Harris Theater for Music and Dance

VISITNG COMPANY // Join Latinos Progresando for MEX talks: OWN IT! on Thursday, October 10 at Harris Theater.

In their 12th annual showcase of Mexican leaders, they are bringing Gary Acosta, Dr. Melinda Q Brennan, Oswaldo Alvarez, Giovanna “Gigi” Gonzalez, and Joseph Perez (Sentrock) to the stage — celebrating and reflecting on the many complexities of Mexican identity.

🔗 Visits harristheaterchicago.org/performance/mex-talks to learn more!

D-Composed, a Black chamber music collective, exists to remind us that Black culture and creativity is a part of every musical institution’s foundation.

Led by their mission to uplift and empower society through the music of Black composers, Chicago-based creative incubator acts as a bridge between the past, present, and future representation, music-centered experiences, and the communal power of Black composers and their impact.

Merging the worlds of contemporary music and classical, the ensemble also has collaborated with Jamila Woods during her appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and with hip-hop artist Chance the Rapper.

See them alongside Davóne Tines during our first Mix at Six performance of the season.

📅 Tuesday, October 1
🕐 6:00PM
🎟️ $20 in advance, $25 day of
🔗 Visit harristheaterchicago.org/d-composed to learn more!

📸 Photos Courtesy of The Obama Foundation

Cheers to September and our new spirits partner, Koval Distillery 🥂

We're leaning into fall with this rye forward cocktail that's balanced with a sweet burst of blackberries and a twist of lemon juice.

Be sure to grab this delicious seasonal cocktail at HT Concessions while it lasts!

Davóne Tines is a groundbreaking artist whose work blends opera, spiritual, gospel, and anthems as a means to tell a deeply personal story of perseverance and connection.

He is joined by D-Composed, a Chicago-based creative incubator which acts as a bridge between the past and present to the future of representation, music-centered experiences, and the communal power of Black composers and their impact.

See them as part of our Mix at Six series — offering some of the theater’s most provocative and innovative work.

📅 Tuesday, October 1
🕐 6:00PM (performance runs 60 – 75 minutes)
🎟️ $20 in advance, $25 day of
🔗 harristheaterchicago.org/performance/davone-tines

📸 Davóne Tines, photo by Noah Elliott Morrison | D-Composed, photo by Seed Lynn

The State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine’s The Nutcracker transports you to a dazzling winter wonderland of toy soldiers and colorful characters. ❄️ Tchaikovsky’s beloved score is full of instantly recognizable music, including “Waltz of the Flowers,” “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” “Waltz of the Snowflakes,” and more. See the holiday spectacle on Thursday, November 14.

Auditions for the local ballet dancers (ages 5+) to perform alongside the prestigious ballet company takes place on Saturday, August 24 at 10 a.m. For more information, visit classicalarts.net and Classical Arts.

Celebrate with us the start of our 24/25 Harris Theater Presents season, and experience the vibrant fusion of live music, street dance, and crowd interaction with LayeRhythm on our rooftop!

Led by Mai Lê Hô and featuring a cast of performers from NYC and Chicago, LayeRhythm blurs the lines between concert and social dance. Inspired by the rich, raw tapestry of street and club cultures — don't miss this evening filled with infectious rhythms and captivating performances, punctuated by DJ sets to keep the energy flowing.

📅 Saturday, September 7
🕐 Doors Open: 4:30PM - 8:30PM
🎟️ Tickets are only $20 when you purchase in advance!
🔗 Visit bit.ly/layerhythm to learn more!

📸 Photos courtesy of LayeRhythm Productions, Inc.

We want to wish a very happy birthday to dance legend Twyla Tharp! ✨

The renowned dancer and choreographer has established herself as a powerhouse creating pieces for The Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, The Royal Ballet, and many more. In 1965, Tharp founded her dance company Twyla Tharp Dance. She is known for her creativity, wit, and technical precision coupled with a streetwise nonchalance. By combining different forms of movement – such as jazz, ballet, boxing, and inventions of her own making – Tharp’s work expands the boundaries of ballet and modern dance.

