What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck is a hilarious, heartbreaking and insightful look at the U.S. Constitution and its impact, for better or worse, on four generations of women.
Schreck’s Tony-nominated sensation has never been more timely, and it’s ready to spark debate October 4-November 12 as part of Paramount’s 2023-24 BOLD Series, for those who crave theater that is intimate, honest, fervent and emotionally intoxicating.
Paramount’s BOLD Series production of What the Constitution Means to Me features (from left) Cory Goodrich as Heidi, Kevin McKillip as Legionnaire, and Lilly Fujioka and Vivian Webb alternating as the Debater.
Subscribe to Paramount’s 2023-24 BOLD Series to save on tickets and get the best seats to What the Constitution Means to Me. Three-play packages include Next to Normal (now through September 3) and Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire (March 13-April 21, 2024), and start at just $75. Single tickets are $40-$55.
All BOLD Series productions are presented in Paramount’s Copley Theatre, a sleek, state-of-the-art, 165-seat theater, lobby bar and lounge at 8 E. Galena Blvd., in downtown Aurora.
Visit paramountaurora.com for subscriptions, tickets and information, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount box office, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and until show time on show days.
What the Constitution Means to Me : Discovery Phase
Roe vs. Wade was still the law of the land when What the Constitution Means to Me premiered in New York 2018. The New York Times called it a “slyly crafted piece of persuasion and a tangible contribution to the change it seeks.” The play went on to a five-month Broadway run with Schreck in the lead role, earned Tony nominations for Best Play and Best Performance by an Actress, was named a Pulitzer finalist, went on national tours, was filmed for TV, and is still available to stream on Amazon Prime.
The play starts with Heidi at age 15, winning Constitutional debate competitions in American Legion halls across the country, which is how she funded her college tuition. She traces how our founding document shaped the lives of four generations of women in her family, for better or worse.
The play is a declaration that the fight for freedom and equality is never done, but passed on from generation to generation. But Heidi’s most incendiary question sparks perhaps the most debate: should we abolish the Constitution altogether and start all over?
Here in Aurora, now in post-Roe America, Paramount has tapped Lauren Berman to direct What the Constitution Means to Me, marking her Paramount debut.
Chicago actor Cory Goodrich will be in the spotlight as Heidi. The cast also features Kevin McKillip as Legionnaire, with two young actors, Lilly Fujioka and Vivian Webb, alternating performances as the Debater.
Paramount’s production team for What the Constitution Means to Me includes Lauren Berman, director; Angela Weber Miller, scenic designer; Caitlin McLeod, costume designer; Jessica Neill, lighting designer; Forrest Gregor, sound designer; Aimee Plant, properties designer; Devon Hayakawa, dramaturg; and Lina Benich, stage manager.
Performance schedule
What the Constitution Means to Me starts previews on October 4, with two Pay-What-You-Can Previews, Thursday, October 5 at 7 p.m., and Saturday, October 7 at 2 p.m. Press openings are Wednesday and Thursday, October 11 and 12 at 7 p.m. Performances run through November 12: Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Thursdays at 7 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at
2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. The performance runs 1 hour 40 minutes, no intermission. Note: What the Constitution Means to Me includes mature language, and discussions of human trafficking and sexual assault.
Access Services
If you require wheelchair or special seating or other assistance, please contact the box office at (630) 896-6666 or boxoffice@paramountarts.com in advance.
Paramount offers assistive listening devices free of charge at all performances. Check in at the box office before the show to borrow a listening device.
Paramount will offer an American Sign Language interpreted performance on Friday, November 10 at 8 p.m.
Three play packages to Paramount’s 2023-24 BOLD Series, including Next to Normal (now through September 3), What the Constitution Means to Me (October 4-November 12), and A Streetcar Named Desire (March 13-April 21, 2024), start at just$75. Subscribe at paramountaurora.com.
Paramount’s 2023-24 BOLD Series is sponsored by Old National Bank. Additional support for Pay-What-You-Can Performances for What the Constitution Means to Me is sponsored by Kevin Fitzpatrick.
Coming Soon: Little Shop of Horrors kicks off Paramount’s 12th Broadway Series, August 30-October 15
Just across the street from the Copley, Paramount Theatre will kick off its 12th Broadway Series with Little Shop of Horrors (August 30-October 15, 2023), followed by three more blockbuster musicals: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (November 8, 2023-January 14, 2024), Billy Elliot: The Musical (February 7-March 24, 2024), and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (April 24-June 16, 2024).
Just as it has since it launched its first Broadway Series in 2011, Paramount still offers the same “Buy Two Shows, Get Two Shows Free” offer, with Broadway packages starting as low as $56. In fact, subscribers pay no more than $39.50 per show, and that’s the most expensive ticket. Fees not included.
To subscribe to either series, visit paramountaurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount Theatre box office, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and until show time on show days.
Photos of new Copley Theatre and lobby bar by Thomas J. King.
About Paramount Theatre
Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., is the center for performing arts in Aurora, the second largest city in Illinois. The beautiful, 1,843-seat theater, graced with a strong 1930s Art Deco influence and original Venetian décor, nationally known for its high-quality productions, superb acoustics and historic grandeur, has been downtown Aurora’s anchor attraction since 1931.
After launching its own Broadway Series in 2011, Paramount Theatre has rapidly grown to be the largest subscription house in the U.S. In 2022-23, more than 36,000 subscribers enjoyed Paramount’s critically acclaimed, Broadway-caliber productions, along with an array of internationally known comedians, musicians, dance troupes and family shows.
For over 50 years, the Joseph Jefferson Awards has recognized excellence in Chicago area theater. Last season, Paramount took home six Jeff Awards for Kinky Boots, including Best Musical-Large, Paramount’s fourth win in that category following Sweeney Todd (2017), West Side Story (2016) and Les Misérables (2015). Over the last 11 years, Paramount has been honored to earn 97 Jeff nominations and 27 wins.
Paramount Theatre is one of four live performance venues programmed and managed by the Aurora Civic Center Authority (ACCA). Paramount’s new “sister stage” is the newly renovated 165-seat Copley Theatre, home to Paramount’s BOLD Series, across the street at North Island Center. ACCA also oversees RiverEdge Park, the city’s 6,000-seat outdoor summer concert venue, Stolp Island Theatre, an immersive space opening in 2024, and the Paramount School of the Arts.
Paramount Theatre continues to expand its artistic and institutional boundaries under the guidance of Tim Rater, President and CEO, Aurora Civic Center Authority; Jim Corti, Artistic Director, Paramount Theatre; a dedicated Board of Trustees and a devoted staff of live theater and music professionals.
For the latest updates, visit paramountaurora.com or follow @paramountaurora on Facebook and Instagram, and Paramount Theatre on LinkedIn.