Next theater season should be a production bonanza

 

heater venues range from Chicago's Lookingglass theatre in the historic Water Works (top left) and the lyric Opera House, bottom left to Goodman Theatre in a remodeled former movie theater building to the new Yard at Chicago Shakespeare on Navy Pier, bottom right. (J Jacobs photo)
Theater venues range from Chicago’s Lookingglass theatre in the historic Water Works (top left) and the lyric Opera House, bottom left to Goodman Theatre in a remodeled former movie theater building to the new Yard at Chicago Shakespeare on Navy Pier, bottom right. (J Jacobs photo)

With most Chicago theater productions postponed, audiences should start thinking of all the great entertainment that has been moved to later in the 2020-21 and over to the 21-22 season.

Here are just a few of the productions that audiences can put on their reminder calendar.

Lyric Opera of Chicago

According to Lyric General Director Anthony Freud, the rest of this spring’s offering have been canceled so “42nd Street,” a new-to-Chicago, Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris, production conducted by Stephen Mear, will be on stage next spring.

The Midwest premiere of composer Jeanine Tesori and librettist Tazewell Thompson’s “Blue” has been moved to January 2021 at Chicago Shakespeare Theater from this coming May-June’s dates at that venue. A coproduction of Washington National Opera, The Gimmerglass Festival and the Lyric, it will be conducted by Lyric music director designate Enrique Mazzola.

The Lyric Opera House is downtown at 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago. For more information visit Lyric Opera of Chicago. To see and hear what’s on the Lyric’s blog including clips from operas, go to Lyric Lately.

 

Steppenwolf Theatre

“King James” by Steppenworlf ensemble member Rajiv Joseph, a coproduction with the Center theatre Group, has been moved to the 2021-22 season from May 7 2020 and will be directed by Artistic director Anna d. Shapiro. The first episode of the “Half Hour Ensemble Podcast begins on April 7 with co-founder Jeff Perry.

Steppenwolf Theatre is in the Lincoln Park neighborhood at.1650 No. Halsted St. Chicago. For more information, to also see an interesting, historic video and hear a podcast, and to see free virtual sessions, visit Steppenwolf.

 

Broken Nose Theatre

A pay-what-you-can production group, Broken Nose Theatre has moved its world premiere of “This is Only a Test” to the 2020-21 season from May 2020. Broken Nose theatre is a resident group of The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave.in chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. For more information visit Broken Nose Theatre.

Jodie Jacobs

Sneak Peak Part Five: Theaters in West and South neighborhoods

 

Sometimes theater companies perform in more than one space and some venues host more than one resident theater company. Looking at the venues west of I 94 you find both so some of these companies have been listed elsewhere. Also, be sure to check out what’s playing at the fine theaters south of the loop such as Court Theatre and The Chicago Children’s Theatre.

One of the spaces at The Den, a popular multi-show venue. (The Den photo)
One of the spaces at The Den, a popular multi-show venue. (The Den photo)

West

Chopin Theatre

A Multi theater venue at 1543 W. Division St. has “Borealis” by The House Theatre of Chicago Aug. 30-Oct. 21 and Rough House Theatre will be doing the “Walls of Harrow House” in October.

For tickets and other information call (773) 278-1500 and visit Chopin Theatre.

 

The Den Theatre

A multi-theater venue at 4802 N. Milwaukee Ave, The Den’s resident companies include Broken Nose, Firebrand, First Floor, Griffin, Haven, New Colony and WildClaw but it also hosts other companies. Here are some of the plays performing at The Den in the 2018-19 season

For tickets and other information  call (773) 697-3830 and visit The Den Broken NoseFirst Floor, The New ColonyGriffin, Firebrand,  Haven and WildClaw.

New Colony is continuing the production of “The Light” at the Theatre on the Lake through Aug. 24, then is doing  “Fun Harmless War Machine” Oct. 3-Nov. 4. It continues in 2019 with “Small World” Mar 27-May 5. New Colony is on second floor of the Den. (773) 413-0862.

Grifin is continuing “The Harvest” through Aug. 25.  The Jacobins are doing “The Book of Sebastian” Aug. 24-Sept. 1 and Broken Nose is doing “Plainclothes” Nov. 9- Dec. 15.

New American Folk Theatre has “Scraps” Sept. 1-29 and WildClaw has “Second Skin” Sept. 11-Oct. 13.

Interrobang which is listed here later at its own space will be doing “White Rabbit Red Rabbit” Mondays Sept. 24-Nov. 12 and First Floor is doing “Hooded, Or Being Black for Dummies” Oct. 20-Nov. 17, “Mike Pence, Sex Dream” beginning Feb. 18 and “I’m Gonna Pray for You So Hard” beginning Apr. 19.

Firebrand is doing “Caroline Or Change” Sept. 22-Oct. 28 and The Haven has “Directors Haven” Oct. 13-31 that showcases plays by Charlotte Drover, Airos Sung-En Medill and Dani Wieder.

The Haven continues in 2019 with “The Total Bent” Feb. 7-Mar. 10 and “Kiss” July 18-Aug. 11 and First Floor is doing “Mike Pense, Sex Dream” beginning Feb. 18 and “I’m Gonna Pray for You So Hard” beginning Apr. 19.

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