Emily McClanathan

Under Manny Buckley’s direction, rage relentlessly simmers in this “Century Cycle” play about a formerly incarcerated man trying to make a fresh start.

Chicago author Cynthia Pelayo gathers seventeen short horror stories from Latiné writers, each with an uncanny ability to suck you in.

Mathilda Zeller draws on local lore and her own family history in her horror novel, which expands on short story “Kushtuka."

Part political thriller, part family drama, Erika Sheffer’s 2024 play offers a sobering exploration of courage, cowardice, and the gray areas in between.

“What makes my work with the Civic so fulfilling," says Ken-David Masur, "is that each member [has] their heart and hand on the pulse of society’s change."

In Amy Herzog’s 2011 play, a troubled 21-year-old man shows up at his grandmother’s Manhattan apartment in the middle of the night.

Musical elements set an effective mood, but some of the audience interaction in Instrumental'd production feels manipulative.

Heidi Schreck’s 2017 play, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, gets authentic surroundings in this new production by Ways and Means Theatre.

Marissa Murrell Myers's 2025 chiller about dead friends and a mysterious cabin in the woods makes its local debut Bramble Theatre Company.

Erik Gernand's world premiere offers a provocative premise that doesn't quite pay off, despite committed performances.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra has recorded a new score by local composer Joe Clark to accompany “Intergalactica," a mixed-reality video game specifically designed to aid with blood donation.

For theatergoers looking to kick off the spooky season, Glass Half Full Theatre’s “Yamel Cucuy” serves up a cocktail of ghost stories, slasher film tropes and a mythological journey through hell.

James Sie’s production captures the essence of the groundbreaking 1962 Madeleine L’Engle book that was unconventional for its time.

Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson bring a contemporary groove to a show about escaping 19th-century slavery.

Tania Richard’s new solo play now onstage at American Blues Theater is warmly interactive and deeply personal.

Since being diagnosed with cancer, the circus artist can no longer perform. But she can still create.

Arlene Hutton’s thriller about reproductive rights is now making its Chicago premiere with Promethean Theatre Ensemble.

"Back for Blood: Never Whistle at Night Part II" is a compelling sequel to the acclaimed Indigenous anthology edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.

Generations of trauma are powerfully intertwined in this revival of British playwright Alice Birch’s 2017 drama, delivered by a standout Chicago storefront cast.

Will Quam’s "Fire and Clay" traces the colors, textures and histories embedded in the city’s architecture.