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A colorful grid of promotional posters for ten different theatrical productions in the 25-26 season for Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Subscribe to the 2025/26 Season

We are committed to creating vivid and entertaining theatrical experiences that engage and invigorate people of all ages and identities by illuminating the complexity, ambiguity, and wonder of our world. This season is about our shared humanity and powerful storytelling. We invite you to join us for this next season of work that includes an expanded number of Shakespeare (and Shakespeare adjacent) productions, two world premieres, and three North American premieres.
Cursive signature of Artistic Director, Edward Hall.
EDWARD HALL
Artistic Director
Carl and Marilynn Thoma Chair		 cursive signature of executive director, Kimberly Motes
KIMBERLY MOTES
Executive Director

Subscribers save the most—up to 30%! Guarantee your seat and set your dates for unforgettable experiences in the theater. You’ll also enjoy a whole season of outstanding Subscriber Benefits ⟶

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Bold, thrilling and joyful theater awaits! Select a classic 7- or 6-Play Package (or Create Your Own with any 5+).

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Log in here to access your account and renew your seats for another spectacular season.

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7 Play Package

$257 – $542

Ultimate entertainment at 30% off: Billie Jean, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Rome Sweet Rome, Much Ado About Nothing, Hamnet, The Merry Wives of Windsor & Brokeback Mountain
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6 Play Package

$240 – $513

Curated to delight with 25% off: Billie Jean, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Much Ado About Nothing, Hamnet, The Merry Wives of Windsor & Brokeback Mountain
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Create Your Own

Prices Vary

Customize your perfect season & save 25% on 5-6 plays. A guarantee you won’t miss the shows you want to see!
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Create Your Own

Prices Vary

You’re in total control. Save 30% on any 7+ plays with a selection that’s just right for you, and enjoy the best price.

Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian Dreams

JUL 10 – AUG 3

World-famous Ethiopian circus astounds with soaring spectacle this summer. Heart-stopping acrobatics, stunning feats of juggling, high-flying hilarity, and death-defying tricks—all set to the irresistible beats of Ethiopian music. Inspired by the story of its creators, the tale follows brothers Little Bibi and Little Bichu as they are joined by a host of circus dreamers whose acts of acrobatic daring call up a world of rushing adventure. This soaring spectacle is the perfect, unforgettable outing for audiences young and old alike.

Co-Created & produced by Mehari “Bibi” Tesfamariam
Co-Created & directed by Binyam “Bichu” Shimellis
Written by Cal McCrystal
Choreography by Kate Smyth

Billie Jean

JUL 18 – AUG 10

Billie Jean King shatters glass ceilings on and off the court in world premiere. Following her path to becoming a sports icon, from her record-breaking victories to her relentless fight for equal pay and equal rights, Billie Jean explores the cost of public battles and private struggles—bringing us closer than ever to a woman whose battle for identity and equality continues to inspire. Award-winning playwright Lauren Gunderson and director Marc Bruni (The Great Gatsby, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) team up to stage this empowering new look at a legend.

By Lauren Gunderson
Directed by Marc Bruni

Ain’t Misbehavin’

SEP 3 – 28

The joint is jumpin’ with a major new production of the famous musical revue. Set in the golden age of the Harlem Renaissance, this infectiously joyful tribute to Fats Waller celebrates the enduring spirit of Black artistry as a multi-talented quintet of performers belts out more than 30 toe-tapping hit songs. The musical’s original creator and director Richard Maltby, Jr. is joined by the legendary André De Shields—member of the original 1978 Broadway cast— reimagine, reframe, and direct a new production for a new generation of audiences.

Created and originally directed by Richard Maltby, Jr.
Conceived by Richard Maltby, Jr. and Murray Horwitz
Directed by Richard Maltby, Jr. and André De Shields

Rome Sweet Rome

SEP 23 – OCT 19

Satirical new “add-rap-tation” of Julius Caesar from Q Brothers Collective. Q Brothers Collective (GQ, JQ, JAX & POS) is back after more than a decade of wildly successful collaborations (Othello: The Remix, Funk It Up…, Christmas Carol). Igniting Shakespeare’s political intrigue with the pulse of ’90s hip hop, razor-sharp wit collides with revolutionary rhythm—proving that power struggles never go out of style. This is Shakespeare that bumps, breathes, and breaks boundaries.

