Illinois Libraries Present
Marissa Bode – Tuesday, October 21, 2025
J. Kenji López-Alt – Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Jonathan Eig – Tuesday, January 13, 2026
R.L. Stine – Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Percival Everett – Thursday, March 19, 2026
Cristina Henríquez – Thursday, April 16, 2026
R.F. Kuang – Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Illinois Libraries Present is a statewide collaboration among public libraries. The collaboration is designed to bring virtual events with bestselling, esteemed, and diverse speakers to library patrons across the state. 192 Illinois libraries have joined Illinois Libraries Present. Working together allows libraries to bring speakers to their communities that might not be possible due to budget constraints or production capabilities.
This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present (ILP), a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering premier events. ILP is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).
ILP is committed to inclusion and accessibility. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and Closed Captioning are provided for all events by default—no special request needed.
If a you needs accommodations not listed, please email the library at stjosephtownshiplibrary@gmail.com and Susan will contact ILP.
Prepare for a magical evening as Illinois Libraries Present welcomes actress Marissa Bode. Bode made her feature film debut as Nessarose in Academy Award-winning blockbuster, Wicked, directed by Jon M. Chu.
Join us to explore Bode’s early inspirations and performances, leading up to her portrayal of Nessarose in Wicked. As the highly anticipated sequel Wicked: For Good approaches, we’ll reflect on what makes the story so meaningful to Bode and audiences around the world. Bode will also share personal stories and insights from her time on stage, the challenges and rewards of being part of an iconic production, and what the future holds for her career.
Amanda Finn will join Bode in conversation. Finn is a queer theater, lifestyle, and travel journalist based in Chicago. Their work has appeared in the Chicago Reader, American Theatre Magazine, Yahoo, Huffington Post, and more.
This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present (ILP), a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering premier events. ILP is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).
ILP is committed to inclusion and accessibility. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and Closed Captioning are provided for all events by default—no special request needed.
If a you needs accommodations not listed, please email the library at stjosephtownshiplibrary@gmail.com and Susan will contact ILP.
Register here
Registration for this event closes at 5:00 p.m. on event day. Late registrations will be processed after the live event, allowing access to the event recording.
Recording terms:
30 days public (posted to ILP YouTube) and emailed to all registrants