Producing Artistic Director Kyle A. Dougan and Music Theater Works are proud to announce its 47th season. The 2027 season at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd. includes Parade, March 4 - 28, 2027; Bye Bye Birdie, August 12 - 22, 2027; Mary Poppins, October 7 - 31, 2027, and the fourth and final show to be announced, December 16, 2027 - January 2, 2028. Parade and Mary Poppins will be in the North Theatre where Music Theater Works reimagines shows to fit the more intimate space while Bye Bye Birdie and the fourth show will be performed at the George Van Dusen Theatre to showcase these shows on a larger scale. Current members may renew for the 2027 season now with new memberships available beginning Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 12 p.m. and single tickets for all the 2027 productions will go on sale Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2027 at 12 p.m. For more information on the 47th season go to MusicTheaterWorks.com and for membership renewals call 847-673-6300.
"This season tells the story of who we are. From the urgent humanity of Parade to the infectious joy of Bye Bye Birdie, the timeless magic of Mary Poppins and an exciting finale still to come, each production reflects our belief that musicals have the power to unite us across generations,” said Producing Artistic Director Kyle Dougan-LeBlanc. As we celebrate 47 years, we aren't simply looking back, we're investing in the future of this art form by creating experiences that are intimate, inclusive, artistically bold and deeply connected to our community. That has always been our purpose, and it's what will carry Music Theater Works into the future.”
The Music Theater Works 2027 season includes:
PARADE
March 4 - 28, 2027
Book by Alfred Uhry
Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
North Theatre at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie
Press Opening: Friday, March 5 at 7 p.m.
Parade is the daring, Tony Award-winning musical masterpiece from Alfred Uhry (Driving Miss Daisy) and Jason Robert Brown (The Last Five Years, The Bridges of Madison County). Based on a true story, Parade follows Leo and Lucille Frank, a young Jewish couple from New York whose new life in early 20th-century Georgia is upended when Leo is accused of a devastating crime. As their marriage, faith and belief in justice are tested, they confront prejudice, political pressure and a community searching for someone to blame. In this unflinching, intimate production, Parade brings audiences face-to-face with a story of love, resilience and the enduring pursuit of truth.
BYE BYE BIRDIE
August 12 - 22, 2027
Book by Michael Stewart
Music by Charles Strouse
Lyrics by Lee Adams
George Van Dusen Theatre at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie
Press Opening: Friday, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m.
A Tony Award-winning and classic musical comedy set in small-town 1950s America, Bye Bye Birdie tells the story of rock & roll star “Conrad Birdie.” When Conrad gets drafted into the Army, he plans to say a final goodbye to the town of Sweet Apple, Ohio - but not without a farewell kiss! Based on the events of Elvis Presley’s own draft into the Army in 1957, Bye Bye Birdie is a sweet, lighthearted musical filled with young romance and just a bit of chaos featuring the classics “Put on a Happy Face,” “How Lovely to Be a Woman” and, of course, “Bye Bye Birdie.”
Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s
MARY POPPINS
October 7 - 31, 2027
Book by Julian Fellowes
A musical based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney Film
Original Music and Lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman
Book by Julian Fellowes
New Songs and Additional Music and Lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe
Co-Created by Cameron Mackintosh
North Theatre at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie
Press Opening: Friday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m.
Cameron Mackintosh's and Disney’s Tony Award-winning “Best Musical” Mary Poppins brings its timeless magic to audiences of all ages. Set inside a child’s oversized Victorian doll house that bursts open with imagination, wonder and theatrical magic, everyone’s favorite nanny arrives with her iconic umbrella to take the Banks family, and audiences, on an unforgettable journey. Featuring beloved songs including “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and “Step in Time,” this enchanting production is filled with breathtaking dance, dazzling visual moments and heartwarming storytelling. A magical experience for both children discovering the wonder of the story for the first time and adults rediscovering the joy and nostalgia of a beloved classic, Mary Poppins is a family adventure where imagination takes flight and everything is truly “Practically Perfect.
Show #4
December 16, 2027 - January 2, 2028
George Van Dusen Theatre at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie
Press Opening: Friday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m.
The fourth and final show in the 2027 season will be announced this October.
*Performances and creative teams subject to change.
ABOUT MUSIC THEATER WORKS
Music Theater Works is a resident professional not-for-profit music theater founded in 1980. During its 47-year history it has presented more than 150 productions and intimate presentations. Music Theater Works is a professional theater company whose mission is to present works for the musical stage including historic repertoire, revitalizing the Golden Age of Broadway and earlier works, celebrating the Great American Songbook and introducing modern classics. The company uses collaborations among theaters, other artistic disciplines, social service agencies, local business, educational institutions and others to create music theater for the 21st century.
Parade is licensed and presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com
Bye Bye Birdie is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark, LLC. www.concordtheatricals.com
Disney’s Mary Poppins is licensed and presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com