UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE AUDITORIUM THEATRE
Show Listings and Information
Through December 30, 2017
UPCOMING EVENTS
BALLET FOLKLÓRICO DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DE COLIMA | June 24, 2017
Under the direction of legendary Mexican choreographer and sculptor, Rafael Zamarripa Castañeda, Ballet Folklórico de la Universidad de Colima presents ¡Orgullo de la Tierra Mía!
The world-renowned Ballet Folklórico de la Universidad de Colima performs in Chicago for the first time as part of the 3rd Annual Chicago Mariachi Festival presented by the Mariachi Heritage Foundation.
Performance Information
Saturday, June 24 | 7:30PM
Tickets start at $40 and are available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here.
HANDS TOGETHER, HEART TO ART™
July 10-21, 2017 (ages 7-10)
July 24-August 4, 2017 (ages 11-14)
The Auditorium Theatre is proud to present the 13th season of its award-winning summer camp, Hands Together, Heart to Art™. This unique camp brings together young people between the ages of 7 and 14 who have experienced the death of a parent to engage in and celebrate the healing power of creative play™. Through the exploration and creation of dance, theatre, and music, Hands Together, Heart to Art™ encourages communication and collaboration, fosters emotional growth, and provides the consolation of friendship and compassion. Small group activities are facilitated by professional healing counselors, providing campers a safe time and place to express and share their feelings with peers.
Program Information
July 10-21 (Session One, ages 7-10)
July 24-August 4 (Session Two, ages 11-14)
Tuition for Hands Together, Heart to Art™ is $50 per child. Scholarship opportunities are available. For more information, please visit HTHTA.org or call 312.341.2353. Applications for HTHTA can be found here (available in Spanish here). Camp applications and scholarship applications are due by Friday, June 23.
DANCE FOR LIFE | August 19, 2017
Now in its 26th year, Dance for Life Chicago returns to the Auditorium Theatre with a program including Chicago’s premier dance companies – Giordano Dance Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and The Joffrey Ballet. The program also includes a three-part collaborative piece with Chicago Human Rhythm Project, Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater, and Trinity Irish Dance Company; Jessica Miller Tomlinson Choreography; and Visceral Dance Chicago. The evening will conclude with a celebratory finale choreographed by Randy Duncan.
Proceeds from Dance for Life Chicago 2017’s benefit performance will be contributed to the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and Chicago Dancers United’s Dancers’ Fund, which provides financial support to dance professionals experiencing critical health and life issues.
The performance will be preceded by a Gala Celebration at Hilton Chicago, 720 S Michigan Ave. Gala tickets are available for purchase on the Chicago Dancers United website.
Performance Information
Saturday, August 19 | 7:30PM
Tickets start at $15 and are on available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here.
THE VIETNAM WAR — AN EVENING WITH KEN BURNS AND LYNN NOVICK
September 7, 2017
The Auditorium Theatre and WTTW/Chicago PBS invite you to spend an evening with Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award-winning PBS filmmaker Ken Burns, and his directing and producing partner Lynn Novick, as they preview their new ten-part documentary series The Vietnam War (premiering on WTTW in September). Burns and Novick discuss the project and highlight excerpts from the 18-hour masterpiece, which includes testimony from nearly 100 witnesses to the war; rare, digitally-restored archival footage and photographs; and a score from Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and musician/producer Atticus Ross (The Social Network). Burns’ previous long-form documentary works include Baseball, The Roosevelts, and The Civil War, which The New York Times said cemented his place as “the most accomplished documentary filmmaker of his generation.”
Event Information
Thursday, September 7 | 6:30PM
Individual tickets are on sale now by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here. Tickets for the general public are $25, with discounts available for WTTW members and Auditorium Theatre subscribers. Discounted tickets for groups of 10 or more are available now.
A CONVERSATION WITH JUSTICE RUTH BADER GINSBURG | September 11, 2017
US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg speaks in conversation with Judge Ann Claire Williams of the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear Justice Ginsburg, who has served on the nation’s highest court since 1993, discuss her life and career. Justice Ginsburg was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2015 and is the best-selling author of My Own Words (2016).
