The fall season may be cooling down the weather but Chicago’s theatre scene continues to heat up with a series of exciting musicals, dramas, comedies, and Broadway favorites. Whether you’re a fan of classic productions or cutting-edge shows, Chicago has you covered. Explore our list of 10 can’t-miss fall plays that showcase the city’s legendary theater offerings.
This is just a preview of performing arts events this fall in Chicago. Don’t miss our full list of shows on our events calendar.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Nederlander Theatre
Sept. 1 – Feb. 10, 2025
Broadway’s dazzling take on wizardry and time travel unfolds in this Tony-Award-winning hit that’s filled with fun and magic. Harry, Ron, and Hermione tackle adulthood, marriage, and kids while also battling sinister forces. The play is recommended for ages eight and up.
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Every Brilliant Thing
Writers Theatre
Oct. 31 – Jan. 5, 2025
An award-winning, tender coming-of-age story traces the journey of a child determined to lift the spirits of a chronically depressed mother with an endearing list of things that bring joy. The interactive performance allows the audience to collaborate each night.
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Primary Trust
Goodman Theater
Oct. 5 – Nov. 3, 2024
The winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, this moving and open-hearted portrait of a lonely man living in a small town who must face the world he’s avoided supplies laughter and inspiration in a tightly crafted play. The transformative storytelling will stay with audiences long after the final curtain.
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Noises Off
Steppenwolf Theatre
Sept. 12 – Nov. 3, 2024
A zany comedy that pokes gentle fun at the unpredictability of theatre people, this revival of a classic British farce will have the audience rolling in the aisles. A play within a play, the story follows a touring comping struggling to get through a final dress rehearsal packed with bloopers, lost props, missed lines and slapstick humor.
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Some Like It Hot
Cadillac Palace Theatre
Oct. 22 – Nov. 3, 2024
Set in Chicago during prohibition, this high-energy musical earned four Tony Awards with spectacular dance numbers, catchy songs and big laughs. The play traces the journey of two musicians who flee the city after witnessing a mob hit. They hop on a cross-country train for the rollicking trip of a lifetime.
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Blue Eyed Soul Sung By Brown Eyed People
Black Ensemble Theater
Sept. 21 – Nov. 10, 2024
Director and Black Ensemble Theater founder Jackie Taylor presents an engaging musical that chronicles the tunes of white artists who delved so deep into the soul repetoire that listeners were fooled about their background. Featuring artists from Teena Marie to Hall & Oates to Bobby Caldwell, the production celebrates how we are all one.
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Becky Nurse of Salem
Theater Wit
Oct. 4 – Nov. 16, 2024
An innovative comedy that examines the legacy of the Salem Witch Trials, this play follows the life of Becky Nurse, a descendent of Rebecca Nurse who was executed for witchcraft in 1692. When Becky loses her job for questioning elements of The Crucible in front of school kids, she turns to a local witch for help, setting off a wild turn of events.
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Blue
Lyric Opera of Chicago
Nov. 16 – Dec. 1, 2024
This new American production follows the gripping story of a middle-class Black family in Harlem who pours love and support into their teen son to set him up for success. But all of their dreams vanish when he’s shot by a white police officer and they have to search for new strength.
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East Texas Hot Links
Court Theatre
Sept. 6 – 29, 2024
A zesty character study set in the woods of East Texas, this Pulitzer-Prize-nominated drama showcases the complexities of life for Black people in 1955. Top o’ the Hill Cafe provides a refuge and a spot to share stories and jokes until the secrets of the outside world creep inside.
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Azira’i
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Oct. 24 – 27, 2024
The acclaimed Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents a riveting biographical tale about the first female shaman of Brazil’s Tentehar people and the daughter she has chosen to inherit her shamanic gifts. The tension between the patriarchal values of northeastern Brazil and preserving ancestral traditions is the underlying theme of this dynamic production. This show is performed in Portuguese and Ze’eng eté with projected English translation.
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Explore more: This show is part of Destinos, the 7th annual Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, which runs through Nov. 17, 2024.
