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Where tomorrow’s storytellers take the stage.

At the Wirtz Centers in Evanston and Chicago, emerging artists create bold, innovative performances and invite audiences to discover what’s next.

Explore the 2026-27 Season

See the future of performance here first.

What’s Coming to Our Stages

(dark) TOILET FIRE (matter(s))

  • October 8-11, 2026
This tour-de-toot ultimately asks: How can we best relieve suffering?
  • Wirtz Theater, Chicago

IMAGINE U: Grace and the Butterfly Effect

  • October 29 – November 8, 2026
A story that nurtures curiosity and care, reflecting how the Wirtz Center helps young artists grow and transform the world around them.
  • Ethel M. Barber Theater, Evanston

She Loves Me

  • November 13 – 22, 2026
A charming tale of connection and revelation brought to life by emerging storytellers who explore love, identity, and human connection with freshness and developing craft.
  • Josephine Louis Theater, Evanston
Full Season

Bold new work, rising talent, and the creative energy of Northwestern across Evanston and Chicago.

Two campuses. One creative engine.

The Wirtz Centers at Northwestern University are a leading university-based performing and media arts ecosystem that brings together students, faculty and professional artists on stages in Evanston and Chicago.

  • Evanston: the creative flagship, where students train, experiment, and produce ambitious work across multiple venues
  • Chicago: a growing creative nexus where new forms, technologies, and professional collaborations take shape
Discover More

Wirtz Center Chicago:  
Where new work enters the city.

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