The Gift Theatre Presents
Hayward
A World Premiere
Written by Netta Walker
Directed by AmBer Montgomery
Visiting Company
ABOUT THE SHOW
As part of its 25th Anniversary Season, The Gift Theatre is proud to present Hayward by The Gift ensemble member Netta Walker.
Hayward reimagines Hamlet and Electra through the eyes of Luna, who reveals to her family — on the day of their father's funeral — that his ghost has come to see her. Beneath the haunting, this is a love story: a daughter's love for her father, and the complicated, unresolved feelings he left behind. The story follows a family shaped by the trauma passed down by a father who served in the Navy during the Gulf War. Across grief, they reach for each other, trying, imperfectly, to come back together.
Developed through the Pearl Cleage Writers Workshop with Goodman Theatre and Remy Bumppo Theatre Company, and named a semifinalist for the 2025 Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference, Hayward is exactly the kind of bold new work The Gift Theatre was built to tell.
Learn more about The Gift Theatre online at thegifttheatre.org or follow on social @thegifttheatre #thegifttheatre
About The Gift THEATRE
The Gift Theatre is a storefront nonprofit theatre company founded in Chicago’s Jefferson Park neighborhood, committed to creating accessible, inclusive and impactful theatrical experiences.
Our identity is defined by intimacy, collaboration and a belief that live storytelling can inspire and transform both artist and audience.
What began as a spatial limitation became a revelation. For nearly 20 years, we performed in a renovated shoe store—Chicago’s smallest Equity theater—where audience members sat just inches from the actors. That intimacy didn’t just shape our work, it shaped who we are as artists. We’ve learned to lean into the vulnerability and electricity that arise when actor and audience share the same breath, both fully present in mutual emotional exchange.
At The Gift, we are only interested in work that is challenging and transformative —stories that ask big questions and risk discomfort in pursuit of deeper understanding. We delight in the dark humor and unexpected joy that surface in life’s messiest moments, reminding us that even pain can carry connection and light. We believe that every story, at its heart, is a love story—rooted in longing and a search for communion.
Our programming isn’t bound by genre but guided by character-driven, emotionally rich storytelling rooted in truth. Whether surreal or starkly naturalistic, each play we share reflects our commitment to creating spaces of deep connection—among artists, between artist and audience, and within our community.
Presenting this show during our anniversary season in Steppenwolf's 1700 Theater feels like coming home — many in the ensemble first met at The School at Steppenwolf, and those experiences shaped how they think about telling stories.
sponsors
Hayward is made possible by a special gift from Show Sponsor, The Michael and Mona Heath Fund.
The Gift Theatre Company’s 2026 Homecoming Season is made possible, in part, by generous contributions from The Arts Work Fund · The Copernicus Foundation · Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events · The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation · The Illinois Arts Council · Melissa Thornley Consulting · The Paul Angell Foundation · The Rabb Family Foundation · The Saints · The Service Club of Chicago · The Shubert Foundation, Inc.