Chicago will continue to produce some of the most exciting work in the country this Fall. Offerings from the city’s more than 250 producing theatres include a wide variety of plays and musicals, as well as comedy, dance, festivals, and more.
For a comprehensive list of Chicago productions visit the League of Chicago Theatres website, ChicagoPlays.com. Additionally, many fall shows will be available at Hot Tix, Chicago’s local, discounted ticketing service. Hot Tix operates online at HotTix.org and in-person at Guest Services inside Block 37 Shops on State, 108 N State Street. The Block 37 location is open Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm and Sunday 11am-5pm.
League of Chicago Theatres Executive Director Marissa Lynn Jones comments, “With over 125 shows happening throughout the Loop, Chicago’s neighborhoods, and the suburbs, there's no better way to celebrate the season than by immersing yourself in the diverse and dynamic world of Chicago theatre. Whether you're strolling through your local area on a cool autumn evening, enjoying a dinner and show downtown, or discovering a suburban theatre gem, there's something for everyone to enjoy, because theatre is for everyone.”
The following is a selection of notable work playing in Chicago this Fall, organized by location. For a comprehensive list of all performances happening throughout the Chicagoland area check out the League of Chicago Theatre Fall Theatre Guide. A digital version of the guide is available at https://chicagoplays.com/chicago-theatre-guide/ and a physical version is available for pick up at the Hot Tix Booth at Block 37 Shops on State at Guest Services,
A selection of productions playing in theatres located in the Loop are:
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Broadway In Chicago at James M. Nederlander Theatre
Playing September 10 - February 1, 2025
Experience the wizarding world like never before at this record breaking, Tony Award-winning hit.
Inherit the Wind
Goodman Theatre
Playing September 14 – October 13
A small-town educator's trial for teaching the theory of evolution becomes a battle royal of wits, wisdom, and will for two of the country's most powerful lawyers.
The Delicate Tears of the Waning Moon
Water People Theater at Insituto Cervantes
Playing September 11 – October 4
Paulina, a human rights journalist and a determined advocate for victims of femicide and indigenous ethnicities, has recently emerged from a coma after a brutal attack. To achieve justice, it is essential for her to recover her memory and reveal the truth.
Fidelio
Lyric Opera of Chicago
Playing September 26 – October 10
No Operatic heroine is more courageous than Leonore, who disguises herself as a young man in order to work in the prison, hoping to rescue her husband.
Atonement
The Joffrey Ballet
Playing October 17-27
The poignant story follows Briony Tallis, revealed in the book as its author and now portrayed in the ballet as a celebrated choreographer, as she grapples with the haunting echoes of her past through a breathtaking dance of redemption.
Henry V
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Playing September 6 – October 6
Artistic Director Edward Hall stages Shakespeare’s gripping tale of youthful ambition—exploring the thrill and destructive power of war.
Some Like it Hot
Broadway In Chicago at Cadillac Palace Theatre
Playing October 22 - November 3
Some Like It Hot is the story of two musicians forced to flee the Windy City after witnessing a mob hit. With gangsters hot on their heels, they catch a cross-country train for the life-chasing, life-changing trip of a lifetime.
A Beautiful Noise
Broadway In Chicago at Cadillac Palace Theatre
Playing November 12-24
Created in collaboration with Neil Diamond himself, A Beautiful Noise is the uplifting true story of how a kid from Brooklyn became a chart-busting, show-stopping American rock icon.
Theatres are located in almost every neighborhood in Chicago. A selection of productions playing throughout Chicago are:
Jackie Taylor’s Blue Eyed Soul Sung By Brown Eyed People
Black Ensemble Theater
Playing September 21 – November 3
How many times have you heard a soulful song and just assumed that the singer was Black only to find out they were not. No matter who it’s sung by great music is great mu sic and proves soul is not a color!
Misery
American Blues Theater
Playing September 20 - October 26
Successful romance novelist Paul Sheldon is rescued from a car crash by his "number one fan." Must see psychological thriller of staged adaptation of Stephen King's Misery.
East Texas Hot Links
Court Theatre
Playing September 6 - 29
It is 1955 in the piney woods of East Texas and racial tensions are high, yet the Top O’ the Hill Café remains a haven. The café is a refuge that keeps the outside world at bay, until a mysterious omen forces the outside in.
Noises Off
Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Playing September 12 – October 27
The cast and crew of Nothing On are scrambling to prepare for opening night, but despite their earnest efforts, the production is an absolute mess. Line flubs and lost props and missed cues, oh my!
Dear Elizabeth
Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Playing October 17 – November 17
Dear Elizabeth peeks into the private lives of two literary giants, revealing their vulnerabilities, insecurities, and the intimacy of their bond.
Topdog/Underdog
The Gift Theatre at Filament Theatre
Playing September 12 – October 20
Haunted by the past and their obsession with the street con game, three-card monte, two brothers come to learn the true nature of their history.
Into the Woods
Kokandy Productions at Chopin Theatre
Playing October 10 – December 22
A trove of storybook characters' paths intertwine as they chase their deepest desires through an enchanted forest. However, once they receive their happily ever after, the unintended consequences of granted wishes unravel their worlds.
Milo Imagines the World
Chicago Children’s Theatre
Playing October 12 – November 3
Milo Imagines the World is a musical odyssey of imagination. This magical, musical journey takes us through the mind of a child, as he learns to see the world as it really is.
