Theatre News Wire

Broadway In Chicago announced four new shows coming to Chicago in 2026. THE GREAT GATSBY, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, SUFFS, and SPAMALOT will be part of the next Broadway In Chicago Subscription Series, on sale this fall.

All four shows will perform at the BROADWAY IN CHICAGO FREE SUMMER CONCERT, as will THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, to complete the 12-show line up. The concert, sponsored by ABC 7 Chicago, will take place on Monday, August 11, 2025, at 6:15 p.m. at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park (201 E. Randolph St.). The annual event is presented with the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

Previously announced concert performances include PARADE, which will already be in performances at the CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe St.), and MJ THE MUSICAL, which will begin performances at the James M. Nederlander Theatre (24 W. Randolph St.) on Tuesday, August 12; as well as upcoming subscription shows THE SOUND OF MUSIC, HELL'S KITCHEN, the modern-day holiday classic ELF THE MUSICAL, STEREOPHONIC, and 2024 Tony Award winning Best Musical THE OUTSIDERS.

THE GREAT GATSBY will play the Cadillac Palace Theatre, April 21 - May 3, 2026.
THE GREAT GATSBY is a "Broadway extravaganza that explodes with life and energy" (Entertainment Weekly). Based on the classic American novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the Tony Award-winning new musical is an unforgettable journey of love, wealth and tragedy that brings the Roaring Twenties to life on stage.

Directed by Marc Bruni (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), this story of extravagance and longing features choreography by Dominique Kelley (So You Think You Can Dance), a book by Kait Kerrigan (The Mad Ones) and a jazz- and pop-influenced original score by Jason Howland (Little Women) and Nathan Tysen (Paradise Square).

SPAMALOT will play the CIBC Theatre, May 19 - 31, 2026.
SPAMALOT, which first galloped onto Broadway in 2005, features a book & lyrics by Eric Idle and music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle. The original Broadway production was nominated for fourteen Tony Awards and won three, including best musical. The musical comedy lovingly ripped off from the film classic, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, SPAMALOT features well-known song titles such as "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," "The Song That Goes Like This," "Find Your Grail" and more that have become beloved classics in the musical theatre canon.

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS will play the James M. Nederlander Theatre, June 23 - July 5, 2026
"Many wonders await audiences at the Imperial Theater." - The New York Times?
The critically acclaimed bestselling novel comes to "thrilling, dazzling" life (Time Out New York) in a unique, spectacle-filled new musical! Hailed as a Critic's Pick, The New York Times calls it "stunning, emotional, heart-filled and gorgeously imaginative."?

After losing what matters most, a young man jumps a moving train unsure of where the road will take him and finds a new home with the remarkable crew of a traveling circus, and a life-and love-beyond his wildest dreams. Seen through the eyes of his older self, his adventure becomes a poignant reminder that if you choose the ride, life can begin again at any age.?

SUFFS will play the CIBC Theatre, July 7 - 19, 2026.
Direct from Broadway, comes the acclaimed Tony Award-winning musical SUFFS about the brilliant, passionate, and funny American women who fought tirelessly for the right to vote. Created by Shaina Taub, the first woman to ever independently win Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Score in the same season, this "thrilling, inspiring and dazzlingly entertaining" (Variety) new musical boldly explores the triumphs and failures of a struggle for equality that's far from over. Winner of the Outer Critics' Circle Award for Best New Musical.

For a full list of Broadway Shows in Chicago, visit our Broadway In Chicago page.