Nearly three decades after its original debut, the musical "Play On!" is returning to Chicago, this time staged at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier. The production, directed once again by Sheldon Epps, the show’s creator, is scheduled to run from September 11 through October 18.
"Play On!" first premiered in 1996 at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego before moving to Broadway the following spring. The musical combines the music of Duke Ellington with the plot of Shakespeare’s "Twelfth Night," reimagined in the vibrant setting of 1930s Harlem. Epps, who conceived the idea to celebrate Black artistic excellence and joy, collaborated with playwright Cheryl L. West on the book. The original Broadway production featured Tonya Pinkins and André De Shields, both of whom received Tony Award nominations, though the show ran for just 61 regular performances amid stiff competition.
In 1998, the musical found renewed success with a production at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre, directed by Robert Falls. That staging, which brought Pinkins and De Shields back alongside newcomer Paul Oakley Stovall, received strong critical acclaim and reignited interest in the show. Afterward, the musical remained largely dormant as Epps pursued a lengthy tenure as artistic director of the Pasadena Playhouse in Los Angeles and directed for television, including episodes of “Frasier” and “Girlfriends.”
The current Chicago Shakespeare Theater production follows a recent United Kingdom tour, directed by Michael Buffong, which helped spark new enthusiasm for the musical on both sides of the Atlantic. Epps said he has enhanced the Shakespearean elements and intensified the choreography, led by Edgar Godineaux, to present a more challenging and dynamic version of the show. About half of the 16-member cast is based in Chicago, supported by a six-piece live band performing Ellington’s music.
Barbara Gaines, retiring artistic director of Chicago Shakespeare Theater, expressed enthusiasm for the musical’s themes of love, joy, and music, noting the show’s fitting placement at the theater given its Shakespearean roots. Epps described his return to Chicago as a homecoming of sorts, expressing his passion for projects that ignite him creatively despite no longer needing to work for financial reasons.
In addition to "Play On!," Epps’s recent Chicago work includes directing “Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical” at the Studebaker Theater in 2022. As a respected figure in both theater and television, Epps continues to select projects with care, focusing on those that reflect his artistic vision and commitment to celebrating Black culture.
“Play On!” promises to once again spotlight the magic of Harlem’s jazz era through its unique fusion of classic literature and timeless music, reconnecting audiences with a musical that blends history, culture, and artistry.