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Welcome

Welcome to the first of two shows this Fall at Chicago Shakespeare Theater where Halloween takes center stage.

Paranormal Activity provides an opportunity to give yourself a genuine Halloween thrill and Rome Sweet Rome features a Roman Halloween celebration that changes the course of history.

Rome Sweet Rome is a celebration of so many things, but at its heart it expresses the deep connection we still have with Shakespeare and his stories after 400+ years. It’s a joy to have Q Brothers Collective take on perhaps the most famous political assassination of them all and give it their own smart, contemporary, satirical treatment—creating an ancient world that is seemingly both ridiculous and true at the same time. This production launches a series of Shakespeare and Shakespeare-inspired work that includes the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Hamnet, our own Much Ado About Nothing and The Merry Wives of Windsor, along with a 75-minute Short Shakespeare! Hamlet which will bring 20,000 students to CST. There has never been a better time to enjoy Shakespeare at CST and everything he inspires.

EDWARD HALL
Artistic Director

Carl and Marilynn Thoma Chair

KIMBERLY MOTES
Executive Director

presents

Created and Directed by Q BROTHERS COLLECTIVE
 (GQ, JQ, JAX, and POS)

Developed in collaboration with
Edward Hall and Ericka Ratcliff

Based on Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar

Audience Notice: Contains explicit language and bawdy humor. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely intentional.

If we can help accommodate you during your visit, please speak with our House Manager.
For your safety, we ask that you keep aisles and doorways clear.
Please refrain from taking photos and videos during the performance.

Cast

Creative Team


Collette Pollard

Scenic Designer

Joe Disbrow

Associate Sound Designer

Brian Elston

Assistant Lighting Designer

Karina Patel

Script Supervisor/Dramaturgy

RUN CREW*

Deck Crew Alex Raffini
Deck Crew Cover Reese Sheldahl
A1 Alex Rhyan
A2 Kirstin Johnson
Dresser Naomi Arroyo
Dresser Alexis Lotspeich

SCENERY*

Carpenter Danny Carraher
Scenic Charge Artist Scott Gerwitz
Scenic Artist Emily Moore
Scenic Artist Sarah Lewis
Scenic Artist Meghan Erxleben 

COSTUMES*

Costume Design Assistant Melissa Perkins
Costume Crafts Madeline Felauer 

 LIGHTING*

Lighting Programmer Meike Schmidt
Electrician Emily Brown
Electrician Andres Fiz
Electrician Elliot Foster
Electrician Elliot Hubiak
Electrician Thomas Plummer 

SOUND*

Sound Crew Sarah Ortiz 

PROPERTIES*

Props Artisan Sara Grose
Props Artisan Katie Novak
Props Artisan Claire Rockwell
Props Artisan Michael George 

HAIR & MAKEUP*

Hair & Makeup Attendant Cover Cathryn Bulicek 

* Denotes overhires for production. View our full staff listing on our Staff Page here. 

Lead Production Sponsor

Timothy R. Schwertfeger and Gail Waller

Rome Sweet Rome was initially developed at University of Iowa and University of Illinois Chicago.

MEET Q BROTHERS COLLECTIVE

The internationally acclaimed Q Brothers Collective generates original work fusing hip-hop and theater, adapting classic stories into a wholly original, entertaining, and fast-paced style of comedic performance that has been energizing audiences for 20+ years. Rome Sweet Rome joins a long line of hugely successful collaborations with CST including Othello: The Remix, Funk It Up About Nothin’, and Q Brothers’ Christmas Carol. Follow Q Brothers Collective at QBrothersOfficial.com and @qbrothers1 on Facebook and Instagram.

Rome Sweet Rome & Julius Caesar: Why Now?

Back in Shakespeare’s day, there was serious anxiety about what came next for society! England had an aging queen with no clear heir and full-on political unrest. From this came Julius Caesar: a story of how fear and ambition can tip a society into chaos. In Rome Sweet Rome, power grabs, misinformation, and big personalities feel ripped from the headlines. And yet, through humor, they remind us of something Shakespeare always understood: sometimes, the only way to face hard truths is to laugh at them. The storytelling allows us to find levity in the chaos and a space to process the real frustrations and stresses we might feel as modern politics unfold. But here, those painful truths come with rhythm, wit, and a beat that keeps the story moving as fast as our news cycle.

Jam with our Spotify Playlist

Get in the mood with this playlist featuring the music of Public Enemy, The Notorious B.I.G., Michael Jackson, and more electrifying beats of ’90s hip hop and New Jack Swing,

Staging The State: Shakespeare As A Political Mirror

Julius Caesar has long been a favorite tool for directors looking to hold a mirror up to power. The play’s themes—charisma vs. corruption, loyalty vs. self-preservation, order vs. chaos—have made it ideal for speaking to contemporary political climates throughout history.

