Displaying items by tag: Kareem Bandealy

Lookingglass Theatre Company, in keeping with its celebrated tradition of bringing to life Ensemble-created new work, presents the world premiere of Untitled Vampire Play, written by Ensemble Member Kevin Douglas and directed by Devon DeMayo. Concluding the company's 2025-2026 season, Untitled Vampire Play runs June 4 – July 12, 2026. Tickets for the production start at $33 and are available for purchase at lookingglasstheatre.org and 312.337.0665. 

Think you've got baggage? Try dating when you have centuries of relationship history and a literal body count. Sink your teeth into Lookingglass Theatre's sharply funny world premiere where the only thing more frightening than vampires (and a serial killer on the loose) is having to meet your new in-laws. This romantic-comedy-meets-horror-story explores love, commitment, codependency...and, of course, vampires.

"The genesis of Untitled Vampire Play came to me on my way to a funeral, oddly enough. I was pondering death and the big question, 'How do two people with different but unwavering convictions make a relationship work?'," notes playwright Kevin Douglas. "Using familiar vampire lore, I wanted to create a world where vampires deal with real human problems to both comedic and tragic effect." 

"I've long admired Kevin's work for its high theatricality, humor and heart. His work is delightfully sneaky; it has us laughing one minute and shocks and awes us the next," comments director Devon DeMayo. "Only Kevin can write a show about vampires that makes an audience feel so alive! By weaving romance, horror, and familial drama, Kevin's play grabs you by the throat and keeps you guessing."

Untitled Vampire Play features ensemble members Walter Briggs (Roderick) and Kareem Bandealy (Louie/Lance) alongside Courtney Rikki Green (Val), Jordan Anthony Arredondo (Dom), Jin Park (Rose/Alexa), and Cynthia Kaye McWilliams (Alicia/Douchey Dude).

The creative team includes Alyssa Mohn (Scenic Designer), Theresa Ham (Costume Designer), Jason Lynch (Lighting Designer), Andre Pluess (Sound Designer), Benjamin Barnes (Magic/Illusion Designer), Rachel Flesher (Fight/Intimacy Director), and Martine Kei Green-Rogers (Dramaturg).

Untitled Vampire Play                            

Written by:  Lookingglass Ensemble Member Kevin Douglas
Directed by: Devon DeMayo

Featuring:  Ensemble members Walter Briggs (Roderick) and Kareem Bandealy (Louie/Lance) alongside Courtney Rikki Green (Val), Jordan Anthony Arredondo (Dom), Jin Park (Rose/Alexa), and Cynthia Kaye McWilliams (Alicia/Douchey Dude).

Creatives:  Alyssa Mohn (Scenic Designer), Theresa Ham (Costume Designer), Jason Lynch (Lighting Designer), Andre Pluess (Sound Designer), Benjamin Barnes (Magic/Illusion Designer), Rachel Flesher (Fight/Intimacy Director), and Martine Kei Green-Rogers (Dramaturg).

Dates:                                      

Previews: June 4-12, 2026

Regular run: June 14-July 12, 2026

Community Nights: To Be Announced

Schedule:   

Tuesdays: 7:30 p.m. (only June 16 and July 30)                                                       

Wednesdays:               7:30 p.m.

Thursdays:                   2:00 p.m. (except June 4 and 11) and 7:30p.m.

 Fridays:                       7:30 p.m. (except June 19)

Saturdays:                    2:00 p.m. (except June 6, 13 and July 4) and 7:30 p.m. (except June 13 and July 4)

Sundays:                      2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. (only July 5)

Box Office: Buy online at lookingglasstheatre.org or by phone at 312.337.0665

The Lookingglass box office is located at Water Tower Water Works, 163 E Pearson St at Michigan Ave

Accessibility at Lookingglass Theatre Company
Lookingglass Theatre Company is committed to making its performances accessible to all audiences. Each mainstage production offers open captioning, audio-described performances with Touch Tours, and mask-required performances. Discounted $35 tickets are available for each accessible performance using the codes below at lookingglasstheatre.org.

Open Captioning                                   Wednesday, July 1 at 7:30 p.m.             Use code CAPTION
Audio-Described/Touch Tour                 Thursday, July 9 at 2 p.m.                      Use code AUDIO
Mask-Required                                     Wednesday, June 24 at 7:30 p.m.          Use code MASK

An accessible entrance is located on Pearson Street, west of the main entrance at 163 E. Pearson Street. The Joan and Paul Theatre is fully accessible via elevator or ramp, with seating available on the ground floor and balcony for patrons using wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, or other mobility aids. Assistive Listening Devices, sensory bags, and large-print programs are available for all performances, and accessible group sales offer up to 25% off for parties of 10 or more.

