Theaters/ Plays
Theater thrives in Southern Illinois, with a rich lineup of live performances that bring stories to life on stages big and small. From classic plays and modern dramas to student productions and community-led musicals, local theaters offer an intimate and immersive cultural experience. Venues like McLeod Theater at SIU, local civic centers, and independent playhouses spotlight the incredible talent of regional actors, directors, and playwrights inviting audiences to laugh, reflect, and connect through the power of performance.
Skyline Creek Productions is proud to present A Christmas Carol A Live Radio Play this holiday season. Creating a Christmas tradition for community members seeking to revel in holiday cheer with their friends and family. This holiday season, join us for a retelling of the classic A Christmas Carol, brought to life as a live 1940s radio broadcast. Experience the magic of season as the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future visit our hero Ebenezer Scrooge to teach him about generosity, love and the power of giving. Our cast of talented Radio players also includes our incredible Foley (sound effects) actors, and a piano player.
December 19, 2025, 7:00 PM
December 20, 2025, 7:00 PM
December 21, 2025, 2:00 PM
Marion Cultural and Civic Center
800 Tower Square Plaza
Marion, IL 62959
Young Sara Crewe arrives at Miss Minchin’s Select Seminary for Young ladies in London. The young, beloved heiress shines as the star pupil – until the death of her wealthy father completely reverses her fortune. The greedy headmistresses allow Sara to become a servant at the academy and live in a cold, miserable attic room. Sara uses her vivid imagination to overcome adversity and even bring happiness to those around her.
January 30, 2026, 7:30 PM
January 31, 2026, 7:30 PM
February 01, 2026, 2:00 PM
February 05, 2026, 7:30 PM
February 06, 2026, 7:30 PM
February 07, 2026, 7:30 PM
February 08, 2026, 2:00 PM
The Varsity Center
418 S Illinois Ave
Carbondale, IL 62901
Mary Zimmerman’s Metamorphoses brings Ovid’s tales to stunning visual life. Set in and around a large pool of water onstage, Metamorphoses juxtaposes the ancient and the contemporary in both language and image to reflect the variety and persistence of narrative in the face of inevitable change.
February 25, 2025, 7:30 PM
February 26, 2025, 7:30 PM
February 27, 2025, 7:30 PM
February 28, 2025, 7:30 PM
March 01, 2025, 2:00 PM
Christian Moe Laboratory Theater
Communications Building
1100 Lincoln Dr,
Carbondale, IL 62901
Seamlessly blending illusion, acrobatics, magic, and whimsy, MOMIX sends audiences flying down the rabbit hole in Moses Pendleton’s newest creation, ALICE, inspired by Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice in Wonderland. “I don’t intend to retell the whole Alice story” Pendleton says, “but to use it as a taking off point for invention.” Join this dazzling company on a mind-bending adventure, as Alice encounters time-honored characters including the undulating Caterpillar, a lobster quadrille, frenzied White Rabbits, a mad Queen of Hearts, and a variety of other surprises. Filled with visual splendor and startling creative movement, Alice reveals that nothing in MOMIX’s world is as it seems!
March 05, 2026, 7:00 PM
Marion Cultural and Civic Center
800 Tower Square Plaza
Marion, IL 62959
The SS American sets sail, protocol and convention come to the fore as two unlikely couples embark on the road to true love aided by a crew of singing sailors, a comic disguise and something more.
March 26, 2025, 7:30 PM
March 27, 2025, 7:30 PM
March 28, 2025, 7:30 PM
March 29, 2025, 2:00 PM
Shryock Auditorium
1050 S Normal Ave,
Carbondale, IL 62901
Four young siblings recreate their everyday lives in a game of make-believe in their attic, while the world beneath them bodes a more sinister reality. Defying all narrative expectations, Make Believe is a gut-wrenching meditation on the imprint of childhood trauma on adults.
April 17, 2026, 7:30 PM
April 18, 2026, 7:30 PM
April 19 2026, 2:00 PM
April 23, 2026, 7:30 PM
April 24 2026, 7:30 PM
April 25, 2026, 7:30 PM
April 26, 2026, 2:00 PM
The Varsity Center
418 S Illinois Ave
Carbondale, IL 62901
A whimsical prequel to Peter Pan that follows a nameless orphan boy and his journey to becoming Peter. When he boards a ship carrying a magical substance called star stuff, he meets Molly, a brave Starcatcher apprentice. Together, they battle pirates, led by the comically villainous Black Stache, and discover friendship, courage, and the power of imagination.
July 10, 2026, 7:30 PM
July 11, 2026, 7:30 PM
July 12, 2026, 2:00 PM
July 16, 2026, 7:30 PM
July 17, 2026, 7:30 PM
July 18, 2026, 7:30 PM
July 19, 2026, 2:00 PM
The Varsity Center
418 S Illinois Ave
Carbondale, IL 62901