The Center for Performing Arts at Governors State University Hosts Family-Friendly Saturday Matinees
The Center Southland Spotlight on Saturday, October 11 at 2 p.m. and Ballet 5:8's La Llorona on Saturday, October 18 at 2 p.m.
This October, the Center for Performing Arts at Governors State University will continue its 30th Anniversary Legacy Season with Saturday afternoon matinees that celebrate local artistry and cultural storytelling: The Center Southland Spotlight on Saturday, October 11 at 2 p.m. and Ballet 5:8's La Llorona on Saturday, October 18 at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $25 to $74, with $20 tickets available for students and children, and additional discounts for seniors and groups.
The Center Southland Spotlight
On October 11, audiences are invited to experience the magic of musical theatre in The Center Southland Spotlight—a showcase of the South suburb's top community theatres. This afternoon celebration features show-stopping numbers from beloved musicals including Dreamgirls, Ragtime, Little Shop of Horrors, Cabaret, Hairspray, and more. Alongside previews of upcoming 2025–26 season productions, audiences will also enjoy highlights from recent seasons.
Curated by theatre artists Cordaro D. Johnson and Joshua X. Miller, the afternoon celebrates the diversity, artistry, and community spirit of the Southland. Johnson, a multifaceted director, stage manager, and writer, brings recent experience from productions such as Dreamgirls (Chicago Heights Drama Group) and For Colored Girls. Miller, a Chicago-born playwright and performer, is dedicated to uplifting Black and Queer voices and currently developing his new play At Arm's Length.
Ballet 5:8 – La Llorona
On October 18, Ballet 5:8, Chicago's premiere female- and minority-led ballet company, presents its critically acclaimed production La Llorona.
Rooted in the Mexican folktale of Maria—a grieving mother doomed to wander in sorrow—La Llorona reimagines the myth through a deeply human lens, illuminating struggles of postpartum depression and maternal mental health too often hidden in silence.
Choreographer Julianna Rubio Slager, a Mexican American artist and mother of three, draws from her lived experience to ask: What if Maria had received help? What if her pain had been understood instead of condemned?
“Maria is not a ghost story to me—she's a woman under pressure,” says Slager. “This ballet gives her back her voice.”
Following the performance, audiences are invited to participate in an optional talkback panel with artists and mental health professionals, creating space for reflection and dialogue.
About Ballet 5:8
Ballet 5:8 is a Chicago-based professional ballet company led by Mexican American choreographer Julianna Rubio Slager. Known for original, story-driven works that speak to today's most pressing issues, the company has been featured in Dance Magazine, WGN, ABC, NBC, and Modern Luxury. A resident company of the Harris Theater, Ballet 5:8 is committed to making ballet more human, more diverse, and more redemptive.
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