"Catch it here, or you'll need to wait for Broadway!"

– WGN

June 11 - July 17, 2022 in Goodman's Albert Theatre

Around 1 hours and 35 minutes with no intermission

“Musical theater perfection…exquisite from start to finish” (BroadwayWorld).

Frank Carter famously authored self-help books. But Alice, his 16-year-old daughter, finds cold comfort in his positivity platitudes when he tragically never comes home one night. As she puzzles out the events of the day that changed her family forever, Alice’s relentless search for the facts reveals a more complicated truth. With big humor and bittersweet wit, this “luminous new musical…lush, poetic and surprisingly funny” (The San Diego Union-Tribune) explores how we move through and live with loss.

Read Content Advisory Info
  • Life After is suggested for ages 10 and up. It addresses themes of death and grief; audience members, parents and guardians should assess their own experience with these topics when planning to attend the show. For more information contact the box office at 312.443.3800
 

Check out Behind the Curtain, our digital video series where we talk plays, process and more. Watch the full interviews as they are released here.

 

Please note: masks must be worn while inside the theater and children under 5 are not permitted. For a full list of Health and Safety protocols, visit GoodmanTheatre.org/Protocols.

Audiences are wowed by Britta Johnson's stunning new musical, Life After.

Life After, on stage now through July 17!

First Listen: "Poetry" from Life After, written & performed by Britta Johnson.

(L-R) Paul Alexander Nolan and Samantha Williams in Britta Johnson’s Life After. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

(L-R) Samantha Williams and Skyler Volpe in Britta Johnson’s Life After. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

Bryonha Marie Parham in Britta Johnson’s Life After. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

Paul Alexander Nolan in Britta Johnson’s Life After. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

(L-R) Ashley Pérez Flanagan, Samantha Williams, Chelsea Williams, Paul Alexander Nolan and Lauryn Hobbs in Britta Johnson’s Life After. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

(L-R) Jen Sese and Bryonha Marie Parham in Britta Johnson’s Life After. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

(L-R) Lucy Panush and Samantha Williams in Britta Johnson’s Life After. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

(L-R) Lauryn Hobbs, Ashley Pérez Flanagan, Lucy Panush, Chelsea Williams, Samantha Williams in Britta Johnson’s Life After. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

Samantha Williams in Britta Johnson’s Life After. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

Audiences are wowed by Britta Johnson's stunning new musical, Life After.

Life After, on stage now through July 17!

First Listen: "Poetry" from Life After, written & performed by Britta Johnson.

(L-R) Paul Alexander Nolan and Samantha Williams in Britta Johnson’s Life After. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

(L-R) Samantha Williams and Skyler Volpe in Britta Johnson’s Life After. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

Bryonha Marie Parham in Britta Johnson’s Life After. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

Paul Alexander Nolan in Britta Johnson’s Life After. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

(L-R) Ashley Pérez Flanagan, Samantha Williams, Chelsea Williams, Paul Alexander Nolan and Lauryn Hobbs in Britta Johnson’s Life After. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

(L-R) Jen Sese and Bryonha Marie Parham in Britta Johnson’s Life After. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

(L-R) Lucy Panush and Samantha Williams in Britta Johnson’s Life After. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

(L-R) Lauryn Hobbs, Ashley Pérez Flanagan, Lucy Panush, Chelsea Williams, Samantha Williams in Britta Johnson’s Life After. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

Samantha Williams in Britta Johnson’s Life After. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

Buy Tickets

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Questions?

Contact the box office at 312.443.3800 (12noon - 5pm, daily).

Critical Praise

  • “Life After is a stirring, fully original musical that borrows from nothing except the timeless artistic desire to make sense of life and loss."

    - Chicago Tribune

  • “This show, with this cast and orchestra, is as perfect as musicals get.”

    - Newcity

  • “★★★★ (out of 4)...Life After will stay with you for a long while.”

    - Chicago Sun-Times

  • “An exquisite show with a score that recalls Stephen Sondheim.”

    - Daily Herald

  • “With fantastic music, Life After is its own special creation in a finely crafted production. Fast paced, moving, and beautiful to watch!”

    - WGN

  • “Gorgeous! A stunning and original new musical, profoundly emotional, deeply moving and surprisingly humorous.”

    - BroadwayWorld

Audience Feedback

  • [Life After] was life changing @GoodmanTheatre tonight. Great job.

    @nickle_pup via

  • Absolutely my favorite musical production I've ever seen.

    @michaelbrownlessons via

  • Best musical I’ve seen since Hamilton. Don’t miss it!!

    Patricia M. via

  • An absolutely stunning production in every way. A perfect blend of humor and substance.

    Jeremy R. via

  • Britta Johnson's radiant family dramedy #LifeAfter at Goodman Theatre [is] unmissable.

    @EDonoghueWrite via

  • Poignant...funny yet thoughtful.

    Suzanne N. via

  • This show was beautiful but the cast is phenomenal!! ❤️ Recommend.

