A collaboration of Chicago dance and Germany lighting sculpture live on stage
About the Program:
This program, set within an industrial vibe, features Vicissitudes, choreographed by Ginny Ching-Yin Lo. Vicissitudes premiered in fall 2021, debuting Identity Performing Arts' first live performance in C5. In a novel approach, Vicissitudes was created in silence, with music then composed from the dance piece by Identity's first collaborator Chromabeats. Through the supportive web of human connection. Portrayed through four female dancers, this dance expresses how the web of human connection helps us cope with stress, in joy.
Lights/9 is a collaboration with Franz Betz, renowned light artist from Hanover, Germany. This improvisational piece integrates nine elements of intertwining movement and light, accented by Chromabeat’s live music. The concept for Lights/9 was inspired by choreographer Ginny Ching-Yin Lo's visit to Zurich, Switzerland. Fascinated by an exhibition of light installation, she did an improv dance right on the spot. As this thought dwelled, she created Lights/9: improvised dance, as an invitation to experience the unknown.
About Identity Performing Arts:
Identity is a not-for-profit organization established in 2016 by founder and artistic director, Ginny Ching-Yin Lo, focusing on teaching dance to the underserved community and creating independent dance projects. Lo has performed in the U.S., China, France and Germany with her original works. In 2020, Identity expanded beyond teaching and transitioned to a full season professional dance troupe. The company's first live concert debuted in fall, 2021. Since then, Identity has performed locally in Chicago and Evanston, and internationally in Hanover, Germany. Identity was one of the featured companies appearing on WGN Morning News TV for See Chicago Dance Month last summer. Identity is excited to present Enliven & Perpetual in Seattle International Dance Festival this summer along with companies, globally. All works created for and performed by Identity dancers express the beauty of our individual identities, interconnected in unity. We invite you as our audience to witness this intention with every dance work.
Dates/Times/Location
C5 Studio - 5066 N Kimberly Ave, Chicago, IL 60630
Tickets @$30
Book on Eventbrite:
Friday, May 17 @7.30 PM
https://Lights9Fri.eventbrite.com
Saturday, May 18 @3.00 PM
https://Lights9Sat.eventbrite.com
For more information, call 312.600.3076 or visit
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The Gift Theatre is pleased to announce its 2024-25 season featuring Suzan-Lori Parks' masterpiece Topdog/Underdog directed by Shanésia Davis and the world premiere of Cygnus by Susan Soon He Stanton, directed by Co-Artistic Director Brittany Burch. These mainstage productions will be followed by the annual 10-minute performance festival, TEN. In addition, there will be three In The Works staged readings of plays in development and three live lit performances with GiftLit. All productions will be presented at Filament Theatre (4041 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 6064).
The Gift's 2024-25 Season includes:
TOPDOG/UNDERDOG
by Suzan-Lori Parks
Directed by Shanésia Davis
Featuring Ensemble Members Martel Manning and Gregory Fenner
September 12- October 20, 2024
This darkly comic fable of brotherly love and family identity tells the story of two brothers, Lincoln (Manning) and Booth (Fenner), names given to them as a joke by their father. Haunted by the past and their obsession with the street con game, three-card monte, the brothers come to learn the true nature of their history.
Co-Artistic Director Jennifer Glasse commets, "While envisioning our upcoming season we wanted to choose a blend of stories that would be both personal and challenging to the artists involved. Topdog/Underdog has been a dream project with roles Ensemble Members Martel Manning and Gregory Fenner have wanted to play for years. We are thrilled to reunite them with the vision and direction of the incomparable Shanésia Davis. They are all deeply connected to this story and I am over the moon for Chicago to see their dreams come to fruition."
The world premiere of
Cygnus
by Susan Soon He Stanton
Directed by Co-Artistic Director Brittany Burch
February 6 - March 16, 2025
Cydney believes an angel rescued her from an ineffable trauma, and the truth may prove stranger than she imagines. In this mythic, hilarious, and poetic new play, a burnt feather may illuminate the possibility of a divine intervention.
Co-Artistic Director Brittany Burch states, "Cygnus is a modern-day fairytale that weaves fantasy into a very honest story of trauma and recovery. I immediately resonated with its themes of escapism as a defense mechanism and codependent, mother-daughter relationships but I fell in love with Stanton's use of dark humor, absurdism, and Greek mythology to guide her richly layered characters through their search for meaning in life's adversities."
TEN
A 10-minute performance festival of new work written, directed, and performed by various local artists.
May 8 - 19, 2025
IN THE WORKS
The Fires by Jennifer Rumberger
Monday, June 10, 2024
Jennifer Rumberger (The Locusts) is returning to The Gift for a one-time reading of her latest play, The Fires.
Two men sit outside a 7/11 in downtown Los Angeles, watching a wildfire come closer and closer, the latest in a series of natural catastrophes that have caused massive casualties all over the United States. Other than a traveling newsman bringing stories of the fates of other Americans, they are the last people alive. As the fire gets closer, they are forced to contend with the end of not only their relationship, but their lives as well.
Two additional IN THE WORKS readings are scheduled for October and December, 2024. Titles and additional information are TBA.
Artist Biographies
Shanésia Davis (Director, Topdog/Underdog) is a veteran Chicagoan who has graced the stages of theaters in Chicago and regionally and is honored to direct at The Gift Theatre. Some of her credits include works at Steppenwolf, Northlight, Porchlight Music Theatre Goodman, Congo Square, Mark Taper Forum, Cleveland Playhouse, CenterStage Baltimore, The Gift Theatre, Kansas City Rep and The Court theatre to name a few. This actress has several Jeff Award nominations included the recent Fences. Ms. Davis is a multi–NAACP Image Award nominee and is a Black Theatre Alliance Award recipient and Excellence in The Arts Award recipient. Film credits include Chicago Stories: Ida B. Wells, The Thing about Harry, Working Man, BLUEPRINT, External Rivals, Consumed, Damaged Goods, Cleveland Abduction, Morning Due, The Weatherman, Uncle Nino, Life Sentence, Chicago Cab among others. Television credits include Emmy nominated LOVECRAFT COUNTRY(HBO), Proven Innocent (FOX), Empire (FOX), Chicago Fire (NBC), CRISIS (ABC), Detroit 187 (ABC), and series regular on Early Edition (CBS). Her directing credits include Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill. Shanésia is Program Director of Acting at Roosevelt University CCPA where she directed a very successful production of Indecent. Other directing includes Spunk, Mother Courage and Her Children. Other university directing includes Our Lady of 121st Street, good night, Desdemona good morning, Juliette as well as several workshops and readings with Congo Square Theatre. She is a published writer of "Nine questions every actor of color should consider when tokenism is not enough," (Routledge, Taylor & Fracis publishing).
