Come Back, Little Sheba at American Blues Theater

American Blues Theater, under the ongoing leadership of Executive Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, continues its 40th anniversary season with the reimagined classic Come Back, Little Sheba by William Inge and directed by Associate Artistic Director Elyse Dolan. Come Back, Little Sheba runs February 6 - March 22, 2026, in the American Blues Theater Studio Theater at 5627 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago.

Don’t miss this in-your-face, intimate staging in the Studio, starring award-winning actors Philip Earl Johnson & Gwendolyn Whiteside. With only 31 seats per performance, the Studio Theater immerses the audience directly in the Delaney’s living room. This up-close, explosive, and deeply personal experience lets viewers feel every emotional beat as if they were part of the family drama unfolding on stage.

Midwest town. Forced into marriage due to an unexpected pregnancy, former beauty queen Lola and recovering alcoholic Doc live a quiet life of heartbreak and regret until Marie, a young college student, becomes their border.

The cast of Come Back, Little Sheba features ensemble members Philip Earl Johnson (Doc Delaney), Joslyn Jones (Mrs. Coffman), and Gwendolyn Whiteside (Lola Delaney); artistic affiliates Maya Lou Hlava (Marie), Cisco Lopez (Milkman), and William Anthony Sebastian Rose II (Elmo the Postman); and performers Justin Banks (Bruce), Ethan Serpan (Turk), and Zach Shultz (Ed & Voice).