Illinois Theatre Association upcoming events

Come Together: Community Theatre Fest Q&A Session (06/25/2026)

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Could Your Theatre Be Part of Illinois' Largest Celebration of Community Theatre?

The 2026 Illinois Community Theatre Fest: Come Together is more than a competition—it's an opportunity to showcase your work, receive valuable feedback from theatre professionals, connect with fellow community theatre artists, and represent Illinois on the path to regional and national recognition through AACTFest.

Not sure if your theatre should compete? Have questions about the process, requirements, costs, or benefits?

Join representatives from AACTFest and the Illinois Theatre Association Community Theatre Division for an informal Q&A designed specifically for Illinois community theatres. We'll answer your questions, walk through what to expect, and help you determine whether this exciting opportunity is right for your organization.

Whether you're seriously considering participating in the competition or simply curious about what the festival offers, we invite you to join the conversation and discover how your theatre can be part of this statewide celebration of community theatre excellence.

Bring your questions. Bring your curiosity. Come explore what's possible for your theatre.

Click Here to Register for this Virtual Event

Next to Normal: Engle Lane Community Theatre (08/06/2026)

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:30:00 GMT

Engle Lane Community Theatre presents: Next to Normal!

Next to Normal is a moving rock musical about a family navigating mental illness, grief, and the search for hope and healing.

August 6th at 7:30pm August 7th at 7:30pm August 8th at 2:00pm August 9th at 2:00pm

Tickets are $22 and can be purchased at http://www.englelane.org or by contacting the box office boxoffice@englelane.org

815-672-3584.

ITA 2026 Come Together Community Theatre Festival (11/07/2026)

Sat, 07 Nov 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Come Together: The Heartbeat of Community Theatre in Illinois

There is something uniquely powerful about community theatre. It’s more than a stage and it’s more than lights and lines. It’s a gathering place. It’s where strangers become castmates, where castmates become friends and friends become family. This year’s theme for Illinois’ bi-annual community theatre festival, Come Together, beautifully captures the essence of what community theatre has always been, and continues to be, across Illinois.

In towns big and small across our state, community theatres serve as creative homes. They welcome people of all ages, backgrounds and experience levels. That spirit of inclusion is what makes community theatre so special. It doesn’t just invite participation; it depends on it.

Come Together celebrates the collaborative art that is the essence of community theatre. Your theatre can participate in our biannual play competition with a chance to represent our state and our region at the American Association of Community Theatre’s AACTFest in June of 2027. You’ll be able to network with other theatre makers and celebrate the very essence of community theatre.

Come Together will be Nov. 7th and 8th at Morton College (time TBD).

For more information contact communitytheatre@illinoistheatre.org.