We are excited to celebrate her 60th anniversary as a choreographer next spring, presenting her Olivier-nominated work, Diabelli, and a new work set to Phillip Glass’s Aguas da Amazônia. Glass’s composition has been re-imagined by Grammy-award winning quartet Third Coast Percussion, who will be joined on stage by Chicago's own Contance Volk.

📸 50th Anniversary Tour Photo by Ruven Afandor

Our theater is and will always be a welcoming space for all, including the LGBTQIA+ community, and we are proud to host performances that celebrate the diversity our wonderful city has to offer. As June comes to a close, we are honored to support the Pride events happening in Chicago this weekend. Happy and thank you for allowing us to use our stage to celebrate love, diversity, and inclusion.

We are proud to announce the appointment of Peter M. Ellis, Partner and Global Chair of Litigation & Senior Management Team member at Reed Smith LLP, as Chair of our Harris Theater Board of Trustees. Newly appointed to our Board are Executive and Artistic Director of the Chicago-based D-Composed Chicago Kori Coleman, as well as PNC Senior Vice President and Group Sales Executive Sherry Jursa.

Ellis has been an active member of the Harris Theater Board since 2009, serving as Secretary, Nominating and Governance Chair, and Executive Vice Chair. He succeeds outgoing Chair Merrillyn J. Kosier as of July 1, 2024.

“I’m grateful to Merrillyn for her tremendous leadership of the Harris Theater for the past two years,” says Ellis. “The Harris Theater is at the center of Chicago’s vibrant artistic community and I look forward to continuing to develop and showcase the phenomenal talent and productions we bring to the city, the country and the world. And I’m pleased to welcome Kori and Sherry to the Board. They are proven leaders and lovers of the arts. Adding them to our board of trustees will bring significant and instant positive impact to the Harris Theater. There’s much to look forward to.”

Harris Theater President and CEO Lori Dimun adds, “As we enter our 21st season at the Harris, there is no more fitting or inspiring civic leader to take the helm of our Board of Trustees than Peter Ellis. His dedication to the theater through his leadership of numerous committees over the years, his global business acumen, his commitment to our community, and his passion as an audience member aptly align with the theater’s mission and have primed him for this role. Peter and I aim to continue cultivating and recruiting dynamic board talent, like our newest additions, Sherry and Kori, who bring both unique professional talents and enthusiasm for the diversity of programming presented on our stage.”

We at Harris Theater are observing Juneteenth today. As we celebrate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans, we remember what was endured to build that freedom, and we reflect on our commitment to the continued pursuit of equity and liberation. We are proud to use our stage to feature diverse Black voices, and stories that honor the unique histories, lineages, and cultures of the Black diaspora.

We look forward to next season, when we will be welcoming the historic U.S. Premiere of Scott Joplin's Treemonisha — A Musical Reimagining, from Toronto-based company Volcano. Coming to the Harris Theater next spring, this production reimagines Joplin's unrealized masterpiece work from the perspective of its title character.

“This work is about the things we were told separated us, and how we internalized them. It is about the remnants of memory, trauma, love and joy, but most of all it is about Black women and their extraordinary ability to survive.”
– Leah-Simone Bowen, Story & Lebretto for Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha — A Musical Reimagining

To learn more about Scott Joplin's Treemonisha — A Musical Reimagining, and the historically significant story behind its creation and rediscovery, please visit: https://www.volcano.ca/treemonisha

Award-winning violinist, Ambi Subramaniam, closes the Mandala Makers Festival — an annual program celebrating South Asian artistic traditions in Chicago presented by Mandala Arts, on our stage on Thursday, June 27.

Accompanied by the Mandala Music Circle, this collaboration brings together Ambi's innovative approach and Mandala's artistic philosophy — stylistically blending classical and contemporary Indian music.

🔗 Visit harristheaterchicago.org/performance/ambi to purchase your tickets.

