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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260520T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260520T220000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260511T234053Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260521T001335Z
UID:10000249-1779305400-1779314400@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:FYI: FAB IT YOURSELF with Lúc Ami✨
DESCRIPTION:A beginner’s guide to upcycling your clothes!\n\n\nMove at your own pace as host Lúc Ami walks you through a variety of methods to alter your clothing with flair! \nMaterials can be provided\, but crafters are also encouraged to bring their own materials if they’d like. \nIt’s $5 if you bring your own clothes or $10 if you’d like to shop for a piece! \nAGENDA: \n\nDoors at 7PM: Grab a drink and/or treat\n7PM – 7:30PM: Make friends & shop for a clothing item if you didn’t bring one\n7:30 – 9ish?: Workshop starts~ Find a spot in the workspace & get comfy!\nWe’ll close out with a runway of your new creations! (Participation optional but encouraged)\n\n \nMEET THE HOST: \nLúc Ami is Chicago based drag artist who brings an otherworldly and unique flair to all their creations. They have spent the last 10 years specializing in sustainable\, affordable and whimsical costume making. \nIn this workshop\, you’ll learn how to alter clothing to your personal style in a way that transforms and elevates them for whatever occaision you wear them to!
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/fyi-fab-it-yourself-with-luc-ami%e2%9c%a8/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2d11dbfa680a155836e7acfada061eb2-G1pfYX.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260521T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260521T210000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260422T224137Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260522T001110Z
UID:10000242-1779391800-1779397200@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:A Conversation with Rachel León: How We See the Gray
DESCRIPTION:Enjoy a conversation with editor Rachel León on her debut novel How We See the Gray\n\n\nThe Understudy and Chicago Review of Books are sponsoring the Chicago launch of Rachel León’s debut novel\, How We See the Gray. Rachel will be in conversation with Megan Stielstra\, as well as reading a selected piece from the novel and signing after. Doors open at 7pm on Thursday\, May 21st. Beverages and books will be available for purchase throughout the event! \n \nABOUT THE BOOK\nFoster care is a disaster in Rockford\, Illinois. Meredith\, a social worker and single mom\, is stretched beyond thin but determined to protect her kids: not only her son\, but those on her caseload too. When the stress of the job has her breaking her sobriety\, the foundations of her life begin to tremble. After drinking too much\, she makes a mistake that puts her preschooler in jeopardy\, and Meredith finds herself in a situation that mirrors her clients’ as she loses custody of her son. In her fight to get him back\, Meredith experiences the system from the outside—while still working for the kids inside of it. Set over the course of a year\, this riveting documentary-esque novel is told from multiple perspectives\, including those of case workers\, birth parents\, foster parents\, and foster children. Written with the working-class humor and heart that defines the Midwest\, How We See the Gray is a story about mistakes\, second chances\, and trying to do better in a system that seems doomed to fail. \n \nABOUT THE AUTHOR\nRachel León (she/they) is a writer\, editor\, and social worker\, who has worked in child welfare for nearly two decades. She serves as Managing Director for Chicago Review of Books and Fiction Director for Arcturus. Their work has been supported by StoryStudio Chicago\, Tin House\, Poets & Writers\, and the Illinois Arts Council. León is the author of the novel\, How We See the Gray. \n\n\n\nAbout the Facilitator\nMegan Stielstra is the author of three collections: Everyone Remain Calm\, Once I Was Cool\, and The Wrong Way to Save Your Life. Her work appears in Best American Essays\, New York Times\, Chicago Tribune\, The Believer\, Poets & Writers\, Tin House\, and elsewhere. A longtime company member with 2nd Story\, she has told stories for National Public Radio\, the Museum of Contemporary Art\, and theatres\, festivals\, and classrooms across the country. She is an acquiring editor at Northwestern University Press.
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/a-conversation-with-rachel-leon-how-we-see-the-gray/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/06b34d4550f39f10a44ce02dee8fff1c-UTB4mX.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260522T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260522T220000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260430T232558Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260523T002840Z
UID:10000243-1779478200-1779487200@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:FEM/THEM Comedy Open Mic at The Understudy
DESCRIPTION:If you identify as funny and not-a-dude-onstage\, this is your night diva! Hosted by Preeti Thaker and Jordan Levene\n\n\nPreeti & Jordan present: A Comedy Open Mic for Women + Non-Binary Comics!\nIf you identify as funny and not-a-dude-onstage\, this is your night diva! \n  \nWHAT’S THE PLAN?\n• 7:30 PM — arrive responsibly early\, wonder what the vibe is gonna be like. Support the space by buying a drink! \n• 8:00 PM — the mic starts\, the chaos begins \n• Sign-ups close at 9 PM because of boundaries \n  \nSET DETAILS\n• 4 minutes of pure lightning \n• 5 minutes if you buy a drink — please support and tip our bartenders ♥️ \n  \nCAN MEN ATTEND?\nOf course! \nMen can sit\, watch\, hydrate\, clap\, and support women (a skill we’d love to see more of) \nWe kindly ask that you practice not-mansplaining \nIf you feel a mansplanation rising in your throat\, please swallow it \n  \nANYTHING ELSE?\nBring the vibes baby! This is our first time doing a comedy open mic and we’d love to make it a tradition. Come through! \n  \nxx \nPreeti & Jordan
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/fem-them-comedy-open-mic-at-the-understudy-4/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/feb0487c18228238631a79dffd6d3731-TDdg3f.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260522T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260522T220000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260430T232559Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260523T002842Z
UID:10000244-1779478200-1779487200@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:FEM/THEM Comedy Open Mic at The Understudy
DESCRIPTION:If you identify as funny and not-a-dude-onstage\, this is your night diva! Hosted by Preeti Thaker and Jordan Levene\n\n\nPreeti & Jordan present: A Comedy Open Mic for Women + Non-Binary Comics!\nIf you identify as funny and not-a-dude-onstage\, this is your night diva! \n  \nWHAT’S THE PLAN?\n• 7:30 PM — arrive responsibly early\, wonder what the vibe is gonna be like. Support the space by buying a drink! \n• 8:00 PM — the mic starts\, the chaos begins \n• Sign-ups close at 9 PM because of boundaries \n  \nSET DETAILS\n• 4 minutes of pure lightning \n• 5 minutes if you buy a drink — please support and tip our bartenders ♥️ \n  \nCAN MEN ATTEND?\nOf course! \nMen can sit\, watch\, hydrate\, clap\, and support women (a skill we’d love to see more of) \nWe kindly ask that you practice not-mansplaining \nIf you feel a mansplanation rising in your throat\, please swallow it \n  \nANYTHING ELSE?\nBring the vibes baby! This is our first time doing a comedy open mic and we’d love to make it a tradition. Come through! \n  \nxx \nPreeti & Jordan
