LOOKING FORWARD: Shows We're Excited To See
Continuing our support of productions that embrace inclusion for artists and audiences, below are shows that you can buy tickets to this week that we feel are moving our community in the right direction. Let your wallet do the talking. Buy tickets to shows that celebrate inclusion. Then write to producers and tell them you want to see more of it. Decision makers are led by numbers and this is one way we can all make a difference.
A Red Orchid Theatre presents The Haven Place
Written by Levi Holloway
Directed by Steven Wilson
Seven kids must travel across a country unmade by the Elder Gods in a 1988 Winnebago SuperChief Motorhome to find what may be the last safe pocket of Humanity: a small town in northern Canada.
Note: THE HAVEN PLACE will feature American Sign Language as part of the show. “The show has a heavy focus on Deaf and hearing integration. It will feature one Deaf actress and seven hearing actors. The development of this work has been an amazing opportunity for real-time, ground floor accessibility,” notes playwright Levi Holloway. “We are teaching our hearing actors to sign, to lean into each other and discover new ways to approach storytelling. No one will be voicing our Deaf actress. It’s a real world application of what Deaf and hearing integration looks like.” There will be fully captioned performances on December 22 & 23.
Ensemble includes: Sam Blin, Haley Bolithon, Sarah Cartwright, Julissa Contreras, Ada Gre, Eden Strong, Aria Szalai-Raymond, Nicole Rudakova
Performed at A Red Orchid Theatre
1531 N. Wells Street
Through December 30
TICKETS $15-25
Reserve your tickets HERE
The Second City presents The Winner...Of Our Discontent
Written by Shantira Jackson, Paul Jurewicz, Kelsey Kinney, Martin Morrow, Rashawn Nadine Scott, Jamison Webb
Directed by Anthony LeBlanc
The Second City’s latest revue The Winner… of Our Discontent asks if it’s broken, should we fix it? Chicago’s premier sketch comedy troupe finds big laughs in the country’s collective disappointment and fears. If you’re scared for the future of America, guess what? So are we! From pot smoking moms to Russians targeting Altoona, Iowa to a few suburban dads who are sure they have it all figured out, this show sifts through all of the divisiveness to find a winner. (Spoiler: It’s the Cubs and that’s it.)
Ensemble includes:
Shantira Jackson, Paul Jurewicz, Kelsey Kinney, Martin Morrow, Rashawn Nadine Scott, Jamison Webb
Performed at The Second City Chicago Mainstage
1616 N Wells St,
Open Run
TICKETS $19-46
Reserve your tickets HERE
Silk Road Rising presents Christmas at Christine's
Written by Christine Bunuan
Directed by JR Sullivan
This new holiday musical revue puts a Silk Road spin on the Christmas season. Chicago favorite Christine Bunuan invites you into her world with Christmas at Christine's. Journey from California to Chicago to the Philippines to a Catholic-Jewish household, as Christine sings her way through the holiday songbook and a lifetime of yuletide memories.
Starring Christine Bunuan and guest Sean Patrick Fawcett
Performed at Silk Road Rising
77 W. Washington St, Lower Level
Through December 23
TICKETS $20-25
Reserve your tickets HERE
Barrel of Monkeys Productions presents That's Weird Grandma, The Holiday Special Returns
Written by students of Chicago public schools
Directed by Joseph Schupbach
That’s Weird, Grandma is a variety show of short sketches and songs adapted from stories written by students in Barrel of Monkeys’ arts education programs. The weekly show, now in its 16th year, runs the gamut from clever and funny to touching and poignant, and includes live music, original song-and-dance numbers, wigs and props galore, and a rotating cast of talented professional actors who celebrate the imaginations of children through this raucous performance.
You probably already knew that the show changes every week, as we adapt new stories and audience members vote on their favorites. But did you ALSO know that we divide the show into “Rounds” with special themes, in order to keep the show fresh and exciting for you?
Ensemble includes:
Deanna Meyers, Mari Marroquin, Linsey Falls, Brandon Cloyd, NIck Hart, Kate Staiger, Spencer Meeks, Benjamin Ponce, Ash Bland, and Elisa Carlson
Performed at The Neo-Futurarium
5153 N. Ashland Ave.
Through December 26
TICKETS $6-12
Reserve your tickets HERE
