REVIEW: Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Musical Version of Emma Now Playing Through March 15, 2020

EMMA

A New Musical

January 28–March 15, 2020

in CST’s Courtyard Theater

book, music & lyrics by Paul Gordon

adapted from the novel by Jane Austen

directed by Barbara Gaines

Artistic Director Barbara Gaines stages enchanting musical adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved novel, 

Through March 15, 2020

*Run time is 2 hours and 15 minutes*

Party guests revel at a ball in Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s production of Emma, 

a new musical adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved novel

All Photos by Liz Lauren.

REVIEW:
By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

Chicago Shakespeare Theater has been transformed into an elegant playground for the gentry of the early 1800s, complete with chandeliers, copious amounts of billowing bunting, and an on stage quartet. The whirling center of this scene is Jane Austen's infamous Emma, a girl who has charmed readers and audiences across genres, despite her arrogance, classism, and a bit of a mean streak. Her goodnatured, yet misguided, attempts at matchmaking are conducive to a musical, and it's fun to experience the old, familiar story with the addition of song. Like most musicals, humor abounds and love wins out in the end on multiple fronts.

 Emma Woodhouse (Lora Lee Gayer, at right) meets her match in Mr. Knightley (Brad Standley)

CST's production of Emma is well cast, and the rapport between Emma Woodhouse (Lora Lee Gayer) and Mr. Knightley (Brad Standley) is a joy to see. Their snarky banter and love/hate relationship is adorable and enticing as it evolves on stage. Harriet Smith (Ephie Aardema) is also utterly endearing as lovelorn orphan and Emma's favorite side project, that almost went horribly awry. 

Emma Woodhouse (Lora Lee Gayer) takes the impressionable Harriet Smith (Ephie Aardema) under her wing. 

Harriet Smith (Ephie Aardema) joyfully dances with Mr. Knightley (Brad Standley) as the ball guests look on 

Chicago favorite, Larry Yando elicits laughs with every line, as the dower, change-hating father, Mr. Woodhouse. 

Emma Woodhouse (Lora Lee Gayer) comforts her father, Mr. Woodhouse (Larry Yando)

As usual for Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the costumes, staging, lighting, and clever set design are top notch. Jane Austin's brilliance shines through, as her iconic plots and schemes remain true to the original, even as her characters burst into song. If there's a weakness, it's the score. In an otherwise likable adaptation, Paul Gordon's music is thirty one songs that blend into one another, with few peaks and variations. Eight of the songs actually are reprise numbers, but most of the songs in the first act felt too similar to one another to be as engaging as I'd hoped. 

There were some exceptions. Second act solos by Mr Knightley and Frank Churchill (Devin DeSantis) were standouts, and Harriet Smith's pining for Mr. Robert Martin had its charm. Emma's piano solo and rivalry with Jane Fairfax (Erica Stephan) were playful and funny. 

This twisted tale of romantic entanglements, secrets, misdirection, mistakes and matrimony makes for an enjoyable evening of good old fashioned fun. Emma is a good bet for multigenerational appeal and creating family memories together. Recommended.

Follow along on social media and add your own experiences with #cstEMMA

Bonnie Kenaz-Mara is a Chicago based writer-theater critic-photographer-videographer-actress-artist-general creatrix and Mama to two terrific teens. She owns two websites where she publishes frequently: ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) & ChiILMama.com (family friendly). 

Emma Woodhouse (Lora Lee Gayer) flatters Frank Churchill, as the residents of Highbury enjoy a picnic 

Now playing, Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s highly anticipated production of Emma—a musical adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved novel. Book, music, and lyrics are by Tony Award-nominated composer Paul Gordon, whose world premiere production of Sense and Sensibility captivated Chicago Shakespeare audiences in 2015. Directed by Artistic Director Barbara Gaines, this lush period production features one of literature’s most fiercely independent heroines in an enchanting new musical. Jane Austen’s Emma is presented in the Theater’s uniquely intimate Courtyard Theater, January 28–March 15, 2020.

Privileged, pampered, and preoccupied with romance, Emma Woodhouse indulges in her pastime of misguided matchmaking, but is clueless when it comes to her own feelings, especially toward a gentleman named Mr. Knightley. As this imperfect heroine learns that love cannot be predicted or channeled, audiences will be swept away by Paul Gordon’s lyrical melodies in this deliciously charming romantic comedy.

A multi-talented composer, lyricist, and book writer, Gordon has been inspired by classic texts to great success. The Broadway musical Jane Eyre, which he co-wrote, was nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Score, and Chicago Shakespeare’s world premiere of Sense and Sensibility garnered the Jeff Award for Best New Musical. Gordon’s Daddy Long Legs, written with director John Caird, has enjoyed productions around the world. Of Emma, Gordon shared, “There is a lyricism to the way Jane Austen writes—great melodies within the soul of the piece. The poetic language of the novel makes for a wonderful foundation of a musical and the music triggers your emotions in a profound way.”

Starring as Emma Woodhouse is Lora Lee Gayer. On Broadway, Gayer notably appeared as Linda Mason in the acclaimed 2016 revival of Holiday Inn, the New Irving Berlin Musical. Additional Broadway highlights include portraying Tonia in Doctor Zhivago and Young Sally in the Drama Desk Award-winning revival of Follies starring Bernadette Peters. Regionally, she has made celebrated appearances at Alliance Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, and The Muny.

Brad Standley takes on the role of Mr. Knightley, a well-mannered voice of reason that tempers Emma’s impulsive nature. Standley comes to Chicago fresh off the National Tour of Waitress. His regional credits include productions with Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, and the Weston Playhouse. An accomplished singer/songwriter, Standley headlines the alternative pop band The Foxflies.