Suzan-Lori Parks (Playwright, Topdog/Underdog) is a multi-award-winning American writer/musician and the first African-American woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Topdog/Underdog which recently enjoyed its twentieth anniversary Broadway revival. The production won both the 2023 Tony Award, (Best Revival of a Play) and the Outer Critics Circle Award. Just last year, in 2023, Parks also had three new works which all received world premieres: at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Sally & Tom (Steinberg New Play Award finalist) at Joe's Pub in New York City, Plays for the Plague Year (winner of The Drama Desk Award for Best Music in a Play), and, at the Public Theatre, Parks world-premiered a musical adaptation of the 1972 film The Harder They Come (winner: Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical.)
Brittany Burch (Director, Cygnus) is a co-artistic director and ensemble member with the Gift Theatre where she was last seen in The Locusts. Other credits with the Gift include: The Lonesome West, Northwest Highway, Absolute Hell, Oh The Humanity, Thinner Than Water, Othello, Royal Society of Antarctica, Good For Otto, Unseen, and Pilgrims. Additional Chicago credits include A Red Orchid, Steppenwolf, Wildclaw, Lakeside Shakespeare, The Goodman, and Redtwist. Regionally, Brittany has worked with Artists Repertory Theatre and Profile Theatre in Portland, OR; Perseverance Theatre in Juneau, AK; Chautauqua Theatre Company in NY; and The New Theatre in Kansas City. She has a BA from Willamette University and studied with the British American Drama Academy, Chautauqua Theatre Company, Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre, as well as the School at Steppenwolf.
Susan Soon He Stanton (Playwright, Cygnus) is a playwright, television writer, and screenwriter originally from 'Aiea, Hawai'i, and now living in New York and London. Her plays have been produced internationally and regionally across the United States: WE, THE INVISIBLES (Actors Theatre of Louisville Humana Festival); TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY (Page 73, Yale Repertory Theatre); BOTH YOUR HOUSES (ACT New Strands/ Crowded Fire); TAKARAZUKA!!! (Clubbed Thumb, East West Players, Oregon Shakespeare Festival Workshop); CYGNUS (WP Theater Pipeline, Kilroys List); SOLSTICE PARTY! (Live Source); THE THINGS ARE AGAINST US (Washington Ensemble Theatre); MOANA, JR (book) for Disney Theatrical Group, among others. Her reimagined TURANDOT, music by Puccini and Christopher Tin, will be produced by Washington National Opera in 2024.
Susan worked on all four seasons of HBO's SUCCESSION as a writer/producer, for which she has received Emmy, Writers Guild of America, and Peabody Awards.
Jennifer Rumberger (Playwright, The Fires) is a playwright and essayist. Her notable productions include The Locusts at The Gift Theatre Company and Night in Alachua County with Wildclaw Theater in Chicago and Open Blue Sky at Tisch School of the Arts in New York. She is a two-time selectee and finalist for Seven Devils, a semi-finalist for the Princess Grace Award, a semifinalist for the P73 Fellowship, and a 2022 Tennessee Williams Scholar at the Sewanee Writers Conference. She's published her nonfiction in The Deadlands and performed her essays and poetry live with 2nd Story, You're Being Ridiculous, and Brooklyn Poets. She is an Associate Artist with Second Site in Chicago and has an MFA in dramatic writing from Northwestern University.
Season Subscription Information
To purchase subscriptions, contact the box office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 773-283-7071.
Preview-Only Subscriptions: $90
Perfect for those who want the full Gift experience at the best discount offered. Includes a ticket to Topdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks and the world premiere of Cygnus by Susan Soon He Stanton, as well as 3 readings from the In the Works program.
GiftFlex Subscriptions: $120
Includes a ticket to any performance of Topdog/Underdog, Cygnus, TEN, and three staged readings from the In The Works program.
About The Gift Theatre
Since 2001 and with over 70 productions, The Gift Theatre has been dedicated to telling great stories onstage with honesty and simplicity. Our unwavering dedication to accessibility and intimacy as a professional equity theatre has garnered national recognition for both our company and ensemble. We strive to push boundaries, broaden perspectives, and ignite a cultural revolution on Chicago's northwest side. www.thegifttheatre.org
About Filament Theatre
Filament Theatre, on Chicago's Northwest Side, has been creating innovative theater for young audiences since 2007. Filament's mission is to create a more equitable society by celebrating and amplifying the perspectives and experiences of young people through the performing arts. www.filamenttheatre.org
Curious Theatre Branch is pleased to announce the 35th annual Rhinoceros Theater Festival, May 25 - June 30 at six venues across Chicago. The month-long festival of shows will kick off with a special Full Moon Vaudeville concert event on Saturday, May 25 at 7 p.m. at Facility Theatre, 1138 N. California Ave., headlined by art/folk/cabaret act The Crooked Mouth and other special guests. Throughout its more than three decades, Rhino Fest has endeavored to welcome as many participants as possible, both as artists and as audience members. To that end, artists pay no fee to apply or to produce their works at Rhino Fest and all tickets are offered at pay-what-you-can pricing, with a $20 suggested price. Tickets and details for all upcoming shows will be available Monday, May 6 at rhinofest.com.
Rhino Fest 2024 is the largest festival in Rhino’s 35 year history, following an expansive and well-attended festival in 2023. Since its inception in 1989 as a single weekend of shows in the Wicker Park neighborhood, this unique and mutable fringe festival has expanded and contracted to fit the time. The Rhino charges on in an expansive mood this year, with more than 50 shows scheduled.
Festival events will take place at six venues this year: Facility Theatre, 1138 N. California Ave. in Humboldt Park, Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W. Chicago Ave. in River West, Labyrinth Arts Club, 3658 N. Pulaski Ave. in the Irving Park neighborhood; Perceptions Theater, 1825 East 79th St. in the South Shore neighborhood; Experimental Sound Studio, 5925 N. Ravenswood Ave. in the Ravenswood neighborhood and Women and Children First Bookstore 5233 N. Clark St. in the Andersonville neighborhood.