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/fem-them-comedy-open-mic-at-the-understudy-5/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/0f03847db44c56f11a83e0a947e8f54f-FAsV2a.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260527T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260527T213000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260517T235619Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260528T004054Z
UID:10000250-1779910200-1779917400@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:Skin Lab Workshop w/ EO Apothecary
DESCRIPTION:A workshop designed to create an at-home mini facial guided by a master esthetician.\n\n\nThis workshop is designed to create an at-home mini facial  guided by master estheticians from EO Apothecary! \nA fun activity for friends and loved ones✨ \n \nWhat’s Covered?\n\nWe identify your skin type and needs\nWe do an audit of your current skin care\nLearn about skincare ingredients\nYou’ll make your own sheet masks\nWe’ll guide you step-by-step for a DIY facial
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/skin-lab-workshop-w-eo-apothecary/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/88e72fd0ed590ae815eb01a1c43f0586-6nNsNm.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260529T201500
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260529T220000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260505T232639Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260530T011048Z
UID:10000247-1780085700-1780092000@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:KAPWA: a filipino variety + mutual aid show
DESCRIPTION:an evening of music\, film\, poetry\, comedy\, and burlesque featuring an all-filipino cast. Hosted by KT and Jett~\n\n\n \n\nand we are ~*baaaaacckkkk*~ for another filipnx asf show! come hang out with us at The Understudy on May 29th for an evening of film\, comedy\, music\, poetry\, magic and dance made by all filipinx artists. show is 18+ \nearly bird tickets are PWYC or $15. $20 at the door – so get them ASAP bb! \n(if you’re buying a PWYC ticket\, you can purchase it under the donations section in ticketing!) \n \nsee you there love✨ \nline-up\n\ndante bastos\ndiwa\nKT & Kai\nteddy gonzalez and renzo\njett parr\nmike triplett\n\nhosted by KT and jett \n \n50% of ticket proceeds will go towards a family affected by 🧊
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/kapwa-a-filipino-variety-mutual-aid-show/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/f6a4152e182f356369aabeb3a8d087cd-o2pd14.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260601T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260601T213000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260519T235623Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260602T011101Z
UID:10000251-1780342200-1780349400@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:RAVING by Simon Paisley Day
DESCRIPTION:A play reading of RAVING by Simon Paisley Day produced by Exit\, Pursued by a Play Reading.\n\n\n‘I sometimes wonder how on earth people as pathetic as you and me are allowed to start a family. It’s far more dangerous than driving a car\, and yet there’s not a single test…’ \nBriony and Keith are not finding parenthood easy so their friends the delightful Ross and Rosy\, engineer a relaxing weekend away in intelligent adult company\, good food and drink\, complete rest – and absolutely no children. But making up the numbers by inviting the unpredictable Charles and Serena doesn’t make things restful. Add an uninvited anarchic adolescent and a fanatical farmer and Briony and Keith’s idyllic weekend erupts into total chaos… \nAn uproarious study of modern parenting and matrimonial tribulations. \n** CAST & CREATIVE TEAM TO BE ANNOUNCED **
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/raving-by-simon-paisley-day/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/b8539bad9a963e28dbeb3982c15dbbd3-sOqPkU.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260602T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260602T203000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260519T235624Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260603T011057Z
UID:10000252-1780426800-1780432200@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:BOOK LAUNCH with Jeffrey Masten: Edward II
DESCRIPTION:Enjoy a conversation with editor Jeffrey Masten on the Arden Early modern Edition of Edward II\n\n\nCelebrate the launch of the  \nBeverages and books will be available for purchase throughout the event! \n \nABOUT THE BOOK\nVivid and daring in Marlowe’s time and ours\, Edward II has captivated generations of readers\, audiences and performers with its evocative portrayal of passionate friendship\, kingly power and brutal retribution. Leading scholar Jeffrey Masten’s new edition of Marlowe’s great tragedy distils its importance for the history of queer sexuality\, historical drama and modern performance alike. Drawing on new research into Edward’s earliest readers\, as well as modern stage\, film and operatic adaptations\, Masten unpacks the play’s early meanings and modern resonances to spotlight its radical potential across a span of 400 years. \n \nThis edition gives students a modernised\, comprehensively annotated text with a detailed\, illustrated introduction addressing Marlowe’s life and education\, the play’s influence as a history play and its sexual\, religious and national politics. Highlighted as well are Derek Jarman’s landmark queer film adaption of Edward II and celebrated performances by Ian McKellen\, Derek Jacobi and Tilda Swinton. \n \nABOUT THE EDITOR\nGuggenheim Fellow and Northwestern professor Jeffrey Masten is the editor of the newArden edition of Christopher Marlowe’s queer masterpiece\, Edward II. He is the authorof prize-winning scholarship on Marlowe\, Shakespeare\, the history of sexuality\, and early modern drama. Masten’s books include Queer Philologies: Sex\, Language\, and Affect in Shakespeare’s Time (2016)\, and Textual Intercourse: Collaboration\, Authorship\, and Sexualities in Renaissance Drama (1997)\, as well as an edition of Thomas Middleton’s collaborative play The Old Law (2007). At Northwestern\, Masten is Professor of English and Gender & Sexuality Studies and Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence.
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/book-launch-with-jeffrey-masten-edward-ii/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/f1e5b14bcde02e6532a5495219640910-rbLTpw.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260604T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260604T213000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260524T004126Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260605T011046Z
UID:10000253-1780601400-1780608600@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:TTRPG Journaling Workshop w/ The Mind of Guy
DESCRIPTION:A writing and journaling workshop for the DND girlies!\n\n\nCome be introduced to the wonderful world of journaling! Learn about the wellness applications of journaling and how journaling can enhance your TTRPG experiences. Hosted by The Mind of Guy (@themindofguy). \n \nThis event has ticketed tiers depending on your jounaling and stationary needs~ \nTier 1: GM’s Quest Jotter + Stickers $5 \nTier 2 : GM’s Quest Jotter + RP Mechanical Pencil + Stickers $10 \nTier 3: GM’s Quest Journal + RP Mechanical Pencil + RP GM’s Quest Jotter + Stickers $20 \nThank you so much to our sponsors\, Roll & Play Press and Roll20!