Portraying Emma’s father, Mr. Woodhouse, is Larry Yando. The five-time Jeff Award-winner—named “Best Actor in Chicago” by Chicago Magazine—is a mainstay on Chicago stages and has appeared in more than thirty Chicago Shakespeare productions. Ephie Aardema is Emma’s impressionable young protégé, Harriet Smith. Aardema premiered on Broadway in the original cast of The Bridges of Madison County and has also appeared in Parade at Lincoln Center, Off-Broadway productions of Songbird and Clueless, the Musical, and the first National Tour of Waitress.

Devin DeSantis portrays Frank Churchill, one of Emma’s suitors. DeSantis’ notable roles include Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid and Tommy in The Who’s Tommy at Paramount Theatre, Dr. Frankenstein in Young Frankenstein at Drury Lane Theatre, and Judas in Godspell at Marriott Theatre. Erica Stephan is the charming and accomplished Jane Fairfax, who must find her way in the world without a fortune of her own. Stephan’s major Chicago credits include portraying Betty Haynes in Irving Berlin’s White Christmas at Theatre at the Center, Belle in Drury Lane Theatre’s production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and Cosette in Les Misérables at Paramount Theatre.

The Emma company also includes Michael Milligan and Kelli Harrington as Mr. and Mrs. Weston, and Dennis William Grimes and Bri Sudia as Mr. and Mrs. Elton. Rounding out the cast are Ian Geers (Mr. Robert Martin), Emily Goldberg (Ensemble), Marya Grandy (Miss Bates), and Brandy Cheyenne Miller (Elizabeth Martin).

Joining Gaines on the Emma creative team is Music Director Roberta Duchak—a two-time Jeff Award-winner who returns to Chicago Shakespeare after collaborating on the Theater’s hit North American Premiere musical SIX and its subsequent transfer productions—as well as Choreographer Jane Lanier, Dialect Coach Kate DeVore, Assistant Director Erin Kraft, and Assistant Music Director Kory Danielson.

Jane Austen’s nineteenth-century England comes to the Courtyard stage with sumptuous designs by Scenic Designer Scott Davis, Costume Designer Mariann Verheyen, Lighting Designer Donald Holder, Associate Lighting Designer Rachel Levy, Sound Designer Chad Parsley, and Wig and Make-up Designer Richard Jarvie. Also serving on the creative team is Alex Hare, the recipient of Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation Charles Abbott Fellowship.

For more information, visit www.chicagoshakes.com/emma or on social media at #cstEMMA.

Chicago Shakespeare strives to make its facility and performances accessible to all patrons through its Access Shakespeare programs. 

Accessible performances for Emma include:

Open-captioned Performances – Thursday, March 5, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
A text display of the words and sounds heard during a play, synced live with the action onstage.
ASL Duo-interpreted Performance – Friday, March 6, 2020 at 7:30 p.m.
All dialogue and lyrics are translated into American Sign Language by two certified interpreters.
Audio-described Performance – Sunday, March 8, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. with optional touch tour at 12:00 p.m. A program that enables patrons who are blind or have low vision to more fully experience live performances by providing spoken narration of a play’s key visual elements. Touch Tours provide patrons who are blind or have low vision the opportunity to experience, firsthand, a production’s design elements.

Emma will be presented January 28–March 15, 2020 in Chicago Shakespeare’s Courtyard Theater. Single tickets ($49–$90) are on sale now. Special discounts will be available for groups of 10 or more. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com.


ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER
Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, Chicago Shakespeare has redefined what a great American Shakespeare theater can be—a company that defies theatrical category. This Regional Tony Award-winning theater’s year-round season features as many as twenty productions and 650 performances—including plays, musicals, world premieres, family programming, and presentations from around the globe. Chicago Shakespeare is the city’s leading presenter of international work, and has toured its own productions across five continents. The Theater’s nationally acclaimed arts in literacy programs support the work of teachers, and bring Shakespeare to life on stage for tens of thousands of students annually. Each summer, the company tours a free professional production to neighborhood parks across Chicago. In 2017 the Theater unveiled The Yard, which, together with the Jentes Family Courtyard Theater and the Thoma Theater Upstairs, positions Chicago Shakespeare as Chicago’s most versatile performing arts center.

Emma Woodhouse (Lora Lee Gayer) indulges in her pastime of misguided matchmaking

Lora Lee Gayer takes on the title role in Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s production of Emma, a new musical adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved novel with book, music and lyrics by Paul Gordon and directed by Barbara Gaines, in Chicago Shakespeare’s Courtyard Theater, January 28–March 15, 2020. Photo courtesy of Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

SAVE THE DATES: Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces its 2019/20 SEASON

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces its 2019/20 Season—featuring an expansive line-up of plays, musicals, new work, and presentations from around the globe to engage one of the broadest audiences of any theater in America today.

North American premiere of THE KING’S SPEECH brings to the stage the remarkable true story that inspired the Academy Award-winning film

Artistic Director Barbara Gaines stages the most famous love story of all time, ROMEO AND JULIET

Jane Austen’s EMMA transformed into enchanting new musical by Tony Award-nominated Paul Gordon

Vibrant, 60s-inspired AS YOU LIKE IT infuses Shakespeare’s comedy with the ageless hits of The Beatles

THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY returns to Chicago for the first time in 25 years

Isango Ensemble’s music-and-dance-filled A MAN OF GOOD HOPE follows a young refugee’s journey through Africa

Director Héctor Flores Komatsu’s devised ANDARES chronicles the lives of indigenous youth in México

Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson create a contemporary new opera BLUE, presented in collaboration with Lyric Opera of Chicago

Summer 2019: THE WIZARD OF OZ engages multi-generational audiences on Navy Pier

FREE Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks tours THE COMEDY OF ERRORS to 18 parks across City

Artistic Director Barbara Gaines shared, “At a time in our lives when estrangement and belonging are so entwined into our public discourse, we are looking forward to a season of stories that explore our boundaries—personal, societal, geographic—and how we cross them in order to better understand ourselves, our neighbors, and the world we inhabit. A king is limited by his inability to speak to his nation; two teenagers see beyond the walls erected by their families’ hatred; a young woman can imagine the possibilities of love all around—but not in her own heart; and free spirits leave behind the constraints of society and discover love in unexpected places. Powerful narratives of a Somalian refugee in South Africa and indigenous youth in México both wrestle with defining home and identity. In the communal space that is the theater, we share these stories that bind us together.”

