What happens when two strangers discover they’re brothers linked not just by blood, but by buried emotions, unanswered questions, and the haunting rhythms of Black masculinity?
Opening day for the play Hymn at the Shakespeare Theatre at Navy Pier is April 29, 2025. Written by Lolita Chakrabarti and directed by Ron OJ Parson, Chakrabarti, this two-man play explores the complexity of manhood, fatherhood, legacy, and connection in the Black experience. It follows Gil and Benny, men from different walks of life brought together by a funeral, only to realize they share more than they could have imagined. Based on the South Side of Chicago, the sounds of R&B, gospel, and house music come together in this riveting tale that captures how love, faith, and friendship is what makes life’s complexities a little easier to fight through.
The performance pulses with music, vulnerability, and intimate moments that feel like looking through a window into someone’s soul. Hymn sings and dances its way into your heart. It’s a real conversation and one that urges us to check in on our brothers, to grieve out loud, and to recognize the quiet ways we seek belonging and understanding.
Lolita brought an experience to life to capture friendship, vulnerability, and the sharing of stories that was based upon the male relationships within her extended family all to capture never before seen interactions between males.
Tickets available here.
Grab your tickets now! The last day to catch this performance is on stage is May 25th.
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Chiké Johnson and James Vincent Meredith star in Chicago Shakespeare’s Hymn, directed by Ron OJ Parson. A powerhouse Chicago cast and creative team bring this deeply resonant tribute to male friendship by Lolita Chakrabarti to the stage, April 29 - May 25, 2025, in the Courtyard Theater.
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James Vincent Meredith and Chiké Johnson in Chicago Shakespeare’s Hymn, directed by Ron OJ Parson. A powerhouse Chicago cast and creative team bring this deeply resonant tribute to male friendship by Lolita Chakrabarti to the stage, April 29 - May 25, 2025, in the Courtyard Theater.
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James Vincent Meredith (at right) and Chiké Johnson in Chicago Shakespeare’s Hymn, directed by Ron OJ Parson. A powerhouse Chicago cast and creative team bring this deeply resonant tribute to male friendship by Lolita Chakrabarti to the stage, April 29 - May 25, 2025, in the Courtyard Theater.
hymn-chike-johnson-solo-performance-chicago-theater.jpg
Chiké Johnson in Chicago Shakespeare’s Hymn, directed by Ron OJ Parson. A powerhouse Chicago cast and creative team bring this deeply resonant tribute to male friendship by Lolita Chakrabarti to the stage, April 29 - May 25, 2025, in the Courtyard Theater.
hymn-brotherhood-moment-johnson-meredith-chicago-shakespeare.jpg
Chiké Johnson and James Vincent Meredith in Chicago Shakespeare’s Hymn, directed by Ron OJ Parson. A powerhouse Chicago cast and creative team bring this deeply resonant tribute to male friendship by Lolita Chakrabarti to the stage, April 29 - May 25, 2025, in the Courtyard Theater.
hymn-chike-johnson-spotlight-chicago-stage.jpg
Chiké Johnson in Chicago Shakespeare’s Hymn, directed by Ron OJ Parson. A powerhouse Chicago cast and creative team bring this deeply resonant tribute to male friendship by Lolita Chakrabarti to the stage, April 29 - May 25, 2025, in the Courtyard Theater.
hymn-james-vincent-meredith-solo-scene-chicago.jpg
James Vincent Meredith in Chicago Shakespeare’s Hymn, directed by Ron OJ Parson. A powerhouse Chicago cast and creative team bring this deeply resonant tribute to male friendship by Lolita Chakrabarti to the stage, April 29 - May 25, 2025, in the Courtyard Theater.
hymn-cast-onstage-johnson-meredith-chicago-shakespeare.jpg
Chiké Johnson and James Vincent Meredith in Chicago Shakespeare’s Hymn, directed by Ron OJ Parson. A powerhouse Chicago cast and creative team bring this deeply resonant tribute to male friendship by Lolita Chakrabarti to the stage, April 29 - May 25, 2025, in the Courtyard Theater.