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/ttrpg-journaling-workshop-w-the-mind-of-guy/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/ee71b6c582235eb35e7819da796e0622-6WH4QS.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260616T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260616T210000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260605T011046Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260617T012547Z
UID:10000255-1781638200-1781643600@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:A Conversation with Sylvan Oswald: PONY
DESCRIPTION:Playwright Sylvan Oswald on his play PONY\n\n\nABOUT THE PLAY\nA seminal work of trans theater brought to the page for the first time \nWhen Pony\, a formerly incarcerated trans guy\, moves to a small rural town to start a new life\, he quickly becomes entangled with its isolated community. He starts to fall for a waitress who is obsessed with a local murder; he must comply with a butch social worker who doesn’t understand him; and he is pursued by a young trans man who thinks Pony could be the father he always wanted. Amid this whirlwind of fear and desire\, Pony must find the strength to confront the stories he’s been told about masculinity\, violence\, and self-worth. With a new preface by the author on searching for queer and trans community in the theater\, and an afterword by critic Miriam Felton-Dansky contextualizing its place in contemporary theater\, Pony is a seminal work of trans theater exploring questions of generational difference\, class\, and gender on an epic scale. \n \nABOUT THE AUTHOR\nSylvan Oswald is an interdisciplinary artist originally from Philadelphia who creates plays\, texts\, publications\, and video. His work uses metatheatricality and formal irreverence to explore queer and trans identity. Recent projects include the theatrical essay Trainers (Gate Theatre\, London) and the performance text High Winds\, based on the book of the same name he co-authored with graphic designer Jessica Fleischmann (X Artists’ Books). Sylvan’s lo-fi semi-improvised web series Outtakes starring Becca Blackwell and Zuzanna Szadkowski is hosted at weareopentv.com. His plays and collaborations include A Kind of Weather (Diversionary Theatre\, San Diego)\, Sun Ra (Joe’s Pub\, Jerome Travel and Study Grant\, Soho Rep Writer-Director Lab)\, Profanity (Undermain Theater\, Dallas; Soho Rep Dorothy Strelsin Fellowship)\, Nightlands (New Georges)\, Pony (About Face Theater\, Chicago)\, and Vendetta Chrome (Clubbed Thumb). Honors include a 2019 Guggenheim Fellowship\, a Rosati Fellowship from Duke University Libraries\, the Thom Thomas award from The Dramatists Guild\, a Jerome Fellowship\, and residencies at Sundance/Ucross\, Macdowell Colony\, and Yaddo. Sylvan is an alum of CTG’s Writers’ Workshop\, an affiliated artist at Clubbed Thumb and an alum of New Dramatists. \n\n\n\nAbout the Facilitator\nAbhi Shrestha is a Chicago based theatre educator\, director\, and dramaturg originally from Kathmandu\, Nepal. They are the Director of Education and Engagement at Steppenwolf Theatre Company\, Resident Dramaturg and Community Organizer for the Chicago Inclusion Project\, an Artistic Associate with Remy Bumppo and a proud board member of the Illinois Caucus of Adolescent Health. Abhi has spent over a decade cultivating a theatrical and administrative practice that champions youth agency and empowerment. Abhi believes deeply in the liberatory power of arts education and views theatre as a civic engagement modality.
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/a-conversation-with-sylvan-oswald-pony/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/5724d7d4f0c00c089c19bd279f272419-r4waDG.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260624T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260624T220000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260620T012552Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260625T014054Z
UID:10000260-1782329400-1782338400@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:FEM/THEM Comedy Open Mic at The Understudy
DESCRIPTION:If you identify as funny and not-a-dude-onstage\, this is your night diva! Hosted by Preeti Thaker and Jordan Levene\n\n\nPreeti & Jordan present: A Comedy Open Mic for Women + Non-Binary Comics!\nIf you identify as funny and not-a-dude-onstage\, this is your night diva! \n  \nWHAT’S THE PLAN?\n• 7:30 PM — arrive responsibly early\, wonder what the vibe is gonna be like. Support the space by buying a drink! \n• 8:00 PM — the mic starts\, the chaos begins \n• Sign-ups close at 9 PM because of boundaries \n  \nSET DETAILS\n• 4 minutes of pure lightning \n• 5 minutes if you buy a drink — please support and tip our bartenders ♥️ \n  \nCAN MEN ATTEND?\nOf course! \nMen can sit\, watch\, hydrate\, clap\, and support women (a skill we’d love to see more of) \nWe kindly ask that you practice not-mansplaining \nIf you feel a mansplanation rising in your throat\, please swallow it \n  \nANYTHING ELSE?\nBring the vibes baby! This is our first time doing a comedy open mic and we’d love to make it a tradition. Come through! \n  \nxx \nPreeti & Jordan
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/fem-them-comedy-open-mic-at-the-understudy-6/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/cf43144da5af2f81280e76822af1f92b-L7SLMT.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260625T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260625T220000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260620T012553Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260620T012553Z
UID:10000262-1782415800-1782424800@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:FEM/THEM Comedy Open Mic at The Understudy
DESCRIPTION:If you identify as funny and not-a-dude-onstage\, this is your night diva! Hosted by Preeti Thaker and Jordan Levene\n\n\nPreeti & Jordan present: A Comedy Open Mic for Women + Non-Binary Comics!\nIf you identify as funny and not-a-dude-onstage\, this is your night diva! \n  \nWHAT’S THE PLAN?\n• 7:30 PM — arrive responsibly early\, wonder what the vibe is gonna be like. Support the space by buying a drink! \n• 8:00 PM — the mic starts\, the chaos begins \n• Sign-ups close at 9 PM because of boundaries \n  \nSET DETAILS\n• 4 minutes of pure lightning \n• 5 minutes if you buy a drink — please support and tip our bartenders ♥️ \n  \nCAN MEN ATTEND?\nOf course! \nMen can sit\, watch\, hydrate\, clap\, and support women (a skill we’d love to see more of) \nWe kindly ask that you practice not-mansplaining \nIf you feel a mansplanation rising in your throat\, please swallow it \n  \nANYTHING ELSE?\nBring the vibes baby! This is our first time doing a comedy open mic and we’d love to make it a tradition. Come through! \n  \nxx \nPreeti & Jordan
