Chicagoans can find a range of plays, musicals and dance shows at local theaters large and small. Our guide has the latest on what’s on stage in the city.
Welcome to our highlights of events and entertainment on stage at Chicago’s theaters. From local productions to Broadway hits, our guide has the latest on shows in the city. Bookmark this page and check back for updates and ticket information.
Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre
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Photo by William Frederking;
What: The multicultural company that creates new dance and music to explore personal narratives, unveils new works in a performance. The pieces include “Mood Swing,” a suite of duets responding to the pandemic and the social justice movement; “Identity City,” an exploration of the evolution, acceptance and conflict surrounding gender and identity; and “Root,” an African diaspora suite.
When: 7:30 p.m. June 12
Where: Beverly Arts Center, 2407 W. 111th
Tickets: $10-$24. Visit beverlyartcenter.org.
Court Theatre
What: Court Theatre presents an online staging of Owen McCafferty’s “Titanic (Scenes from the British Wreck Commissioner’s Inquiry, 1912),” directed by Vanessa Stalling. The drama tells the story of the sinking of the HMS Titanic using verbatim testimonies from a court investigation of the wreck that probe the causes of the catastrophe, the value systems that enabled it and if indeed it was actually preventable.
When: Streams on-demand June 14-July 11
Tickets: $20-$30. Visit courttheatre.org.
Center for Visual and Performing Arts
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Center for Visual and Performing Arts
What: “Winchell: On the Air” is a new one-man play, starring Philip Potempa, about the infamous New York gossip columnist and radio news commentator Walter Winchell (1897-1972). Winchell’s biographer Neal Gabler notes his popularity and influence meant, “He turned journalism into a form of entertainment.”
When: Performances are 11:30 a.m. June 10 (includes lunch, show at 1 p.m.) and 6 p.m. (includes dinner, show at 7:30 p.m.).
Where: Center for Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge, Munster, Ind.
Tickets: $50. Visit cvpa.org.
Summer Nights with Northlight
What: Summer Nights with Northlight is a cabaret series held at Evanston restaurants to benefit Northlight Theatre. The performers are Alexis J. Roston and Kelvin Roston Jr. (June 10, Good to Go Jamaican, 711 W. Howard), Linda Solotaire (July 27, Sketchbook Brewing Company, 4901 Main, Skokie) and Heidi Kettenring (Aug. 24, Peckish Pig, 623 W. Howard).
When: Performances times are 6 p.m.
Tickets: $60 includes light dinner and select drinks. Visit northlight.org.
Labyrinth Arts and Performance Collective
What: Labyrinth Arts and Performance Collectivepresents “Emerge,” a new cabaret series featuring music, drag performance, comedy and spoken word First up at 10 p.m. June 11 is the retro blues trio Improper Behavior featuring vocalist Sharon Waltham, guitarist Keith Fort and upright bass player Gregory Redfeairn.
When: every second Friday of the month
Where: Porkchop, 1132 W. Grand
Tickets: $20. Visit labyrinthartsperformance.com.
Ghostlight Theatre
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Ghostlight Ensemble
WHAT: Ghostlight Theatre’s “Make/Believe,” its annual festival for young audiences, takes place virtually this year. Featured are six new short plays that run the gamut from “Sunshine and the Sea of Lost Things,” about a child with no memory lost at sea to “It’s Poppin’,” about a balloon afraid of soaring through the clouds, to “Splash of Magic,” about a young Black girl trying to conquer her fear of swimming.
WHEN: The festival streams live at 2 p.m. June 5-6 and on demand to July 4
TICKETS: $1-$10
INFO: ghostlightensemble.com.
Chicago Dance Month
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Photo by Philamonjaro Studio
When: May 29-June 24
What: June is Chicago Dance Month and it kicks off on May 29 at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand. Presented by See Chicago Dance, the free live event features performances by Aerial Dance Chicago, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater, Mandala Arts and The Seldoms. The celebration continues with pop-up performances (3 p.m. Saturdays June 5-Sept. 4, Navy Pier), a park-wide dance “scavenger hunt” featuring an eclectic group of artists (4:30 p.m. June 9, 30 in McKinley Park, 2210 W. Pershing) and a virtual event with more dance performances (6 p.m. June 24). All events are free. Visit seechicagodance.com/dancemonth.