Thursday
OCTOBER 1, 2026
Opening Day
The festival opens with shared practice, civic imagination, climate-focused work, a world premiere, and the opening keynote.
10:00 AM
Morning Meditation
Sanctuary
Meditation
Nicoya Helm
A shared morning meditation led by Nicoya Helm to begin the festival day.
11:00 AM
Creative Power: Artists as Civic Leaders
Classroom
Workshop
Tom Tresser
A participatory exploration of artists’ civic agency and the practical ways creative people can organize and contribute to public life.
2:30 PM
Climate Playwriting Workshop
Social Hall
Workshop
Melanie Coffey
A climate playwriting workshop with Holocene Collective, led by Melanie Coffey.
4:30 PM
An Afternoon with John Michael
Classroom
Conversation / performance
John Michael
An afternoon with John Michael, creator of Narcan Time Machine.
6:30 PM
Keynote Speaker: Lisa Biggs
Sanctuary
Keynote
Lisa Biggs, Ph.D.
The festival keynote with Lisa Biggs, Ph.D.
7:30 PM
The Stoop
Social Hall
Performance
Grace House Acting Apprentices
A new play premiere presented by Still Point’s Grace House Acting Apprentices.
8:30 PM
Climate Change Play Reading
Classroom
Reading
A climate change play reading presented by 6th Fest.
Friday
OCTOBER 2, 2026
Practice, performance & systems
Friday moves from participatory practice into performance and an evening examination of theater, violence, and the carceral system.
10:00 AM
Morning Meditation
Meditation
Sanctuary
Nicoya Helm
A shared morning meditation led by Nicoya Helm to begin the festival day.
11:00 AM
Intro to Theater of the Oppressed
Workshop
Classroom
Mark Weinberg
An introduction to Theater of the Oppressed with Mark Weinberg of The Center for Applied Theatre.
2:30 PM
Self Producing and Theater for Social Change
Workshop
Ted Williams III, Ph.D.
A workshop on self-producing and theater for social change led by Ted Williams III, Ph.D.
4:00 PM
Mere Animal: The Vindication of Mary Wollstonecraft
Workshop / performance
Social Hall
Janine Ashley
Mere Animal: The Vindication of Mary Wollstonecraft, led by Janine Ashley.
7:00 PM
Panel 1: Theater and the Carceral System
Panel
Sanctuary
Ozivelle Ecford; Toussaint Daniels; James Swansea
A panel on theater and the carceral system with Ozivelle Ecford, Toussaint Daniels, and James Swansea.
8:15 PM
The Story of Violence
Screening / talkback
Social Hall
Toussaint Daniels
A screening of The Story of Violence by Toussaint Daniels, followed by a talkback. Produced in collaboration with The Mud Theater Project and Teamwork Englewood.
Saturday
OCTOBER 3, 2026
Stories, action & reflection
The closing day brings personal stories and public action into conversation, ending with a collective share-back and meditation.
10:00 AM
Morning Meditation
Sanctuary
Meditation
Nicoya Helm
A shared morning meditation led by Nicoya Helm to begin the festival day.
10:30 AM
SoulWork Workshop
Classroom
Workshop
Mi Kang; Dr. Cristal Chanelle Truscott
A SoulWork workshop facilitated by Mi Kang, with a Zoom appearance by Dr. Cristal Chanelle Truscott.
12:00 PM
To Pray Marvelously Well
Social Hall
Performance
Lisa Wagner-Carollo
A one-woman show with Lisa Wagner-Carollo exploring the spiritual friendship of St. Edith Stein and St. Teresa of Avila.
2:00 PM
Alex in Windyland
Social Hall
Staged reading
Abby Thompson
A dynamic staged reading co-written by Abby Thompson and youth in Chicago’s foster care system.
4:30 PM
Ensemble Based Process 101
Sanctuary
Workshop
An introduction to ensemble-based creative practice with Free Street Theatre.
6:30 PM
Life Out Loud
Social Hall
Performance
Life Out Loud, presented by About Face Theatre.
7:30 PM
Panel 2: Theatre, Arts Activism, and Chicago
Sanctuary
Panel
Ricardo Gamboa; Ericka Ratcliff; Ted Williams III
A conversation about theatre, arts activism, and Chicago with Ricardo Gamboa, Ericka Ratcliff, and Ted Williams III.