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Imagine U Performance

IMAGINE U: Grace and the Butterfly Effect

General Public $20
Full-Time Students $12
Full-Time NU Students $8 in advance, $12 at the door

A per ticket service charge will be added to all online ($3 per ticket) and phone ($2 per ticket) purchases.

6 Tickets for $130
Use Them Your Way

The Wirtz Center FLEXPASS gives you six tickets you can redeem any way you choose—use one at a time or all at once. Share with friends, mix and match performances, and enjoy maximum flexibility at a discounted price.

Thursday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 31 at 11 a.m.*
Sunday, Nov. 1 at 11 a.m.
Friday, Nov. 6 at 9:20 a.m.
Saturday, Nov. 7 at 11 a.m. & 2 p.m.*
Sunday, Nov. 8 at 11 a.m.**

*Creative Workshops
**Sensory Friendly Performance

Ethel M. Barber Theater, 30 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston

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.

Music, book, and lyrics by Jane Kelley, Clifford Lee Johnson III, and Greg Alexander
Directed by Henry Godinez

In this foot-stomping new musical, Grace accidentally knocks down the fence between her dad’s well-manicured backyard and Mr. Hertz’s wildflower garden, where she discovers three monarch butterfly eggs on a broken milkweed plant. To make amends, she vows to raise them. Unfortunately, the caterpillars are eating machines, and finding more milkweed for them to eat is hard in the suburbs. Follow Grace as she learns all about these miraculous animals and the preservation they need to thrive.

Approximate run time: 65 minutes, no intermission
Suggested ages: 5+

IMAGINE U productions are geared toward children and their families. Performances often include an opportunity for children to interact  with the cast and receive colorful take-home materials filled with activities, art projects, fun facts and games! 

Wirtz Center