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/fem-them-comedy-open-mic-at-the-understudy-7/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/a3f2cafa254086d8c197f68f7283473b-IQ0Ryp.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260627T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260627T220000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260529T005551Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260628T015553Z
UID:10000254-1782590400-1782597600@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:Ari Gato Attempts to Share the Spotlight: A Murderously Funny Cabaret
DESCRIPTION:Chicago drag superstar\, Ari Gato\, is BACK with a BANG this summer for a night of fun\, music\, and MURDER!\n\n\nJoin Ari as her “solo” cabaret falls apart once again as she’s forced to share the spotlight\, but this time… there are CONSEQUENCES! \nA night of amazing singing\, stories\, and laughter to close out your Pride Season that you WON’T want to miss. Featuring the talents of Jon Jackson\, Laura Vidal\, Bosston and Alex Newkirk on the keys\, you know you’re in for an unforgettable show. And somebody will DIE! \n \nCome find out who on June 27th at The Understudy Coffee & Books! \nTickets are PWYC (pay for a ticket via the “Donation” section) or a suggested donation of $15. See you there✨
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/ari-gato-attempts-to-share-the-spotlight-a-murderously-funny-cabaret/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/5f71cf2b430c9f2facc5bc6ff9460ec4-JBeynj.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260630T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260630T213000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260606T011045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T021055Z
UID:10000256-1782847800-1782855000@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:my mother is a mixed metaphor: a cozy poetry concert
DESCRIPTION:A poetry concert in celebration of Shivani Gupta's debut chapbook: my mother is a mixed metaphor feat. Ikaros Ensemble and 4 featured poets.\n\n\nCome celebrate and immerse in a poetry showcase with a concert style book launch for Chicago poet\, Shivani Gupta’s debut collection\, my mother is a mixed metaphor\, published by Rockwood Press. Personalized signed copies of the chapbook will be available for purchase at the event! \nShivani’s poems will be accompanied by the incredibly talented chamber music ensemble: Ikaros Ensemble whose curated improv will echo the themes of the poems. \nLine-Up\n\nShivani Gupta feat. Ikaros Ensemble\nHelene Achanzar\nJitesh Jaggi\nJasmine Barnes\nTara Humphrey\nThis evening celebrates poetry in the city with local writers & musicians in the coziest spot.
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/my-mother-is-a-mixed-metaphor-a-cozy-poetry-concert/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/bac90b8fccaf39f0e07084143eecc6d4-0F7Q4U.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260703T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260703T220000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260624T014054Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260704T022659Z
UID:10000263-1783107000-1783116000@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:Abuela’s Party
DESCRIPTION:Come join us for an evening full of dancing\, hot ppl\, and coquito as we fundraise for Abuela’s Follies — new work written by Kidany Camilo✨\n\n\nAbuela cordially invites you to her party. Let’s just say… she didn’t spend all these years being alive just to not know how to throw down . Come down to The Understudy and come shake some a$$ with Chicago’s very own DJ miamor as we raise money for Kidany Camilo’s play\, Abuela’s Follies\, which is a part of Red Orchid Theatre’s Incubator Series running from August 10 – 23. \nThere will be music\, there will be a raffle\, hot ppl\, and there will absolutely be coquito. This isn’t your normal Abuela: so you better dress up right. \nShe wants to see you wear your best Boricua Baddie or Bad Bunny Halftime inspired attire. Scroll down for some inspo. \nTickets are $15 in advance\, $25 at the door – so get them ASAP! 100% of the proceeds will be going towards the production of Abuela’s Follies. \nThis event is 21+ \n \nSee you there~ \n \nAbout Abuela’s Follies\n“Abuela\, a Puerto Rican matriarch\, is summoned into purgatory\, which looks like her own kitchen. Inhabiting a hot young body reminiscent of a classic cabaret star\, she is guided by a mysterious entity to undergo a trial if she wants an escape. The only caveat is\, the audience gets to vote at the end of the trial and decide where she is destined to go. Will she find a way out to heaven or…” \n \nThis piece was written in memory of América Rosado. \n \nAbuela’s Follies Creative Team and Cast \nPlaywright & Our Star – Kidany Camilo \nDirector – Raquel Torre \nThe Maestro – Ana Santos \nThe Seer – Octavio Montes De Oca \nThe Shapeshifters – Ramon Smith\, Liam Bouza Díaz
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/abuelas-party/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/8220d0eb4af6646c9186c7a21d64bf2b-i41K2A.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260709T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260709T213000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260620T012554Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260709T022633Z
UID:10000261-1783623600-1783632600@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:TGNC Theatre Makers Meet-Up
DESCRIPTION:Calling all TGNC  theatre artists in the Chicagoland area! Come hang out with us~\n\n\nCalling all TGNC theatre makers/performer qts in the chicagoland area – you looking to make some new friends? \nThe Understudy will be open after hours – we’ll be hanging out from 7PM – 9:30PM. Catherine Miller will be hosting\, Jett Parr will be making drinks behind bar. \nCome through\, say hi and make new connections before pride’s over! \nidk you may find some future collabs/buds/loves/alltheabove idk \nThis event is free99 \nSee you there✨
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/tgnc-theatre-makers-meet-up/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/c68235e196ac54e718cbb2c8b4b0280c-SXvUMf.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260710T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260710T203000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260707T201910Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260707T201911Z
UID:10000266-1783711800-1783715400@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:There Was A Time
DESCRIPTION:A staged reading of the new work before it's Edinburgh Fringe Festival run later this summer!\n\n\nThere Was A Time\nDot is depressed. What happens\, though\, when the weight of memory is too heavy a burden for one mind? An examination of mental health\, love\, loss\, and the fight to keep going. Mentions of depression\, mental health\, and suicide.
