicago, by Chicago. 

Chris Vallillo Presents:
Forgottonia
Dates: Saturday, August 8 at 7:30 pm; Sunday, August 9 at 3 pm
Ticket Price: $25
Description: Forgottonia is a musical journey through the evolution of the people and places in rural Midwestern America as seen through the eyes of songwriter Chris Vallillo. Vallillo combines storytelling and live music with the images of award-winning rural photographer Tim Schroll to create an audio-visual love letter to the region's past, present and future. 

Dionna Griffin-Irons:
This is My Moment 
Directed by Anthony Irons with music by Alexander Burke
Dates: Thursday, August 13 – Saturday, August 15 at 7:30 pm
Ticket Price: $38
Description: Blending "theatricalized" essays, satirical songs and poetic prose, This is My Moment features the real life story of a woman who has experienced the best life has to offer – a kingpin lover from the past, a jail adventure that tests her faith and a comedy career that teaches the gift of saying "Yes." 

Carl Chadek: You're Not Right for That!
Dates: Wednesday, August 19 at 7:30 pm
Ticket Price: $38
Description: Carl Chadek: You're Not Right for That! is an old-school style cabaret with music from Broadway, the great American songbook, classic pop and just maybe a little comedy. Think dinner jackets, evening gowns and martinis. Nobody is right for everything, and auditioning can be, well, interesting.  

Claire Lochmueller:
CRACKS
A one-trans-woman dark comedy memoir 
Dates: Friday, August 21 & Saturday, August 22 at 7:30 pm
Ticket Price: $15 – $30
Description: Through a hybrid of storytelling, stand-up comedy and theatre, this one-trans-woman dark comedy memoir by Claire Lochmueller details a journey from a childhood in the Catholic Church/JROTC military school to a career as a multi-award-winning trans theatre-maker. CRACKS navigates topics of gender identity, substance abuse and finding joy in a story about how two lives, through laughter and tears, became one trans identity. 

Bambi Banks Presents: 
Clue University: A Drag Parody
By Neutral Gena 
Dates: Thursday, August 27 – Sunday, September 6; Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 3 pm
Ticket Price: $33
Description: Bambi Banks returns to the LookOut Series with Clue University, a slasher parody play that combines all the fun and whimsy of the game of Clue with the complicated world of a collegiate rush week. In this thrilling murder mystery, six Sorority Sisters must unmask a killer living amongst them, testing their bonds of sisterhood and bringing to light the question: is blood thicker than power? 

Accessibility:

Steppenwolf's 1700 Theater is equipped with an induction hearing loop and assistive listening devices (ALDs) are available upon request. Our building features wheelchair-accessible seating and restrooms, push-button entrances, a courtesy wheelchair, and all-gender restrooms, with accessible counter and table spaces at our bars. For additional information regarding accessibility, visit steppenwolf.org/plan-your-visit/accessibility or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Sponsor Information: 

The LookOut Series is supported in part by the Walder Foundation. United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf. Steppenwolf is also grateful for the significant season support from lead sponsors Allstate Insurance Company, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Crown Family Philanthropies, Caroline and Keating Crown, Julius Frankel Foundation, Lefkofsky Family Foundation, Northern Trust, Anne and Don Phillips, John Hart and Carol Prins, Shubert Foundation, Inc, Walder Foundation, and Zell Family Foundation. Steppenwolf also acknowledges generous support from premier sponsors Anonymous, Andrew and Amy Bluhm, Michael and Cathy Brennan, Ann and Richard Carr, Chicago Community Trust, Conagra Brands Foundation, Rich and Margery Feitler, FROST CHICAGO, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Orlebeke Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, Sacks Family Foundation, Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Thoma Bravo, and Bryan Traubert and Penny Pritzker. Steppenwolf also acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council and the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. uncil and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. 

About Steppenwolf Theatre Company:

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation's premier Ensemble Theater with 50 members who are among the top actors, playwrights and directors in the field. Thrilling, powerful, groundbreaking productions have made this theatre legendary. From the 1980 phenomenon of Balm in Gilead, to The Grapes of Wrath, August: Osage County, Downstate, The Brother/Sister Plays, and now, the 2025 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Purpose, Steppenwolf Theatre has had a long-running and undeniable impact on American Theatre and Chicago's cultural landscape. Founded in 1975 by Terry Kinney, Jeff Perry and Gary Sinise, Steppenwolf started as a group of young people in their teens and early 20s performing in the basement of a church. Today, the company's artistic force remains rooted in the original vision of its founders: an artist-driven theatre, whose vitality is defined by its appetite for bold and innovative work. Every aspect of Steppenwolf is rooted in its Ensemble ethos, from the intergenerational artistic programming to the multi-genre performance series LookOut, to the nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf Education and Engagement which serves nearly 15,000 teens annually. While grounded in the Chicago community, more than 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Steppenwolf also holds accolades that include the National Medal of Arts, 14 Tony Awards, two Pulitzer Prize-winning commissions and more. Led by Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, Executive Director E. Brooke Flanagan and Board of Trustees Chair Keating Crown — Steppenwolf continually redefines the boundaries of live theater and pushes the limits of acting and performance.

Steppenwolf's Mission: Steppenwolf strives to create thrilling, courageous and provocative art in a thoughtful and inclusive environment. We succeed when we disrupt your routine with experiences that spark curiosity, empathy and joy. We invite you to join our ensemble as we navigate, together, our complex world. steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.