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.
The Understudy believes curiosity is a powerful, generative force for transformation. We seek to feed our collective creative lives by nourishing deep curiosity– whether toward your own vision, or through engaging generously with the work of another. We see curiosity, empathy, and justice as interdependent ideals. Our work seeks to foster deeper connections to our passions, our neighbors, and to contemporary life.
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
pressed flower art w/ lovergirl creates
April 29 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Celebrate spring, the beauty of flowers, and creative community by creating wall art from pressed flowers so that you can continue to enjoy Celebrate spring, the beauty of flowers, and […]
pressed flower art w/ lovergirl creates
April 29 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Do You Feel Anger? by Mara Nelson-Greenberg
May 4 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
A play reading of Do You Feel Anger? produced by Exit, Pursued by a Play Reading. An outrageous comedy about the absurdity – and the danger – of a world […]
Do You Feel Anger? by Mara Nelson-Greenberg
May 4 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
I Can’t … I Have Trivia: An evening of Theatre Trivia at The Understudy
May 11 @ 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm
Come join us for a night full of theatre trivia and fabulous prizes! Hosted by Patrick Zakem and Ben Kaye Aaaaand we are back with another round of trivia at […]
I Can’t … I Have Trivia: An evening of Theatre Trivia at The Understudy
May 11 @ 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm
A Conversation with Rachel León: How We See the Gray
May 21 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Enjoy a conversation with editor Rachel León on her debut novel How We See the Gray The Understudy and Chicago Review of Books are sponsoring the Chicago launch of Rachel […]
A Conversation with Rachel León: How We See the Gray
May 21 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
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pressed flowers so that you can continue to enjoyCelebrate spring, the beauty of flowers, and creative community by creating wall art from pressed flowers so that you can continue to enjoy them for seasons and years to come!
Ticket includes pressed flowers, paper, glue, a frame, and live instruction.
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[post_content] => A play reading of Do You Feel Anger? produced by Exit, Pursued by a Play Reading.An outrageous comedy about the absurdity – and the danger – of a world where some people’s feelings matter more than others’.
** CAST & CREATIVE TEAM TO BE ANNOUNCED **
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[post_content] => Come join us for a night full of theatre trivia and fabulous prizes! Hosted by Patrick Zakem and Ben KayeAaaaand 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✨
We 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 :^)
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[post_content] => Enjoy a conversation with editor Rachel León on her debut novel How We See the GrayThe 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!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Foster 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.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rachel 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.
About the Facilitator
Megan 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.
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Show & Tell: Theatrical Designer Edition
April 27 @ 7:45 pm – 10:00 pm
Are you a Chicago theatre/stage designer looking to make new designer friends? Boooyyy do we have an event for you! Are you a Chicago designer looking to make new designer […]
Show & Tell: Theatrical Designer Edition
April 27 @ 7:45 pm – 10:00 pm
embroidery with Lovergirl Creates
April 22 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Celebrate spring, the beauty of flowers, and creative community while learning to embroider! 🧵Ticket includes an embroidery hoop and fabric, needle, thread, and live instruction. 🪡 We will be using […]
embroidery with Lovergirl Creates
April 22 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
FEM/THEM Comedy Open Mic at The Understudy
April 17 @ 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm
If you identify as funny and not-a-dude-onstage, this is your night diva! Hosted by Preeti Thaker and Jordan Levene Preeti & Jordan present: A Comedy Open Mic for Women + […]
FEM/THEM Comedy Open Mic at The Understudy
April 17 @ 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm
diy greeting cards with Lovergirl Creates
April 15 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Celebrate spring, the beauty of flowers, and creative community by creating your own greeting cards while exploring different art mediums! Ticket includes 2 blank greeting cards and envelopes, and the […]
diy greeting cards with Lovergirl Creates
April 15 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Kokandy Book Club presents: Hamlet
April 13 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
A musical cabaret inspired by William Shakespeare’s Hamlet produced by your friends at Kokandy Productions! In honour of the Bard’s birthday month and Jessie Buckley’s Oscar win, we’re taking William […]
Kokandy Book Club presents: Hamlet
April 13 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
floral arrangement with Lovergirl Creates
April 8 @ 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Celebrate spring, the beauty of flowers, and creative community by creating a mini floral arrangement in a teacup! Ticket includes flowers, a teacup and saucer, tools, live instruction, and a […]
floral arrangement with Lovergirl Creates
April 8 @ 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
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[post_content] => Are you a Chicago theatre/stage designer looking to make new designer friends? Boooyyy do we have an event for you!Are you a Chicago designer looking to make new designer friends? Want to show off the cool thing you made to people who are just as obsessed with corset boning or orchestral VSTs as you?
Whether you're fresh on the scene or an old hand, join us on April 27th at 7PM-ish for a designers-only meetup show-and-tell!
We'll have 12 slots, capped at 3 minutes each, available on a first-come-first-served basis for the opporutnity to give a live demonstration, be it showing off a quick-change rig, sharing some lighting looks, or playing a favorite composition.
