In what's titled a "Season of Resistance," Coalescence Theatre Project continues its commitment to works by, for and about diverse audiences in a slate of productions presented this summer, fall, and into next spring.
“Our season is a call to arms, a rallying cry to rise up against the forces of oppression and demand a more just and equitable world,” executive artistic director Don Shandrow said in a statement. “Through a diverse range of productions, we will tackle the toughest issues of our time. From racial justice and gender equality to immigration and reproductive rights, our season will be a beacon of hope for those seeking a more just and equitable society.”
The season kicks off June 19 and 20 at Jazz UpFront, with a Juneteenth-themed celebration of music and prose directed by Darraugh Maxine.
A series of staged plays through next spring all take place at First Christian Church in Bloomington.
From July 11-20, Michelle Stephens stars in and directs Heidi Schreck’s 2017 Tony Award-winning and Pulitzer finalist play What the Constitution Means to Me. A production of Ariel Cipolla’s dystopian game show So You Think You Can Stay?, directed by Alejandra Luna, runs Oct. 2-12. And on Nov. 6-16, Coalescence stages Chicago playwright India Nicole Burton’s play, Measure of a Man.
Inspired by the life of a Fred Hampton, a prominent leader as chair of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, the play explores a similar time period as Panther Women, presented by Coalescence last year. In 1969, Hampton was drugged, shot and killed during a raid coordinated by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Chicago Police Department and FBI. The Cook County coroner concluded Hampton’s death to be justifiable homicide; survivors, however, won a wrongful death lawsuit resolved in 1982.
Productions in February, March and April 2026 focus on issues impacting women, transgender and nonbinary people: Rachelle Lynett’s dark comedy Abortion Road Trip, the return of Coalescence’s #ShePersisted Festival, and a workshop production of Gaby Labotka’s Rare Wolves, directed by the playwright.
Tickets go on sale at a later date. For more information about Coalescence Theatre Project, visit coalescencetheatre.org.
