HEDDA GABLER and More Set for Remy Bumppo Theatre Company 30th Anniversary Season

Remy Bumppo Theatre Company has announced its 2025–2026 season, marking its 30th year of producing language-driven theatre in Chicago. The milestone season will include the Chicago premiere of Wish You Were Here by Sanaz Toossi, a revival of Hedda Gabler adapted by Christopher Shinn, and the return of the reading series Readings on Ravenswood in spring 2026.

Artistic Director Marti Lyons, who joined the company in 2023, says the upcoming season “celebrates the rich history of our past and the bold vision for our future,” with plays that reflect Remy Bumppo’s commitment to deep storytelling and ensemble work.

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Wish You Were Here

September 18 – October 19, 2025
Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave.

Remy Bumppo opens its season with the Chicago premiere of Wish You Were Here by Pulitzer Prize winner Sanaz Toossi, directed by Azar Kazemi. Set in Iran between 1978 and 1991, the play follows five women navigating friendship, change, and political upheaval during and after the Iranian Revolution.

Lyons describes the play as “an exquisite examination of friendship,” noting its alignment with Remy Bumppo’s focus on character-driven, language-rich storytelling.

The cast includes Shadee Vossoughi, Yourtana Sulaiman, Gloria Imseih Petrelli, Tina Arfaee, and Joan Nahid.

Performances run Thursdays through Sundays, with previews beginning September 18. Press opening is scheduled for September 21. Tickets range from $15–$55. Subscriptions are currently on sale; single tickets become available July 30 at TheaterWit.org.

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Hedda Gabler

February 5 – March 8, 2026
Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave.

Artistic Director Marti Lyons will direct a new staging of Hedda Gabler, adapted by Christopher Shinn from a literal translation by Anne-Charlotte Hanes Harvey. The classic Ibsen drama explores themes of constraint, manipulation, and personal agency through its enigmatic central character.

“This adaptation offers a deeply contemporary take on a timeless text,” said Lyons. “Shinn’s script reveals the emotional and moral complexity of people trying to break free from societal expectations while wrestling with their own complicity.”

The cast includes Aurora Real de Asua as Hedda, with Greg Matthew Anderson, Eduardo Curley, Annabel Armour, Linda Gillum, and Gloria Imseih Petrelli rounding out the ensemble. All but Anderson and Petrelli are members of Remy Bumppo’s Core Ensemble.

Performances follow a Thursday–Sunday schedule, with previews beginning February 5 and a press opening on February 9. Tickets are $15–$55. Subscriptions are available now; single tickets go on sale July 30.

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Readings on Ravenswood

Spring 2026
Remy Bumppo Rehearsal Room, 1751 W. Grace St.

Now entering its third year, Readings on Ravenswood will return in spring 2026 with a new slate of plays presented in an informal setting at the company’s rehearsal room. Each reading is followed by a conversation with the audience. The full lineup of playwrights, cast, and directors will be announced in 2026.

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Remy Bumppo Theatre Company continues to produce work grounded in language and ideas, often highlighting classic and contemporary texts in dialogue with current themes. All productions in the 30th anniversary season will be staged at Theater Wit in Lakeview, except Readings on Ravenswood, which remains at the company’s home base.

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