Hot Holiday Themed Shows in Chicago 2022

How can it be December already?! If you're looking for some fun ways to entertain family and friends or clutter-busting, experiential gift ideas, check out Chicago's theatre scene. After years of pandemic induced theatre closures, the lights are back on and audiences and actors alike appreciate live theatre more than ever. Here at ChiIL Mama, we catch hundreds of shows a year and these are a few of our holiday favs. 

Chronological Order:

Elf the Musical, Drury Lane Theatre, November 9, 2022 – January 8, 2023

It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, American Blues Theater, November/December 2022

What the Elf?, The Second City, November 17-January 1

The Best of The Second City Holidays, November 21-December 31

A Christmas Carol, Drury Lane Theatre for Young Audiences, November 25 - December 30, 2022

Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley, Northlight Theatre, November 25 – December 24, 2022

The Second City’s Holiday Improv Bruch, The Second City, Sundays November 27, 2022-January 1, 2023 

Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol, Writers Theatre, November 29-December 24, 2022

Jackie Taylor’s Joy to the World: A Holiday Celebration, Black Ensemble Theater, December 10, 11, 17 and 18, 2022

Cirque Dreams Holidaze, Auditorium Theatre, December 22-24, 2022

AMERICAN BLUES THEATER

It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!

From Frank Capra’s film

Directed by Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside

Music Direction by Ensemble Member Michael Mahler

November/December 29 at Location TBD

(773) 654-3103; www.americanbluestheater.com

 Recommended for all ages

George Bailey, the Everyman from small town Bedford Falls whose dreams of escape and adventure were stopped by family obligation and civic duty, has fallen onto desperate times. Only a miracle can save him from despair. Filled with original music and classic holiday carols, this critically acclaimed, warm “holiday favorite makes the bell ring every time.” (Chicago Tribune) For 21 years, American Blues has treated audiences to a live retelling of the Frank Capra classic in a 1940s radio broadcast tradition, making It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! the second longest-running holiday play in Chicago!

 

BLACK ENSEMBLE THEATER

4450 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60640

(773) 769-4451

https://blackensembletheater.org/

 Recommended for all ages

Jackie Taylor’s Joy to the World: A Holiday Celebration

December 10, 11, 17 and 18, 2022

Tickets: $55 ($50 for seniors; ½ price for children under 18).  

An uplifting, inspirational and fun musical tribute to the holiday, written and directed by Jackie Taylor, featuring Robin DaSilva, Rhonda Preston, Vincent Jordan, Jim Wynton, Dwight Neal, Colleen Perry and a live band.

 

CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE

Auditorium Theater

50 E Ida B. Wells Dr in Chicago

(312) 341-2342; auditoriumtheatre.org

Tickets start at $45

 

Cirque Dreams Holidaze

December 22-24

Thursday, December 22 at 7:30pm; Friday, December 23 at 11am, 3pm and 7:30pm; Saturday, December 24 at 11am and 3pm.

 Recommended for all ages

Cirque Dreams Holidaze lights up the stage in this popular and dazzling family holiday spectacular. This annual tradition wraps a whimsical, Broadway-style musical infused with contemporary circus artistry into the ultimate holiday gift for the entire family! This critically acclaimed extravaganza is sure to dazzle any audience as Broadway World proclaims it, “The Perfect Holiday Gift… a show that everyone will enjoy.” Audiences of all ages will marvel at soaring acrobatics, gravity defying feats and extravagant theatrical production numbers the Boston Globe hails as “Entrancing… Las Vegas meets family entertainment.”

 

DRURY LANE THEATRE

Drury Lane Theatre

100 Drury Lane

Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181

(630) 530-8300; http://drurylanetheatre.com

A full schedule of holiday events, including Afternoon Tea and Brunch/Dinner with Santa at Drury Lane’s Lucille Restaurant, is available here: https://lucillerestaurant.com/holiday-events/

 Recommended for all ages

Elf the Musical

Book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin

Music by Matthew Sklar

Lyrics by Chad Beguelin

Based upon the New Line Cinema film written by David Berenbaum

November 9, 2022 – January 8, 2023

Schedule: Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m., Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Tickets:  Single Tickets: $69 – $84*

 

After discovering he is really a human raised as an elf, Buddy makes the journey from the North Pole to New York City to find his birth father, sharing the true meaning of Christmas along the way. Elf the Musical brings heart, hilarity, and holiday joy—after all, “the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!” Based on the hit Christmas film, the musical adaptation was nominated for one Drama League Award.

 

Drury Lane Theatre for Young Audiences presents  

A CHRISTMAS CAROL 

By Charles Dickens 

November 25 - December 30, 2022

Performances: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10:00am; Fridays and Saturdays at 10:00am and 12:00pm      

Tickets: Start at $26

Set in Victorian-era London, Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol tells the classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and the ghosts that visit him one fateful Christmas Eve, hoping to change his miserly ways. Continue your tradition or start a new one by gathering the whole family for Drury Lane Theatre's heartwarming production. Complete with falling snow, magical illusions and special effects, the play is a visually-stunning experience, and at one hour long, perfect for children of all ages. On select performance dates, families will have the opportunity to have breakfast or dinner with Santa Claus in Drury Lane's elegantly decorated dining room.

NORTHLIGHT THEATRE

9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie, IL 60077

(847) 673-6300

http://www.northlight.org/

Previews: $30-$61; Regular run: $30-$89

Student tickets are $15, any performance (subject to availability)

 

Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley

By Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon

Directed by Marti Lyons

Rolling World Premiere

November 25 – December 24, 2022

Recommended for adults

The beloved characters from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice return for a third and final installment of the Pemberley trilogy (Miss Bennet, The Wickhams). The youngest Darcy and Bennet sisters have become fast friends, and eagerly await the arrival of Georgiana’s secret correspondent. Mixups of manners and an overprotective Mr. Darcy keep romance from unfolding easily. But music, ambition, friendship, and sisterhood lead to happiness—and a love story that spans a lifetime.

 

 

THE SECOND CITY

230 W North Ave, Chicago

312-337-3992

www.secondcity.com

Recommended for adults

 

What the Elf?

Running November 17 – January 1 

Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 7pm.

Tickets start at $29

It’s just not the holidays without hot cocoa…and hot takes! Make merry at The Second City with this original sketch, variety, and improv celebration of the season. After all, what better time to look back and laugh at 2022? Let’s toast to the best…and roast all the rest.

 

The Best of The Second City Holidays

Running November 21 – December 31

Mondays at 8pm & Saturdays at 3pm.

Tickets start at $29

 

We guarantee yule laugh a whole latke as The Second City unwraps the most wonderful time of the year in our nut-cracking-est, jingle-bell-ing-est revue ever! Celebrate over sixty years of sketches, songs, and comedic conviviality as the next generation of comedy superstars perform our greatest holiday hits. Plus, The Second City’s famous improvisation means every show is like a snowflake: no two are alike--or are impervious to climate change.