    Natalie O. via

Artists
  • Britta Johnson

    Britta Johnson Playwright/Composer

  • Annie Tippe

    Annie Tippe Director

  • Ashley Pérez Flanagan

    Ashley Pérez Flanagan Fury

  • Lauryn Hobbs

    Lauryn Hobbs Fury

  • Paul Alexander Nolan

    Paul Alexander Nolan Frank

  • Lucy Panush

    Lucy Panush Hannah

  • Bryonha Marie Parham

    Bryonha Marie Parham Beth

  • Jen Sese

    Jen Sese Ms. Hopkins

  • Skyler Volpe

    Skyler Volpe Kate

  • Chelsea Williams

    Chelsea Williams Fury

  • Samantha Williams

    Samantha Williams Alice

  • Ariana Burks

    Ariana Burks Understudy

  • Alanna Chavez

    Alanna Chavez Understudy

  • Antoinette Comer

    Antoinette Comer Understudy

  • Claire Kwon

    Claire Kwon Understudy

  • Stef Tovar

    Stef Tovar Understudy

  • Lynne Shankel

    Lynne Shankel Music Supervisor

  • Chris Kong

    Chris Kong Music Director

  • Ann Yee

    Ann Yee Choreographer

  • Todd Rosenthal

    Todd Rosenthal Set Designer

  • Sarafina Bush

    Sarafina Bush Costume Designer

  • Yi Zhao

    Yi Zhao Lighting Designer

  • Joanna Lynne Staub

    Joanna Lynne Staub Sound Designer

  • Briana J. Fahey

    Briana J. Fahey Production Stage Manager

  • Mario (Mars) Wolfe

    Mario (Mars) Wolfe Stage Manager

  • Nikki Blue

    Nikki Blue Stage Manager

  • Tara Rubin Casting

    Tara Rubin Casting Casting

  • Merri Sugarman

    Merri Sugarman Casting

  • Lauren Port

    Lauren Port Casting

  • Rachael Jimenez

    Rachael Jimenez Casting

  • Jocelyn Prince

    Jocelyn Prince Dramaturg

  • Heather Boehm

    Heather Boehm Orchestra Contractor

  • Christian Denzel Bufford

    Christian Denzel Bufford Asst. Choreographer

  • Ryan Driscoll

    Ryan Driscoll Music Preparation

  • Rueben D. Echoles

    Rueben D. Echoles Assoc. Director

  • Brian Elston

    Brian Elston Asst. Lighting Designer

  • Stephanie Farina

    Stephanie Farina Assoc. Sound Designer

  • Anika Johnson

    Anika Johnson Script Consultant

  • Beth Koehler

    Beth Koehler Production Assistant

  • Nicole E. Lang

    Nicole E. Lang Assoc. Lighting Designer

  • Sotirios Livaditis

    Sotirios Livaditis Assoc. Set Designer

  • Samuel Perlman

    Samuel Perlman Music Assistant

  • Tania Richard

    Tania Richard EDI consultant

  • Molly Rosen

    Molly Rosen Script Assistant

  • Meike Schmidt

    Meike Schmidt Moving Light Programmer

  • Andra Velis Simon

    Andra Velis Simon Conductor Cover

Behind the Curtain

Take a peek Behind the Curtain—a digital video series where we talk plays, process and more. Goodman’s producer, Malkia Stampley, and the artists behind Life After discuss the beauty of this play and why anyone on Earth can relate to it.

CHECK IT OUT

Recommended Reads
  • Life After Review - Chicago Tribune

    Life After at Goodman Theatre is a stirring musical about a grieving teenager — a new show that’s going places

    Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune

    “The central character happens to be a teenager, but anyone who has suffered the loss of a close family member will recognize the anguish of young Alice in “Life After,” the very intense musical at the Goodman Theatre with book, music and lyrics by an immensely talented new compositional voice, a 31-year-old Canadian named Britta Johnson.”

    READ MORE

  • Life After Review - Chicago Sun-Times

    A teen confronts a torrent of emotions after her father’s death in Goodman’s impassioned musical Life After

    Catey Sullivan, Chicago Sun-Times

    “Every family is messy, but the family in “Life After” is messy in a way that will be instantly recognizable to anyone who has lost a loved one when unfinished business still defined their relationship.”

    READ MORE

  • Britta Johnson

    Award-winning Canadian musical Life After heads to Chicago’s Goodman Theatre

    Joshua Chong, Toronto Star

    “It feels like a dream come true to bring Life After to Chicago,” said Johnson, who was raised in Stratford. “After the wild ride the past couple of years has been — specifically what this particular project has been through — it’s a thrill to see it on the horizon again.”

    READ MORE

Enhanced Performances

Join us for any of the following accessible & enhanced performances.

Questions? Please contact 312.443.3800 (voice), 312.443.3829 (TTY/TDD) or email Access@GoodmanTheatre.org.

Touch Tour and Audio Described performanceTouch Tour* and Audio-Described Performance
Saturday, July 9
12:30pm Touch Tour & 2pm Performance
Use code AUDIO for $30 tickets

American Sign Language Interpreted PerformanceAmerican Sign Language-Interpreted Performance
Friday, July 15 at 8pm
Use code SIGN for $30 tickets

Open Caption Performance Open-Captioned Performance
Sunday, July 17 at 2pm
Use code OPEN for $30 tickets

Spanish CaptionSpanish Subtitles Performance
Saturday, July 16 at 8pm
Use code SPANISH for $30 tickets

Learn More About Accessible & Enhanced Performances for Life After

*Touch Tours for the 2021/2022 Season will not have access to the stage due to current health and safety protocols, but will feature alternate pre-show sensory introductions.

Season Overview

Welcome back to your home for theater, Goodman Theatre.

A thrilling line-up awaits as we return to stage and resume performances. The 2021/2022 Season reflects the artistic excellence that you love, and the commitment to our Chicago community that you expect. Come share the moments—together, in-person, once again—that inspire our collective humanity.

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