Skokie, IL - Ask any psychologist and they will tell you the significance of our teen experiences on the rest of our lives. It is during these years that teens start to experience drastic changes in their hormone levels, affecting how they act and think.

In this period of turbulent emotions, many teens will experience their first romantic crush.

“Crushes are an important part of teen sexual development,” explains David Luden, Ph.D. in the article “Why Crushes are so Common, and Healthy, at All Ages” in Psychology Today. The question is, though, how does that first crush affect the rest of one’s life?

Answering that question with insight, humor, and wisdom is The Princess Strikes Back, a whimsical and entertaining stage production returning to Chicago about how a teen crush can influence every future relationship we have. Often times these influences can be funny, but they can also pull at the heartstrings.

The Princess Strikes Back plays Friday, August 11 and Friday, August 18 at the historic Skokie Theatre on Chicago’s North Shore.

An award-winning touring production that has delighted audiences across the country, The Princess Strikes Back features acclaimed storyteller Victoria Montalbano presenting what she’s learned of the comedy and drama that teen crushes can have on future relationships.

We are always learning about the long-term effects of our teen experiences. According to the Psychology Today article “How Teen Relationships Impact Adult Relationships”, the influence of our teen years can be pretty dramatic. Teen stress leads to premature aging, while we learn our future social skills by how we navigate our teen relationships. Interestingly, the “cool kids” tend to struggle most as adults according to psychologist Joseph Allen of the University of Virginia.

As a teenager, Montalbano fell in love with Han Solo – the dashing rogue antihero of the Star Wars universe. Although she didn’t realize it until much later in life, that crush influenced all of her adult relationships. The Princess Strikes Back weaves those experiences and stories together in what the Northwest Herald calls “a beautiful, touching story of the maturing process.”

The media across the country have fallen in love with Montalbano and her part theatrical, part stand-up account of the long-term effects of a teenager's first crush. The Orlando Weekly calls the show a “fresh, funny celebration of fangirldom”. Carl F. Gauze of Ink 19 raves that Montalbano’s funny and sexy delivery inspires “lots of laughs and a few tears.”

While Jay Harvey Upstage can’t say enough about the quality of the writing, it is Montalbano’s effervescent charm that ultimately mesmerizes the audience. Her ability to connect to each and every member of the audience has been key to the growing success of the show. It creates the word-of-mouth excitement that has been drawing people of all walks of life to the show.

The delightful production features both sidesplitting humor and touching life lessons. Filled with cultural references ranging from Broadway’s RENT to Sesame Street, The Princess Strikes Back is the kind of fun night out that everyone who has ever struggled with relationships can relate to.

“This show is about love, which is universal,” says Montalbano. “We explore both the joys and the pains of love, but never too seriously. People want to laugh, and there’s nothing like a little self-deprecating humor to make that happen.”

A perfect Date Night show for couples or Girls’ Night Out event for friends, The Princess Strikes Back is the kind of fun night out that everyone who has ever struggled with relationships can relate to.

The Skokie Theatre will be bringing the award-winning touring production of The Princess Strike Back to the beautiful, state-of-the-art venue at 7:30 PM on Friday, August 11 and again a week later on Friday, August 18.

Ticket information for The Princess Strikes Back starring Victoria Montalbano is available on the Skokie Theatre website at www.SkokieTheatre.org  or by calling the box office at (847) 677-7761.

For expedited tickets to The Princess Strikes Back visit https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/1169525

The Skokie Theatre is located 7924 Lincoln Avenue, in Skokie, IL. The beautiful performing arts theater features a historic outer façade and a fully modernized interior where patron comfort is always at a maximum. There is ample free parking.