 

The Second City’s Holiday Improv Brunch

Running November 27 – January 1 

Sundays at noon

Tickets are $35 (menu items sold separately)

From uproarious laughter to limitless libations, The Second City’s Holiday Improv Brunch is the gift that keeps on giving! Bring your band of merrymakers as we scramble together two of everyone’s favorites, comedy and brunch, for a scrumptiously seasonal breakfast with a totally improvised experience from the city’s finest. Whether you side on the Naughty or the Nice List, come enjoy mimosas...we don’t judge.

WRITERS THEATRE

Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre

325 Tudor Court, Glencoe

www.writerstheatre.org

 

Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol

Presented LIVE on stage for the first time

November 29-December 24, 2022

Tickets: $35-$90

 Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol is recommended for patrons ages 12+

Told through puppetry and music, this striking holiday experience comes to brilliant life on stage for the first time!

An avowed holiday skeptic, Aunt Trudy has been recruited to channel her late husband Joe’s famous Christmas cheer over a Zoom call with family. But as Trudy becomes more absorbed in her own version of the Ebeneezer Scrooge story, the puppets take on a life of their own, and the family’s call transforms into a stunning cinematic adaptation of Dickens’s classic ghost story.

After the stunning success of its online Christmas Carol, Manual Cinema uses its groundbreaking creativity and powerful storytelling to elevate one of the most famous holiday stories ever told to new heights in this unique theatrical experience. Featuring the combined talents of actors, puppeteers and musicians, come experience a new holiday tradition unlike anything else you’ve seen before. 

The cast included Lizi Breit (Puppeteer), Sarah Fornace (Puppeteer), Ben Kauffman (Guitar, Piano, Lead Vocals), N. LaQuis Harkin (Aunt Trudy, Puppeteer), Julia Miller (Puppeteer), and Kyle Vegter (Cello, Keys, Vocals).

The creative team includes Drew Dir (Storyboards), Ben Kauffman and Kyle Vegter (Original Music and Sound Design), Drew Dir with Lizi Breit (Puppet Design), Sarah Fornace and Julia Miller (Puppet Build Assistants), Julia Miller and Kyle Vegter (Set Design), Julia Miller (Costume Design), Mike Usrey (Technical Director and Sound Engineer), Shelby Sparkles (Stage Manager), and Ben Kauffman (Streaming and UX).

OPENING: Nina Simone: Four Women at Northlight Theatre Through March 2, 2019

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

Northlight Theatre 

continues its 2018-19 season with

Nina Simone: Four Women

Written by Christina Ham

Directed by Kenneth L. Roberson

Featuring Melanie Brezill, Sydney Charles, 

Deanna Reed-Foster, Ariel Richardson, and Daniel Riley

January 24 – March 2, 2019

I'll be out for the press opening February 1, so check back soon for my full review. I'm eager to catch Nina Simone: Four Women. It's not only an ode to the power of music and women in the fight for civil rights, but a still too timely reminder that Black Lives Matter and liberty and justice for all have not been achieved yet. 

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, continues its 2018-19 season with Nina Simone: Four Women, written by Christina Ham and directed by Kenneth L. Roberson. Nina Simone: Four Women runs January 24 – March 2, 2019 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie. 

Nina Simone’s song "Four Women" was released as part of her 1966 album Wild Is the Wind. It tells the story of four different African American women, each representing an African-American stereotype in society.

In the aftermath of 1963’s 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, Nina Simone rocked the nation with “Four Women,” her tribute in song to the four little girls lost in the tragedy. Powerful anthems such as “Mississippi Goddam,” “Old Jim Crow,” and “To Be Young, Gifted and Black” followed, fueling the Civil Rights movement and transforming her public persona from songstress to activist. Celebrate Ms. Simone’s lasting legacy in this provocative and personal musical journey. 

Artistic Director BJ Jones comments, “Nina Simone’s musical genius is undeniable, and her leadership in the Civil Rights Movement stems from her musical articulation of its principles and goals. Northlight audiences can expect to learn about Simone’s extraordinary talent and her discovery of her activist voice, which syncs with this moment in the Black Lives Matter movement. It also reveals how important women were in the Civil Rights Movement and how little credit they were given historically.”

The cast of Nina Simone: Four Women includes Melanie Brezill (Sweet Thing), Sydney Charles (Nina Simone), Deanna Reed-Foster (Sarah), Ariel Richardson (Sephronia), and Daniel Riley (Sam Waymon).  

The creative team includes Christopher Rhoton (set design), Michael Alan Stein (costume design), Lee Fiskness (lighting design) and Lindsay Jones (sound design). The stage manager is Rita Vreeland and the dramaturg is Lauren Shouse.

Northlight's production of Nina Simone: Four Women is supported in part by Alan Zunamon and Nancy Cunniff. The 2018-19 Season is supported by BMO Harris and ComEd, An Exelon Company.

Nina Simone: Four Women premiered at Park Square Theatre in St. Paul, MN in March 2016. 

ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Christina Ham (Playwright) has had plays developed and produced both nationally and internationally with the Kennedy Center, Arena Stage, Center Theater Group, The Guthrie Theater, Ensemble Studio Theatre, The Goodman Theatre, Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, Tony Award winning producer Arielle Tepper Madover off-Broadway at Theater Row, and the Tokyo International Arts Festival among many others. Christina is a two-time recipient of a McKnight Fellowship in Playwriting and a Jerome Fellowship from the Playwrights’ Center in Minneapolis, the Marianne Murphy Women & Philanthropy Award in Playwriting, a MacDowell Colony Artist Residency, and a previous nominee for Center Theater Group’s Richard E. Sherwood Award for Distinguished Emerging Theater Artist. She has received commissions from the Kennedy Center, The Guthrie Theater, and Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, among many others. Her plays are published by Dramatic Publishing, Heinemann, PlayScripts, Inc., Smith and Kraus, and Oberon Books. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California and holds an MFA in Playwriting from The UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television where she was a Graduate Opportunity Fellow.

Director Kenneth L. Roberson is making his Northlight debut, as is the entire cast including Melanie Brezill (Sweet Thing), Sydney Charles (Nina Simone), Deanna Reed-Foster (Sarah), Ariel Richardson (Sephronia), and Daniel Riley (Sam Waymon).  

Kenneth L. Roberson (Director) has directed Ethel (Alliance Theatre and Alabama Shakespeare Festival); Crowns, Lady Day at the Emerson Bar and Grill (Arena Stage); Once on This Island (Baltimore Center Stage); Wycliffe Gordon’s Jazz a La Carte (Harlem Jazz Shrines Festival); Frog Kiss (Virginia Stage); Urinetown, Into The Woods and Pippin (Indiana University). Broadway and Off-Broadway choreography credits include: Avenue Q (Tony Award Best Musical), All Shook Up, Purlie, Colman Domingo’s A Boy and His Soul, John Lequizamo’s Freak, Seven Guitars and The Piano Lesson. TV and Film choreography credits include: HBO’s Lackawanna Blues, Preaching to the Choir, and John Lequizamo’s House of Buggin’ (Emmy nomination outstanding choreography). Also a performance artist, his one man shows have played New York Public Theatre, Joe’s Pub the Triad Theatre, and Baltimore Center Stage. A graduate of the University of Georgia, he is currently Professor of Practice at Indiana University in the Theatre, Drama and Contemporary Dance Department.

