For its 13^th free summer production, Midsommer Flight will present one of Shakespeare's most highly regarded and popular comedies. AS YOU LIKE IT, known for its witty dialogue, pastoral setting, and the strong female lead Rosalind, is one of Shakespeare's 10 most frequently produced plays. It takes some of Shakespeare's frequent tropes - intra-family conflicts, gender disguises, and lovers who must overcome obstacles in order to be together – and creates a lighthearted, romantic comedy that has been praised for its sophisticated banter. True to the comedy's famous line – "All the World's a Stage" – Midsommer Flight will again be creating natural stages in six Chicago parks over six summer weekends. The company will crisscross the city, with performances on the near south side (Chicago Women's Park and Gardens), farther south at Nichols Park in the Hyde Park neighborhood, the west side (Kelvyn Park), and the north side (Gross (Theodore) Park in Lincoln Square, Winnemac Park in Ravenswood, and Touhy Park in Rogers Park). Opening night is Friday, June 26 at 6 pm at Chicago Women's Park and Gardens, 1801 South Indiana Avenue in the South Loop (Near South Side).
 
Founding Artistic Director Beth Wolf (she/her/hers), named one of NEW CITY STAGE's 2026 "50 Players Who Really Perform for Chicago," announced her cast of 12 principals and six understudies today. Appearing as Rosalind, who like her father Duke Senior is banished from court by her uncle Duke Frederick, is Stephanie Mattos* (she/her). Barry Irving* (he/him) will play both Duke Frederick and Duke Senior. Orlando, who is attracted to Rosalind and flees to the Forest of Arden to escape a death threat from his brother, will be played by Thomas Russell (he/they). Orlando's brother, Oliver, will be played by Ian Voltaire Deanes (he/him). Ebby Offord* (she/they) will appear as Rosalind's loyal cousin Celia, who travels to the forest with Rosalind. Accompanying Rosalind and Celia to the forest is Touchstone, the Court Jester, to be played by Chase Wheaton-Werle. Jack Morsovillo* (he/him) will be Jaques, a melancholy and dramatic lord who camps with Duke Senior in the forest.
 
In the forest, the exiles meet the shepherds Silvius (Brandon Beach*, he/him) and Audrey (Jennifer Mohr, she/her). Silvius has unrequited love for the shepherdess Phebe (Triniti Cruz, she/her), who falls in love with Rosalind while Rosalind is disguised as a man. Meanwhile, Audrey is charmed by Touchstone.
 
Also in the principal cast are Connor O. Locklin (he/him) in multiple roles (Charles / First Lord in forest / MarText / Second Brother), and Riley Samuel Merritt (he/him) as Amiens and First Lord at court. The understudies are Alexander P. Garza (he/him, u/s Duke Frederick and Duke Senior), Jerome Michael Jones (he/him, u/s Orlando, Oliver), MJ Handsome (she/they, u/s Rosalind, Celia), Robert Wood Frank (he/him, u/s Silvius, Touchstone), Matt Keeley (he/him/his, u/s Charles / First Lord in forest / MarText / Second Brother, Jaques, Amiens), and Siyi Wang (she/her/hers, u/s Audrey, Phebe).

The AS YOU LIKE IT production team will include Rachel Sypniewski (she/her/hers, Costume Designer), Jeremiah Barr (he/him/his, Scenic/Props Designer), Jack Morsovillo* (he/him/his, Music Director), Will Wilhelm (they/them/theirs, Text Coach), Bryson David Hoff (he/him/his, Vocal Coach), Courtney Abbott (they/them/theirs, Intimacy Director), Thomas Russell (he/they, Fight Director), Becca Holloway (she/her/hers, Casting Director), Hailey Piorek (she/her/hers, Stage Manager), Chloe Steuber (she/her/hers, Assistant Stage Manager), and Joshua Pennington* (he/they, Assistant Director).

