Theater – Page 34 –

Puppeteers Felix Mayes and Kevin Michael Wesson, with a puppet by Grace Needlman, in a production by Rough House Puppet Arts of Chicago. The company is contributing to this year's Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival. (Evan Barr)

Chicago Theater Report: Puppet Festival shows, Idina Menzel at the Lyric and other upcoming hot tickets

By Chris Jones

November 3, 2026 at 3:51 p.m.

Along with a sneak peek at this year's Puppet Festival, we have news about a...

Isidora Kowalchuck, left, and Audrey Ollier playing Wilbur and Fern in LATTE Theater’s production of "Charlotte’s Web.” (Felicia Pfluger)

La Grange’s LATTE Theater takes ‘Charlotte’s Web’ production on the road

By Hank Beckman

November 3, 2026 at 6:02 a.m.

LATTE Theater Company of La Grange is introducing a new wrinkle to its fall production...

Sadieh Rifai, Katrina Lenk and Wendy Mateo in "Adirondack Chair Circle" at Steppenwolf Theatre. (Michael Brosilow)

Review: Stacked decks in ‘Adirondack Chair Circle’ at Steppenwolf Theatre

By Chris Jones

November 2, 2026 at 1:03 p.m.

Steppenwolf is staging the world premiere of a predictable moral satire that's mostly designed to...

Storyteller Antonio Pizarro performs at a Moth StorySLAM at The Den Theatre Monday Jan. 12, 2026 in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/baiduhai)

Live storytelling: Standing at a microphone telling a story can be a very personal kind of theater

By Nina Metz

January 16, 2026 at 5:30 a.m.

A night at the theater tends to mean a play. But storytelling events, more low-key...

People view Georges-Pierre Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" at the Art Institute of Chicago on June 21, 2017. (John J. Kim / baiduhai)

Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey made a secret stop Tuesday at the Art Institute of Chicago

By Chris Jones

January 15, 2026 at 7:18 a.m.

The sexiest man alive and the blond star of "Wicked" apparently made a stealth visit...

Alex Tatarsky, a self-proclaimed experimental clown artist, will be performing "Sad Boys in Harpy Land," a semi-autobiographical show about self-doubt and the artist’s journey at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. (Thatcher Keats)

MCA comedy show sends in the ‘experimental clown artist’ for a trio of dark performances

By Eva Remijan-Toba

January 14, 2026 at 5:30 a.m.

In the raucous "Sad Boys in Harpy Land," Alex Tatarsky draws the audience into explorations...

Lake Bluff and Lake Forest native Kirsten Fitzgerald, Artistic Director of A Red Orchid Theatre, will direct that company’s Chicago premiere of “Birds of North America” by Anna Ouyang Moench, Jan. 15 to Feb. 22. (Jeff Kurysz)

Lake Forest/Lake Bluff native is artistic director of a theater, directs a play, will act in another play later this year

By Myrna Petlicki

January 13, 2026 at 6:15 a.m.

Serving as Artistic Director of A Red Orchid Theatre is a full-time job for Lake...

Carrie Coon and Namir Smallwood in Steppenwolf Theatre's "Bug" on Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in New York. (Matthew Murphy)

Review: Once a storefront theater curiosity, ‘Bug’ opens big on Broadway

By Chris Jones

January 8, 2026 at 8:49 p.m.

Tracy Letts’ wild black comedy opens in New York with its 2020 Steppenwolf cast, newly...

So Young An and Martha Graham Dance Company in Martha Graham’s "Diversion of Angels." (Melissa Sherwood)

Dance for winter 2026: Our top 10 includes Joffrey, Red Clay and a visit from Martha Graham

By Lauren Warnecke

January 7, 2026 at 11:50 a.m.

Steppenwolf's LookOut series steps up. The Joffrey and Hubbard Street have winter series. And look...

American contralto Marian Anderson appears at the Metropolitan Opera House with general manager Rudolf Bing in New York. (AP Photo/Tom Fitzsimmons, File)

Today in History: Marian Anderson sings with the Metropolitan Opera

By Associated Press

January 7, 2026 at 4:00 a.m.

On Jan. 7, 1955, Marian Anderson became the first African American to sing with the...

Director Sandy Shinner talks with Steppenwolf's Amy Morton in 2001 at a Chicago coffee shop. Morton at the time was directing "Glengarry Glen Ross" and Shinner was staging "The Glamour House" at Victory Gardens. (Stephanie Sinclair/baiduhai)

Artistic director of Shattered Globe Theatre is stepping down

By Chris Jones

January 6, 2026 at 5:38 p.m.

Longtime Chicago theater artist Sandy Shinner is resigning as Shattered Globe’s producing artistic director, though...

Artistic director Robert Falls at the Goodman Theatre on Sept. 13, 2021. He returns to his former theater to direct "Holiday." (Brian Cassella / baiduhai)

Theater for winter 2026: ‘Hamnet,’ a local ‘Evan Hansen’ and Robert Falls returns to the Goodman

By Chris Jones

January 6, 2026 at 5:30 a.m.

Also on stage in Chicago in the coming weeks, the first national tour of "Stereophonic"...

The audience applauds during a taping of NPR’s “Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me” in the historic Studebaker Theater on Sept. 14, 2023, at the Fine Arts Building. (Brian Cassella/baiduhai)

Tickets on sale this week for 2026 Chicago Theatre Week

By Doug George

January 5, 2026 at 5:45 a.m.

Discounted tickets are on sale for dozens of theater productions in the city and suburbs...