Melanie Brezill (Sweet Thing) is making her Northlight debut. Broadway and National Tours include The Book of Mormon and Mamma Mia!. Regional credits include: Little Shop of Horrors, Aida (Drury Lane); Last Stop on Market Street, My Wonderful Birthday Suit, and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (Chicago Children’s Theatre); Man In the Ring, Caroline, Or Change (Court); A Christmas Carol, Crowns (Goodman); The MLK Project (Writers); Yeast Nation (American Theater Company); Living Green (Victory Gardens); Once On This Island (Porchlight). TV Credits include: Empire. Next up: For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf at Court Theatre. 

Sydney Charles (Nina Simone) is an award-winning actress hailing from Chicago, who committed her life to acting after years in Corporate America. Select Chicago credits include: Flyin West (American Blues), Father Comes Home From the Wars (Goodman), Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (Court), Insurrection: Holding History (Stage Left), Lottery Day (Goodman, New Stages), three editions of The Fly Honey Show (The Inconvenience), Spamilton Chicago (Royal George), An Octoroon (Definition Theatre), The Wiz (Kokandy), Prowess (Jackalope), and Dessa Rose (Bailiwick Chicago). Her directing debut was with Wildclaw Theatre with their yearly Deathscribe Festival of Horror Plays, and she just served as Associate Director for The Shipment at Red Tape Theatre. TV/Web credits include: The Haven, The T, and Shameless (Showtime). She is proud to be an artistic associate with Firebrand Theater – the recently formed feminist musical theater company. 

Deanna Reed-Foster (Sarah) is an Emmy Award and Jeff Award winning actress who is making her Northlight Theatre debut.  She was last seen in SideShow Theatre’s HeLa. She has worked with many theaters in the Chicago area including Strawdog, Steppenwolf, Black Ensemble, Pulse Theatre, Court, Shattered Globe (ensemble member) and The New Colony (Ensemble Member). Deanna can be seen in a recurring role on NBC’s Chicago Fire and in several films including Widows, Last Flag Flying, Southside With You, and Roll Bounce.

Ariel Richardson (Sephronia) is making her Northlight Theatre debut. An alum of Oklahoma City University, Ariel received her BFA in Acting. She was most recently seen in Oak Park Festival Theatre’s production of African Company Presents Richard III. Other theatre credits include Southern Gothic (Windy City Playhouse) and An Octoroon (Definition Theatre Company). Her television credits include Empire (FOX Television Network) and The CHI (Showtime).

Daniel Riley (Sam Waymon/Music Director) is making his Northlight debut. Dan was last seen in American Blues Theater’s production of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Jeff Award, Best Ensemble and Best Musical–Midsize). He has worked in theatre and cabaret with numerous groups in and around Chicago, most recently Paramount Theatre, Davenport’s Piano Bar, and the Ravinia Festival. Dan also coaches and accompanies soloists and choirs of all ages in many styles of music. He regularly sings at Holy Name Cathedral and with the Lakeside Singers, and can be seen Sunday mornings on WGN-TV singing for Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

The Box Office is located at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Boulevard, in Skokie. Box Office hours are Monday-Friday 10:00am-5:00pm, and Saturdays 12:00pm-5:00pm. On performance days, the box office hours are extended through showtime. The Box Office is closed on Sundays, except on performance days when it is open two hours prior to showtime.

Curtain times are: Tuesdays: 7:30pm (January 29 only); Wednesdays: 1:00pm (except February 20); and 7:30pm; Thursdays: 7:30pm; Fridays: 8:00pm; Saturdays: 2:30pm (except January 26); and 8:00pm; and Sundays: 2:30pm; and 7:00pm (January 27 and February 24 only).

Backstage with BJ: Nina Simone: Four Women
Friday, January 18 at noon 
at Northlight Theatre 

Backstage with BJ is a mid-day discussion with Artistic Director BJ Jones, featuring special guest artists, actors, directors and designers, offering behind-the-scenes insight into each production while it is still in rehearsal. Backstage with BJ for Nina Simone: Four Women will last approximately one hour. The event is free, but reservations are required. Visit https://northlight.org/events/backstage-with-bj/ to reserve your spot. 

Arts & Activism: From Nina Simon to Steve Schapiro
Wednesday, February 13 at 7:00 pm
Free and Open to the Public
at Skokie Public Library
5215 Oakton St, Skokie

A collaboration from the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center and Northlight Theatre, learn about the intersection of art and social activism through a discussion of the music of Nina Simone and the photography of Steve Schapiro.  Singer Nina Simone was known for her music and activism. Photographer Steve Schapiro tells stories of activism through his bold, documentary images. Artists from Northlight Theatre’s upcoming show Nina Simone: Four Women, and experts on the work of Steve Schapiro will discuss how Schapiro and Simone’s work defied norms in the civil rights movement and beyond. Activists and Icons: The Photographs of Steve Shapiro is currently on display at the Illinois Holocaust Museum. 

Post Show Discussions will be held after the following performances:
January 29, February 14 and 21 following the evening performances and January 27, February 6, 10, and 13 following the matinee.

An Open Captioning performance will be held on Saturday, February 23 at 2:30pm.

Northlight Theatre aspires to promote change of perspective and encourage compassion by exploring the depth of our humanity across a bold spectrum of theatrical experiences, reflecting our community to the world and the world to our community. 

Now in its 44th season, the organization has mounted over 200 productions, including nearly 40 world premieres. Northlight has earned 207 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and 36 Awards, as well as ten Edgerton Foundation for New Play Awards. As one of the area’s premier theatre companies, Northlight is a regional magnet for critical and professional acclaim, as well as talent of the highest quality. 

Northlight is supported in part by generous contributions from Allstate Insurance; the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Robert & Isabelle Bass Foundation; BMO Harris Bank; Henrietta Lange Burk Fund; The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; The Chicago Community Trust; ComEd, An Exelon Company; The Davee Foundation; Edgerton Foundation for New American Plays Award; Evanston Community Foundation; Full Circle Foundation; Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; Kirkland & Ellis Foundation; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Melvoin Award for Playwriting; Modestus Bauer Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; Niles Township; The Offield Family Foundation; The Pauls Foundation; Room & Board; Sanborn Family Foundation; Dr. Scholl Foundation; The Shubert Foundation, Inc.; The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; The Sullivan Family Foundation; and Tom Stringer Design Partners.

Born on February 21, 1933, in Tryon, North Carolina, Nina Simone studied classical piano at the Juilliard School in New York City, but left early when she ran out of money. Performing in night clubs, she turned her interest to jazz, blues and folk music and released her first album in 1957, scoring a Top 20 hit with the track "I Loves You Porgy." In the ‘60s, Simone expanded her repertory in exemplary fashion while becoming identified as a leading voice of the Civil Rights Movement. She later lived abroad and experienced major mental health and financial issues, though she enjoyed a career resurgence in the 1980s. Simone died in France on April 21, 2003.

