The Highland Park Players' 2026 season ends this week at the McGrath Performing Arts Center in Wilmette. The nonprofit community theater company, now in its 38th year, stages its final four performances of "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" Thursday through Sunday, July 23-26, at Loyola Academy, 3461 Illinois Road.
Director Catherine Davis, who has directed 25 Highland Park Players productions, leads a cast starring Anna Marie Abbate as Carole King. The supporting cast includes Al Katz-Mariani as Gerry Goffin, Britain Shutters as Cynthia Weil, and Roberto Mata as Barry Mann.
Evening performances run at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 23, through Saturday, July 25. Matinees are at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 25, and Sunday, July 26. Tickets are available at highlandparkplayers.org. The company's 2026 season also included a sold-out run of "The Lion King KIDS" earlier this year, according to producer Scott A. Schwartz.
Public health note for Kenilworth and Northfield residents: The North Shore Mosquito Abatement District confirmed on Monday, July 14, that mosquitoes collected July 10-13 in Kenilworth and Northfield tested positive for West Nile virus. The district says human risk remains low but recommends EPA-registered insect repellent, loose-fitting clothing, avoiding dawn and dusk outdoors, and eliminating standing water.
North Shore Community & Culture Week Ahead
Tuesday, July 22 | 6 p.m. | Winnetka | The Book Stall, 811 Elm St. "Shaken to the Core" — a discussion with authors Dara Levan and Ali Wenzke. Free.
Thursday, July 23 | 7:30 p.m. | Wilmette | McGrath Performing Arts Center, 3461 Illinois Road "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" — Highland Park Players closing weekend begins. Tickets at highlandparkplayers.org.
Friday, July 24 | 5-7 p.m. | Glencoe | Writers Theatre & Women's Library Club Park, 325 Tudor Court Glencoe Al Fresco — food trucks (Soul & Smoke confirmed), live music, games, and happy-hour specials at the Writers Theatre Bar. Free.
Saturday, July 25 | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. | Glencoe | Shelton Park 7th Annual Green Bay Trail Day — free community celebration marking 15 years of trail restoration. Butterfly hatchery, native-plant giveaways, live music, plein-air painters, and more than 25 interactive stations.
Saturday, July 25 | 10:30 a.m. | Winnetka | The Book Stall, 811 Elm St. Saturday Storytime with Melanie Uteg. Free.
Saturday, July 25 | 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. | Wilmette | McGrath Performing Arts Center "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" — matinee and evening performances.
Sunday, July 26 | 2 p.m. | Wilmette | McGrath Performing Arts Center "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" — final performance of the 2026 season.
Sunday, July 26 | 2 p.m. | Wilmette | Bahá'í House of Worship, 100 Linden Ave. "American Prophets — Writers, Religion and Culture" — free presentation based on the exhibit at the American Writers Museum.
Ongoing through Saturday, August 16 | Glencoe | Writers Theatre Tom Stoppard's "Leopoldstadt," directed by Carey Perloff. The largest production in Writers Theatre history. Tickets $35-$95; 847-242-6000 or writerstheatre.org.