Event Information
Monday, September 11 | 7PM
Individual tickets go on sale July 28 on 10AM and will be $15 for students and $35 for the general public.
FATHER JOHN MISTY | September 20, 2017
After selling out one Chicago concert, Father John Misty has announced additional headlining tour dates including a reserved-seats show at the historic Auditorium Theatre on September 20, 2017. The tour is in support of his newest record, Pure Comedy, out now on Sub Pop and Bella Union. MOJO Magazine says, “Pure Comedy is quite some trip and one that lifts Father John Misty to another level altogether.” [5/5 stars]
Support Act: Weyes Blood
Event Information
Wednesday, September 20 | 7:30PM
Tickets start at $29.50 and are on sale by phone at 800.982.2787 or online here.
SHEN WEI DANCE ARTS | September 23-24, 2017
Celebrated for its “gorgeous visual imagery” (The London Times) and “mesmerizing flow of invention” (The Boston Globe), Shen Wei Dance Arts makes its Chicago debut with two masterpieces by MacArthur “Genius” Award-winning choreographer and visual artist Shen Wei, known for his awe-inspiring choreography for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Folding conjures up a dreamlike world at once ancient and timeless that draws “gasps of wonder and contemplation” from the audience (San Francisco Chronicle). The groundbreaking Rite of Spring, set to Stravinsky’s famed score, brings the fresh eye of the outsider to this well-known music. Shen jettisons all narrative, responding instead with a highly charged abstraction. “The visual and emotional impact is overwhelming,” says The New York Times.
NIB FOUNDATION – International Dance Series Sponsor
Event Information
Saturday, September 23 | 7:30PM
Sunday, September 24 | 2PM
Individual tickets start at $29 and go on sale July 28 at 10AM. Shen Wei Dance Arts is part of the International Dance Series subscription package, which can be purchased now at AuditoriumTheatre.org or by calling 312.341.2300. Discounted tickets for groups of 10 or more people are also available now.
KATHLEEN BATTLE — UNDERGROUND RAILROAD: A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY
September 30, 2017
Legendary soprano Kathleen Battle makes her Auditorium Theatre debut with a powerful program of songs inspired by the Underground Railroad, the secret network that helped bring 19th-century slaves to freedom. The five-time Grammy winner and opera star brings “remarkable freshness and beauty” (The New York Times) to this performance of classic spirituals and traditional pieces, including “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” “Wade in the Water,” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Battle’s voice has been hailed as one of the “most beautiful in the world” by The Washington Post and “an agile, glimmering lyric soprano” by NPR.
Performance Information
Saturday, September 30 | 7:30PM
Individual tickets start at $36 and go on sale July 28 at 10AM. Kathleen Battle is part of the American Music Series subscription package, which can be purchased now at AuditoriumTheatre.org or by calling 312.341.2300. Discounted tickets for groups of 10 or more people are also available now.
ENSEMBLE ESPAÑOL SPANISH DANCE THEATER | October 6, 2017
“An ensemble of extraordinarily beautiful, passionate, superbly skilled dancers” (Chicago Sun-Times). Following their fiery 40th anniversary finale at the Auditorium Theatre and their triumphant performances in Spain in 2016, Ensemble Español returns to the Auditorium to open the 2017-18 “Made in Chicago” Dance Series with a new program that brilliantly blends flamenco, classical, contemporary, and traditional forms of dance. See the company the Chicago Tribune calls “exciting, sensual, and breathtaking.”
NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY – Performance Sponsor
THE PRIVATEBANK – Student Matinee Sponsor
THE ROBERT THOMAS BOBINS FOUNDATION – Student Matinee Sponsor
Performance Information
Friday, October 6 | 11AM – One hour student matinee performance
Friday, October 6 | 7:30PM
Individual tickets start at $29 and go on sale July 28 at 10AM. Student matinee tickets (for K-12 groups of 10+) are $10 and are available now at 312.341.2357. Ensemble Español is part of the “Made in Chicago” Dance Series subscription package, which can be purchased now at AuditoriumTheatre.org or by calling 312.341.2300. Discounted tickets for groups of 10 or more people are also available now.