Dates: Previews: January 24 – 31, 2019
Press Opening: Friday, February 1, 2019 at 8pm 
Regular run: February 2 – March 2, 2019

Schedule: 
Tuesdays: 7:30pm (January 29 only)

Wednesdays: 1:00pm (except February 20); and 7:30pm
Thursdays: 7:30pm 
Fridays: 8:00pm
Saturdays: 2:30pm (except January 26); and 8:00pm
Sundays: 2:30pm; and 7:00pm (January 27 and February 24 only)

Location:
Northlight Theatre is located at the North Shore
Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd,
Skokie

Tickets:
Previews: $30-$60

Regular run: $30-$88
Student tickets are $15, any performance 
(subject to availability)

Box Office:
The Box Office is located at 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie.
847.673.6300; northlight.org

Adult Night Out: Discord at Northlight May 6 - June 12

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar

Northlight Theatre concludes its 2015-16 season with

The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens and Count Leo Tolstoy: Discord

By Scott Carter

Directed by Kimberly Senior

May 6 – June 12, 2016

Northlight Theatre concludes its 41^st Season, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, with The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens and Count Leo Tolstoy: Discord by Scott Carter. Discord, directed by Kimberly Senior, runs May 6 – June 12, 2016 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie. 

Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows, we can't wait to catch Discord. Kimberly Senior is one of our absolute favorite directors and this debate looks like a dozy!

**Kimberly Senior previously directed 4000 Miles and The Whipping Man at Northlight.  She directed the Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony Award-nominated play Disgraced on Broadway and in several theaters across the country.**

Previews: May 6 – 12, 2016

Regular run: May 13 – June 12, 2016

Schedule: Tuesdays: 7:30pm (May 10 only)

Wednesdays: 1:00pm (except May 25) and 7:30pm

Thursdays: 7:30pm

Fridays: 8:00pm

Saturdays: 2:30pm (except May 7) and 8:00pm

Sundays: 2:30pm; and 7:00pm (May 8 and 29 only)

Location: Northlight Theatre is located at the North Shore

                             Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd,

                             Skokie

Tickets: Previews: $25-$54

             Regular run: $25-$79

             Student tickets are $15, any performance (subject to availability)

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie.

                  847.673.6300; northlight.org

What do a Founding Father, a Victorian novelist and a Russian revolutionary have in common? Not much, but each of these notoriously great minds was once brazen enough to pen his own Gospel. Brought together, they debate the meaning of life and the nature of God in a whip-smart comedy that illuminates the brilliance, flaws and humor of three unforgettable philosophers.

**Playwright Scott Carter is the Executive Producer/Writer of Real Time with Bill Maher since its debut on HBO in 2003. Carter has been an Emmy co-nominee for Real Time with Bill Maher every year since 2005 for both Writing in a Variety/Talk show and Outstanding Variety/Talk show. He has also received eight Emmy nominations for his writing and producing work on Bill Maher’s Politically Incorrect from 1993 to 1997.**

Northlight is continuing its popular special event series in conjunction with each production.  All events are free, unless otherwise noted: 

Backstage with BJ is a mid-day discussion with Artistic Director BJ Jones, featuring special guest artists, actors, directors and designers, offering behind-the-scenes insight into each production while it is still in rehearsal.  Backstage with BJ for Butler will be held on April 29 at 12:00pm and will last approximately one hour.  Reservations are required, 847.679.9501 x3555 or specialevents@northlight.org. 

An Artist Q&A will be held on Monday, May 23 at 3:00pm at the Wilmette Public Library. Northlight artistic staff will facilitate a discussion with members of the cast, who will also present scenes from the play.

Local experts join a Northlight facilitator for a series of Post-Show Discussions, engaging audiences in a dialogue about the play's themes and the creative process behind live theatre. Discussions will be held after performances on May 8 at 2:30pm, May 10 at 7:30pm, May 11 at 7:30pm, May 18 at 1:00pm, May 22 at 2:30pm, May 26 at 7:30pm and June 1 at 1:00pm.

An Open Captioning performance is scheduled for Saturday, May 28 at 2:30pm.

                    

“Did you know that Thomas Jefferson, Count Leo Tolstoy and Charles Dickens all had their own versions of the New Testament? Imagine tossing those egos into a Limbo to debate their world views and to grapple in an intellectual cat fight. Carter has done just that in this fascinating and imagined depiction of three of history's gigantic intellects and their little known exercises of retelling the Bible,” comments BJ Jones. “Scott Carter, best known as a writer/producer of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, applies his intensive research to these towering personalities, and through their work has crafted a hilarious debate ranging from faith to political beliefs and sprinkled with artistic observations and petty jealousies. We are thrilled to have Scott's work with us this season, and as directed by Northlight veteran Kimberly Senior, this sharply told tale is both insightful and entertaining.”

The cast includes Nathan Hosner (Jefferson), Mark Montgomery (Tolstoy) and Jeff Parker (Dickens).

The designers include Jack Magaw (Scenic Design), Nan Zabriskie (Costume Design), Sarah Hughey (Lighting Design), Andrew Hansen (Sound Design), and Stephan Mazurek (Projection Design).  The Production Stage Manager is Rita Vreeland.

Northlight’s production of The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens and Count Leo Tolstoy: Discord is supported in part by Cramer-Krasselt, Coldwell Banker Evanston, Michael and Joan Callahan and Carol and Steve Mullins.

**Cast members Mark Montgomery (Outside Mullingar) and Jeff Parker (Mothers and Sons) are returning to the Northlight stage.  Nathan Hosner is making his Northlight debut.**

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

KIMBERLY SENIOR (Director) Previously at Northlight: 4000 Miles, The Whipping Man. Broadway: Disgraced (2013 Pulitzer Prize, Best Play Tony nominee). Her many Chicago credits include Disgraced; Rapture, Blister, Burn (The Goodman); Marjorie Prime, The Diary of Anne Frank, Hedda Gabler, The Letters (Writers Theatre, where she is a Resident Director); Want, The North Plan (Steppenwolf); Inana, My Name is Asher Lev, All My Sons, Dolly West's Kitchen (TimeLine Theatre, where she is an Associate Artist); Disgraced (American Theater Company); Waiting for Lefty (American Blues), among others. New York and regional credits include: Sex with Strangers (Geffen Playhouse); Disgraced (Lincoln Center Theater 3, Seattle Rep, Berkeley Rep);The Who and The What (La Jolla Playhouse, Lincoln Center Theater 3); Little Gem (City Theatre); Games Afoot, Murder on the Nile, A Few Good Men (Peninsula Players); Mauritius (Theatre Squared, Fayetteville, AR). Kimberly is a proud member of SDC.

SCOTT CARTER (Playwright) is Executive Producer/Writer for Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO. He produced the first 1,100 episodes of Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, from its 1993 Comedy Central debut to its 1997 move to ABC. While at “P.I.,” producer/writer Carter won eight Emmy nominations and three consecutive CableAce Awards for Best Talk Series. In 1997 Variety named him one of “50 Creatives to Watch.” In 2007, he won the Producers’ Guild of America’s Johnny Carson Award for Real Time. In addition to his two full-length monologues Heavy Breathing and Suspension Bridge, Carter’s full-length play, The Gospel According To... Discord had an extremely successful 2014 and was produced at both the NoHo Arts Center and the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles.