*Indicates Midsommer Flight Artistic Ensemble member
 
Midsommer Flight's productions are performed in natural sunlight and without amplified sound, much as they were done in the Bard's day. Midsommer Flight has become one of Chicago's best-loved and most highly regarded producers of free summer Shakespeare. THIRD COAST REVIEW's Nancy Bishop, in her 3-1/2-star review of 2024's ROMEO AND JULIET summed it up by writing, "Is there anything as lovely as theater in the park on a warm summer evening?" Tristan Bruns of NEW CITY said in his review of 2025's LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST, " ...the sun had died down and a light breeze cut the humidity. Monarch butterflies tumbled through the air and rested on laps. Midsommer's ebullient take on Shakespeare matched the surroundings perfectly...This is the Shakespeare I want to see on a cool summer evening, sitting in a folding chair and sipping a LaCroix beside a butterfly companion."
 
LISTING INFORMATION

AS YOU LIKE IT
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Producing Artistic Director Beth Wolf
June 26 - August 2, 2026
Fridays, Saturdays*, and Sundays at 6 pm, Thursday, July 2 at 6 pm
*No performance Saturday, July 4
Admission is free (donations gladly accepted)
Opening night – Friday, June 26, 6 pm in Chicago Women's Park and Garden, 1801 S. Indiana Ave, 60614
 
Performed in six different Chicago Park District parks

• June 26, 27, 28 at Chicago Women's Park and Garden, 1801 S. Indiana Avenue, 60616
• July 2, 3, 5 at Gross (Theodore) Park, 2708 W Lawrence Avenue, 60625
• July 10, 11, 12 at Nichols Park, 1355 E 53rd Street, 60615
• July 17, 18, 19 at Kelvyn Park, 4438 W Wrightwood, 60639
• July 24, 25, 26 at Winnemac Park, 5100 N Leavitt, 60625
• July 31, August 1, 2 at Touhy Park, 7348 N Paulina Avenue, 60626

AS YOU LIKE IT is a vibrant Shakespearean comedy that wittily explores love and gender roles. Banished from court by her uncle, Rosalind escapes to the Forest of Arden, where she disguises herself as man in order to win over her lover by trying to convince him he should forget her. The play examines various types of love—from passionate to superficial to mature—offering a nuanced look at romantic relationships and human connection and playfully exploring the fluidity of gender roles. Audiences are encouraged to come early and bring a picnic to enjoy this free programming. Seating is first-come, first-served, and audience members can bring their own blankets or chairs. 

Free Reservations are encouraged but not required. Those with reservations will be contacted in the event of weather cancellations or other last-minute updates. Reservations will be available through the Midsommer Flight website at www.midsommerflight.com beginning on June 1. Show information on website at www.midsommerflight.com, including detailed schedule and info about directions and parking at each park.
 
ABOUT MIDSOMMER FLIGHT. Midsommer Flight is a theatre company dedicated to presenting high quality, accessible productions of Shakespeare's plays in Chicago communities. After the company's well-received inaugural production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM in 2012, the Chicago City Council honored Midsommer Flight with a resolution praising "the Midsommer Flight theater troupe on their dedication to bringing the arts to underserved communities."  The company incorporated as a not-for-profit in the state of Illinois in early 2013 and has produced ROMEO AND JULIET (2013, 2024), MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (2014), MACBETH (2015), TWELFTH NIGHT (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022) AS YOU LIKE IT (2016), HAMLET (2017), THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA (2018), THE TEMPEST (2019), A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (2012 AND 2022), CYMBELINE (2023), and LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST (2025). The company was nominated in 2019 for the third time for the League of Chicago Theatres "Emerging Theatre Award."
 
Midsommer Flight is committed to presenting financially accessible theatre. Productions are 100% free to the public (donations gratefully accepted). Audiences are encouraged to come early and bring a picnic to enjoy this free programming. For more information visit www.midsommerflight.com. 
 
