Theater openings in August
Indiana
August 1st, 7:30 pm, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), Beatniks on Conkey, 420 Conkey Street, Hammond. $10. Tickets (219) 852-0848. FYI https://www.garyshakesco.org/2023-performance-schedule
August 4th, 7;30 pm ET, Stageworks Staged Reading, Left on Tenth, The Acting Ensemble, Ensemble on the Avenue, 602 E. Mishawaka Avenue, Mishawaka. FYI www.actingensemble.com.
August 5th, 2:00 pm, Red, White & Tuna, Canterbury Summer Theatre, 807 Franklin Street, Michigan City. FYI (219) 874-4269 or e-mail info@canterburytheatre.org.
August 7th, 7:30 pm ET, Old Times, The Acting Ensemble, Ensemble on the Avenue, 602 E. Mishawaka Avenue, Mishawaka. FYI www.actingensemble.com.
August 14th, 7:00 pm, Jesus Christ Superstar in Concert, Dunes Summer Theatre, 288 Shady Oaks Drive, Michiana, IN. $30-$35. FYI 219-879-7509 or https://dunesarts.ludus.com/index.php
August 20th, 6:30 pm, 2026 Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival Professional Company presents Macbeth, Patricia George Decio Theatre, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. 100 Performing Arts Center, Notre Dame, IN. FYI $15-$85, Students $10. FYI https://shakespeare.nd.edu/shows/events/2026/08/18/macbeth-ndsf-2026-wee...
August 21st, 7:30 pm, Annual 10-Minute Play Festival, 4th Street Theatre, 125 N. 4th Street, Chesterton. FYI (219) 926-7875 or https://4thstreetncca.com
Illinois
August 1st, 2:00 pm, Staged Reading, The Art of Aphasia, by Malik Gillani and Jamil Khoury, Theater East, Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E 60th St, Chicago. Free but advance registration required. FYI https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-art-of-aphasia-staged-reading-tickets-1...
August 2nd, 6:00 pm, Gift Theatre presents the Chicago Premiere, Marble, Copernicus Center – Kings Hall, 5216 W Lawrence Ave., Chicago. Tickets will be on sale this spring. $45-$50. FYI (773) 283-7071 or thegifttheatre.org
August 5th, 7:00 pm, The Notebook, CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe, Chicago. FYI (800) 775-2000, all Ticketmaster retail locations and www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
August 5th, 7:00 pm, The Outsiders, Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph, Chicago. FYI (800) 775-2000, all Ticketmaster retail locations and www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
August 7th, 7:30 pm, The Prom, The Drama Group, 330 202nd Street, Chicago Heights. FYI (708) 755-3444 or https://dg.booktix.com/
August 10th, 6:15 pm, BROADWAY IN CHICAGO FREE SUMMER CONCERT, Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St., Chicago. Free. FYI millenniumpark.org
August 10th, 7:00 pm, PrideArts presents Windows, Hoover-Leppen Theatre in Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, Chicago. $35. FYI (773) 661-0770 or www.pridearts.org.
August 12th, 6:30 pm, Staged Reading, August Wilson’s How I Learned What I Learned, featuring Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson, The 10th Annual Spotlight Reading Series, “A Century of Black Progress” Rubenstein Forum, 1201 E 60th St, Chicago. Free but reservations required. FYI (773) 753-4472 or https://tickets.courttheatre.org/Online/default.asp
August 13th, 6:30 pm, Staged Readings of Zora Neale Hurston’s Color Struck and Beah Richard’s A Black Woman Speaks, The 10th Annual Spotlight Reading Series, “A Century of Black Progress” Rubenstein Forum, 1201 E 60th St, Chicago. Free but reservations required. FYI (773) 753-4472 or https://tickets.courttheatre.org/Online/default.asp
August 14th, 6:30 pm, Staged Reading of Ireon Roach’s are you ready to smash white things?, 2021 Winner of Definition Theatre’s Amplify New Play Festival, The 10th Annual Spotlight Reading Series, “A Century of Black Progress” Rubenstein Forum, 1201 E 60th St, Chicago. Free but reservations required. FYI (773) 753-4472 or https://tickets.courttheatre.org/Online/default.asp
August 14th, 7:00 pm, West Side Story, Music Theater Works, the George Van Dusen Theater, North Shore Center For The Performing Arts In Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. FYI (847) 673-6300 or www.musictheaterworks.com
August 14th, 7:30 pm, The Metal Shop Performance Lab & Junkheart present ANATOMY OF A SUICIDE, Redtwist Theatre, 1044 Bryn Mawr Avenue, Chicago. $20-$35. FYI TheMetalShop.org.
