CATCH AS CATCH CAN – Steppenwolf Theatre Company – Chicago, IL – Now – July 12th
OPENING NIGHT: June 14th
Actor Gary Cole, Audrey Francis and Tim Hopper (all Steppenwolf Ensemble members) take on six roles in this play by Mia Chung.
As Cole says in a promo for the play, “You’re playing two halves of one family. Everybody is.”
They play different generations and different genders in this play set in New England and the consequences of a son’s return home on two families.
Amy Morton (also a Steppenwolf Ensemble member) directs.
This sounds really interesting and should offer great opportunities for this cast.
For tickets and more information, please go HERE.
WET INK ENSEMBLE – Roulette – Brooklyn, NY – June 10th
If you love contemporary classical music, you are probably aware of Wet Ink Ensemble. They are deeply committed to new works and commissioning new compositions. This concert highlights two world premieres and a New York City premiere.
The concert opens with the WP of Aurora Nealand’s untitled (as of press deadline) octet. That is followed by the New York City premiere of Assemblage: Trace/Mobile by Alex Nicek. The world premiere of Jo Kondo’s new work for flute, percussion and piano is next. The concert closes with Jürg Frey’s Paysage pour Gustave Roud, for clarinet, cello and piano.
For tickets and more information, please go HERE.
GRANT PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL – Multiple Venues – Chicago, IL – June 10th – August 15th
There are 26 concerts in this year’s Grant Park Music Festival. The season opens Wednesday with Giancarlo Guerrero conducting the Grant Park Orchestra in a concert that features Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story and Samuel Barber’s Symphony No. 1.
Other highlights include a performance of Gabriela Lena Frank’s Conquest Requiem on June 12 and 13th; Stewart Goodyear playing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 on June 19th and 20th; a collaboration with Lookingglass Theatre Company performing Ellis Island: The Dream of America on June 24th; Third Coast Percussion performing Drum Circles by Christopher Theofanidis on July 8th; Michelle Cann as the soloist for Ravel’s Piano Concerto on July 15th; Broadway Sings America on July 21st and 23rd; John Corigliano’s Symphony No. 1 paired with Mozart’s Requiem on August 7th and 8th (with Janai Brugger as one of the soloists) and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 to close out the season on August 14th and 15th.
For tickets and more information, click on the dates above. For the complete season line-up, please go HERE.
LA TRAVIATA – Arena di Verona – Verona, Italy – June 12th – September 12th
Director Paul Curran creates his first production for an arena and he’s chosen Verdi’s La Traviata. The production is part of the 2026 Arena di Verona Opera Festival which began last week and ends on September 12th.
This production is set in and around the Moulin Rouge.
Vasilisa Berzhanskaya, Rosa Feola, Gilda Fiume and Martina Russomanno alternate in the role of Violettta. René Barbera, Yusif Eyvazov, Francesco Meli, Antonio Poli, Galeano Salas, Enea Scala and Adam Smith take on the role of Alfredo. Mihai Damian, Amartuvshin Enkhbat, Youngjun Park, Luca Salsi and Ludovic Tézler take turns singing Giorgio.
Michele Spoitti conducts through August 22nd. Francesco Ivan Ciampa conducts from August 29th on.
For tickets and more information, please go HERE. To explore this year’s Arena di Verona Opera Festival, please go HERE.
CYRANO DE BERGERAC – Noël Coward Theatre – London, England – June 13th – September 5th
Simon Evans’ new production of Cyrano de Bergerac for the Royal Shakespeare Company was widely successfully and critically acclaimed.
Now this new production (co-adapted by Evans with Debris Stevenson) moves to the West End.
Adrian Lester returns as Cyrano with Susannah Fielding as Roxanne and Levi Brown as Christian.
The official opening is June 25th.
For tickets and more information, please go HERE.
That’s all for Best Bets: June 8th – June 14th.
Enjoy your week and go see a show!
Main Photo: Pianist Stewart Goodyear who appears in the Grant Park Music Festival on June 19th and 20th.