ABOUT NIGHT OUT IN THE PARKS
 
AS YOU LIKE IT is presented as part of the Chicago Park District's Night Out in the Parks series, supported by the Mayor's Office and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. The Night Out in the Parks program presents cultural events year-round in neighborhood parks throughout the city. The Chicago Park District in partnership with local artists and organizations, presents engaging events and performances that enhance quality of life across Chicago and amplify the artistic and cultural vibrancy in every neighborhood. Through multiple disciplines, which include theater, music, movies, dance, site-specific work, nature programs, and community festivals, the series aims to support Chicago-based artists, facilitate community-based partnerships and programs, cultivate civic engagement, and ensure equity in access to the arts for all Chicagoans. For more information, please visit www.nightoutintheparks.com.

Chicago Magic Lounge, Chicago's home for close-up magic, announces the return of world-renowned magician Ondřej Pšenička in a limited run of his hit show 52 Lovers, directed by Stepan Gajdos. Spend an evening with one of magic's most inventive contemporary voices in 52 Lovers, an intimate performance presented up close in Chicago Magic Lounge's Harry Blackstone Cabaret theater. Quirky, disarming, and brilliantly original, Pšenička blends offbeat humor with world-class sleight of hand in a style entirely his own.

52 Lovers plays Wednesdays at 7:00pm, July 1 – August 26, 2026. Tickets are priced $44 (Standard) and $50 (Front Row), plus applicable fees. Tickets for all Chicago Magic Lounge shows are available at the box office, (312) 366-4500 or online at chicagomagiclounge.com.

A true innovator, Ondřej combines original creations with expertly curated effects, delivered with a playful unpredictability that keeps audiences leaning in. With a subtle current of absurdism throughout, 52 Lovers is sharp, surprising, and delightfully off-center—showcasing expert technique with an effortless touch that makes the impossible look easy.

Each evening begins with close-up magic performed right at your table by Chicago Magic Lounge's talented house magicians. Between visits, guests can socialize, enjoy craft cocktails and small plates, and take in the vintage ambiance of the Harry Blackstone Cabaret.

About Ondřej Pšenička (pronounced ON-dray psheh-NEETCH-kuh)
Ondřej Pšenička is a world-renowned magician celebrated for his inventive approach to card magic and close-up performance. Hailing from the Czech Republic, he has performed on stages across the globe and is a regular at the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, California. Known for his quirky humor, subtle surrealism, and technical mastery, Pšenička has baffled audiences worldwide, most notably fooling Penn & Teller three times on Penn & Teller: Fool Us. His creations blend originality, precision, and playfulness, making every performance unforgettable.

Also Happening at Chicago Magic Lounge

The Close-Up Show
Mondays at 7:00pm
Tickets: General Admission $35 - $37

The Showcase
Tuesdays at 7:00pm
Tickets: Standard: $37.50 - $39; Front Row: $42 - $44

The Signature Show
Thursdays-Sundays at 7:00pm, Fridays & Saturdays at 10pm
Tickets: Front Row $89.50 - $103, Premium Main Floor (main floor banquette and main floor cabaret) $76.00 – $95.00, Standard (rail and elevated banquette) $68.50 - $84, Mezzanine $55.00 – $68.00

Tickets for all Chicago Magic Lounge performances are available at the box office, (312) 366-4500 or online at chicagomagiclounge.com. Chicago Magic Lounge is a 21+ venue. Ages 16+ allowed to ticketed evening shows with a legal guardian.

For a complete schedule of performances and more information about Chicago Magic Lounge, resident and guest performers, and more, please visit chicagomagiclounge.com.

Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce the return of its free summer concert series Broadway in your Backyard, July 6 - September 19, sponsored by Chicago Free For All Fund. Broadway in your Backyard is directed by Artistic Director Michael Weber, music directed by Linda Madonia and starring Tafadzwa Diener, Nik Kmiecik, Juwon Tyrel Perry and Bethany Thomas. For more information go to PorchlightMusicTheatre.org.

Now in its sixth year, this free to the public summer series has become one of Porchlight’s most popular offerings with thousands of people enjoying Porchlight favorite artists performing hits and beloved songs from the Broadway and Hollywood musical song books including Hello, Dolly!, Mary Poppins, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Toy Story, The Wiz and others. 

