Chicago Shakespeare Theater has added a major, pre-Broadway engagement to its season: A British musical telling an American story, playing in The Yard theater on Navy Pier from May 24 to June 29.
“42 Balloons,” which was widely acclaimed in its spring 2024 premiere in the North of England, is the story of “Lawnchair Larry” Walters, a real-life Vietnam veteran who, in 1982, made a quixotic, solo 45-minute flight above Southern California in a lawn chair, lifted by 42 (or maybe 43) helium-filled weather balloons. He flew as high as 16,000 feet.
“42 Balloons,” which has an original pop score themed to the power ballads, funk and glam rock sounds of the 1980s, premiered at the Lowry in Salford, Manchester, last spring to much critical acclaim. “This is a wonderfully paradoxical, inspiring new British musical by the budding writer-composer Jack Godfrey,” wrote Donald Hutera, a critic for The Times on London. “Whip-smart, funny and unexpectedly but exceptionally touching, it lifts us up in the first act only to emotionally plummet us back down in the second.”
The lead commercial producer of “42 Balloons” is Kevin McCollum, also the producer of “Rent” “The Notebook” and “Six,” the third a massive recent hit which also began its North American trajectory at Chicago Shakespeare.
Edward Hall, that theater’s artistic director, said in a phone interview that he saw “42 Balloons” at the Lowry and was “very excited” to bring it to Chicago. Other commercial producers involved include Andy and Wendy Barnes, also producers of “Six,” and Sonia Friedman Productions, a powerhouse in British theater. Godfrey’s show will be helmed at Chicago Shakespeare by its original young director, Ellie Coote, presumably with an eye on the 2025-26 Broadway season.
Ticket details have not yet been announced. For more information, visit www.chicagoshakes.com.
Chris Jones is a Tribune critic.
cjones5@chicagotribune.com