'Annie' and Arts News to Close Out 2025

‘Annie’ Delights with Music Theater Works

I’ll be the first to admit that I have no nostalgia for Annie. It’s not a musical I grew up with, and it’s not one I am terribly fond of. But I’ll also happily admit that any show with a cast of kids and a live dog is a perfect foray for the holiday season. Annie, particularly with Music Theater Works’ rendition, is a showy spectacular reminiscent of the glitz and glam of the golden age of Broadway circa the 1970s. The periodic video flashes with news reels or photos from the 1920s/30s were a terrific pièce de résistance to really transport the audience, particularly since so many audience members were kids.

Even Annie Grinchs like myself would be hard-pressed not to be immediately charmed by Elin Joy Seiler. She perfectly encapsulates the precocious Annie while at the same time balancing her joy and sorrow when need be. Seiler combined with the sleek worldliness of Michael Metcalf as Oliver Warbucks, is phenomenal. These two light up the theater every time they take the stage. Metcalf’s stoic-turned-warm Warbucks is a lovable fellow once his capitalist heart starts to soften.

Backing up Annie in her antics is an entire cast of talented child actors singing their hearts out and stealing scenes left and right. One actor in particular always stood out in the best way, making herself seen without distracting in ensemble scenes: Audrey Bucholz as Molly. Bucholz takes Molly’s role as the youngest of the orphans and runs with it. Her silliness elicited plenty of “aws” along the way.

Though the breakout star of this production is undoubtedly Sarah Smith as Miss Hannigan. In a very Bette Midler style, Smith rachets every moment up a notch. Her brassy tones hit Hannigan’s most iconic scenes note for note, with her hammy performance reminding us that she is more comic book villain than newsreel villain.

Admittedly, as an audience member in 2025, a nearly 50-year-old musical with a billionaire arms dealer at its center can be a little hard to watch at times. A musical like Annie is of its time, a reality shared by the source material itself and the musical that emerged later on. That’s a big reason live theater is so important; it can’t live in a vacuum. We experience it as we are in the time in which we are. History alters art as it passes through. Though, by the same token, it is also hard not to chuckle any time President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Bob Sanders) comes out with a grin on his face.

So, if you need a little sun for tomorrow, catch this show before it too becomes a piece of history.

Now playing through January 4, 2026 at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts - 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie, IL. Tickets are available here.

Chicago A&E News

• A Red Orchid Theatre will host the Chicago premiere of Birds of North America, a father-daughter drama by Anna Ouyang Moench, running from January 15 to February 22, 2026. Directed by Kirsten Fitzgerald, the production stars ensemble member John Judd alongside Cassidy Slaughter-Mason at the company's Old Town location. Single tickets and season subscriptions are currently available for purchase.

• Hell in a Handbag Productions presents the world premiere of The Real Housewives of The North Pole, a holiday parody written by David Cerda, running through January 4, 2026. The production is staged at The Clutch in Chicago's North Center neighborhood and features a cast of ensemble members, including Cerda, Terry McCarthy, and Robert Williams. Tickets for this festive satire are currently on sale.

• Pegasus Theatre Chicago is presenting the 39th Annual Young Playwrights Festival from January 1–24, 2026, at Chicago Dramatists. As the oldest festival of its kind in the United States, the event showcases one-act plays written by Chicago high school students and staged by industry professionals. Tickets are currently on sale, ranging from $15 to $30, with special weekday matinees available for school groups.

• Porchlight Music Theatre will present a concert production of Follies at the Studebaker Theater for two performances on April 25 and 26, 2026. The star-studded cast features Broadway veterans Anthony Rapp and Alexander Gemignani alongside acclaimed performers Michelle Duffy and Angela Ingersoll. This limited engagement also includes a large supporting company of Chicago favorites, such as Felicia P. Fields and Susie McMonagle, to bring Stephen Sondheim’s iconic score to life. More information and ticket info

  available here.

• Kokandy Productions has announced its 2026 season featuring three distinct shows at Chicago's Chopin Theatre. The lineup includes the "love-rock" musical HAIR, Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George, and a visceral adaptation of A Clockwork Orange: A Play with Music. Single tickets for the upcoming season are scheduled to go on sale starting Monday, February 2, 2026.

• Steppenwolf Theatre Company is continuing its 50th Anniversary Season with a production of August Strindberg’s The Dance of Death, adapted by Conor McPherson and directed by Yasen Peyankov. Running from January 29 to March 22, 2026, the play features an all-ensemble cast including co-founder Jeff Perry, Cliff Chamberlain, and Kathryn Erbe. Tickets for the production are currently on sale, starting at $20.

• Steppenwolf Theatre will host Jane Lynch, Kate Flannery, and the Tony Guerrero Quartet for a limited four-performance engagement of their comedy and music show, The Trouble With Angels, from April 9–11, 2026. This high-energy production blends cabaret, stand-up, and classic tunes to deliver a night of "unapologetic mischief" in the Downstairs Theater. Tickets are currently available to the general public with prices ranging from $79 to $149.

• Steppenwolf Theatre’s LookOut Series kicks off 2026 with a diverse lineup of eight programs featuring Chicago-based dance, cabaret, and music artists. The winter schedule in the 1700 Theater includes a collaboration between Shalaka Kulkarni and Rika Lin, as well as the episodic tribute The Uncanny Attic. Additionally, multidisciplinary artist Isabella Limosnero will premiere her new solo performance, Fold, as part of this vibrant showcase.

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