
Writers Theatre's 2025-26 season includes the local premiere of ‘Leopoldstadt'
'Carey found a way to do the play with slightly fewer actors,' Abraham said. 'That made it possible for us.'
Perloff previously directed the new version of the play, crafted with Stoppard's help, at the Shakespeare Theater in Washington, D.C.
The next Writers Theatre season begins in the summer with Hershey Felder's 'Rachmaninoff and the Tsar ' (Aug.13 to Sept. 21), a dramatic, concert-style entertainment with music by Rachmaninoff from the longtime Chicago favorite and piano virtuoso. The Chicago premiere of Shaina Taub and Laurie Woolery's new musical adaptation of William Shakespeare's 'As You Like It ' (Oct. 30 to Dec. 14) follows in the fall under Abraham's direction, with musical direction by Michael Mahler.
Next winter, Writers will stage Nilo Cruz's 'Two Sisters and a Piano' (Feb. 26 to March 29, 2026) directed by Lisa Portes, followed by the Chicago premiere of the contemporary thriller 'Job' (April 9 to June 14, 2026) directed in Glencoe by David Esbjornson. Max Wolf Friedlich's tense, taut drama played on Broadway last year. 'Leopoldstadt' (June 4 to July 19, 2026) will conclude the season, with extensions to the run likely.
As a subscription add-on in December, Writers Theatre will bring back the Australian magician Harry Milas to Chicago. Milas' intimate show, 'The Unfair Advantage' (Dec. 3-28), was well-received last year at Steppenwolf's Garage Theatre.
More information on the season at 847-242-6000 and www.writerstheatre.org.
Also worth noting:
In other theater news, it was announced Monday that a new James Taylor jukebox musical 'Fire & Rain' is in development. Both book and direction are by former Chicagoans: Steppenwolf Theatre ensemble member Tracy Letts has written the book and direction will be by David Cromer, who is currently represented on Broadway by 'Good Night, and Good Luck,' starring George Clooney and opening in New York on April 3.
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