Bold theatricality onstage at Chicago Shakespeare

Kicking off the 2019/20 Season is David Seidler’s play The King’s Speech (September 12–October 27, 2019), the remarkable true story about an unlikely bond between a reluctant king and his charismatic subject that inspired the Academy Award-winning film—now brought to life onstage as Seidler first imagined it. Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award-winning director Michael Wilson stages the North American premiere at Chicago Shakespeare. Following its Chicago run, the production is slated for engagements at other theaters across the country.

For the first time in her distinguished career, Artistic Director Barbara Gaines directs Shakespeare’s most famous tragic love story, Romeo and Juliet (November 1–December 22, 2019). Set against a modern backdrop of a city torn apart by hate, the star-crossed young lovers defy every boundary forged from their families’ enmity, finding love—and heartbreak.

Jane Austen’s beloved novel Emma (January 28–March 15, 2020), featuring one of literature’s most fiercely independent heroines, is transformed into an enchanting new musical by Tony Award-nominated composer Paul Gordon, whose world premiere production of Sense and Sensibility captivated Chicago Shakespeare audiences in 2015. Artistic Director Barbara Gaines directs this deliciously charming romantic comedy.

A vibrant, ‘60s-inspired take on As You Like It (May 1–June 21, 2020) infuses Shakespeare’s comedy with the hit songs of The Beatles—lifting the playwright’s timeless verse in beautiful harmony with the immortal music of the “Fab Four.” This high-spirited, music-filled staging is adapted and directed by Daryl Cloran, Artistic Director of Canada’s acclaimed Citadel Theatre.

Global conversations and collaborations
In April 2020, Chicago Shakespeare is pleased to welcome the renowned Royal Shakespeare Company back to Chicago for the first time in 25 years with a signature production of a Shakespeare play (title to be announced in the coming months). Following Chicago Shakespeare’s performances on the RSC stage in Stratford-upon-Avon as part of the Complete Works Festival, both theaters have sought the opportunity for Chicago audiences to experience the RSC’s work onstage at Chicago Shakespeare—promising to be a theatrical highlight of the spring.

This season’s WorldStage series features South Africa’s Isango Ensemble with their acclaimed production of A Man of Good Hope (October 4–13, 2019). Vividly told through music and dance steeped in African traditions, the story follows one young Somalian refugee’s extraordinary odyssey across a continent, and his unfailing hope in the face of adversity.

Devised from personal anecdotes, ancestral myths, and traditional art forms, Makuyeika Theatre Collective presents Andares (October 23–27, 2019), directed by Héctor Flores Komatsu, which chronicles the lives of indigenous youth in México—and the realities that they face at the crossroads of modern life and tradition. Translated as “pathways,” Andares is featured as part of the third annual Destinos – Chicago International Latino Theater Festival.

Jeanine Tesori, the Tony Award-winning composer of Fun Home and Caroline, or Change, and acclaimed director, playwright, and librettist Tazewell Thompson join forces to create the new opera Blue (June 19–28, 2020), presented in collaboration with Lyric Opera of Chicago in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare. Blue brings audiences into the emotional epicenter as an African-American couple is faced with the sudden death of their son—realizing a mother’s worst fear, and igniting a father’s rage and devastation.

Traditions continue throughout Summer 2019
Chicago Shakespeare also announces two productions for Summer 2019. At the Theater’s home on Navy Pier, celebrated director Brian Hill and choreographer Kenny Ingram join forces to bring new life to the timeless musical classic The Wizard of Oz (July 6–August 25, 2019), based on the original 1939 MGM film, for audiences of all ages.

Now in its eighth year, the FREE FOR ALL Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks tour will bring Shakespeare’s riotous The Comedy of Errors (July 18–August 18, 2019), adapted and directed by David H. Bell, to 18 neighborhood parks across the south, west, and north sides in our City’s most expansive arts-in-communities initiative.

Engaging students and teachers through Team Shakespeare
Chicago Shakespeare’s Team Shakespeare education initiatives serve more than 40,000 teachers and students each year—making it one of the most comprehensive and highly respected arts education programs in the country. Team Shakespeare brings Shakespeare’s work to life in the school curriculum—through live performance, professional learning for educators, comprehensive teaching resources, and opportunities for students to perform Shakespeare.

Key Team Shakespeare initiatives include Bard Core, a year-long professional learning seminar that introduces Chicago Public Schools high school English, Special Education, and ESL teachers to drama-based strategies for engaging students—including struggling and reluctant readers, and English language learners—with Shakespeare and other challenging texts. In the annual Chicago Shakespeare Slam, hundreds of high school students and their teacher coaches from public, private, and parochial schools across the region come together to celebrate the power of Shakespeare and their own voices. A series of Saturday workshops and regional preliminary bouts throughout the fall culminate in a spirited, fun-filled Final Bout onstage at Chicago Shakespeare. In addition to weekday matinee performances of the Theater’s full-length productions, Chicago Shakespeare annually presents an abridged 75-minute Short Shakespeare! production, which welcomes 30,000 students during its seven-week run of weekday matinees, followed by a tour to schools across the region.

These programs—in concert with the free citywide Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks tour and summer family musical series—exemplify the Theater’s steadfast commitment to young audiences—which has resulted in one in four audience members being age 18 or under.

