Weaving Spiders — Zach Robinson — Rhino Fest 2026
Who cares if her manifesto is written in pink ink — she's a dangerous radical and is probably armed! If Maurie and Oliver don't stop her, she's going to ruin game night! That would be a real shame, this was going to be such a cute double date.
Written by Zach Robinson
Zach is a writer originally from Tampa, Florida whose plays have been performed & developed at the Rhinoceros Theatre Festival, Chicago Dramatists, Columbia College, Naked Angels and the Jewish Plays Project. He is currently an MFA student in the Creative Writing program at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Directed by Rooney G.
Rooney G. (They;Them;Theirs) is a Chicago-based director and stage manager. They currently serve as the Production Manager at Dennis Watkins’ The Magic Parlour. A graduate from Columbia College Chicago, Rooney stage managed at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023 with John Hancock Productions’ new play MACBETH BY THE SEA, then stage managed the company’s FREE AMERICA FESTIVAL (OBVIOUSLY) 2025. A former company member at Invictus Theatre Company (2023-2025), Rooney stage managed THE MOUNTAINTOP (Jeff Nominated), THE CRUCIBLE (Jeff Nominated), and TOPDOG/ UNDERDOG (Jeff Nominated). Directing credits include MEN WHO SAY ME (Rhinoceros Festival), Jeff-Recommended THREE SISTERS (Assistant – Invictus Theatre Co.) and THE TRESTLE AT POPE LICK CREEK, LANGUAGE OF ANGELS, and ONE FLEA SPARE (Columbia College Chicago).
Dates: Thursdays, October 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th at 7:00pm
Venue: Chicago Dramatists (798 N. Aberdeen)
Tickets: All Rhino Fest tickets are offered at sliding scale prices in an effort to make theater more accessible to more people in our communities. We say "pay what you can" and we mean it. Rhino Fest is co-produced by the Curious Theatre Branch and the performance venues. Additional donations are always welcome.
About the venue: The building containing Chicago Dramatists is located at 1105 W Chicago Ave, in the River West neighborhood. The venue's entrance is at 798 N Aberdeen Ave (if you see Big Shoulders Coffee, walk around to the other side of the building). Street parking tends to be difficult in the area — plan to take public transit or a rideshare if possible, or plan extra time to find a parking space. (Apps such as ParkWhiz and SpotHero can often help find a paid spot nearby.) The Chicago Blue Line station exits within one block of the venue. The theater space is on the first floor, with a wheelchair-accessible entrance and two accessible bathrooms. Beverages will be available for purchase in the lobby before shows begin.
About Rhino Fest: The event that became the Rhinoceros Theater Festival began in 1988 as an offshoot of the Bucktown Arts Fest, and in its first year featured just two days of performances, including work by Jenny Magnus and Beau O'Reilly. When the event's founder moved away from Chicago in 1990, he asked a ragtag group of local artists (including Beau O'Reilly and Theatre of the Reconstruction’s Scott Turner) to keep the festival going, and the Rhino Fest was born. The Curious Theatre Branch went on to produce the Rhino across many neighborhoods and venues over the years, with events variously taking place in Wicker Park/Bucktown, Rogers Park, Andersonville and Avondale; at spaces including the Lunar Cabaret and Full Moon Café, the Neo-Futurarium, the Society for New Things, The Garage, The Firehouse, Remains Theatre, and Prop Thtr. In the mid-2000s, Rhino Fest settled at Prop Thtr in Avondale as its long-term base, and Prop and Curious co-produced the festival among a shifting group of curators for many years. Following the closure of Prop's Elston Avenue space in 2020 and a year off during the height of the pandemic, Rhino Fest is once more itinerant, currently producing more than 30 shows at The Labyrinth Club, Chicago Danztheater, and Chicago Dramatists.
Location
Chicago Dramatists, 60642