Make/Believe 2023: A Short Play Festival for Young Audiences

Produced by Caryn Brieschke
Playwrights: Maria Burnham, Juliet Kang Huneke, Kwik Jones, Janine Sobeck Knighton and Lori Taylor
Directors: Kate Sullivan Coombs,Whitney Minarik, Karina Patel, Eileen Tull and Lo Williams

In May and June, Ghostlight Ensemble will present the fourth installment of its popular Make/Believe play festival for young audiences in 2023.

The five short plays by playwrights from Chicago and beyond feature an ant who wishes to explore the world beyond her family’s territory, a grandmother and granddaughter superhero duo, the best slide in the world, a supportive tennis racket and a helpful house spirit. Infused with the power of believing in yourself, new adventures and family bonds, the stories that make up this year’s festival are filled with characters who face the types of struggles modern children will recognize from their own lives. 

Selected scripts include:

• The Edge of Play by Provo, Utah, playwright Janine Sobeck Knighton. The Edge of Play tells the story of Ada, an imaginative 8-year-old girl who loves slides but gets really nervous around other kids. With help from her unique friend Mo, she learns that it’s OK to need a little extra help and support to do the things that scare you the most.

• Finding Belief by Portland playwright Kwik Jones. Even with encouragement from her father, Ivy, a young girl discouraged by her tennis match losses, lives in a world of doubt – that is until Dunlop, her tennis racket, comes to life and ushers her on a short journey to rescue her Belief from the evil tennis ball, Doubt. Ivy must find courage to save Belief. With the help of the audience will Ivy find and save Belief?

• Guardian of the House (Τόπακας) by Chicago playwright and Ghostlight Ensemble Member Maria Burnham. A young girl, tired of all the new chores she has to do since her little sister arrived, learns the value of family and sticking together from the genii of her house. Steeped in Greek folklore, Guardian of the House will feature traditional Hellenic storytelling and puppetry.

• Hannah and Halmoni Save the World! by Chicago playwright Juliet Kang Huneke. By day, Hannah is a 7-year-old girl who lives with her Korean American grandma. But by night, grandma transforms into a SUPERHERO named Halmoni (that’s the Korean word for grandma, if you were wondering)! But when it’s Hannah’s turn to be the hero, not the sidekick, can she step up and save the day? Hannah and Halmoni Save the World champions asking for help, self-forgiveness and super awesome theme songs for the young AND old among us.

• The Thing That Comes to the Basement by Chicago playwright Lori Taylor, whose work will be familiar to past Make/Believe audiences, as she’s been a part of all our previous festivals. In The Thing That Comes to the Basement, Camilla Antie, an 8-year-old ant, discovers that just because someone looks different than you, does not mean they are frightening or that they cannot become your friend.

Click on the individual show pages above for full biographies of the casts, playwrights and directors.

All five plays will be produced on each day of the festival at the NorthCenter Town Square – an outdoor space in the heart of the NorthCenter neighborhood. Some seating will be available, but audience members are encouraged to bring their own chairs and picnics. The show is free, but donations are always appreciated.

Make/Believe is produced by Caryn Brieschke and is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and by support from the NorthCenter Chamber of Commerce.

Make/Believe is part of our Nightlight young audiences series, which produces original, adapted and forgotten plays geared toward children and the adults who love them.

Details
Where: NorthCenter Town Square, 4100 N. Damen Ave., Chicago
When: Saturday, May 27; Sunday, May 28; Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4, 2023
What time: 1:30 p.m.
How Much: Free. Donations accepted.
(By donating more, if you are able, you help offset the cost for those who can’t afford to give.)
Limited reserve seating is available for $10. Details here.