11 - 13 S Water Street Mall, Aurora, IL 60505
(630) 897-9496
Celebrating Our 48th Season!
Coming Soon!
Sordid Lives
Ticket sales begin 5/1/2026!
by Del Shores
Directed by Patrick Deering
May 22nd through June 20th
Friday and Saturday @ 8pm
Sunday Matinee 5/31 & 6/7 @ 3pm
This cult classic is an uproariously chaotic plunge into small‑town Southern life, celebrated as an award‑winning “black comedy about white trash.”
When Peggy, the family matriarch, meets her untimely demise in a freak accident, her dysfunctional Texas family is forced to reunite for her funeral. What follows is a sidesplitting, heartwarming, and sometimes outrageous exploration of love, acceptance, and forgiveness.
With a colorful cast of characters—including a Tammy Wynette-obsessed drag queen, a Bible-thumping mother, and a barfly who’s seen it all—Sordid Lives serves up equal parts humor and humanity. Beneath the campy antics and outrageous situations lies a touching story about embracing who you truly are, no matter what the neighbors might say.
Contains strong adult themes and language.
Coming Soon!
2025-2026 Season Remaining:
6/27/2026 A Night of Dance featuring Magnolia Dance Collective
8/7/26-8/8/26 Director's Workshop
2026/2027 Season Reveal
The Riverfront Playhouse
Past, Present and Future Fundraiser
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Executive Producer
John F. Byrd
Pat and Tom Krave
Director
Dick and Arlene Hawks
Marissa Amoni and Max Balding
Kathleen and Shawn Dooley
Supporting Actor
Jennifer and Adam Cresse
Bill Burmeier
Samuel Goodman & Elizabeth Eccher
Walk-on
John and Margaret Wilson
Tracey Sherman Falcon and Gandi Falcon
Michael Childress
Patron
Mike & Vicki White
Joe & Eileen Konopacki
Larry & Jean Shepard
Mike Blake
Mary Ingram-Schatz
Sharon & Mark Morris
Dale & Rhonda Roe
Nick Cafaro
Allison Lanthrum
Faith & Matt Greising
The Riverfront Playhouse
Est. 1978
The Riverfront Playhouse is a 501c3 not-for-profit store front theater founded in 1978 and established under the direction of David Morris as a creative outlet for actors of all walks of life and all levels of experience to learn and hone their craft. With the very first show, UNDER THE YUM YUM TREE, which featured the talents of Gary Puckett, Christiane Morris, Dick Hawks, and Barbara Alexander, the playhouse was off and running.
The Riverfront Playhouse has doubled it's size since its inception, and we're constantly looking for ways to make it even bigger. Through the un-flagging loyalty of our personnel and patrons, we've made it to well over 200 mainstage shows, countless children's theatre presentations, and
While performing in the backroom of Max's All-American Bar, which sat on the corner of The Water Street Mall and Galena Boulevard, the actors were all crammed into a coffin-like backstage area, and were forced to do their costume changes out on the Mall behind bedspreads held up by their fellow actors and technical personnel.
we have remained a venue for diverse and exciting entertainment in the Western Suburbs, as well as a sort of blue-collar clubhouse for the artistic types of the Chicagoland area. Our longevity is a tribute, not only to the folks that handle the day to day grind of business, but to the audiences that have kept our doors open since 1978. A debt of gratitude is owed to all.
News & Updates
A message from the Riverfront Board of Directors:
The May Meeting of the Board of Directors is scheduled for Wednesday, May 20th, 2026,
7:00 p.m. at the Riverfront Playhouse offices.
Virtual link available on request.
“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour.”
Charles Dickens from A Christmas Carol
