Goodman Theater Announces Summer Programming, Including “The Lizard y El Sol” Tour

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These events complement The Goodman’s previously announced summer programming, including two musicals: Iceboy! and Octet, plus more.

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Goodman's Centennial 25/26 Season will conclude with programming for all ages, interests and neighborhoods. The theater has unveiled its 4th annual partnership with Chicago Park District’s “Night Out in the Parks” to bring The Lizard y El Sol, a Theater for the Very Young (TVY) play, into 12 public spaces citywide. At the same time, famed longtime improvisers, actors and friends TJ Jagodowski and David Pasquesi (with musical guest Ike Reilly) return for a third summer in the Owen Theatre with their comedy show TJ and Dave. Plus, Chicago playwrights William Glick and Lachrisa Grandberry, The Goodman’s 25/26 New Stages Residency playwrights, offer a first look at their new plays in free readings while The Goodman welcomes 60+ high schoolers for its annual youth summer programs—Playbuild Youth Intensive and Musical Theatre Intensive.

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These events complement The Goodman’s previously announced summer programming, including two musicals: Iceboy! or, The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O’Neill Came to Write “The Iceman Cometh,” starring Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman in its world premiere, and Raven Theatre’s hit Octet transferring to The Goodman following a sold-out run in its north side home. In addition, Dennis Watkins welcomes internationally celebrated magician Eric Jones to The Magic Parlour for a three-week residency next month, and Theater of the Mind continues through August 30 with a new $99 “Make It a Date Night” ticket package now available.

Music By Mark Hollmann Lyrics by Mark Hollmann and Jay Reiss Book by Erin Quinn Purcell and Jay Reiss Directed by Marc Bruni | Choreographed by JoAnn M. Hunter Through August 9 | The Albert Theatre Tickets: $49-$209, subject to change

Broadway’s brightest star of 1939, Vera Vimm, is at the top of her game—until she adopts a 40,000-year-old Neanderthal discovered frozen in the Arctic. As Iceboy thaws, he unexpectedly becomes a theatrical sensation, inspiring Eugene O’Neill and challenging Vera for center stage. The world-premiere production stars Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman and features music by Mark Hollmann , lyrics by Mark Hollmann and Jay Reiss , and book by Erin Quinn Purcell and Jay Reiss —the Tony Award-winning creators behind Urinetown (Hollmann, with Greg Kotis ) and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Reiss, with Rachel Sheinkin and William Finn )—with Grey Henson in the title role, Cedric Yarbrough, Sarah Stiles , Alex Goodrich and more. Directed by Marc Bruni with choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter, it’s at once the capstone of The Goodman’s Centennial Season and its latest in a long history premiering new large-scale American musicals. The Goodman is grateful for the support of Edgerton Foundation (New Play Award), Mayer Brown (Lead Corporate Sponsor) and Athletico Physical Therapy (The Official Physical Therapy Provider for Goodman Theatre). GoodmanTheatre.org/Iceboy

July 10-26 | 50 W. Randolph Tickets: $76-$106

A special guest star, a new block of tickets, and more magic comes to The Magic Parlour this summer. Acclaimed third-generation Magician Dennis Watkins announces a new block of tickets for performances through end of year, December 2026. In addition, “Chicago’s premiere resident magician” (Chicago Tribune) welcomes Eric Jones —a fan favorite and semi-finalist on NBC’s America’s Got Talent who stunned the famed magicians on Penn & Teller: Fool Us—for a limited three-week residency this summer. Now in its third year, The Magic Parlour is a custom magic theater in the heart of the Loop that has welcomed more than 28,000 Chicagoans to 700+ performances and bespoke private events—including hosting some of the nation’s greatest magicians as guest artists-in-residence and special performances.

Presented by The Goodman Directed by Kiera Fromm | Music Directed by Nick Sula | Choreographed by Laura Savage July 15-26 | The Owen Theatre Tickets: $44-94

In an anonymous meeting room on the North Side of Chicago, a group of people—always eight—gathers to sing. Best known for the Broadway hit Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet Of 1812, Dave Malloy ’s Octet uses chamber-inspired a cappella music to explore the total impact of life online. Hailed by The New York Times as “the most original and topical musical of the year” for its 2019 Off-Broadway premiere, this inventive and acutely relevant piece reflects the perils of the digital age.

Presented as part of the Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks Series, supported by the Mayor’s Office and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) Co-Directed by Jamal Howard and Raquel Torre July 22 – August 9 | Appearing at 12 locations citywide Tickets: FREE; reservations encouraged but not required

This summer, The Lizard y El Sol springs to life in 11 parks and 1 library across the city, bringing free outdoor theater adventures for children ages 0–5 and the grown-ups who love them. When El Sol (the sun) mysteriously vanishes from the sky, it’s up to one brave Lizard to embark on a quest to find and bring back the light. Audiences of all ages will enjoy this enchanting retelling of a beloved Mexican folktale featuring interactive storytelling and Mexican-inspired music and dance. The play is presented primarily in Spanish, but is designed to be enjoyed and understood by both Spanish and non-Spanish speakers. All performances are one hour long followed by a hands-on workshop for audiences. The Goodman is grateful for the support of the Laura Sachs Foundation (Major Individual Sponsor), Wintrust Commercial Bank (Community Programs Sponsor), Kirkland & Ellis (Arts in Community Sponsor).