This year's festival will feature plays, music and performances from more than 50 companies and solo artists, with a focus on new work created in Chicago. Among the highlights are:
Measure of a Man by India Nicole Burton
Saturday, June 9 at 7 p.m., Sunday, June 10 at 3 p.m., 6/12 Wednesday, June 12 at 7 p.m., Saturday, June 15 at 7 p.m., Sunday, June 16 3 p.m.*, Monday, June 17 at 7 p.m., Friday, June 21 at 7 p.m.+, Saturday, June 22 at 7 p.m.+, Monday, June 24 at 7 p.m. and Wednesday, June 26 at 7 p.m.
Perceptions Theater, 1825 East 79th St.
We are in Limbo. This Limbo is the distorted image of the apartment Chairman Fred Hampton was assassinated in. There is yellow tape hanging from the ceiling. A bed laying upside down. How do you take the measure of a man? A new work by the author of Panther Women: An Army for the Liberation.
* Child care available
+ Double program available with BIPOC Play Fest’s matinee performance during the TCG National Conference.
A Layperson's Guide to the Mermaids of Chicago by Rachel Claff
Saturdays, June 8 - 29 at 7 p.m.
Labyrinth Arts Club, 3658 N. Pulaski Ave.
A limno-ichthyological lecture (with visual aids) by expert non-experts on the various mermaids of Chicago, both well-known and obscure. Be forewarned: there is a splash zone. A Layperson's Guide to the Mermaids of Chicago is a new work by Rachel Claff, alumna of Chicago’s Neo Futurists and BoyGirlBoyGirl performance ensembles.
Marie Curie Horror Story by Holly Holsinger
Saturday, June 29 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 30 at 5 p.m.
Facility Theatre, 1138 N. California Ave.
Marie Curie finds herself in an unknown place (the afterlife?), inhabited by a mysterious woman. As she reflects on the triumphs and tragedies of her life, she slowly puzzles through the mystery before her. The play paints a vivid picture of Curie's passion for science, her deep love for her partner and husband, her tenacity in weathering the great storms of her life and her complicated relationship to her “radiant child.” Through memory, music and poetically gruesome exchanges, Curie is forced to confront the mysterious young woman and in doing so comes face to face with the chilling realities of her radioactive discovery. Marie Curie succumbed to radium poisoning in 1934. She was still alive when a group of young women worked as watch dial painters in the United States, using glow-in-the-dark radium paint.
The Impossible Knot by Terri Sofianos Wohlgenant
Friday, June 7 and Saturday, June 8 at 7 p.m.
Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W. Chicago Ave.
How do we accept incredible loss? What happens when the ties that bind us to the ones we love are suddenly severed? Can we create a knot so strong that even death cannot undo it? Terry Sofianos Wohlgenant’s The Impossible Knot portrays one woman’s struggle to come to terms with the finite nature of existence through story, myth and being tied up in rope. In a series of Vaudeville-inspired solos and skits featuring comedy, Shibari, burlesque and drag, the Three Fates spin, measure and cut strands of human lives, tying their mortal companion into an impossible knot of love, loss and ultimate acceptance.
Grown Man Rapp by Kevin Coval
Fridays, May 31 - June 14 at 9 p.m.
Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W. Chicago Ave.
A nearly 40-year-old Mike Rapp vowed to leave his fledgling music career behind, but a video resurfaces and a young viral rapper shows up to try to pull Rapp out of retirement, to the dismay of his partner Veronica. A living room play (of sorts) about aging and creativity in a genre (and world) made by young people.
LegLand; An Absurd "Festival" "Show" by LegLand
Friday, June 21 and Saturday, June 22 at 9 p.m.
Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W. Chicago Ave.
In a desert of lost words, abstract creatures come and go as they please after sharing (or selling) something to the audience. With no linear plot, this show allows us to play multiple characters, establish multiple settings, and lampoon whatever we can get our legs on.
Nothing By Mouth by Charlotte Lastra
Saturdays, June 1, 8 and 22 at 5 p.m. and Sundays, June 16 and 30 at 7 p.m.
Facility Theatre, 1138 N. California Ave.
When your insides become your outsides, shit gets tough. After an unexpected diagnosis, Charlotte tries to understand what to do with a body she never expected to have. By methods poetic, scientific and illustrative, she takes a journey through the digestive system and into the belly of a whale. A new solo work with low-fi overhead projector animation, written and performed by Charlotte Lastra of the Curious Theatre Branch.
About Rhino Fest
The event that became the Rhinoceros Theater Festival began in 1988 as an offshoot of the Bucktown Arts Fest and in its first year featured just two days of performances, including work by Curious Theatre Branch co-founders Jenny Magnus and Beau O'Reilly. Curious went on to produce the Rhino across many neighborhoods and venues over the years, with events variously taking place in Wicker Park/Bucktown, Rogers Park, Andersonville and Avondale; at spaces including the Lunar Cabaret and Full Moon Café, the Neo-Futurarium, the Society for New Things, The Garage, The Firehouse, Remains Theatre and Prop Thtr. In the mid-2000s, Rhino Fest settled at Prop Thtr in Avondale as its long-term base and Prop and Curious co-produced the festival among a shifting group of curators for many years. Following the closure of Prop's Elston Ave. space in 2020 and a year off during the height of the pandemic, Rhino Fest now returns to its expanded form, producing shows by more than 50 artists at multiple venues.
Full cast and crew have been announced for BrightSide Theatre's upcoming production of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, the rock opera that has been wowing audiences for 50 years. BrightSide Artistic Director Jeffrey Cass will lead a of 21 actors in the ever-popular retelling of the last days of Christ by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Music Direction will be by Phil Videckis, and choreography by Jake Ganzer. JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, since its release as a concept album in 1970, has enjoyed success as a stage musical (revived several times on Broadway and in London's West End, as well as touring around the world for many years), a feature film and a live television broadcast. The BrightSide production will play from June 7 – 23, at Meiley-Swallow Hall, North Central College, 31 S. Ellsworth, Naperville.
The cast directed by Jeffrey Cass will be led by Edward MacLennan of Bolingbrook as Jesus of Nazareth, Michael Davis Arnold of Chicago as Judas Iscariot, Meghan Kessel of Chicago as Mary Magdalene, Jon Cunningham of Schaumburg as Pontius Pilate, and Caleb Hand of Oak Forest as King Herod/Apostle/Roman Solider/First Priest. Playing key supporting roles are Stan Austin of Winfield as Caiaphas, Emma Widlowski of Park Ridge as Annas/Apostle, Tommy O'Brien of Chicago as Simon Zealotes, and Thomas Ferro of Mundelein as Peter.
