ICE CREAM CIRCUS! to Tour Chicago Parks as Part of Night Out in the Parks

Lookingglass Theatre Company will present Ice Cream Circus! 2026, a free, family-friendly theatrical event presented as part of the Chicago Park District's Night Out in the Parks series. Created in association with Actors Gymnasium, Ice Cream Circus! tours parks across Chicago and Evanston June 2 – 7, 2026.

A wordless story of wonder, kindness, and play, Ice Cream Circus! combines dance, clown, and circus arts to tell an original story designed for audiences of all generations and language backgrounds. Performed outdoors in neighborhood parks, the production celebrates the transformative magic of a simple act of kindness.

Ice Cream Circus! is created and directed by Kasey Foster and Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi, in collaboration with the cast: Kaitlyn Andrews, Alexander D'Amazing, Kat Hoil, Julie Matolo, and Jacinda Ratcliffe. Ice Cream Circus! was inspired by workshops with over 600 Chicago Public School students and community members including Communities in Schools Chicago, Chicago Help Initiative, Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago, Trumbull Park Line Dancers, Austin Town Hall Cheerleaders, PODER, and students at Dyett High School for the Arts, Solorio Academy High School, and Palmer, Hurley, Tilton, Parker, New Sullivan, Libby, Webster, Mozart, and Earle Elementary.  

All performances are free and open to the public, with no RSVP required. Neighborhood ice cream vendors will be present at each performance, with treats available for purchase. Audiences are encouraged to bring blankets and/or chairs for outdoor seating. In the event of inclement weather, performances will move indoors to park fieldhouses at each location. Updates and weather-related announcements will be posted on Lookingglass Theatre Company's social media channels and website. Additional information is available at lookingglasstheatre.org.

Performance Dates and Locations

Tuesday, June 2 at 5:00 p.m. — Seneca Park, 220 E Chicago Ave, Chicago
Wednesday, June 3 at 5:00 p.m. — Trumbull Park, 2400 E. 105th St, Chicago
Thursday, June 4 at 5:00 p.m. — Gage Park, 2411 W. 55th St, Chicago
Friday, June 5 at 5:00 p.m. — Columbus Park, 500 S. Central Ave, Chicago
Sunday, June 7 at 4:00 p.m. — Tallmadge Park, 927 Noyes St, Evanston

Ice Cream Circus is made possible by the generous support of our collaborators and partners Chicago Park District, Actors Gymnasium, ComEd Powering  the Arts, and Marc, Maureen, and Elana Schulman.

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Featured Performer in a Play - Top 3

1. Laurie Metcalf - Death of a Salesman

8.5% of votes

2. June Squibb - Marjorie Prime

5.3% of votes

3. Danny Burstein - Marjorie Prime

5.3% of votes

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