NATHAN HOSNER (Jefferson) is making his Northlight debut. Chicago credits include productions with Writers, Chicago Shakespeare, Goodman, Paramount, About Face, First Folio, Shaw Chicago and Shakespeare Project of Chicago. Other credits include: Peter and the Starcatcher (First National Tour) and productions with American Players, New Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre, BoarsHead Theater, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Door Shakespeare and Madison Repertory New Play Festival. Nathan is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London.

MARK MONTGOMERY (Tolstoy) returns to Northlight where he appeared in Outside Mullingar and Experiment with an Air Pump. Other Chicago credits: 2666, Rapture, Blister, Burn, Camino Real and Stage Kiss (Goodman); Hedda Gabler and The Letters (Writers); Agamemnon, Iphigenia in Aulis and M. Butterfly (Court); Twelfth Night, Troilus and Cressida, Rose Rage, Henry VI Parts 1, 2 and 3 and As You Like It (Chicago Shakespeare); In the Next Room, or the vibrator play (Victory Gardens); The Wheel, The Time of Your Life and Want (Steppenwolf); In the Belly of the Beast: Letters from Prison (Journeymen, After Dark Award) and productions at Remy Bumppo, among others. New York credits: The Seagull and Mamma Mia! (Broadway), Our Town (Barrow Street), Macbeth (Public), The Runner Stumbles (Actors Company) and The Madras House (Mint). Regional credits: Julius Caesar (American Repertory) as well as the show's French tour. Television: Law & Order and Chicago Fire.

JEFF PARKER (Dickens) returns to Northlight where he most recently appeared in Mothers and Sons. Recent Chicago credits: Objects in the Mirror (Goodman), The Secret Garden (Court), Samsara (Victory Gardens) and Isaac's Eye (Writers). Other Chicago credits include: Camino Real, Candide, Turn of the Century and Bounce (Goodman); The Brother/Sister Plays (Jeff Award - Best Ensemble) and Venus (Steppenwolf); Cymbeline, As You Like It and The Three Musketeers (Chicago Shakespeare); Sweet Charity and Days Like Today (Writers); and Nine (Jeff Nomination - Best Actor in a Musical, Porchlight). Off-Broadway and regional credits: Candide (Huntington), My Fair Lady (Asolo Repertory), 1776 (A.C.T.), Boy Gets Girl (Manhattan Theatre Club), The American in Me (Magic) and Winesburg, Ohio (Kansas City Repertory). Television and film credits: Chicago P.D., Love is a Four Letter Word, Prison Break and Early Edition. Jeff holds a B.F.A. in Acting from the University of Southern California.

Northlight Theatre aspires to promote change of perspective and encourage compassion by exploring the depth of our humanity across a bold spectrum of theatrical experiences, reflecting our community to the world and the world to our community.

Now entering its 41^st season, the organization has mounted over 200 productions, including more than 40 world premieres.  Northlight has earned 194 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and 32 Awards.  As one of the area’s premier theatre companies, Northlight is a regional magnet for critical and professional acclaim, as well as talent of the highest quality.

Northlight is supported in part by generous contributions from Allstate Insurance; the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, BMO Harris Bank; Henrietta Lange Burk Fund; Cramer Krasselt; The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; The Chicago Community Trust; ComEd, An Exelon Company; The Davee Foundation; Edgerton Foundation for New American Plays Award; Evanston Community Foundation; Full Circle Foundation; Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; Kirkland & Ellis Foundation; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Melvoin Award for Playwriting; Modestus Bauer Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; NorthShore University HealthSystem; The Offield Family Foundation; The Pauls Foundation; Room & Board; Sanborn Family Foundation; The Shubert Foundation, Inc.; The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; The Sullivan Family Foundation; Tom Stringer Design Partners; Turner Construction; and the Venturous Theater Fund of the Tides Foundation.

SAVE THE DATES: Three Oaks Theater Festival announces its 2015 season

Many of our friends and Chicago families we know have weekend places in and around Three Oaks, Michigan. It's incredible to get away from the hustle and hassle of big city living and enjoy the lake from the flip side. Yet, small town life can be devoid of the plethora of plays we adore in Chicago. Thankfully, with the Three Oaks Theater Festival, you can have your plays and getaways too! Some of our favorite Chi town troupes will be playing all summer long. Check out this stellar lineup and book your tickets in advance.  If you don't have a weekend place in Three Oaks, there are loads of rentals in the region, and these shows make a great excuse to book a weekend getaway.

This summer’s season includes The Hypocrites’ HMS Pinafore, new work from the Q Brothers, Northlight Theatre’s Chapatti starring John Mahoney, The Bicycle Men and others to be performed in beautiful Harbor Country, MI

Co-founders John Stoops and Tim Evans proudly announce the third season of the Three Oaks Theater Festival, an annual summer event that brings limited-engagement runs of highly- acclaimed, professional productions to audiences in Harbor Country, Michigan. This season will be performed at the Acorn Theater with a staged reading to take place at the Vickers Theatre.

The 2015 Three Oaks Theater Festival will present a staged reading of Northlight Theatre’s Chapatti with John Mahoney and Penny Slusher; the family-friendly Emerald City Theatre Company’s Elephant and Piggie’s We are in a Play!; Patsy Cline – She’s Got You from Broadway diva Jenny Lee Stern; The Hypocrites’ H.M.S. Pinafore; The Q Brothers’ Q Gents; and the musical comedy The Bicycle Men.

Information and tickets are available at www.threeoaksfestival.com or call 866-811-4111.

“The third season is proving to be a charm as we’ve assembled our best schedule yet! We’re thrilled to present a summer’s worth of top notch, family-friendly theater for residents and visitors to Harbor Country,” says co-founder John Stoops.

Co-founder Tim Evans comments, "Something new this year will be spreading our performances throughout the whole season on select weekends from late June to September thus making the festival truly a summer-long event."

The 2015 Three Oaks Theater Festival is:

A Staged Reading of Northlight Theatre’s

CHAPATTI

By Christian O’Reilly
Directed by BJ Jones
Starring John Mahoney and Penny Slusher
June 27, 2015 at 8:00pm ET
Performed at Vickers Theater, 6 N. Elm St. Three Oaks, MI Ticket price: $25

Romance is a distant memory for two lonely animal-lovers living in Dublin. When forlorn Dan and his dog Chapatti cross paths with amiable Betty and her nineteen cats, an unexpected spark begins a warm and gentle story about two people re-discovering the importance of human companionship.

Chapatti first premiered at Northlight Theatre in Spring 2014 in a co-production with Galway Arts Festival, where it played that summer. Written by acclaimed Irish playwright Christian O’Reilly, the staged reading at the Three Oaks Theater Festival will feature original cast members John Mahoney and Penny Slusher with direction by Northlight Artistic Director BJ Jones.

  

ELEPHANT AND PIGGIE’S WE ARE IN A PLAY!

