The Understudy

MERCURY STARDUST Book Signing
2023-08-30 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago) | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
About the Event:
Join us starting at 7 PM on August 30th to meet Mercury Stardust, The Trans Handy Ma’am. The book, Safe and Sound: A Renter Friendly Guide to Home Repair will be available to purchase on-site, but click the link above to preorder your book for pickup. Mercury will be on-site signing from 7PM to 9PM.
PLEASE NOTE: No RSVP is required to attend, but attendees are HIGHLY encouraged to preorder their copy of the book from The Understudy to ensure it will be available to them the evening of the event. Additional copies will be available for purchase on-site.

About the Book:
Don’t panic—Mercury Stardust, AKA The Trans Handy Ma’am is here to help!
For too many people, the simple act of contacting a plumber or repair person can feel like a game of chance. As a trans woman and a professional maintenance technician, Mercury Stardust has discovered (the hard way) that we live in a world with much to fear. If you’ve ever felt panicked about opening your home to strangers in order to fix a maintenance issue, this book is for you.
Renting a home can be a complex process—from finding a safe and affordable space, to hiring help for moving in and out, and of course, managing any repairs that come up during your stay.
You deserve to feel empowered to take matters into your own hands—and it’s not as hard as you might think. In this book, Mercury will show you how to tackle the projects that need improvement in your home—from how to properly fix a clog in your bathroom sink and safely hang things on your walls to patching small and medium drywall holes.
Safe and Sound includes:

Guidance for over 50 simple home maintenance projects, such as replacing your showerhead and troubleshooting a faulty garbage disposal.
Chapters covering basic and handy repairs for your plumbing, electrical, carpentry, and safety needs.
Advice tailored to renters to minimize permanent changes.
Helpful illustrations and QR code links to videos to help you on your journey.

Remember—a little bit of knowledge can go a long way toward making you feel more safe and in control of your own life.

Play Reading Club: FAT HAM
2023-08-28 19:00 - 20:30 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
Join us for our first-ever PLAY READING CLUB, a new monthly series hosted by the Understudy staff!
This month’s pick is the Pulitzer Prize winning FAT HAM by James Ijames.
No RSVP required to attend, just arrive with your copy, ready to discuss the play!
Click below to reserve your copy of the play:
TCG Edition
Acting Edition

THE SPORTING LIFE by Marjorie Muller
2023-08-23 19:30 - 21:30 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
CLICK HERE to Reserve your Seat
16-year-old Dot still hasn’t gotten her period. Lucky for her, there’s a Witch in the woods who can get it started. However, in exchange, Dot must offer her the life of a man who has wronged her. And who better to offer than a math teacher? When Dot gets her elusive first period and becomes witness to the Witch’s murder, they become bonded in literal blood, sending Dot down a path of self-understanding, bitterness, and perhaps a little bit of violence too (as a treat). The Sporting Life is a ‘this girl is a woman now’ story brutally snapped open to expose the, sometimes literal, entrails of growing up girl.
Marjorie Muller writes body plays and when she’s not writing body plays, she’s writing romance novels, which are kind of like body plays but sexier. Marjorie’s work has appeared at Urbanite Theatre, The Women’s Theatre Festival, Avalanche Theatre, and Northwestern University (among others). Most recently, her play “littlespace, or the daddy play” was a semi-finalist for The O’Neill. Marjorie is an alum of the acting program at the Theatre School at DePaul, Jackalope Theatre Playwright’s Lab, New Coordinates’ Writers Room and The Road Theatre’s Under Construction 3 cohort.
Director – Kayla Menz

Cast
Sherry – Sonia Goldberg
Dot – Dana Pepowski
Joe – George Zerante
Mikayla – Liv McDaniel
Older Man – Cory Hardin
Younger Man – Maxwell Peters
Doors open at 7 PM for a 7:30PM showtime. The Understudy Cafe will be open for refreshments before the performance.

The Subtext Podcast LIVE
2023-08-21 19:30 - 21:30 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
CLICK HERE to Reserve Your Seat
From AMERICAN THEATRE magazine, a podcast where playwrights talk to playwrights about the things usually left unsaid. In a conversation that dives into life’s muck, we learn what irks, agitates, motivates, inspires and—ultimately—what makes writers tick.
Join host Brian James Polak and guest Nancy García Loza for a live recording of an episode of the pod.
Doors open at 7PM. Taping begins at 7:30 PM. The Understudy cafe will be open for refreshments before the event.
Brian James Polak lives in Madison and is an award-winning playwright born and raised in New Hampshire. His plays have been presented at venues around the country, and have been published by Smith & Kraus, Talon Review, Commonplace Books, NoPassport Press, Next Stage Press, and Canyon Voices. Brian is the producer and host of American Theatre magazine’s “The Subtext,” a podcast about what makes playwrights tick. He earned his MFA in Dramatic Writing from the University of Southern California.
Nancy García Loza is a pocha playwright rooted in Chicago, Illinois and Jalisco, México. She is a two-time alum of the national Fornés Playwriting Workshop. Her commissioned work includes Ascent: the eighth wonder (Steppenwolf Theatre); Bull: a love story (in development with Paramount Theatre; Chicago Dramatists Tutterow Fellowship); Rust (Goodman Theatre Playwrights Unit); Los Lakeview ’92 (Make-Believe Association); and Wave (Teatro Leyden). Her audio drama, Brava: a folktale con música (Make-Believe Association) is available on all podcast platforms. A self-taught writer, García Loza draws from instinct, plays by ear and is determined to bring the pocha experience in all its complexity, rawness, and lyricism to American stages. She is Mexican American, no hyphen.