Destinos: 7th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival
Chicago Latino Theater Alliance
Running September 30 – November 17
Chicago’s annual citywide festival showcasing Latino theater artists and companies from Chicago, the U.S. and Latin America, returns for Chicago’s Latino Heritage Month. The festival is produced by the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA) and is presented annually to drive Chicago’s vibrant Latino theater scene to a more prominent level locally, nationally and internationally. For additional information and tickets visit destinosfest.org.
Ironbound
Raven Theatre Company
Playing September 26 – October 27
Ironbound is a darkly funny, heartbreaking portrait of a woman for whom love is a luxury and a liability as she fights to survive in America.
By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
The Artistic Home at The Den Theatre
Playing October 12 - November 17
When Vera Stark—maid to “America’s Sweetie Pie,” Gloria Mitchell—lands a groundbreaking role in an antebellum epic, she turns Hollywood on its head and paves the way for future generations of Black actresses.
Falsettos
Court Theatre Produced in Partnership with TimeLine Theatre Company
Playing November 8 – December 8
Featuring a sung-through score and set against the backdrop of the AIDS epidemic, Falsettos is a humorous and heartbreaking web of ex-spouses, co-parents, new lovers, and the lesbians next door.
Port of Entry
Albany Park Theater Project & Third Rail Projects
Playing October 17 – November 2
Port of Entry invites you to step inside the real-life stories of immigrants and refugees from all parts of the world living side by side in a single apartment building in one of the country’s most diverse immigrant communities: Chicago’s Albany Park. Formed by APTP’s youth ensemble, Port of Entry will take you on a journey through time and across cultures.
Seven Guitars
City Lit Theater Company
Playing October 18 – December 1
The Chicago storefront premiere of August Wilson’s searing drama about six friends in the Hill District of Pittsburgh in 1948 mourning the death of their friend Floyd “Schoolboy” Barton.
Productions playing in the suburbs of Chicago include:
The Audience
Drury Lane Theatre
Playing thru October 20
From the acclaimed writer of the Emmy-Award Winning Netflix Series "The Crown" comes The Audience. One woman takes on a lifetime in this intimate portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and the pivotal private audiences she held with her prime ministers.
Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Writers Theatre at Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre
Playing September 5 - October 27
Based on a scandalous slice of Leo Tolstoy’s epic novel War and Peace, this innovative musical spectacle took Broadway by storm with its “electropop opera” score, earning 12 Tony Award nominations.
1776
Marriott Theatre
Playing thru October 13
Witness the birth of the nation as the likes of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson struggle, through courage and conviction, to craft the Declaration of Independence.
Frozen: The Broadway Musical
Paramount Theatre
Playing October 30 – January 25, 2025
Set in the magical kingdom of Arendelle, the story follows two royal sisters, Elsa and Anna, as they navigate love, loyalty, and Elsa's uncontrollable powers.
The Secret Garden
Theo
Playing November 8 – December 22
Orphaned in India, 11-year-old Mary Lennox returns to Yorkshire to live with her embittered, reclusive uncle Archibald and his son Colin. The estate's many wonders include a magic garden where friendships blossom and sorrows fade.
The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk
Northlight Theatre
Playing September 5 – October 6
Marc Chagall and his poet wife Bella were partners in life and in art. Their romance is immortalized in a feast of music, dance, and paintings brought-to-life.
The Cottage
Citadel Theatre
Playing September 11 - October 13
This outrageous tale of sex, betrayal, and desire is one woman's attempt to expose her latest affair to both her husband and to her lover's wife.
First Date
Oil Lamp Theater
Playing September 5 - October 20
When conventional, high-strung Aaron is set up on a blind date with cool girl Casey, all of their inner critics and anxieties hilariously come to life.
35MM
Three Brothers Theatre
Playing October 4 - November 3
35MM is a beautiful collection of stories told through song. Each song is inspired by and coupled with a photo to create a unique moment captured onstage.
Little Shop of Horrors
Music Theater Works at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts
Playing October 24 - November 17
Little Shop of Horrors is a sci-fi horror comedy meets love story meets rock musical as a man-eating plant from outer space takes over Seymour's life and threatens to ruin his hope of finding love with his secret crush, Audrey.
For a comprehensive list of Chicago productions, visit the League of Chicago Theatres website, ChicagoPlays.com. Available discounted tickets will be listed at HotTix.org.
Chicago theatres prioritize safely gathering. Patrons are encouraged to confirm current protocols at each theatre. Shows and protocols are subject to change.
About Chicago theatre
Chicago theatre is the leader in the U.S. with more than 250 theatres throughout Chicagoland, comprising a rich and varied community ranging from storefront, non-union theatres to the most renowned resident theatres in the country, including 6 which have been honored with Regional Tony Awards, and the largest touring Broadway organization in the nation. Chicago’s theatres serve 5 million audience members annually and have a combined budget of more than $250 million. Chicago produces and/or presents more world premieres annually than any other city in the nation. Each year Chicago theatres send new work to resident theatres across the country, to Broadway, and around the world. For more information, visit www.chicagoplays.com.
The League of Chicago Theatres’ Mission Statement
Theatre is essential to the life of a great city and to its citizens. The League of Chicago Theatres is an alliance of theatres, which leverages its collective strength to support, promote and advocate for Chicago’s theatre industry. Through our work, we ensure that theatre continues to thrive in our city.