The “perfect Chicago holiday tradition” (Chicago Parent) that has enchanted generations over four decades. Jessica Thebus returns to direct in this must-see, “moving and meaningful” (Chicago Sun-Times) annual production.

Emma, Robert and Jerry have history. The “eternal triangle” takes center stage in an inventive retelling by the Nobel Prize-winning playwright. As Emma’s marriage to Robert comes to an end, she reconnects with Jerry, her former lover—and her husband’s best friend. The action unspools backward in time, uncovering hidden truths and revealing how little we know about those we think we know so much about.

Retta and Reggie are enjoying their usual evening on the porch when a longtime neighbor is pulled over by the police just before turning into his driveway. Everything goes as expected—until the unexpected happens. Tensions escalate, and eventually erupt, transporting us to a startling conclusion in Ms. Howard’s powerful new work. Lileana Blain-Cruz, a “master of curating chaos” (The New York Times), directs.

It’s a celebration of life, hope and the healing power of love! The musical stage adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning novel is a heart-rending, yet ultimately joyous, story of a young woman’s perilous journey of personal awakening in the American South. Come ready to shout in church, stomp at the juke joint, laugh and cry with unforgettable “come-to-glory gospel hymns, down-and-dirty bump-and-grinds, jazz that stutters, dips and dives, and gorgeous alto arias” (Chicago Sun-Times).