About Face Theatre Announces Return of Re/Generation Studio 2026

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Re/Generation Studio will be held March 22-23, 2026, with free events at The Alice at Goodman Theatre.

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About Face Theatre will present the return of Re/Generation Studio, a weekend of community building, education, and performance to help build the future of queer theater. Re/Generation Studio will be held March 22-23, 2026, with free events at The Alice at Goodman Theatre,

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All events and workshops are free and open to the public. Re/Generation Studio is recommended for ages 12 and older. Attendees are encouraged to register in advance at https://aboutfacetheatre.com or in-person at the events. Early registration is encouraged to help About Face prepare space and food, and some events may reach capacity. See individual event listings below for more details.

Re/Generation Studio 2026 is a powerful expression of the About Face mission to advance LGBTQ+ equity through community building, education, and performance. Through a variety of fun and interactive events, attendees can participate in new play development, professional development workshops, and lively discussion. This year includes the 10-year anniversary reading of a beloved play and the premiere of the latest from the company's Youth Ensemble.

About Face first premiered Re/Generation Studio in February 2023. It was envisioned as a space for reconnecting and re-imagining after the social and creative isolation of the pandemic. The overwhelmingly positive response to these workshops proved that Chicago’s creative communities are eager for a chance to rebuild community bonds and engage in collective dreaming and creating.

Friday, May 22, 2026 | 5:30-6:30pm

Enjoy complimentary drinks, light bites, and conversations leading into a weekend of connection and camaraderie. Meet up with working folks in the industry, explore the world of theatre-making, and learn how About Face Theatre continues celebrating new work from emerging queer voices. Reception will be held at Goodman Theatre in The Alice, 170 N. Dearborn Chicago.

Friday, May 22, 2026 | 6:30-8:00pm

Featuring excerpts from: Straddle, written by Harrison David Rivers and directed by Megan Carney, and The Council of Femmes, written by Willow Wilhelm and directed by Landree Fleming .

From the first flutter to the long game, two electric plays trace the dizzying search for the one and the sweet work of keeping the spark alive. Plus we’ll take a peek behind the curtain to explore the secret language of design that reveals theatrical and unforgettable LGBTQ+ romance onstage, featuring Modern Gentleman lighting designer Conchita Avitia. Show up as you are! No degree required. Just bring your heart.

Saturday, May 23, 2026 | 11:00-1:00pm

Produced with Ways and Means Theatre Company.

Marriage equality finally reaches the U.S. and commitment-shy David finds himself unsure how to react to the nation’s honeymoon phase. Nervous in the face of “wedding fever,” he retreats to his home full of unopened books and his grieving activist roommate. When his Best Friend ’s bachelor party takes him to Montreal, he’s unexpectedly swept off his feet by a beautiful young florist. In the months that follow, David and his non-traditional family must decide for themselves what it really means to be committed, what it means to be married and what it means to be queer.

We’re thrilled to highlight this 10-year anniversary reading of a play written by one of About Face Theatre ’s treasured Artistic Associates, the prolific Philip Dawkins . Our original production was directed by Stephen Brackett at Theater Wit and Le Switch was a big hit because of the many ways it captured the moment in the movement for marriage equality. That 2016 production came to life in partnership with Jungle Theatre in Minneapolis who also produced the play that same year. We’re excited to hear it again, to trace our community’s evolution over the past 10 years, and to experience the story through the vision of our friends at Ways and Means Theatre.

Ways and Means Theatre exists to produce courageous, language-rich theatre that interrogates the human condition with both intellectual fearlessness and deep emotional truth. As an ensemble-driven company rooted in Chicago, we bring together artists and audiences to engage with the great dramatic literature of the past and the vital new works of today — sparking the conversations that move our community forward.

Saturday, May 23, 2026 | 1:00-3:00pm

Picking up where our Director’s Town Hall left off last year, About Face Theatre , Bramble Theatre Company, and Remy Bumppo Theatre Company have been gathering information about how our educational programming can better serve emerging directors in the Chicago theatre community.

During this workshop we’ll review some of the findings from our Emerging Directors survey to give our community a better understanding of what directors need now to thrive. We’ll have a few sample activities to try out based on our findings, with space for feedback. Finally, we’ll do some visioning about the structure of an educational directors program created for and by directors. LGBTQ+ directors and makers will be centered, though everyone is welcome!

Facilitated by: Lexi Saunders, Nadya Naumaan, and Dionne Addai. Produced by: Dan Washelesky, Christina Casano, and Dionne Addai.

Saturday, May 23, 2026 | 3:30 – 5

Written and performed by Amy Boggs, Cassandra Tenorio-McBride, Joanna Sempsey, Miracle Gbegan, Miles Gutierrez, Ira Hidayah Mohammad Noor, and Rosalinda Rivera. Directed by Pen Wilder and Dionne Addai.

The world is full of domino effects – comments made in passing, dismissive tones, micro and macro aggressions. These moments can influence the decisions someone makes even years down the line…

About Face Theatre ’s Queer Youth Ensemble presents Vantage Point, an exploration of how our identities shape each moment of our lives—and what can happen when we step into someone else’s perspective. All are welcome to attend this culminating performance of our youth leaders, and participate in a talk back after the show!

Saturday, May 23, 2026 | 5:00-6:00pm

Come celebrate our Youth Ensemble and the closing of the 4th annual Re/Generation Studio!

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/chicago/article/About-Face-Theatre-to-Present-the-return-of-ReGeneration-Studio-2026-20260515)._