Access Shakespeare
Chicago Shakespeare strives to make its facility and performances accessible to all patrons through Access Shakespeare programming, which offers services designed for individuals with mobility, hearing, or visual impairments for all productions, including the free Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks tour. In addition to offering assistive-listening devices as well as large-print and Braille programs, the Theater schedules dedicated performances featuring ASL duo-interpretation, open captioning, audio description, and touch tours. Tickets to Access Shakespeare performances are provided at pay-what-you-can rates to ensure that cost does not prohibit participation.

Chicago Shakespeare 2019/20 Season Listing

The Wizard of Oz
by L. Frank Baum | with music & lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg
adapted by John Kane
directed by Brian Hill | choreographed by Kenny Ingram
in the Courtyard Theater | July 6–August 25, 2019

Take an unforgettable journey down the Yellow Brick Road to the magical land of Oz with Dorothy and her trusty pup Toto as they encounter new friends—including Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion—and face unexpected challenges in the musical stage adaptation of the landmark 1939 MGM film. Audiences of all ages will be dazzled by the spectacular setting and charmed by its timeless score, featuring such cherished classics as “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “Follow the Yellow Brick Road”—ultimately to discover that there’s truly no place like home.


Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks

The Comedy of Errors
by William Shakespeare
adapted & directed by David H. Bell
on tour to neighborhood parks across Chicago | July 18–August 18, 2019

For the eighth year, Chicago Shakespeare, the City of Chicago, Chicago Park District, Boeing, and BMO Harris Bank partner to present the annual citywide summer tradition, Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks, on tour to neighborhood parks across Chicago, FREE FOR ALL. From Hamilton Park and Columbus Park to Loyola Park and Ping Tom Memorial Park, Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks activates communities across the north, west, and south sides of the city. On each stop of the tour, a specially equipped truck rolls into the park, a stage unfolds, and a company of professional actors shares the delight of Shakespeare’s riotous The Comedy of Errors with families and neighbors. Tour details to be announced this spring.


North American Premiere

The King’s Speech
by David Seidler
directed by Michael Wilson
in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare | September 12–October 27, 2019

Paralyzed by his stammer and unable to speak to a nation in crisis, King George VI ascends the throne as England stands on the brink of war once again with Germany. Enter Lionel Logue, an Australian migrant with a career path as unexpected as the king’s. The remarkable true story of this unlikely bond between a reluctant king and a charismatic subject that inspired the Academy Award-winning film is now brought to the stage, where writer David Seidler first imagined it.

A Man of Good Hope
Isango Ensemble, in co-production with the Young Vic
and in association with the Royal Opera, Repons Foundation, X and Y
based on the book by Jonny Steinberg
directed by Mark Dornford-May
a WorldStage Production from South Africa
in the Courtyard Theater | October 4–13, 2019

A musical theater spectacle, pulsating with the glorious sounds of this Olivier Award-winning ensemble, is the story of one young refugee’s extraordinary odyssey across a continent. Asad, a Somali with a painful past, miraculous good luck, and a brilliant mind for business, sets off for South Africa—the promised land, where he believes he has found a place of safety. He is mistaken. Acclaimed in New York and London, Isango's 22-member cast tells Asad’s story through song and dance steeped in African tradition of unfailing hope in the face of adversity.

Andares
Makuyeika Theatre Collective
written and directed by Héctor Flores Komatsu
a WorldStage Production from México
as part of Destinos – Chicago International Latino Theater Festival
in the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare | October 23–27, 2019

Woven from ancestral myths, traditional music and arts, and a three-person narrative, Andares reveals the extraordinary, untold stories of ordinary, humble people who inhabit Mexico’s most remote corners. Created by director Héctor Flores Komatsu from his personal search to know and understand the original cultures of his homeland, Andares is a moving, fierce denunciation against a present that seems intent upon destroying what was once held as sacred.

Romeo and Juliet
by William Shakespeare
directed by Barbara Gaines
in the Courtyard Theater | November 1–December 22, 2019

A city, two families, and a hatred so old that no one remembers its cause. Defying every boundary forged from their families’ enmity, Romeo and Juliet fall in love. In a society torn apart by hate, Shakespeare sets his immortal tale of love and senseless tragedy. For Chicago Shakespeare Artistic Director Barbara Gaines, now is the time to direct her first Romeo and Juliet, as Chicago awaits her vision for the most famous love story of all time.

Emma
based on the novel by Jane Austen
book, music & lyrics by Paul Gordon
directed by Barbara Gaines
in the Courtyard Theater | January 28–March 15, 2020

Jane Austen’s beloved novel is now a deliciously charming musical, created by Tony Award-nominated composer and lyricist Paul Gordon (Jane Eyre, Sense and Sensibility, Daddy Long Legs). Privileged, pampered, and preoccupied with romance, Emma Woodhouse indulges in her pastime of misguided matchmaking, but is clueless when it comes to her own feelings and a gentleman named Mr. Knightley. As our imperfect heroine learns that love cannot be predicted or channeled, we are swept up by Paul Gordon’s lyrical melodies.

Royal Shakespeare Company engagement
A WorldStage Production from the UK
in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare | April 2020

In April 2020, Chicago Shakespeare is pleased to welcome the renowned Royal Shakespeare Company back to Chicago for the first time in 25 years with a signature production of a Shakespeare play. Following Chicago Shakespeare’s performances on the RSC stage in Stratford-upon-Avon as part of the Complete Works Festival, both theaters have sought the opportunity for Chicago audiences to experience the RSC’s work onstage at Chicago Shakespeare—promising to be a theatrical highlight of the spring. Title to be announced in the coming months.

As You Like It
by William Shakespeare
adapted & directed by Daryl Cloran
conceived by Daryl Cloran and Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival
in association with the Citadel Theatre and Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre in the Courtyard Theater | May 1–June 21, 2020

It’s the 1960s, when all you need is love. Free spirits escape a world gone wrong to get back to the land—a place that promises safe harbor from the corrupt ways of the city, but no one is spared here from the hazards of love. The irrepressible Rosalind takes refuge in the forest. So, too, does her love Orlando, with much to learn from the woman of his dreams, now disguised in boy’s garb. This high-spirited, music-filled adaptation infuses Shakespeare’s comedy with the hit songs of The Beatles—lifting the playwright’s timeless verse in beautiful harmony with the immortal music of the “Fab Four.” As You Like It is adapted and directed by Daryl Cloran, Artistic Director of Canada’s acclaimed Citadel Theatre, and originated at Vancouver's Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival.

Blue
music by Jeanine Tesori | libretto by Tazewell Thompson
directed by Tazewell Thompson
in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare | June 19–28, 2020
in collaboration with Lyric Opera of Chicago

Blue brings audiences into the emotional epicenter of an African-American family in which the father is a police officer and the son is a politically active teenager. When the son is killed by police, his death realizes the mother’s worst fear, and ignites his father’s rage and devastation. The new opera is inspired by contemporary events and Black literature, including Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me and James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time, and focuses on the joys and sorrows of bringing a child into a world in which African-American families are forced to question if their sons’ lives matter. Blue is a coproduction of Glimmerglass Festival, Washington National Opera, and Lyric Opera of Chicago.

For information on purchasing tickets, visit www.chicagoshakes.com or call the CST Box Office at 312.595.5600. A variety of flexible season ticket packages will be on sale soon, offering savings over single tickets, and guaranteeing your seat at every production you choose to see. Discounted tickets are available for groups of 10 or more.

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER
Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, Chicago Shakespeare has redefined what a great American Shakespeare theater can be—a company that defies theatrical category. This Regional Tony Award-winning theater’s year-round season features as many as twenty productions and 650 performances—including plays, musicals, world premieres, family programming, and presentations from around the globe. Chicago Shakespeare is the city’s leading presenter of international work, and has toured its own productions across five continents. The Theater’s nationally acclaimed arts in literacy programs support the work of teachers, and bring Shakespeare to life on stage for tens of thousands of students annually. Each summer, the company tours a free professional production to neighborhood parks across Chicago. In 2017 the Theater unveiled The Yard, which, together with the Jentes Family Courtyard Theater and the Thoma Theater Upstairs, positions Chicago Shakespeare as Chicago’s most versatile performing arts center.

FREE THEATRE: Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks A Midsummer Night’s Dream Presents 25 Performances in 18 Parks July 25 – August 26, 2018

Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:

FREE FOR ALL

Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks 

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Announcing 25 Performances in 18 Parks, 

July 25 – August 26, 2018

ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List: Free Family Friendly Theatre Fun:

Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks has been a family favorite of ours since they began offering the free show tours in Chicago parks in 2012. This year we're extra excited for the shows since CST founder and Artistic Director, Barbara Gaines is directing this 75-minute abridged production! Check out our review of CST's Short Shakespeare version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream production for school groups and the public at The Yard, earlier this year. We were thrilled to partner up with CST on a 4 pack ticket giveaway for one of our lucky readers. The best news is, now all of Chicago can catch A Midsummer Night’s Dream for free in the great outdoors! Gather a picnic, chairs, family and friends, and come catch the show at a Chicago park this summer.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST), the City of Chicago, Chicago Park District, and Boeing partner to present the annual citywide summer tradition, Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks. Made possible by production sponsor BMO Harris Bank, 25 performances of Shakespeare’s timeless classic A Midsummer Night’s Dream, adapted and directed by the Theater’s founder and artistic director Barbara Gaines, will tour free for all to 18 neighborhood parks across the City, July 25–August 26, 2018.

“Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks brings world-class theater to neighborhoods across the city and gives residents the chance to experience the best of what Chicago has to offer right in their own backyard,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “I look forward to watching many of our top local performances in this summer’s rendition of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. ”

The Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks tour of A Midsummer Night’s Dream kicks off at Polk Bros Park on Navy Pier with four performances: Wednesday, July 25 through Saturday, July 28—all beginning at 7:00pm.



Parks scheduled to be visited, rain or shine, include:

Wednesday, July 25 at 7:00pm | Polk Bros Park at Navy Pier (600 E. Grand Ave.)
Thursday, July 26 at 7:00pm | Polk Bros Park at Navy Pier (600 E. Grand Ave.)
Friday, July 27 at 7:00pm | Polk Bros Park at Navy Pier (600 E. Grand Ave.)
Saturday, July 28 at 7:00pm | Polk Bros Park at Navy Pier (600 E. Grand Ave.)
Tuesday, July 31 at 6:30pm | Ellis Park (3520 S. Cottage Grove Ave.)
Wednesday, August 01 at 6:30pm | Gage Park (2411 W. 55th St.)
Thursday, August 02 at 6:30pm | Kelvyn Park (4438 W. Wrightwood Ave.)
Friday, August 03 at 6:30pm | Eckhart Park (1330 W. Chicago Ave.)
Saturday, August 04 at 6:30pm | Welles Park (2333 W. Sunnyside Ave.)
Sunday, August 05 at 4:00pm | Welles Park (2333 W. Sunnyside Ave.)
Tuesday, August 07 at 6:30pm | Columbus Park (500 S. Central Ave.)
Wednesday, August 08 at 6:30pm | Tuley Park (501 E. 90th Pl.)
Thursday, August 09 at 6:30pm | Humboldt Park (1301 N. Sacramento Ave.)
Friday, August 10 at 6:30pm | Humboldt Park (1301 N. Sacramento Ave.)
Saturday, August 11 at 6:30pm | Frank J. Wilson Park (4630 N. Milwaukee Ave.)
Sunday, August 12 at 4:00pm | Frank J. Wilson Park (4630 N. Milwaukee Ave.)
Tuesday, August 14 at 6:30pm | Ridge Park (1817 W. 96th St.)
Wednesday, August 15 at 6:30pm | Garfield Park (100 N. Central Park Ave.)
Thursday, August 16 at 6:30pm | Dvorak Park (1119 W. Cullerton St.)
Tuesday, August 21 at 6:30pm | Calumet Park (9801 S. Ave. G)
Wednesday, August 22 at 6:30pm | Ogden Park (6500 S. Racine Ave.)
Thursday, August 23 at 6:30pm | Piotrowski Park (4247 W. 31st St.)
Friday, August 24 at 6:30pm | Loyola Park (1230 W. Greenleaf Ave.)
Saturday, August 25 at 6:30pm | Loyola Park (1230 W. Greenleaf Ave.)
Sunday, August 26 at 4:00pm | Ping Tom Memorial Park (1700 S. Wentworth Ave.)



