With a cast of 22 actors, there are a lot of kooky characters making mischief in the hamlet of Windsor! Get to know who is who and read the synopsis of Shakespeare’s most raucous comedy, broken down act by act.
APR 2–MAY 3, 2026
Premiere Production Sponsor
Principal Production Sponsor
Lead Production Sponsor
APR 2–MAY 3, 2026
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Phillip Breen
The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater
The Merry Wives of Windsor
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Phillip Breen
The Jentes Family Courtyard Theater
Run Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes (including intermission)
Audience Notice: Staging features prop firearms, loud sounds, and theatrical haze.
Premiere Production Sponsor:
The Jentes Family
Ray and Judy McCaskey
Principal Production Sponsor:
Brenda and James Grusecki
Lead Production Sponsor:
Greg Gallopoulos
Associate Production Sponsor:
Nicholas and Mary Babson Fund to Support Chicago Actors
“Very cleverly cast, deliciously zany throughout”
“★ ★ ★ ★ The comic timing is perfect…made me laugh until my sides hurt, was more fun than an hour of Pilates!”
“If you have a taste for farce, this is a Falstaffian meal not to miss”
Delight in Shakespeare’s most raucous comedy!
The secret lives of Windsor wives reveal there is much more to this charming, middle-class English hamlet than meets the eye. Besties Mistress Page and Mistress Ford find themselves the romantic targets of the lewd-but-lovable rogue John Falstaff. In a welcome escape from the drudgery of their day-to-day, they band together to have the last laugh—and get the entire town in on the revelry. Jealous husbands, deceptions and disguises, and salacious misadventures uncover more than just dirty laundry in Shakespeare’s most raucous comedy. Acclaimed director Phillip Breen brings together an ensemble cast stacked with some of Chicago’s most talented actors to create an endlessly entertaining new take on the play. Come experience what makes CST one of the nation’s premier theaters to enjoy Shakespeare’s stories live in performance.
For a limited time, use code “SHAKES15” to save $15 on all Tuesday-Thursday performances of The Merry Wives of Windsor!
Run Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes (including intermission)
Audience Notice: Staging features prop firearms, loud sounds, and theatrical haze.
Premiere Production Sponsor:
The Jentes Family
Ray and Judy McCaskey
Principal Production Sponsor:
Brenda and James Grusecki
Lead Production Sponsor:
Greg Gallopoulos
Associate Production Sponsor:
Nicholas and Mary Babson Fund to Support Chicago Actors
APR 23 "DRINK AND BE MERRY"
APR 26 Audio Description
APR 29 Open Captioning
MAY 01 ASL Interpretation
“An all-star cast that makes this Shakespearean experience a delight”
“A delightfully mischievous evening”
“Impeccable attention to detail”
“Ora Jones and Issy van Randwyck, as Merry Wives Mistress Page and Mistress Ford, are superb. They consistently bring unbridled joy to the stage”
Artists
Premiere Production Sponsor
Principal Production Sponsor
Lead Production Sponsor
Associate Production Sponsor
Nicholas and Mary Babson Fund to Support Chicago Actors