The 2026 Broadway in your Backyard season is 

Monday, July 6 at 6:30 p.m.

Northcenter Town Square,  4100 N. Damen Ave.

This appearance also includes a performance from students of The Chicago Academy for the Arts. 

Tuesday, July 7 at 6:30 p.m.

Welles Park,  2333 W. Sunnyside Ave.

This appearance also includes a performance from students of The Chicago Academy for the Arts. Additionally, audiences may join Porchlight’s Education as they host a “Kids’ Day” at Welles Park with activities and treats for children, while supplies last. 

Monday, July 13 at 6:30 p.m.

Berger Park,Waterfront Cafe, 6205 N. Sheridan Rd.

This appearance also includes a performance from PMTeens, Porchlight’s teen performers enrolled in its summer education programming.

Tuesday, July 14 at 6:30 p.m.

Washington Square Park, 901 N. Clark St. 

This appearance also includes a performance from PMTeens, Porchlight’s teen performers enrolled in its summer education programming and Porchlight Young Professionals Associate Board hosting a “Picnic With PYP” at the performance. “Picnic With PYP,” additional details to be announced. 

Navy Pier, STAGE TBD, 600 E. Grand Ave.

Saturday, Sept. 19 at 12:30 p.m.

Porchlight Music Theatre presents its popular Broadway in your Backyard program of family-friendly showtunes as it joins more than 110 artists and organizations for Navy Pier’s the annual celebration of Chicago’s vibrant arts and cultural community. 

Performance dates and venues are subject to change.

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE

Porchlight Music Theatre, in its 31st season, is the award-winning center for music theatre in Chicago. Through live performance, youth education and community outreach, we impact thousands of lives each season, bringing the magic of musicals to our theatre home at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in the Gold Coast and to neighborhoods across the city. Porchlight has built a national reputation for boldly reimagining classic musicals, supporting new works and young performers, and showcasing Chicago’s most notable music theatre artists, all through the intimate and powerful theatrical lens of the “Chicago Style.” 

Porchlight's history over three decades includes more than 70 mainstage works with 15 Chicago premieres and five world premieres. 

Porchlight's education and outreach programs serve schools, youth of all ages and skill levels and community organizations. Porchlight annually awards dozens of full scholarships and hundreds of free tickets to ensure accessibility and real engagement with this uniquely American art form. 

The company’s many honors include 178 Joseph Jefferson Award (Jeff) nominations and 50 Jeff awards, as well as 44 Black Theatre Alliance (BTA) nominations and 15 BTA awards. In 2019, Porchlight graduated to the Large Theatre tier of the Equity Jeff Awards and has been honored with seven awards in this tier to date including Best Ensemble for Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies (2019) and Best Production-Revue for Blues in the Night (2022). 

Through the global pandemic, Porchlight emerged as one of Chicago’s leaders in virtual programming, quickly launching a host of free offerings like Sondheim @ 90 Roundtables, Movie Musical Mondays, Porchlight by Request: Command Performances and WPMT: Classic Musicals from the Golden Age of Radio. In 2021, Porchlight launched its annual summer series, Broadway in your Backyard, performing at parks and venues throughout the city. 

Two actors.
One has rehearsed the play.
The other has neither seen nor read it.

A different performer joins the show each night. The play is as new to them as it is to you. The result is unpredictable and ephemeral. An Oak Tree is a meditation on identity, loss, and a reminder that theatre exists only in the moment it’s shared.

We're especially excited about this production and the spontaneity it offers - no two performances will unfold the same. We've ensured that each guest performer knows absolutely nothing about the play's narrative or characters before their performance. They discover the play in real time, at the same moment that the audience does.

For this production, we've partnered up with a new theatre company, Theatre Arcana, to produce the show. The show features Theatre Arcana's artistic director, Riles August Holiday, as our main actor, and many members of their ensemble will appear as guest performers throughout the run.

Here is a breakdown of our performance schedule, including which guest actors will be performing in each show:

Fri, June 19, 7:30PM: RENZO VICENTE
Sat, June 20, 2:30PM: AUDREY ROMERO
Sat, June 20, 7:30PM: SUZY KRUECKEBERG
Sun, June 21, 2:30PM: CAITLIN FRAZIER

Thurs, June 25, 7:30PM: HANNAH LOESSBERG
Fri, June 26, 7:30PM: CAMERON BROWN
Sat, June 27, 2:30PM: ALEX ALBRECHT
Sat, June 27, 7:30PM: ZIARE PAUL-EMILE
Sun, June 28, 2:30PM: BRADY MAGRUDER

Thurs, July 2, 7:30PM: FABIAN GUERRERO
Friday, July 3, 7:30PM: GRACE TAYLOR
Sun, July 5, 2:30PM: JIM IORIO

The show runs 70 minutes with no intermission.

You can find out more about the production at our website.

On July 24th and 25th at 7:00 pm, Chicago Dance Crash will present expo/sd, a world premiere concert at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts. Curated by Artistic Director KC Bevis, the evening features new works choreographed by Annie Franklin, Cameron McKinney, and Crash resident choreographer Elijah Motley.
 

expo/sd
 

Friday and Saturday, July 24-25th at 7:00 pm
The Ruth Page Center for the Arts
1016 N. Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60610
Tickets: $25 for adults / $15 for children 12 and under
 

Tickets available at ChicagoDanceCrash.com
Questions or requests? Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The upcoming concert will feature a world premiere by choreographer Annie Franklin that investigates how traditional street and contemporary dance forms can exist in conversation with one another while pushing dancers to embrace the visceral, the intimate, and the imperfect in performance—work that is unsettling, raw, and emotionally charged rather than conventionally beautiful. Rooted in themes of voyeurism and intimacy, the piece will ask what it means for audiences to witness moments they are "not supposed" to see, reflecting the deeply personal practice of freestyle movement and the vulnerability of exploration. Performed to an original score by local music producer e j e c t, this work was made possible by the support of the Chicago Cultural Center and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. 

Also featured in the concert will be a new repertory work, "A 4 Bar Loop", by choreographer and Crash alum Elijah Motley. This dynamic piece explores identity, drawing from Motley's personal experience as a Black man raised in the South. Growing up surrounded by reminders of the Jim Crow era and stories of racial discrimination shared by his grandparents, Motley reflects on the tangible progress made in civil rights, its regressions, and ultimately asks: "Are we any different now?"

Choreographer Cameron McKinney will also premiere a new duet  - "Fall From Grace." Rooted in hyperphysicality, McKinney explores how the body can be pushed to (and beyond) its limits, and how that physical threshold becomes a gateway to raw honesty. This work operates in a space of "meditative exhaustion": a state where the energy we normally spend maintaining our facades is stripped away, leaving only the truth of self in the moment.

Seating will be very limited for this weekend-only showing and, as with all freestyle-driven productions, both performances will be entirely different. Join Chicago Dance Crash in July as we celebrate three world-premiere works in expo/sd.

About Chicago Dance Crash
A multidisciplinary dance company existing within the intersection of street dance, concert dance, and physical theater, Crash's fusion-style works and performing ensemble embodies our dedication to being an accessible and innovative dance company, creating intensely physical, authentic, and narrative-driven art. Crash burst onto the scene in its first season with a new and innovative movement play concept and has grown to receive critical acclaim throughout its 24 years of groundbreaking dance.
 

Learn more at www.ChicagoDanceCrash.com + join the conversation on Facebook and YouTube (Chicago Dance Crash), Instagram @chicagodancecrash

The Oak Park Festival Theatre, Oak Park's premiere Equity theatre and the oldest professional classical theatre in the Midwest, today announced the casts and production teams for its Summer 2026 productions of William Shakespeare's HAMLET and Oscar Wilde's THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST. Presented in repertory for the first time in company history, the productions run concurrently June 30 – August 15, 2026, at Austin Gardens in downtown Oak Park. 

