Lyric Opera of Chicago Presents Special Events in Conjunction With the Chicago Premiere of Blue November 16 to December 1, 2024

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents special events 

in conjunction with the premiere of 

Blue

Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson's Blue, onstage at Lyric Opera of Chicago from November 16 to December 1, tells the powerful story of a Black family facing personal tragedy and systemic injustice. Its emotionally charged score explores themes of race, justice, and family, providing audiences with a reflection on societal struggles.

In conjunction with Blue's Chicago premiere, Lyric Unlimited, Lyric’s Learning & Civic Engagement department, is presenting a series of events that invite the public into spaces of reflection, healing, and dialogue. These experiences — ranging from musical and meditative sessions to thought-provoking discussions — extend beyond the opera performance, creating opportunities for the community to engage with Blue’s themes in new and impactful ways.

"Art has the power to engage and transform," says Sheran Goodspeed Keyton, Director of Civic Engagement at Lyric. "By extending our programming beyond the mainstage production of Blue, we create pathways for deeper connections within the community. Each event serves as a vital space for healing, conversation, and self-exploration, allowing participants to reflect on the opera’s themes while fostering a sense of unity and support among one another."

Of Thee I Sing! Songs of Love and Justice

Lyric Unlimited’s Artist-in-Residence Karen Slack presents Of Thee I Sing! Songs of Love and Justice on Tuesday, November 12 at 7:00 p.m. in the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Grand Foyer. The first in a three-recital series, Slack is joined by pianist Kamilla Arku and visual designer Angela L. Owens. This powerful program, created in response to George Floyd’s murder, features Langston Hughes’s The Kids Who Die and works by H.T. Burleigh, Undine Smith Moore, and others, exploring love and justice. A post-recital discussion with the artists will follow. Tickets are available now at lyricopera.org/Of-Thee-I-Sing.

Tonika Johnson Exhibition: Thoughts on Parenthood, Belonging, and Alternative Spaces

From November 13 to December 1, Lyric presents an exhibition by artist and activist Tonika Johnson, featuring three impactful art projects throughout the Lyric lobby. Thoughts on Parenthood is an interactive arts initiative that collects personal stories from Chicago parents, highlighting their dreams and challenges. Belonging focuses on the experiences of young people of color navigating racial profiling, while Alternative Spaces showcases how Black youth create free spaces to foster community and resilience.

For the opening night event of Blue on Saturday, November 16, audience members can use promo code BLUEVIP for a special $125 ticket. The evening begins with welcome drinks at 4:00 p.m., followed by a walking tour of Johnson’s exhibition hosted by Lyric Unlimited Artist-in-Residence Karen Slack at 4:30 p.m., and a reception presented by Luella’s Southern Kitchen and specialty desserts provided by Brown Sugar Bakery at 5:00 p.m. The program also includes the Shades of Blue pre-opera talk featuring Antonio C. Cuyler and Dr. Naomi André at 6:00 p.m., leading into the Chicago premiere of Blue at 7:30 p.m. In addition to the opening night, the exhibit will be open to the public from noon to 2 p.m. on November 13, 19, 20 and 26.

The RESET with Davin Youngs

On Friday, November 15, Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Music That Heals series kicks off with The RESET, a transformative sound healing experience led by artist Davin Youngs. Part of a series designed to calm, restore, and heal through the power of music, this immersive event combines improvisational singing, electronic beats, and sound healing instruments to create a unique space for relaxation and rejuvenation.

The RESET offers participants a chance to carve out their own healing spaces, serving as a counterbalance to the pain and family trauma portrayed in Blue. This restorative experience is designed not only for those attending the opera, but also for the broader community, creating a sacred environment for reflection. Tickets are $20.

Blue Opera Insights: A Deeper Look at Race and Justice

On November 18, Lyric Unlimited’s Scholar-in-Residence Dr. Antonio C. Cuyler moderates an important panel discussion on Blue at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center, as part of Lyric’s ongoing Opera Insights series. Featuring leading voices on police violence and accountability—including Yohance Lacour, Maira Khwaja, and Jamie Kalven from the Invisible Institute, and Olivia Obineme of Public Narrative — the discussion will delve into the painful realities at the heart of Blue and the ongoing fight for justice. This free event, followed by a talkback with Blue's principal artists, requires advance registration.

Gen Z in Action: Art, Activism, Advocacy and Advancement

On Saturday, November 23, Gen Z in Action: Art, Activism, Advocacy and Advancement will feature emerging Black arts leaders in conversation about the future of the arts, drawing on themes from Blue. Moderated by Lyric’s Anthony Jones, the panel will feature nonprofit leaders Kylie Davis, Empirical Research Fellow at Kellogg School of Management; Ronnie Taylor Jr., Youth Culture Coordinator at Center on Halsted; and Zakiya Collier, STEM Coordinator at the Chicago Urban League. Together, they will explore themes of identity, belonging, and how the arts can address systemic issues. The event will conclude with a discussion curated by Kennedy-King College students and current and retired officials from the Chicago Police Department.

