Our Events
We’ve designed The Understudy from the ground up to support a variety of events. Join us after close for play readings, drag performances, concerts, meetups, and more! The calendar is always updating, so check back often.
We’re always on the lookout for new ways to share our space and bring creative people together. If you have an idea for a new one-off event or series at The Understudy, please fill out the form below. Please note that we give priority to theatre related events, and, though we really want to, we can’t accommodate every request. Let’s chat!
recurring series
Independent Bookstore Day
April 27 @ 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Yet again, Chicagoland proves itself to be the dream destination for book lovers and readers of all ages! More than 40 independent bookstores in the greater Chicago area—from Lake Forest […]
Independent Bookstore Day
April 27 @ 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Play Reading Club: RED REX
April 29 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
After a holiday hiatus, Play Reading Club is BACK! No need to RSVP, just show up ready to discuss the play! Our book club begins at 7 PM on the […]
Play Reading Club: RED REX
April 29 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
American Theatre Presents: Grown in Chicago
May 6 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
This panel will feature local Chicago theatre leaders as they chat about adapting and planning for longevity, establishing a distinct company identity, staying true to your mission, and serving your […]
American Theatre Presents: Grown in Chicago
May 6 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
ISLAND OF LOVE by Felicia Oduh
May 20 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
A batch of romantic hopefuls compete for a chance to win love and a large cash prize on the UK’s hottest summer reality dating series. Though everyone has come on […]
ISLAND OF LOVE by Felicia Oduh
May 20 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
I Can’t, I Have Trivia
May 22 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Theatre nerds, your time has come! Join us for another round of trivia at 7:30 on May 22nd. We recommend playing with a team of four. Hosted by our friend […]
I Can’t, I Have Trivia
May 22 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
THE DRAG by Mae West presented by Gerber Hart Library
May 25 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Join us for a community reading of “The Drag” presented by the Gerber/Hart Library and Archives. Written by the iconic Mae West, this 1927 drama about a closeted socialite and […]
THE DRAG by Mae West presented by Gerber Hart Library
May 25 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
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[post_content] => Yet again, Chicagoland proves itself to be the dream destination for book lovers and readers of all ages! More than 40 independent bookstores in the greater Chicago area—from Lake Forest to Beverly, and Naperville to the Loop—are collaborating on our annual Chicagoland Bookstore Crawl, which encourages book lovers to indulge in bookstore tourism by visiting 10 or more stores in a single day. The Understudy is proud to be one of them.
The annual challenge is being held again on Independent Bookstore Day (IBD), which is a one-day national party celebrating indie book stores on the last Saturday in April. Each store creates its own unique events—including guest authors, special kids’ story times, readings, contests, giveaways, and special sales.
How to Participate...
Select your first bookstore and receive a passport and your first stamp.
Now check out the map—which lists all the participating stores—and start planning your route!
Additional bookstores you visit throughout the day will provide you with a stamp with no purchase required!
• Visit TEN stores in one day and get 10% off at all participating bookstores for an ENTIRE YEAR!
• Visit FIFTEEN stores in one day and get 15% off at all participating bookstores for an ENTIRE YEAR!
After visiting 10 or 15 participating bookstores, on your last bookstore visit show your passport and receive a limited edition pin!
Readers are encouraged to post a snapshot of themselves and their Independent Bookstore Day haul on social media with the hashtag #TEAMINDIE and #ChiLoveBooks.
This year we are adding three bus routes so readers can explore bookstores they've never seen before. One is going as north as Lake Forest. One will go as west as St. Charles/Geneva, and one will go south to the Beverly neighborhood. Tickets can be found HERE.
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After a holiday hiatus, Play Reading Club is BACK!
No need to RSVP, just show up ready to discuss the play! Our book club begins at 7 PM on the last Monday of every month.
This month, we’re reading Red Rex by Ike Holter.
