Bad Jews is good news for Theater Wit. The Chicago premiere of Joshua Harmon's uncomfortably funny comedy extended its original run at Theater Wit's Lakeview home before transferring to Skokie's North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, where it extended again (it's playing there through August 8). The theater announced today that its big hit will get more life yet, coming back into the city for a run at the Royal George Theatre.
Bad Jews will play the Royal George's rear Cabaret Theatre, with a seating capacity of 168. Tickets will go on sale July 31 for an initial block of dates running August 28–October 4. Three of the production's original cast members, Ian Paul Custer, Cory Kahane and Laura Lapidus, will remain with the show; the role of Melody, currently played by Erica Bittner, will be recast. I gave the show a four-star review in its initial Theater Wit run back in May.
Playwright Harmon has a new play, Significant Other, running Off Broadway right now that's earned rave reviews (including this one from my colleague Adam Feldman). Given Theater Wit's success with Bad Jews, I wouldn't be surprised if artistic director Jeremy Wechsler was already in negotations for another Harmon Chicago premiere.