Players 2025: The 50 People Who Really Perform for Chicago

Brian Hieggelke - Newcity

January 7, 2025

Chicago stages have been described as petri dishes for talent development, with the city seen as a particularly fertile launching pad for the stars of tomorrow, whether in acting, comedy, writing or dance. And they are that, thanks to an ethos that prioritizes bold experiments over safe choices, that understands failure as a necessary step toward success and, especially, champions community over competition. And this year’s class of Players disproves the idea that you have to leave Chicago to make it; this is a place for shooting stars and burning suns, and we’re privileged to bask in the warmth of both. — Brian Hieggelke

Victoria Jaiani says that when she is preparing for a role, it takes every fiber of her physical, emotional and spiritual being. The fruits of that labor have graced Joffrey Ballet performances and captivated audiences for more than twenty years. Jaiani is the last company member to have danced under Joffrey co-founder Gerald Arpino, had her first principal role at the age of eighteen in “Romeo and Juliet,” and continues to dance principal roles with unforgettable nuance, delicacy and power—most recently in “Anna Karenina,” “Frankenstein” and “The Little Mermaid.” Jaiani says she is excited for the Joffrey premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s “Alice in Wonderland” later this year. (Sharon Hoyer)

Read about the other players here.