About the play:
The sixth play in Ike Holter’s Rightlynd saga. Red Rex is a scrappy theater company that is on the brink—will they have the hit that puts their name on the map, or the wake-up call that it’s time to throw in the towel? A prodigal son actor and amateur neighborhood talent join the stage to perform a play that may or may not be based on a true story. Internal drama threatens to complicate the production further, causing fireworks both on and offstage. What else could go wrong? Complex and thought-provoking, RED REX asks us: What are we willing to sacrifice to share stories that must be heard, and where do we draw the line?
About the playwright:
Ike Holter is a Chicago writer and the author of plays including Exit Strategy , Hit the Wall and Put Your House in Order. He wrote The Rightlynd Saga , a series of 7 interconnected plays set in a fictional Chicago neighborhood that the Chicago Tribune called One of the most significant literary achievements in modern-day Chicago. For Television, he's received the WGA award for Best Adaptation for his work on the Emmy-award winning FX series Fosse/Verdon , and his miniseries Harold was recently picked up by Wayfarer studios. He is currently developing film and TV projects with Netflix and TriBeCa Productions, and has taught at University of Chicago, DePaul, and is a lecturer at Yale University. Winner of the 2017 Windham-Campbell prize for drama, one of the highest literary awards in the world, and the 2021 Steinberg Playwright award. Repped by WME and M88.
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[post_content] => This panel will feature local Chicago theatre leaders as they chat about adapting and planning for longevity, establishing a distinct company identity, staying true to your mission, and serving your community on stage and beyond.
The conversation will be moderated by Collaboraction producer and managing director Carla Stillwell.
Panelists will include:
- Xavier Custodio, co-founding artistic director, Vision Latino Theatre Company
- Myesha-Tiara, founding artistic director, Perceptions Theatre
- Shepsu Aakhu, founding member, Ma'at Production Association of Afrikan Centered Theatre (MPAACT)
This event is sponsored by the Walder Foundation.
Click here to Register
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A batch of romantic hopefuls compete for a chance to win love and a large cash prize on the UK’s hottest summer reality dating series. Though everyone has come on the show for the same reasons, one contestant soon learns that not everyone will have the same experience. Positioning the audience as the camera and including all of your favorite elements of reality TV -- confessionals, drama, and surprise eliminations -- Island of Love dives deep into the various forms of othering that are faced by reality TV’s Black female contestants, on screen and off.
Cast and Creative Team TBA
Freshly Brewed Team:
Emma Durbin - Co-Artistic Producer
Joel Willison - Co-Artistic Producer
Magdalena Dalzell - Literary Committee Coordinator
Danny Fender - The Understudy Co-Owner
Adam Crawford - The Understudy Co-Owner
About Freshly Brewed
Freshly 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.
Freshly Brewed also marks the inaugural collaboration between The Understudy and its neighbor, Edgewater’s Raven Theatre, who is thrilled to support The Understudy as their fiscal sponsor for this series. Click here to make a tax-deductible donation to Freshly Brewed.
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Theatre nerds, your time has come! Join us for another round of trivia at 7:30 on May 22nd. 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 7th!
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Join us for a community reading of “The Drag” presented by the Gerber/Hart Library and Archives. Written by the iconic Mae West, this 1927 drama about a closeted socialite and the morality of homosexuality was banned from theatres and torn to shreds in the press. No acting experience required! This is a reading with the goal of getting this text out into the world. By doing this as well as providing historical context and archival materials, we are recentering text over performance. There will be a raffle system to cast each role, ensuring everyone has a chance to participate. Come explore the intertwined narratives of theatre, LGBTQ history, and American history, and their significance for our community today. Don't miss this opportunity to be part of this special community building event. See you there!
About Gerber/Hart:
Gerber/Hart is a LGBTQ+ library and archives located in the Rogers Park neighborhood in Chicago. Founded in 1981, Gerber/Hart is one of the largest repositories of LGBTQ+ content in the world. Gerber/Hart focuses on collecting, preserving, and making accessible the LGBTQ history and culture of Chicago and the Midwest. Learn more at gerberhart.org or by following @gerberhart on Instagram and Facebook. And for a deep dive into some of the amazing collections at Gerber/Hart, listen in to their 2022 podcast Unboxing Queer History!