“We are proud to partner with Chicago Shakespeare Theater to bring free Shakespeare to our beautiful neighborhood parks,” said Chicago Park District Superintendent and CEO Michael P. Kelly. “This is just one of the 1,200 multidisciplinary and multicultural Night Out in the Parks offerings that everyone is invited to come, see and experience in Chicago’s parks this summer.”

The citywide tour is made possible by a renewed civic, cultural, and corporate partnership between Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the City of Chicago, Chicago Park District, Boeing, and production sponsor BMO Harris Bank. Since the inception of the Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks program seven years ago, more than 130,000 Chicagoans have taken advantage of free performances in their communities.

“The Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks program has become a local symbol for increased access to and participation in the arts” said John Blazey, Vice President of Boeing Global Engagement. “This unique partnership among city agencies, community-based organizations, local artists, and neighborhood residents is a powerful example of how investment in the arts helps to bring vitality to our communities by engaging families and building connections with one another.”

David Casper, President and CEO, BMO Harris Bank said, “BMO Harris Bank is proud to sponsor this summer’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a magical story that has been delighting audiences for over four hundred years. Chicago Shakespeare Theater shares our commitment to ensuring that great theater is accessible to all, and we look forward to partnering with them in bringing this production to neighborhoods across the city.”



For the first time since the establishment of the Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks tour in 2012, director Barbara Gaines is directing this 75-minute abridged production for audiences across Chicago. Gaines has always treasured the Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks tour, which carries on the tradition of free Shakespeare that she established in the early years of the Theater. Gaines brings a vision of merriment to the enchanting story of four young lovers who set out for the forest, in which an amateur theater troupe is rehearsing. When the Fairy Court discovers these mortals in their midst, mischief ensues until dawn.



The Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks A Midsummer Night’s Dream cast includes Jasmine Bracey (Titania/Hippolyta), Adam Wesley Brown (Bottom), Richard Costes (Snout), Danielle Davis (Starveling), Lane Anthony Flores (Flute/Fairy), Kevin Gudahl (Oberon/Theseus), Jarrett King (Egeus/Quince), Tyrone Phillips (Demetrius), Cage Sebastian Pierre (Puck), Laura Rook (Helena), Faith Servant (Hermia), Christopher Sheard (Lysander), and Hannah Starr (Snug/Fairy). Joining Gaines on the creative team is Scenic Designer Kevin Depinet, Costume Designer Mieka van der Ploeg, Sound Designer Mikhail Fiksel, and Wig and Make-up Designer Richard Jarvie.

Partnering with the Chicago Park District, Chicago Shakespeare Theater is offering ASL-interpreted performances at six of the eighteen Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks tour stops:

Friday, August 03 at 6:30pm | Eckhart Park (1330 W. Chicago Ave.)
Saturday, August 04 at 6:30pm | Welles Park (2333 W. Sunnyside Ave.)
Wednesday, August 08 at 6:30pm | Tuley Park (501 E. 90th Pl.)
Tuesday, August 14 at 6:30pm | Ridge Park (1817 W. 96th St.)
Saturday, August 25 at 6:30pm | Loyola Park (1230 W. Greenleaf Ave.)
Sunday, August 26 at 4:00pm | Ping Tom Memorial Park (1700 S. Wentworth Ave.)

Sign-interpreting the performances are Elizabeth Bartlow Breslin and Will Lee. Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks will also offer an Audio-described performance on Sunday, August 12 at 4:00pm at Frank J. Wilson Park (4630 N. Milwaukee Ave.) for audience members who are blind or have low vision, in which a describer provides a description of visual elements of the production transmitted through headphones. Assistive-listening devices are available for all performances. For more information on Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks, visit www.chicagoshakes.com/parks.



ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER
A global theatrical force, Chicago Shakespeare Theater is known for vibrant productions that reflect Shakespeare’s genius for storytelling, musicality of language, and empathy for the human condition. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, Chicago Shakespeare has redefined what a great American Shakespeare theater can be, putting forward a company that delights in the unexpected and defies theatrical category. A Regional Tony Award winner, the Theater produces acclaimed plays at its home on Navy Pier, throughout Chicago’s schools and neighborhoods, and on stages around the world. In 2017, the Theater unveiled a new stage, The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare. Together with the Jentes Family Courtyard Theater and the Thoma Theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, The Yard positions Chicago Shakespeare as the city’s most versatile performing arts venue.

OPENING: Chicago Shakespeare Theatre debuts Short Shakespeare! Twelfth Night While Filter Theatre from the UK Present Twelfth Night Upstairs

Shakespeare would have been amused. Two different versions of the same show are occupying two different floors of the same theatre simultaneously this March!  

