A courthouse, an arts center and a working farm are the next sites for Nomad Theatre Company’s roaming productions. The nonprofit, site-specific theater troupe based in Bloomington-Normal announced its 2025-2026 programming during a season reveal party on Saturday night.
Nomad’s second season as a year-round company opens in September with a suite of 10-minute plays collectively called Order in the Court. Recently retired Illinois State University theater professor Lori Adams is slated to direct the short plays, one of which is based on real McLean County events authored by local playwright John D. Poling. Running Sept. 19-27, 2025, Order in the Court takes place in the historic Governor Fifer Courtroom at the McLean County Museum of History—the setting lending itself to plays about power and justice.
Carey Crim’s Paint Night runs Feb. 20-March 1 at the newly acquired annex of the McLean County Arts Center. Nomad co-founder Cristen Monson directs the troupe’s first-ever full-length production about a paint-and-sip girls’ night that gets real once the booze sets in.
Mini pop-ups, under Nomad’s Detour Projects umbrella, include the return of Herstory to Bloomington and Normal’s libraries. Running March 20-29, local actors reenact historical female changemakers and heroes (Evergreen Cemetery Walk style) in scenes written by women.
Ahead of Mother’s Day, a storytelling event showcases monologues by for and about motherhood, with exact dates and a location still to be announced.
Capping the season on May 22-31, Chris Terven directs short plays in a restored barn at Honey DEW Acres, an alpaca farm and bed & breakfast northwest of Normal.
Single tickets typically go on sale about three weeks before performances. Additional details at nomadtheatre.org.
