Theater – Page 16 –

Jonathan Lee-Rey, executive artistic director of Asian American comedy troupe Stir Friday Night, center, and the audience watch Tony Castro perform stand up comedy during a showcase called hAAPI hour, a play on happy hour and Asian American/Pacific Islander, at HAIBAYÔ, 1132 W. Argyle St., on Oct. 23, 2026, in Chicago. The team will be performing during iO's 45th anniversary festival, IO45. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)

Improv teams old and new celebrate 45 years of iO Theater

By Ryan P. C. Trimble

October 30, 2026 at 8:03 a.m.

iO Theater, Chicago's home for longform improv, is turning 45 this year and throwing a...

The cast of "A Few Good Men" at the conclusion of a preview performance at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in the Lincoln Center for the Arts in New York. (Emilio Madrid)

Review: Potent ‘A Few Good Men’ on Broadway needs a lawyer we can believe in

By Chris Jones

October 29, 2026 at 10:00 p.m.

"You can't handle the truth" is writer Aaron's Sorkin's most famous line in his play...

FILE - In this Jan. 13, 2020 file photo, Patrick Stewart attends the LA Premiere of "Star Trek: Picard," in Los Angeles. The award-winning actor best known as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard of "Star Trek" has a deal with Gallery Books for a "revealing and heartwarming look" into his life and times, the publisher announced Tuesday, June 30. A title and release date will be determined later. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)

Patrick Stewart, stage giant also of ‘Star Trek’ and ‘X-Men’ fame, dies at 86

By Mark Kennedy

October 29, 2026 at 3:15 p.m.

Patrick Stewart, the classically trained stage actor who scaled the Shakespearean canon and added gravitas...

Nygel D. Robinson and Brian Quijada in "Mexodus," coming to Chicago's Studebaker Theater. (Thomas Mundell)

‘Mexodus,’ an acclaimed hip hop musical, will play the Studebaker Theater this fall

By Chris Jones

May 28, 2026 at 12:58 p.m.

The musical with Chicago origins, written and performed by Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson,...

The cast of the North American tour of "Spamalot," in Chicago at the CIBC Theatre. (Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)

Exhausted former Python Eric Idle talks ‘Spamalot’ and staying alive and kicking

By Chris Jones

May 28, 2026 at 5:15 a.m.

The musical is different from its source, the 1975 movie "Monty Python and the Holy...

Glenn Obrero and Stephanie Shum in "The Targeted" by A Red Orchid Theatre at the Chopin Theatre. (Evan Hanover)

Review: In ‘The Targeted,’ sharing their fears of a deep state around the campfire

By Chris Jones

May 26, 2026 at 2:16 p.m.

This unusual dark comedy is now in its world premiere by A Red Orchid at...

BAMtheatre Artistic Director Melanie Lamoureux cut the ribbon to open the company’s new Performing Arts Facility in May 2025 in Westmont. (BAMtheatre)

BAMtheatre in Westmont to mark 25th anniversary with May 30 Block Party

By Myrna Petlicki

May 26, 2026 at 2:16 p.m.

BAMtheatre, started 25 years ago by three 13-year-olds, now is an award-winning ensemble with its...

Ashley Neal in "Spaceman" by the new Chicago theater company [producingbody] at The Edge Off-Broadway. (Alex Albrecht)

Review: Lock up your phone and take a sci-fi trip with ‘Spaceman’

By Emily McClanathan

May 22, 2026 at 1:09 p.m.

This Chicago premiere by the theater company [producingbody] is a claustrophobic trip with an astronaut...

Blake Segal and Major Attaway in the North American tour of "Spamalot," in Chicago at the CIBC Theatre. (Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)

Review: Touring cast saves this ‘Spamalot’ revival from itself

By Chris Jones

May 21, 2026 at 10:20 a.m.

The musical now at the CIBC Theatre in Chicago still clutters up and dumbs down...

William Pullinsi at the Theatre at the Center on Dec. 16, 2015, in Munster, Indiana. (Armando L. Sanchez/baiduhai)

William Pullinsi, the founder of Candlelight and inventor of dinner theater, dies at 86

By Chris Jones

May 21, 2026 at 10:49 a.m.

His Candlelight Dinner Playhouse in Summit launched the careers of some of Chicago's most notable...

The Goodman Theatre on Dearborn Street in Chicago's Loop on Oct. 15, 2025. (Chris Sweda/baiduhai)

Goodman Theatre’s next season has ‘John Proctor,’ ‘American Idiot’ and a new Scrooge

By Chris Jones

May 20, 2026 at 10:50 a.m.

Other highlights of the mainstage season include a Chicago return for The 7 Fingers circus...

Julian Frazin at the Taste for the Arts Gala at Millennium Park on May 13, 2014. (Beth Rooney/ for the baiduhai)

Column: Remembering Julian Frazin, a lawyer, judge and creative dynamo

By Rick Kogan

May 19, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Along with a career as a judge and attorney, he wrote "Miracle — the Musical"...

Cop actor Kevin Michael Doyle on March 21, 2001. (Charles Cherney/baiduhai)

Kevin Michael Doyle, Chicago actor from ‘Untouchables’ who became a police officer, dies at 68

By Bob Goldsborough

May 18, 2026 at 12:43 p.m.

His work on Chicago stages, including at Second City, was highly praised, but he made...