Theater

Spotlight: Kelvin Roston Jr. pays tribute to soul great Donny Hathaway at Northlight Theatre

Posted June 30, 2025 1:27 pm

Kelvin Roston Jr. (seen here in a 2023 photograph from The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis production) wrote and stars in Northlight Theatre's “Twisted Melodies,” about soul legend Donny Hathaway. Courtesy of Jon Gitchoff

Northlight salutes a soul legend

Kelvin Roston Jr. channels singer/songwriter, Chicago native and soul legend Donny Hathaway (“A Song for You,” “This Christmas”) in “Twisted Melodies,” a solo show that Roston created. It unfolds over one day in 1979, the year Hathaway — who was also known for his collaborations with Roberta Flack (“Where is the Love?” “The Closer I Get to You”) — died. Ron OJ Parson directs Northlight Theatre’s production. Note: This production includes themes some audiences may find challenging.

Previews at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, July 10-11; 7:30 p.m. July 12 and 15; 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. July 13; and 1 and 7:30 p.m. July 15 at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. $35-$74. (847) 673-6300 or northlight.org.

BrightSide Theatre artists perform selections from some of Broadway’s biggest hits during a series of summer concerts in Downers Grove, Naperville, Lisle and Bolingbrook. Courtesy of BrightSide Theatre

Fun in the sun, Broadway-style

BrightSide Theatre artists perform selections from “My Fair Lady,” “Mamma Mia!” “Chicago,” “Funny Girl,” “Singing in the Rain,” “Anything Goes,” “Crazy for You,” “Wicked,” “Hamilton” and other musicals during a series of family-friendly summer concerts in Downers Grove, Naperville, Lisle and Bolingbrook.

7 p.m. Wednesday, July 9, at the Downers Grove Swim & Racquet Club, 5560 Fairview Ave., Downers Grove; 7 p.m. Thursday, July 10, at the Wagner Family Pavilion, 3109 Cedar Glade Drive, Naperville; 7 p.m. July 16 at the Millennium Carillon Amphitheatre, 443 Aurora Ave., Naperville; 7 p.m. July 23 at Westglen Park, 1516 Westglen Drive, Naperville; 2 p.m. July 27 at the Community Park Bandshell, 1825 Short St., Lisle; 7 p.m. Aug. 7, at Country Lakes, 1835 N. Aurora Ave., Naperville; 7 p.m. Aug. 8 at the Naperville Community Concert Center, 55 Concert Lane, Naperville; 2 p.m. Aug. 17 at Arrowhead Park, 711 Iroquois Ave., Naperville; 4 p.m. Sept. 14 at the Village of Bolingbrook PathFest, Town Center Front Lawn, 375 W. Briarcliff Road, Bolingbrook; 12:30 and 2 p.m. Sept. 21 at the Naperville Riverwalk Amphitheater, southeast corner of West Jackson Avenue and South Eagle Street, Naperville. Free. brightsidetheatre.com/parks.

Immigrants’ tales at Steppenwolf

Storyteller Nestor “The Boss” Gomez hosts Steppenwolf Theatre’s “80 Minutes Around the World: Immigration Stories,” a LookOut event showcasing tales from immigrants, refugees and allies.

8 p.m. Saturday, July 5, and 7 p.m. Sunday, July 6, at 1700 N. Halsted St., Chicago. $28. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org/lookout.

TUTA’s summer rep continues

TUTA Theatre’s two-play summer repertory series continues with “White Rabbit, Red Rabbit,” an experimental work by Iranian writer Nassim Soleimanpour, who “distills the experience of an entire generation” into the play. It’s performed cold by a different actor at each performance with no rehearsal and without a director or a set. The production runs in repertory with “Tom & Eliza.”

The preview is 7:30 p.m. Sunday, July 6, at 4670 N. Manor Ave., Chicago. The show opens Monday, July 7. $20-$60. tutatheatre.org.

‘Beauty and the Beast’ returns

The 25th anniversary tour of “Beauty and the Beast” comes to Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre. Adapted from the Academy Award-winning 1991 animated film, the musical by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman stars Kyra Belle Johnson as Belle and Fergie L. Philippe as the Beast.

The preview is at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 9, at 151 W. Randolph St., Chicago. The show opens Thursday, July 10. $55.70-$286.20. broadwayinchicago.com.

Hell in a Handbag Productions’ premiere of “Queen for a Day” stars Will Lidke, left, Tyler Anthony Smith and Dakota Hughes. Courtesy of Rick Aguilar Studios

All hail the queen(s)

Hell in a Handbag Productions premieres “Queen for a Day,” Tyler Anthony Smith’s comedy about a royal diva (Queen Elizabeth I as portrayed by Cate Blanchett), a fashion diva (superstar designer Halston) and musical diva (Liza Minnelli). Ensemble member Smith plays Elizabeth and fellow ensemble members Dakota Hughes plays Liza and Will Lidke is Halston in director Stephanie Shaw’s production.

Previews at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, July 9-11, at the Bramble Arts Loft, 5545 N. Clark St., Chicago. The show opens July 12. $25-$43. handbagproductions.org.

‘Mother Courage’ reprised

Trap Door Theatre reprises its hit production of Bertolt Brecht’s “Mother Courage and Her Children,” Brecht’s famous condemnation of war and war profiteering. Trap Door resident director Max Truax directs Holly Cerney as the titular survivor.

8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, July 10-12, and 3 p.m. July 13 at 1655 W. Cortland St., Chicago. $33.55. (773) 384-0494 or trapdoortheatre.com.

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