Though radically different in tone, HAMLET and THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST speak to one another in striking and unexpected ways. Together, the productions explore the tension between performance and truth, asking what happens when individuals are forced to navigate the expectations imposed on them by family, society, and power. 

Staged in repertory for the first time in company history, the season invites audiences to experience two master playwrights in conversation across centuries while watching Oak Park Festival Theatre actors tackle radically different worlds of comedy and tragedy throughout the summer. 

Directed by Oak Park Festival Theatre Producing Artistic Director Peter Andersen, HAMLET runs July 1 – August 15, 2026. Called home by his father's sudden death and his mother's swift remarriage, Prince Hamlet finds the court of Denmark transformed–and deeply unsettled. When a ghost appears with a terrible accusation, Hamlet is pulled into a relentless search for truth, testing the limits of loyalty, love, and revenge. 

The cast of HAMLET features Brew Bos (Hamlet), Brenna Distassio (Laertes), Olive Gallagher (Ophelia), Pedro Jimenez (Rosencrantz), Gabriel Armstrong (Guildenstern), Patrice Egleston (Polonius), Jodi Gage (Gertrude), Josh Carpenter** (Claudius), Lucas Prizant (Horatio), and Charls Sedgwick Hall** (Ghost/Player/Gravedigger). 

Directed by Kathryn Walsh in her Oak Park Festival Theatre debut, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST runs June 30 – August 14, 2026. Jack Worthing leads a double life–one in the country, one in the city–while his friend Algernon Moncrieff has troubles of his own. When both men assume the name "Ernest" to win the affections of two very particular women, a web of mistaken identities, secret engagements, and delightful deceptions begins to unravel. 

The cast of THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST features August Foreman (Algernon), Chad Bay (Jack), Sonia Goldberg (Gwendolyn), Aurora Pennepacker** (Cecily), Drew Bos (Merriman/Lane), Barbara Zahora** (Lady Bracknell), Gabriel Armstrong (Chausible), and Jodi Gage (Miss Prism). 

The productions share a repertory creative team including Patrick Starner (Production Manager), Andy Cahoon (Technical Director), Devin Cameron (Lighting Director), Evan Frank (Scenic Designer), Duncan Hon (Master Electrician), Sophia De La Torre (Board Mixer), and Jack Short (Box Office Manager). 

Oak Park Festival Theatre's paid Apprenticeship Program, now in its 16th year, provides an educational, inspirational, and career-broadening experience for post-high school and undergraduate students in theatre arts. This season's apprentices are Archer Bart, Karla Valdez, Emily York, Avery Dulak, Anya Moeske, Jo Selmeczy, Jamille Calixte, Evan Ozer, and Ella Boyden. 

Season Pass packages ($70), which include admission to both productions at a discounted rate, are available now at www.oakparkfestival.com. 

HAMLET

Written By: William Shakespeare

Directed By: Peter G. Andersen

Cast: Brew Bos (Hamlet), Brenna Distassio (Laertes), Olive Gallagher (Ophelia), Pedro Jimenez (Rosencrantz), Gabriel Armstrong (Guildenstern), Patrice Egleston (Polonius), Jodi Gage (Gertrude), Josh Carpenter** (Claudius), Lucas Prizant (Horatio), and Charls Sedgwick Hall** (Ghost/Player/Gravedigger)

Understudy Cast: Lucas Prizant (Hamlet), Avery Dulak (Laertes), Anya Moeske (Ophelia), Ben Crane (Rosencrantz/Guildenstern), Julia Rowley (Polonium/Gertrude), August Foreman (Claudius/Ghost/Player/Gravedigger), Jamille Calixte (Horatio).

Production Team: Patrick Starner (Production Manager), Andy Cahoon (Technical Director), Tessa Huber  (Stage Manager), Chrissy Roy (Assistant Stage Manager), Devin Cameron (Lighting Director), Evan Frank (Scenic Designer), Taylor Pfenning (Costume Designer) Duncan Hon (Master Electrician), Trent Jones (Scenic Painter), Sophia De La Torre (Board Mixer), and Jack Short (Box Office Manager).

