BRONZEVILLE The Musical is about a father's love for his son, the legacy and courage of a people as it honors the significance of the Black Family and its “role” in preserving the community.
Archived Events
WBEZ Presents
Stop Making Sense
March 29 – 30
Join WBEZ and the hosts of popular podcast Sound Opinions on March 29 to celebrate 40 years of the greatest concert films of all time, Stop Making Sense. Put on your dancing shoes and meet us at the venue that first brought the film to Chicago audiences, the Studebaker Theater!
Exile in Bookville Presents
Percival Everett
In conversation with Gabriel Bump at the Studebaker Theater
March 28 7:00 pm
A “literary icon” (according to Oprah Daily), Pulitzer Prize finalist, and one of the most acclaimed authors of our era is bringing the book tour of his newest novel, James, to the Studebaker Theater. Join Exile in Bookville to see Percival Everett in conversation with author Gabriel Bump as they discuss Everett's latest work.
Late Nights in Chicago
First Episode
March 24 8:00 pm
Be the first to be a part of Chicago’s brand new late night talk show hosted by Jeremiah Paprocki! Late Nights in Chicago is taping their very first episode at the Studebaker Theater to a live audience to experience this new era of late night entertainment.
Join CCPA Opera in a riveting journey through the dark side of human desire. Giancarlo Monteverdi's seventeenth-century masterpiece is a thrilling tale of ambition, love, betrayal, and the quest for power that still resonates today.
The Yale Whiffenpoofs
In Curtiss Hall
March 22 7:30 pm
The Yale Whiffenpoofs, the world's oldest collegiate a cappella group, will be coming to Chicago in March! Join us for a concert at the Chicago Fine Arts Building featuring Chicago native Joshua Gonzalez (Yale '24). Come experience an unforgettable night of music and humor!
Paula Poundstone
March 15 7:30 pm
Paula Poundstone is known for her smart, observational humor and a spontaneous wit that has become the stuff of legend. Time magazine, in the March 2020 “Best of” issue, listed Paula’s HBO special, Cats, Cops and Stuff as one of The 5 Funniest Stand-Up Specials Ever. Paula can be heard weekly as the host of the comedy podcast, Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone and as a regular panelist on NPR’s comedy news quiz, Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!
Introduction to Figure Drawing
With Don Yang
March 2 9:00 am
In this figure drawing workshop, students are introduced to basic concepts and practice of figure drawing from a live model. Through various drawing exercises and mediums, students will explore shape, proportion, rhythm and dynamics of human form. Students will also create a proportionate rendition of human figure by using measuring technique and block-in method. Emphasis will be on creating a convincing representation of human figure on paper.
Dog Man: The Musical
January 31 – February 25
Based on the worldwide bestselling hit series by Dav Pilkey, Dog Man: The Musical is a hilarious and heartwarming new production following the chronicles of Dog Man, who with the head of a dog and the body of a policeman, loves to fight crime and chew on the furniture.
The Chicago Bar Association Presents
“It’s AI Wonderful Life”
A Lawless Musical Comedy Revue!
January 12 – 13, 2024
In its 100th annual year, the Chicago Bar Show contains wackiness and fun, music and more with a bunch of talented lawyers. Come enjoy the irreverent musical comedy revue in which Chicago-area lawyers (supported by a professional band, director, choreographer, sets, lights and projections) lampoon some of the most memorable events of the past year!
6th Floor
Fine Art Holiday Fair
December 10 1:00 pm
Join artists on the 6th floor for a Fine Art Holiday Fair! Shop local art and enjoy refreshments during this holiday celebration from 1:00 to 5:00pm on the 6th floor of the Fine Arts Building. Participating artists include Ann Pickett, Robin Malpass, Tiffany Gholar, and Alyson Lyon. We'll see you there!
Artists Sunday
November 26 10:00 am
Join the Fine Arts Building for Artists Sunday, a celebration of local art and artists during the holiday season! Explore all 10 floors of creativity and history at the Fine Arts Building, and buy locally-made art as gifts for your loved ones this year!
Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas
November 17, 2023 – December 31, 2023
The live theatrical adaptation of “Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas” is making its Chicago debut this holiday season at the Studebaker Theater! Packed with puppets created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas is a heartwarming celebration of the true spirit of the holidays.
WBEZ & Mindworks Present
Science Friday Live
October 29 6:00 pm
Join Ira Flatow and the rest of the SciFri crew as they hit the road to uncover and report on the amazing science news and stories happening in Chicago, IL! This is your chance to look behind the curtain of your favorite national radio show and participate in a special live performance with the experts and conversations you love.
WBEZ Presents
Nosferatu – A Symphony of Horror
SCREENING AND ORIGINAL SCORE BY GRAMPS THE VAMP
October 28 8:30 pm
Relive the horror cornerstone Nosferatu at the historic (and possibly haunted) Studebaker Theater on Saturday, October 28 for a special Halloween screening accompanied by an original score from Chicago’s own doom funk band, Gramps the Vamp. You won’t want to miss this bloody good time.
Camerata Chicago
Milenkovich Performs the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
October 27 7:30 pm
In the presence of Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia the Camerata Chicago Chamber Orchestra holds its 20th Anniversary Celebration concert. Internationally renowned violinist Stefan Milenkovich performs the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. Conducted by Maestro Drostan Hall, Camerata Chicago will also perform Beethoven's Symphony No. 6, the Pastoral, and the Barber of Seville Overture by Rossini.
Lighting Equipment Demonstration
At the Studebaker Theater
October 18 10:00 am
The Studebaker Theater invites students, technicians, lighting designers, technical directors, and theater professionals for an exclusive and FREE lighting equipment demonstration event, featuring guided presentations of equipment ,open houses, and staff recruitment opportunities.
Open House Chicago
With the Chicago Architecture Center
October 14 – 15
Explore all 10 floors of artistry at the Fine Arts Building, including the majestic Studebaker Theater, Art Nouveau murals, and much more!
125th Anniversary
"All passes - art alone endures"
October 13 5:00 pm
Celebrate 125 years of Chicago's landmark artists haven, featuring 10 floors of open artist studios and a special performance in the iconic Studebaker Theater.
Seven Thirty Theatre Presents
The Color Purple
September 30 – October 1, 2023
An unforgettable story of enduring love and triumph over adversity, The Color Purple is a landmark musical from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker. This stirring family chronicle follows the inspirational Celie, as she journeys from childhood through joy and despair, anguish and hope to discover the power of love and life.
WBEZ Presents
Mortified Chicago
September 23 7:00 pm
Witness personal redemption through public humiliation in a refreshing show that is equal parts comedic, cathartic and voyeuristic. Presented by WBEZ at the Studebaker Theater on September 23rd, Mortified stars everyday people reading aloud their most embarrassing and private teenage diary entries, poems, love letters, lyrics and locker notes… in front of total strangers.
Personality
The Lloyd Price Musical
June 2, 2023 – July 30, 2023
“ONE OF THE TOP SHOWS TO SEE THIS SUMMER!” – Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, New City Magazine You might not know his name, but you know his music! Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical is a thrilling new musical that tells the story of Lloyd Price's revolutionary musical career.
Whose Live Anyway?
At the Studebaker Theater
May 12 – 14
Prepare to laugh until you cry when four of the world’s most masterful improv artists take you on the high wire act of comedic acrobatics. The rapid-fire wit and non-stop jokes will have your sides splitting and begging for mercy…and also begging for more.
Join The Chicago Academy for the Arts Dance Department for their 2023 Spring Dance Concert!
Vibrant Variations
Children and Families Edition
April 29 2:00 pm
Join Chicago Repertory Ballet as they take the stage with an evening of new dance works by Founding Artistic Director Wade Schaaf. See world premiere contemporary ballet works by Schaaf whose choreography is known for its emotional sensitivity, musicality and choreographic innovation. Perfect for first timers and dance lovers alike, this is a theatrical experience not to be missed!
