PREPARE TO BE INTENSELY ENTERTAINED
Upcoming Shows & Events
TWISTED MELODIES
BY KELVIN ROSTON JR
July 10 – August 10, 2025
Northlight’s 50th Anniversary Season
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FUTURE HOME IN EVANSTON
Northlight’s bold vision is to build a world-class theatre in Evanston, the vibrant community where Northlight began in 1974. With a new theatre in downtown Evanston, we will entertain and inspire audiences with compelling new and existing work. We’ll nurture and grow the next generation of theatregoers, expand our civic impact, spark economic development, and serve as a cultural hub for the entire community.
NORTHLIGHT NEWS
The Tony Awards are just around the corner, and in preparation for theatre’s biggest night, Northlight Artistic Director BJ Jones sat down with friend and...
My friend, George Wendt, was as kind and thoughtful a human being as walked on this planet. He was a true man of the Theatre,...
I first met Russell Vandenbroucke in the summer of 1987 when he had just started as Northlight’s 5th Artistic Director. I was remounting Michael Maggio’s...
A Deeper Look at Prayer for the French Republic. Below, we’ve collected a list of events that occurred either in 1940s France or in modern-day...
It’s not every day that two respected Chicago Theatre companies band together to bring audiences an epic production like Prayer for the French Republic. Northlight...
by Jooyoung Cho, Production Dramaturg “It is hard to keep a distance from the play.” This sentiment was among the first exchanges Seoyoung (Jane) and...
Connect With Us
Happy Juneteenth from Northlight Theatre! Widely regarded as our second independence day, Juneteenth marks the day the Emancipation Proclamation was finally enforced in Texas in 1865, marking the end of slavery in the United States. The celebration of Juneteenth has three goals: "to celebrate, to educate, and to agitate." So join folks around Chicago in celebrating, learn something new about civil rights, and make your voice heard at events happening in Northlight’s community and around the city!
Get to know singer/songwriter Donny Hathaway at TWISTED MELODIES, a one-man show and labor of love from Kelvin Roston Jr! Tickets on sale now!
Don`t miss TWISTED MELODIES, coming to Northlight next month!
Flashback to 1979, when singer and composer Donny Hathaway was a soul music icon, known for R&B hits and his duets with Roberta Flack. This mesmerizing one-man show immerses us in a day with the brilliant artist, seeking solace in the music that has always been his salvation. Powerful renditions of songs like “More Than You’ll Ever Know,” “The Ghetto,” and “The Closer I Get to You,” illuminate the enduring power of his talent. Torn between his inspiration and his ongoing inner struggle, Hathaway grapples with his life in a gripping performance by Kelvin Roston Jr.
Northlight is a proud sponsor of YWCA Evanston/Northshore’s @ywca_ens annual Race Against Hate! Every year, the YWCA honors Ricky Byrdsong with the Race Against Hate by investing in the kind of community he believed in: one where all people, especially young people, are safe, respected, and supported. This past Sunday, Northlight joined thousands of people across Chicago and the country to run and walk in unity against racial hatred and violence.
George Wendt was not only a beloved American actor but also a dear friend and a member of the Northlight family. Evanston RoundTable took some time to look back on the relationships he built in Evanston and asked some of his close friends about their time with George, including the amazing work he did with Northlight Theatre. Read the full article via the link in our bio.
If you tuned into the live broadcast of GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK last weekend and loved the story’s dive into McCarthyism, the Red Scare, and defending truth and integrity in the face of commercial and political pressure, you’ll love THE FIRST LADY OF TELEVISION!
In 1950, Gertrude Berg was the popular creator and star of America’s first family sitcom, The Goldbergs. When a co-star is accused of communism, onscreen comedy shifts to backstage drama, at an intersection of art, religion, and politics that is shockingly relevant for today. Guarantee your seats by subscribing to the 50th Anniversary Season!
Next up at Northlight: TWISTED MELODIES, playing July 10 - August 10!
Flashback to 1979, when singer and composer Donny Hathaway was a soul music icon, known for R&B hits and his duets with Roberta Flack. This mesmerizing one-man show immerses us in a day with the brilliant artist, seeking solace in the music that has always been his salvation. Powerful renditions of songs like “More Than You’ll Ever Know,” “The Ghetto,” and “The Closer I Get to You,” illuminate the enduring power of his talent. Torn between his inspiration and his ongoing inner struggle, Hathaway grapples with his life in a gripping one-man performance by Kelvin Roston Jr!
Last week, Northlight Theatre’s director of accounting, Logan Jones, was honored by Windy City Times as a 2025 30 Under 30! This year`s group of nominees was chosen for their substantial contributions to the Chicagoland LGBTQ+ community in the fields of entertainment, politics, health, activism, academics, sports or other areas. Congratulations, Logan! Learn more through the link in our bio.
The Tony Awards are just around the corner, and in preparation for theatre’s biggest night, Northlight Artistic Director BJ Jones sat down with friend and Northlight Alum (Permanent Collection, 2005), Tony-nominated actor Harry Lennix, for a quick Q&A. Check it out below, and catch Harry tonight at the awards where he’s nominated for Best Actor in a Play!
Happy Pride from all of us at Northlight Theatre! We know our audiences come from all walks of life, and we want to take some time this month to celebrate members of the Northlight family who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Scroll for a look at pride events happening around Evanston and Skokie, and a few helpful resources. Be who you are and love who you love all year long, but take some time to celebrate authenticity and community this month!
This past weekend, we celebrated 50 years of music at Northlight with an evening of food, fun, and performances from some talented members of the Northlight family! Respected members of our Visionary Circle and well-loved Northlight donors were invited to Space in Evanston for an intimate evening of entertainment and celebration as we kick-off our 50th Anniversary Season with a bang, celebrating where we’ve been and where we’re heading in the years to come!
