Chicago Theater and Arts has been looking at what area theater production companies have in store for the 2019-2020 season. The lineup is impressive.
Because Chicagoland has approximately 250 companies the coming season is divided into a series that starts downtown, then winds around Chicago’s neighborhoods and suburbs.
The series started off with Broadway in Chicago’s coming shows and now moves to other downtown theater venues including a couple on and near North Michigan Avenue.
Shows often sell out as soon as they open so best plan is to print the series, circle what you want and pick up tickets in advance.
Located on the city’s popular Navy Pier, CST is currently doing “Six” a fun, pop-concert-style musical about Henry VIII’s wives that has been so popular it’s been extended through Aug. 4. Also there is the family musical “The Wizard of Oz” which opens July 6 and continues through Aug. 25, 2019.
Coming this fall are “The King’s Speech” Sept 12-Oct. 20 , “A Man of Good Hope,” Oct. 4-13 and “Romeo and Juliet” Oct. 31-Dec. 22, 201. After the new year “Emma” is Jan 28 -March 15, 2020 followed by the Royal Shakespeare Company with a production TBA, April 1-30. The season closes with “As You Like It” April 30-June 21
Chicago Shakespeare Theater is at 800 E. Grand Ave. on Navy Pier. For tickets and more information visit Chicago Shakes or call (312) 595-5600.
The theatre is on Dearborn Street at Randolph Street near downtown attractions such as Millennium Park and the city’s Piccasso. Shows are on stage in the Albert Theatre and smaller Owen Theatre.
Currently, Goodman is doing “The Music Man” helmed by famed director Mary Zimmerman, June 29-Aug. 11, 2019 (Albert). Then “Hanna H. is Sept. 6-Oct. 6 (Owen) and “Bernhardt/Hamlet,” Sept. 14- Oct. 20 (Albert). “A Christmas Carol,” a family holiday favorite, continues for its 42nd annual production Nov. 16 – Dec. 29, 2019 (Albert).
Into the new 2020 year “Roe” is Jan. 18-Feb 20, (Albert). “Graveyard Shift” Feb. 7-Mar. 8 (Owen) and “Molly Sweeney” is Mar. 7-April 12 (Albert) followed by “School Girls; Or The African Mean Girls Play Mar. 27-April 26 (Owen). “American Mariachi” is April 25-May 31 (Albert). Then “The Outsiders” completes the season June 19-Aug. 2 (Albert).
Goodman Theatre is at at 170 N. Dearborn Street. For tickets and other information visit Goodman Theatre or call (312) 443-3800.
Located in Chicago Water Works, Lookingglass is currently doing “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein” through Aug. 4 then “The Steadfast Tin Soldier,” Nov. 1, 2019-Jan. 26, 2020.
The season continues with “Her Honor Jane Byrne” Feb 26-April 12, 2020. Then the ever popular, landmark production, “Lookingglass Alice,” returns May 13-Aug. 16, 2020.
Lookkingglass Theatre is at 821 N. Michigan Ave. For tickets and more information visit Lookingglass Theatre and call (312) 337-0665.
The Lyric Opera House. a historic building on north Wacker Drive at Madison Street, will resound with the sounds of Rossini and Verdi, Wagner and (Jake) HeggieL as the 2019-2020 season mixes the popular with the provocative.
Opening the season is Rossini’s popular “The Barber of Seville” Sept. 28-Oct. 27 followed by Verdi’s “Luisa Miller”Oct. 12-31. Then Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally’s unusual “Dead Man Walking” opera is Nov. 2-11. The series returns to the classics with Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” Nov. 14-Dec. 8 but offers a gorgeous vocal treat with Sondra Radvanovsky singing the finales of Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda, and Roberto Devereux in a semi-staged performance of Donizetti “The Three Queens” Dec 1-7, 2019.
The second half opens 2020 with an all-time favorite, Puccini’s “Madam Butterfly” Feb. 6-Mar. 8. Then Tchaikovsky’s eerie “The Queen of Spades” is Feb. 15-Mar. 1 . Wagner”s Götterdämmerung” closes the Lyrics Ring cycle April 4 & 11, 2020.
However, the lyric ends each season with a Broadway musical. In 2019 it was “West Side Story. ” For 2020 it will be “42nd Street” May 29 – June 21, 2020.
The Lyric Opera House is at 20 N. Wacker Dr. For tickets and more information visit Lyric Opera/Contact or call (312) 332-2244.
Now located in the Ruth Page Center, Porchlight will open the 2019-20 season with “Sings: 25 years of Porchlight,” a benefit concert Aug. 5 that celebrates its past 25 years on Chicago’s musical theater scene.
A leading lady of Chgo theater, Hollis Resnik, makes her Porchlight debut in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Sunset Boulevard” Oct. 11- Nov. 24. However, there will also be a quick revisit to Irving Berlin’s “Cal Me Madam,” Nov. 20-21. Next is the Ruffians’ “Burning Bluebeard” Dec 13-27.
The year 2020 opens with Duke Ellington’s “Sophisticated Ladies” Jan 24- Mar. 6. The season with the Chicago premiere of Disney’s “Freaky Friday” April 10-May 24.
Porchlight Music Theatre moved last year to the Ruth Page Center For the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Pkwy.
Jodie Jacobs