THE JOFFREY BALLET – GISELLE | October 18-29, 2017
Staged by: Lola de Ávila
Music: Adolphe Adam
A sweeping tale of passion beyond the grave, de Ávila’s visionary Giselle elevates one of the greatest Romantic ballets to new heights. When a young peasant girl discovers her lover is betrothed to another, she dies of grief, only to be enlisted by the vengeful Wilis, a ghostly army of maidens who haunt the forests, dancing to death any male mortal who crosses their path. When her beloved wanders into their grasp, Giselle carries out the ultimate act of love to free him from his fate. An ethereal descent into madness, desire, and sublime beauty that will leave you breathless.
Performance Information
Wednesday, October 18 | 7:30PM
Friday, October 20 | 7:30PM
Saturday, October 21 | 2PM
Saturday, October 21 | 7:30PM
Sunday, October 22 | 2PM
Thursday, October 26 | 7:30PM
Friday, October 27 | 7:30PM
Saturday, October 28 | 2PM
Saturday, October 28 | 7:30PM
Sunday, October 29 | 2PM
Individual tickets go on sale August 1. Subscriptions are available now.
DAVID SEDARIS | November 1, 2017
With sardonic wit and incisive social critiques, David Sedaris has become one of America’s preeminent humor writers. The great skill with which he slices through cultural euphemisms and political correctness proves that Sedaris is a master of satire and one of the most observant writers addressing the human condition today. Sedaris is the author of the collections of personal essays Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, When You Are Engulfed in Flames, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modern Bestiary, and Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, all of which have become bestsellers. Sedaris’s pieces appear regularly in The New Yorker and have twice been included in The Best American Essays. Since 2011, he can be heard annually on a series of live recordings on BBC 4 Radio entitled Meet David Sedaris. David Sedaris’ new book is a collection of his diaries, entitledTheft By Finding Diaries (1977–2002).
Performance Information
Wednesday, November 1 | 8PM
Individual tickets start at $53.50 and are on sale now by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here.
A GOLDEN CELEBRATION OF DANCE | November 12, 2017
The Auditorium Theatre commemorates the golden anniversary of its grand re-opening with a one-night-only celebration of dance, featuring a mixed repertory program with dancers from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and Dutch National Ballet — plus more to be announced! This event memorializes the evening that the gloriously restored theatre re-opened in 1967 following a 26-year closure, when opening night patrons were treated to an unforgettable performance by New York City Ballet.
Performance Information
Sunday, November 12 | 7:30PM
Individual tickets start at $41 and go on sale July 28 at 10AM. A Golden Celebration of Dance is part of the International Dance Series subscription package, which can be purchased now at AuditoriumTheatre.org or by calling 312.341.2300. Discounted tickets for groups of 10 or more people are also available now.
2017 ANNUAL GALA HONORING SONIA FLORIAN
Edward Villella and Suzanne Farrell, Honorary Co-Chairs
Join us for the Auditorium Theatre’s Annual Gala, which includes a ticket to the Golden Celebration of Dance performance, preceded by the Gala Reception and Dinner at the Standard Club. This year, the Auditorium Theatre honors Sonia Florian of the NIB Foundation with the second annual Adler and Sullivan Award, recognizing her dedication to the arts and the Auditorium Theatre. When purchasing your subscription, please add the Gala Reception and Dinner.
For more information on Gala sponsorships, tables, and tickets, please contact Kelly Saroff at 312.341.2364 or [email protected].
ELLA AND LENA: THE LADIES AND THEIR MUSIC | November 17, 2017
Popular Chicago vocalist Joan Curto, called “a seasoned interpreter who makes every note count” by the Chicago Tribune, celebrates the legacies and centennial birthdays of two vocal icons: Ella Fitzgerald and Lena Horne. From the same team that brought the popular Cole Porter concert to the Auditorium last fall, the evening features Chicago favorites E. Faye Butler and Tammy McCann with Paul Marinaro, Sophie Grimm, Beckie Menzie, and Tom Michael. The show will include many of the songs that each woman truly made her own: “A-Tisket, A-Tasket,” “Oh, Lady Be Good,” “Lullaby of Birdland,” “The Man I Love,” “Stormy Weather,” and many more. This big-band celebration will be conducted by Rich Daniels and the City Lights Orchestra.