For assistance with accessible seating, tickets, or accommodations, contact the Box Office at 312.337.0665 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

About Lookingglass Theatre Company

Founded in 1988 by graduates of Northwestern University, Lookingglass Theatre Company is a nationwide leader in the creation and presentation of new, cutting-edge theatrical works and in sharing its ensemble-based theatrical techniques with Chicago-area students and teachers through Education and Community Programs. Guided by an artistic vision centered on the core values of collaboration, transformation and invention, Lookingglass seeks to capture audiences' imaginations leaving them changed, charged and empowered. Recipient of the 2011 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, Lookingglass has built a national reputation for artistic excellence and ensemble-based theatrical innovation. Notable world premieres include Mary Zimmerman's Tony Award-winning Metamorphoses and The Odyssey, J. Nicole Brooks' Her Honor Jane Byrne, David Schwimmer's adaptation of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and Studs Terkel's Race: How Blacks and Whites Think and Feel about the American Obsession, Matthew C. Yee's Lucy and Charlie's Honeymoon and David Catlin's circus tribute to Lewis Carroll, Lookingglass Alice, which was captured by HMS Media and reached 1.6 million PBS viewers. Looking Alice is now available to more than four million students worldwide through Digital Theatre+. Work created by Lookingglass artists has been produced in Australia, Europe and dozens of cities throughout the United States.

Robert Falls is back! Well, for a short time at least to direct his adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard.” Falls retired as the Goodman Theatre artistic director in 2022, but his productions of Chekhov’s classics have become events to anticipate. “The Cherry Orchard” is the endcap to Falls’ Chekhov series that began with ‘Three Sisters’ and has included “The Seagull” and “Uncle Vanya”. Each a definitive production that was met with critical acclaim. “The Cherry Orchard” is no exception, in fact, it might even be his best.

“The Cherry Orchard” premiered in Moscow in 1904, just a few decades after the end of serfdom in Russia. The story follows Lyubov Ranevskaya (Kate Fry) as she returns to her family’s estate after years of living abroad. The estate has fallen into disrepair and unless the taxes are paid, Lyubov is certain to lose the property her family has held onto for centuries. Her childhood friend, a former serf, Yermolai Lopakhin (Kareem Bandealy) eagerly awaits her return, and offers her family solutions that would allow them to keep the estate. It’s also implied Yemolai is in love with Lyubov. As with any Chekhov play, the lives of the serving class are also highlighted in all their unrequited loves and general discontent.

This “The Cherry Orchard” is a veritable who’s who of the Chicago theatre scene. Kate Fry plays Lyubov with an almost manic vacillation between childlike naiveté and a crazed addict. Her powers are immediately illuminated from the moment she walks on stage. Regular Goodman player Amanda Drinkall plays the maid Dunyasha. Her giddy and absurd physical humor brings a much-needed sense of humor to a role that doesn’t offer much kindness to the family accountant Semyon—played with as much physical humor but perhaps more guttural pathos by Will Allan. Chicago stage favorite Janet Ulrich Brooks returns with another wonderful performance as the governess/trickster Charlotta. Her sleight of hand magic tricks make you wonder if she really is magic after all. Perhaps nobody is as affective as Francis Guinan as the servant Firs, who may just be the last vestige of serfdom on the property. The pottering body language and stammering delivery are devastating.

Adding to the roster of Chicago theatre staples, set designer Todd Rosenthal’s staging is nothing short of epic. There’s a striking blend of minimalism mixed with the kind of over-the-top spectacle that Goodman audiences expect. While it’s not always a necessity to have larger than life sets, some occasions just call for it and a theatrical event like this is fitting to pull out all the stops. Costumes by Ana Kuzmanic play nicely against Rosenthal’s backdrop.

If you’re going to see a classic, the team behind “The Cherry Orchard” is your best bet. Robert Falls has had an influential career turning Goodman Theatre into the institution it is today and Chicago audiences will likely continue to be enchanted by his work for years to come. His own adaptation of “The Cherry Orchard” digs deep on the idea of what it means to be free. It also showcases some terrific performances from some of Chicago’s most beloved performers. This production feels like a love letter to the theater that made Robert Falls the mastermind Chicago has come to expect. You won’t be quick to forget this epic night at the theatre.

 Through April 30 at Goodman Theatre. 170 N Dearborn. www.goodmantheatre.org.

Having seen (and adored) Goodman Theatre’s A Christmas Carol 17 years ago, I was thrilled to experience this holiday classic once again this year. Though having undergone many changes over the years, Goodman’s gorgeous production of Charles Dickens’ timeless Christmas tale has kept the most important bit: the message of kindness and redemption. Now in its 41st year, under Artistic Associate Henry Wishcamper’s direction for the sixth year, it’s still a reassuringly uplifting Christmas story.