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/there-was-a-time/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/05e88f08ff2906f68ad58c7c8e5aa590-vaC38g.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260713T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260713T210000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260618T012550Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260713T024049Z
UID:10000258-1783971000-1783976400@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:Kokandy Book Club presents: A Streetcar Named Desire
DESCRIPTION:A musical cabaret inspired by A Streetcar Named Desire produced by your friends at Kokandy Productions!\n\n\nJoin The Understudy and Kokandy Productions for the latest installment of our BOOK CLUB series! \nSummer is here—the air thick with music\, perfume and sweltering heat. It’s Tennessee Williams weather! Book Club is back\, storming into town like a long lost sister you thought you’d never see. We’re tickled to tackle A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE\, Williams’ masterful\, Pulitzer Prize-winning tale of Blanche\, Stella\, Stanley and all their New Orleans friends. Inspired by what is widely considered to be one of the best plays of the 20th century\, we’ll use music celebrate sisterhood\, southern hospitality and standing in the middle of the street to scream your lover’s name. It’ll have you hollering “Book Club! Boooook Club!!!”
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/kokandy-book-club-presents-a-streetcar-named-desire/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/39f533e2bb81b5f7ddad0fa7e8142d4a-BQaPtk.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260717T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260717T220000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260613T011054Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260718T025623Z
UID:10000257-1784316600-1784325600@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:Leftovers Night with Band Practice
DESCRIPTION:An open stage for clowns\, goofs\, and funny people who'd like to test out first drafts. Hosted by the iconic clown duo\, Band Practice\n\n\nLeftovers Night is a strange and delicious feast of alternative comedy acts that are in the making\, need experimenting\, or somehow didn’t quite make it to the main event just yet. Berlin based idiot duo Band Practice is teaming up with Chicago’s Pocket Theatre to host this celebration of comedy anarchy. This evening originated back in Berlin and has been running since 2021 as a space for nourishing the genre-less comedy art scene in the fallout of COVID times. We are happy to get our first tour across the Atlantic started connecting with old friends\, new artists\, and a good old evening of hilarity. This is a mutual aid show\, proceeds will go to assisting local charities (tba). \nWant up to 5 minutes of stage time? Reach out to bandpracticeduo.com or on socials @bandpracticeduo to snag a slot. \n \nTickets are $10 or $15. \n \nMeet Band Practice\nA  theatre making duo made of Ash Willison and Lisa Ullrich. We create shows\, characters\, and theatrical happenings exploring and stretching the live experience of performance.  \nStrange\, cheeky\, and wonderfully modern\, we use elements of clown\, physical theatre\, improv\, and music to interact with the audience through all the ways you love: tech conferences\, bardic serenades\, exorcisms\, musical theatre showcases – to name a few.  \n \nquest to the Midwest tour \nleftovers 17.07.26 the understudy // Chicago \nlove detectives 24.07.2026 the understudy // Chicago \ndon’t be scared 26+29 the Newport theatre // Chicago
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/leftovers-night-with-band-practice/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/ec76a1d880a87aa3815cd5451ebf5cf0-EfYjs1.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260720T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260720T210000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260618T012552Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260720T025547Z
UID:10000259-1784575800-1784581200@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:RED BELL by Katherine Swan
DESCRIPTION:When ex-dancer Rina shows up at Hank’s gym wanting to learn how to box\, she embarks on a journey that will forever transform her.\n\n\nWhen ex-dancer Rina shows up at Hank’s gym wanting to learn how to box\, she embarks on a journey that will forever transform who she is and who she will become. \nBut when a past trauma surfaces\, Rina must confront a painful history that she’s struggled to leave behind. As she hurtles towards her first fight\, Rina will be forced to reckon with what she fears the most. \n \nPlaywright: Katherine SwanDirector: Faith HartDramaturg: Madie DoppeltStage Directions: Karina Patel \nRina: Noelle OhHank: Scott WestermanAlex: Harsh GagoomalAnnie/Jessie/Wanda: Laila RodriquesJason/Rina’s Father: Huy NguyễnLarissa: Marissa Stephens \n \nFreshly Brewed Team: \nNadya Naumaan – Co-Artistic Producer \nJoel Willison – Co-Artistic Producer \nDanny Fender – The Understudy Co-Owner \nAdam Crawford – The Understudy Co-Owner \n \nAbout Freshly Brewed \nFreshly Brewed seeks to invest in Chicago’s emerging playwrights and theatre artists in keeping with The Understudy’s commitment to Community\, Collaboration\, and Discovery. The series features monthly readings of new plays in various stages of development. Each artist conrtibuting– playwrights\, directors\, and actors– will receive a stipend underwritten by the series’ anonymous donor. \nFreshly Brewed is a collaboration between The Understudy Coffee and Books and Pocket Theatrics
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/red-bell-by-katherine-swan/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/b6e4be575c988a04cb2e78294330931d-tH6ftS.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260722T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260722T220000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260708T022620Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260723T025602Z
UID:10000267-1784748600-1784757600@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:FEM/THEM Comedy Open Mic at The Understudy
DESCRIPTION:If you identify as funny and not-a-dude-onstage\, this is your night diva! Hosted by Preeti Thaker and Jordan Levene\n\n\nPreeti & Jordan present: A Comedy Open Mic for Women + Non-Binary Comics!\nIf you identify as funny and not-a-dude-onstage\, this is your night diva! \n  \nWHAT’S THE PLAN?\n• 7:30 PM — arrive responsibly early\, wonder what the vibe is gonna be like. Support the space by buying a drink! \n• 8:00 PM — the mic starts\, the chaos begins \n• Sign-ups close at 9 PM because of boundaries \n  \nSET DETAILS\n• 4 minutes of pure lightning \n• 5 minutes if you buy a drink — please support and tip our bartenders ♥️ \n  \nCAN MEN ATTEND?\nOf course! \nMen can sit\, watch\, hydrate\, clap\, and support women (a skill we’d love to see more of) \nWe kindly ask that you practice not-mansplaining \nIf you feel a mansplanation rising in your throat\, please swallow it \n  \nANYTHING ELSE?\nBring the vibes baby! This is our first time doing a comedy open mic and we’d love to make it a tradition. Come through! \n  \nxx \nPreeti & Jordan
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/fem-them-comedy-open-mic-at-the-understudy-8/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/92a898a7f68d9e8a8d66a681fe9bd28b-F3xrCY.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260724T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260724T213000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260701T021059Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260724T025634Z
