Chicago Children’s Theatre turns 21 this year.
Still forever young, Chicago’s first and largest professional theater for young audiences will honor its 21st birthday with a 2026-27 season by bringing back four of its greatest “childhood hits” for a whole new generation of live theater fans:
Chicago Children’s Theatre’s 2026-27 season includes (top, from left) Carmela Full of Dreams, The Beatrix Potter Holiday Tea Party, (bottom) Manual Cinema’s Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About A Terrible Monster, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show.
The first is Carmela Full of Wishes, a moving ode to family – and dreamers – adapted from the popular children’s book by Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson. This 2022 CCT world premiere tells a warm, hopeful story about a loving Latino migrant family. Carmela also exemplifies CCT’s work bringing contemporary children’s literature by Black and Brown authors to the live stage the past 20 years. Performances are October 25-November 15, 2026.
With the holidays comes The Beatrix Potter Holiday Party, returning for its 11th season at Chicago Children’s Theatre. Tried and true, this clever trunk and puppet show brings four beloved Beatrix Potter animal stories to life, while bringing families from all over the city together for a post-show holiday party. CCT’s seasonal rite of passage for Chicago toddlers runs December 5-30, 2026.
Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About A Terrible Monster, Manual Cinema’s original adaptation of Mo Willems’ children’s stories about a monster who tries to be scary but just…isn’t…premiered at Chicago Children Theatre in 2023, and has since wowed audiences at the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, in Edinburgh, and beyond. A hilarious, endearing, family-friendly fusion of shadow puppetry, video projection, DIY cinema, green screen, original music, and immersive sound, Leonardo returns to make new friends at Chicago Children's Theatre, February 13-March 7, 2027.
Chicago Children’s Theatre’s 21st season finale, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, stars every toddler’s favorite insatiable caterpillar, along with three more animal stories, in a bright, bold, stage version of Eric Carle’s timeless children’s books. Created by Jonathan Rockefeller and featuring more than 75 larger-than-life puppets, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show will be ready to open the eyes and minds of a whole new generation of Chicago children as wide as butterfly’s wings, April 11-June 13, 2027.
If you agree Chicago is the greatest theater city in the world, and that Chicago families deserve an equally great children’s theater, purchase a subscription to Chicago Children’s Theatre’s 2026-27 season, on sale now at chicagochildrenstheatre.org. Packages start at only $26.27 or a limited time only (must enter CCT's pre-sale collection to be eligible to redeem). Or, create your own mix-and-match subscription plan to match your child’s age and interests. To learn more about subscriptions, single tickets, Access services and discounted group rates for schools, playgroups, birthday parties and scouting groups,email groupsales@chicagochildrenstheatre.org or call CCT Guest Services, (312) 374-8835.
Chicago Children’s Theatre, a “no shushing” theater, is at 100 S. Racine Ave., at Monroe, in the heart of Chicago's West Loop. It’s centrally located just minutes from I-90 and I-290, downtown and Ashland Avenue. Free, onsite parking is available on the south side of the building. Free and metered street parking can be found nearby on weekends, or try the Impark parking lot, 1301 W. Madison St.
For more, visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org, or follow CCT on Instagram and Facebook.
More about Chicago Children’s Theatre’s 2026-27 Season
Carmela Full of Wishes
Based on the book by Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson
Adapted by Alvaro Saar Rios
Directed by Sonya Madrigal
October 25-November 15, 2026, Saturdays and Sundays at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Ideal for ages 6 and up
Chicago Children’s Theatre’s 2022 world premiere of Carmela Full of Wishes.
Credit: Charles Osgood
Join families from all over the city for this moving ode to family, to dreamers, and to finding hope in the most unexpected places.
It’s Carmela’s birthday, and her wish has already come true–she’s finally old enough to join her big brother as he does the family errands. On their way to the laundromat, Carmela rides her scooter past fields of “flores de cempazuchitl,” until she finds a lone dandelion growing in the pavement. Before she can even blow its puffy white fluff away, her brother asks, “did you even make a wish?” Should she wish for Mami, who works long hours in a downtown hotel trying to make ends meet? Or Papi, a migrant worker who is currently…absent. Full of touching, funny fantasies, Carmela Full of Wishes portrays a charming little girl’s big city migrant community as a vibrant world of hope and possibility.
