Month: April 2026

This month’s reading is . . . MINOTAUR by Caridad Svich

“The last recording of the ghost story of empire. A fever dream. An encounter with a beast in exile, fallen and re-fallen from ‘grace.’ Or simply, a day in politics.

MINOTAUR stages the final interview of a former revolutionary turned relic – part political icon, part beast – sustained by the wreckage of their own mythmaking. What does it mean to kill a legend? Who gets to tell the story of empire’s end? How do bodies persist when history forgets them – and how does power survive inside the machines we leave running? Blending myth and political critique, MINOTAUR asks what remains after the spectacle dies.

This play is amplified. This is event theatre.”

This play is recommended for ages 18+.

More details on HERE. April 29th only.

From Broadway World on April 14th:

The Workshop Theater will present a special one-night only reading of Words Matter with plays inspired by the words “Telling Generations of Stories” by Monet Hurst-Mendoza, Mariana Carreño King, Phanésia Pharel, and Caridad Svich which will be presented May 4, 2026 at the Intrepid Museum for the benefit of the Veteran’s Spouse Project.

Words Matter is a unique annual initiative where The Workshop Theater partners with a non-profit organization doing critical work in the community. This year, The Workshop is proud to partner with the Veteran’s Spouse Project, who are dedicated to sharing the stories of generations of military spouses, uniting the military and civilian communities through connection and creativity. Four groundbreaking playwrights are commissioned to create new plays inspired by conversations with military spouses which are then cast and produced for an evening celebrating the work of Veteran’s Spouse Project. 

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You can read the full article and access a ticket link HERE.

A snippet from the April 23rd review from the Chicago Reader:

Svich’s script brims with gorgeous poetic interpolations alongside snippets of Shakespeare’s text as Ophelia goes through fresh iterations of her time with Hamlet/Rude Boy. Early on, she tells us, “I went into water. I scooped up the living. And made promises to the dead. I left everyone unblessed. I jangled a laugh and a song of sorrow, a tall, lonesome song you could hear through the wildflowers.” 

Read the full review HERE.

12 Ophelias
Through 5/24: Fri–Sat 7:30 PM, Sun 3 PM; Factory Theater, 1623 W Howard, strawdog.org, sliding scale $10-$80

From Chicago’s Broadway World website on April 18th:

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With every breath, every line, every broken song, 12 Ophelias is a riveting play executed with heart, humor, and depth that leaves you thinking about fate, purpose, the memories we hold, the paths carved out for us, and our power to change our story. 

The final production of Strawdog’s 38th season runs from April 17 – May 24, 2026. Shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 3pm at The Factory Theater, 1623 W. Howard St. Chicago, IL 60626. Tickets are sliding scale between $10-$80 and can be purchased at the link below.

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Read the full review HERE.

The April 10th issue of New City featured a quote from a recent Substack post about the theatrical edifice complex, with a shout-out for the upcoming Strawdogs production of 12 Ophelias. You can find the full culture listing HERE.

And the excerpt:

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Playwright Caridad Svich On The Theatrical Edifice Complex

“Why are so many building based theaters still telling ppl that the only way to experience a play is to travel via air, car or train to see it?” asks playwright Caridad Svich. “Televised/broadcast and streaming drama… available to a general, wide audience has all but disappeared.” Harking back to the history of British and American broadcast series of yore, Svich asks, “Why is theater insistent on privileging an in-person audience as the only ‘real’ audience? Why is theater not building on its broadcast legacy using the tools it has had since the mid-1950s to beam new work into people’s homes and laptops?” Strawdog Theatre’s production of Svich’s “12 Ophelias” opens April 17.