A Week of theatrical innovation

Physical Theater Festival Chicago, now in its 12th year, is set to captivate audiences from June 2-8 at Theater Wit, located at 1229 W Belmont Ave. This year’s festival offers a unique blend of international performances and homegrown talent, emphasizing the vibrant work of local theater makers and performing artists alongside three international shows. The festival is a week-long exploration of contemporary, visual, and physical theater, featuring award-winning performances from around the globe.

Spotlighting Chicago’s Talent

The festival kicks off with Scratch Night on Monday, June 2, a curated showcase of works-in-progress by innovative local theater makers. This event highlights contemporary, visual, and physical theater, providing a platform for artists to debut their newest acts.Hosted by Scott Ray Merchant, Scratch Night will feature both ensemble and solo performances.

Adding to the local focus is the new initiative, Being Made in Chicago, on June 3. This event spotlights two new short works from Chicago-based artists and companies.

• britt Anderson and Richie Schiraldi will present Well-Balanced dads, described as a family-friendly comedy about two dads navigating life after their kids leave home.
• Amanda Raquel Martinez, a Puerto Rican interdisciplinary artist, will perform Sensation(s), drawing on theater, opera, yoga, songwriting, circus, and dance to create a multifaceted performance.

Mainstage Highlights: Midwest Talent Takes Centre Stage

This year’s festival features two full-length mainstage shows showcasing award-winning Midwest talent:

• Knight, Knight: This production, featuring Minnesotan Madeleine Rowe, follows a successful run at the Edinburgh Festival fringe and a sold-out New York premiere. rowe, a Gaulier-trained clown, brings an “iconoclastic Medieval romp” to chicago for two shows only, Thursday, June 5, and Saturday, June 7.
• Adventure Sandwich, A Sandwich Adventure!: A new live-action-cartoon musical “made for people and sandwiches of all ages.” The show is the brainchild of Lily Emerson and Charlie Malave, Chicago artists with 20 years of experience in the local theater, music, movement, and puppetry scenes. Audiences will join Hoagie (a sandwich) and Lily (a human) as they journey from the streets of Possibilopolis to the depths of the Several Seas and beyond. Adventure Sandwich plays Sunday, June 8.

A Space for Reimagining Theater

Physical Theater Festival Chicago is more than just performances. It also offers workshops, creating a space for artists and audiences to reimagine live theater across cultures, languages, and genres. The festival celebrates its 12th edition as a week-long event showcasing international, contemporary, visual, and physical theater, featuring award-winning performances from other countries alongside national and local acts.

Ticketing and Schedule Information

tickets are available thru Theater Wit. order online or call 773-975-8150. The festival runs from Monday, June 2, through Sunday, june 8, at Theater Wit, 1229 W Belmont Ave. See the full schedule here.