Presented by Emerald City Theatre Company
Based on the Elephant & Piggie Books by Mo Willems
Script and lyrics by Mo Willems
Music by Deborah Wicks La Puma
Directed by Morgan Ashley Madison
July 18, 2015 at 10:00am ET and 1:00pm ET
Performed at Acorn Theater, 107 Generations Dr., Three Oaks, MI Ticket price: $20
Ages: Best suited for children of all ages

Elephant Gerald is careful. Piggie just wants to play! Our favorite characters from Mo Willems' beloved Elephant and Piggie series set the stage for this vaudevillian romp of a musical, where pachyderm and swine heroically explore the importance of friendship. With the help of nutty backup singers, The Squirelles, this is an animal party that families won't want to miss!

Books from Willems’ Elephant and Piggie series regularly appear on the New York Times bestseller list, and have garnered many accolades, including two Theodore Seuss Geisel Awards and four Theodore Seuss Geisel Honors. This musical romp through the friendship of worrisome Elephant Gerald and rambunctious Piggie was developed by Willems and composer Deborah Wicks La Puma at the Kennedy Center last year and had a wildly successful run at Chicago’s Emerald City Theatre Company in Spring 2015.

PATSY CLINE – SHE’S GOT YOU

Presented by Artists Lounge Live

August 1 at 5:00pm ET and 9:00pm ET
Performed at Acorn Theater, 107 Generations Dr., Three Oaks, MI Ticket price: $30-35

She was from the wrong side of the tracks. But her music knew no bounds, reaching across genres and generations. She struggled all her life, yet managed to express her heartache with sincere empathy and rare emotional depth. She stole our hearts and sang our secrets. Celebrate country music’s greatest star, the legendary Patsy Cline in a bewitching performance from Broadway powerhouse Jenny Lee Stern (Broadway: Rocky; Off-Broadway: Forbidden Broadway; National Tour & Broadway in Chicago: Jersey Boys). You’ll fall in love all over again as Jenny Lee rekindles Patsy’s greatest hits, including Walkin’ After Midnight, I Fall to Pieces, Crazy, and many more.

H.M.S. PINAFORE

Presented by The Hypocrites
Music by Arthur Sullivan
Libretto by W.S. Gilbert
Adapted and Directed by Sean Graney
August 21 2015 at 8:00pm ET and August 22, 2015 at 4:00pm ET and 8:00pm ET Performed at Acorn Theater, 107 Generations Dr., Three Oaks, MI

Ticket price: $25

The Hypocrites playful re-imaging of Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera H.M.S. Pinafore, adapted and directed by Sean Graney, with new arrangements by Matt Kahler and Andra Velis Simon, features a 10 actor cast who also play instruments. The critically-acclaimed world premiere adaptation of the operetta was a hit in Chicago and recently played to sold-out houses at the Oberon in Boston.

Q GENTS

Presented by The Q Brothers
Adapted from The Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare September 5-6, 2015, at 8:00pm ET
Performed at Acorn Theater, 107 Generations Dr., Three Oaks, MI
Ticket price: $25

This two-man, hip hop musical adaptation of Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona is brought to you by the Q Brothers, creators of Othello: The Remix. The Q Brothers (JQ and GQ) have traveled the globe with their “ad-rap-tations” of Shakespeare’s work. Laced with 20 plus characters, all played by two actors who never leave stage, this non-stop hip hop musical comedy is a theatrical and physical feat that is sure to keep audiences of all ages on the edge of their seats.

THE BICYCLE MEN

Written by Dave Lewman, Joe Liss, John Rubano, and Mark Nutter Music and Lyrics by Mark Nutter
September 25-26, 2015 at 8:00pm ET
Performed at Acorn Theater, 107 Generations Dr., Three Oaks, MI Ticket price: $25

Ages: Best suited for audiences age 16 and up

The Bicycle Men is a sublimely silly and delightfully bawdy musical comedy about a hapless American tourist who encounters the twisted inhabitants of a quaint French village after crashing his bike. The show is highly-acclaimed, including the distinction of being awarded the prize for "Excellence in Overall Production” at The New York Fringe Festival.

About the Co-Founders
John Stoops performed, directed and produced countless shows in Chicago. Soon after, he joined the cast of Boom, a European-based comedy ensemble and toured internationally. John's business experience includes many years with Chicago advertising giant Leo Burnett where he led the development of world class brands for several Fortune 500 companies. John is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He received a Masters of Business Administration from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.

Tim Evans is the Executive Director of the award-winning Northlight Theatre in Skokie. Since his arrival in 2007, Evans has overseen the Theatre's new branding campaign, Leadership fundraising campaign, new board development, revamped arts education initiatives and a five year strategic plan. Prior to his arrival at Northlight, Tim spent a 20-plus year career at Steppenwolf Theatre where he served in management and producing positions. He created, curated and produced Steppenwolf's acclaimed TRAFFIC Series which included a partnership with Chicago Public Radio for subsequent broadcasts. Tim founded Steppenwolf Films, of which he is still a partner with Gary Sinise, Terry Kinney and Jeff Perry, to develop film and television projects. He produced the feature films Diminished Capacity with Matthew Broderick (premiered 2008 Sundance Film Festival) and The Last Rites of Joe May with Dennis Farina (premiered 2011 Tribeca Film Festival). He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the League of Chicago Theatres, previously served on the board of the Independent Film Project (IFP) and was a charter member of the Governor's Task Force for Media Development.

The Bicycle Men will arrive just in time for the annual Apple Cider Century bicycle tour of the orchards, forests and wineries in and around Three Oaks, Michigan. Since 1974, the Apple Cider Century is the Midwest's largest one-day century event with over 6,000 cyclists participating. The Bicycle Men will kick- off the weekend at the Three Oaks Theater Festival with their bicycle-themed musical.

About Three Oaks, Michigan

Three Oaks, Michigan, located about 70 miles from Chicago, has approximately 1,600 residents. Despite its size, the quaint Village is remarkably well-developed in the arts with a live performance venue, art house movie theater and galleries featuring the work of established and emerging artists. Chamberlain Path, located steps from the main street, has been turned into a sculpture garden featuring monumental sculptures by local and national artists. The town also hosts two annual art festivals; the Art Attack weekend and Art in the Park. Meanwhile, Dewey Cannon Park is home to Music in the Park, a free concert series held every Saturday during the summer. Perhaps most indicative of the town’s quirky, artistic spirit, Three Oaks is one of the few villages in the country with the official position of Village Poet Laureate.

For more information about Three Oaks Theater Festival visit www.threeoaksfestival.com

OPENING: Shining Lives: A Musical at Northlight Theatre

Northlight Theatre presents 

The World Premiere of 

Shining Lives: A Musical

book & lyrics by Jessica Thebus

music by Andre Pluess & Amanda Dehnert

directed by Jessica Thebus

Based on the play These Shining Lives by Melanie Marnich

Cast includes Jess Godwin, Alex Goodrich, Erik Hellman,

Johanna McKenzie Miller, Matt Mueller, Bri Sudia and Tiffany Topol

May 8 – June 14, 2015

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, were elated that this Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, presents the world premiere of Shining Lives: A Musical. Directed by Jessica Thebus and developed through Northlight’s Interplay Series, the musical is adapted from the Northlight-commissioned play These Shining Lives. The production will run at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie, from May 8 – June 14, 2015.  