Carmela Full of Wishes is adapted from the book by Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Christian Robinson, the same Newbery Medal and Caldecott Honor winning team behind Last Stop on Market Street. The Chicago Tribune called CCT’s 2022 world premiere stage adaptation “a heartwarming tale of an exuberant Latina girl that celebrates family, community and hope — perfect themes for young audiences.”
Making her CCT directorial debut for Carmela’s timely return this fall is Sonya Madrigal, choreographer for CCT’s 2025 world premiere Go Dog Go! • Ve Perro ¡Ve! and the company’s current hit production, Goodnight Moon.
The Beatrix Potter Holiday Party
Created by Will Bishop, Lara Carling, Kay Kron, Grace Needlman and Ray Rehberg
Original music by Ray Rehberg and Charlie Malave
Directed by Will Bishop
December 5-30, 2026, Saturdays and Sundays at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Ideal for ages up to 8
The Beatrix Potter Holiday Tea Party. Credit: Charles Osgood
Chicago Children’s Theatre’s The Beatrix Potter Holiday Party, a holiday rite of passage for Chicago toddlers, is an ingenious trunk and puppet show that brings four classic Beatrix Potter animal tales to new life. After the show, everyone heads to the lobby to play with the puppets, take pictures with the cast, and join fellow Chicago families for a communal holiday party featuring a festive spread of holiday treats.
This holiday season, the stories are ”The Tale of Jeremy Fisher,” “The Tale of The Tailor of Gloucester,” “The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse,” and of course, “The Tale of Peter Rabbit." From the youngest child, to children at heart, audiences become mesmerized as three storytellers weave together Potter’s classic narration, toy theater surprises, and gentle interactive moments, while a one-man-band plays music on guitar, banjo, cello and toy piano. Parents watch in rapt attention, too, as the cast recruits its young audience to join the adventure, when they’re not beaming as their little ones discover the magic of live theater.
Now in its 11th season, Chicago Children’s Theatre’s holiday-show-plus-after party has been the first introduction to live theater for thousands of Chicago’s youngest theatergoers. The Chicago Reader calls it “dazzling, brisk at under an hour, and sweet as can be.”
Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About A Terrible Monster
Created by Manual Cinema
Based on the books by Mo Willems
Directed by Sarah Fornace
February 13-March 7, 2027, Saturdays and Sundays at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.
For ages 5 and up
Photo credits: (center) Ben Kaufmann; (right): Dexter Ellis
Leonardo is a terrible monster. He tries so hard to be scary, but he just…isn’t. Then Leonardo finds Sam, the most scaredy-cat kid in the world. Will Leonardo finally get his chance to scare the tuna salad out of an unsuspecting human? Or will it be the start of an unlikely friendship? They will need to make a big decision: will they be friends or will they be controlled by their fears? Featuring hundreds of illustrated puppets, fuzzy Muppet-style puppets, hilarious actors on live cameras, and a live music soundtrack, Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About A Terrible Monster brings the popular children’s books by Mo Willems to life in this hit Manual Cinema show the whole family will enjoy.
Chicago’s critically-acclaimed multimedia artists Manual Cinema are known worldwide for their mind-bending fusion of shadow puppetry, video projection, DIY cinema, green screen techniques, original music, and immersive sound. The Edinburgh Festival for Kids wrote Leonardo is “filled with wonder, humor and oodles of warmth.” The Chicago Tribune called it “a show that tackles important and serious themes with whimsy, humor and some darn cute puppets.”
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show
Created by Jonathan Rockefeller
Based on the books by Eric Carle
Directed by Micah Figueroa
April 11-June 13, 2027, Saturdays and Sundays at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.
For all ages, 6 months and up
Photo credit: Ari Craven
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show has dazzled audiences around the globe, faithfully bringing to the stage Eric Carle’s timeless classics. Created by Jonathan Rockefeller, each production of the critically acclaimed show features a menagerie of over 75 magical puppets, including the star of the show – “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” along with three more Eric Carle favorites: “Brown Bear, Brown Bear,” “10 Little Rubber Ducks” and “The Very Busy Spider.”
When CCT first presented The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show in 2019, the Chicago Tribune raved “Incredible work…Eric Carle’s books are brought beautifully to life.”
CCT teaching artist Micah Figueroa, a past cast member, will make his directing debut with this bright, bold, puppet-filled live stage version of Eric Carle’s timeless children’s books.