I've always had a soft spot for Twelfth Night since I was Viola's understudy back in college. As a mom, I've also been a long time fan of Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's "Short Shakespeare" series. These abridged versions are still full on Shakespearian dialect and keep the plot and characters true to the original, while trimming each piece to an action packed, more accessible hour and 15 minutes. We eagerly anticipate the Short Shakespeare shows every season. Highly recommended. Most of these are reserved for school groups so the few public performances sell out fast, so book now.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents A Shakespeare 400 Chicago event Short Shakespeare! Twelfth Night Newly abridged work adapted and directed by Kirsten Kelly Public Performances Saturdays at 11am, March 5–April 9, 2016

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) debuts the newly abridged Short Shakespeare! Twelfth Night , a 75-minute production of William Shakespeare’s tale of mistaken identity and unexpected love. In the midst of the 2016 celebration of Shakespeare 400 Chicago, this new adaptation by director Kirsten Kelly makes an outstanding introduction to Shakespeare for audiences of all ages. In addition to public performances each Saturday, this production welcomes 1,000 students each day during its four-week run in the Courtyard Theater, followed by an extensive tour to schools across the Midwest through May 6, 2016. Short Shakespeare! Twelfth Night will be performed for the public Saturdays at 11:00 a.m.—March 5, 12, 19 & 26 and April 2 & 9, 2016. After each Saturday morning performance, the actors remain on stage for a question-and-answer session, before joining the audience in the Lobby for one-on-one conversations and photo opportunities. CST strives to make its facility and performances accessible to all patrons through its Access Shakespeare programs. An “Access Shakespeare” performance for Short Shakespeare! Twelfth Night occurs on Saturday, April 9 at 11:00 a.m. and includes ASL Duo-interpretation, Open Captioning and Audio Description. When separated from her brother Sebastian in a tragic shipwreck, Viola disguises herself as a man while navigating the unfamiliar land of Illyria. She enters into the service of the handsome Duke Orsino and finds herself caught in the midst of an unrequited love triangle. Misunderstandings and mistaken identities abound in Shakespeare’s romantic comedy. The Short Shakespeare! production of Twelfth Night gives opportunities for families and young audiences to engage with Shakespeare’s play through the text’s use of humor and youthful characters. Music is incorporated throughout the production, as the emotions of the characters are amplified through the diverse sounds of piano, guitar, ukulele, cajon and banjolele. Director and award-winning documentary filmmaker Kirsten Kelly  has been an integral partner of the CST Education team for more than a decade, including co-founding the CPS Shakespeare! program with CST Director of Education Marilyn Halperin ten years ago. The initiative engages Chicago Public Schools students and teachers to create a unique Shakespeare production on the Courtyard stage. Returning with another of her own adaptations of Shakespeare’s canon after 2015’s Short Shakespeare! Macbeth, Kelly approaches Short Shakespeare! Twelfth Night  with a diverse audience in mind—making an exciting theatrical encounter for even the newest of Shakespeare fans. The Short Shakespeare! Twelfth Night cast includes Rebecca Hurd (Viola), Neal Moeller (Duke Orsino), Nate Santana (Sebastian), Krystel Lucas (Olivia), La Shawn Banks (Malvolio), Lynn Robert Berg (Antonio/Captain), Lydia Berger Gray (Maria), Ronald Conner (Sir Toby Belch), Dominic Conti (Sir Andrew Aguecheek), Donovan Diaz (Fabian), Will Mobley (Feste), Colin Morgan (Valentine) and Nik Kmiecik (Curio). The creative team features Scenic Designer Scott Davis, Costume Designer  Rachel Healy, Lighting Designer Greg Hofmann, Composer and Sound Designer Ethan Deppe and CST’s Resident Wig and Make-up Designer Melissa Veal. With public performances on Saturday, CST’s Short Shakespeare! series is an essential component of the Theater’s celebrated Team Shakespeare  education program. In addition to six weeks of public performances, the production will host student performances in the Theater’s home on Navy Pier and then embark on a four-week tour to urban, suburban and rural schools across the Midwest. With a crew of eight and a 20-foot-long box truck, the production will transform each venue, giving students the experience of a fully realized professional performance. Chicago Shakespeare partners with teachers to extend the experience into the classroom, providing show-specific materials and activities in addition to leading free professional development workshops for teachers. These resources ensure teachers are well-equipped to effectively connect the words and works of the playwright to their students. As the world commemorates the 400 years since Shakespeare’s death in 1616, Shakespeare 400 Chicago  brings together the city’s resident world-class institutions across disciplines, and welcomes leading artists from around the globe to make Chicago their stage. Spearheaded by Chicago Shakespeare Theater, this yearlong international arts festival will engage more than 500,000 Chicagoans and visitors in events spanning theater, opera, music, dance, cuisine, exhibitions, workshops and discussion series—including opportunities for students and teachers like Short Shakespeare! Twelfth Night. Programs like this ensure that Shakespeare 400 Chicago is not only occurring in institutions and theaters downtown, but also in schools across the region. PERFORMANCE LISTING Saturday, March 5, 2016 – 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 12, 2016 – 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 19, 2016 – 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 26, 2016 – 11:00 a.m. Saturday, April 2, 2016 – 11:00 a.m. Saturday, April 9, 2016 – 11:00 a.m. Tickets: $22–$34 www.chicagoshakes.com • 312.595.5600 For more information, visit www.chicagoshakes.com/sstwelfth. About Chicago Shakespeare Theater Chicago Shakespeare Theater is a global theatrical force, known for vibrant productions that reflect Shakespeare’s genius for storytelling, language and empathy for the human condition. Throughout 2016, CST is spearheading the international arts and culture festival, Shakespeare 400 Chicago, a citywide celebration of the playwright's 400-year legacy. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, CST is dedicated to creating extraordinary production of classics, new works and family programming; to unlocking Shakespeare’s work for educators and students; and to serving as Chicago’s cultural ambassador through its World’s Stage Series. CST serves as a partner in literacy to Chicago Public Schools, working alongside English teachers to help struggling readers connect with Shakespeare in the classroom, and bringing his text to life on stage for 40,000 students every year. And each summer, 30,000 families and audience members of all ages welcome the free Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks tour into their neighborhoods across the far north, west and south sides of the city. Reflecting the global city it calls home, CST is the leading producer of international work in Chicago, and has toured its plays abroad to Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Canada/North America and the Middle East. CST is proud to take an active role in empowering the next generation of literate, engaged cultural champions and creative minds. The Theater’s tradition of excellence and civic leadership has been honored with numerous national and international awards, including the Regional Theatre Tony Award, three Laurence Olivier Awards, and eighty total Joseph Jefferson Awards. CST’s work with Chicago Public School students and teachers was recognized by the White House in 2014 with the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award. Among its many international engagements, CST participated in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2006 Complete Works Festival and was selected to represent North America at the Globe to Globe festival as part of London’s 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

