Babes With Blades Theatre Company

A crown broken into 3 pieces. Some of the prongs of the crown are dripping blood.

BWBTC Shakespeare: King Lear
Directed by Alison Dornheggen (she/her)
@ Theater Wit
October 17 - November 21, 2026
#WorldPremiere #ChicagoStorefront #StageCombat #LiveTheatre #BWBTC #Shakespeare #Pirates

A tattered pirate flag in front of a light pink/purple background with speckles

Our 2026 season is here!

The world premiere of yo ho. (a pirate play about Mary Read & Anne Bonny)
by SMJ (they/them)
Directed by JD Caudill (they/them)
@ The Edge Off Broadway
July 25 - August 29, 2026

#WorldPremiere #ChicagoStorefront #StageCombat #LiveTheatre #BWBTC #Shakespeare #Pirates

The hired sword Bosola (Moe) assists with The Duchess' downfall, but allying with power leads to the same bitter end. Our 2023 production The Duchess of Malfi: a tragic tale more relevant than ever.

These stories won't be possible without your support. Make a donation today.

#SaveMoe #BWBTC

A Queen & her Fool in a deadly dance: the commedia dell’arte of L’Imbecile. Moe sadly didn’t make it to the end of show thanks to Kathrynne Wolf’s Fool 'help'. We’re 1/2 through Dec, but not yet 1/2 to our goal.

Please consider making a donation today!

#SaveMoe #StageCombat #ChicagoStorefront

Text Reads "Strawdog Theatre Presents Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, Directed by Noah Elman, Written by Mike Dailey, Music by Jacob Combs, Adapted from the Book by Eric Kimmel" on a starry night background. Beneath the text is a menorah with all nine candles lit. Behind the menorah is a row of houses in shades of blue. A few windows of the houses have a silhouette of a goblin in it. Text below the menorah says "Nov 29 - Dec 28, Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark St, Chicago, IL"

Happy (belated) Opening to our friends at Strawdog Theatre and their 9th year of Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins! This family friendly Hanukkah show runs on Saturdays and Sundays throughout all of December. Ensemble Member Jillian Leff plays Leor in this year's production!

Join us in the wayback machine to the Ides of March! Julius Caesar was one of BWBTC’s biennial Shakespeare production, with Moe as the ill-fated title role.

Want to see more historical ⚔ with a twist? Make a donation today! Link in bio.

#SaveMoe #BWBTC #BabesWithBladesTheatreCompany #StageCombat

MAKE A DONATION Support Theatre That Leaves A Mark! Help the Babes fund our operations and programming by making a one time gift or starting a monthly donation. It is in large part due to the generosity of people l...

babeswithblades.org/make-a-donat...

It’s the start of our Annual Appeal, and this year we wanted to do something different. Pictured here is Maureen (Moe) Yasko, a long-time BWBTC member. We’ve recently realized that in almost every show that Moe has been featured in, her characters don’t…well…make it to the end of the play. Now Moe is an appreciated artistic affiliate, and we don’t actually want her character to [skull emoji] in every show. So this year, we’re asking you to donate to keep Moe fighting! (And help BWBTC.) Our goal is $5,000. Will you consider a gift to Babes with Blades Theatre Company? Please click the link in the bio to donate.

Happy Giving Tuesday BWBTC
Community!⚔

It’s the start of our Annual Appeal, and this year we
wanted to do something different....

#BWBTC #BabesWithBladesTheatreCompany
#GivingTuesday #BabesWithBlades #StageCombat
#ChicagoStorefront

You have only two chances left to catch The Mark!

🎟️🎟️🎟️Link to tickets in our bio! 🎟️🎟️🎟️

📸Photo by Joe Mazza/Brave Lux Inv.

#NewWork #theater #theatre #NewPlays
#StageCombat #BWBTC #TheMark

Enjoy the last two online performances as you lounge. Get your tickets now for The Mark.

🎟️🎟️🎟️Link to tickets in our bio! 🎟️🎟️🎟️

📸Photo by Joe Mazza/Brave Lux Inc.

#NewWork #theater #theatre #NewPlays #StageCombat #BWBTC #TheMark

He's back to kill it again tonight!

#NewPlays #StageCombat #BWBTC #TheMark #understudy #Wonderstudy #NewWork

We are so thrilled that tonight, the role of Jack usually played by Whit Baxter Bates (he/they) will be played by Marck Kiselevach (he/him).

$10 tickets still available with code "ThursdayMark". See you tonight at The Edge Theater.