G. L. O. W. : A Queer Sober Open Mic
2023-08-18 20:00 - 22:00 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
CLICK HERE to Reserve
Join The Understudy for G.L.O.W., a queer sober open mic night hosted by K.J Whitehead and Sharon Pasia. Expect comedy, drama, and stunts galore. For performer signups, please click here.

Evermore Quartet at The Understudy
2023-08-11 19:30 - 21:30 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
Click here to buy your tickets.
The Evermore Quartet was formed as a passion project by four musicians at Northwestern University who wanted to play way more chamber music than was required of them. Since graduating, the group continues to play whenever possible for anyone who will listen, focused on performing overlooked oeuvres, newly-composed masterpieces, and works by giants of the genre. This concert presents one of each on a literary theme.
Hosted at The Understudy, a new theater bookstore and cafe in Andersonville, the Evermore Quartet will bring you on a journey reflecting on the relationship between music and literature. The program will begin with Philip Glass’ String Quartet No. 2, a classic work based on the novella “Company” by Samuel Beckett. Next up, a posthumously published quartet written by a composer ahead of her time, Rebecca Clarke’s “Poem”. Lastly, the world premiere of “Poem in Four Parts” by Evermore’s own Owen Ruff.
Doors open at 7:00pm for a 7:30 start to the performance. The Understudy’s coffee bar will be open for refreshments, and BYOB is also welcomed.

Bandana Crafting Workshop with Artist Kiera Pitts
2023-08-08 12:00 - 16:00 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
Join us for a short and delightful bandana crafting workshop with visiting artist Kiera Pitts! Attendees will have the opportunity to create their own bandana design utilizing 100% cotton Kiera has naturally dyed with a colorful array of willow leaves, onion skins, dandelion, and turmeric as the backdrop to a large array of her hand carved stamps! No prior experience is necessary to enjoy this hands-on experience at The Understudy. This workshop takes approximately 45 minutes. Each participant will go home with their own Understudy-inspired bandana.
Click here to reserve your spot.

Black Theatre Vinyl Archive Listening Party
2023-08-07 19:00 - 22:00 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
CLICK HERE to Reserve
Join director Jerrell L. Henderson as he spins selections from his collection of black theatre on vinyl, past and present.
The bar will be open for refreshments; BYOB is also welcomed.
Jerrell L. Henderson is the League of Chicago Theatres recipient of the 2022 Samuel G. Roberson, Jr. Resident Fellowship. He will present an original shadow play titled, AmericanMYTH: Crossroads with Free Street Theatre in October 2023. Recent directing credits include Ragtime at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, Reverie by James Ijames (Pulitzer Prize recipient for Fat Ham) with Azuka Theatre and Mlima’s Tale with Griffin Theatre (Jeff Award nomination for Direction and Best Play). Other credits include The River with BoHo Theatre and Untitled with Inis Nua (Barrymore Award nomination for Outstanding Direction of a Play). Puppet short films include I Am The Bear with The Chicago International Puppet Theatre Festival, Hamlin: La Revue Sombre with Heather Henson’s Handmade Puppet Dreams, and Diamond’s Dream with Chicago Children’s Theatre. As an assistant director, Jerrell has worked with The Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre and Lookingglass Theatre. He received his MFA in Theatre Directing from Northwestern University (2015), is a member of Lincoln Centers Directing Lab (2012) and proudly serves on the board of Directors Gathering. (DG) is a national organization based in Philadelphia, PA which offers theatre directors consistent community, resources, and elevation. He is represented by the Gurman Agency (susan@gurmanagency.com).