Chicago Repertory Ballet Presents
Vibrant Variations
April 27 – 30
Join Chicago Repertory Ballet as they take the stage with an evening of new dance works by Founding Artistic Director Wade Schaaf. See world premiere contemporary ballet works by Schaaf whose choreography is known for its emotional sensitivity, musicality and choreographic innovation. Perfect for first timers and dance lovers alike, this is a theatrical experience not to be missed!
Whitney Houston’s music ignites this breathtaking Broadway romantic thriller based on the 1992 Warner Brothers movie. This show features a cascade of irresistible Whitney Houston classics, including: “Queen of the Night” “So Emotional” “One Moment in Time” “Saving All My Love” “Run to You” “I Have Nothing” “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” and one of the biggest-selling songs of all time: “I Will Always Love You.”
Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival
January 18 - 29, 2023
In collaboration with the Fine Arts Building, the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival presents its brand new Pop Up Puppet Hub on the 4th floor! Bursting with site-specific activities, it’s the perfect place to relax between shows, meet up with friends, and make some new ones! For all Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival inquiries, contact the Festival Box Office at (312) 753-3234.
Join the Chicago Jazz Orchestra for A Musical Tribute to "A Charlie Brown Christmas," featuring the music of Vince Guaraldi with 17-year-old piano prodigy Brandon Goldberg and his trio along with youth voices of the Timeless Gifts Performance Company, Joan Collaso, director. The program will also include a performance of the legendary Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn Jazz Nutcracker.
Andy Borowitz
The Profiles in Ignorance Tour
November 7 7:00 pm
Why have American politics deteriorated intellectually over the last 50 years? How has mass media encouraged the election of ignorant leaders? And how can we change course? With his signature wit and insight, award-winning comedian and New Yorker magazine satirist Andy Borowitz dives into these questions and more, as he brings his instant New York Times/Washington Post/Wall Street Journal bestseller, Profiles in Ignorance: How America’s Politicians Got Dumb and Dumber to the Studebaker Theater on Election Eve, November 7 at 7pm.
Not Quite Yet
An Album Release Concert
November 4 8:00 pm
To celebrate the release of acclaimed vocalist Paul Marinaro's long-awaited album Not Quite Yet, Paul will be performing the album in its entirety backed by a 12-piece band of Chicago's finest musicians. Featuring brilliant arrangements by guitarist Mike Allemana, Not Quite Yet is the singer's very personal exploration of life and love, pondering 'what's next' after the global pandemic.
Code Switch
Supported by Russell's Reserve Bourbon
November 2 7:30 pm
It’s your favorite podcast about race, identity, and culture—live on stage! Join Code Switch veteran Gene Demby and welcome new host B.A. Parker for a dope evening of entertainment, humor, and fearless conversations about race. And about the city of Chicago, of course.
From poetry, to music, to our signature “Ask Code Switch” segment, our variety show will explore the theme: Home. We invite you to be part of the story (and how it’s made), live for the first time since the before pandemic times.
Studio Pastorale Presents
Night Music
September 8
Join us for an intimate musical experience in the beautiful and historic Venetian Courtyard of the Fine Arts Building, and be a part of a truly special cabaret style show with some of Chicago’s greatest talents.
Rock star Jacqueline Miller is headlining her first national tour, has a hit record, and she's agreed to kick off the gala re-opening of her beloved childhood roller rink, Windy City Skates. When complications hit her head-on, she takes a retrospective journey back to 1977 and finds herself again when she meets up with her 12-year-old self and all of the people who have made her who she is. SKATES explores the magic and hope of finding your one true love while still being true to yourself.
Authors On Tap
At Exile in Bookville
2022 Dates
Join Exile in Bookville for their Authors On Tap series, featuring today's authors in conversation about their latest releases!
A Tribute To
"Sinatra/Basie: Live at the Sands"
Featuring Paul Marinaro and the Chicago Jazz Orchestra
Saturday May 7, 2022
The Chicago Jazz Orchestra with singer Paul Marinaro recreate the famous "Live at The Sands" album, originally recorded by Frank Sinatra and the Count Basie Orchestra.