#NewPlays #StageCombat #BWBTC #TheMark #understudy

Our friends at Season of Concern are having a fundraiser this Saturday, November 8th from 4-8pm.

25% of event sales are donated. 5224 N Broadway location only, so pick up some food before heading over to see The Mark.

Order online for pickup using code vt7hv9p or show this ad at check out.

Don't miss our last open caption performance tonight!

🎟️🎟️Link to tickets in our bio!🎟️🎟️

📸Photo by Joe Mazza/Brave Lux Inc.
#NewWork #NewPlays #StageCombat #BWBTC #TheMark #theater

An image of folks in cameo circled around watching two women fighting each other. Everybody is bathed in a red light. Text above says "“The Mark ……provides just enough heroic escapism and motivation to energize us for another round of our own battles.” - Kimzyn Campbell, Chicago Reader"

The Mark is READER RECCOMENDED!

Don't miss show critic Kimzyn Campbell says "combines a dystopian tale with thriller energy."

🎟️🎟️🎟️Link to tickets in our bio! 🎟️🎟️🎟️

📸Photo by Brave Lux/Joe Mazza

#NewWork #NewPlays #StageCombat #BWBTC #TheMark #theater

We are so thrilled that tomorrow night is the first of our scheduled understudy performances!

🎟️🎟️🎟️Link to tickets in our bio! 🎟️🎟️🎟️

#NewWork #NewPlays #StageCombat #BWBTC #TheMark #theater

Understudy spotlight this afternoon! Don’t miss Marck going on for a member of our multi-faceted ensemble!

Also, it is day two of our open caption performances, and our last mandatory masking performance for our audience.

🎟️🎟️🎟️link to tickets in our bio!

This weekend's accessible performances!

🎟️🎟️🎟️Link to tickets in our bio!

📸Photo by @brave.lux

Rage and rebellion - Chicago Reader Jillian Leff's The Mark at Babes With Blades tackles the complications of resistance against a rigged game.

The Mark is READER RECOMMENDED!
$10 tickets every Thursday night with code "ThursdayMark"

Don't miss it!

Get your seats now for our second weekend of The Mark, including this Sunday's Sensory Friendly/Masked Audience performance.

🎟️🎟️🎟️Link to tickets in our bio!🎟️🎟️🎟️

📸Photo by Joe Mazza/Brave Lux Inc.

There are many ways to enjoy the BWBTC experience. Our variety of accessible options start this weekend.

🎟️🎟️🎟️Links to tickets in our bio and more information on these performances on our website.🎟️🎟️🎟️

📸Photo by Brave Lux/Joe Mazza

The Mark is open and critics are thrilled by this "tense" and "energetic" world premiere.

If you were not able to join our ranks last weekend, don't worry. We run through Nov. 22nd.

🎟️🎟️Tickets in our bio! 🎟️🎟️

📸by Joe Mazza/Brave Lux Inc

#NewWork #NewPlays #StageCombat #BWBTC #TheMark #theater

Happy opening to the entire team of THE MARK.
This world premiere runs through November 22nd.
See you at The Edge Theater.
📸 by Joe Mazza/Brave Lux Inc.

#TheMark #BWBTC #WorldPremiere #ChicagoTheatre #StageCombat

Meet the team for The Mark before opening night on Saturday!

Whit’s background in aerial dance, martial arts, and circus inspires him to dig into the physical elements of his character and bring reality to fantasy. He’s enjoyed working with companies like Factory Theatre, Impostors Theatre Co, Idle Muse, and now Babes with Blades. Enjoy the show!

An androgynous person with short, dark hair and green eyes, smiling slightly and wearing a silver chain.

MEET THE TEAM OF THE MARK
🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪
Whit Baxter Bates (He/They; Jack) is a nonbinary creator with a passion for physical storytelling and acting on camera.....

The Mark centers in a far-future stratocracy where a young laborer Raina is given a chance to join "The Army". As she acclimates to her higher social standing, a resistance is brewing, upending Raina’s life. She becomes caught in the middle of a class war, & her internal battle for what is right.

The Mark
A World Premiere by BWBTC Ensemble Member Jillian Leff (she/her)
Directed by Richard Costes (he/him)
October 11 - November 22, 2025
The Edge Theater (5451 N. Broadway)
Tickets on Sale Now.
Link in bio.

Join us in wishing ensemble member Morgan Manasa a very Happy Birthday.

Please consider continuing the celebration by making a donation in the birthday person’s honor. Donation link in our bio!