Award-winning Redtwist Theatre announces a world premiere production replacing Collective Rage: A Play In 5 Betties by Jen Silverman. The new production is Chicago: Queerly Adapted From The Play You've Never Heard Of That Inspired The Musical You Can't Get Away From, October 16 - November 23, by Maurine Dallas Watkins; adapted by Producing Artistic Director Eileen Dixon and Executive Artistic Director Dusty Brown, with contributions from Chelsea Rolfes, Shaina Toledo, Jasmine Robertson, Caroline Kidwell, Jack Seijo, JT Nagle, Laura Sturm and Macaria Chaparro Martinez and directed by Producing Artistic Director Eileen Dixon, at Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.
Previews are Thursday, Oct. 16 - Saturday, Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m. with the press opening Sunday, Oct. 19 at 3:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3:30 p.m. with a total running time of 90 minutes with no intermission. There will be two understudy performances on Thursday, Nov. 6 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 16 at 3:30 p.m. Any patrons who purchased tickets in advance for Collective Rage will be contacted by the box office. Single tickets are now on sale for $10 - $60 at RedtwistTheatre.org with discounts available for seniors, students and veterans and pay-what-you-can for all Friday performances.
Chicago: Queerly Adapted From The Play You've Never Heard Of That Inspired The Musical You Can't Get Away From is a queer adaptation of Maurine Watkins’s 1926 play, Chicago. The play is a satire of lawyers and journalists and the criminals who keep them in business. It's the roaring 20s and Roxy Hart is desperate to get out of Cook County Jail and onto the Vaudeville stage. Join Redtwist in rediscovering this classic story of the Windy City written by the Chicago Tribune journalist who first reported on the real murderesses of Jazz Age Chicago.
Chicago: Queerly Adapted From The Play You've Never Heard Of That Inspired The Musical You Can't Get Away From cast includes Chelsea Rolfes (she/her, Roxie Hart); Caroline Kidwell* (she/her, Prosecutor Harrison/Liz/Go-To-Hell Kitty); Shaina Toledo (she/her, Mr. Moe Watkins); Jasmine Robertson (she/her, Zelda Morton/Judge); Jack Seijo (he/they, Billy Flynn); Macaria Chaparro Martinez (they/she, Sergeant Murdock/Magdalena); JT Nagle (he/him, Amos Hart); Laura Sturm* (she/her, Velma Kelly/Machine-Gun Rosie) and Ashley Anderson (she/her, Mary Sunshine), Kelsey McGrath (she/they, Roxie Hart U/S); Erin Feldman (she/her, Prosecutor Harrison/Liz/Go-To-Hell Kitty U/S), Lexy Weixel (they/them, Mr. Moe Watkins U/S); Hannah Antman (they/them, Billy Flynn U/S); Elizabeth Bushell (she/her, Velma Kelly/Machine-Gun Rosie U/S); Miranda Hernandez (she/her), Sergeant Murdock/Magdalena U/S); Sania Faith McKnight (she/her, Mary Sunshine U/S); Additional cast to be announced.
Chicago: Queerly Adapted From The Play You've Never Heard Of That Inspired The Musical You Can't Get Away From production team includes Eileen Dixon* (she/they, director/casting director/producing artistic director); Taylor Owen (he/him, movement director and assistant director); Charlie Levinson (they/she, production stage manager); Seth Eggenschwiller (he/him, fight choreographer); Brandii Champagne (they/any, scenic designer); Madeline Felauer* (she/her, costume designer); Leo Bassow* (he/they, props designer); Harper Justus (she/her, sound designer); Jeff Brain* (he/him, technical director); Dusty Brown* (they/them, dramaturg); Cat Davis* (she/her, lighting designer); Laura Sturm* (she/her, intimacy designer); Caroline Kidwell* (she/her, music director) and Raine DeDominici* (they/she, production manager)
*indicates Redtwist Theatre Ensemble Member
ABOUT MAURINE DALLAS WATKINS, playwright
Maurine Dallas Watkins (she/her) was an American playwright and screenwriter. Early in her career, she was a journalist covering the courthouse beat for the Chicago Tribune. This experience inspired her most famous piece of work, the stage play Chicago, which premiered on Broadway in 1926. The play was eventually adapted into two films (“Chicago” [1927]; “Roxie Hart” [1942]) and the famous 1975 Broadway musical, which was also adapted into an Academy Award-winning film in 2002.
ABOUT EILEEN DIXON, director/co-adaptor
Eileen Dixon (she/they) is a Chicago based director, producer and actor with a focus on directing new work. Dixon serves as the producing artistic director at Redtwist Theatre. She received her MFA in acting and directing from University of Missouri–Kansas City in 2022 and spent the following formative summer at Ojai Playwrights Conference. Other credits include The Coterie Theatre, Ensemble Stage and Kansas City Repertory Theatre. Dixon was the casting director and a producer for Redtwist's "Season of Pride,” including the productions of The Normal Heart, Bottle Fly, The Totality of All Things (Jeff Award for Best New Work 2024), Twisted PlayFest, Titus Andronicus and Gary. Last October 2024, she directed the Jeff and Reader Recommended world premiere of Jacqueline Goldfinger's Bottle Fly at Redtwist Theatre. Her interest currently is on artful collaboration within the play workshopping process and the directors role in new play development. Dixon was named one of Windy City Times’ “30 Under 30” LGBTQ+ achievers.
MORE FROM REDTWIST’S “DEFIANT FEMMES” SEASON
Confederates
February 1 - March 8, 2026
By Dominique Morriseau
Sandra is an accomplished professor, comfortable in her position until a racist cartoon is nailed to her office door; Sara is a slave in the Deep South, fighting for her freedom and spying for the union as the nation is pulled into Civil War. Despite the century between them, both women raise their voice against the institutions of racism and misogyny that hold them back. Dominique Morriseau’s (author of Detroit ’67 and Skeleton Crew) Confederates leaps through time to trace the identities of these two Black American women and the truths that bond them
’night, Mother
April 5 - May 10, 2026
By Marsha Norman
Directed by Executive Artistic Director Dusty Brown
Life has beaten Jessie down. Spiraling between a failed marriage, a cruel son and an aging parent, Jessie is determined to take control over the one sliver of life left to her. When new horrors batter at her daily; when society isolates her and the world turns to chaos; when a promised future dwindles and her hope fades: Jessie digs up her father’s old pistol. Marsha Norman’s Pulitzer Prize winning play catapults through a mother and daughter’s darkest day together.
Productions, participants and dates are subject to change.
ABOUT REDTWIST THEATRE
Redtwist, now celebrating its 21st anniversary, is an award-winning theatre company that stages up close and personal contemporary dramas annually in its intimate black box theatre housed proudly within the heart of Edgewater’s Bryn Mawr Historic District.
Intimate performances at Redtwist are designed to place the theatre patron in the midst of the stories being told, making them accessible and riveting. Redtwist strives for excellence with every project and endeavors to take risks while offering opportunities for up-and-coming actors, designers and directors to work with established talent. Redtwist provides the very best Chicago storefront theatre experience from excellence on stage, to warm hospitality in a clean, friendly environment.
Top row: (L to R): Chelsea Rolfes, Jasmine Robertson, Jack Seijo
Middle row: (L to R): Caroline Kidwell, Shaina Toledo, Macaria Chaparro Martinez
Bottom row: (L to R): JT Nagle, Ashley Anderson, Laura Sturm