Book Signing: Contemporary Black Theatre and Performance
2023-07-31 19:30 - 21:30 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
CLICK HERE to Reserve
Join us for a Signing of Contemporary Black Theatre and Performance with editors DeRon S. Williams, Khalid Y. Long, and Martine Kei Green-Rogers.
Doors open at 7. The program begins at 7:30.
About the Book
How are Black artists, activists, and pedagogues wielding acts of rebellion, activism, and solidarity to precipitate change? How have contemporary performances impacted Black cultural, social, and political struggles? What are the ways in which these acts and artists engage varied Black identities and explore shared histories?
Contemporary Black Theatre and Performance investigates these questions to illuminate the relationship between performance, identity, intersectionality, and activism in North America and beyond. It features contributions from scholars, artists, and activists from across disciplines who explore the nuances and varied forms of Black performance in the 21st century while incorporating performance-based methodologies and queer and black feminist theories.
Among the many topics addressed by contributors are antiracist pedagogy, Black queer identity formation in Black playwriting, digital blackface, and Black women’s subversive practices within contemporary popular culture. It encompasses dramatic analysis of Lynn Nottage’s Sweat, Tarell Alvin McCraney’s Choir Boy, and acts of resistance during the Black Lives Matter summer 2020 highway protests. A series of conversations with artists and scholars are woven throughout the book’s three sections, including with playwrights Christina Anderson and Donja R. Love, and Willa Taylor, Director of Education and Community Engagement at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago.
About the Editors
DeRon S. Williams (he/him) is a scholar, a freelance dramaturg and director, and an Assistant Professor of Theatre at Loyola University Chicago, where he serves as the dramaturgy mentor at Loyola University Chicago. His dramaturgical credits include Annelies (Great Plains Theatre Conference), Without a Formal Declaration of War (Great Plains Theatre Conference), Organized Chaos (Great Plains Theatre Conference), Toni Stone (Goodman); Trouble in Mind, Boulevard of Bold Dreams (Timeline Theatre); and  Anon(ymous) (Middle Tennessee State). His directing and associate directing credits include The Lil’ Flo and Big Moe Show! (Hartford Stage); Trouble in Mind (Timeline Theatre); Jump, Aladdin Jr., Mulan Jr., Leftoevers (Kennedy Center). As a scholar of African American theatre, drama, performance, and directing techniques and pedagogies, Williams is co-editor of Contemporary Black Theatre & Performance: Acts of Rebellion, Activism, and Solidarity with Khalid Y. Long and Martine Kei Green-Rogers as a part of the Agitations: Politics, Text, Performance series that accentuates the expansiveness of Black theatre and performance and how the usage of conventional and nonconventional performance techniques persist to function as a vehicle of activism. He has published in The Journal of American Drama and Theatre and Continuum: The Journal of African Diaspora Drama. Williams is also working on an edited collection titled A Cultural Experience: The Role of Theatre at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and a monograph focusing on marginalized theatre directors and their theatrical approaches. He received a BA in Theatre from Albany State University (GA), an MA in Arts Administration from Eastern Michigan University, and a Ph.D. in Theatre at Texas Tech University.
Dr. Khalid Y. Long is an assistant professor in the Department of Theatre and Films Studies and the Institute for African American Studies at the University of Georgia. As of fall 2023, Khalid will be heading to Howard University as an associate professor of theatre. Khalid is a scholar, dramaturg, and director, specializing in African American/Black diasporic theatre, performance, and literature through the lenses of Black feminist/womanist thought, queer studies, and performance studies. Accordingly, his work addresses the intersections of race, class, gender, and sexuality within marginalized and oppressed communities. Khalid is working on his manuscript, An Architect of Black Feminist Theatre: Glenda Dickerson, Transnational Feminism, and The Kitchen Prayer Series. He is also co-editor of the forthcoming anthology, August Wilson in Context (Cambridge University Press).
Martine Kei Green-Rogers is the Dean of the Theatre School at DePaul University She obtained her PhD from the Department of Theatre and Drama at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to studying at UW-Madison, she received her B.A. in Theatre from Virginia Wesleyan College and her M.A. in Theatre History and Criticism from The Catholic University of America.
Her dramaturgical productions include: The Greatest with the Louisville Orchestra, Toni Stone and Sweat at the Goodman; Silent Dancer at Salt Lake Acting Company, productions of King Hedley II, Radio Golf, Five Guys Named Moe, Blues for an Alabama Sky, Gem of the Ocean, Waiting for Godot, Iphigenia in Aulis, Seven Guitars, The Mountaintop, Home and Porgy and Bess at the Court Theatre (Chicago, IL); productions of Fences and One Man, Two Guvnors for the Pioneer Memorial Theatre; It’s Christmas, Carol!, Hairspray, The Book of Will, Shakespeare in Love, Hannah and the Dread Gazebo (Research Dramaturg), UniSon (Asst. Dramaturg), The Comedy of Errors, To Kill A Mockingbird, The African Company Presents Richard III, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Fences and the Play on! project translations of Comedy of Errors and The Two Noble Kinsmen for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (Ashland, OR); 10 Perfect and The Curious Walk of the Salamander as part of the Madison Repertory Theatre’s New Play Festival, and A Thousand Words as part of the WI Wrights New Play Festival. She was also the dramaturgical team for the remount of Jagged Little Pill on Broadway.
She has directed a staged reading of Adopting Aunt Tabitha for the Alley Theatre’s HYPE program and Venus and Adonis for the Classical Theatre Company, and productions of Much Ado About Nothing for Kenyon College, The Brothers Size for Ancram Opera House, and Sender for Denizen Theatre Company. She is the stage adaptor of Jason Reynolds’ book Long Way Down which premiered at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in October of 2018.
Her publications include the article Talkbacks for ‘Sensitive Subject Matter’
Productions: The Theory and Practice in the Routledge Companion to Dramaturgy, Co-Author on “A New Noble Kinsmen: The Play On! Project and Making New Plays Out of Old” in Theatre History Studies, Co-Author on “Visual Dramaturgy: Problem Solver or Problem Maker in Contemporary Performance Creation” in Theatre/Practice, and Co-author on “Continuing the Conversation: Responses to Gabriela Serena Sanchez and Quiara Alegría Hudes” in Theatre Topics. Her most recent publication is the book Contemporary Black Theatre and Performance: Acts of Rebellion, Activism, and Solidarity alongside co-editors Dr. DeRon S. Willams and Dr. Khalid Y. Long and published in May of 2023 by Bloomsbury.
She has previously taught at SUNY New Paltz, the University of Utah, Sam Houston State University, and Kenyon College. Her research interests include violence in African American Theatre, African diaspora theatre, gender and race in American theatre, dramaturgy, devising, and issues of sustainability in the theatre.
She is a proud member of the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA), Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE), and the American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR).

Public Cupping with Metric Coffee
2023-07-27 11:00 - 12:00 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
The Understudy is proud to host our first public coffee cupping on Thursday, July 27th at 11 AM. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at how Metric evaluates their beans, and learn how different origins inform coffee flavor profiles. It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned pro or first-time cupper. These casual public gatherings are an open forum where we look to educate and collaborate with our community on this essential coffee practice. Reserve quick! Only twelve slots available.

CLICK HERE to Reserve

NUEVO ABESEDARIO with Artist Juan Pizzani
2023-07-25 19:30 - 21:30 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
Join artist Juan Pizzani on Tuesday, July 25th to discover the personal and political roots of his explosive artist’s book Nuevo Abesedario.
CLICK HERE to Reserve
Juan Pizzani’s Nuevo Abesedario is a bizarro primer to help you study regime ABCs. Blending collage and illustrations—originally developed for digital publication in 2020—Nuevo Abesedario turns the traditional alphabet book on its grotesque head and creates a freaky parody of the familiar genre to expose how dictators and political regimes can use “harmless” textbooks as instruments of propaganda and power. Pizzani should know; in the early 2000’s he worked as a book editor for the Venezuelan regime and witnessed firsthand how political propaganda and government logos were plaguing primary school textbooks. In this visually bold, limited-run print edition, Pizzani’s Nuevo Abesedario brings haunting images and sharp wit to the full-color page. More than a conversation piece, this book will upset your friends in the best way possible.
Juan Pizzani (Caracas, 1979) has an MA in Spanish Literature (University of Cincinnati, 2006), and a PhD in Anthropology (Universidad de Los Andes, Venezuela, 2017). He authored the art books Enciclopedia Ilustrada del Arte (2002), Crayon Picture Books (2003), and Nuevo Abesedario Digital Version (2020). He published the novella Visita guiada (El perro y la rana, 2007), some poems in the compilations Voces Nuevas (CELARG, Caracas, 2004), and Cartografías Resilientes (LP5, Chile, 2022), his bilingual poems Café (Petalurgia, Madrid, 2022), and the autoethnographic texts Autoetnografía en una agencia de marketing de Lima (Prodavinci, 2020), and Onaka Ga Peko Peko (Petalurgia, Madrid, 2021). He has been making digital art since 2020, and his video art has been featured in the collective art shows I Don’t Wanna Be Lonely (2021), and Digital Fluffy (2022) held at the Fluffy Crimes art gallery in Chicago.

G. L. O. W. : A Queer Sober Open Mic Night
2023-07-21 20:00 - 22:00 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
Join The Understudy for our next iteration of G.L.O.W., a queer sober open mic night hosted by K.J Whitehead and Sharon Pasia. Stay tuned for performer signups! Expect comedy, drama, and stunts galore.

Click Here to Save Your Seat

LET ME BE BRIEF: An Evening With The Neo-Fututists
2023-07-19 19:30 - 21:30 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
At last, an experimental theater company has adapted a grammar handbook! Elements of Style is the Neo-Futurists’ visually-accessible response to the little book. Please join us for a selection of film and performance works from across our developmental process. Meet the team and find out more about the show, now playing at the Neo-Futurist Theater.
Doors open at 7 PM, our program begins at 7:30 PM. Enjoy refreshments from the cafe; BYOB is also welcomed.
CLICK HERE to Reserve

Summer & Smoke: A Community Cabaret
2023-07-18 20:00 - 22:00 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
Join the Understudy and our friends from Kokandy Productions for our first-ever cabaret. BOOK CLUB brings together theatre artists from our community to show off favorite pieces from their audition book.

The inaugural edition of BOOK CLUB, SUMMER & SMOKE features performances by Grace Bobber, Maddison Denault, Zöe DePreta, Tiffany T. Taylor and more…

Tickets available soon!

SM-GO: SMA Collaborator Party
2023-07-17 19:00 - 21:00 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
EVENT DETAILS
Stage managers are having a party, and you’re invited! Bring your favorite stage manager friend, or, if you’re a stage manager, bring your favorite theater person. Join us for a casual hangout featuring theater trivia, a scavenger hunt and impromptu conversations.

Our wonderful hosts at The Understudy will have the cafe open for us, but you are also welcome to BYOB.

SAVE YOUR SEAT

WITCH by Jen Silverman
2023-07-13 20:00 - 22:00 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
ABOUT THE PLAY
A charming devil arrives in the quiet village of Edmonton to bargain for the souls of its residents in exchange for their darkest wishes. Elizabeth should be his easiest target, having been labeled a “witch” and cast out by the town, but her soul is not so readily bought. As the devil returns to convince her – and then returns again – unexpected passions flare, alliances are formed, and the village is forever changed. An inventive retelling of a Jacobean drama, this sharp, subversive fable debates how much our souls are worth when hope is hard to come by.
CLICK HERE to Reserve Tickets
CAST
Matthew Lunt…..Sir Arthur Banks
Ben Murphy…..Frank Thorney
JJ Sheehan…..Cuddy Banks
Ander Shunneson…..Scratch
Preeti Thaker…..Elizabeth Sawyer
Izzy Valdés…..Winnifred
Casey Whisler…..Stage Directions

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
Jen Silverman is a playwright, novelist, poet and screenwriter. Jen’s plays include Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Betties (Woolly Mammoth, MCC, Southwark Playhouse London); The Moors (Yale Rep, Playwrights Realm); The Roommate (Humana Festival, Williamstown, Steppenwolf, South Coast, Long Wharf) and Witch (Writer’s Theatre, Geffen, Huntington). Jen’s plays have been produced internationally in Australia, the UK, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Spain, and elsewhere. Jen is the author of the debut novel We Play Ourselves and the story collection The Island Dwellers (Random House) and the poetry chapbook Bath, selected by Traci Brimhall for Driftwood Press. Additional work has appeared in Vogue, The Paris Review, Literary Hub, Ploughshares, the Yale Review and elsewhere. Jen wrote The Miranda Obsession as a narrative podcast for Audible/ Vice, starring Rachel Brosnahan. Jen is a three-time MacDowell Fellow, a member of New Dramatists, and an Affiliated Artist with New Georges, Clubbed Thumb, Space on Ryder Farm, and the Playwrights Center. Honors: The Helen Merrill Award, the Yale Drama Series Award, the Lilly Award, Fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. Jen is a 2022 National Endowment for the Arts Fellow (prose) and 2022 Guggenheim Fellow (theatre). Jen also writes for TV and film. Education: Brown, Iowa, Juilliard.

WITCH by Jen Silverman
2023-07-12 20:00 - 22:00 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
UPDATE: Sold Out! Stay tuned for an additional date!
ABOUT THE PLAY
A charming devil arrives in the quiet village of Edmonton to bargain for the souls of its residents in exchange for their darkest wishes. Elizabeth should be his easiest target, having been labeled a “witch” and cast out by the town, but her soul is not so readily bought. As the devil returns to convince her – and then returns again – unexpected passions flare, alliances are formed, and the village is forever changed. An inventive retelling of a Jacobean drama, this sharp, subversive fable debates how much our souls are worth when hope is hard to come by.
CAST
Matthew Lunt…..Sir Arthur Banks
Ben Murphy…..Frank Thorney
JJ Sheehan…..Cuddy Banks
Ander Shunneson…..Scratch
Preeti Thaker…..Elizabeth Sawyer
Izzy Valdés…..Winnifred
Casey Whisler…..Stage Directions

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
Jen Silverman is a playwright, novelist, poet and screenwriter. Jen’s plays include Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Betties (Woolly Mammoth, MCC, Southwark Playhouse London); The Moors (Yale Rep, Playwrights Realm); The Roommate (Humana Festival, Williamstown, Steppenwolf, South Coast, Long Wharf) and Witch (Writer’s Theatre, Geffen, Huntington). Jen’s plays have been produced internationally in Australia, the UK, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Spain, and elsewhere. Jen is the author of the debut novel We Play Ourselves and the story collection The Island Dwellers (Random House) and the poetry chapbook Bath, selected by Traci Brimhall for Driftwood Press. Additional work has appeared in Vogue, The Paris Review, Literary Hub, Ploughshares, the Yale Review and elsewhere. Jen wrote The Miranda Obsession as a narrative podcast for Audible/ Vice, starring Rachel Brosnahan. Jen is a three-time MacDowell Fellow, a member of New Dramatists, and an Affiliated Artist with New Georges, Clubbed Thumb, Space on Ryder Farm, and the Playwrights Center. Honors: The Helen Merrill Award, the Yale Drama Series Award, the Lilly Award, Fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. Jen is a 2022 National Endowment for the Arts Fellow (prose) and 2022 Guggenheim Fellow (theatre). Jen also writes for TV and film. Education: Brown, Iowa, Juilliard.

I Can't... I Have TRIVIA
2023-07-10 19:30 - 21:30 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
📚 TRIVIA 📚
Theatre nerds, your time has come! Join us at 7:30 on July 10th to flex your theatre knowledge. We recommend playing with a team of four. Hosted by our friend Patrick Zakem, each round will test your knowledge of a different facet of theatre history, current events, or culture. Think you’ve got what it takes to triumph? Don’t miss it!
No need to RSVP, just bring your team on the 10th!

ABSENCE OF PROOF Launch Party
2023-07-08 19:00 - 22:00 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
Sober, sober curious, or just trying to be a more conscientious drinker? Join us for the Chicago launch of Absence of Proof, a boozeless take on a night out.
Included in your ticket are unlimited non-alcoholic drinks:
-We’ll shake up 4 Cocktails with non-alcoholic spirits from Spiritless
-Ready to Drink Options from Curious Elixirs & Mingle Mocktails
-Wine from Surely Wines
-Beer from Peroni
-Seltzer from Liquid Death

GRAB A TICKET

Please note (IMPORTANT):

This event is 21+.
All drinks offered will be below 0.5% ABV (non-alcoholic). Some drinks will utilize non-alcoholic spirits that mimic the taste and aroma of alcohol, without the intoxicating effects. If you are in recovery or are potentially triggered by the taste of alcohol, please do not consume these beverages. Our events also mimic the environment of a bar (music, socializing, and may be held in venues that otherwise serve alcohol). If this is triggering, please do not attend.
If you are pregnant or nursing, please consult with your healthcare provider before consuming any of our beverages. Your doctor can provide personalized advice based on your individual circumstances.
Our beverages are not guaranteed to be Halal or Vegan. Upon request, we are happy to provide full ingredient lists. We understand that everyone has unique preferences and dietary requirements and our number one priority is respecting your individual choices. We encourage you to reach out to us with any questions or concerns that may not have been addressed here.

TGNC Theatre Maker's Meetup
2023-07-03 19:00 - 21:00 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
🏳️‍⚧️MEETUP🏳️‍⚧️
Trans and gender non-conforming theatre makers, Join us July 3rd for an evening of community and connection.
We’re hanging out 7pm to 9pm and keeping the cafe open for refreshments.
BYOB also welcomed.
Don’t miss this!
Click Here to Reserve a Free Spot

DEATH BECOMES THEATRE with Haven Theatre
2023-06-30 20:00 - 21:30 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
Death Becomes Theatre: An Evening with the Director and Cast of The Art of Bowing
Join us on June 30th at 8 pm for an exclusive sneak peek into Haven Chicago’s newest world premiere, The Art of Bowing. When three actors stumble onto an empty stage, they realize the theatre has died. In a last-ditch effort to revive it, they go on a journey through time and space to figure out the secret to what it takes to bear a creative soul in this modern world.
After a reading from the play, join in a discussion as director Ian Damont Martin and actors David Goodloe, Beck Nolan, and Bryanna Colon navigate the landscape of what theatre is now, how the Chicago theatrical scene has changed, and what it means to participate in an art form as old as human history. Set in the cosy atmosphere of The Understudy, we look forward to a night of exploration with you.
This event is free and open to the public, doors open at 7:30 pm.
CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS
Photo L to R
Ian Damont Martin, David Goodloe, Bryanna Colon, Beck Nolan

CAFE QUEENS: A Drag Show / Latte Art Throwdown
2023-06-28 18:30 - 22:30 | IL
UPDATE 6/14/23: Attendee and Competitor tickets SOLD OUT. Waitlist begins at 6PM the evening of the event.
The Understudy is proud to host its first-ever latte art throwdown, presented in collaboration with Metric Coffee. Expect our signature dramatic flair.
Join The Understudy for an evening of fierce looks, fierce competition, and fabulous prizes. Top competitors can walk away with up to $200 cash, plus prizes from Fellow, La Marzocco, Steppenwolf Theatre, and more.
Pizza provided by our friends at Pizza Lobo.
We’re kicking off our night with performances by Lezbian Minelli, Yuiza Beach, Kerosene, and Betty Theft, PLUS cameos by members of The Understudy team.
DJ set by Luke Cimarusti
PRIZES:
First Place: $200
Second Place: $150
Third Place: $100
PLUS prizes from Fellow, La Marzocco, Metric Coffee, The Neofuturists, Steppenwolf Theatre, and Women and Children First Bookstore.
PLEASE NOTE: this event is 21+. No underage attendees or competitors will be permitted.

The Model Play by Madie Doppelt
2023-06-26 19:30 - 21:30 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
ABOUT THE PLAY
In the world of modeling, to “fit in” is to contort: socially, physically, mentally. In 1987, six young professionals seem to have fitting in down to a science…or so they think. Unsupervised and unfiltered, these models confront growing up while breaking down. What will they do to stay in vogue?

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
Madie Doppelt (she/her) is a Chicago-based theater and circus artist. She is a recent graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University, where she earned a BFA in Playwriting and a BA English Literature. Madie is the Associate Artistic Director of the Actors Gymnasium, as well as a writer/reviewer for Rescripted.
Recent credits include: VILLETTE (Asst. Director, Lookingglass Theatre Company), SUB-CULTURE (Playwright, Interrobang Theatre Project), HONEY GIRLS (Dramaturg, DePaul University), and MATILDA THE MUSICAL (Asst. Circus Consultant, Northwestern University).

CAST
Zoe………Casey Whisler
Iris……….Isabella Maria Valdés
Elena…..John Payne
Paola….Sharon Pasia
Jules…Magdalena Dalzell
Stage Directions….Sonya Madrigal

ENDER'S GAY by Salwa Meghjee
2023-06-23 20:30 - 22:30 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
ABOUT THE PLAY
Laiba is a queer teenage girl who is obsessed with proving that Ender from the book Ender’s Game is gay, despite the author’s documented homophobia. She comes to believe that she is Ender and must fall in gay love with her classmate Jannat to save the world.
Runtime: One Hour
DOORS OPEN at 8pm
READING BEGINS at 8:30pm
CAST
Nadya Naumaan
Pooj
Scott Adkins
Directed by Arti Ishak
Written by Salwa Meghjee

The Birth of Second City and the Renaissance of Chicago Theater
2023-06-18 19:30 - 21:00 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
EVENT DETAILS:
Join us for a fascinating discussion of Chicago theatre history, as we celebrate the launch of the second edition of Something Wonderful Right Away: The Birth of Second City—America’s Greatest Comedy Theater by Jeffrey Sweet.
Doors open right at 7:00p for a 7:30p start to the talk. Please have your ticket ready to show The Understudy staff. A limited cafe drink menu will be available to all who attend.
The evening will begin with an introduction and discission followed by a Q&A session with the authors. The evening will end with a book signing with copies of the book available for purchase along with merch from The Understudy Coffee and Books.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Chris Jones is the longtime chief theater critic and Sunday culture columnist of the Chicago Tribune, where he has been on staff since 2002. Throughout the 1990s, he covered Broadway and its tours for Variety. He is author of Bigger, Brighter, Louder: 150 Years of Chicago Theater (2013) and his work has appeared often in the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and many other publications. Jones read Drama at the University of Hull, UK, and has a PhD from The Ohio State University. In 2011, Jones was named by American Theater magazine as one of the most influential theater critics in America. In 2014, he became the director of the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Critics Institute in Waterford, Connecticut. Jones is a winner of the George Jean Nathan Award for Dramatic Criticism, the most prestigious honor for drama critics in the United States.
Mark Larson is the author of Ensemble: An Oral History of Chicago Theater, for which he conducted over 300 interviews with Chicago theater artists. His new book, Working in the 21st Century: An Oral History will be released in February 2024. He is currently working on Ed Asner: A Composite Portrait.
Jeffrey Sweet is a founding resident writer of Chicago’s Tony Award-winning Victory Gardens Theater, where many of his plays (including The Value of Names, Porch, Flyovers, The Action Against Sol Schumann, and Court-Martial at Fort Devens) have premiered before playing on stages around the world. His book, The Dramatist’s Toolkit, is a widely-used text on playwriting, and The O’Neill is a history of the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. Among the actors who have starred in his scripts are Ellen Burstyn, Alan Bates, Richard Kind, Nathan Lane, Jon Cryer, William Petersen, Amy Morton, Gary Cole, Jack Klugman, and Megan Mullally.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Discover the behind-the-scenes story of how The Second City theater created a generation of world class great actors, directors, and writers.
In the late Fifties and Sixties, iconoclastic young rebels in Chicago opened two tiny theaters—The Compass and The Second City—where they satirized politics, religion, and sex. Building scenes by improvising based on audience suggestions turned out to be a fine way to develop great actors, directors, and writers. Alumni went on to create such groundbreaking works as The Graduate, Groundhog Day, and Don’t Look Up. Many of them also became stars on Saturday Night Live. Something Wonderful Right Away features the pioneers of the empire that transformed American comedy.
This new edition tells even more of the story. Included for the first time is an interview with Viola Spolin, the genius who invented theater games that were the foundation of improvisational theater. Also included are dozens of follow-up stories about Mike Nichols, Barbara Harris, Del Close, Joan Rivers, Alan Arkin, and Gilda Radner, plus “You Only Shoot the Ones You Love,” the story of how this book’s author, playwright Jeffrey Sweet, became so involved in the community he covered that he was captured by it.
PARKING:
Paid parking is available on Clark St. with free parking available on the Ashland Avenue side of the Jewel-Osco, which is a short walk away from the store.

G. L. O. W. Pride Edition
2023-06-16 20:00 - 2023-06-18 21:30 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
Join us for our queer open mic night, hosted by Understudy cast member Sharon Pasia and KJ Whitehead. Doors open at 7:30PM, the event begins at 8PM. Click Here to reserve a spot to perform.

The Stage Actor's Handbook with Michael Kostroff
2023-06-14 19:30 - 21:30 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
Author Michael Kostroff, best known for his five seasons as Maury Levy on HBO’s legendary hit series The Wire, is joining us on June 14th to talk about his new book, The Stage Actor’s Handbook.
The book is an invaluable guide to the traditions and best practices of the professional stage actor, from first rehearsal to final curtain.
Professional stage actors are expected to have ready knowledge of a multitude of unwritten yet well-established protocols. Traditionally, this knowledge was passed along from one generation of stage actors to the next via word of mouth, or were learned by having one’s missteps corrected—until now.
In The Stage Actor’s Handbook, these protocols have finally been assembled into one volume, allowing theatre artists to know in advance what is expected of them. A definitive guide for professionals and aspiring professionals alike, this book details best practices on everything from rehearsal demeanor to backstage etiquette. It also shares the theatre’s unique vernacular and revered superstitions, as well as field-tested guidelines on touring, interactions with the public, and more.
The Stage Actor’s Handbook features bits of wisdom contributed by legendary stage actors, including Bebe Neuwirth, John Lithgow, Chita Rivera, Alfred Molina, Billy Porter, Betty Buckley, Harvey Fierstein, Sam Waterston, Jason Alexander, Cynthia Nixon, and Sir Patrick Stewart.

Andersonville Midsommarfest
2023-06-09 17:00 - 2023-06-11 22:00 | IL
We’re so excited to celebrate our first Midsommarfest after opening in March! The Understudy is right outside the northern gates of the fest on the corner of Clark and Gregory, so stop by to beat the heat and reenergize before diving back in to all the food, drink, entertainment, shopping, and general revelry the festival has to offer. Hallå Sommar!

A Taste of RED with A Red Orchid Theatre
2023-06-06 19:30 - 21:30 | IL
A Red Orchid Theatre invites you to take a peek behind the curtain and see how their team goes about exploring a play. What gets their ensemble excited about a script? How do actors, directors, playwrights, and designers all approach the same text differently? What defines a quintessential A Red Orchid production?
To recreate the warm ambience of these casual, cozy conversations, AROT ventured outside of Wells Street and partnered with some new friends. Join us for a drink and let the words wash over you!

"Give My Regards to Nowhere" Reading and Signing with Richard Engling
2023-05-31 19:30 - 21:30 | The Understudy, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
EVENT DETAILS:
Doors open right at 7:00p for a 7:30p start to the reading. Please have your ticket ready to show The Understudy staff. A limited cafe drink menu will be available to all who attend.
The evening will begin with an introduction and reading followed by a Q&A session with Richard. The evening will end with a book signing with copies of the novel available for purchase along with merch from The Understudy Coffee and Books.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Richard Engling founded Polarity Ensemble Theatre in Chicago in 2004 and served as its artistic director for twelve long and confusing years, giving him ample expertise to write GIVE MY REGARDS TO NOWHERE. Richard’s dystopian detective thriller, BODY MORTGAGE, was published by Penguin Books USA and Headline UK and has been rereleased in a revised version by Polarity Ensemble Books. His novel VISIONS OF ANNA (Polarity Ensemble Books) and play ANNA IN THE AFTERLIFE appeared in 2014 as part of the ambitious AFTERLIFE TRILOGY. His plays have been produced in the US and England, and he continues to work as an actor, playwright, and novelist.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Chicago director Dwayne Finnegan has a long shot at the big time and only two obstacles: himself and everyone he knows.
Dwayne’s got an idea of how to direct Shakespeare’s least-favorite play that could set him on the road to Broadway. We’re talking Bob Fosse choreography, Jimi Hendrix guitars, and the hottest cast in the city of Chicago. But when the show’s producer cuts out with the cash, Dwayne decides to produce the show himself, putting his marriage and his meager finances at risk. What could go wrong?
“Richard Engling knows Chicago’s famously chaotic and glorious storefront theater scene like the back of his hand. It’s the perfect setting for absurd comic hi-jinx.” – Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, author of Rise Up! and Bigger, Brighter, Louder
PARKING:
Paid parking is available on Clark St. with free parking available on the Ashland Avenue side of the Jewel-Osco, which is a short walk away from the store.
