THE RIVERFRONT PLAYHOUSE

COMING SOON

Looped
a Comedy by Matthew Lombard

September 17 - October 23

Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm

Based on a real event, Looped takes place in the summer of 1965, when an inebriated Tallulah Bankhead needed eight hours to redub - or loop - one line of dialogue for her last movie, Die! Die! My Darling!: "And so Patricia, as I was telling you, that deluded rector has in literal effect closed the church to me." Though Bankhead's outsized personality dominates the play, the sub-story involves her battle of wills with a film editor named Danny Miller, who has been selected to work that particular sound editing session.

The Riverfront Playhouse

Est. 1978

The Riverfront Playhouse has doubled it's size since its inception, and we're constantly looking for ways to make it even bigger. Through the un-flagging loyalty of our personnel and patrons, we've made it to well over 200 mainstage shows, countless children's theatre presentations, and

The Riverfront Playhouse is a 501c3 not-for-profit store front theater founded in 1978 and established under the direction of David Morris as a creative outlet for actors of all walks of life and all levels of experience to learn and hone their craft. With the very first show, UNDER THE YUM YUM TREE, which featured the talents of Gary Puckett, Christiane Morris, Dick Hawks, and Barbara Alexander, the playhouse was off and running.
 

While performing in the backroom of Max's All-American Bar, which sat on the corner of The Water Street Mall and Galena Boulevard, the actors were all crammed into a coffin-like backstage area, and were forced to do their costume changes out on the Mall behind bedspreads held up by their fellow actors and technical personnel.
 

we have remained a venue for diverse and exciting entertainment in the Western Suburbs, as well as a sort of blue-collar clubhouse for the artistic types of the Chicagoland area. Our longevity is a tribute, not only to the folks that handle the day to day grind of business, but to the audiences that have kept our doors open since 1978. A debt of gratitude is owed to all.

News & Updates

A message from the Riverfront Board of Directors:

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Since our unexpected temporary closure in March 2020, we’ve worked hard to stay engaged with our patrons and the community we’ve been a part of for more than 40 years. We’ve experimented with outdoor productions, broadcasts of fan favorites, and even a new show performed on our stage for you to watch from the comfort of your own homes. 

Obviously nothing can replicate the experience of a live performance in a packed theatre, but we are so grateful for our fans, both longtime and new, for sticking with us while we’ve prioritized safety for our patrons and performers. Like everyone, we are looking forward to returning to normalcy and spending time doing the things we love to do. We truly could not have made it through this past year without your continued support and understanding, and we hope we’ve provided you with some of that Riverfront charm this past year, even if it wasn’t quite the same.

That being said, we are excited to announce that plans are in motion for our reopening soon! Tentatively scheduled for September, we invite everyone to join us for a new mainstage production in our freshly cleaned and painted theatre. Be on the lookout for more details on our website and social media. We look forward to seeing you again soon! Thank you for sticking with us during these crazy times, and until then, stay safe! 

Thank you.