The cast also includes Kassidy Alderman of Newark as Tormentor, Russell Badalamenti of Hoffman Estates as Pilate US/Roman Soldier/Apostle/3rd Priest, Julia Hope Budd of Chicago as Tormentor, Zach Gibson of Warrenville as Apostle, Amber Golich of Chicago as Tormentor, Erica Harrington of Westchester as Mary US,/Apostle, Erol Ibrahimovic of Chicago as Soldier/Apostle, Athena Kopulos of Chicago as Apostle, Mary Grace Martens of Chicago as Apostle, Thomas McMahon of Bradley as Apostle/Roman Soldier/Man by the Fire, Mary Schwark of Bradley as Apostle, and Shaina Summerville of Rolling Meadows as Maid by Fire/Apostle.
The production team for JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR also includes Jeff Award nominee Kurt Ottinger (Lighting Design), Cheryl Newman (Costume Design), Tim Elliott (Sound Mixer), Jeff Sand (Technical Director), De Haddad (Stage Manager/Assistant Director), JJ O'Connell (Assistant Stage Manager), and Trent Bronson (Production Assistant). Scenic concept is by Jeffrey Cass.
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR will be performed at Theatre at Meiley-Swallow Hall, North Central College, 31 S. Ellsworth, Naperville. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm. Tickets are $37.00 for adults and $32.00 for students and seniors. Tickets are on sale now at www.BrightSidetheatre.com or by phone at 630-447-TIXS (8497).
LISTING INFORMATION
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
Book and Lyrics by Tim Rice, Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Directed by Jeffrey Cass
Music Direction by Phil Videckis
Choreography by Jake Ganzer
June 7 - 23, 2024
Performances Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 2 pm
Press Opening Friday, June 7 at 8 pm
Tickets $32 - $37, available at www.BrightSideTheatre.com or at 630-447-TIXS (8497)
Theatre at Meiley-Swallow Hall, North Central College, 31 S. Ellsworth, Naperville 60540
Since its Broadway debut, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's spectacular musical phenomenon JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR has thrilled millions of theatregoers worldwide, mesmerizing them with its passion, captivating them with its story and entrancing them with its anthemic title song. Borrowing from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas. Reflecting the rock roots that defined a generation, the legendary sung through score includes "I Don't Know How to Love Him," "Gethsemane," and "Superstar."
BIOS
Jeffrey Cass (Artistic Director/Director) a Joseph Jefferson Award Nominee has successfully directed over 30 Productions for BrightSide Theatre, most recently A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC and GYPSY. He also played "Edna" in BST's production of HAIRSPRAY. He holds a B.F.A. in Musical Theater Performance from Roosevelt University. He previously served as the Producing Director for Circle Theatre where he directed 8 Productions including THE WHO'S TOMMY (six Joseph Jefferson Nominations including Best Musical and Best Director).
Andrew Lloyd Webber (Composer) has composed the scores of some of the world's most famous musicals. From JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT (1968) to BAD CINDERELLA (2021), his work has been consistently seen on world stages. Before the Covid pandemic hit, Lloyd Webber had shows continually running in the West End for 48 years and on Broadway for 41, with SCHOOL OF ROCK being the first British musical to have its world premiere on Broadway. When SUNSET BOULEVARD joined SCHOOL OF ROCK, CATS and PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, he equaled Rodgers and Hammerstein's record of four shows running simultaneously on Broadway.
He is one of the select group of artists with EGOT status, having received an Emmy, four Grammys (including Best Contemporary Classical Composition for REQUIEM), an Oscar and eight Tony Awards (including the 2018 Special Tony for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre). He has also won seven Oliviers and a Golden Globe – and his honors include a Classic Brit award for Outstanding Contribution to Music, the Praemium Imperiale, the Richard Rodgers Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre, a BASCA Fellowship, and the Kennedy Center Honor.
Tim Rice (Book and Lyrics) has worked in music, theatre, and films since 1965 when he met Andrew Lloyd Webber, a fellow struggling songwriter. Rather than pursue Tim's ambitions to write rock or pop songs they turned their attention to Andrew's obsession – musical theatre. Their first collaboration was based on the life of Dr. Thomas Barnardo, the Victorian philanthropist, THE LIKES OF US. Their next three works together were much more successful – JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR and EVITA.
Tim has since worked with other distinguished popular composers such as Elton John (THE LION KING, AIDA), Alan Menken (ALADDIN, KING DAVID, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST), Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson (CHESS), and Stuart Brayson (FROM HERE TO ETERNITY). He has also written with Freddie Mercury, Burt Bacharach and Rick Wakeman, among others.
ABOUT BRIGHTSIDE THEATRE
BrightSide Theatre (Jeffrey Cass, Artistic Director and Julie Ann Kornak, Executive Director) is committed to Enlighten, Educate, and Entertain through comedies and inspirational stories from across the globe. A unique blend of award-winners, premieres, modern works and timeless classics meant to reflect upon and inform our community inhabit BrightSide's stage. For more information on BrightSide Theatre, please visit www.BrightSidetheatre.com.
Broadway In Chicago is excited to announce that individual tickets for the world premiere of the first ever touring production of HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD will go on sale Monday, May 13 at 10:00 a.m. CT. Tickets will also be available online at BroadwayInChicago.com starting at 10:00 a.m. CT or stop by the box office at the James M. Nederlander Theatre and be sorted into your Hogwarts house, take a picture with your house banner, play HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD trivia, and more. Pre-sale tickets are available starting May 6; patrons may sign up for pre-sale offers by visiting BroadwayInChicago.com or tour.harrypottertheplay.com.
Previews begin for the six-time Tony® Award-winning production on September 10 at Broadway In Chicago's James M. Nederlander Theatre. The official opening will be Thursday, September 26. The final performance of the 21-week engagement will be Saturday, February 1, 2025.
The touring production is based on the acclaimed Broadway production, currently playing at the Lyric Theatre, New York. It picks up right where the last Harry Potter film left off: Nineteen years after Harry, Ron, and Hermione saved the wizarding world, they're back on a most extraordinary new adventure – this time, joined by a brave new generation that has only just arrived at the legendary Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When Harry Potter's head-strong son Albus befriends the son of his fiercest rival, Draco Malfoy, it sparks an unbelievable new journey for them all—with the power to change the past and future forever.
HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD, the first Harry Potter story to be presented on stage and the eighth story in the Harry Potter series, has sold over 10 million tickets worldwide since its world premiere in London in July 2016 and holds a record 60 major honors, with nine Laurence Olivier Awards including Best New Play and six Tony Awards including Best Play. The international phenomenon has cast its spell worldwide with productions currently running in London, New York, Hamburg, and Tokyo, and has completed runs in Melbourne, Toronto, and San Francisco. The original two-part production in London's West End recently celebrated its 7th anniversary, while the reimagined Broadway production celebrated its 6th anniversary.
The most successful non-musical play in Broadway history, HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD has the unique distinction of being named by the Guinness World Records as the highest-grossing non-musical play in Broadway history with over $270 million total sales and over 2.5 million tickets sold.
To stay up to date with the latest information, go to tour.harrypottertheplay.com.
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Preview performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with additional Monday performances at 7:30 p.m. on September 16 and 23 and matinee performances at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 21 and Wednesday, September 25.
Opening night is Thursday, September 26 at 6:00 p.m.
Regular performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 7:00 p.m. Matinee performances are at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Additional performances are Sunday, November 10 at 7:00 p.m.; Friday, November 29 at 1:00 p.m.; Thursday, December 26 at 1:00 p.m.; Sunday, December 29 at 7:00 p.m.; Thursday, January 2 at 1:00 p.m., and Sunday, January 5 at 7:00 p.m.
On Tuesday, December 24 and Tuesday, December 31, there will be 1:00 p.m. performances instead of a 7:00 p.m. performances.
There will be no performances on Sunday, September 29; Tuesday, November 5; Thursday, November 28; Wednesday, December 25; and Wednesday, January 1.
TICKET INFORMATION
Individual tickets will go on sale to the public on Monday, May 13. Pre-sale tickets are available starting May 6; patrons may sign up for pre-sale offers by visiting BroadwayInChicago.com or tour.harrypottertheplay.com. When tickets go on sale, ticket prices will range from $49.00 - $193.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. There will be a limited number of lottery seats available for this engagement. Details will be provided closer to the engagement. Patrons can purchase HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD as part of the Broadway In Chicago Season, which is currently on sale through May 26 at BroadwayInChicago.com. Groups of 10 or more can book tickets now by calling (312) 977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
ABOUT HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD
Based on an original story byJ.K. Rowling,Jack ThorneandJohn Tiffany,HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD is a play byJack Thorne, directed byJohn Tiffany.
HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD features movement byStevenHoggett, set byChristine Jones, costumes byKatrina Lindsay, music & arrangements byImogen Heap, lighting byNeil Austin, sound byGareth Fry, illusions & magic byJamie Harrison, music supervision & arrangements byMartin Lowe. US Casting byJim Carnahan, CSA.
HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions.
Instagram: @CursedChildUS ● Twitter: @CursedChildTour ● Facebook: @CursedChildUS ● TikTok: @CursedChildOfficial
ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 24 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago's Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, Auditorium Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place.
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Chicago Opera Theater (COT), Chicago’s foremost producer of new and reimagined opera, closes its 50th Anniversary season presenting the final performances of the world premiere tour of Before It All Goes Dark, the latest opera by the most famous American opera writing duo working today: composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer. Produced in partnership with Music of Remembrance, Before it All Goes Dark follows the fascinating and true story of a suburban Chicago man who, just before his death, discovers he is the heir of a Jewish art collector killed in the Holocaust, and the rightful owner of a cache of valuable art looted by the Nazi’s. The remarkable story was reported by Chicago’s own Howard Reich- Emmy-award winning author, journalist, filmmaker, and former classical music critic at the Chicago Tribune. Before All Goes Dark stars renowned bass-baritone Ryan McKinny and mezzo-soprano Megan Marino in two performances only; Saturday, May 25 at 7:30 PM and Sunday, May 26 at 3:00 PM at the Studebaker Theater in the Fine Arts Building, 410 S Michigan Ave. Tickets start at $45.00 and are available at chicagooperatheater.org.
While researching an article on violins looted during WWII, Chicago Tribune reporter Howard Reich got in touch with an organization dedicated to repatriating stolen cultural property. The organization was attempting to track down an heir of Emil Freund – a Jewish art collector killed in the Holocaust whose stolen art was being claimed as property of the Czech government. With no more information than the names of Freund’s sisters and a hunch that they immigrated to Chicago, Reich traced the Freund family tree to Gerald “Mac” MacDonald; an ailing Vietnam veteran living in Lyons, IL. After discovering he was the rightful heir to Freund’s multi-million-dollar collection, MacDonald made an arduous journey to Prague- made all the harder as he dealt with debilitating health issues– to see the art and convince the Czech government to turn it over to him. During the journey, he discovered not only the astonishing works of art in the collection, but also a deep connection to his long-lost relative and his own Jewishness which had been suppressed by his family for generations. Freund’s collection was never turned over to MacDonald who died three years later at the age of 55.
“When I first identified Mac as the heir to this invaluable art collection, I had no idea how this news would change his life,” said longtime Chicago Tribune journalist Howard Reich. “If Mac were alive today, I believe he’d be stunned and pleased to discover that the world still wants to hear from a long-forgotten Vietnam vet. Thanks to Jake Heggie, Gene Scheer, and Music of Remembrance, Mac’s story of tragic loss and surprising redemption will live forever on the operatic stage.”
Each performance of Before It All Goes Dark will begin in Freund’s vibrant salon, where audiences will be surrounded by projections of the looted art and the sounds of Czech music – all written by composers who would ultimately perish in concentration camps. The action then moves to Mac’s sparse, dark apartment in Chicagoland 63 years later, drawing a sharp distinction between Mac’s reality and the astonishing world of color, identity, and connection embodied by Freund’s collection.
“We are thrilled to once again be partnering with Music of Remembrance and to be bringing this story that is at once local as well as universal to our Chicago audiences,” added COT Edlis Neeson General Director Lawrence Edelson. “Howard’s dedicated research and insightful reporting, interpreted through the artistic lens of Jake and Gene is sure to be an incredibly moving, not-to-be-missed experience as performed by Ryan, Megan, and the musicians of Music of Remembrance.”
