Theater This Week
Now Playing in Indiana:
August 18th through 30th, 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-week-1/
August 21st through 30th, Annual 10-Minute Play Festival, 4th Street Theatre, 125 N. 4th Street, Chesterton. FYI (219) 926-7875 or https://4thstreetncca.com
Now Playing in Illinois:
August 19th, 5:30 pm, Community Reads at Blackstone Library, The 10th Annual Spotlight Reading Series, “A Century of Black Progress” Blackstone Branch of the Chicago Public Library, 4904 S Lake Park Ave, Chicago. Free but reservations required. FYI (773) 753-4472 or https://tickets.courttheatre.org/Online/default.asp
August 21st, 6:30 - 8:00 pm, Fridays on the Green: The McNary Experience, featuring composer and saxophonist Mark Felton, Black Ensemble Theatre's front lawn, corner of Clark & Sunnyside, Chicago. Free & open to the public. FYI www.BlackEnsembleTheater.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 22nd, 2:00 pm, Chicago Critics Circles | Part 1: Black Authorship, The 10th Annual Spotlight Reading Series, “A Century of Black Progress” Arts and Public Life, 301 E Garfield Blvd, Chicago. Free but reservations required. FYI (773) 753-4472 or https://tickets.courttheatre.org/Online/default.asp
August 22nd, 4:00 pm, Chicago Critics Circles | Part 2: Claiming Space, The 10th Annual Spotlight Reading Series, “A Century of Black Progress” Arts and Public Life, 301 E Garfield Blvd, Chicago. Free but reservations required. FYI (773) 753-4472 or https://tickets.courttheatre.org/Online/default.asp
August 22nd, 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. Visceral Adventure Lounge, 3638 W. Grand, Chicago. $15-$50. FYI NothingWithoutaCompany.org.
Through August 22nd, Court Theater presents The 10th Annual Spotlight Reading Series, “A Century of Black Progress” curated by Director of Engagement Kamilah Rashied. Venues throughout Chicago. Free but reservations required. FYI (773) 753-4472 or https://tickets.courttheatre.org/Online/default.asp
August 20th & 22nd, 7:00 pm, August 23rd, 3:00 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 & 23rd, 7:00 pm, August 22nd, 3:00 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 23rd, 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. REM Salon, 3035 W. Fullerton, Chicago. $15-$50. FYI NothingWithoutaCompany.org.
Through August 23rd, Nova Entertainment presents Hail Mary/Maria, Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont, Chicago. $25-$69. FYI TheaterWit.org
Through August 23rd, Crime and Punishment, TUTA Theatre, 4670 North Manor, Chicago. $20, $45, $60, $100. FYI https://www.tutatheatre.org/crime-punishment-reservations
Through August 23rd, PrideArts presents Windows, Hoover-Leppen Theatre in Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, Chicago. $35. FYI (773) 661-0770 or www.pridearts.org.
Through August 23rd, 4 Chairs Theatre presents Good People, Theater Wit, 1220 W. Belmont, Chicago. FYI 773-975-8150 or www.theaterwit.org.
August 20th through 24th, 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
Through August 29th, Babes with Blades presents yo ho. The Edge Theater Off Broadway, 1133 W. Catalpa Ave., Chicago. $20-$25. FYI BabesWithBlades.org.
**** Through August 29th, 11:00 am & 1:00 pm Saturdays, No Grown-Ups Allowed, The Second City, 230 W. North Avenue, Chicago. Ages 6 - 13. $29. FYI (312) 337-3992 or www.secondcity.com.
Through August 30th, The Metal Shop Performance Lab & Junkheart present ANATOMY OF A SUICIDE, Redtwist Theatre, 1044 Bryn Mawr Avenue, Chicago. $20-$35. FYI TheMetalShop.org.
Through August 30th, West Side Story, Music Theater Works, the George Van Dusen Theater, North Shore Center For The Performing Arts In Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. Subscription sales begin Oct. 1, single tickets on sale Jan. 14, 2026. FYI (847) 673-6300 or www.musictheaterworks.com
Through August 30th, 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
Through August 30th, Goodman Theatre presents Theater of the Mind, by David Byrne & Mala Gaonkar, Reid Murdoch Building, 333 N. LaSalle, Chicago. FYI (312) 443-3800 or TheaterOfTheMindChicago.com.