D-Composed Presents D-Compressed

On Sunday, December 1, D-Composed, a Black chamber music collective, will host D-Compressed, a meditative musical experience that complements the closing performance of Blue. Part of Lyric's Music That Heals series, this intimate event blends yoga with chamber music, featuring works by Black classical composers fused with hip-hop, rap, jazz and gospel. Through live performances and guided meditations, D-Compressed invites participants to process the emotional weight of Blue's narrative while engaging with the healing power of music.

Just as Blue delves into a family’s struggle with systemic injustice, D-Compressed provides a safe space for attendees to confront their own emotions, find solace, and connect with their personal stories. This experience detoxifies negative energies, creating room for positive flow, ease, and enlightenment—mirroring the themes of healing and unity that are central to Blue. By fostering a collective moment of reflection, the program highlights the role of art in supporting emotional and communal renewal. Tickets are $20.

Shades of Blue Pre-Opera Talk Series

The Shades of Blue pre-opera talks, presented as in-depth discussions, offer a chance to delve into Blue's key themes before each performance. Led by Lyric Unlimited Scholar-in-Residence, Dr. Antonio C. Cuyler, these talks feature prominent voices from Chicago’s civic and academic communities, drawing connections between the opera’s portrayal of Black family life and contemporary social issues such as violence prevention, incarceration, and systemic injustice. Blue ticket holders are invited to participate in these free discussions, which take place an hour before each performance.

Pre-Opera Talks

Saturday, November 16: An extended 1-hour conversation, beginning at 6:00 p.m., with Dr. Cuyler and Dr. Naomi André, renowned musicologist and author of the seminal book Black Opera: History, Power, Engagement, discussing Blue's themes in the broader context of music and social justice.

Wednesday, November 20: Artist and activist Tonika Johnson will explore Chicago’s social divides and the connections to identity and belonging in Blue.

Friday, November 22: Dr. Franklin Cosey-Gay, director of University of Chicago Medicine’s Violence Recovery Program, will address violence prevention and public health issues as they relate to the family’s challenges in Blue.

Tuesday, November 26: Dr. Cuyler will join representatives from the Illinois Prison Project to discuss incarceration and advocacy, building on conversations started earlier this season around Beethoven’s Fidelio.

Sunday, December 1: Chicago Police Lieutenant Jermaine Harris will join WFMT host LaRob K. Rafael for a discussion on community-based violence prevention and policing, connecting Blue's themes to current reform efforts.

For more information on Blue and all of these related special events, visit lyricopera.org/blue.

About Lyric

Lyric Opera of Chicago is committed to redefining what it means to experience great opera. The company is driven to deliver consistently excellent artistry through innovative, relevant, celebratory programming that engages and energizes new and traditional audiences.

Under the leadership of General Director, President & CEO John Mangum and Music Director Enrique Mazzola, Lyric is dedicated to reflecting, and drawing strength from, the diversity of Chicago. Lyric offers, through innovation, collaboration, and evolving learning opportunities, ever-more exciting, accessible, and thought-provoking audience and community experiences. We also stand committed to training the artists of the future, through The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center; and to becoming increasingly diverse across our audiences, staff, programming, and artists — magnifying the welcoming pull of our art form, our company, and our city.

Through the timeless power of voice, the splendor of a great orchestra and chorus, theater, dance, design, and truly magnificent stagecraft, Lyric is devoted to immersing audiences in worlds both familiar and unexpected, creating shared experiences that resonate long after the curtain comes down.

Join us @LyricOpera on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Threads and Facebook. #LongLivePassion

For more information, visit lyricopera.org.

FREE Theatre: If I Could Tell You at Steppenwolf's 1700 Space Tuesday, May 21 & Wednesday, May 22, 2019

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

Steppenwolf Education’s WHAT IF? Residency and

Lane Technical College Prep Drama Ensemble Presents

If I Could Tell You

Tuesday, May 21 & Wednesday, May 22 At 6pm

In Conjunction with LookOut, This Student-Devised Play Explores

Race, Body Image and Stereotypes

Proud mom moment: My 18 year old son, Dugan, will be graduating in a few short weeks and heading off to study theatre (performance) at Northwestern University with a full ride scholarship. This will be his last performance in high school, and I'm beyond excited that it will be at Steppenwolf! If I Could Tell You is an original show, written and performed by Lane Tech drama students, and we can't wait to check it out. 

Steppenwolf Education and Drama Students at Lane Technical College Prep High School are proud to present a student-devised performance exploring the themes of racial prejudice and the erasure of communities of color, as brought to light through the Steppenwolf for Young Adults’ (SYA) spring production of We are Proud to Present a Presentation.... This play was developed in Steppenwolf Education’s What If? Residency inspired by the creative inquiry question “What If?” and “What would happen to stereotypes, racism and body image if we learned who people truly were?”

If I Could Tell You explores questions posed by the directing team of the Steppenwolf for Young Adults’ We Are Proud to Present a Presentation....: “What if things were different?” and “What if things were better?” Through a series of scenes and monologues, Lane Tech Ensemble’s original play connects the themes of cultural erasure, appropriation and colonization in SYA’s production to the pressing topics of racism, stereotypes and body image as relevant to the student’s day-to-day lives. This talented group of teen actors takes the audience through a journey asking, “What if we could know who people truly were?"