Before It All Goes Dark, the newest opera by celebrated opera writing team Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer, was commissioned by Music of Remembrance. The world premiere tour makes stops in Seattle on May 19 and San Francisco on May 22 before coming to Chicago’s Studebaker Theater on May 25 & 26. Erich Parce directs and Joseph Mechavich conducts the Music of Remembrance Ensemble: Demarre McGill, flute; Laura DeLuca, clarinet; Mikhail Shmidt, violin; Susan Gulkis Assadi, viola; Eric Han, cello; Jonathan Green, double bass; and Jessica Choe, piano.
Established in 1998, Music of Remembrance (MOR) has made a unique impact through works that honor the resilience of all people excluded or persecuted for faith, ethnicity, gender, or sexuality. Its programs pay tribute to historic memory, and directly confront challenges to human rights and dignity today. In addition to its work discovering and performing music from the Holocaust, MOR is admired around the world for its leadership in commissioning and premiering new works by leading composers, including varied chamber ensembles, song cycles, choral works, dance music, film scores, musical dramas, and full-length operas. MOR’s online concerts, nine albums, three documentary films, and many outreach programs have added to the impact experienced by live audiences. MOR’s annual David Tonkonogui Memorial Award welcomes new generations along on this journey, nurturing young musicians who seek to address issues of human rights through their art.
American composer Jake Heggie is best known for Dead Man Walking, the most widely performed new opera of the last 20 years, with a libretto by Terrence McNally, and his critically acclaimed operas Moby-Dick, Three Decembers, and It’s a Wonderful Life, all with libretti by Gene Scheer. In addition to 10 full-length operas and numerous one-acts, Heggie has composed more than 300 art songs, as well as concerti, chamber music, choral, and orchestral works, which have been performed on five continents. A bold new production of Dead Man Walking opens the Metropolitan Opera’s 23/24 season, while Intelligence, created with Jawole Zollar and Gene Scheer, receives its world premiere on opening night of Houston Grand Opera’s season. The Elements: Fire, Heggie’s new commission for violinist Joshua Bell, premieres at Germany’s Elbphilharmonie and tours to major stages in New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, and Hong Kong.
Gene Scheer’s collaboration with Jake Heggie is a truly remarkable creative partnership. Scheer has crafted powerful works with other opera composers as well: Tobias Picker (An American Tragedy and Thérèse Raquin), Joby Talbot (Everest), and Jennifer Higdon (Cold Mountain). A composer in his own right, Scheer has written songs for Renée Fleming, Sylvia McNair, Stephanie Blythe, Jennifer Larmore, Denyce Graves, and Nathan Gunn. Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns featured Scheer’s song “American Anthem” in his Emmy-winning documentary “The War,” and millions of people around the world heard President Biden share inspiring lines from that song in his inauguration address.
Howard Reich was born in Chicago and at age 10 moved with his family to Skokie, a northern suburb that was a nexus of Holocaust survivors like his parents. At age 16, Howard happened on the film “An American in Paris” and instantly became obsessed with music. By 18 he was a piano performance major at Northwestern, and at 22 he began freelancing articles on music for the Chicago Daily News. The next year he started contributing arts coverage to the Chicago Tribune, where he was hired full time in 1983 and spent his entire newspaper career. Howard’s stories took him to London, Paris, Warsaw, Vienna, Moscow, Munich, Prague, Havana, Panama and other locales, as well as deep into one of the most culturally vibrant cities in the world: Chicago. After 30 years as the Tribune’s jazz critic, Howard also became the newspaper’s classical and opera critic, serving in this joint capacity until he retired from the newspaper in 2021. Additionally recognized as the Emmy-winning writer/producer of three documentary films and author of six books, including “Prisoner of Her Past: A Son’s Memoir” and “The Art of Inventing Hope: Intimate Conversations with Elie Wiesel,” Howard lives in a suburb of Chicago with Pam Becker, his wife, a retired Tribune editor.
About Chicago Opera Theater:
Celebrating its 50th Anniversary season in 2023/24, Chicago Opera Theater is a company laser-focused on living its values: expanding the tradition of opera as a living art form, producing high-quality works new to Chicago audiences, identifying top-tier casts and creative talent at the beginning of grand operatic careers, and following through on commitments to equity and access – behind the scenes, on the stage, and in the audience. Since its founding in 1973, COT has grown from a grassroots community-based company to a national leader in an increasingly vibrant, diverse, and forward-looking art form. COT has staged over 155 operas, including 81 Chicago premieres and 47 operas by American composers. COT is led Lawrence Edelson who began his tenure as General Director in the 2023/24 season; and Music Director Lidiya Yankovskaya who concludes her tenure with the company at the end of this season.
The Vanguard Initiative, founded in 2018 and celebrating its fifth anniversary this Spring, is COT's fully comprehensive program for composers ready to delve into the world of opera. This immersive two-year residency includes participation in all COT productions, sessions with top industry leaders, extensive study of repertoire and vocal writing, and direct insight into administrative and other behind-the-scenes processes, culminating with the development of a full-length opera commissioned by the company. The program is guided and overseen by Elizabeth Morse and Genius Music Director Lidiya Yankovskaya, with Composer Advisors Jake Heggie, Kamala Sankaram, and Gene Scheer. The program has renewed funding from the Mellon Foundation for the 2023/24 season. The 2023/24 Vanguard Composers are Gillian Rae Perry (second year) and Carlos R. Carrillo (first year).
The remainder of Chicago Opera Theater’s season includes COT's 50th Anniversary Gala, Fifty & Fabulous: A Golden Night of Song & Celebration on April 5, and the Vanguard Initiative concert premiere of The Weight of Light April 27.
For more information on Chicago Opera Theater productions, visit chicagooperatheater.org/
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David Williamson, regarded as one of the top magicians in the world today, makes his Rhapsody Theater debut with Ridiculous! Known for his tours with Circus 1903 and The Illusionists on Broadway, Williamson’s Ridiculous! is a brand new solo full-length magic production created for The Rhapsody Theater. Mixing mind-bending illusions, side-splitting comedy, and a dash of anarchy, the show is an uproarious evening of controlled chaos ruminating on the meaning of the word ridiculous. Ridiculous! is performed at The Rhapsody Theater, 1328 W. Morse Ave. in Rogers Park, May 16 - June 30.