UID:10000264-1784921400-1784928600@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:Love Detectives
DESCRIPTION:Band Practice combines a real live dating show with a real live clown detective show to find out the true nature of this so-called "love".\n\n\nDrat! LOVE has been ripping up the streets leaving people wounded\, broken\, confused\, and perhaps with a bad haircut and useless evidence of its nefarious behavior. You are invited to join the investigation to find love and catch it once and for all. Band Practice combines a real live dating show with a real live clown detective show to find out the true nature of this mysterious mastermind. Highly interactive and slightly chaotic\, leave the apps at home and expect to meet new eligibles as we collect clues\, hear eyewitness accounts\, go undercover\, and hopefully set some traps to catch the damn thing. With a villain this cunning at large\, no one should search for it alone! This show is welcome to anyone looking for love\, OR anyone interested in questioning its true nature. This is a two hour show with an intermission included. \nMeet Band PracticeA theatre making duo made of Ash Willison and Lisa Ullrich. We create shows\, characters\, and theatrical happenings exploring and stretching the live experience of performance.Strange\, cheeky\, and wonderfully modern\, we use elements of clown\, physical theatre\, improv\, and music to interact with the audience through all the ways you love: tech conferences\, bardic serenades\, exorcisms\, musical theatre showcases – to name a few. \nquest to the Midwest tour \nleftovers 17.07.26 the understudy // Chicago \nlove detectives 24.07.2026 the understudy // Chicago \nDON’T BE SCARED 26+29 the Newport theatre // Chicago
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/love-detectives/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/bfddcf9ed2542d96ae6e404dcb6ba37b-YGbX27.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260727T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260727T213000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260704T022703Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260727T025622Z
UID:10000265-1785180600-1785187800@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:IN THE NEXT ROOM by Sarah Ruhl
DESCRIPTION:A play reading of In the Next Room (or\, The Vibrator Play) by Sarah Ruhl produced by Exit\, Pursued by a Play Reading.\n\n\n In the Next Room or the vibrator play is a comedy about marriage\, intimacy and electricity. \nSet in the 1880s at the dawn of the age of electricity and based on the bizarre historical fact that doctors used vibrators to treat “hysterical” women (and some men)\, the play centers on a doctor and his wife and how his new therapy affects their entire household. \nIn a seemingly perfect\, well-to-do Victorian home\, proper gentleman and scientist Dr. Givings has innocently invented an extraordinary new device for treating “hysteria” in women (and occasionally men): the vibrator. Adjacent to the doctor’s laboratory\, his young and energetic wife tries to tend to their newborn daughter – and wonders exactly what is going on in the next room. When a new “hysterical” patient and her husband bring a wet nurse and their own complicated relationship into the doctor’s home\, Dr. and Mrs. Givings must examine the nature of their own marriage\, and what it truly means to love someone. \n \n** CAST TO BE ANNOUNCED **
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/in-the-next-room-by-sarah-ruhl/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2403eaf285a4807b020ffaee339d6ee3-IFpLuX.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260803T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260803T220000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260722T025633Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260803T031045Z
UID:10000269-1785785400-1785794400@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:I Can't … I Have Trivia: An evening of Theatre Trivia at The Understudy
DESCRIPTION:Come join us for a night full of theatre trivia and fabulous prizes! Hosted by Patrick Zakem and Ben Kaye\n\n\nAaaaand we are back with another round of trivia at 7:30 on October 13th with new categories\, spoopy drinks and fabulous prizes! 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? Come through✨ \nWe recommend playing with a team of four and if you’re thinking of coming alone — no worries! We’ll find a group for you to join :^)
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/i-cant-i-have-trivia-an-evening-of-theatre-trivia-at-the-understudy-4/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/6781f19ac0e32c632f9431aa868e4936-dtgzhZ.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260811T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260811T213000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260714T024059Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260811T032548Z
UID:10000268-1786476600-1786483800@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:Instrumental Theatre Presents: Chicago Theatre Composers Club
DESCRIPTION:A cabaret featuring short pieces from composers\, lyricists and other Chicago musical artists. Hosted by Instrumental Theatre.\n\n\nInstrumental Theatre\, in collaboration with The Understudy\, is proud to introduce the Chicago Theatre Composers Club or CTCC! \nThis cabaret show will feature short pieces from composers\, lyricists\, and other musical artists\, to shine a spotlight and rock out to their tremendous work. Tickets are $10 or PWYC. You can purchase a PWYC Ticket through the donation page~ \nInterested in showing new work? Submissions for composers are now open🎶 \nLine-up to be announced!
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/instrumental-theatre-presents-chicago-theatre-composers-club/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/4c470e1151ac5338f7b305878b645d2a-mZii4v.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260817T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260817T210000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260726T025551Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T032553Z
UID:10000270-1786995000-1787000400@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:The Understudy Dares You To Produce This Play: The House Party
DESCRIPTION:Amonthly reading series highlighting plays that have not received a Chicago production\n\n\nThe Understudy Dares You to Produce This Play is a monthly reading series highlighting plays that have not received a Chicago production. Produced by The Understudy’s bookstore team\, this series works to expand the variety of playwrights and titles in our vibrant community. \n \nThis month\, we’re reading The House Party by Laura Lomas \n \nJulie: Magdalena Dalzell \nChristine: Isabella Maria Valdes \nJon: Diego Rivera-Rodriguez \n \nAbout the Play \nA wild party. A friendship. A cherished pet. And a night that changes everything. It’s Julie’s eighteenth birthday\, and she’s throwing a party in her father’s extravagant townhouse. Her boyfriend has just dumped her and her longsuffering best friend Christine is trying to pick up the pieces. As the revellers pile into the booze\, down in the kitchen Christine and her boyfriend Jon – son of Julie’s cleaner – clear up and dare to dream of the future. But as the volume goes up and the shots go down\, Julie concocts a twisted cocktail of privilege\, desire and destruction.  \nThe House Party spins Strindberg’s classic play Miss Julie into intense\, fizzing life for today’s generation. Laura Lomas’s play was first performed at the Minerva Theatre\, Chichester\, in 2024\, and then toured the UK in 2025\, co-produced with Headlong in association with Frantic Assembly.