Created and Directed by Q Brothers Collective (GQ, JQ, JAX & POS)
Based on Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar

Paranormal Activity

OCT 15 –  NOV 2

Thrilling new play based on the global horror phenomenon makes North American debut. James and Lou move from Chicago to London to escape their past… An original story set in the world of the terrifying Paranormal Activity film franchise, this thrilling new play will haunt you long after the lights go out. Chicago playwright Levi Holloway (Broadway’s Tony-nominated Grey House) teams up with director Felix Barrett (founder of immersive Punchdrunk) for the North American premiere—called “a delicious mix of fear and excitement” (North West End UK).

Written by Levi Holloway
Directed by Felix Barrett
In co-production with Center Theatre Group, American Conservatory Theater, and Shakespeare Theatre Company
Based on the Paranormal Activity films, first written and directed by Oren Peli and brought to the screen by Blumhouse and Solana Films
Produced by arrangement with Paramount Pictures and Simon Friend Entertainment
TM & © 2025 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved

Much Ado About Nothing

NOV 18 – DEC 21

Just in time for the holiday season, Shakespeare’s wittiest and wildest rom-com. Meet Beatrice and Benedick: two ferociously independent individuals who have steadfastly avoided sharing their lives with anyone but themselves… until now. CST welcomes back acclaimed director Selina Cadell, whose ground-breaking Hamlet starring Eddie Izzard broke box office records at CST and in theaters around the world. Set against the backdrop of romantic Italy, it’s a warm-hearted ode to the power of love and the joy of partnership.

By William Shakespeare
Directed by Selina Cadell

Short Shakespeare! Hamlet

JAN 27 – FEB 28

“The play’s the thing” in 75-minute staging of Shakespeare’s most famous play. Artistic Director Edward Hall stages CST’s first-ever 75-minute adaptation of Shakespeare’s timeless classic. Reeling from grief, the young Prince of Denmark navigates the loss of his father, his mother’s betrayal, and relationships torn apart—offering a chance for young audiences to see themselves reflected through a 400-year-old story. In addition to welcoming 20,000 students to weekday matinees, this captivating production will offer performances on Saturday for the public.

By William Shakespeare
Directed by Edward Hall

Hamnet

FEB 10 – MAR 8

The Royal Shakespeare Company returns with “elegant & beguiling” adaptation, launching US tour. When the plague steals 11-year-old Hamnet from his loving parents, Agnes and William Shakespeare, they must each confront their loss alone. And yet, out of the greatest suffering, something of extraordinary wonder is born. Experience the RSC’s stage adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s best-selling novel, adapted by award-winning playwright Lolita Chakrabarti, and directed by Erica Whyman. Hamnet is a love letter to passion, birth, grief, and the magic of nature.

Presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company and Neal Street Productions
Based on Maggie O’Farrell’s best-selling book
Adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti
Directed by Erica Whyman

The Merry Wives of Windsor

APR 2 – MAY 3

Delight in Shakespeare’s glorious comedy staged by leading director. In the middle-class and very English hamlet of Windsor, joyous revelry abounds as the ladies of the town band together to have the last laugh over the lewd, but loveable, Falstaff. The production is staged by foremost Shakespeare director and Merry Wives expert Phillip Breen in his CST debut. Breen hails it, “by far Shakespeare’s funniest play, mainly because it is his most subversive… and most (egregiously and erroneously) underrated.”

By William Shakespeare
Directed by Phillip Breen

Mrs. Krishnan’s Party

APR 7 – 26

Direct from New Zealand comes a joyfully immersive party like no other. Step into the back room of Mrs. Krishnan’s corner shop where garlands decorate the ceiling, music flows, and Mrs. Krishnan is throwing a party! Food simmers on the stove, laughter abounds, and strangers become friends in this celebration of life. The actors juggle cooking, music, and guests in an unfolding drama where no two nights are the same. Waikato Times (NZ) raves “so original, so creatively fresh, and so much fun no one wanted to go home.”

Presented by Indian Ink Theatre
By Jacob Rajan and Justin Lewis
Directed by Justin Lewis

Brokeback Mountain

MAY 28 – JUN 28

North American premiere adaptation of the novella that inspired the Oscar-winning film. Wyoming 1963: a wild landscape of extreme rural poverty and insular conservative communities. When Ennis and Jack take jobs on the isolated Brokeback Mountain, all their certainties of life change forever as they flounder in unexpected emotional waters of increasing depth. Called “electrifying” (Sunday Express), this intense tale of an irresistible and hidden love spans twenty years and is interwoven with soulful, original Country Western songs, performed live onstage.

By Ashley Robinson
Songs by Dan Gillespie Sells
Based on Annie Proulx’s short story
Directed by Jonathan Butterell
Originally produced @sohoplace by Nica Burns, Adam Blanshay Productions, Lambert Jackson Productions, and Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainment