This spring, Chicagoans will have a spring in their step as hip-hop, rock, opera, and pop shows pop up around town. If that’s not pitch perfect enough, new stage plays are opening to ensure Windy City residents unwind throughout the season.
Musical Revues
Together, singer Dionne Warwick and composer Burt Bacharach formed a legendary partnership with the Top 10 hits “Walk on By,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” “Do You Know the Way to San Jose,” and “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again”. Chicagoans can enjoy these tunes and more in the musical revue Going Bacharach: The Songs Of An Icon (April 21-May 17) at the Apollo Theater.
In Building American Pop, Chicago a cappella sings Brill Building’s mid-century pop songs (“Stand by Me,” “On Broadway,” “Hound Dog”) at the Studebaker Theater (April 19). The evening includes special guest Geoffrey Baer from WTTW Channel 11.
For one night only (April 9), Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical brings the rock anthems by singer Meat Loaf and composer Jim Steinman to Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre. The historic building will also open its doors for Masters of the Mic (April 18). Honoring 50 years of hip-hop, the show includes performances by Doug E. Fresh, MC Lyte, Big Daddy Kane, Treach of Naughty By Nature, and Black Sheep.
“The Auditorium has hosted many of the most important artists across every artistic medium,” notes the venue’s CEO Rich Regan. “We’re thrilled to welcome five pioneers of early hip-hop to our storied stage. These artists helped lay the foundation for hip-hop’s rise to pop culture dominance. This show will be a powerful celebration for longtime fans who’ve been with the genre since before the millennium, and an unforgettable history lesson for those who discovered hip-hop later.”
For music and movie fans who missed last month’s milestone anniversary of Tommy (1975) in IMAX, The Who’s rock opera can be streamed for free on the Roku Channel. Ken Russell’s trippy flick features Elton John as the Pinball Wizard and Tina Turner as the Acid Queen.
Opera
Following Puccini’s classic tragedy Madama Butterfly (through April 12) at the Lyric Opera House, the sixth annual Opera Festival of Chicago (June 13-July 5) begins with Very Verismo! at the Jarvis Opera Hall at DePaul University. Featuring a Bohemian Tragedy theme, this year’s event includes performances of La Bohème and Adriana Lecouvreur at the George Van Dusen Theatre in the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie.
“These fully-staged productions featured star-studded casts backed by the Opera Festival of Chicago orchestra and chorus and have included several United States and Chicago premieres,” says General Director Sasha Gerritson. “We look forward to welcoming audiences from all over the world to our latest season, which is built around a powerful theme, Bohemian Tragedy, and continues our mission with an unforgettable concert and two fantastic Italian masterworks.”
Theatrical Premieres
The Broadway In Chicago premiere of the Tony Award-winning musical The Great Gatsby (April 21-May 3) comes to the Cadillac Palace Theatre. Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel, the play features a jazz- and pop-inspired score as well as Linda Cho’s Tony Award-winning costumes.
Jeff Award winner Rebecca Spence and Enrico (Veronica Mars/Just Shoot Me!) Colantoni play sparring spouses in the world premiere of Fault (April 18-May 24) directed by Emmy and Tony Award winner Jason Alexander. The new comedy is part of Chicago Shakespeare Theater‘s celebration of the Bard’s 462nd birthday on April 23. The company is also staging William Shakespeare’s romp The Merry Wives of Windsor (through May 3) and Indian Ink Theatre’s Mrs. Krishnan’s Party (April 7–26).
“Undertaking a month of performances at this scale and scope is an audacious opportunity to experience live theatrical experiences made possible by the dedication and commitment of our artists, theater staff, board of directors, supporters, and audience members. We invite folks to come to these comedic, joyous shows to laugh and gather,” says Chicago Shakespeare Theater Executive Director Kimberly Motes.
The world premiere of playwright Georgette Kelly’s Farewell Opportunity (May 2-May 17) is set to take the Filament Theatre stage. “This production is about creating space (in outer space) to talk about mortality and completion with younger audiences,” says director Raquel Torre. “From my first reading of Farewell Opportunity, I was struck by its honesty, poetry, and joy.”
A Red Orchid Theatre concludes its 33rd Season with the world premiere of Hanna Kime’s tragicomedy The Targeted, (May 7-June 14) at The Chopin Theatre Mainstage. Under the direction of Grace Dolezal-Ng, the play features ensemble members Kirsten Fitzgerald, Lawrence Grimm, Sadieh Rifai and Natalie West with Glenn Obrero and Stephanie Shum.
TimeLine Theatre presents the Chicago premiere of Amy Herzog’s new version of Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People (May 6-June 7) at its new home on Broadway in Chicago, while astronaut Molly Jennis (Ashley Neal) heads to Mars in the Chicago premiere of Spaceman (May 19-June 13) at The Edge Off-Broadway. The sci-fi odyssey by Leegrid Stevens is presented by producingbody.
Gary Cole returns to Steppenwolf Theatre Company for the first time in more than 25 years to star in Mia Chung’s Catch as Catch Can (June 4-July 12) in Steppenwolf’s Downstairs Theater. The Office Space (1999) and Family Guy (2000-present) actor will join Audrey Francis and Tim Hopper in this Chicago premiere directed by ensemble member Amy Morton.