Julius Caesar (1937) at Mercury Theatre:

  • Directed by Orson Welles, this landmark production reimagined the play in fascist Italy, drawing a direct line between Caesar’s ambition and Mussolini’s regime at a time when fascism was gaining steam in Europe. It was bold, bracing, and a clear political warning.

Julius Caesar (1953):

  • At the height of Cold War anxieties, the MGM film directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz emphasized the play’s rhetoric and propaganda: forceful tools of power in any age. Marlon Brando’s Antony delivered “Friends, Romans, countrymen…” with both sincerity and strategy, echoing the era’s fear of persuasive political figures.

New Jack City (1991):

  • Though not a Shakespeare adaptation, this film is steeped in Shakespearean themes: ambition, betrayal, hubris, downfall. Directed by Mario Van Peebles, the film’s raw energy, dramatic arcs, and tight interplay of power and loyalty became foundational to how hip-hop has engaged with classical storytelling—and a clear inspiration for Q Brothers Collective.

The Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park production (2017):

  • Perhaps the most controversial in recent memory, this staging from director Oskar Eustis cast Caesar as a Trump-like figure complete with red tie and tweets. It triggered a national debate about art, politics, and free speech. Sponsors dropped out. Audiences packed in. The uproar proved how potent Shakespeare still is.

SPECIAL THANKS TO 

[ This list is to be provided by Q Brothers }

SEASON SPONSORS

Chicago Shakespeare Theater is proud to recognize the sustaining partnership of our Season Sponsors,
whose visionary support ensures that we live out our artistic mission for audiences today and for generations to come.

SEASON SPONSORS

Chicago Shakespeare Theater is proud to recognize the sustaining partnership of our Season Sponsors, whose visionary support ensures that we live out our artistic mission for audiences today and for generations to come.

The Grainger Foundation

The Jentes Family

Ray and Judy McCaskey

Paul M. Angell Family Foundation

Burton X. and Sheli Z. Rosenberg

The Segal Family

Carl and Marilynn Thoma

Chicago Shakespeare productions are made possible in part by the Illinois Arts Council Agency. 

Chicago Shakespeare is a constituent of the Theatre Communications Group, Inc., the national service organization of non-profit theaters; Shakespeare Theatre Association; Arts Alliance Illinois; the League of Chicago Theatres; and Ingenuity, Inc.   

Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), founded in 1913, represents more than 45,000 actors and stage managers in the United States. Equity seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society. Equity negotiates wages and working conditions, providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO, and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. The Equity emblem is our mark of excellence. www.actorsequity.org   

This production is covered by a collective bargaining agreement with the STAGE DIRECTORS AND CHOREOGRAPHERS SOCIETY, a national theatrical labor union.    

The set, costume, lighting, sound, and projections designers of this production are represented by United Scenic Artists, Local USA-829 of IATSE. 

About Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST)

Our Mission

To create vivid, entertaining theatrical experiences that invigorate and engage people of all ages and identities by illuminating the complexity, ambiguity, and wonder of our world.

Shared humanity and unforgettable stories—now THIS is Chicago Shakespeare.

Our Vision

We deliver excellent, powerful, life-changing theater that challenges our preconceptions of everything. We are an open and inspiring destination to meet, talk, and share experience through community and live performance that is available to everyone. We build a better future with those who watch, work, create, and participate.

Our Story

CST is a leading international theater company and the nation’s largest year-round theater dedicated to the works of Shakespeare. Under the visionary leadership of Artistic Director Edward Hall and Executive Director Kimberly Motes, the Regional Tony Award recipient engages nearly a quarter of a million people through more than 12 productions each year. Shakespeare is at the heart of the artistic work, illuminating the playwright as a modern writer for our modern world. CST also produces compelling, contemporary stories from fresh artistic voices of today. CST brings the world to Chicago and sends Chicago out into the world as a presenter of international theater and producer of North American and world premieres. Serving more students and teachers than any theater in the city, CST annually welcomes more than 20,000 students to performances and programs like Chicago Shakespeare SLAM, alongside professional development opportunities for teachers. CST activates its campus with three venues: 700-seat The Yard; the 500-seat Jentes Family Courtyard Theater; and the 200-seat Carl and Marilynn Thoma Upstairs Studio. Free programs like Shakes in the City bring performances to parks and community spaces across Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods. For nearly four decades, CST has distinguished itself with a spirit of innovation, dynamism, and ambitious vision.

More About Us

Our Team

The thrilling work on our stages would not be possible without our visionary leadership, talented team of theater professionals, and dedicated Board of Directors.

Our Supporters

Chicago Shakespeare gratefully recognizes the gifts and partnerships provided by our hundreds of individual donors and institutions in our digital donor listing.

Our Education Programs

We are committed to providing access to high quality, culturally responsive arts education, and fostering a love for lifelong learning through innovative programming.