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/the-understudy-dares-you-to-produce-this-play-the-house-party/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/a3e1af537ce6081f8da6116d96c1d10d-hdphzK.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260824T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260824T210000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260813T032546Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260824T034054Z
UID:10000274-1787599800-1787605200@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:BURY THE SNOWCATS by Gracie Everett
DESCRIPTION:Join us for the reading of a new play by Gracie Everett\n\n\nPowerHouse Cheer Elite is an underdog in the world of All-Star Cheer\, boasting only one team worth their salt: the Snowcats\, who can’t seem to shake this losing streak. After an embarrassing failure and serious injury on the mat\, their best chance at a trip to Nationals is gone\, and no one is happy. Then\, on their already-tense van ride home\, a severe blizzard traps the Snowcats in the middle of nowhere with only each other for company. \nEntirely set within the confines of the Waffle House across the street from their motel\, Bury the Snowcats chronicles the week following the team’s worst failure to date. With their teammate’s prognosis still unclear\, everyone searches for someone to blame. \nHostility forms\, rumors fly\, and secrets come to light that make disbandment a real possibility. Unable to escape the storm\, or each other\, the Snowcats are forced to decide whether they should fight for something that’s supposedly doomed\, or let their circumstances bury them alive. \n \nPlaywright: Gracie EverettDirector: Nadya NaumaanDramaturg: Kate SchuertStage Directions: Joel Willison \nAggie: Gracie HallAlex: Ines ManuelBriana: Campbell SmithClaire: Eva StrazekMegan: Andreas WoodsNicole: Kandace MackBob: Mari JoySara: Olivia PryorWaffle House Mike: Jo Tannous \n \nFreshly Brewed Team: \nNadya Naumaan – Co-Artistic Producer \nJoel Willison – Co-Artistic Producer \nDanny Fender – The Understudy Co-Owner \nAdam Crawford – The Understudy Co-Owner \n \nAbout Freshly Brewed \nFreshly Brewed seeks to invest in Chicago’s emerging playwrights and theatre artists in keeping with The Understudy’s commitment to Community\, Collaboration\, and Discovery. The series features monthly readings of new plays in various stages of development. Each artist conrtibuting– playwrights\, directors\, and actors– will receive a stipend underwritten by the series’ anonymous donor. \nFreshly Brewed is a collaboration between The Understudy Coffee and Books and Pocket Theatrics
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/bury-the-snowcats-by-gracie-everett/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.theunderstudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2949e50a82bbc37c3ce54569e9f3be82-kjQ2n1.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260825T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260825T210000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260803T031046Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260824T034055Z
UID:10000271-1787686200-1787691600@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:A Conversation with Nicole Brewer: The Antiracist Theatre
DESCRIPTION:Author Nicole Brewer is Joined by Mica Cole\, Alexis Green\, and Miranda Gonzalez to discuss working beyond white supremacy in theatre\n\n\nABOUT THE BOOK\nA how-to guide for theatermakers who want freedom from white supremacy in their creative practices \nThe Antiracist Theatre offers readers the tools and foundational philosophy to create their own antiracist theatre ethos and delve into its three core principles: harm reduction\, harm prevention\, and relationship repair.  \nNicole Brewer\, faculty at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale and the originator of the Antiracist Theatre model\, guides readers through self-reflection exercises designed to strengthen awareness of their own position\, power\, and privilege and uproot their racist practices. Brewer provides definitions of oft-used\, but rarely defined terms like “accountability\,” “racism\,” and “abuse.” She welcomes BIPOC readers and lovingly and playfully calls in white theatermakers as she outlines methods to interrupt patterns of abuse.  \nAll who believe the way forward for theatre is antiracist and anti-oppressive are welcome. We each have a role to play. Join us in liberating the stage\, the classroom\, and the performing arts.  \n \n \nABOUT THE AUTHOR\nNicole Brewer is a theater director whose work has been seen at theaters such as Long Wharf Theatre\, Baltimore Center Stage\, and Folger Theatre. She is an educator with more than 18 years of teaching experience. Brewer is notably known as the originator of the internationally recognized Antiracist Theatre (ART) model. A leading voice in the movement to transform theater culture through accountability\, care\, and liberation-centered practices\, Brewer serves as acting faculty at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale. \nIn her debut book\, The Antiracist Theatre\, Nicole Brewer invites readers to consider the cost of business as usual and reclaim their power to challenge and shift extractive\, exclusionary\, and exploitative processes. Brewer creates space for readers to reimagine how creative spaces can function in healthier\, more humane\, and accountable ways. The book offers practical tools for building healthier creative environments where everyone can thrive. \nFor more than sixteen years\, Brewer has developed and facilitated anti-racist and anti-oppressive training methodologies that challenge harmful industry norms and reimagine what collaborative artistic processes can be. Her work has been featured at conferences and institutions across the United States\, Canada\, and the UK\, including workshops with Shakespeare’s Globe and the University of Cambridge. \nA dynamic speaker known for blending rigor\, humor\, honesty\, and deep compassion\, Brewer has taught at Howard University\, her alma mater\, the National Theater Institute\, and the Duke Ellington School of the Arts\, among others. \n \n\n\n\nAbout the Facilitators\nMica Cole\, a Chicago native raised on the South Side\, has been an arts administrator\, producer and changemaker for nearly two decades. She is the Executive Director of TimeLine Theatre\, a non-profit theater company that presents stories inspired by history that connect with today’s social and political issues. As a consultant with artEquity\, she has co-led its BIPOC Surviving Predominantly White Institutions Series and the BIPOC Leadership Circle—both aimed at providing resources and mentorship to leaders of color. \nMica served eight seasons as the Repertory Producer at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival\, playing a key role in guiding the company’s equity\, diversity\, and inclusion initiatives\, many of which now serve as foundational organizational models for institutions around the world. Mica has produced more than 80 shows\, including a dozen transfers and national co-productions of new plays with theatres such as American Repertory\, Seattle Repertory\, South Coast Rep\, Arena Stage\, Portland Center Stage\, and Berkeley Repertory. Mica has served on the advisory committee for the Latinx Theatre Commons and is a founding member of the Black Theatre Commons. \nInstagram: @micacole33 \n \nMiranda Gonzalez\, born and raised in the city of Chicago\, is a writer\, director\, producer\, facilitator\, and organizational strategist with a Bachelor of Science from DePaul University\, and has co-created curricula addressing anti-blackness in the Latiné community. Currently the Producing Artistic Director for UrbanTheater Company (UTC) in Chicago\, she has curated and led numerous interdisciplinary projects that blend theater\, music\, dance\, and oral history to tell the stories of Chicago’s history that mirror her identity and lived experience.  