August 15th, 10:30 am - 5:00 pm, 2026 Blue Ink Festival, 10:15 am, Overnight at the Museum; 12:30 pm, and thou shalt be healed; 2:30 pm, The Scouts of America Don't Sell Cookies, B*tch. American Blues Theatre, 5627 N. Lincoln, Chicago. Suggested donation $12 per reading or $30 for all three. FYI www.americanbluestheater.com.
August 15th, 11:00 am, Chicago Black Renaissance Exhibition and Archival Unfurling, The 10th Annual Spotlight Reading Series, “A Century of Black Progress” Vivian G. Harsh Archives at the Woodson Regional Library, 9525 S Halsted St, Chicago. Free but reservations required. FYI (773) 753-4472 or https://tickets.courttheatre.org/Online/default.asp
August 15th, 11:00 am - 7:30 pm, In partnership with Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, The Goodman presents The Sweetest Season: A Gathering of Indigenous Creativity. Alice Center for Education & Engagement, Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn, Chicago. For reservations for free events and $10 tickets for The New Adventures of Super Indian, call (312) 443-3800 or visit GoodmanTheatre.org/Sweetest.
August 15th, 7:30 pm, Nova Entertainment presents Hail Mary/Maria, Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont, Chicago. $25-$69. FYI TheaterWit.org
August 17th, 7:00 pm, Invictus Theatre Company presents Indecent, Windy City Playhouse, 3014 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago. $25-$45. FYI www.invictustheatreco.com
August 20th, Jackalope Theatre Company presents 17th Annual Living Newspaper Festival, Broadway Armory, 5917 N Broadway St., Chicago. $15-$35. FYI (773) 340-2543 or JackalopeTheatre.org
August 20th, 7:00 pm, Chicago Puppet Lab Showcase Works in Progress, Program B (works by Ashwaty Chennat, Jerrell L Henderson, Abby Palen & Justin D’Acci). Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark Street, Chicago. $20. $15 Seniors/Students. FYI chicagopuppetfest.org.
August 21st, 7:00 pm, Chicago Puppet Lab Showcase Works in Progress, Program A (works by Rachel Anne Healy, Raven See, Mikayla Wilson & Zachary Sun). Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark Street, Chicago. $20. $15 Seniors/Students. FYI chicagopuppetfest.org.
August 21st, 7:30 pm, Sisters, Gillian Theatre, Writers Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. FYI (847) 242-6000 or www.writerstheatre.org.
August 21st, 7:30 pm, Nothing Without A Company presents The Trouble With My Hair: Coloring, Cutting, and Coming into Who I Am, written and performed by storyteller Ada Cheng. Scissor & Fork, 3968 N. Elston, Chicago. $15-$50. FYI NothingWithoutaCompany.org.
**** August 23rd, PlayMakers Laboratory presents That's Weird, Grandma’s 25th Birthday, Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. FYI www.playmakerslab.org.
August 24th, 7:00 pm, Adolescent Salvation, Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. $18-$46. FYI (773) 975-8150 or theaterwit.org
August 26th, 7:00 pm, Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story, Drury Lane Oakbrook, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. FYI (630) 530-0111 or www.drurylaneoakbrook.com. TicketMaster (312) 559-1212 or www.ticketmaster.com.
August 28th, 7:30 pm, Joan Crawford Goes to Hell, Hell in a Handbag, The Clutch, 4335 N. Western Ave., Chicago. FYI https://www.tickettailor.com/events/hellinahandbagproductions/1818967
August 28th, 7:30 pm, PrideArts presents Queer Sketch Show, Hoover-Leppen Theatre in Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, Chicago. $35. FYI (773) 661-0770 or www.pridearts.org.
August 29th, 3:30 pm, *theatre in partnership with PopUp Productions, E*RNEST, Glessner House, 1800 S. Prairie Avenue, Chicago. FYI https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/asterisktheatre/e-rnest
August 29th, 7:00 pm, Kokandy Productions presents Sunday in the Park with George, Chopin Theater, Downstairs Studio, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago. Tickets go on sale February 2nd. FYI kokandyproductions.com.
August 29th, 7:30 pm, Shane, World Premiere Adaptation of the classic Western. City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr, on the second floor (accessible via elevator) of the Edgewater Presbyterian Church. $40. FYI (773) 293-3682 or t www.citylit.org
Wisconsin
August 19th, Moon over Buffalo, Peninsula Players, 4351 Peninsula Players Road, Fish Creek, WI. Tickets on sale March 1st. FYI (920) 868-3287 or www.peninsulaplayers.com.
Michigan
Elsewhere
August 5th through October 23rd, Yellow Face, Angus Bowmer Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, 15 S. Pioneer Street, Ashland, OR. FYI https://www.osfashland.org/productions/2026-plays/yellow-face
August 27th through October 24th, Smote This, A Comedy About God... and Other Serious $h*t, Thomas Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, 15 S. Pioneer Street, Ashland, OR. FYI https://www.osfashland.org/productions/2026-plays/smote-this
International
**** Family Friendly