I rarely go to Broadway opening nights, but a canceled press performance had me at the "Bug" shebang on Thursday. Lots of Chicagoans were there for the opening of Tracy Letts' creepy, crawly show, direct from Steppenwolf and starring Carrie Coon, Namir Smallwood, Steve Key, Randall Arney and Jen Engstrom. Along with director David Cromer, I saw (among others from our town) Michael Shannon, Doug Vickers, David Cerda, Steppenwolf's Glenn Davis, Audrey Francis and Brooke Flanagan, as well as a bunch of celebs from "White Lotus" and "The Gilded Age," two of Coon's past projects. A big Chicago night.

Casting news back in town: Goodman Theatre's upcoming "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" will star E. Faye Butler as Ma, along with Al’Jaleel McGhee, Scott Aiello, David Alan Anderson, Matt DeCaro, Marc Grapey, Tiffany Renee Johnson, Jabari Khaliq, Kelvin Rostin Jr. and Cedric Young. "Come Back, Little Sheba" at American Blues will feature Philip Earl Johnson, Joslyn Jones and Gwendolyn Whiteside. Definition’s next show, the Chicago premiere of Kristen Adele Calhoun's "Black Cypress Bayou," will feature Michelle Renee Bester, Jyreika Guest, RJ W. Mays and Rita Wicks.

Drury Lane is joining the Marriott Theatre in partnering with the Chicago-based Artists Lounge Live presenting agency. "Hello Again: Eric Gutman Sings Neil Diamond" will play March 17-18 at the Marriott and March 28-29 at Drury Lane. "Friends in Low Places: Brandon Bennett Sings Garth Brooks" will run Aug. 6-8 at Drury Lane Theatre, Sept. 14-15 at Marriott.

Early booker alert: The Stratford Festival’s 2026 season went on sale Saturday. Shows include "The Tempest," "A Midsummer Night’s Dream," "Othello, "Guys and Dolls, " a reprise of "Something Rotten!," "The Hobbit," "The Importance of Being Earnest," "Waiting for Godot " and "Death of a Salesman." Also Eduardo De Filippo’s "Saturday, Sunday, Monday" and two world premières: Jovanni Sy’s "The Tao of the World" and Charlotte Corbeil-Coleman’s "The King James Bible Play." We're having a Chicago Tribune weekend with moi in August.

A reminder that this coming Friday is "Suzy Eddie Izzard Talks Shakespeare N'Stuff (Forsooth)," a benefit event for Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

You can also catch me as the volunteer guest host of a special Broadway trivia night at the Une Année Brewery in Niles next Monday, Jan. 19. Come and say hello and test your Broadway knowledge.

Otherwise, I will see you at the theater.

— Chris Jones, chief theater critic

Our current list of Chris Jones Recommends: “The Phantom of the Opera” through Feb. 1 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre.