Theater

Theater spotlight: Shakespeare’s ‘Dream’ marks return of Morton Arboretum walking plays

Posted July 07, 2026 6:36 am

Shakespeare at the Arboretum

The Morton Arboretum’s summer Walking Plays series returns with William Shakespeare’s comedy “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” about mischievous faeries meddling in the lives of four young lovers. The approximately 90-minute, intermissionless performance includes a 1.5-mile walk and is suitable for all ages.

6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 11-12, and through Aug. 16, at the Morton Arboretum Thornhill Education Center, 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle. $27 adults, $17 kids. (630) 968-0074 or mortonarb.org.

Frog and Toad return

Marriott Theatre for Young Audiences presents the family-friendly musical “A Year With Frog and Toad,” a tale of friendship adapted from Arnold Lobel’s beloved children’s books, with a score by Robert and Willie Reale. Directed and choreographed by Elizabeth Romero, every performance is followed by an audience question-and-answer session with the cast. Karl Hamilton and Jason Richards play Toad and Frog, respectively.

Previews at 10 a.m. Friday through Sunday, July 10-12, and Thursday and Friday, July 16-17, at 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. The show opens July 18. Tickets start at $18.75. (847) 634-0200 or MarriottTheatre.com.

Improv tuner

Corn Productions presents “The Best Musical Ever,” a sketch comedy show “that attempts to sift through terrible ideas to find the next great American musical.”

7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 10-11, and through Aug. 1, at 4210 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. Suggested donation $10-$20. cornservatory.org.

Playwright festival

Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre hosts its third annual Gloria Bond Clunie Playwright’s Festival consisting of staged readings of three plays chosen from 70 entries of works. From Friday through Sunday, July 10-12, playwrights develop their plays with directors and actors. The second weekend will consist of rehearsals, followed by public readings of the plays, all of which center on the Black American experience.

Readings are at 5 and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 18, and 3 p.m. Sunday, July 19, at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes St., Evanston. $15. fjtheatre.com.

‘Hitch*Cocktails’ returns

“Hitch*Cocktails,” a combination improv show and drinking game, launches its second “Summer of Suspense” show using audience suggestions to create an Alfred Hitchcock-like drama. Special guests this summer include improvisors Mike Brunlieb and Thomas Kelly (Friday, July 10); Susan Messing and Rachel Mason (July 17); “Late Night With Stephen Colbert” writer Asher Perlman (July 24); and drag queen Aurora Gozmic (July 31).

9:30 p.m. Friday, July 10, and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 11, and through Aug. 1, at The Annoyance Theatre, 851 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. $20. (773) 697-9693 or theannoyance.com.

Grace Steckler, left, Joryhebel Ginorio, Elliot Esquivel, Teressa LaGamba, Jordan Golding, Sam Shankman, Neala Barron and Ryder McDaniel star in Raven Theatre’s remount of its hit show “Octet” at the Goodman Theatre. Courtesy of Joe Mazza

Raven remounts ‘Octet’

Raven Theatre remounts its acclaimed production of the chamber-inspired a cappella musical “Octet” by Dave Malloy (“Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”) featuring the original cast in a limited run at Goodman Theatre. Keirra Fromm directs the tuner, which centers on eight people attending a support group for internet addicts.

7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, July 15-17, and other times and dates through Aug. 2, at 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. $39-$94. (312) 443-3800 or GoodmanTheatre.org/Octet.