** Denotes Membership in Actors' Equity Association

Dates: July 1 – August 15, 2026 (previews July 1, July 3)

Press Opening: Sunday, July 5, 2026

Schedule: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. Select dates only. See website for complete schedule.

Location: Austin Gardens, 167 Forest Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302

Tickets: General Admission ($40); seniors ($30); students ($15); previews ($20); children under 12 ($5). Group discounts available for groups of 10 or more. Additional booking fees apply. 

Box Office: www.oakparkfestival.com 

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

Written By: Oscar Wilde

Directed By: Kathryn Walsh

Cast: August Foreman (Algernon), Chad Bay (Jack), Sonia Goldberg (Gwendolyn), Aurora Pennepacker** (Cecily), Drew Bos (Merriman/Lane), Barbara Zahora** (Lady Bracknell), Gabriel Armstrong (Chausible), and Jodi Gage (Miss Prism). 

Understudy Cast: Gabriel Armstrong (Algernon), Pedro Jimenez (Jack), Olive Gallagher (Gwendolyn/Cecily), Evan Ozer (Merriman/Lane/Chasible), Belinda Bremner (Lady Bracknell), Julia Rowley (Miss Prism).

Production Team: Patrick Starner (Production Manager), Andy Cahoon (Technical Director), Chrissy Roy (Stage Manager), Tessa Huber (Assistant Stage Manager), Devin Cameron (Lighting Director), Evan Frank (Scenic Designer), Phoebe Boynton (Costume Designer) Duncan Hon (Master Electrician), Sophia De La Torre (Board Mixer), and Jack Short (Box Office Manager).

** Denotes Membership in Actors' Equity Association

Dates: June 30 – August 14, 2026 (previews June 30, July 2, July 4)

Press Opening:  Tuesday, July 7, 2026

Schedule: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. Select dates only. See website for complete schedule.

Location: Austin Gardens, 167 Forest Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302

Tickets: General Admission ($40); seniors ($30); students ($15); previews ($20); children under 12 ($5). Group discounts available for groups of 10 or more. Additional booking fees apply. 

Box Office: www.oakparkfestival.com 

Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, located in the heart of downtown Arlington Heights at 111 W. Campbell St., is proud to announce its 2026-27 season launching with Ride the Cyclone, September 16 - October 18; followed by a Chicago-rooted holiday classic The Christmas Schooner, November 24 - January 3, 2027; an in-concert production of Disney's The Little Mermaid, January 27 - February 14, 2027; Chicago Premiere, The Match Game, March 3 - 28, 2027 and concluding with Rodgers and Hammerstein's masterpiece from music theatre's golden age, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, September 16 - October 18, 2027.  Early bird discounted subscriptions are available now through June 5 at MetropolisArts.com/2627-season or by calling the box office at 847.577.2121, with single tickets available later this year. 

The 2026-27 season also includes a limited run of the beloved holiday tradition, A Christmas Carol, as part of the Metropolis Family Series Saturdays at 10 a.m. (December 5 - December 19) and a full-length production December 13 and 20 at 6:30 p.m. and December 24 at 2:00 p.m.

2026-27 Season Sponsors: The season show sponsor is Suburban Accents. The season Paint Sponsor is Marc Poulous Painting and Decorating. The season costume storage sponsor is Jennifer Burnidge, CLU, ChFC, RICP State Farm Agent.

All performances are held at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St. in Arlington Heights. The full Metropolis Performing Arts Centre's 2026-27 season includes, chronologically:

RIDE THE CYCLONE

September 16 - October 25, 2026

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell

Directed by Lillian Castillo

A darkly comical musical about six teens bargaining for a second chance at life in this profound exploration of life, death, and knowing who you are. An added bonus to the Metropolis production features Director Lillian Castillo. Castillo is the original Constance on the World Premiere Cast Recording, and she also originated the role in the American premiere at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

THE CHRISTMAS SCHOONER

November 24, 2026 - January 3, 2027

Book by John Reeger

Music and Lyrics by Julie Shannon

Directed by Patrick Tierney

A heartwarming Chicago-based musical that tells the dramatic true story of a Lake Michigan captain who risked his life to share the Christmas spirit.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL - LIMITED RUN

Metropolis Family Series: December 5 - December 19 at 10 a.m.