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Kokandy Book Club Presents: SPRING AWAKENING
April 23 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Join The Understudy and our friends from Kokandy Productions for the latest installment of our series Book Club. Kokandy Book Club is an intimate salon series celebrating theatre, music and […]
Kokandy Book Club Presents: SPRING AWAKENING
April 23 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
ECHO’S INFERNO by Juliet Kang Huneke
April 22 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
It’s 1884, and Echo really doesn’t get along with her brothers. Or anyone. Then, the devil offers her a chance to skip forward and start over. Will she take it? […]
ECHO’S INFERNO by Juliet Kang Huneke
April 22 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Thank You Five: LIVE with Strawdog Theatre
April 17 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
From Strawdog Theatre, a weekly show bringing theatre artists from around the globe into a conversation about live theatre and digital storytelling with a spirit of gratitude and innovation. Usually […]
Thank You Five: LIVE with Strawdog Theatre
April 17 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
A Conversation with Jen Silverman: THERE’S GOING TO BE TROUBLE
April 16 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Author Jen Silverman joins Kirsten Fitzgerald for a a discussion of their new novel THERE’S GOING TO BE TROUBLE, out 4/9 from Random House. Playwright, novelist, and screenwriter Jen Silverman […]
A Conversation with Jen Silverman: THERE’S GOING TO BE TROUBLE
April 16 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Stories Beyond Bars: An Art Fundraiser & Panel for Prisoner’s Rights
April 10 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Join us for an unforgettable evening of advocacy and inspiration at the Stories Beyond Bars Fundraiser, hosted by Uptown People’s Law Center (UPLC). Set against the vibrant backdrop of The […]
Stories Beyond Bars: An Art Fundraiser & Panel for Prisoner’s Rights
April 10 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Bramble Arts Loft Open House
April 6 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Join us in celebrating our neighbors at Bramble Theatre! Their brand new, elegantly designed Arts Loft is opening to the public from 10AM to 4PM on Saturday, April 6th. We’ll […]
Bramble Arts Loft Open House
April 6 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
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Join The Understudy and our friends from Kokandy Productions for the latest installment of our series Book Club. Kokandy Book Club is an intimate salon series celebrating theatre, music and community. Each meeting will focus on a well known play or musical—investigating the plot, themes and relevant tangents through musical performance. Have a sit, have a sip and honor the ritual of talking about good shows and having a good ole fashion jam session.
The seasons are changing, so our April Book Club could be nothing but SPRING AWAKENING! Celebrating both the original 1891 Frank Wedekind play as well as the smash-hit 2006 musical adaptation, this sesh will honor the sensual and the scary, using popular music to harmonize those hormones and explore the b*tch of forbidden knowledge. Note: This event is not a reading of the play or a concert of the musical. Something new is blossoming, and we just have to let it out!
Curated by Kokandy Producing Artistic Director Derek Van Barham, with musical accompaniment by Nick Sula, our book club performers will be announced soon!
Doors open at 7 PM for a 7:30 PM performance.
The Understudy Cafe will be open for refreshments.
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It's 1884, and Echo really doesn't get along with her brothers. Or anyone. Then, the devil offers her a chance to skip forward and start over. Will she take it? Will it matter? With biting humor and irreverent logic, ECHO'S INFERNO explores girlhood, rage, ambition, and connection.
Production Team:
Juliet Kang Huneke - Playwright
Daira Rodriguez - Director
Emma Durbin - Dramaturg
Cast:
Kandace Mack - Echo
Sharon Pasia - Satan
Andie Muriel - Lola
Bennett Petersen - Wilbur and John Lennon
Rick Hilscher - Orvile and Lill Davie
Sunnie Eraso - Stage Directions
Freshly Brewed Team:
Emma Durbin - Co-Artistic Producer
Joel Willison - Co-Artistic Producer
Magdalena Dalzell - Literary Committee Coordinator
Danny Fender - The Understudy Co-Owner
Adam Crawford - The Understudy Co-Owner
About Freshly Brewed
Freshly 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.