THE WALSH GROUP – Presenting Sponsor
Performance Information
Friday, November 17 | 7:30PM
Individual tickets start at $29 and go on sale July 28 at 10AM. Ella & Lena: The Ladies and Their Music is part of the American Music Series subscription package, which can be purchased now at AuditoriumTheatre.org or by calling 312.341.2300. Discounted tickets for groups of 10 or more people are also available now.
THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: SYMPHONY OF THE GODDESSES | November 18, 2017
Celebrating 30 years of stirring virtual adventure and memorable soundtracks with live orchestral renditions directly approved by franchise producer Eiji Aonuma, The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses brings the Zelda franchise to life with a 66-piece orchestra, 24-person choir, and a reimagined score that includes new movements from more recently released Zelda games such as Skyward Sword and the highly anticipated Breath of the Wild, while still paying homage to classic installments like Ocarina of Time and A Link to the Past.
The five-movement, multimedia symphony concert regales fans with Nintendo composer Koji Kondo’s original music, and recalls moments of Link conquering dungeons, running through forests, and struggling to decide what color tunic to wear. Throughout the evening, a video collage syncs up with the adventurous tunes to spotlight exciting moments from the venerable franchise.
Performance Information
Saturday, November 18 | 8PM
Tickets start at $38 and are available by phone at 312.341.2300 or online here.
THE JOFFREY BALLET – THE NUTCRACKER | December 1-30, 2017
Choreographer: © Christopher Wheeldon
Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Journey inside Chicago’s 1893 World’s Fair with Wheeldon’s critically-acclaimed holiday masterpiece. When young Marie and her mother, a sculptress who is creating the fair’s iconic Statue of the Republic, host a holiday party, a surprise visit from the charming Great Impresario sets off a Christmas Eve dream of whirlwind romance and adventure. A must-see tradition boldly reimagined for a new generation.
Performance Information
Friday, December 1 | 7PM
Saturday, December 2 | 2PM
Saturday, December 2 | 7PM
Sunday, December 3 | 2PM
Sunday, December 3 | 7PM
Thursday, December 7 | 7PM
Friday, December 8 | 7PM
Saturday, December 9 | 2PM
Saturday, December 9 | 7PM
Sunday, December 10 | 2PM
Sunday, December 10 | 7PM
Thursday, December 14 | 7PM
Friday, December 15 | 7PM
Saturday, December 16 | 2PM
Saturday, December 16 | 7PM
Sunday, December 17 | 2PM
Sunday, December 17 | 7PM
Wednesday, December 20 | 7PM
Thursday, December 21 | 2PM
Thursday, December 21 | 7PM
Friday, December 22 | 2PM
Friday, December 22 | 7PM
Saturday, December 23 | 2PM
Saturday, December 23 | 7PM
Sunday, December 24 | 2PM
Tuesday, December 26 | 2PM
Tuesday, December 26 | 7PM
Wednesday, December 27 | 7PM
Thursday, December 28 | 2PM
Thursday, December 28 | 7PM
Friday, December 29 | 2PM
Friday, December 29 | 7PM
Saturday, December 30 | 2PM
Individual tickets go on sale August 1.
About The Auditorium Theatre
The Auditorium Theatre 2017-18 Season is made possible in part with support from the MACARTHUR FOUNDATION and the PALMER HOUSE HILTON.
The Auditorium Theatre, located at 50 E Congress Pkwy, is an Illinois, not-for-profit organization committed to presenting the finest in international, cultural, community, and educational programming to Chicago, and to the continued restoration and preservation of the National Historic Landmark.
For more information about programming, volunteer, and donor opportunities or theatre tours, call 312.341.2310 or visit AuditoriumTheatre.org. For a complete listing of events at the Auditorium Theatre, please click here.
Auditorium Theatre, photo by Tatyana Perrault. | Ensemble Español, photo by Dean Paul. | David Sedaris, photo by Anne Fishbein. | Ella Fitzgerald and Lena Horne. | Ken Burns, photo by Justin Altman. | Ruth Bader Ginsburg, photo courtesy of the Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States. | Shen Wei Dance Arts, photo by Shu Lai. | Kathleen Battle, photo courtesy of Kathleen Battle.
