Writers Theatre to Present THE STOPPARD SERIES Alongside LEOPOLDSTADT Production

Writers Theatre will present The Stoppard Series, a curated collection of lectures, conversations, and community events to illuminate the historical and personal layers of the Writers production of Leopoldstadt, written by the late, celebrated playwright Tom Stoppard.

The sweeping yet intimate semi-autobiographical play Leopoldstadt, directed by Carey Perloff, will run June 4 - July 19, 2026, in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. Leopoldstadt includes a 29-member ensemble of Chicago actors and script revisions made by Stoppard and Perloff expressly for the Writers Theatre production.

In celebration of the largest production in Writers Theatre history and the finalplay from one of our era's greatest playwrights, Writers Theatre presents The Stoppard Series, an unprecedented line-up of special events to enhance the experience of the production.

The Stoppard Series line-up includes:

The Green Room: A Conversation with Leopoldstadt director Carey Perloff

Wednesday, May 6 at 7pm
FREE

Join in for a live Q&A with the director, close friend, and collaborator of the late Tom Stoppard. Carey Perloff, making her WT debut, is an award-winning director renowned for her productions of the work of Sir Tom Stoppard. Carey will speak of their relationship, her connection to his work and how they worked together to re-imagine pages of the original Leopoldstadt production exclusively for the stage at WT. A podcast featuring highlights from the conversation will be available following the live event.

A Community Transformed: Leopoldstadt Then and Now

A Leopoldstadt Lecture
Monday, June 1 at 7pm
Pay What You Can (minimum of $5)

Although the play mostly takes place across the Danube, the Leopoldstadt neighborhood of Vienna has been the traditional hub of Jewish cultural life for centuries. The neighborhood played an important role in the transformative events of the first half of the twentieth century—and continues to be a vital part of the urban tapestry of the Austrian capital. Mechtild Widrich (School of the Art Institute) and Anna Souchuk (DePaul University) will lead this program exploring the cultural history of Leopoldstadt from the Habsburg era to today.

Mechtild Widrich is Chair and Professor in the Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and editor of the book Wien II. Leopoldstadt, 1998 (German), which explores the cultural history of this Viennese district. She writes on commemoration and modern/contemporary art in Central Europe and beyond.

Anna Souchuk is Associate Professor of German and Associate Dean of University Programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at DePaul University. A scholar of twentieth century Germany and Austria with a focus on contemporary Vienna, her research focuses on memory culture, the Austrian process of coming to terms with the past, and refugee studies in Austria and Germany. Dr. Souchuk teaches a wide variety of courses in both German and English for DePaul's German Program, Liberal Studies Program, and Honors Program. She's also developed study abroad programs at DePaul: a program to Vienna on coffeehouse culture and fin-de-siècle Vienna; and a second program to Berlin and Vienna that focuses on history, memory, and the refugee experience in those two cities. In addition to her work at DePaul, Dr. Souchuk serves as Executive Director of the American Friends of the Vienna Museum.

Vienna, City of Dreams: A Leopoldstadt Lecture

Tuesday, July 7 at 7pm
Pay What You Can (minimum of $5)

At the turn of the 20th century, Vienna was one of the cultural capitals of Europe and the center of Austria-Hungary, one of the imperial powers ruling the continent. Led by John Deak, Associate Professor at the University of Notre Dame, this lecture covers the geopolitical context of the 20th century's first 50 years and Vienna's role in those decades' momentous events.

John Deak is an Associate Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame. His first book, Forging a Multinational State: State Making in Imperial Austria from the Enlightenment to the First World War (Stanford University Press, 2015), was awarded the Austrian State Prize for Social Science History in 2018. His recent work on the First World War has been published in the Journal of Modern History and (with Jonathan Gumz) in the American Historical Review and Contemporary Austrian Studies. Broadly interested in European history since the Enlightenment, he teaches courses on German History, the First World War, Nazi Germany, and his specialty, the History of the Habsburg Empire. He currently lives on campus as faculty-in-residence with his wife and Sieglinde-the-mini-schnauzer in Dunne Hall, a men's dorm. When not working in the archives of the former Habsburg Empire and researching his next book, you can find him drinking a double espresso in Café Prückel in Vienna or hiking the former battlefields of the First World War in Slovenia.

Welcome to Shabbat: An Interfaith Evening of Ritual & Community

Hosted by Writers Theatre and Congregation Sukkat Shalom
Friday, July 10 at 6pm (service with a dinner to follow) at Congregation Sukkat Shalom, 1001 Central Ave in Wilmette
6pm Service – FREE and open to all.
7pm Dinner – Tickets: $35

Rituals around prayer and food, as depicted in Leopoldstadt, are central to Jewish culture. One of the key rituals is the observance of Shabbat on Friday night. This welcoming interfaith gathering includes an accessible Shabbat service followed by a shared dinner. We'll explain traditions as we go and create space for reflection, connection, and community. Open to everyone. If cost is a barrier for you, please reach out to the Box Office at boxoffice@writerstheatre.org or 847-242-6000.

Folks Operetta presents Operetta in Exile

Tuesday, July 14 at 7pm
Tickets: $35

Operetta was the most popular form of entertainment in Vienna for half a century before the Anschluss. But with its penchant  for social satire and its disproportionate number of Jewish librettists, composers and performers, the genre of operetta had a troubled relationship with the Third Reich. As was true throughout the arts and sciences, many of operetta's finest creative minds either perished or were forced into exile. In this multi-media concert, Chicago's own Folks Operetta will celebrate the stories and music of the librettists and composers of that era.

The Inheritance of Art

Tuesday, July 21 at 7pm

Pay What You Can (minimum of $5)

In partnership with the Art Institute of Chicago, this panel examines the theft, displacement and restitution of artworks in the years leading up to, during and after World War II and how provenance researchers work to recover these stories.

Education Events:

Leopoldstadt Family Matinee

Saturday, June 20 at 2pm
Ages 5-11
$12 per participant for subscribers, $15 per participant for single ticket holders. 

WT wants seeing theatre to be easy for parents and caregivers. Drop young ones off at an onsite theatre class while you catch the Saturday matinee! Workshops for youth are designed to be active, fun and adaptable for multiple ages and abilities. Young people ages 5–11 are welcome.

Extend the Experience: Leopoldstadt Post-Show Creative Workshops for Adults

Saturdays, July 11 and 25 at 1pm
$10

Dive deeper into the world of Leopoldstadt with immersive creative workshops designed to expand your connection to the production. Using the Jewish Studio Process methodology, participants who have seen the show will be thoughtfully guided through small-group text study, self-directed artmaking and reflective writing as they explore powerful text, themes, and topics from Leopoldstadt. Join us for a hands-on engaging experience that brings the story to life in new and meaningful ways. Open to all – no art-making or Jewish background necessary!

Leopoldstadt: The Final Word Audience Discussion

Sundays, June 28 and July 19 at 12pm
FREE

Keep the conversation going! Join fellow audience members and WT Artistic staff for a lively, in-person discussion delving into the characters, production elements and themes of the play. Come share your impressions and uncover new perspectives as we reflect on the story, its characters, and the creative choices behind this staging. This event is intended for patrons who have seen Leopoldstadt.