Solo Sunday is thrilled to present a wide variety of productions and performers, from Chicago and beyond. Every month brings an all-new show. You may take in an acclaimed touring fringe festival show, a stunning musical performance, a riveting account of Chicago history, a hilarious comedic monologue, a heartbreaking family story, and so much more.
On select Sundays, we gather in an upstairs dining room at Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro in North Center for solo performance in a space so intimate and personal that shows feel like private performances.
Arrive early for a pre-show meal from the bistro's acclaimed menu, often accompanied by a live Irish music session, or make an evening of it with post-show drinks and conversation.
Our Next Production
HERstory: Trailblazing
Female Firsts By Anita Kallen & Catherine Thomson w/ Beckie Menzie Sunday, November 12th @ 6:30pm This show salutes the gutsy gals who boldly defied society’s conventions - going where no woman had gone before - and achieved groundbreaking female “Firsts.” With songs by Harold Arlen, Stephen Schwartz, Dolly Parton, Tom Lehrer, and Sara Bareilles, among others, Anita and Catherine weave in inspiring stories of amazing women and their trailblazing triumphs. |
Anita Kallen and Catherine Thomson met in the summer of 2010, when they were among 38 students from around the world selected to attend the International Cabaret Conference at Yale University. They worked with Broadway veterans such as Faith Prince and Tovah Feldshuh, as well as cabaret legend Julie Wilson. In 2011, they debuted a successful two-woman show at Davenport’s Cabaret in Chicago called Dangerous Women, a comic exploration of the many ways in which women can be dangerous. The show was reprised at Davenport’s in 2012. The duo spent 2017 and 2018 as part of a quartet celebrating Leonard Bernstein’s 100th birthday. Bernstein at 100 was performed several times in the Chicago area, with Cabaret Scenes magazine describing it as, “a loving salute to Maestro Bernstein.” In 2019, they premiered a sold-out debut of HERstory: The 19th Amendment Turns 100!, a celebration of the law that affirmed women’s right to vote. When the pandemic caused the cancellation of live performance, they promoted a digital version of the show, which played around the country from 2019 to 2021. In 2022, they launched a second highly acclaimed show in the HERstory series, Trailblazing Female Firsts. They continue to perform both shows widely around Chicagoland, while working on a third in the series, A Century of Songwriting Sisters, which will open in March of 2024.
With pianist/musical director Beckie Menzie.
With pianist/musical director Beckie Menzie.
Our Location
Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro 3905 N. Lincoln Avenue Murphy's is a legendary Irish pub located in the North Center neighborhood. Our performances take place in a private dining room upstairs. The entire venue is fully accessible, with an elevator and all necessary accommodations. A free parking lot is located just south of the venue on Lincoln, and there is metered and free parking on surrounding streets. Food and drink is available throughout the afternoon. |