A circus memoir born inside a CT scanner is drawing bigger crowds than expected in the Loop. The Attic: Things I've Seen While Lying on My Back, the world-premiere production from Montreal's The 7 Fingers, opened September 5 at Goodman Theatre's Albert Theatre and has now been extended through October 11 due to ticket demand, according to Chicago Plays. The show was originally scheduled to close October 4.
A Life Story Conceived Flat on Her Back
The production, described by WGN-TV as a ground-breaking memoir that takes theater to new heights, tells the life story of former trapeze artist Shana Carroll, who wrote and directs the piece for The 7 Fingers. Per the Goodman Theatre, Carroll conceived the show while lying inside a medical CT scanner during treatment for cancer, realizing she could recount her whole life through memories seen from a supine position — from childhood attic rafters to trapeze rigs to hospital beds. The Goodman Theatre notes that Carroll was diagnosed with advanced cancer after she had already retired from active performance.
Chicago-based actor Tyler Meredith stars as the onstage avatar for Carroll, providing live spoken narration and vocals while joining the nine-member ensemble in acrobatic aerial stunts, according to ChicagoOnStage. The rest of the ensemble is drawn from the Montreal circus collective. WGN-TV's Spotlight Chicago segment also featured cast members Tyler and Melvin, who joined the show's spotlight to discuss the production; that segment airs weekdays from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on WGN.
Carroll's Role Behind the Piece
Carroll wrote and directs The Attic for The 7 Fingers.
The 7 Fingers itself carries international pedigree. The Montreal-based company, formally Les 7 Doigts de la Main, was founded in 2002 by seven circus artists aiming to blend acrobatic spectacle with intimate, story-driven contemporary theater, per ArtsEmerson. The company's name plays on a French idiom describing distinct parts acting in tight coordination. An original score for The Attic comes from Canadian composer Colin Gagné, a frequent collaborator with the collective, weaving between the live narration and the acrobatic sequences, per the ChicagoOnStage review.
A Milestone Opener for the Goodman's Second Century
The Attic isn't just a circus show landing in Chicago — it also happens to be the opening production of the Goodman Theatre's second century as an institution, following the close of its 2025–2026 centennial season, according to Third Coast Review.
The Goodman’s 2025–2026 season was its centennial season, with Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins at the helm. The Attic is running at the Goodman's Downtown Chicago venue at 170 N. Dearborn Street in the Loop, where the Albert Theatre seats 856 patrons, according to Loop Chicago. The Goodman complex also houses the smaller, 350-seat Owen Theatre.
Where the Show Heads Next
Chicago audiences aren't the only ones who will get a chance to see Carroll's story. Following its Chicago world premiere run, The Attic is scheduled to launch an autumn 2026 tour across Québec, followed by a spring 2027 tour in France, according to Playbill. The tours will extend Carroll's deeply personal memoir well beyond the Loop stage where it began. Tickets and additional information on the current Chicago run are available through the Goodman Theatre's website, goodmantheatre.org.
