Northlight Theatre

06/05/2026

New staff alert! Welcome Nick Bartleson, joining us as our new Properties Supervisor and Production Coordinator! Nick is thrilled to return to Northlight, after having moved to Chicago to begin as Northlight's Floor Manager in the 2023-24 season. His first properties design in Chicago was with Northlight on "Brooklyn Laundry." Nick has worked around as a props maker and designer over Chicagoland and the states. In addition to his work in props, Nick has a degree in Stage Management from Ohio University, where he worked as a stage manager until the love of props drew him in. Outside of the theater, you'll find Nick cooking and crafting, assisted by his cats, Ziggy and June, who are both eager taste testers and paper eaters. Nick is excited to be stepping into this new role at Northlight as the company transitions to a new, long-awaited building.

06/04/2026

New staff alert! Welcome Zack "Slim" Simonini (he/him), joining us as our new facility manager!

Zack is thrilled to be joining Northlight at such a pivotal moment. Previously a Technical Director for Carthage College Theatre, he is excited to utilize his eclectic skills as the new Facility Manager. Slim has previously been a performer, sawyer, carpenter, property inspector, scenic painter, waiter, caterer, administrator, trainer, and a purveyor of turkey legs at the Bristol Renaissance Faire. He is elated to be a member of such a passionate and competent team. He is honored to continue working with fellow "theatre people". He would like to thank his best friend and wife, Allison, for her constant support, and their cat, Rumsey, and chinchilla, LaRue, for being such fabulous members of his family.

06/03/2026

We’re moving to our new home in Downtown Evanston this fall, and we’re searching for passionate, dedicated employees to join our team in a variety of positions, from production work to front of house, bar service, and more! Grab your resume and stop by the library to hear about open positions and kick off the next chapter of your career! RSVP if you'll be there by emailing Human Resources Manager Earl Solomon at [email protected] with your name and resume.

06/02/2026

We’re so excited to be a part of Downtown Evanston, just in time for it to be ranked in the top ten Chicago suburbs to call home! Out of 250 neighborhoods around Chicago, we’re proud to establish our home in a place with high ratings in walkability, community, and green space. We can’t wait to see you there!

Six counties, 205 towns, only one winner. We crunched the numbers for every suburb in the Chicago area. Here’s how they stack up.

06/01/2026

June is Pride Month 🌈 and Northlight is celebrating the LGBTQIA+ folks who are part of the Northlight family, both on and off stage! Here are some events around Evanston this month so you can celebrate being true to you. Happy Pride to all 🏳️‍🌈

05/29/2026

Remembering a pioneer: Bill Pullinsi, 1940-2026.

Artistic Director BJ Jones shared, "In the aftermath of 9/11, I programmed OVER THE TAVERN, a warm and delightful play, of which Richard Christiansen of the Tribune said, 'Just what the doctor ordered…a little bit of heaven.'

It was directed by Bill Pullinsi. He held the rights, and the timing of the production, and the play itself was so successful that after a sold-out run at Northlight, it moved downtown to the Mercury Theatre, where it ran for over a year! I will always be grateful to Bill and his savvy business partner Tony D'Angelo for collaborating with us at a time when the wounds of 9/11 were raw and fresh.

Bill was a pioneer in our community whose theatres, Candlelight and Forum, provided work for so many gifted Chicago artists. He had an unerring eye for talent, giving the likes of one of Northlight's founders, Frank Galati, a chance to adapt Mike Royko’s book on Mayor Daley, BOSS, into a musical.

Bill was a foundational visionary, and we all owe him a big debt of gratitude.

05/29/2026

This week, Northlight celebrated members of its High Lights program with some live readings from a few of its featured writers.

High Lights is an educational writing workshop provided by Northlight in conjunction with the Levy Senior Center Foundation and the Evanston Public Library. During classes, Northlight teaching artists guide writers of all skill levels as they construct personal narratives and dive into deeper explorations of a variety of literary genres. Interested in getting involved? Check out our community partnerships at northlight.org

05/26/2026

Just a few short weeks ago, Artistic Director BJ Jones and Playwright Jeff Hatcher met up with a cast of Northlight favorites for a read-through of the current draft of THE FRONT PAGE. This brand new adaptation of the play that also inspired the 1940s film His Girl Friday is on its way to the Northlight stage to kick off our Inaugural season in Evanston. We can’t wait to see you there!

And a special thanks to Tim Rhoze at Fleetwood-Jourdain for giving us a place to meet for a read-through while our new home is still under construction.

05/21/2026

Have a safe holiday weekend, and we'll see you again next week!

05/20/2026

As part of our move to Evanston, we have a brand-new phone number! Contact Patron Services for all of your subscription, box office, or Northlight needs at 847.563.8400