Also a collective member of Culture Change Lab\, she helps support arts organizations\, funders\, and lobbyists in reimagining collective structures through operational management. Concurrently\, she serves on the National Latinx Theater Initiative Steering Committee advocating for the advancement of Latinx artists and organizations\, influencing policy.  In 2020 she was invited to record a TEDx talk  “The Fear of Decolonization”. With a deeply rooted history in ensemble practice\, she was a founding member of Teatro Luna and has produced\, devised and developed plays since 2000. Selected to participate in Disney’s Live Entertainment 2024 Creative Intensive\, Miranda was able to collaboratively present new storytelling concepts world-wide. Her play Back In The Day: an Immersive 80’s House Music Dancesical had its World Premier at UrbanTheater Company.  Her most recent critically acclaimed play Mascogos\, commissioned by the  Los Angeles Latino Theater Company’s Imaginistas\, discussing the history of the underground railroad to Mexico\, had it’s world premiere in October 2025. The summer of 2025 she was a playwright in residence at the University of Chicago’s Reva & David Logan Center for the Arts\, where she began developing her current play Fina (fee-nah) a time-bending afro-peruvian musical. Directing\, writing\, and script development credits include; Evolution of a Sonero by Flaco Navaja\, Remote Learning Curve by Albany Park Theater Ensemble\, Thank You for Coming. Take Care by Stacey Rose at Court Theatre\, Ashes of Light by Marco Antonio Rodriguez\, La Gringa by Carmen Rivera; Teatro Luna Productions S-E-X-Oh!\, Lunaticas\, Crossed\, GL 2010\, The North/South Plays a workshop at DCASE; F.O.P and Crime Scene Chicago with Collaboraction; and Melissa DuPrey’s Sushi-Frito at Free Street Theater. She is also an Executive Producer for the web series 50 Blind Dates with Melissa DuPrey and has written for web series Ruby’s World Yo created by Marilyn Camacho. Recipient of the Diane Rodriguez Teatrista Award\, Leaders for a New Chicago Award\,  3Arts Award \,  International Centre for Women Playwrights 50/50 Award. Visit https://linktr.ee/chiblaxican to learn more!  \n \nAlexis Green (she/her) is a theatre artist\, producer\, and community connector in Chicago (but still tied to her desert girl roots of Phoenix\, Arizona). She is an alumnus of Arizona State University\, where she received her BA in Theatre Arts with a minor in Communication. Alexis also holds an MFA in Acting from Brown University/Trinity Rep. \nAlexis has performed and directed at theatres all around the country\, including Next Act Theatre\, Raven Theatre\, Bread Loaf School of English\, Portland Stage\, The Feast (formerly The Williams Project)\, The Black Theatre Troupe\, and UNC Chapel Hill. \nAlongside performing\, Alexis served for five years as the Director of Programs for artEquity\, where\, as part of the leadership team until 2025\, she provided guidance and supervision for artEquity’s national programs centering antiracism and resources for Black\, Indigenous\, and People of Color in the arts and culture sector\, and also managed artEquity’s consulting relationships. \nAlexis is also the Founder and Director of (X) Collective\, a group of theatre artists in Chicago whose mission is to be in conversation and collaboration with our communities through service\, reciprocal relationship-building\, and community experiences.
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/a-conversation-with-nicole-brewer-the-antiracist-theatre/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260831T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260831T213000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260806T031104Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260824T034056Z
UID:10000272-1788204600-1788211800@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:THE OUTSIDER by Paul Slade Smith
DESCRIPTION:A play reading of THE OUTSIDER by Paul Slade Smith produced by Exit\, Pursued by a Play Reading.\n\n\nNed Newley doesn’t even want to be governor. He’s terrified of public speaking; his poll numbers are impressively bad. To his ever-supportive Chief of Staff\, Ned seems destined to fail. But political consultant Arthur Vance sees things differently: Ned might be the worst candidate to ever run for office. Unless the public is looking for the worst candidate to ever run for office…. A timely and hilarious comedy that skewers politics and celebrates democracy. \n \n** CAST TO BE ANNOUNCED **
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/the-outsider-by-paul-slade-smith/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260914T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260914T220000
DTSTAMP:20260824T031953
CREATED:20260811T032552Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260824T034059Z
UID:10000273-1789414200-1789423200@www.theunderstudy.com
SUMMARY:Midsommer Flight presents: Adelinda by Hannah Brand
DESCRIPTION:A reading of Adelinda – a comedy that offers audiences a witty and entertaining exploration of love\, intrigue\, and mistaken identities.\n\n\nAdelinda by Hannah Brand \nDirected by Joshua Pennington \n\nCast\nAdelinda D’Olstain – Ahlora Victoria \nMarquis D’Olstain – Barry Irving \nCount D’Olstain – Alexander Garza \nMarchioness D’Olstain – Hannah Mary Simpson \nStrasbourg – Jerome Michael Jones \nZella – Koshie Mills \nDorcas – Brynley Halverson \nFlora – Siyi Wang \n\nSynopsis\nThe willful and rebellious Adelinda is set to marry the wealthy Count D’Olstain – much to her weary parents’ relief. The only problem – Adelinda is already secretly married to a servant! Schemes and mistaken identities abound\, lost children are returned\, and some snooty parents get a rightful scolding in this comical and quippy caper about the lengths we go to for a happily ever after. \n\nAbout the Playwright\nHannah Brand (1754-1821) was an English actress\, playwright\, and poet. She began her career running a prestigious girls’ school with her sister\, but by her late 30s\, had decided to leave teaching and pursue a life in the theater. She published a book of poetry and plays in 1798\, including Adelinda\, which seems not to have been performed in her lifetime. In 1794\, Brand retired from the stage and returned to the world of education\, working as governess. Though her work was tragically overlooked in her time\, she is considered by many modern historians to be a pioneering figure in eighteenth-century drama. \n \nTickets are pay-what-you-can! You can buy a ticket through the donation section.
URL:https://www.theunderstudy.com/event/midsommer-flight-presents-adelinda-by-hannah-brand/
LOCATION:The Understudy Coffee and Books\, 5531 N Clark St\, Chicago\, IL\, 60640\, United States
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