Off stage, but now available online: Cabinet of Wonder with Natalie Merchant, Chicago Children’s Theatre and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Cabinet of Wonder with Natalie Merchant. Photo credit: Joe Mazza Brave Lux Chicago
Last season, internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter and activist Natalie Merchant, in partnership with Chicago Children’s Theatre and the Negaunee Music Institute at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, debuted Cabinet of Wonder, an innovative multimedia educational enrichment program based on traditional Mother Goose nursery rhymes.
Several years in the making, Cabinet of Wonder has involved a creative team of over 100 artists who collaborated on a series of 17 original songs, written and recorded by Merchant with musicians of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and special guests. The resulting music videos highlight performances by Merchant, the musicians, shadow puppetry by Chicago-based Manual Cinema, and a cast of 24 adorable child actors from Chicago Children’s Theatre’s education program. Companion teaching materials were written by Merchant and a team of early childhood experts including The National Head Start Association, The Thirty Million Words Initiative at The University of Chicago, The Carole Robertson Center for Learning, and CSO and CCT teaching artists.
This groundbreaking arts education program, available free of charge through the internet to children, teachers, and parents everywhere at cabinetofwonder.org, is also being taught in Chicago Public Schools. Stay tuned for news of more national arts and education advocacy organizations adopting and amplifying the Cabinet of Wonder curriculum, and a major label release of the Cabinet of Wonder song catalog later this year.
About Chicago Children’s Theatre
“The Chicago theater scene is legendarily vibrant, so naturally a number of companies tailor productions to younger audiences. The cream of the crop is Chicago Children’s Theatre.” – Chicago Tribune
Chicago Children’s Theatre, the city’s first and largest professional theater devoted to young audiences, is Chicago’s destination for the best plays, musicals, classes and performing arts camps for young audiences, students and families.
CCT was founded in 2005 with a big idea: Chicago is the greatest theater city in the world, and it deserves a great children’s theater. Now celebrating its 21st anniversary in 2026-27, Chicago Children’s Theatre has matured into the city’s largest professional theater devoted exclusively to children and young families. Led by Artistic Director Jacqueline Russell and Co-Founder Todd Leland, Chicago Children’s Theatre has served over 1 million community members and built a national reputation for new work, producing 24 world premieres including Carmela Full of Wishes, Milo Imagines the World, Last Stop on Market Street, Go Dog Go! • Ve Perro ¡Ve!, Leo Lionni's Frederick, The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963, and Jackie and Me.
Chicago Children’s Theatre has built a national reputation by creating original, high quality children’s theater that showcases the city’s top professional theater artists, on stage and behind the scenes. In 2017, CCT was the first theater for young audiences to win a National Theatre Award from the American Theatre Wing, creators of the Tony Awards. In 2019, the company won the National TYA Artistic Innovation Award from Theatre for Young Audiences/USA.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show. Photo courtesy Chicago Children's Theatr
In 2017, Chicago Children’s Theatre opened its forever home at 100 S. Racine St. in Chicago’s West Loop community after 11 years of itinerancy. Formerly the 12th District Chicago Police Station, the building is now a LEED Gold-certified, mixed-use performing arts, education and community engagement facility. For children, parents, caregivers, teachers and artists, CCT is a welcoming community hub, centrally located in the city, with free, onsite parking. It’s also a convenient destination each year for more than 1,000 CPS students who enjoy field trips to experience live theater thanks to free and reduced-price tickets. In tandem with its live productions, Chicago Children’s Theatre offers Access services for patrons with disabilities including ASL interpretation, open captioning, touch tours and sensory friendly performances.
In addition to live shows, Chicago Children’s Theatre offers a full roster of performing arts education programs for ages 0 to 14 year-round at its West Loop home and Menomonee Club’s Drucker Center in Lincoln Park. Visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org/family-programs for information on classes, workshops, winter, spring break and “school’s out” camps, and summer camps, along with live theater experiences, classes and camps for children with autism and other special needs via CCT’s Red Kite Project.
Chicago Children’s Theatre is supported by Goldman Sachs Gives, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, The Ralla Klepak Foundation for Education in the Performing Arts, Polk Bros Foundation, The MacArthur Fund for Culture, Equity and the Arts, Bayless Family Foundation, Mark Edelman Theater Fund, The Shubert Foundation, Camp Out for Kids, Crown Family Philanthropies, PwC, Rivers Gives, US Bank, Thomabravo, Theater League Kansas City, Illinois Arts Council Agency and the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE).
To learn more, visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org, follow the company on Instagram and Facebook.