Through August 31st, 5:00 pm Sundays, The Magic Parlor with Dennis Watkins presents 3-Card Monte, 50 W. Randolph (Petterino’s transformed lower-level area), Chicago. FYI (312) 443-3800 or TheMagicParlourChicago.com.
**** August 23rd through September 6th, PlayMakers Laboratory presents That's Weird, Grandma’s 25th Birthday, Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. FYI www.playmakerslab.org.
Through September 13th, I Love You Because, Oil Lamp Theater, 1723 Glenview Road, Glenview. FYI OilLampTheater.org.
Through September 13th, Kokandy Productions presents HAIR, Chopin Theater Mainstage, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago. Tickets go on sale February 2nd. FYI kokandyproductions.com.
Through September 22nd, Invictus Theatre Company presents Indecent, Windy City Playhouse, 3014 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago. $25-$45. FYI www.invictustheatreco.com
August 21st through September 27th, 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 21st through October 4th, 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
Through October 4th, Adolescent Salvation, Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. $18-$46. FYI (773) 975-8150 or theaterwit.org
August 19th through October 11th, 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.
Through November 8th, Sisters, Gillian Theatre, Writers Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. FYI (847) 242-6000 or www.writerstheatre.org.
Through November 11th, 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.
Through December 31st, Dennis Watkins in partnership with the Goodman Theatre & Petterino's presents The Magic Parlor with Dennis Watkins, 50 W. Randolph (Petterino’s transformed lower-level area), Chicago. $96-148. FYI (312) 443-3800 or TheMagicParlourChicago.com.
Open Run, 114th Main Stage Revue: Pandemonium...Please Hold, The Second City, 1616 N. Wells Street, Chicago. Tickets range from $40-$80. FYI (312) 337-3992 or www.secondcity.com.
Open Run, e.t.c. 49th Revue: The Chaos Theory of Everything, e.t.c. Theater, The Second City, 230 W. North Avenue, Chicago. Tickets start at $19. FYI (312) 337-3992 or www.secondcity.com.
Open Run, The Best of Second City: 65 Years of Funny, UP Comedy Club, The Second City, 230 W. North Avenue, Chicago. Tickets start at $39. FYI (312) 337-3992 or www.secondcity.com.
Open Run, Second City Presents - Thank You, Goodnight, Donny's Skybox Theater, The Second City, 230 W. North Avenue, Chicago. Tickets start at $20. FYI (312) 337-3992 or www.secondcity.com.
Open Run, Fridays & Saturdays, 10:30 pm, Sundays, 7 pm, The Infinite Wrench, The Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Avenue, Chicago. $20 or pay-what-you-can. FYI neofuturists.org
Now Playing in Michigan:
Now Playing in Wisconsin:
August 19th through September 6th, 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.
Now Playing Elsewhere:
Through August 21st, You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World! Thomas Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, 15 S. Pioneer Street, Ashland, OR. FYI https://www.osfashland.org/productions/2026-plays/you-are-cordially-invi...
Through September 26th, The Green Show, Courtyard Stage, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, 15 S. Pioneer Street, Ashland, OR. FYI https://www.osfashland.org/greenshow
Through October 9th, Emma, Allen Elizabethan Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, 15 S. Pioneer Street, Ashland, OR. FYI https://www.osfashland.org/productions/2026-plays/emma
Through October 10th, Henry IV, Part One, Allen Elizabethan Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, 15 S. Pioneer Street, Ashland, OR. FYI https://www.osfashland.org/productions/2026-plays/henry-iv
Through October 11th, The Taming of the Shrew, Allen Elizabethan Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, 15 S. Pioneer Street, Ashland, OR. FYI https://www.osfashland.org/productions/2026-plays/the-taming-of-the-shrew
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
Through October 24th, Come from Away, Angus Bowmer Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, 15 S. Pioneer Street, Ashland, OR. FYI https://www.osfashland.org/productions/2026-plays/come-from-away
Through October 25th, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Angus Bowmer Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, 15 S. Pioneer Street, Ashland, OR. FYI https://www.osfashland.org/productions/2026-plays/a-midsummer-nights-dream
Through October 26th, August Wilson's King Hedley II, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, 15 S. Pioneer Street, Ashland, OR. FYI https://www.osfashland.org/productions/2026-plays/king-hedley-ii
Now Playing Internationally:
Now Playing in London:
Link to London guide: https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/your-guide-to-london-theatre-shows
**** Family Friendly and/or Children's Theatre
For Carol Moore's reviews, go to Spotlight on Reviews.