Performances for If I Could Tell You are Tuesday, May 21 and Wednesday, May 22 at 6pm in Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theatre. These public performances are free and available in person, online, or by phone - subject to limited availability. For more information and to reserve tickets, click HERE. Reservations are strongly encouraged. Walkup reservations will begin 30 minutes prior to curtain at 1700 N Halsted, pending availability.



WHAT IF? PROJECT
The WHAT IF? PROJECT is an extended residency program through Steppenwolf Education in which a classroom teacher partner of Steppenwolf’s In-School Residency Program creates an artistic project with their class in response to a Steppenwolf for Young Adults (SYA) production. This teacher collaborates with a Steppenwolf teaching artist to provide students a unique chance to advance their skills by exploring the creative inquiry question of, “WHAT IF?” Throughout the course of their 20 residency sessions, students utilize skills of Steppenwolf's teaching pedagogy, aesthetic education, to generate an original work in conversation with productions they viewed.

Steppenwolf Education’s unique approach combines play production with educational components to enhance arts education for young audiences, as well as their teachers and families, as well as a Professional Leadership Program for early-career professionals. Every season Steppenwolf for Young Adults (SYA) creates two full-scale professional productions specifically for teens. Working closely with the Chicago Public and metropolitan area schools and other community partners, Steppenwolf Education annually ensures access to the theater for more than 15,000 participants from Chicago’s diverse communities. The initiative also includes post-show discussions with artists; classroom residencies led by Steppenwolf-trained teaching artists in almost 100 classrooms in public high schools; professional development workshops for educators; and the Young Adult Council, an innovative year-round after-school initiative that uniquely engages high school students in all areas of the theater’s operations, as well as other teen and community-based programs.



LookOut is Steppenwolf’s performance series that presents the work of artists and companies across genre and form, emerging artists and performance legends, quintessential Chicago companies and young aspiring ensembles, familiar Steppenwolf faces and new friends. Greta Honold and Patrick Zakem are the producers for LookOut. For more information, visit steppenwolf.org/lookout.

Visitor Information
Steppenwolf is located at 1650 N Halsted St near all forms of public transportation, bike racks and Divvy bike stands. The parking facility ($13 or $15, cash or card) is located just south of our theater at 1624 N Halsted. Valet parking service ($15 cash) is available directly in front of the main entrance starting at 5pm on weeknights, 1pm on weekends and at 12noon before Wednesday matinees. Limited street and lot parking are also available. For last minute questions and concerns, patrons can call the Steppenwolf Parking Hotline at 312.335.1774.

Sponsor Information
United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf.

Accessibility
The 1700 Theatre features wheelchair-accessible seating, an Induction Hearing Loop, and assistive listening devices. Front Bar features a push-button entrance, all-gender accessible restrooms and accessible counter and table spaces.

Front Bar: Coffee and Drinks
Connected to the main lobby is Steppenwolf’s own Front Bar: Coffee and Drinks, offering a warm, creative space to grab a drink, have a bite, or meet up with friends and collaborators, day or night. Open Tuesdays – Sundays, Front Bar serves locally roasted coffee and espresso by Passion House Coffee Roasters and features food by The Goddess and Grocer. The menu focuses on fresh, accessible fare, featuring grab-and-go salads and sandwiches for lunch and adding shareable small plates and desserts for evening and post show service. www.frontbar.com

Year of Chicago Theatre
Steppenwolf Theatre Company is proud to be part of the 2019 Year of Chicago Theatre, presented by the City of Chicago and the League of Chicago Theatres. To truly fall in love with Chicago, you must go to our theatres. This is where the city bares its fearless soul. Home to a community of creators, risk-takers, and big hearts, Chicago theatre is a hotbed for exciting new work and hundreds of world premieres every year. From Broadway musicals to storefront plays and improv, there’s always a seat waiting for you at one of our 200+ theatres. Book your next show today at ChicagoPlays.com.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation’s premier ensemble theater. Formed by a collective of actors in 1976, the ensemble members represent a remarkable cross-section of actors, directors and playwrights. Thrilling and powerful productions from Balm in Gilead and August: Osage County to Pass Over and Downstate—and accolades that include the National Medal of Arts and 12 Tony Awards—have made the theater legendary. Steppenwolf produces hundreds of performances and events annually in its three spaces: the 515-seat Downstairs Theatre, the 299-seat Upstairs Theatre and the 80-seat 1700 Theatre. Artistic programing includes a seven-play season; a two-play Steppenwolf for Young Adults season; Visiting Company engagements; and LookOut, a multi-genre performances series. Education initiatives include the nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf for Young Adults, which engages 15,000 participants annually from Chicago’s diverse communities; the esteemed School at Steppenwolf; and Professional Leadership Programs for arts administration training. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, nearly 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success both nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Anna D. Shapiro is the Artistic Director and David Schmitz is the Executive Director. Eric Lefkofsky is Chair of Steppenwolf’s Board of Trustees. For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.