Good afternoon.

It's gala season! David Schwimmer headed up the shebang at Lookingglass Theatre, replete with appearances by Jack McBrayer (sweet guy), Harry Lennix and Rahm Emanuel, as well as all but two of the entire Lookingglass ensemble, not to mention the mayoral candidates Alexi Giannoulias and Susana Mendoza. The late architect John Morris was one of the worthy honorees. I put my head in toward the end of the night and it was quite the bacchanal. Also, Writers Theatre made over $1 million at its recent gala at The Four Seasons (honoring Rick and Deann Bayless) and Steppenwolf's event is next weekend.

New reviews this week include "The Movement You Need," the hilarious new solo show from Brendan Hunt ( "Ted Lasso") at Steppenwolf, and the tour of "The Great Gatsby," currently at the Cadillac Palace Theatre.

In the news, the New York Drama Critics Circle (in disclosure, I am a member) recognized "Little Bear Ridge Road" by Samuel D. Hunter as the best new play produced in New York in 2025. Laurie Metcalf, whose career is ablaze, is part of the critics' best ensemble award for "Death of a Salesman," too.

Meanwhile, the American Theatre Critics Association's Steinberg Award for new plays is honoring three new plays, all with Chicago origins. Playwright Zach Barr won the 2026 Harold and Mimi Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award for their play "The Pilon." The award carries a $25,000 cash prize and recognizes an outstanding script that premiered in a professional production outside of New York City in 2025. "The Pilon" debuted at the tiny Red Theater.

Meanwhile, two 2026 Steinberg/ATCA citations were also presented to "Berlin" by Mickle Maher, first produced by Court Theatre in Chicago, and "Things With Friends" by Kristoffer Diaz, first produced by American Blues Theater in Chicago. Each citation carries a $7,500 cash prize.

American Theatre magazine (published by Theatre Communications Group) has a new Chicago-based initiative. This July, in partnership with The Understudy bookstore and coffee shop and Pocket Theatrics, the magazine will launch "Re:working Chicago Theatre, " a monthly roundtable series (slated for Thursday nights) aiming to "bring together artists and cultural workers from across the city’s theatre ecosystem. " Here is what they say about the plan: "Running July through November, the series will spotlight voices and practices happening beyond traditional institutional recognition, creating space for candid conversation around urgent questions facing the field: from AI and sustainability to criticism, care, and evolving storefront models." You will be able to go to the fine Andersonville bookstore in person or watch via streaming.

One session is to be devoted to "Rethinking Reviews" (and other "recognitions"), which, to most journalists like me, is a bit like the White House saying it wants to rethink the coverage of the incumbent administration. But it looks like a cool series and there are some truly lovely folks in charge.

Chicago Children's Theatre is announcing its new season tomorrow; it's now 21 years old. And the Drury Lane Theatre has announced the cast of its upcoming "Nunsense," with Aurora Boe, Rachel Carreras, Kelly Felthous and Sharriese Hamilton with Cory Goodrich as, naturally, the Reverend Mother.

Among the openings this week: Raven Theatre's first-ever musical, and "South Pacific" at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora.

See you at the theater.

— Chris Jones, chief theater critic

Our current list of Chris Jones Recommends: “Theater of the Mind” in an open run by the Goodman at the Reid Murdoch Building; "Windfall” through May 31 in Steppenwolf’s Ensemble Theatre; “Heartbreak Hotel” through May 31 at the Marriott Theatre; “Windfall” through May 31 in Steppenwolf’s Ensemble Theatre; “Going Bacharach: The Songs of an Icon” through May 17 at the Apollo Theater; “Job” through June 14 at Writers Theatre; “The Movement You Need” through May 10 at Steppenwolf Theatre.