Freshly Brewed also marks the inaugural collaboration between The Understudy and its neighbor, Edgewater’s Raven Theatre, who is thrilled to support The Understudy as their fiscal sponsor for this series. Click here to make a tax-deductible donation to Freshly Brewed.
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From Strawdog Theatre, a weekly show bringing theatre artists from around the globe into a conversation about live theatre and digital storytelling with a spirit of gratitude and innovation.
Usually convened digitally, Thank You Five is recording LIVE at The Understudy for one night only.
In addition to viewing in-person, t he show will be streamed live online.
Doors open at 6:30pm, and the recording begins at 7:00pm.
Panelists:
dado
Brett Neveu
Ele Matelan
Carolyn Hoerdemann
With Strawdog Ensemble Host: Michael Reyes
Click here to catch up on previous episodes of Thank You Five.
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[post_content] => Author Jen Silverman joins Kirsten Fitzgerald for a a discussion of their new novel THERE'S GOING TO BE TROUBLE, out 4/9 from Random House.
Playwright, novelist, and screenwriter Jen Silverman joins actor and director Kirsten Fitzgerald to discuss their new novel There's Going to Be Trouble.
Don't miss these remarkable artists discussing how a life in the theatre informs writing sweeping and intimate stories in other media. Learn about the development of There's Going to Be Trouble, and what draws Silverman to each format for which they write.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jen Silverman (they/them) is a playwright, novelist, and screenwriter.
Plays include: Spain; Highway Patrol; Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Betties; The Moors; The Roommate; and Witch. Their plays have been produced off-Broadway (Second Stage Theatre, MCC Theater, The Playwrights Realm), across the US (Steppenwolf, The Goodman, The Humana Festival, Williamstown Theatre Festival, The Huntington, South Coast Repertory Theatre, Writers Theatre etc), and internationally in Australia, the UK, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Brazil, Spain, and elsewhere.
Books include: the debut novel We Play Ourselves (named one of the best books of the year by Buzzfeed; a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award), story collection The Island Dwellers (finalist for a PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize), poetry chapbook Bath (selected by Traci Brimhall for Driftwood Press); and new novel There’s Going to be Trouble forthcoming from Random House on April 9th 2024.
Silverman is a three-time MacDowell Fellow, a member of New Dramatists, and a Scholar of Note at the American Library in Paris. They wrote The Miranda Obsession as a narrative podcast for Audible, starring Rachel Brosnahan. They also write for TV and film, including Tales of the City (Netflix) and Tokyo Vice (Max). Honors include fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Guggenheim.
About the Book
Minnow has always tried to lead the life her single father modeled—private, quiet, hardworking, apolitical. So she is rocked when an instinctive decision to help a student makes her the notorious public face of a scandal in the small town where she teaches. As tensions rise, death threats follow, and an overwhelmed Minnow flees to a teaching position in Paris. There, she falls into an exhilarating and all-consuming relationship with Charles, a young Frenchman whose activism has placed him at odds with his powerful family. As Minnow is pulled in to the daring protest Charles and his friends are planning, she unknowingly almost repeats a secret tragedy from her family’s past. Her father wasn’t always the restrained, conservative man he appears today. There are things he has taken great pains to conceal from his family and from the world.
In 1968, Keen is avoiding the Vietnam draft by pursuing a PhD at Harvard. He lives his life in the basement chemistry lab, studiously ignoring the news. But when he unexpectedly falls in love with Olya, a fiery community organizer, he is consumed by her world and loses sight of his own. Learning that his deferment has ended and he’s been drafted, Keen agrees to participate in the latest action that Olya is leading—one with more dangerous and far-reaching consequences than he could have imagined.