📸 Photo courtesy of Mandala South Asian Performing Arts

Delmark Records Presents: Red Hot & Blues Women in Chicago for one night only as a pre-event to the Chicago Blues Festival 2024, made possible through the Harris Theater Creative Future Fund.

This special evening at the Harris — just as one at the legendary Blue Chicago venue would — showcases modern blues vocalists and instrumentalists Sheryl Youngblood, Melody Angel, Demetria Taylor, Carlise Guy, Sharon Lewis and Joanna Connor, performing the songs they’ve shared with the world, right back home in Chicago.

VIP tickets are also available and include a premium seat for the performance, as well as a pre-show reception with the artists, hosted by Recording Academy / GRAMMYs.

This pre-show event will include photo opportunities and a celebratory toast starting at 6PM. Limited availability!

📅 Wednesday, June 5 / 7:30PM

🔗 Purchase tickets at harristheaterchicago.org/performance/women-in-blues.

📸 Photos courtesy of Delmark Records

Angel

Our 2024-25 Family Series season presents a new sensory-friendly and interactive work by guitarist and composer, Kaki King — incorporating music, field recordings of insect sounds, video, special effects, and lots of bugs! The Series also features a special matinee performances of Ragamala Dance Company’s Children of Dharma and a unique collaboration between local jazz vocalist Dee Alexander Music and tap dancer Jumaane Taylor.

⚠️Act now before our Early Bird subscription deal ends today⚠️ Enjoy 40% off off single ticket prices, unlimited no-fee ticket exchanges, discounts at partner restaurants and more.

🔗 Visit harristheaterchicago.org/subscribe to subscribe!

📸 BUGS, photo by Simone Cecchetti | Children of Dharma, photo courtesy of Ragamala Dance Company | Dee Alexander, photo by Claude Aline Nazaire Miller | Jumaane Taylor, photo by Kristie Kahns

The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center will bring four remarkable programs to our 2024-25 Chamber Music Series season, including horns-focused Virtuoso Winds, the complete Brandenburg Concertos in December, and some of the Romantic era’s most beautiful melodies with Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet and Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence.

Celebrate 🎼 by subscribing today before our Early Bird prices expire! Early Bird subscription deals for the just-announced season. Purchase your subscription by Thursday, May 16th to enjoy 40% off single ticket prices, unlimited no-fee ticket exchanges, discounts at partner restaurants and more.

🔗 Visit harristheaterchicago.org/subscribe to learn more!

📸 Virtuoso Winds, photo by Cherylynn Tsushima | Brandenburg Concertos, photo by Cherylynn Tsushima | Schubert's Trout Quintet, photo by Tristan Cook | Tchaikovsky's Souvenir de Florence, photo by Tristan Cook

Our popular Mix at Six series returns for the 2024-25 season featuring acclaimed bass-baritone Davóne Tines and the Black chamber music collective D-Composed Chicago, Ladama — a group of three women, virtuosic musicians, and educators from different countries and cultures of the Americas, as well as local artists Dee Alexander Music and Jumaane Taylor, and Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few.

Take advantage of our Early Bird subscription deals for the just-announced season. Purchase your subscription by May 16th to enjoy 40% off single ticket prices, unlimited no-fee ticket exchanges, discounts at partner restaurants and more.

🔗 Visit harristheaterchicago.org/subscribe to learn more!

📸 Davóne Tines, photo by Noah Morrison | D-Composed, photo by Seed Lynn | LADAMA, photo by Shervin Lainez | Dee Alexander, photo by Claude Aline Nazaire Miller | Jumaane Taylor, photo by Kristie Kahns | Isaiah Collier, photo courtesy of artist

Don’t miss the curtain call on our extraordinary Early Bird subscription deals for the just-announced 2024-25 HTP Mainstage season. Purchase your subscription by May 16th to enjoy 40% off single ticket prices, unlimited no-fee ticket exchanges, discounts at partner restaurants and more.

Featuring a diverse lineup of internationally-renowned dance and music performances including Twyla Tharp’s 60th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee, Grammy-Award winners Silkroad Ensemble and Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha — A Musical Reimagining, Joplin’s sole opera, performed by an all-Black cast, act now before this subscription deal expires!

