Expanded March and April Programming Highlights Local Theater, Poetry and Youth Arts Opportunities
The City of Joliet’s Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events has an extensive slate of cultural programming coming to Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park and Theatre (201 W. Jefferson Ave.) this March and April. Early spring programming includes theater productions staged by local artists and high school students in addition to the annual Poetry Festival. Also is the opening of registration for the Bridge to Broadway theater camp.
“Bicentennial Park is a cornerstone of our year-round cultural programming strategy,” said Ann Sylvester, Director of Cultural Affairs & Special Events for the City of Joliet. “This spring lineup reflects our commitment to activating public spaces with diverse, high-quality experiences that spotlight local talent, create opportunities for young performers and invite residents of all ages to engage with the arts.”
The cultural programming for Bicentennial Theatre in March and April includes:
• “Small Store of Terror”
March 12, 13, 14 | 7 p.m.
March 15 | 3 p.m.
Ticket price: $15
Link to tickets: provchs.booktix.com
Provi Theater of Providence Catholic High School presents “Small Store of Terror,” a familiar story of a struggling young man who works at a flower shop on Skid Row who nurses a small plant into an enormous, carnivorous Venus fly-trap genus with a big personality.
• “Anything Goes”
March 26, 27 | 7 p.m.
March 28 | 1 p.m.
Ticket price: $15o Link to tickets: szynalsessions.com/drama-information
▪ Tickets go on sale March 12
JCA Drama of Joliet Catholic Academy presents “Anything Goes,” a high-energy musical comedy set aboard the luxury ocean liner S.S. American. Billy Crocker, a young stockbroker, stows away on the ship to pursue the woman he loves and quickly becomes tangled in a series of mistaken identities and comic schemes. As secrets unravel and loyalties are tested, the characters discover that love can’t be controlled by money or social expectations.
• National Poetry Month Open Mic
April 11 | 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Joliet’s Inaugural Poet Laureate, Uxmar Torres, will be hosting the third annual National Poetry Month Open Mic. This open mic is free to attend and has hosted poets and musicians playing acoustic music in the park’s indoor theatre since 2024. This year’s featured guest will be none other than Chicago’s Poet Laureate Mayda Del Valle. Any writers who are Joliet locals and natives (or near the area) are encouraged to take part.
• “Shades of Noir”
April 18 | 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
▪ Doors open one hour before performance times Ticket price: $5
Link to tickets: WriteOnShadesofNoir.eventbrite.com
WriteOn Joliet presents “Shades of Noir,” an immersive radio theater–style performance featuring original stories and poems that explore mystery, atmosphere and the many interpretations of noir. Now in its fourth year, the production brings together eight members of the diverse local writers’ collective for a live listening experience blending evocative storytelling, poetry and sound. The first 10 attendees at each performance will receive a free copy of WriteOn Joliet’s 2025 anthology, “Write Where We Are,” courtesy of the B.L.O.C.K.S. creative group.
• Bridge to Broadway theater camp
Registration now open here
June 15 – July 9
▪ Performances July 11, 12 | 2p.m.
Pricing
▪ $275 – Ages 5 years old to incoming fourth graders
▪ $350 – Ages incoming fourth graders to graduating seniors
The City of Joliet is proud to partner with the Joliet Drama Guild to present Bridge to Broadway, a dynamic drama and tech summer camp designed for children and youth ages 5 to 18. Campers will explore drama, singing, movement and design over this month-long camp, culminating with a final performance of “Finding Nemo, Jr.”
For more information about arts, culture and special events programming in Joliet, visit www.joliet.gov.