Minnow’s and Keen’s intertwining stories take us through the turmoil of the late sixties student movements and into the chaos of the modern world. Exploding with suspense, heart, and intelligence, There’s Going to Be Trouble is a story about revolution, legacy, passionate love, and how we live with the consequences of our darkest secrets.
Kirsten Fitzgerald is a Chicago-based Actor and the Artistic Director at A Red Orchid Theatre. She has originated roles in the world premieres of Traitor, Pilgrim's Progress, Weapon of Mass Impact, and 4 Murders by Brett Neveu and Grey House by Levi Holloway (at AROT), Swing State by Rebecca Gilman and I hate It Here by Ike Holter (Goodman Theatre), Lettie by Boo Kilebrew and Appropriate by Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins (Victory Gardens Theatre) as well as Tracy Letts' Mary Page Marlow and Bruce Norris' The Qualms (Steppenwolf Theatre) among others. Other recent Goodman Theatre credits include ROE and SWEAT. On television, Kirsten played Maria Walters in The Exorcist (FOX) and Mac in Sirens (USA), both for two seasons. In addition, she has made appearances on Shinning Girls (appleTV), The Big Leap (FOX), Proven Innocent (FOX), Chicago Med (NBC), Chicago Justice (NBC), Chicago Fire (NBC), Underemployed (FOX) and ER (NBC). Film credits include Widows (Steve McQueen), Killing Eleanor (Rich Newy & Annica Marks), and Working Man (Robert Jury).
As Artistic Director at A Red Orchid Kirsten has fostered world premiere productions by Brett Neveau (Traitor, Pilgrim's Progress, The Opponent, Megacosm), Levi Holloway (Grey House, The Haven Place), Ike Holter (Sender), Grant Varjas (33 To Nothing), and Craig Wright (Mistakes Were Made, The Illiad) alongside numerous regional premieres and reimagining's of rarely seen gems. In 2022, Kirsten directed A Red Orchid's critically acclaimed production of The Moors by Jen Silverman. This production was honored with 5 Joseph Jefferson awards including one for Best Director of a play at a mid-size theatre as well as one for Best Production at a mid-size theatre.
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[post_name] => a-conversation-with-jen-silverman-theres-going-to-be-trouble
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[post_modified] => 2024-03-23 16:02:44
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[post_date] => 2024-03-11 14:38:33
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[post_content] =>
Join us for an unforgettable evening of advocacy and inspiration at the Stories Beyond Bars Fundraiser, hosted by Uptown People’s Law Center (UPLC). Set against the vibrant backdrop of The Understudy Coffee and Books, this event will feature creative offerings from storytellers impacted by the prison system, sharing their journeys and highlighting the vital role of legal aid in their lives. Immerse yourself in an art exhibition showcasing the creativity and resilience of our artistic contributors, while our panel discussion sheds light on the critical work of UPLC's legal team.
Contributors to this event include passionate individuals dedicated to human rights and criminal justice reform, including UPLC's esteemed Executive Director, Alan Mills, and several other UPLC team members, who will lead discussions and answer your questions. Attendees will have the opportunity to donate on the spot via Square and QR code, directly supporting their mission to provide critical legal aid to those in need. Join us as we strive to educate, advocate, and unite for positive change in our communities.
Content warning: Pieces may contain explicit language and triggering themes that may be distressing for some audience members.
Doors open at 7pm for a panel beginning at 7:30pm. The Understudy cafe will be open for refreshments.
Masks Strongly Encouraged
[post_title] => Stories Beyond Bars: An Art Fundraiser & Panel for Prisoner's Rights
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[post_date] => 2024-04-02 16:21:49
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[post_content] => Join us in celebrating our neighbors at Bramble Theatre!
Their brand new, elegantly designed Arts Loft is opening to the public from 10AM to 4PM on Saturday, April 6th.
We'll be there with books picked by the Bramble team, plus coffee!
Come hang out with us and other Andersonville neighbors as we honor this incredible new addition to our community.
[post_title] => Bramble Arts Loft Open House
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