The Playground Theater

The Playground Theater Non-profit, artist-run theater
FREE shows & workshops

Come out to THE MIXER workshop and jam
Every Monday at 8pm

Supported in part by grants.
(215)

Supported in large by donations 😉

Laughter • For All • Forever

09/07/2026

🎭🛝 This week September 7th - 13th at The Playground Theater!! 🌈✨
We have two exciting open workshops, the Open Writers Circle and the Actor Jam. If you’ve been working on something or you just need a quiet place to collect your thoughts, join us for the Open Writers Circle. If you’re an actor with an audition coming up or just want to practice some monologues, we’ll see you at the Actor Jam!

We’re taking a day off from Mixing to celebrate Labor Day… but then we’re doing YOGA FOR CREATIVES and OPENING our MICS to CLOWNS.
Maybe we’ll reflect at THE REVIEW but we’ll really get to know each other at the MUSEUM OF YOU!
I NEVER DO THIS, BUT… I also have a CREATURE to FEATURE.
Maybe we can work it out at the OPEN WRITERS CIRCLE but if drama is what you’re after, THE REAL SPACEWIVES have FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS that can tell you all about it.
If you’re an ACTOR, come JAM with us, maybe you can even become an SNL-level CHARACTER CREATOR. It might be your only ticket out of this CRUNCHY TOWN :)

08/31/2026

This week AUG 31ST-SEPT 6TH at The Playground! 🎭🎪✨

Got an idea? Don’t got an idea? Perfect. THE MIXER is throwing everybody into the same room and seeing what sticks ⚡

Tabs open, brains on. OPEN TABS BEST OF SKETCH SHOW is pulling out the greatest hits, so maybe closing those 37 browser tabs can wait 💻🎭

Pick up a new hobby, abandon it in three weeks, find another one. HOBBYMAXXING is here to support the cycle 🧶🎨🛠️

No itinerary, no backup plan, just a little magic. A MAN, NO PLAN is winging it all the way through 🎩✨ Then some things are politely requested, and some things WE DEMAND THIS 📢

Clock out, grab a seat, and spend your Saturday afternoon at LUNCH-TIME. Improv pairs well with a little midday nonsense 🥪☀️

100% donation based! Come laugh, spiral, reinvent yourself, or all three!

We’ll be here…you should be too

Get Totally Mental! with Josh Meador tomorrow night at 8pm at The Playground Theater!🛝🎭
08/26/2026

Get Totally Mental! with Josh Meador tomorrow night at 8pm at The Playground Theater!🛝🎭

08/24/2026

This week AUG 24TH-AUG 30TH at The Playground! 🎭🎪✨

Got something to say? Got no idea what to say? Either way, THE MIXER has a spot for you ⚡

Calling all degenerates, daydreamers, and professional internet lurkers… GOON HOUR is clocking in. We won’t ask questions if you don’t 👀

Bring your baggage, pick a seat, and prepare to overshare at FAMILY MEETING. Don’t worry, we’re all related for the next hour 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦💥

TOTALLY MENTAL is exactly what it sounds like. No further questions at this time 🧠🌀

Throw a pass and say a prayer with HAIL MARYS, then raise a glass to the city with TOAST OF CHICAGO. Cheers to keeping it weird 🍻🏙️

Poetry and improv are sharing the same brain cell in POEPROV, then let PAVLOV ring the bell and see what happens 🔔🐶

100% donation based! Come laugh, spiral, reinvent yourself, or all three!

We’ll be here…you should be too

08/17/2026

This week AUG 17TH-AUG 23RD at The Playground! 🎭🎪✨

Got something to say? Got no idea what to say? Either way, THE MIXER has a spot for you ⚡

Things are getting shaken, stirred, and probably a little dramatic with BRANDY ALEXANDER 🍸 Then put your mind to the test with BRAINGYSTICS and see just how weird your brain can get 🧠

It’s THE DICKEY SHOW… enough said. Then stick around for BITS & BOBS, where all the weird little pieces somehow make a whole 🧩

Ups, downs, twists, turns, and maybe a little whiplash. That’s HEEHAW SEESAW 🤠

Grab your pals and come hang with DEVIN GLASS & PALS. Friendship has never been so theatrical 👯🎭

Things are about to get loud, crunchy, and delightfully chaotic in CRUNCHY TOWN 🥣💥

100% donation based! Come laugh, spiral, reinvent yourself, or all three!

We’ll be here…you should be too

08/10/2026

This week AUG 10TH-AUG 16TH at The Playground! 🎭🎪✨

Got something to say? Got no idea what to say? Either way, THE MIXER has a spot for you ⚡

Need to loosen up? YOGA FOR CREATIVES is here to stretch more than just your hamstrings 🧘

The first wave is coming and apparently it brought MISANDRY with it. Make of that what you will 🌊💋

Put your pictures on the wall and make yourself part of the exhibit at MUSEUM OF YOU. This one’s all about you 🖼️👀

Pulled straight from the depths of the internet and onto the stage, FANFIC, SHUNNED is ready to make your private browsing everyone’s business 📖👀 Then stick around for CREATURE FEATURE and let things get a little freaky 👾

No itinerary, no backup plan, just a little magic. A MAN, NO PLAN is winging it all the way to the finish line 🎩✨ Then throw out the rulebook and embrace the beautiful mess of CHAOS CABARET 🎭🔥

They say nice guys finish last, but what about ‘TWICE AS NICE’? Come find out 😇😇

100% donation based! Come laugh, spiral, reinvent yourself, or all three!

We’ll be here…you should be too

We’re expanding our volunteer production team!As a liaison, you’re here to help producers “from pitch to curtain.” You’l...
08/05/2026

We’re expanding our volunteer production team!

As a liaison, you’re here to help producers “from pitch to curtain.” You’ll review pitches with the team at biweekly meetings, schedule and onboard new shows, and answer any Q’s your producers may have throughout the production process.
This is a relationship-building role as much as it is administrative, because the Playground isn’t just the space, it’s the people!

If you have production experience or any experience that you feel is a good fit for this role, we would love to hear from you.

We welcome your participation in-person if you’d like to learn how to house manage or run tech, but the duties of a Liaison can be done remotely.

Read more about this opportunity at the link in our bio (Production Liaison Application). We’re reviewing submissions until beddy-bye time on August 15th (11:59pm).

08/03/2026

This week AUG 3RD-AUG 9TH at The Playground! 🎭🎪✨

Got something to say? Got no idea what to say? Either way, THE MIXER has a spot for you ⚡

Turn up the volume and press play on MIDWEST MIXTAPE, where every scene feels like finding your new favorite song on an old playlist 🎶

Stretch the truth as far as it’ll go with LIAR, LIAR, PANTS ON FIRE, then stick around for SHATTERING THRONES because power struggles are always more fun when they’re made up 👑🔥

Step through the gates of ROYAL REALM, where anything can happen and usually does ⚔️✨

The tea is hot at SPILLING T… come thirsty ☕✨

Things are about to get loud, crunchy, and delightfully chaotic in CRUNCHY TOWN 🥣💥

100% donation based! Come laugh, spiral, reinvent yourself, or all three!

We’ll be here…you should be too

Tonight’s 8pm Totally Mental! has been rescheduled. You can catch mentalist Josh Meador at The Playground on August 27th...
07/30/2026

Tonight’s 8pm Totally Mental! has been rescheduled. You can catch mentalist Josh Meador at The Playground on August 27th.

But wait! Magic is still in the air and upstair…s

Join Dan Feltey at 8pm tonight The Playground Theater!

Looking for Monday night plans? 🎭Come by THE MIXER tonight at 8 PM and watch a room full of performers build something c...
07/27/2026

Looking for Monday night plans? 🎭

Come by THE MIXER tonight at 8 PM and watch a room full of performers build something completely new from absolutely nothing. Got something to say? Got no idea what to say? Either way, there’s a spot for you.

This week’s MIXER is hosted by the wonderful Jillian Mueller () ⚡

No admission fee. 100% donation based.

We’ll see you tonight!

Address

4416 N Clark Street, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL
60640

Telephone

+17732700776

Website

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