Wendy Mateo News

Watch a first look video of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao at Goodman Theatre, now running through April 12, 2026.

THE BRIEF WONDROUS LIFE OF OSCAR WAO is a lopsided stage adaptation of Junot Díaz’s 2007 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. While the first act is tight and focuses squarely on the budding relationship between ultra-nerd Oscar Wao and his freshman year college roommate Yunior, the second act incorporates almost all the other key plot points from Díaz’s text. As a result, the first half is a charming and sweet “bromance,” but the second half of this English language premiere (the production was originally produced in Spanish at Repertorio NYC) is sprawling, overlong, and not that engaging. There’s simply no reason this adaptation needed to be almost three hours.

The Goodman will present an eight-performance extension for the world premiere of Marco Antonio Rodríguez’s English stage adaptation of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao— based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Junot Díaz.

Get a first look inside rehearsals of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao—Marco Antonio Rodríguez’s world-premiere English-language stage adaptation of Junot Díaz’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, directed by Wendy Mateo.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is coming to Chicago in a new English-language stage adaptation by Marco Antonio Rodríguez, continuing The Goodman’s Centennial 2025/26 Season

Lookingglass Theatre Company has revealed the plays and creative teams for its inaugural new works festival: GglassFest. Learn more about the festival and see how to attend!

Celebrate a century of innovation at Goodman Theatre with six world premieres, including two musicals, a major cultural attraction, and beloved annual productions. Join us for a year-long citywide event and a festival of new plays from September 2025 to August 2026.

Chicago’s Tony Award-winning Lookingglass Theatre Company held a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Water Tower Water Works earlier this month. Learn more here!

Chicago’s Tony-Award winning Lookingglass Theatre Company has announced its current 2025 season including two mainstage productions, events, and more.

After pausing its operations last year to reorganize and create a new business model, Chicago’s Tony-Award winning Lookingglass Theatre Company is welcoming two new Board members as it prepares to reopen January 30, 2025. Learn more!

Five new works—four developmental plays plus one musical in free public readings—are on tap this December for Goodman Theatre's 2024 New Stages Festival, under Artistic Susan V. Booth and Director of New Works Kat Zukaitis.

Jackalope Theatre Company will return to the Broadway Armory with the 15th Annual Living Newspaper Festival in September.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company continues its 48th season with the Chicago premiere of Larissa FastHorse’s The Thanksgiving Play, a biting comedy about everything right, wrong and woke in America, directed by Jess McLeod. Check out photos from inside opening night here!

Chicago Dramatists will host a unique two-night theatrical celebration of acclaimed Mark Larson's new book, Working in the 21st Century: An Oral History of American Work in a Time of Social and Economic Transformation.

Collaboraction and Teatro Vista Productions will team to present a free, outdoor, staged concert version of Sandra Delgado’s smash hit La Havana Madrid, Friday, August 23, 2024 at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion as part of Millennium Park’s 20th Anniversary Season.

Get the latest updates from LOOKINGGLASS THEATRE COMPANY. For interviews and additional information, contact James Juliano.

Teatro Vista, Chicago’s premier Latine theatre, announced their Fall production, ¡BERNARDA!, an audacious new take on Federico García Lorca’s classic “The House of Bernarda Alba,” directed by Teatro Vista Producing Artistic Director Wendy Mateo and written by Emilio Williams will add two weeks to its run.

Teatro Vista, Chicago's premier Latine theatre, has announced their Fall production, ¡BERNARDA!, an audacious new take on Federico García Lorca's classic “The House of Bernarda Alba,” directed by Teatro Vista Producing Artistic Director Wendy Mateo and written by Emilio Williams will add two weeks to its run.

Teatro Vista, Chicago’s premier Latine theatre, has released new images of their Fall production, ¡BERNARDA!, an audacious new take on Federico García Lorca’s classic “The House of Bernarda Alba.”

The Clinic, Congo Square Theatre Company's (Congo Square) popular old-school radio drama, culminates with its third and final season with all episodes now available online.