
Onstage: What to see in September
With more than 200 theaters in town, there’s no better place than Chicago to get your dose of arts and culture — and you can do it on a budget.
Our partners at the League of Chicago Theatres and Hot Tix curated this list of must-see shows for the month of September. Check for half-price tickets by clicking each link or visit Hottix — and check back each month for more hot picks! Check for half-price tickets on HotTix
Next To Normal
BoHo Theatre at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont in Lakeview
Through Oct. 9, 2016
This contemporary musical explores how one suburban household copes with crisis. With provocative lyrics and an electrifying score of more than 30 original songs, Next To Normal shows how far two parents will go to keep themselves sane and their family’s world intact. Check for half-price tickets on HotTix
Rose
Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln in Lincoln Park
Through Sept. 25, 2016
In this intimate portrait of Camelot’s queen-mother, we meet a stalwart 79-year old Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy just after the tragedy at Chappaquiddick, which led to the accidental death of Mary Jo Kopechne at the hands Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Alone with her invalid husband in the house in Hyannis Port, Rose attempts to retrace the rise and fall of this great family as they traversed continents, shaped history, and inspired a people. Check for half-price tickets on HotTix
Kinky Boots
Broadway In Chicago at the Oriental Theatre, 24 W. Randolph in the Loop
Aug. 30-Sept. 4, 2016
Kinky Boots is Broadway’s huge-hearted, high-heeled hit! With songs by Grammy® and Tony® winning pop icon Cyndi Lauper, this joyous musical celebration is about the friendships we discover, and the belief that you can change the world when you change your mind. Inspired by true events, Kinky Boots takes you from a gentlemen’s shoe factory in Northampton to the glamorous catwalks of Milan. Check for half-price tickets on HotTix
Amour
Black Button Eyes Productions at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport in Lakeview
Sept. 2-Oct. 8, 2016
Adapted from the short story “Le Passe-Muraille” by beloved French author Marcel Aymé, Amour tells the story of Dusoleil, a shy clerk working in a dreary office in post-World War II Paris. One day he discovers he has the ability to walk through walls, and embraces a life of romance and adventure. With music by multiple Oscar and Grammy Award-winner Michel Legrand and adapted into English by Jeremy Sams from the French Libretto by Didier van Cauwelaert, Amour was nominated for multiple Tony awards when it played on Broadway in 2002. Check for half-price tickets on HotTix
Ultra American: A Patriot Act
Silk Road Rising at the Historic Chicago Temple Building, 77 W. Washington in the Loop
Sept. 6-25, 2016
Famed comedian, Azhar Usman, takes to the stage with this brutally honest, unflinching one-man world premiere show. Ultra American explores the tensions and paradoxes surrounding the double consciousness of American Muslims living in an ever-polarizing world. Check for half-price tickets on HotTix
You On the Moors Now
The Hypocrites at The Den Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee in Wicker Park
Sept. 9-Oct. 30, 2016
This crazy, funny show sets heroines from the 19th century novels of Louis May Alcott, Jane Austen, and the Bronte sisters in a mythical place of Moors. When the heroines receive proposals of marriage, they decide to escape. The men wage war on the women starting the Moors Wars. Check for half-price tickets on HotTix
Wonderful Town
Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn in the Loop
Sept. 10-Oct. 16, 2016
Mary Zimmerman directs a lavish revival of Leonard Bernstein’s classic musical, featuring a company of 44 actors and musicians! Two sisters. Join Ruth and Eileen Sherwood as they leave behind their mundane Ohio lives in pursuit of making it big in New York City. Chock-full of swinging show tunes, breathtaking choreography and effervescent charm, Wonderful Town captures the thrill of chasing one’s dreams like no other musical. Check for half-price tickets on HotTix
Man In The Ring
Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis in Hyde Park
Sept. 15-Oct. 16, 2016
Based on the true story of six-time world champion boxer Emile Griffith, Man in the Ring charts Emile’s humble beginnings in the U.S. Virgin Islands to his infamous match against his archrival Benny “Kid” Paret. When Benny challenges Emile’s sexual identity, Griffith responds in the ring and leaves a mark that lingers long after their legendary encounter. Check for half-price tickets on HotTix
Hand To God
Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln in Lincoln Park
Sept. 16-Oct. 16, 2016
The God-fearing children of Cypress, Texas spend their after-school hours practicing Christian Puppet Ministry at the local church. When one devout young boy discovers that his hand puppet has a life of its own, all hell breaks loose. Literally. This satanic sock puppet comedy thrilled audiences on Broadway last season and received a Tony nomination for best new play. Check for half-price tickets on HotTix