“Ridiculous! transcends the boundaries of a mere theatrical performance; it serves as a one-man rebellion against the monotony of a life too often bogged down by seriousness. This show is not just an escape, but a full-on revolt against the mundane, offering a sanctuary of laughter, wonder, and awe. Don’t miss the chance to be part of this unforgettable experience!” said Ricardo Rosenkranz, MD, Rhapsody Theater LLC managing partner and resident performer as the Physician Magician.
More about David Williamson
A born showman and accomplished sleight-of-hand artist, David Williamson dazzles audiences with a blend of heart-stopping magic and sidesplitting hilarity. He has been featured on ABC’s “Champions of Magic,” where he appeared with Princess Stephanie as he performed his miracles at various locations in and around Monaco. Williamson has also co-starred in several top-rated prime-time network specials, including CBS’ “Magicians’ Favorite Magicians,” NBC’s “Houdini: Unlocking His Mysteries” and NBC’s “World’s Greatest Magic III.” He was seen recently on The CW’s “Masters of Illusion” TV series as well as “America’s Got Talent.” Williamson has developed TV shows for Walt Disney Productions and ABC, as well as consulting on TV specials for illusionists David Copperfield and David Blaine. His bestselling magic book, Williamson’s Wonders, has been translated into three languages.
Williamson is also featured as the Ringmaster in the exciting show “Circus 1903” currently touring the world and returning to the UK for a holiday tour and is currently starring with fellow magicians in “The Illusionists” at the acclaimed Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, following its Broadway run. He is also a frequent favorite Guest Entertainer on Disney Cruise Lines. Recently, Williamson was honored with the Performance Fellowship by the Academy of Magical Arts and Sciences at the Magic Castle in Hollywood. In 2017, Williamson was named The Magic Castle’s Magician of the Year. He was also recently awarded Honorary Lifetime Membership by the UK’s Magic Circle, the world’s premier magical society.
Performance schedule & tickets
Ridiculous! with David Williamson will be performed at The Rhapsody Theater May 16 to June 30: Thursdays at 7:30pm; Fridays at 7:30 PM; and Saturdays at 2:00 PM, and 7:30 PM. There are no performances on May 31 or June 1, instead there are special Sunday matinees on June 2 and June 30 at 2:00 PM. The run time is approximately 90 minutes with one intermission. Tickets starting at $20.00, are now on sale, online at https://rhapsodytheater.thundertix.com/events/218941 or at The Rhapsody Theater box office.
About The Rhapsody Theater
Built in 1912 as the Morse Theater, this destination at 1328 W. Morse Avenue has long-been a source of arts and entertainment (formerly operating as the Co-Ed Theater and the Mayne Stage). Since its reopening in 2022 by Ricardo Rosenkranz, MD, Chicago’s own Physician Magician, The Rhapsody Theater has brought a Vegas-style entertainment experience to Rogers Park. This includes a newly developed, full-service restaurant and three bars throughout providing a welcoming spot for both patrons and community members to enjoy year-round. The multi-faceted theater is perfectly primed for its world-class performances. With state-of-the-art acoustics and versatile seating arrangements, the space allows for enhanced, intimate, and large format experiences. In addition to magic arts talent, The Rhapsody Theater also presents cabaret and other live music concert programming.
The Rhapsody Theater is conveniently located steps away from the Morse Red line ‘El’ station in Rogers Park. Complimentary parking is available in an adjacent lot (subject to availability) in addition to plentiful nearby street parking.
In advance of Ridiculous!, the Mexico City-born Dr. Ricardo Rosenkranz, MD, Chicago’s own Physician Magician, celebrates the festive Cinco de Mayo holiday weekend by performing a feat never before seen on Chicago stages: performing back-to-back magic shows in two different languages, Spanish and English, the weekend of May 4 & 5, 2024. For more information about The Rhapsody Theater or to purchase tickets, please visit https://rhapsodytheater.com/
Chicago’s National Landmark Auditorium Theatre (50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive) proudly announces its 2024-25 performance season presenting a vibrant mix of contemporary and culturally significant dance companies, and the return of the Auditorium’s powerful Too Hot to Handel concert presentation. Kicking off the season October 19 is the rousing return of Step Afrika!, the first professional dance company dedicated to the tradition of stepping, now marking its 30th Anniversary. Next, back by popular demand, Too Hot to Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Messiah, the lively jazz and gospel spin on Messiah by G.F. Handel, returns after a two-year hiatus for two performances commemorating the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday, January 11 & 12, 2025. Then, fresh off the resounding success of its David Bowie tribute, Star Dust, presented at the Auditorium this past season, Complexions Contemporary Ballet returns to pay homage to another rock icon, the band U2, February 7. March 2025 begins with a full weekend of the stunning and visually opulent history, culture, music, and dance of Mexico with Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez March 1 & 2, followed by one of the most eagerly anticipated cultural events of every Spring - the return of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, March 5-9. The prominent NYC-based contemporary dance company Parsons Dance makes its full company Auditorium Theatre debut May 3. The season closes with two gems from Chicago’s own robust dance scene: South Chicago Dance Theatre – a contemporary company led by the darling of the Chicago dance world, Kia Smith – May 3- and the genre-bending Hiplet Ballerinas, whose unique combination of classical pointe technique and hip-hop propelled them to fan-favorite status on America’s Got Talent, close the season May 17.
“The Auditorium Theatre’s 2024-25 season is a joyful mix of beloved classics and exciting new productions,” says Auditorium Theatre CEO Rich Regan. “The returns of perennial Auditorium favorites like the newly revamped Too Hot to Handel, the jubilant Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez, and of course the always dynamic Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater are interspersed with debuts by companies like Parsons Dance and the Hiplet Ballerinas. The season is packed with local, national, and international talent showcasing top performers in an incredibly diverse array of styles that befits the Auditorium’s reputation as The Theatre for the People.”
In addition, the popular Auditorium Philms Concert series, a new multi-media experience presenting iconic films brought to life with scores performed in concert by the Chicago Philharmonic, continues its inaugural 2024 season with the North American debut of Bram Stoker’s Dracula November 9; and the pop holiday fan favorite, Love Actually December 7. Single tickets for the Auditorium Philms series are now on sale, plus subscription packages with discounted tickets are available for as few as two films. Find out more information about the series at auditoriumtheatre.org/.
2024-25 SEASON OFFERINGS:
(In chronological order, all programming subject to change)
Step Afrika!
