Aurora Copley Theatre Renovation Complete After 2 Years

Aurora IL

09 February, 2022

1:45 PM

Description

AURORA, IL — After two years and $2 million, Copley Theatre's top-to-bottom renovation is complete. Unknown and underutilized no longer, the downtown Aurora theater will instead be an intimate, state-of-the-art production space, officials said. The renovations include 165 new and comfortable seats and a modern lobby bar. Copley, operated by and located across the street from Paramount Theatre on East Galena Boulevard, will be the home of a new subscription series called "Bold Series." Paramount described the four-show series as "fearless, unexpected and thought provoking." The first of the four shows, "Sweat," will open March 9 and run through April 24. Lynn Nottage's acclaimed modern-day drama focuses on life in an American Rust Belt town that's battered by the constant threat of company shutdowns. The production is set in an impoverished town at a bar where workers come together to laugh, talk and drink their cares away. When rumors arise of promotions and layoffs, tensions and jealousy start to tear apart the community. Veteran Chicago director Andrea J. Dymond helms the Copley Theatre production. The playwright is the first and only woman to have won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama twice, including for "Sweat" in 2017. After "Sweat," the Bold Series will continue from May 25 to July 10 with Robin Askin's "Hand to God," a humorous shocker with puppets told in "Sesame Street meets Exorcist"-style. Tony-winning musical "Fun Home," based on Alison Bechdel's graphic novel, will be the third production, running from Aug. 3 to Sept. 18. To close out the series, Nancy García Loza's "BULL: A Love Story" will make its world premiere from Oct. 5 to Nov. 20. The drama is about a Mexican-American man who returns to Chicago to find a family that has moved on and a neighborhood he doesn't recognize. "Up close and personal, the Bold Series calls audiences together urgently and right on time," Paramount Artistic Director Jim Corti said in a statement. "By turns comic and cautionary, rendered by prize-winning, contemporary playwrights, passionate voices will soon be let loose in the dynamically renewed space of Paramount's Copley Theatre. Come discover what we've found for you in these four inaugural season productions." "Sweat" showtimes will be at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturdays, and 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets range from $67 to $74 in price. Copley Theatre, like Paramount, will also offer pay-what-you-can performances "in order to break down barriers to experiencing live theater." For "Sweat," those performances will take place at 7 p.m. March 10 and 3 p.m. March 12. For people interested in seeing all four Bold Series shows, subscriptions are available, which range from $134 to $148 — a "buy two shows, get two shows free" offer. Individual and subscriptions tickets can be purchased online or by calling 630-896-6666. Prospective attendees can also buy tickets at Paramount's box office, 23 E. Galena Boulevard, between 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.