You can also catch another version of Twelfth Night at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre this March, with actors from the UK, born with British accents! 

"Rock and roll Shakespeare... blessed with wit, style and a sense of magic"

The Daily Telegraph (UK)

Read More

THE PLAY

Two worlds collide in Filter Theatre’s explosive take on Shakespeare’s lyrical Twelfth Night, originally commissioned for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Complete Works Festival in 2006. This story of romance, satire and mistaken identity combines dynamic narrative drive with a torrent of sound and music. Olivia’s melancholic, puritanical household clashes head on with Sir Toby’s insatiable appetite for drunken debauchery. Orsino’s relentless pursuit of Olivia and Malvolio’s extraordinary transformation typify the madness of love in Illyria: land of make-believe and illusion. Experience the madness of love in this heady world where riotous gig meets Shakespeare. 

- Click HERE to see more

HELP OUT: Inaugural Family Gala on July 12 Seussapalooza at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre

Chicago Shakespeare Theater Producers’ Guild hosts

Inaugural Family Gala on July 12

Seussapalooza

Benefitting Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks

Chicago—June 26, 2014—Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s (CST) 

Come ChiIL out with Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and ChiIL Mama. We can't wait to experience both Seussical AND Seussapalooza this Saturday! And all this fun will funD another true treasure, Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks. Break out your funkiest Dr. Seuss attire and help out. You can say you were there at the FIRST CST Family Gala EVER. Tickets start at a reasonable $45 and the event is family friendly, with stage combat demos, crafts, hands on activities, and more!

CST’s inaugural Family Gala, Seussapalooza on July 12, 2014, 11:00 a.m. at the Theater’s home on Navy Pier. This family-friendly event invites guests to enjoy the summer musical production of Seussical in CST’s Courtyard Theater, followed by a lively reception with hands-on activities and crafts for all ages. In keeping with the Producers’ Guild’s mission to support access to Shakespeare for all, funds raised will benefit the celebrated Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks program, which brings a free Shakespearean production to neighborhood parks across Chicago in the summer. 

Click here for Shakespeare in the Parks 2014 dates/locations and ChiIL Mama's photo filled review of the show.

Seussapalooza guests will first be treated to a performance of Seussical in CST’s magnificent Courtyard Theater. This 75-minute Broadway musical comedy brings the humor and magic of Dr. Seuss to life onstage. Playful, energetic and full of whimsy, Seussical engages the imagination with clever lyrics and melodies, unforgettable characters and the vibrant rainbow of Dr. Seuss’s colorful world.

The Cat in the Hat (Alex Goodrich) shows JoJo (Emily Chang) that, through the power of her imagination, anything can happen in the song “It’s Possible” in Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Seussical, directed by Scott Weinstein, in CST’s Courtyard Theater now through August 17, 2014. Photo by Michael Brosilow. Following the performance, attendees will proceed to a whimsical reception taking place throughout the Theater’s 6th floor lobbies and performance spaces, featuring a delicious luncheon, vivid décor and soaring views of the city’s skyline. Hands-on activities for children of all ages will include stage combat demonstrations by professional fight choreographers, a photo booth with theatrical props and artful face painting, as well as crafts and other games. A silent auction with exclusive family fun packages will further support Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks.

Proceeds from Seussapalooza will fully fund a designated park on this summer’s Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks tour of the wildly popular A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which will travel to 18 neighborhood parks across the city, July 18–August 17, 2014. Since its inception in July 2012, this annual summer tradition has touched over 27,000 audience members on the north, south and west sides of the city. At each stop on the citywide tour, families and neighbors come together to share in the delight of a professional Shakespearean production.





CST’s Producers’ Guild, led by Rachel Bronson and Justine Jentes, is a dynamic auxiliary board for emerging leadership in Chicago’s cultural community that advocates and supports CST’s work on the Theater’s stages, in the community and abroad. The Family Gala is co-chaired by Karen and Tuey Connell and Robin and Timothy Sheehan.

Seussapalooza Lead Sponsors include Beecken Petty O’Keefe & Company, Biagio Events, the Butler Family Foundation and Make It Better Magazine.

Tickets for the Seussapalooza event begin at $45. To join Chicago Shakespeare Theater in celebration of Seussapalooza, please contact Margaret Reeder at 312.667.4951 or mreeder@chicagoshakes.com.

A musical adventure through the world of Dr. Seuss Seussical Directed by Scott Weinstein Chicago Shakespeare Theater brings the humor and magic of Dr. Seuss to life onstage this summer for young audiences and their families in the Broadway musical comedy Seussical. Playful, energetic and full of whimsy, this 75-minute musical adventure engages the imagination with clever lyrics and melodies, unforgettable characters and the colorful world of Dr. Seuss. Every performance features special opportunities for audiences to interact with the actors for one-on-one conversations and photos. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, CST partners with the Chicago Children’s Museum (CCM) to offer hands-on craft activities in CST’s Lobby. Seussical is being presented in CST’s Courtyard Theater now through August 17, 2014.