It’s 1922 and the young women of Chicago’s Radium Dial Company are living a dream— earning good wages and beaming with new-found independence.  After years of hand painting watch dials, the so-called "harmless" radium that provided for so much joy leads to tragic results.  Four courageous women upend their lives with a determination to change the future in this compelling new musical, the transcendent tale of heroic lives that glowed with promise.

Northlight is continuing its popular special event series in conjunction with each production.  All events are free. 

Backstage with BJ is a mid-day discussion with Artistic Director BJ Jones, featuring special guest artists, actors, directors and designers, offering behind-the-scenes insight into each production while it is still in rehearsal.  Backstage with BJ for Shining Lives: A Musical will be held on Friday, May 1 at 12:00pm and will last approximately one hour.  Reservations are required, 847.679.9501 x3605 or specialevents@northlight.org.

Dates 

Previews: May 8 – May 14, 2015

Gala opening: May 15, 2015

Press opening: May 16, 2015

Regular run: through June 14, 2015

Schedule: Tuesdays: 7:30pm (May 12 and June 9 only)

Wednesdays: 1:00pm (except May 27) 

and 7:30pm (except June 3)

Thursdays: 7:30pm 

Fridays: 8:00pm (except Opening on May 15 at 7:30pm)

Saturdays: 2:30pm (except May 9) and 8:00pm 

Sundays: 2:30pm and 7:00pm (except May 17, 24, June 14)

Location: Northlight Theatre is located at the North Shore

Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd,

Skokie

Tickets: Previews: $25-$54

Regular run: $25-$78

Student tickets are $15, any performance 

(subject to availability)

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie.

847.673.6300; northlight.org

• Shining Lives: A Musical is based on the Northlight-commissioned play These Shining Lives by Melanie Marnich. Shining Lives: A Musical was developed through Northlight’s Interplay program.

• Catch the documentary version too: Shining Lives: A Musical is based on the women of the Radium Dial Company in nearby Ottawa, Illinois.  It remains an important part the history of the Chicago area.  A documentary “Radium City” tells the first-hand account of the survivors and the aftermath of the contamination.

Community Panel Discussions 

We're thrilled that many theatres are now running community discussions and events around productions and the social problems, incidents and accidents they recount. Take advantage of these fabulous talk backs and events for some rousing dialogue!

With topics ranging from women in the workplace, to labor law reform, to the ongoing radium cleanup still taking place in Ottawa, civic leaders and area experts will join Northlight artists to address the local impact of issues raised in the play.

Highland Park Public Library - Monday, May 18, 1:00pm, 494 Laurel Ave, Highland Park. Panelists TBD.

Evanston History Center - Monday, May 18, 6:30pm, 225 Greenwood, Evanston. Panelists include representatives from Northwestern University, Frances Willard House and Evanston History Center.

Skokie Public Library - Tuesday, June 2, 2:00pm, 5215 Oakton Ave, Skokie. Featured panelist: Leonard Grossman, Jr., son of the lawyer Leonard Grossman who represented the women in the case against Radium Dial Factory.

Northlight Theatre – Thursday, June 4, following the 7:30 performance.  Panelists include a state representative, a labor lawyer, and a doctor from NorthShore University Health System.

Chicago History Museum – Saturday, June 6, 10:00am, 1601 N Clark, Chicago. Panelists are director/co-creator Jessica Thebus and Russell Lewis, Executive Vice President and Chief Historian for the Chicago History Museum. (This event requires tickets, purchase at chicagohistory.org.)

• In the current season, Northlight is producing two world premiere works (White Guy on the Bus and Shining Lives: A Musical), the second-ever productions of two plays (The Commons of Pensacola and Outside Mullingar) and a classic rarely produced in the US (The Mousetrap).  In addition, Northlight has a number of new works in development through Interplay, a program that has sent 25 out of 29 scripts on to full professional productions throughout the country and developed Northlight’s three best-selling plays: Better Late by Larry Gelbart and Craig Wright, The Outgoing Tide by Bruce Graham and Chapatti by Christian O’Reilly.

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, it was our great pleasure to catch the opening nights of The Mousetrap, Outside Mullingar and White Guy on the Bus. Northlight is one of our favorites for world class productions and compelling seasons. The Mousetrap was marvelous mystery fun for all ages and it was a joy to introduce my 14 year old son to this classic. White Guy on the Bus was impressively edgy and unpredictable. Outside Mullingar was a stellar staging of multigenerational misgivings and quirky characters that was a joy to see. We can't wait to see what comes next for Northlight Theatre, with the World Premiere of Shining Lives: A Musical.

Northlight Theatre aspires to promote change of perspective and encourage compassion by exploring the depth of our humanity across a bold spectrum of theatrical experiences, reflecting our community to the world and the world to our community.

Cast:

The cast features Jess Godwin (Frances), Alex Goodrich (Tom/Ensemble), Erik Hellman (Ensemble), Johanna McKenzie Miller (Catherine), Matt Mueller (Ensemble), Bri Sudia (Charlotte) and Tiffany Topol (Pearl).

The artistic team is Jessica Thebus (Director/Book & Lyrics), Andre Pluess (Composer), Amanda Dehnert (Composer), Chuck Larkin (Music Director), Vanessa Stalling (Choreographer), Scott Davis (Set Design), Linda Roethke (Costume Design), JR Lederle (Lighting Design), Stephan Mazurek (Projection Design), and Ray Nardelli (Sound Design).  The stage manager is Rita Vreeland.

BJ Jones comments, “We finish our smash 40th Anniversary season with a play by women and about women, as we present Shining Lives: A Musical. I first commissioned Melanie Marnich (of Showtime’s The Affair) to write the story of the pioneering women of the Ottawa Watch factory, some dozen years ago. Now Jessica Thebus, Andre Pluess and Amanda Dehnert transform this play into a musical theatre piece celebrating these extraordinary women, their lives and their courage.”

Jessica Thebus (Book & Lyrics/Director) is a director of theater and an educator based in Chicago. Past Northlight credits include Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Inherit the Wind and Red Herring. At Steppenwolf, she has directed Sex with Strangers, Intimate Apparel, Dead Man’s Cell Phone, No Place Like Home, When the Messenger is Hot (also at 59 E 59th in NYC) and Sonia Flew. Recent credits: In the Garden by Sarah Gmitter at Lookingglass, Buzzer by Tracy Scott Wilson at Goodman, Welcome Home Jenny Sutter (Next), As You Like It (Oregon Shakespeare); The Feast: an intimate Tempest (Chicago Shakespeare with Redmoon). She is Director of the Graduate Directing Program at Northwestern University.

Andre Pluess (Co-Composer) previously sound designed at Northlight for Season’s Greetings, Lieutenant of Inishmore, Po Boy Tango, Inherit the Wind, The Retreat from Moscow and Red Herring. Design and composition credits include projects for Lookingglass (artistic associate), Court (1999-02 resident artist), Victory Gardens (resident designer), About Face (associate artist), Goodman, Steppenwolf and many other Chicago and regional theaters. Broadway credits: I Am My Own Wife and Metamorphoses. Awards: nine Jeff Awards and Citations, an L.A. Ovation Award, a Drama Critics Circle Award and a Lortel nomination for composition and sound design.

