Many multifaceted musicals

“Breathe the sweetness that hovers in August.” In thinking about the eighth month of the year, I found this line penned by the 20th century poet Denise Levertov, whose father was a Russian Hasidic Jew. 

For many, August is a month of transition, with all its still-steamy days gradually moving toward September and the very beginning of autumn. Theaters, orchestras, and dance companies are vigorously engaged in announcing the upcoming programs they have slated for September 2025 through June 2026. But this August happens to still be full of activity, and much of it has been created by and/or will be performed by Jewish artists. So here is a look at what to catch: 

Parade 

Broadway musicals have long been the creation of Jewish composers and lyricists–from Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Lerner and Loewe, to Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. And that list goes on and on. 

Among the contemporary artists in the field is Jason Robert Brown, the composer and lyricist whose musical Parade (based on a book by Alfred Uhry) opened in New York in 1998, won the 1999 Tony Award for Best Score, and is currently on a national tour in a production that has won the Tony for Best Revival of a Musical. 

The story retells the 1913 trial of Leo Frank, the young Jewish manager from Brooklyn who, working in a factory in Atlanta, is accused and convicted of murdering Mary Phegan, a 13-year-old employee… at a time and place when antisemitism (as well as racism) was in full force. Lucille, Frank’s wife, does everything possible to save him, but soon after being sent to prison for life, he is abducted and lynched. 

“By all contemporary accounts, Leo, who was murdered at the age of 31, was super smart, but not charming,” said Brown. “He cut jokes at the wrong time, was a bit out of place, and was snooty and cold. And he was never comfortable with people, most of whom resented him. 

“As for Mary, she was dirt poor, ate cabbage for breakfast, and didn’t really understand the world she was growing up in. Leo’s wife is the most complex and interesting character, and was caught between many different worlds. And, after Leo’s hanging, the Jewish community in Atlanta, who saw themselves as targets, turned to self-denial.” 

Brown also said he has just begun work “on a fully original, very contemporary idea for a new show.” 

Playing Aug. 5 – 17 at the CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe. For tickets, visit broadwayinchicago.com. 

Fiddler on the Roof 

With a full orchestra, the classic musical–based on the novel by Sholem Aleichem, and created by Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick, and Joseph Stein–is set in 1905 Russia at a time when an upheaval is underway. The dairyman Tevye and his family are also about to undergo a major change as they stand by their values and religious traditions but must leave their country.  

Playing Aug. 7 – 17 at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., in Skokie. For tickets, visit northshorecenter.org. 

Amelie, The Musical 

Originally a 2001 French movie, then briefly a Broadway musical in 2017, this show’s score is by Jewish composer Daniel Messe. Set in Montmartre, France, the show is described as “the story of an extraordinary young and imaginative woman who realizes that to find happiness she will have to risk everything, and say what is in her heart.” 

Playing now through Sept. 28, at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division. For tickets, visit chopintheatre.com. 

Come From Away 

This show–with a book, music, and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, a Canadian Jewish couple–captures the interplay of the thousands of airline passengers who were stranded in a small Newfoundland town after the terrorist attacks that hit the U.S. on 9/11, forcing their flight to be rerouted.  

Playing Aug. 20-Oct. 12 at the Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. For tickets, visit paramountaurora.com. 

Violinist Joshua Bell 

The violinist and conductor Joshua Bell will be the guest soloist with the outdoor Grant Park Music Festival, performing Édouard Lalo’s fiery “Symphony Espagnole.” 

Performing Aug. 6 at Grant Park Music Festival, 205 E. Randolph, Chicago. For tickets, visit grantparkmusicalfestival.com. 

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Hedy Weiss, a longtime Chicago arts critic, was the Theater and Dance Critic for the Chicago Sun-Times from 1984 to 2018, and currently writes for WTTW-TV’s website and contributes to the Chicago Tonight program.