Chicago Native Ariana Burks Returns to Goodman Theatre in Dead Girl’s Quinceañera, a Destinos Festival Thriller That Connects Her South Side Roots With a Homecoming Role
CHICAGO, IL — Ariana Burks is back on a Chicago stage with a role that feels built for a hometown return. The South Side native is starring in Dead Girl’s Quinceañera, a thriller now running at Goodman Theatre in the Loop as part of Destinos: Chicago International Theater Festival.
Burks plays Phoebe in the production, which centers on the disappearance of a girl named Maria on the night of her quinceañera. Her three best friends try to piece together what happened, giving the show a blend of mystery, grief and friendship that Burks says resonates with her personally.
For Burks, the production is more than another credit. She said being back at the Goodman feels like coming home to a place that helped shape her early career and artistic identity.
A South Side performer returns to a theater that helped launch her career
Burks grew up in Chatham and now lives in Hyde Park, making this Goodman run especially meaningful. She described herself as a Chicago original and said she wants to keep making her grandmother proud while staying true to who she is.
The Goodman has deep roots in her story. Burks said it was one of her first professional theaters, and she had an early role there in Christmas Carol. She was also among the first students in the Goodman’s Musical Theater Intensive summer program, which helped shape her as both a performer and a person.
That early training, she said, opened her eyes to what was possible in the industry. Working with experienced artists on a world-renowned stage gave her lessons she has carried with her well beyond Chicago.
Why the play's themes of grief and identity hit close to home
Dead Girl’s Quinceañera is not just a murder mystery or a coming-of-age story. Burks said the play explores what happens when girls are pushed to grow up faster than they expected, especially when family, loss and personal identity collide.
That emotional terrain spoke to her as a young Afro-Latin woman in Chicago. She said the play’s themes of grief and identity felt familiar, because the characters are forced to confront life in ways they never planned for.
Burks said the story reaches beyond one community or age group. In her view, the emotions in the play are broad enough to connect with teenagers, Latino audiences and anyone who has dealt with change, uncertainty or the pressure to become someone new.
The audience energy at Goodman has already made an impact
Burks says she feeds off live audiences, and the response at Goodman has been immediate. She said the crowds are laughing, crying and reacting throughout the show, creating the kind of energy that performers can feel from the stage.
That connection became especially powerful during the production’s first preview, when the cast received a standing ovation. Burks said she was overwhelmed by being back home and by the emotion of seeing the room respond so strongly.
For her, that reaction confirmed the production’s reach. She believes the show offers something joyful and engaging for theatergoers who want a night out in Chicago, whether they come for the suspense, the family dynamics or the cultural setting.
A festival production rooted in Chicago Latino theater
The Goodman staging is part of Destinos: Chicago International Theater Festival, presented with the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance. That connection gives the show a larger place in Chicago’s theater calendar during Hispanic Heritage Month.
The production’s title points to one of the most recognizable milestones in Latino family life, but Burks said the story does not require audiences to share that background to relate. She described it as a piece that can be understood through its emotions as much as its cultural details.
By bringing the show into the Loop, the festival and the Goodman are giving Chicago audiences a chance to see a locally rooted performer in a story that reflects both cultural tradition and contemporary stage storytelling.
Burks balances Broadway experience with a hometown connection
Burks has performed on Broadway, but she said she still prefers coming home to Chicago. Her educational path also stays close to home: she attended the Chicago High School for the Arts and graduated from North Central College in Naperville.
Her family has been right there with her during the current run. Burks said her mother has attended every performance, underscoring how personal the engagement has been for her.
Dead Girl’s Quinceañera is scheduled to run at Goodman Theatre through November 1, giving Chicago audiences one more chance to see Burks in a production that ties together her upbringing, training and professional growth.
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