The Royal George Theatre

The Royal George Theatre is one of Chicago’s largest and most successful traditional mid-sized commercial venues. This four-stage entertainment center houses a Broadway-sized main stage, a very comfortable cabaret space, an intimate upstairs Gallery Theatre and studio space. The complex also features two floors of office space and the acclaimed, Italian-inspired restaurant, “Balena”.

The Royal George was built in 1984 and opened with “Little Shop of Horrors” as its inaugural engagement. The main stage has been the scene of such major Midwest premieres as Tony Kushner's critically acclaimed, "Angels in America", Neil Simon's "Lost in Yonkers", Ken Ludwig's "Lend Me a Tenor", "Smokey Joe's Cafe", Paul Rudnick's "I Hate Hamlet", and "Forever Tango". Other major productions on the main stage have included the world premiere of Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s "The Grapes of Wrath", "Papa" starring George Peppard; and "Burn This" starring John Malkovich and Joan Allen. The theatre was the broadcast site for the hit television series "Politically Incorrect" with Bill Maher during the Democratic National Convention in 1996.

In recent years, the main stage has featured such acclaimed attractions as "George Gershwin Alone", starring Hershey Felder; the world premiere of "Monsieur Chopin", starring Hershey Felder; Whoopi Goldberg's Provocative Rock Musical “White Noise”, Chicago Childrens Theatre's acclaimed production “The Hundred Dresses”, “Don’t Dress for Dinner(JEFF award)", ”Steady Rain”(2009 Season on Broadway with Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig), “The Gin Game”, starring Julie Harris and Charles Durning, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat", "Love Letters" starring Robert Wagner and Jill St. John, "Other People’s Money", and "The Cocktail Hour", to name a few.

The Royal George Cabaret Theatre has been the home for many long running hits including “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change”, which played for over three and a half years and “Forever Plaid” which played for six and a half years making it one of the longest running musicals ever produced in Chicago. Other productions in the Cabaret Theatre have featured “ Forbidden Broadway SVU”, “Leaving Iowa”, “Whoop Dee-Doo!”, ”Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris”, “The Bomb-itty of Errors”, and most recently the hilarious musical, “The Doyle and Debbie Show”.


The Royal George Theatre’s Great Room is the current home to the uproariously funny, interactive hit, “Late Night Catecism”, now celebrating its 20th year. The room also houses, “Put the Nuns In Charge!”, the sequel to Chicago's longest running religious comedy. Set in the familiar atmosphere of a Catholic classroom, the one woman show features Mother Superior and her hilarious commentary on modern sin. The Great room previously housed "Flanagan's Wake," an interactive Irish comedy.

The spaces are comfortable, with excellent sight lines and acoustics and are available for rental by contacting the General Management office at 312-988-9105