Saturday, October 19, 2024 | 7:30PM
Tickets: $29-$79
Celebrating its 30th Anniversary season, Step Afrika! is the world’s leading authority on the artform of stepping. Step Afrika! blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities; traditional African dances; and an array of contemporary dance and art forms into a cohesive, compelling artistic experience. Performances are much more than dance shows; they integrate songs, storytelling, humor, and audience participation. The blend of technique, agility, and pure energy makes each performance unique and leaves the audience with their hearts pounding.
Too Hot to Handel
Saturday, January 11, 2025 | 6PM
Sunday, January 12, 2025 | 3PM
Tickets: $39-$99
Back by popular demand, Too Hot to Handel, the jazz-gospel-rock-funk version of one of the most beloved pieces from the classical music canon, G.F. Handel’s oratorio Messiah, returns to the Auditorium Theatre for the first time since December 2022 to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Too Hot to Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Messiah reinvents the original musical material from Messiah, using scat, backbeats, jazz and gospel vocals, and instrumental improvisation. New in 2025, George Stelluto, associate conductor of the Ravinia Festival and music director of the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, conducts and director Joan Curto returns to create an event that’s more theatrical than ever. A powerhouse 100-voice chorus is joined by a chamber orchestra and jazz combo made up of Chicagoland musicians, and gifted solo vocalists Alfreda Burke, Rodrick Dixon, and Karen-Marie Richardson and pianist Alvin Waddles.
Complexions Contemporary Ballet
Friday, February 7, 2025 | 7:30PM
Tickets: $39-$129
In the 2023-24 season, Complexions Contemporary Ballet brought the Auditorium Theatre house down with Star Dust, the rollicking tribute to rock icon David Bowie. Next season, the New York City-based contemporary dance company known for its unique mixture of methods, styles, and cultures, will return to pay homage to another rock legend, the band U2. Founded in 1994 by Alvin Ailey Dance alumni Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, Complexions Contemporary Ballet celebrates its 30th anniversary this season.
Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez
Saturday, March 1, 2025 | 7:30PM
Sunday, March 2, 2025 | 3PM
Tickets: $30-$120
For over 70 years, Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez has brought the stunning and visually opulent history, culture, music, and dance of Mexico to audiences across the world. Founded by renowned choreographer, the late Amalia Hernández, Ballet Folklorico de Mexico is one of the most famous dance companies in the world. Performances include traditional Mexican dance, music, and costumes representing the entire history of Mexico from the pre-Columbian era through the Spanish colonial period all the way to modern day.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
March 5-9, 2025 – Wed 7:30PM | Thu 7:30PM | Fri 7:30PM | Sat 1PM | Sat 7:30PM | Sun 3PM
Tickets: $39 - $149
Every year, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s week of performances at the Auditorium Theatre –
the company’s artistic home in Chicago – is one of the can’t-miss cultural events of the Spring season. The 2024-25 performances will mark Alvin Ailey Dance Theater’s 56th engagement at the Auditorium. In 1958, Alvin Ailey and a small group of young Black modern dancers took the stage in New York City and forever changed the perception of American dance and culture. Its 2023-24 season engagement launches April 17, 2024, featuring a mix of Chicago premieres and beloved classics by Alvin Ailey and current choreographic talent.
Parsons Dance
Saturday, April 12, 2025 | 7:30PM
Tickets: $30-$120
Celebrating 40 years since its founding, Parsons Dance, a contemporary dance company based in New York City, makes its full company Auditorium Theatre debut in 2025. Founded by esteemed choreographer David Parsons, the mission of Parsons Dance is to bring life-affirming performances and joy to audiences worldwide and, through education and outreach programs, to sustain an appreciation for dance. Parsons Dance embraces the power of diversity and inclusion to enhance awareness and empathy, engage with audiences of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, uplift individuals and bring people together.
South Chicago Dance Theatre
Saturday, May 3, 2025 | 7:30PM
Tickets: $39-$89
Chicago’s own South Chicago Dance Theatre is a cutting-edge multi-cultural dance that seamlessly fuses classical and contemporary dance styles while preserving historic dance work. Led by the indomitable Kia Smith, South Chicago Dance Theatre returns to the Auditorium Theatre for the third season in a row after the smash hit Memoirs of Jazz in the Alley – a world premiere work based on Smith’s memories of iconic Chicago jazz history – in the 2022-23 season, and New Horizons
featuring six world premieres from top local, national and international choreographers – this April 27.
Hiplet Ballerinas
Saturday, May 17, 2025 | 7:30PM
Tickets: $39-$89
Created by Artistic Director Homer Hans Bryant, Hiplet, a fusion between classical pointe technique, Hip-Hop and a variety of other dance styles, was specifically designed to make ballet accessible to all people. Based in Chicago, the Hiplet Ballerinas perform all over the world and became fan favorites on the 16th season of America’s Got Talent. This performance of the genre-bending Hiplet Ballerinas who wowed Auditorium Theatre Audiences at Dance for Life in 2023, will mark the company's first solo evening performance on the Auditorium stage.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Subscriptions for the Auditorium Theatre’s 2024-25 season are on sale now. Subscribers can create their own series by purchasing tickets for any three or more shows in the season and receive 10%-30% discounts on tickets in addition to other subscriber benefits including access to the best seats, exclusive access to added events, reduced fees, free ticket replacement and exchanges, special access to Fireside Chats with guest artists, and more! Subscriptions are now on sale atauditoriumtheatre.org, by calling 312.341.2300, or at the Box Office at 50 E Ida B Wells Drive in Chicago, IL. Click here for phone and in-person hours. Special ticket pricing is available for groups and students; please visit auditoriumtheatre.org for more information. Single tickets go on sale starting May 15.
Special thanks
The Auditorium Theatre wishes to thank our 2024-25 season sponsors: the MacArthur Foundation, the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, and the Illinois Arts Council Agency. The official hotel partner for the Auditorium Theatre is the Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel.
About The Auditorium Theatre
The Auditorium Theatre, located at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive in Chicago, is an Illinois not-for-profit organization committed to presenting the finest in international, cultural, community, and educational programming to all of Chicago and beyond as The Theatre for the People. The organization also is committed to the continued restoration and preservation of this National Historic Landmark that originally opened in 1889. For more information on the Auditorium Theatre and a complete listing of events at the Auditorium Theatre, please visit AuditoriumTheatre.org.
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