WhoFish - Local Events and Activities

Title:	SMILEY
Date:	6/5/2026 - 7/19/2026
Address:	OPEN SPACE ARTS, 1411 W Wilson, Chicago, IL 60640
Location:	Chicago, IL
Hours:	7:30 Friday and Saurday. 5 pm Sunday
Cost/Cover:	30
Web Page:	https://openspacearts.org/smiley
Contact Info:	773 773 7837

Details:

BroadwayWorld - Highly Recommended

"Both performances by Kobs and Lopez are superb, as the chemistry between Alex and Bruno is evident in the frenetic bickering, sardonic quips, and playful banter that ground the play. Kobs opens and closes the show with commanding steam-of-consciousness monologues in the guise of voicemails. At one point, Lopez embodies five different side characters, each with their own quirk, and one impressive scene sees him switch between two different characters in short succession for a brief one-man show. Alternating between the two men’s perspectives, the story moves through its 90-minute runtime quickly with fast-paced and energetic dialogue. Occasional asides to explain gay European parlance to heterosexual audience members humorously break the fourth wall and inject some winking educational anecdotes. Guillem Clua’s comedy of contemporary manners is just that: an intense look at how the fashion of dating, especially gay dating, has evolved in the Internet Era" - Angela Lin

When ÁLEX leaves a voicemail for his ex, it lands in the inbox of BRUNO—a stranger. What begins as a wrong message turns into an unexpected connection between two very different men. As texts turn into calls, and calls into something more, they navigate attraction, vulnerability, and the complicated reality of modern love.

Funny, fast, and disarmingly honest, SMILEY explores the thrill and risk of connection in a world shaped by screens, expectations, and the fear of being truly seen.

Guillem Clua is one of Spain’s most widely produced contemporary playwrights, whose work has been staged internationally and translated into multiple languages. His plays, including SMILEY and THE SWALLOW, are known for their emotional intelligence, wit, and insight into the complexities of human connection.

Open Space Arts continues its commitment to bold, intimate storytelling that centers queer lives and voices with SMILEY, a play that reflects the company’s ongoing exploration of connection, identity, and the evolving nature of love.