“Through our partnership with Night Out in the Parks, we're able to bring high-quality theatre directly into neighborhoods across Chicago, creating opportunities for children to experience the wonder, the joy and the connection that live performance offers,” said Clifford Director of Education and Engagement Jared Bellot , who oversees Theater for the Very Young, PlayBuild and Musical Theatre Intensive summer youth programs. “At The Goodman, we believe that our youngest audiences deserve richly intentional artistic experiences, and this production reminds us that theater can spark curiosity, build community and help young people see themselves as active participants in the world around them."

Theater for the Very Young (TVY) programming offers immersive theatrical experiences—produced and performed by professional artists—designed for children ages 0–5 years old to experience alongside the grown-ups in their lives. Created in 2023 by Goodman Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth in response to research demonstrating the profound impact the arts can have on early childhood development and long-term learning outcomes, TVY introduces Chicagoland’s youngest audiences to live theater through storytelling, music, movement and sensory-rich play produced and performed by professional artists. Over the past three years, TVY has served thousands of children and families in Chicago parks, theaters, schools and community spaces with productions of the plays Splish Splash: A Day on the Lake (2026); Book Up! (2025); The Lizard y El Sol (2024); and Pearl Cleage ’s In My Granny’s Garden (2023).

With special musical guest Ike Reilly July 30-31, August 1 at 7:30pm | The Owen Theatre Tickets: $29-49

TJ Jagodowski and David Pasquesi —"two of the world’s finest practitioners of the art of long-form improv” (Time Out Chicago)—bring their unforgettable live performance back to The Goodman's Owen stage. Over the past two decades at venues across the country and overseas, TJ and Dave walk out on stage without characters, dialogue or plot. One hour later, their two-person completely improvised show leaves an audience with one of the funniest nights of their lives. Hailed as “Second City-seasoned masters of long form improv” (The New York Times) and “Zen masters of their art; improv virtuosos, blissful to watch” (The Guardian) serving up “the best improv comedy we’ve ever seen: brilliant, heart-breaking, mind-blowing and inspiring” (Time Out New York), Jagodowski and Pasquesi have become living legends in their field. Don’t miss their limited three-night-only engagement—with special musical guest, Ike Reilly. GoodmanTheatre.org/TJandDave

PlayBuild Youth Intensive | June 22 – July 27 Musical Theater Intensive | July 6 – August 10

Over sixty high schoolers join The Goodman’s long-running summer youth programs—PlayBuild and Musical Theater Intensive—this summer. Both five-week programs are offered FREE and full-time, with participants attending Monday through Thursday working with teaching artists and local theater professionals. PlayBuild Youth Intensive (June 22 – July 27) immerses participants in the building blocks of live storytelling and performance, refining their skills in acting, playwriting, creative writing, improvisation, physical theater and ensemble work. Students learn a range of skills from local industry professionals and devise an original theater production created by the PlayBuild ensemble. Musical Theater Intensive (July 6 – August 10) is a pre-professional program that introduces and supplements musical theater knowledge in its participants, acquainting them with the demanding lifestyle of performance as they refine skills in acting, dancing, singing, storytelling and ensemble work, also culminating with a final performance on The Goodman stage. The Goodman is grateful for the support of the Quaker Oats Company (Corporate Support of PlayBuild Youth Intensive).

The Last Time We Saw Them by William Glick | July 20 | 7:30pm | Healy Rehearsal Hall Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens by Lachrisa Grandberry | September 17 | 7pm | Alice Center Tickets: FREE; reservations open three weeks prior to each reading

Be first to experience the plays of tomorrow with staged readings of works-in-progress from this season's New Stages Residents—Chicago-based writers creating new pieces in collaboration with The Goodman. Established in 2010 as the " Playwrights Unit ," the New Stages Residency supports multiple writers each season, offering tailored developmental support for works-in-progress and fostering close connections between Goodman staff and Chicago artists. Residency writers are embedded in The Goodman’s artistic staff for the season and are considered artists-in-residence at the theater. The Goodman is grateful for the support of the Ruth D. And Ken M. Davee New Works Fund (Major Support of New Play Development), Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation (Major Support of New Work), and Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust (Major Support of New Work).

Co-created by David Byrne and Mala Gaonkar Directed by Andrew Scoville Through August 30 | Reid Murdoch Building, 333 N. LaSalle St. Tickets: Starting at $69; subject to change

Directed by Andrew Scoville and Technology Director Heidi Boisvert, PhD, Theater of the Mind is a 75-minute mind-bending sensory journey for 16 audience members at a time. Led by a Guide whose stories are inspired by the creators' lives, audiences explore how they perceive the world through sensory experiments derived from both historical and current neuroscience research that reveal the inner mysteries of the brain. A new “Make it a Date Night” package is now available: $99 for two tickets, two complimentary drinks at the Theater of the Mind bar, and a free dessert-for-two w

_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/chicago/article/THE-LIZARD-Y-EL-SOL-Tour-and-More-Set-for-The-Goodman-Summer-Programming-20260623)._