Theater for People who Hate Theater
Always free or pay-what-you-can, Free Street shows tell hard truths with humor, intelligence, and kindness.
Past Events
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November 2018
Real Life Adventures of Jimmy de las Rosas
An event every week that begins at 2:00 pm on Thursday and Friday, repeating until November 16, 2018
An event every week that begins at 2:00 pm on Saturday, repeating until November 17, 2018
Mutant Chihuahuas are snatching people off the streets of Chicago! Will Jimmy de las Rosas turn up the heat on his own mutant abilities to fight them? Free Street Theatre, in collaboration with CLATA, presents a new imagining of The Real Life Adventures of Jimmy de las Rosas by Free Street Artist-in-Residence Ricardo Gamboa. Don't miss this story of unlikely superheros, an evil supervillain, and mutant chihuahuas that uses clever special effects, humor, battle scenes and puppets to create a one…
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El menú/ The Menu at the Storyfront: Tragos de Papel with Fanny Diego Alvarez, Zulema Ortiz and Anthony Soto
"Since Mexicans and Southsiders love to tell the same stories (over and over)" WHAT IS TRAGOS DE PAPEL? TRAGOS DE PAPEL is when storytellers share personal stories inspired by Freestyle or House songs and we give you good eats and stage for you too!Complimentary tacos or tamales are provided, a donation bar is available or you can can BYOB. Come, chill, enjoy the stories, and maybe even share one of your own! TRAGOS DE PAPEL is part of the menu/menú…
Find out more »December 2018
Performance for Direct Action and Training
It's back! Free Street Theater's Performance for Direct Action and Intervention training is a 16-hour training that helps artists and organizers plan creative direct actions. From the history of protest performance, to planning an action, to the aesthetics of scale and space, this 2 day intensive is designed to offer participants practical skills and room to invent. Details: This is a two-day intensive offered from 10-6 on December 1st and 2nd at our Storyfront (Back of the Yards) location. The…
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Water Test
Free Street Youth Ensemble is testing the waters in this new devised project that explores the notion of water justice in the US.
Find out more »El Menú/The Menu at The Storyfront: Sala Sonics featuring Decimaa
SALA SONICS with Decima "Like MTV Unplugged in your abuela's sala" WHAT'S SALA SONICS? SALA SONICS is a monthly series that invites audiences to come and watch intimate concerts in our storefront space with our favorite Latinx musical artists. Complimentary tacos or tamales are provided, a donation bar is available or you can can BYOB. Come, chill, and enjoy the music! SALA SONICS is part of the menu/menú cultural event series at the he Free Street Storyfront in Back of…
Find out more »February 2019
It’s Showtime, Chicago- 2019 Year of Chicago Theater Kickoff
Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Eventst (DCASE) and the League of Chicago Theatres are pleased to announce “It’s Showtime, Chicago” – a kickoff event for the Year of Chicago Theatre! Coinciding with Chicago Theatre Week, the FREE admission, building-wide celebration invites everyone – from the curious to seasoned theatre-goers – for an inspiring and surprising look at the “fearless soul” of our city – Chicago’s theatre community. Participating artists and theatre companies including The Second…
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Radical Love 2019
SAVE THE DATE! Free Street's annual anti-commercialized, community love fest will be taking place Tuesday, February 19th at our favorite local brewery. As usual, join us for casual drinks and nosh with a few performances and vendors. To Purchase tickets, click here!
Find out more »May 2019
Parched: Stories of Water, Pollution, and Theft
An event every week that begins at 2:00 pm on Friday, repeating until May 24, 2019
An event every week that begins at 2:00 pm on Saturday, repeating until May 25, 2019
One event on May 16, 2019 at 2:00 pm
Chicago, IL 60642 United States
The news of Flint's water crisis shocked much of the nation. However, for many, Flint is a chapter in a book about the water injustices that plague us. For centuries water has been stolen from communities; Chicago's water filled with toxins; Chicago waste water is sent down the Mississippi Rive to the Gulf of Mexico; the Lakota people of the Dakota's are still struggling to keep water sacred against DAPL; and places like California face a drought and consequently raging…
Find out more »June 2019
FS Storyfront Youth Ensemble Program
An event every week that begins at 3:30 pm on Thursday, repeating until December 19, 2019
What do you do after school? Want to save the world? Free Street's The Storyfront is launching an after-school program for young people 14-18 years old. (If you’re outside that age range but really passionate, let us know!) Young people will meet weekly to learn how to act and make original performance about issues affecting their lives and communities. The program will culminate in the development of a public performance and touring production of The Paleta Project. Snacks and Stipend provided…
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M.A.T.A. Make America Teen Already
An event every week that begins at 7:00 pm on Monday, repeating until July 1, 2019
An event every week that begins at 7:00 pm on Friday, repeating until June 28, 2019
One event on July 3, 2019 at 7:00 pm
Over 7 months, Free Street Theater directorial team Ricardo Gamboa, Sean Parris, and Keren Díaz de León worked with a group of south side teens to create MATA. The play explores coming of age in the era of Trump developed and written with teens whose high school experience has been marked by 45’s administration. An ensemble of Black, brown, immigrant, queer and trans teens share personal stories, explore harsh historical truths, and piece together the suppressed history of teens as…
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