Musical to celebrate Eberts’ love story

Roger and Chaz Ebert

Roger and Chaz Ebert

The epic love story of Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic Roger Ebert and his devoted wife Chaz is coming to a Chicago stage this fall.

The Black Ensemble Theater announced Monday the world premiere of “The Black White Love Play (The Story of Chaz and Roger Ebert)" will be September 19 to November 1.

Written and directed by Jackie Taylor, founder and CEO of the Uptown neighborhood theater, the play was written in collaboration with Chaz Ebert and partially funded by a bequest from the trust of Roger Ebert, the announcement said.

“‘The Black White Love Play’ is the story of Chaz and Roger Ebert, detailing their life together through their courtship, marriage and Roger’s Ebert untimely death in 2013,” according to the statement. “The production features outstanding music, exhilarating dance and a 10-piece orchestra.”

When the project was first announced last December the original title was “The Black White Play (Honoring the Memory of Roger Ebert through Music).”

Chaz Ebert, who sustains her late husband’s legacy as publisher of Ebert Digital and president of Ebert Productions, is a longtime supporter of the non-profit Black Ensemble Theater, 4450 North Clark Street.