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Chicago Storefront Theatres Join Forces for National New Play Network Rolling Premiere of ‘Other Paths To God’
Perceptions Theatre and Coalescence Theatre Project bring award-winning playwright Kelundra Smith’s darkly comic drama about five Black women healthcare workers to Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood.
The women behind ‘Other Paths To God’, an National New Play Network rolling premiere coming to Chicago (left to right) directed by Myesha-Tiara (Perceptions Theatre), written by Kelundra Smith (Atlanta-based playwright), and produced by India Nicole Burton (Coaleascene Theatre Project).
(September 22, 2026 - Chicago, IL.) - Perceptions Theatre has partnered with Coalescence Theatre Project to develop and showcase new plays by more artistically diverse voices on Chicago’s storefront theatre stages. ‘Other Paths To God’ written by Kelundra Smith, a playwright returning to Chicago after her successful run of The Wash (2025) at eta Creative Arts Foundation. The play is directed by Myesha-Tiara, an award-winning director and founder of Perceptions Theatre in South Shore, and produced by India Nicole Burton, the new associate artistic director of Coalescence Theatre Project.
‘Other Paths To God’ runs Nov 5-Nov 15; Thursdays-Saturdays, 7:30pm; Sundays, 2pm; at Definition Theatre in Hyde Park (1160 E. 55th Street)
In this NNPN Rolling World Premiere, Seven days, 5 nurses, $3 million, 1 crazy scandal. The ICU nurses at Morey Medical Center don’t need another complication, but when money goes missing, and fingers point in their direction, everyone’s at their worst and most outrageous behavior. This wild ride through the lives of five resilient women in healthcare is funny, poignant, and just the right amount of scandalous, while revealing that the path to healing and redemption is never a straight line.
Playwright Kelundra Smith, is the award-winning writer of The Wash, which debuted at Synchronicity and Impact Theatres and also appeared for a short run at ETA Creative Arts Foundation in 2025. It will be her second time working with Perceptions Theatre which was named “Best Storefront Theatre On A Mission” by Chicago Magazine in 2023. Coalescence Theatre Project, a Bloomington-Normal-based company with recent productions in Chicago, joins the collaboration as the producing company for this play. It’s associate artistic director, India Nicole Burton, wrote ‘Panther Women: An Army For The Liberation’ which was presented by Perceptions Theatre and directed by its founder, Myesha-Tiara.
“It is inherently important that we share our own stories as Black women, artists, and the various roles we have taken on in the history of our society,” says Myesha-Tiara.
Art for graphic design by Charde Young (aka Love Freely)
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Event venue
Definition Theatre, 1160 E 55th St, Chicago, IL 60615, United States
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