Northlight announces 50th anniversary season
Northlight’s 50th anniversary season announced Friday by artistic director BJ Jones will be the last at Skokie’s North Shore Center for the Performing Arts.
In fall 2026, the theater company expects to relocate to 1012 Church St., Evanston, the city where it was founded during the 1975-1976 season as the Evanston Theatre Company.
It’s final season in Skokie commences Sept. 4 with the premiere of “The First Lady of Television,” James Sherman’s play about Gertrude Berg, who in 1950 was the creator and star of America’s first family sitcom, “The Goldbergs.” When her co-star is accused of communism, Gertrude must make a tough decision whether to fire him or defend him.
That’s followed by Steven Dietz’s adaptation of Patrick Hamilton’s turn of the 20th century thriller “Gaslight” (Nov. 28-Dec. 28), about a seemingly happy marriage that goes awry after strange occurrences take place at the couple’s house.
The revival stars Kate Fry and Timothy Edward Kane, a married couple who last performed on Northlight’s stage in 2023’s “Birthday Candles.”
Amy Herzog’s “Mary Jane,” which ran on Broadway last year, kicks off the new year on Jan. 22, 2026. It’s about a young mother caring for a chronically ill child who establishes for herself a community that brings together powerful and compassionate women from all walks of life.
The season concludes April 9, 2026, with “The Angel Next Door,” Paul Slade Smith’s screwball comedy about an up-and-coming young writer who joins playwrights, actors and an irritated housekeeper for a long weekend at a Newport mansion.
Performances take place at 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. Season subscriptions range from $135-$250, with flex pass options ranging from $120-$210. They’re available at (847) 673-6300 or northlight.org.