Northlight Theatre sliced through a bright red ribbon in downtown Evanston on Tuesday, marking a long-anticipated homecoming to the city where the company was founded more than fifty years ago. The new stand-alone venue on Church Street is set up as a mid-sized playhouse for mainstage shows, education programs and community events. When doors open for the 2026-27 season, audiences can expect roughly 285 seats, a lobby bar and flexible rehearsal and event spaces.
Officials, artists mark a long-awaited return
At the July 28 ceremony, Artistic Director BJ Jones told the crowd that “we will be back in control of our own box office and our own schedule,” a not-so-subtle nod to the freedom that comes with having a dedicated home again. Executive Director Tim Evans added that the capital campaign has covered “virtually all” of the project’s roughly $33 million cost and said that adding a second performance space remains “our hope.” Donors, local officials and longtime staffers who have pushed for the move for years turned out to see the building officially welcomed to downtown. As reported by Chicago Tribune.
Design details and the Church Street footprint
The purpose-built, three-story structure at 1012 Church Street credits Eckenhoff Saunders as architect, with theatre planning by Schuler Shook, according to meeting materials from the City of Evanston. City records also note the council’s approval of a Class E-2 liquor license as part of the opening playbook. Plans call for a modern lobby, accessible seating and backstage support areas that are meant to keep the house nimble enough for both professional productions and community rentals.
First season on the new stage
Northlight’s inaugural season in the Church Street space is slated to kick off with Jeffrey Hatcher’s adaptation of Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur’s The Front Page, with performances scheduled for September and October. The 2026-27 season lists five mainstage productions. The company says the house will seat about 285 patrons and includes improved sightlines, updated sound and a dedicated box office. Full dates and ticket information are available through Northlight.
Downtown bars and restaurants get ready
Downtown Evanston businesses are already angling for pre-show and post-show traffic. A recent Hoodline piece noted that a Church Street gastropub is now advertising itself as next to the newly built Northlight, hoping to catch theatre crowds as nightlife in the area perks up. The theatre has also scheduled a Grand Opening Gala for Aug. 15, according to arts outlet Theatre in Chicago. Local leaders say the combination of a busy playhouse and a compact downtown could help knit arts activity and neighborhood commerce more tightly together.
From Evanston roots to regional reach
Northlight started in 1974 as the Evanston Theatre Company, founded by Gregory Kandel along with partners including Mike Nussbaum and Frank Galati, according to Wikipedia. The return to Evanston caps a long chapter that has seen the company performing at various North Shore venues, most recently at the North Shore Center in Skokie. The move back is both symbolic and practical, giving Northlight a permanent box office, rehearsal rooms and space for community-focused programming.
How the new building came together
The project broke ground in March 2025 and moved quickly through construction, with crews wrapping interior work and installing seats over the past year, according to press coverage of the development. Company leaders and local reporting have said the capital campaign covered nearly all of the roughly $33 million construction cost. Sources for the timeline include coverage of the March 2025 groundbreaking by BroadwayWorld.
Tickets, hours and what hits the stage first
Subscriptions and single tickets are already on sale. Posted box office hours run Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extra hours on performance days. The public is invited to the Aug. 15 Grand Opening Gala ahead of the subscription season launch, and full schedules and tickets are available via Northlight. The company says audiences can expect a mix of new work and community programming as Northlight settles into its Church Street address.