🔗 Subscribe through our website — harristheaterchicago.org/subscribe!

📸 Twyla Tharp, photo by Greg Gorman | Silkroad Ensemble, photo by Adam Gurczak | Carnival of the Animals, photo by Federico Ariel Sánchez | Scott Joplin's Treemonisha, photo by Dahlia Katz | Children of Dharma, photo by Luis Luque | BalletX, photo by Whitney Browne | Joyce DiDonato, photo courtesy of artist

Have you checked out our 24/25 Harris Theater Presents season?!

Read below to learn more about our upcoming programming.

Harris Theater Shares '24-25 Season | WFMT The lineup includes chamber performances, dance, family programming, and more.

Just dropped ❗ Harris Theater Presents 2024–25 season is now live ❗

We welcome innovative North American artists in 23 performances featuring two commissioned new works, a US Premiere, Chicago debuts, and world-renowned and emerging talent in music and dance that forwards our artistic philosophy of fostering creative opportunities for conversation and collaboration while providing a state-of-the-art home for 30 local midsize arts organizations.

✨ Take advantage of our early bird pricing now through May 16th and secure the best seats at the best prices of the season with a subscription to one of our five series! From Mainstage Dance and Music to our Mix at Six, Chamber Music, and Family Series, there is a subscription package for everyone.

🔗 Visit harristheaterchicago.org/htp to view our 2024-25 season.

📸 Photo 1 by Dahlia Katz / Photo 2 by Greg Gorman / Photo 3 by courtesy of Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center / Photo 4 courtesy of artist / Photo 5 by Luis Luque

Don't miss Chicago-born pianist, vocalist, and composer Alexis Lombre make her Harris Theater debut, bringing her singular blend of avant-garde, hip-hop, R&B, gospel, and jazz to the final installment of the season's Mix at Six series.

As JazzTimes puts it, Lombre “realized early on that by refusing to be constrained by convention — whether so called ‘jazz’ or otherwise — she’d be honoring, rather than defiling, the rich heritage she’d come to embrace.”

Alexis will be joined by Morgan Guerin (sax, EWI, keys), Matt Skillz (bass), Luke Titus (drums), and featuring special guest Georgia Anne Muldrow.

📅 Tuesday, May 7 / 6PM
🔗 Purchase tickets at harristheaterchicago.org/performance/alexis-lombre

The National Hellenic Museum is excited to invite you to The Trial of Pericles on Wednesday, April 17. This riveting Trial is presented by an outstanding legal team of renowned attorneys and judges, who argue before a jury, and you, the audience.

Pericles changed the Athenian Constitution to revoke the citizenship of those without two Athenian parents, claiming this was necessary to protect Athens from foreign influence. Many viewed his actions as tyrannical because citizens lost their civil liberties, including the right to vote. He died before an Athenian court could try him. They make the arguments, and then it’s up to you to decide: Was Pericles a hero or a tyrant?

🔗 Visit harristheaterchicago.org/performance/trial-pericles to purchase your tickets.

Delmark Records presents Red Hot & Blues Women in Chicago for one night only as a pre-event to the Chicago Blues Festival.

This special evening at the Harris – just as one at the legendary Blue Chicago venue would - showcases modern blues vocalists and instrumentalists Sheryl Youngblood, Melody Angel, Demetria Taylor, Carlise Guy, Sharon Lewis and Joanna Connor, performing the songs they’ve shared with the world, right back home in Chicago.

VIP tickets are also available and include a premium seat for the performance, as well as a pre-show reception with the artists, hosted by The Recording Academy / GRAMMYs. This pre-show event will include photo opportunities and a celebratory toast starting at 6 PM. Limited availability!

Women in Blues is helped made possible through the Harris Theater Creative Future Fund.

📅 Wednesday, June 5 / 7:30PM
🔗 Purchase tickets at harristheaterchicago.org/performance/women-in-blues!

📸 Photos courtesy of Delmark Records