The 'Evangelikids' Come to Town and 2026 Announcements

Listen Up Kids: This Show’s Got Heart

I was a kid who talked to tomatoes. I had a fondness in my heart for VeggieTales, which didn’t add a lot to my spiritual life, but gosh, it was fun. My friends and I still reference “Where Is My Hairbrush” and The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything. And although I may not be the main demographic for Benny Bingo and the Evangelikids, because I was raised as what Benny Bingo would call a “fake Christian”, AKA a Catholic, it very much felt true to my lived experience, too.

Focused on the fictional set of Benny Bingo’s tv show, this musical explores the world of children’s Evangelical television. It provides biblical stories, allows the six children in the cast to examine them, and shows the kiddos doing kiddo stuff like playing a recorder—badly. More than that, it dives deeper into the darker side of this kind of endeavor, showing that too many questions can be a bad thing, and you should probably keep your inner thoughts to yourself. Even the Flamingo Club has its limits.

While composer and writer (and choreographer) Hugh Walker says in his bio that he’s passing his spiritual trauma on to us, the audience, by presenting this show, I think that’s actually disingenuous. What Walker does so beautifully in this parody musical is that he clearly recognizes his audience. The call-ins and references throughout the show resonate deeply with us, yet it never felt like too much. Walker’s musical toes the line of digging into painful topics. He teases them, insinuates them, yet never fully opens the wound. It makes the humor as well as the heartfelt moments land without being overly triggering, in my experience, anyway. Bravo to Walker for giving credence to the needs of the audience.

As for the cast, they make this text even more of a blast. Andrew Jessop is an ideal Benny Bingo. Seemingly calm, cool, and collected on the inside, with small hints of something lingering beneath that milquetoast facade. Meanwhile, every one of the Evangelikids is full of pep in their step for the lord, cheesing up the show for the cameras. Jono Mammel as Chris and Samantha Nieves as Samantha in particular are heart stealers.

Although I joked with my companion that there weren’t enough VeggieTales references, as that was really the only Christian kids’ media I consumed, Evangelikids took me by surprise. It easily could have gone the “Turn It Off” on-the-nose route of The Book of Mormon. Instead, this comedy musical gives us a nuanced look at Evangelical media. A glimpse into a world that often feels like a ticking time bomb and asks that we examine what we see—or saw—as real or carefully crafted fiction.

In a time when everything feels too heavy, too painful, and too much, this was a much-needed moment of levity.

Now playing on Friday nights at 7:30 p.m. through February 27 at The Annoyance Theatre & Bar, 851 W. Belmont Ave. Floor 2. Tickets are available online.

Chicago A&E News

• American Blues Theater continues its 40th anniversary season with a reimagined production of William Inge’s Come Back, Little Sheba, directed by Associate Artistic Director Elyse Dolan. Running from February 6 through March 22, 2026, the play features a cast that includes ensemble members Philip Earl Johnson, Gwendolyn Whiteside, and Joslyn Jones in an immersive, 31-seat Studio Theater setting. Tickets are currently available for purchase online or by phone.

• Black Ensemble Theater celebrates its 50th anniversary with a mission-driven season featuring major musical hits like The Jackie Wilson Story, Muddy Waters: The Hoochie Coochie Man, and The Other Cinderella. Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor highlights this milestone as a continuation of the company's legacy in using powerful storytelling to promote education and eradicate racism. In addition to the mainstage season, the theater will host special events throughout 2026, including the Soul of a Powerful Woman showcase, an annual gala, and the free Fridays on the Green summer concert series. Tickets are available online.

• The Goodman Theatre presents a major revival of August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, directed by Chuck Smith and featuring a cast of Chicago favorites including E. Faye Butler, Al’Jaleel McGhee, and Scott Aiello. The production runs from March 28 through April 26 in the Albert Theatre, with a celebrated opening night scheduled for April 6. Tickets range from $34 to $104 and can be purchased through the Goodman’s box office, by phone, or at their official website.

• Porchlight Music Theatre presents the special one-night event Shake It Away: The Ann Miller Story, written by and starring Kayla Boye, on Tuesday, March 3. Directed by Michael Weber, this 75-minute production will be held at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts. Tickets are currently available for $25; more details and tickets can be found on the production's official website.

• The Roald Dahl Story Company, in partnership with the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, presents the family musical The Enormous Crocodile at the historic Studebaker Theater from January 29 to February 21, 2026. The cast for this wickedly funny production includes Chelsea Da Silva as the title character, Precious Abimbola as Trunky the Elephant, and Jordan Eskeisa as Humpy Rumpy the Hippopotamus. After successful runs in the UK and other major US cities, this smash-hit adaptation brings Roald Dahl’s beloved characters to life through imaginative puppetry and music. Tickets for the first week of performances, January 29- February 1, 2026, will be available here, and performances from February 2-21 will be available here.

• Steppenwolf Theatre Company celebrates its 50th anniversary with August Strindberg’s The Dance of Death, featuring an all-ensemble cast directed by Yasen Peyankov. The production marks a significant homecoming for co-founder Jeff Perry, who stars alongside fellow ensemble members Cliff Chamberlain and Kathryn Erbe. Performances run from January 29 through March 22, 2026, in Chicago, with tickets currently available starting at $20.

• Todos Ponen: Una Noche De Pueblos y Platillos will take place on Monday, January 19, at the Ramova Theatre to raise funds for Latino families facing food insecurity and the impacts of ICE enforcement. Founded by Chef Diana Dávila of Mi Tocaya Antojería, this major culinary event features a massive lineup of talent, including Rick Bayless, Joe Flamm, and Carlos Gaytán. The initiative aims to provide 125 families with $800 grocery gift certificates to shop at local Latino-owned supermarkets like La Chiquita and El Guero. By raising an estimated $125,000, the event empowers families to choose their own food while strengthening neighborhood businesses. Beyond the food, the evening will feature live programming and music from guests such as Grupo Vanguardia and Mariachi Sirena. The event is sold out, but donations can be made here.

• The Story Theatre concludes its fifth season with the world premiere of Pot Girls, a new play exploring the power of women and language written and directed by ensemble members Paul Michael Thomson and Ayanna Bria Bakari. The production runs from February 12 through March 1, 2026, at Raven Theatre’s Schwartz Stage in Chicago, with the possibility of extended dates. Tickets for this anticipated premiere can be purchased online or via the box office.

• The Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts at Northwestern University has unveiled its winter season. The upcoming lineup includes notable productions such as Bertolt Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle and the Tony Award-winning musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Interested patrons can purchase tickets online, by phone, or at the Wirtz Center box office on the Evanston campus.

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