Cyrano de Bergerac

by Edmond Rostand • translated and adapted for the stage by Anthony Burgess
directed by Penny Metropulos
September 24–November 10, 2013 • in CST’s Courtyard Theater

The stars have aligned to reunite the actor-director team behind our wildly popular production of The Madness of George III. The illustrious Harry Groener, who took home the Best Actor Jeff Award for his turn as King George, will play the nobleman whose gift for romance is shadowed by his all-too-prominent nose. Director Penny Metropulos takes the helm of this enduring masterwork that speaks as directly to the heart today as it did more than 100 years ago. Featuring some of the most clever, touching lines ever written, this homage to poetry, love and panache reminds us that sometimes what you seek is right under your, well…nose.

The Merry Wives of Windsor

by William Shakespeare • directed by Barbara Gaines
December 3, 2013–January 19, 2014 • in CST’s Courtyard Theater

Falstaff is back! Embraced by audiences as one of Shakespeare’s most delightful comedies—and often called the first “situation comedy”—this high-spirited romp centers on the lovable rogue Sir John Falstaff, a character Shakespeare first created in Henry IV. Now we find Sir John hard up for money, seeking to repair his depleted fortunes by wooing the two most prominent women in town. But his plans go awry with disastrous consequences, as the wooed Windsor wives see through Falstaff’s schemes, and dupe him repeatedly.

Gypsy

a Musical Fable • book by Arthur Laurents • music by Jule Styne
lyrics by Stephen Sondheim • directed by Gary Griffin
suggested by memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee • original production by David Merrick & Leland Hayward
entire production originally directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins
February 6–March 23, 2014 • in CST’s Courtyard Theater

Our exploration of the Sondheim canon continues under the masterful vision of Associate Artistic Director Gary Griffin. Inspired by the memoirs of famous burlesque dancer Gypsy Rose Lee, this jewel of American musical theater was once described by The New York Times critic Frank Rich as “Broadway’s own brassy, unlikely answer to King Lear.” Momma Rose certainly measures up! She is indeed the most infamous, domineering stage mother in history, determined to live out her dreams of fortune and fame through her daughters’ vaudeville careers. Boasting one show-stopping song after another, this musical spectacular includes favorites such as “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” and “Let Me Entertain You.”

Road Show

music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim • book by John Weidman
based on the story of Wilson and Addison Mizner • directed by Gary Griffin
March 13–May 4, 2014 • Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare

Gary Griffin stages not one, but two Sondheim musicals next season—each exploring the pursuit of the American dream. Based on the lives of brothers Addison and Wilson Mizner, this musical journey spans forty years, from the Alaskan Gold Rush to the Florida real estate boom in the 1930s. One a con and the other attempting a respectable life, the brothers stick together through a variety of get-rich-quick schemes. But experiences along the way change their lives in unexpected ways. With Sondheim’s musical genius and Griffin’s insight into the human condition, there isn't a more fascinating—or entertaining—artistic team to explore the very real American issues of real estate, capitalism and crooks.

Henry V

by William Shakespeare • directed by Christopher Luscombe
April 29–June 15, 2014 • in CST’s Courtyard Theater

The play that launched CST on the rooftop of a pub in 1986 will receive its first ever staging in the Courtyard Theater on Navy Pier. Shakespeare’s powerful history play comes to life under the hand of acclaimed British director Christopher Luscombe, whose work has been featured at the Royal Shakespeare Company. He will shed new light on Shakespeare’s legendary coming-of-age story—a charismatic young monarch confronted by the ferocity of war, who against all odds, proves his worth as a man, and king. Henry V is a rallying cry to us all, celebrating the power of language to summon battlefields from thin air and ignite our souls to action.

Enhance your Subscription with one or both
of these international theatrical events

From Italy–Piccolo Teatro di Milano
Inner Voices

by Eduardo De Filippo • directed by Toni Servillo
June 25–June 29, 2013 • in CST’s Courtyard Theater

Join us in commemorating the Year of Italian Culture in America as we present one of Italy’s most prestigious theaters. We’re delighted to join the Italian Ministry of Cultural Affairs and Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago to welcome Piccolo Teatro di Milano back to Chicago with the American premiere of Inner Voices. Written in 1948, the characters struggle against the backdrop of the wreckage of World War II—revealing a startling relevance to the world in which we live today.

From Cornwall, England–Kneehigh
Tristan & Yseult

written by Anna Maria Murphy and Carl Grose
March 30–April 13, 2014 • in CST’s Courtyard Theater

Direct from Cornwall, England’s visionary theatrical collective Kneehigh brings its brand of cheeky humor and Wagnerian intensity to retell one of the world’s oldest love stories—blending comedy, live music, grand passion and tender truths. Lauded around the world for its trademark vitality, Kneehigh makes its Chicago debut with the iconic production that first catapulted the company to international fame. Earlier this year, Kneehigh amazed New York audiences with The Wild Bride, playing to rave reviews.

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