There will be:
- 1 wireless mic
- 1 speaker (either bluetooth or w/ a 1/8" cable to plug into your computer)
- A projector w/ an HDMI cable. (And a USB-C adaptor to plug into your computer if needed)
For pieces that don't require a live demo such as dioramas, sketches, props, and costume pieces, there will be tables available to display your work. Designers are responsible for the safety of all physical work they bring.
See you there~
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[post_content] => Celebrate spring, the beauty of flowers, and creative community while learning to embroider!🧵Ticket includes an embroidery hoop and fabric, needle, thread, and live instruction. 🪡
We will be using floral arrangements as our inspiration to learn embroidery stitches including the woven rose, french knot, and fishbone. No experience necessary - we will go over how to get started before diving into these beginner-friendly stitches to create a floral design.
Fabric will be provided, but feel free to bring an article of clothing to embroider if preferred.
These workshops are pay-what-you-can according to three different ticketing tiers:
$10, $20, $30
💐Hope to see you there✨
🌸 Meet Vern 🌹
Vern (she/her), co-founder of Lovergirl Creates, is an Edgewater-based artist, specializing in creative reuse and florals of all kinds. With admiration and respect for the beauty of the natural world, she creates slowly and intentionally in resistance to AI, fast fashion, and corporate greed. She applies her background in special education to her workshops, providing accessible instruction and sustainably sourced materials for any experience level or price range
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[post_content] => If you identify as funny and not-a-dude-onstage, this is your night diva! Hosted by Preeti Thaker and Jordan LevenePreeti & Jordan present: A Comedy Open Mic for Women + Non-Binary Comics!
If you identify as funny and not-a-dude-onstage, this is your night diva!
WHAT’S THE PLAN?
• 7:30 PM — arrive responsibly early, wonder what the vibe is gonna be like. Support the space by buying a drink!
• 8:00 PM — the mic starts, the chaos begins
• Sign-ups close at 9 PM because of boundaries
SET DETAILS
• 4 minutes of pure lightning
• 5 minutes if you buy a drink — please support and tip our bartenders ♥️
CAN MEN ATTEND?
Of course!
Men can sit, watch, hydrate, clap, and support women (a skill we’d love to see more of)
We kindly ask that you practice not-mansplaining
If you feel a mansplanation rising in your throat, please swallow it
ANYTHING ELSE?
Bring the vibes baby! This is our first time doing a comedy open mic and we’d love to make it a tradition. Come through!
xx
Preeti & Jordan
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[post_content] => Celebrate spring, the beauty of flowers, and creative community by creating your own greeting
cards while exploring different art mediums!Ticket includes 2 blank greeting cards and envelopes, and the shared use of watercolor and gouache paint and tools, pastels, markers, colored pencils, and pens.
This will be a mostly self-guided floral study session. There will be floral arrangements as well as painting and drawing materials at the tables.
These workshops are pay-what-you-can according to three different ticketing tiers:
$5, $15, $25
💐Hope to see you there✨
Meet Vern
Vern (she/her), co-founder of Lovergirl Creates, is an Edgewater-based artist, specializing in creative reuse and florals of all kinds. With admiration and respect for the beauty of the natural world, she creates slowly and intentionally in resistance to AI, fast fashion, and corporate greed. She applies her background in special education to her workshops, providing accessible instruction and sustainably sourced materials for any experience level or price range
[post_title] => diy greeting cards with Lovergirl Creates
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[post_content] => A musical cabaret inspired by William Shakespeare's Hamlet produced by your friends at Kokandy Productions!In honour of the Bard's birthday month and Jessie Buckley's Oscar win, we're taking William Shakespeare's HAMLET to the (Book) Club! Inspired by what is widely considered the "most powerful and influential tragedies in the English language," we'll use music and mirth to unpack daddy issues, plays-within-plays and melancholic great Danes. Perhaps we'll finally answer that age-olde question: to Book Club... or not to Book Club?
Kokandy Book Club is an intimate salon series celebrating theatre, music and community. Each meeting will focus on a well known play—investigating the plot, themes and relevant tangents through a mix of musical theatre and pop/rock performance. Have a sit, have a sip and honor the ritual of talking about good plays and having a good ole fashion jam session.
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[post_content] => Celebrate spring, the beauty of flowers, and creative community by creating a mini floral
arrangement in a teacup!Ticket includes flowers, a teacup and saucer, tools, live instruction, and a box to safely bring your arrangement home with you.
These workshops are pay-what-you-can according to three different ticketing tiers:
$15, $25, $35
Hope to see you there~
Meet Vern
Vern (she/her), co-founder of Lovergirl Creates, is an Edgewater-based artist, specializing in creative reuse and florals of all kinds. With admiration and respect for the beauty of the natural world, she creates slowly and intentionally in resistance to AI, fast fashion, and corporate greed. She applies her background in special education to her workshops, providing accessible instruction and sustainably sourced materials for any experience level or price range
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