As the story goes, one Christmas Eve Ebenezer Scrooge, a banker, is visited by four ghosts: The Ghost of his late business partner Jacob Marley (Kareem Bandealy) who died on Christmas Eve seven years ago, The Ghost of Christmas Past (played by Molly Brennan), The Ghost of Christmas Present (by Jasmine Bracey), and The Ghost of Christmas Future (Brean Arzell), in succession. Larry Yando returns for his 11th season as Scrooge, and he’s wonderfully expressive in his portrayal of a stingy bitter old man undergoing character transformations as the Ghost of Christmas Past unrolls Scrooge’s life events, helping him recall himself as a frightened young boy at a boarding school all the way through his failed marriage. Yando’s Scrooge is vaguely aware of how terribly unkind he’s being to everyone around him but seems to see no reasons to change. But that’s because playful Molly Brennan’s Ghost of Christmas Past, dressed in pink and black and wearing pigtails, floating above the stage like a circus acrobat, is a mostly friendly ghost. It is not until Scrooge is presented with grim visions of his future by the cloaked Ghost of the Future that he begs for a second chance.

Children actors are especially wonderful in this production; their singing and dancing, along with live band under the Music Director Malcolm Ruhl, add plenty of charm to the play. The impressive stage design with everything from luxurious bed draped in soft fabrics, props silently appearing from under the stage, and frequent effortless movement of scenes which somehow doesn’t require a pause or light dimming - it’s like a well-oiled Swiss clock. That mastery combined with wonderful acting and beautiful singing make up for a high-quality entertainment. But as I’m watching the show, I can’t help but think of how I could try to be better, nicer and a more generous person. It is indeed the moral of the story that resonates with us all and brings audiences back every year: a reminder that it’s never too late to be better. Not just on Christmas, of course, but that’s a good start.

For more information on showtimes and tickets, visit www.goodmantheatre.org.

Chicago has no shortage of Christmas traditions. In other words, if you’re looking for holiday fun it’s not very hard to find something to do with your friends, significant other or family. Rich traditions such as Zoolights at Lincoln Park Zoo, Joffrey’s Nutcracker, Christkindlmart, Christmas film classics at Music Box, and the official Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Millennium Park are fantastic choices that are sure to put a little zest into your holiday spirit, but Goodman Theatre’s A Christmas Carol might have to top the list.

Celebrating its 40th year of warming hearts through the holidays, this year’s production of A Christmas Carol might just be the best yet. Larry Yando returns to Goodman as Ebenezer Scrooge, a role he has taken on with brilliance for the past nine years. Yando is just about as fun to watch as it gets from his miserable, miserly like behavior to his reborn childlike love of humanity after three spirits visit him to show him his past, present and future.

As the story by Charles Dickens goes, Scrooge is a man with little heart. He is a man who pinches every penny, treats his employee like a flunky without mercy, as he works his fingers to the bone, wants nothing to do with his remaining family and has nothing but miserable rebuttals for those who wish him a Merry Christmas, replying with “Bah Humbug!” When his former, and now deceased, partner, a man much like Scrooge appears to him on Christmas Eve to warn him of his horrid ways and the cost it has on so many and will on himself, we learn that Scrooge will be visited by three spirits – Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future.

As each spirit visits Scrooge, more and more is revealed about his nature. He remembers he didn’t start out as he is now. He was a good-natured boy with hopes and dreams once upon a time. In the present he sees how those who know him feel about him. Though mean and cruel to many, they still thank him and toast to him. He see’s the hardships his mistreated employee Bob Cratchit and his family face on his meek salary. He is obviously embarrassed as they still find reasons to be thankful to Scrooge. He sees a future that is bleak. He is just a miserly old man quickly forgotten.

“Are these the things that will be or the things that may happen?” He asks the spirit, hoping for a chance to redeem himself.

While Yando undoubtedly is a tour de force in the role as Scrooge, the entire cast is a powerhouse. Ron E. Rains is highly believable as the tenderhearted Bob Cratchit and is easy to feel for almost immediately. Joe Foust as Jacob Marley is also tremendous as is Lisa Gaye Dixon who wows the audience with her incredibly strong performance as the Ghost of Christmas Present. Kareem Bandealy also gives the production a strong assist as he skillfully fields a handful of roles including that as the show’s narrator, Topper and a hopeful young Scrooge who misses his chance at love choosing a chance at making more money instead -a decision that haunts him his entire life.

The ever-changing set is visually stunning as it changes from Scrooge’s house interior (curtains surrounding his bed and all) to the Cratchit’s humble kitchen where the room is crowded as the family sits around a table to eat a meager portion of roast duck for Christmas. Stars shine amongst the blackness as Christmas Present takes Scrooge on a ride he’ll never forget.

Goodman also breaks the mold casting a girl in the role of Tiny Tim Cratchit. Fourth grader Paris Strickland who delivers the famous line at show’s end “God bless us, every one” is excited to play Tiny Tim telling the Chicago Tribune, “I feel excited and proud of myself for getting a really inspiring role. Tiny Tim can bring hope to everyone, and I can bring hope to everyone.”

Goodman’s A Christmas Carol is not only rich tradition in Chicago, it is a fun-filled holiday treat that is sure to warm the heart and remind us that giving is better than receiving.

Highly recommended.

A Christmas Carol is being performed in the Albert Theatre at Goodman Theatre through December 31st. For more show information visit www.goodmantheatre.org.