Amanda Dehnert (Co-Composer) Recent productions include: Into the Woods, My Fair Lady (Oregon Shakespeare), Eastland: A New Musical (Lookingglass, world premiere, direction and orchestration), Richard III (Public Theatre Mobile Shakespeare Unit, director/composer), Julius Caesar (Oregon Shakespeare, director and adaptor), The Verona Project (California Shakespeare, world premiere, words and music), Peter Pan (A Play) (Lookingglass, author), Death of a Salesman (Dallas Theatre Center, director and composer), Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Chicago Shakespeare, director, adaptor, and composer). She is an Associate Professor of Theatre at Northwestern University.

Melanie Marnich (playwright/These Shining Lives) Plays include Quake, Blur, Tallgrass Gothic, These Shining Lives, Calling All, Beautiful Again, The Sparrow Project and A Sleeping Country. These Shining Lives premiered at Baltimore Center Stage in April 2008 and was a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Award and the Weissberger Award in 2005. Blur received its world premiere Off Broadway at Manhattan Theatre Club and also won the Francesca Primus Prize from Denver Center Theatre. Her plays have been produced or developed at New York’s Public Theater, Steppenwolf Theatre, London’s Royal Court Theatre, the Guthrie Theater, Arena Stage, Portland Center Stage and Denver Center for the Arts. She has written for HBO’s Big Love and Showtime’s The Big C and The Affair.

• Melanie Marnich’s latest project is The Affair on Showtime.

Jess Godwin (Frances) was previously seen on stage at Northlight as Susan in Snapshots. In addition to Shining Lives, she is working on the development of Exposure this summer. To find out more about her 12-part music video dedication series, check out godwinanthology.com.

Alex Goodrich (Tom/Ensemble) Previous Northlight credits include A Civil War Christmas and She Stoops to Conquer. Other Chicago credits: Hero: The Musical (Jeff Award, Best Supporting Actor – Musical), On The Town, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, For The Boys, How Can You Run … (Marriott); Old Jews Telling Jokes (Royal George); Everything Is Illuminated (Next); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Indiana Repertory); The Emperor’s New Clothes, Taming of the Shrew, Aladdin (Chicago Shakespeare); Goodnight Moon, Harold and the Purple Crayon (Chicago Children’s Theater); The Comedy of Errors (Court); The Front Page (TimeLine); and several productions with Provision. 

Erik Hellman (Ensemble) is returning to Northlight after The Commons of Pensacola and Lost in Yonkers. Chicago: Luna Gale (Goodman and Center Theatre Group, LA); The Good Book, Tartuffe, The Misanthrope,  Proof (Jeff Nomination - Supporting Actor), The Comedy of Errors, The Mystery of Irma Vep (Jeff Nomination - Lead Actor), Titus Andronicus and Arcadia (Court); Eastland (Lookingglass); Hesperia (Writers); The Madness of King George III, The Taming of the Shrew, Macbeth and Edward II (Chicago Shakespeare); Honest, The Elephant Man and Huck Finn (Steppenwolf); All My Sons (TimeLine); as well as shows at Next, Chicago Dramatists, Remy Bumppo, House Theatre of Chicago and as a company member of Strawdog. Outside of Chicago: Kirk Douglas Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory, Geva, Syracuse Stage, Indianapolis Repertory, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Houston’s Stages Repertory and Off-Broadway at Mirror Repertory. Film/TV: The Dark Knight, The Chicago Code, Boss, Betrayal, Chicago Fire and Chicago PD.

Johanna McKenzie Miller (Catherine) is making her Northlight debut. Other Chicago credits include Claire in On The Town, Mary Poppins, Cats, I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change and Marian Paroo in The Music Man (The Marriott); Elizabeth in Young Frankenstein (Drury Lane); Dyanne in Million Dollar Quartet; and work at Chicago Shakespeare, Goodman, Ravinia and Court.  Johanna is the co-founder of Lombard Children's Theater Workshop and a member of Actors Equity Association.

Matt Mueller (Ensemble) makes his Northlight debut. He recently released a new cast recording of Woody Guthrie's American Song at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, California. Regional credits include productions at Chicago Shakespeare, Capital Repertory, Asolo Repertory, Utah Shakespeare, Theatreworks (Colorado Springs), Marin Theatre Company, Palm Beach Dramaworks, Colorado Shakespeare, Arvada Center, Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company and Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

Bri Sudia (Charlotte) makes her Northlight debut. Other Chicago credits include Pericles and Road Show at Chicago Shakespeare and understudying Tribes at Steppenwolf. Regional credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Music Man, Into the Woods, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice (Utah Shakespeare Festival); Camelot, The Winter’s Tale (Texas Shakespeare); Richard III, Big River (Arkansas Shakespeare); and roles at Notre Dame Shakespeare and Milwaukee Repertory. Bri received her MFA in Acting from The University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign and holds a degree in Sign Language Interpreting. 

Tiffany Topol (Pearl) makes her Northlight debut. Select credits: Once the Musical (1st National Tour), Xanadu (1st National Tour), Sweet Charity (Writers Theatre), Eastland (World Premiere, Lookingglass Theatre), Cabaret (Milwaukee Repertory). When in Chicago, Tiffany often performs with The Back Room Shakespeare Project. She is a singer/songwriter/ukulele player in several projects, including her band, Glad Fanny (gladfanny.com), and gypsy-folk outfit Youth in a Roman Field (youthinaromanfield.com). 

Now in its 40^th season, the organization has mounted nearly 200 productions, including over 40 world premieres.  Northlight has earned 188 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and 31 Awards.  As one of the area’s premier theatre companies, Northlight is a regional magnet for critical and professional acclaim, as well as talent of the highest quality.

The 40^th Anniversary is supported by season sponsor BMO Harris Bank and lighting sponsor ComEd.

Shining Lives: A Musical is made possible in part by Individual Production Sponsors Bob and Lisa Silverman and Jill and Leif Soderberg, and by Corporate and Foundation Production Sponsors NorthShore University Health System, Kellogg Cancer Center, and The Farny R. Wurlitzer Foundation.

About Northlight

Northlight is supported in part by generous contributions from the Paul M. Angell Fund; BMO Harris Bank; Cramer-Krasselt; The  Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; ComEd, An Exelon Company; Edgerton Foundation for New American Plays Award; Evanston Community Foundation; First Bank &  Trust; Full Circle Foundation; The Homestead Hotel; Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; KinderMorgan Foundation; Kirkland & Ellis Foundation; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Melvoin Award for Playwriting; Modestus Bauer Foundation; North Shore Center for the Performing Arts Foundation; NorthShore University HealthSystem; The Offield Family Foundation; The Pauls Foundation; Plante Moran; The Pritzger Pucker Family Foundation; Quince at the Homestead; The Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation; Room & Board; Sage Products; Sanborn Family Foundation; The Shubert Foundation; Skokie Fine Arts Council; The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; The Sullivan Family Foundation; Tom Stringer Design Partners; the Venturous Theater Fund; and The Farny R. Wurlitzer Foundation.