About this Event
The Understudy Dares You to Produce This Play is a monthly reading series highlighting plays that have not received a Chicago production. Produced by The Understudy’s bookstore team, this series works to expand the variety of playwrights and titles in our vibrant community.
This month, we're reading Shifters by Benedict Lombe.
Cast
Dre- Patrick Newson Jr.
Des- Felicia Oduh
Stage Directions- Adia Alli
About the Play
Dre and Des. Young. Gifted. Black. He stayed. She left.
Years later, Des and Dre come crashing back into each other's lives, carrying new secrets and old scars. With the clock counting down until Des has to leave again, memories of their past collide with their present and they're forced to question if destiny has brought them back together for a reason.
Benedict Lombe's play Shifters is a fierce, funny and beautifully intoxicating celebration of the enduring power of memory and first love. It was performed at the Bush Theatre, London, in 2024, directed by Artistic Director Lynette Linton, before transferring to the Duke of York's Theatre in London's West End. It went on to win Best Production (Play) at the 2025 Black British Theatre Awards, and was staged in an Off-Broadway production in 2026.
Event venue & nearby stays
The Understudy Coffee and Books, 5531 N Clark St, Chicago, United States
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