'Defending the Caveman' back for a limited run

'Caveman' returnsThe ever-popular "Defending the Caveman," Rob Becker's humorous examination of the gender gap, returns to Noble Fool for a brief run. Friday, Aug. 13, to Sunday, Aug. 15, at 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. (630) 584-6342 or noblefool.org.Laughing it upWhitney Cummings, late of "Chelsea Lately" and one of the comedians who participated in Comedy Central's Joan Rivers' roast, headlines Zanies Vernon Hills this weekend. Also appearing in Vernon Hills this weekend in Walt Willey, longtime star on ABC's "All My Children."Willey performs at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 13; Cummings performs at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 14, at 230 Hawthorn Village Commons, Vernon Hills. (847) 549-6030 or zanies.com.'Carousel'A sweet, young millworker falls in love with a womanizing carnival barker in Rodgers and Hammerstein's bittersweet "Carousel" presented by Evanston's Light Opera Works. The production marks the LOW directorial debut of director/choreographer Stacey Flaster.Saturday, Aug. 14, through Aug. 29, at Cahn Auditorium, 600 Emerson St., Evanston. (847) 869-6300 or lightoperaworks.com.bull; The Ravinia Festival's limited run of Irving Berlin's "Annie Get Your Gun" opens Friday, Aug. 13, at the Highland Park venue located at Lake Cook and Green Bay roads. Patti LuPone stars as the sharpshooter in this production, which features Patrick Cassidy as Frank Butler and Tony Award-winner George Hearn as Wild Bill Cody. (847) 266-5100 or ravinia.org.bull; Bricklayers Theatre Company presents Tony Kushner's translation of Bertolt Brecht's "Mother Courage and Her Children" for one performance only at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 13, at the Reynolds Club at the University of Chicago, 5706 S. University Ave., Chicago. Barbara Berlovitz, a founding artistic director at Minneapolis' Theatre de la Juene Lune, plays the title role in this production, developed in conjunction with the city of Chicago's Incubator Series. (773) 547-8530 or bricklayerstheatre.org.bull; Previews begin Friday, Aug. 13, for Quest Theatre's "The People's Drum Circle Pandora," inspired by the Greek myth about the woman responsible for unleashing evil as well as hope upon the world. Conceived by director Andrew Park, the show incorporates music, puppetry and a drum circle including audience members. It opens Aug. 20, at 1609 W. Gregory St., Chicago. (312) 458-0895 or questensemble.org.bull; Signal Ensemble Theatre inaugurates its new home with "The Real Inspector Hound," Tom Stoppard's sendup of the melodrama mystery in which a couple of theater critics become overly involved in the whodunit they're reviewing. Previews begin Saturday, Aug. 14, at 1802 W. Berenice Ave., Chicago. The show, directed by co-founder Ronan Marra and starring ensemble members Jon Steinhagen and Philip Winston, opens Monday, Aug. 16. (773) 347-1350 or signalensemble.com.bull; Theatre at the Center presents an original adaptation of "The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs" as part of its young audiences series. Performances are at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 14, at the theater, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, IN. (219) 836-3255 or theatreatthecenter.com.bull; Playwright Paul Barile invites audience members to pay as they leave this weekend's performances of his play, "Leaving Timmy," about a father mourning the loss of his child. Performances are at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 14, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 15, at the Prop Thtr, 3502 N. Elston Ave., Chicago. (773) 539-7838.bull; Iraq war veteran Logan Black joins the Babes With Blades ensemble for the premiere of "The Last Daughter of Oedipus," by Jennifer Mickelson. Inspired by Sophocles' tragedies, it follows attempts by Ismene, the only surviving child of Oedipus and Jocasta, to break the family curse. Previews begin Sunday, Aug. 15, at Lincoln Square Theatre, 4754 N. Leavitt, Chicago. The show opens Aug. 23. Additionally, Babes With Blades has designated the Sept. 11 and 12 performances as fundraisers for the National Military Family Association. (773) 904-0391 or babeswithblades.org. bull; The Guild Theater presents David Harrower's 2005 drama "Blackbird," about the impact a sexual encounter between a middle-aged man and a preteen girl has on the parties involved more than a decade later. Performances run Monday, Aug. 16, to Sunday, Aug. 18, and Aug. 23 to 25, at Stage Left Theatre, 3408 N. Sheffield, Chicago. (312) 613-8885 or guildtheaterprods@gmail.com. bull; Terry Hamilton stars as Richard Nixon and Andrew Carter stars as David Frost in TimeLine Theatre Company's Chicago area premiere of Peter Morgan's "Frost/Nixon," which recounts the 1977 televised interviews (and the machinations behind them) between the British broadcaster and the disgraced former president. Previews begin Tuesday, Aug. 17, at 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago. Director Louis Contey's production opens Aug. 21. (773) 281-8463 or timelinetheatre.com.bull; Victory Gardens Theater introduces six new plays at its annual Ignition Festival, beginning Wednesday, Aug. 18, at 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, and showcasing young playwrights of color. Among the noteworthy works developed as part of last year's inaugural season were Michael Golamco's "Year Zero" and Kristoffer Diaz's Pulitzer Prize finalist, "The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity," both of which transferred to New York City. This year's festival features readings of the following: "The Subject," Chisa Hutchinson's drama about a documentary producer with a troubled conscience; "Aurora," Leonard Madrid's play about a family visited by Lady Death; "Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them," A. Rey Pamatmat's play about three kids abandoned in Middle America; "Mala Hierba," Tanya Saracho's drama about a trophy wife torn between desire and duty; Andrea Thome's Oedipus-inspired "Undone," in which a family's history impacts the community; and Jackie Sibblies' "We Are Proud to Present ...," about actors attempting to dramatize an African genocide who uncover their own brutal instincts. (773) 871-3000 or victorygardens.org.bull; The Neo-Futurists pay homage to Shakespeare's towering tragedy with a remount of the company's 2005 production "Daredevils' Hamlet," in which a quintet of actors examine the play's themes through tumbling, stunts and all manner of daring-do. Previews begin Thursday, Aug. 19, at 5153 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. The show, directed by Barrel of Monkeys co-founder Halena Kays, opens Saturday, Aug. 21. (773) 275-5255 or neofuturists.org.bull; Mary-Arrchie Theatre has added seven shows to its run of Kirk Lynn's "Cherrywood: The Modern Comparable," directed by David Cromer. Performances run through Saturday, Aug. 28, at Angel Island, 735 W. Sheridan Road, Chicago. (773) 871-0422 or maryarchie.com.bull; "F**king Men," Joe DiPietro's look at the lives of modern, gay men, has been extended by Bailiwick Chicago. Performances run through Sunday, Aug. 29, at Stage 733, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. (773) 327-5252 or bailiwickchicago.com.bull; Lookingglass Theatre Company has again extended the hit remount of its signature work, "Lookingglass Alice," through Sunday, Sept. 12, at 821 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, where the show has been playing to near sellout crowds in its fourth Chicago run. (312) 337-0665 or lookingglasstheatre.org.bull; Annoyance Theatre, 4830 N. Broadway, Chicago, announced the extension of its sketch show "Swear Jar" through Sept. 4, and "40 Whacks," a dark comedy about the Borden family murders, through Oct. 1. (773) 561-4665 or theannoyance.com.bull; Owners of the Skokie Theatre, home to music, cabaret, theater and other performances, ask for donations to help save the venue from foreclosure. Donors may send checks payable to the North Suburban Business Development Foundation of the Skokie Chamber of Commerce - or N.S.B.D.F. of the S.C. of C. - to the Skokie Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 106, Skokie, IL 60077. Be sure to put 'Skokie Theatre' in the memo line. For more information and a complete performance schedule, see skokietheatre.org.