Full Length Production ONLY: December 13 and 20 at 6:30 p.m., December 24 at 2 p.m.

Adapted by Johanna McKenzie Miller

Original Music and Lyrics by Cory Goodrich

The holiday tradition returns to Metropolis for both the Metropolis Family Series and Metropolis Mainstage. 

DISNEY'S THE LITTLE MERMAID, a concert presentation

January 27 - February 14, 2027

Music by Alan Menken

Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater

Book by Doug Wright

Director to be announced

Originally produced by Disney Theatrical Group, this is a concert collaboration with Metropolis School of the Performing Arts and JAM Orchestra. Based on the Hans Christian Andersen story and the Disney film produced by Howard Ashman & John Musker and written and directed by John Musker and Ron Clements.

This in-concert production features professional and student actors backed by a full orchestra, allowing the music to shine.

CHICAGO PREMIERE

THE MATCH GAME

Written by Steven Strafford

March 3 - 21, 2027

Director to be announced

This new work, a hilarious and heartbreaking family dramedy, asks us to contend with truths we may be too afraid to name and to laugh at ones we can't change.

RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN'S OKLAHOMA!

April 28 - May 30, 2027

Music by Richard Rodgers

Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

Based on the play "Green Grow the Lilacs" by Lynn Riggs

Original Choreography by Agnes de Mille

Director to be announced

The classic, medium-defining musical. A high-spirited romantic comedy set against the backdrop of a tumultuous, yet hopeful, new era.

ABOUT METROPOLIS PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE
Metropolis Performing Arts Centre is a vibrant cultural hub that enriches the community through inspiring live performances, creative arts education, and impactful partnerships. It fosters artistic excellence, cultivates multi-generational connections, and offers inclusive experiences that engage and uplift all community members. Located in the heart of downtown Arlington Heights, Metropolis is not just a theatre; it is the cultural pulse of the area, surrounded by premier shopping, dining, and nightlife. Metropolis offers a dynamic year-round season of professional theatre, comedy, concerts, and cabaret performances along with engaging arts education for ages 3 to 85. Serving more than 65,000 patrons annually from across Chicagoland and beyond, Metropolis plays a pivotal role in the community. It provides arts education programs that support thousands of aspiring young artists, as well as community engagement initiatives like the Third Act Players (musical theatre for thespians over 50), Crescendo Chorus (for singers over 55), Flourish in the Footlights (for young artists with disabilities), and Clearbrook on Cue (for artists with disabilities). Metropolis is proud to partner with local organizations such as Endeavor Health, Arlington Heights Senior Center, and Clearbrook. Scholarships are available for students at the School of the Performing Arts to ensure access to the arts for all.

Ride The Cyclone is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing Global, www.broadwaylicensing.com.

The Christmas Schooner is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI, www.mtishows.com.

Disney's The Little Mermaid is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI, www.mtishows.com.

Rodgers & Hammerstein's OKLAHOMA! is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization,  www.concordtheatricals.com.

Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, located in the heart of downtown Arlington Heights at 111 W. Campbell St., is proud to announce its 2026-27 season launching with the return of Ride the Cyclone, September 16 - October 18; followed by a Chicago-rooted holiday classic The Christmas Schooner, November 24 - January 3, 2027; an in-concert production of Disney's The Little Mermaid, January 27 - February 14, 2027; the launch of a new work, The Match Game, March 3 - 28, 2027 and concluding with Rodgers and Hammerstein's masterpiece from music theatre's golden age, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, September 16 - October 18, 2027. 

The 2026-27 subscription series includes Ride the Cyclone, The Christmas Schooner, Disney's The Little Mermaid, The Match Game and Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!. Early bird discounted subscriptions are available now through June 5 at MetropolisArts.com/2627-season or by calling the box office at 847.577.2121, with single tickets available later this year.