Theater events: Salute to Patsy Cline

Salute to a late star

Fox Valley Repertory (formerly Noble Fool) continues its inaugural season with “Always Patsy Cline,” a tribute to one of the all-time-great country singers centered around Cline's relationship with longtime pen pal and fan, Louise Steger. Megan Long plays Cline, who died in a 1963 plane crash at age 30. Kate Brown plays Louise. The show features tunes like “Crazy” and “I Fall to Pieces” among others. John Gawlik and Kenneth Jones serve as director and music director respectively. Previews begin Thursday, March 24, at Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. The show opens Saturday, April 2. (630) 584-6342 or foxvalleyrep.org.

Wilson at Steppenwolf

The fringe-dwelling residents of the Hotel Baltimore go about their business as their home faces imminent demolition in “The Hot L Baltimore,” another poignant examination of humanity by Lanford Wilson. Steppenwolf Theatre, whose 1980 production of Wilson's “Balm in Gilead” put the company on the map, revives the play which is directed by Tina Landau (“The Brother/Sister Plays”). Previews begin Thursday, March 24, at 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago. The show opens April 2. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

Redtwist on Letts

Redtwist Theatre presents “The Man From Nebraska,” first of back-to-back productions of plays by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winner Tracy Letts. Andrew Jessop directs the production, which stars Chuck Spencer as Ken Carpenter, a Midwesterner in a midlife crisis who leaves his family to embrace a bohemian life in England. Previews begin Wednesday, March 23, at 1044 W. Bryn Mawr, Chicago. The show opens Saturday, March 26. (773) 728-7529 or redtwist.org.

• Dixie Longate brings her off-Broadway hit “Dixie's Tupperware Party” to the Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted St., Chicago, as part of its national tour. Kris Andersson's adults-only, one-person show combines drag, improv and an old-fashioned Tupperware party. Performances begin Friday, March 18. (312) 988-9000 or dixiestupperwareparty.com.

• Previews begin Friday, March 18, for Oracle Theatre's production of “Woyzeck,” Georg Buchner's unfinished tragedy about a poor soldier and father who makes extra money by taking part in medical experiments that lead to a mental breakdown and, eventually, murder. Ensemble member Max Truax directs the production, which opens March 19 at 3809 N. Broadway, Chicago. (252) 220-0269 or oracletheatre.org.

• Elizardi Castro wrote, directed and stars in “Made in Puerto Rico,” a one-man show chronicling Castro's life as a Puerto Rican-born, New York-raised criminal defense attorney, actor and comedian. Previews begin Friday, March 18, at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts, 777 N. Green St., Chicago. The show opens March 25. (312) 733-6000 or theaterland.com.

• Theatre Mir's production of Bertolt Brecht's “The Caucasian Chalk Circle,” about a young woman who rescues a child during wartime and turns out to be a more fit parent than the child's biological parents, opens at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 19, at the Viaduct Theater, 3111 N. Western Ave., Chicago. Jonathan Berry directs. (773) or 296-6024 or theatremir.com.

• Collaboraction hosts its ninth annual carnaval event beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 19, at the Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Subtitled “Let Them Eat Cake!” the fundraiser includes a neo-burlesque group, DJ and dancing, bouffant and commedia performances along with other performers. Tickets start at $10. A $50 ticket includes beverages and appetizers. (312) 226-9633 or collaboraction.org.

• The pampered girl Ittifaq and the orphaned boy Sinbad — an unlikely duo thrown together by chance — join forces to save their city from ruin in Adventure Stage Chicago's world premiere, “Sinbad: The Untold Tale,” by playwright Charles Way. Amanda Delheimer directs the show, which opens Saturday, March 19, at Vittum Theatre, 1012 N. Noble St., Chicago. (773) 342-4141 or adventurestage.org.

• New York City performance artist and multi-instrumentalist Rock Wilk brings his show “Broke Wide Open,” about his search for his biological mother, to Gorilla Tango Theatre as part of its national tour. The performance is at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 19, at 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. (773) 598-4549 or gorillatango.com.

• Light Opera Works hosts its annual gala — including a champagne reception, dinner, live auction and musical entertainment — beginning at 4:15 p.m. Sunday, March 20, at the North Shore Country Club, 1340 Glenview Road, Glenview. Tickets start at $175 per person. Proceeds benefit LOW programs, including the 2011 season. (847) 869-6300.

• Performance artist Brigid Murphy brings an all-ages version of her Orchid Show to the Park West Theatre, 322 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago. “Milly's Spring Spectacular — Family Style” features flamenco dancing, the Roberto Clemente High School Steel Drum Band, magician Dennis DeBondt, the Gand Family Singers, the mini Midnight Circus and other special guests. The performance is at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, March 20, and includes a kids parade (costumes encouraged). (773) 929-1212.

• Theatreworks USA brings its family-friendly, musical adaptation of “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie & Other Story Books” to the Center for the Performing Arts at Governors State University for one performance at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 20. Stories include “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie,” about a boy who shares a snack with a demanding mouse; “Amazing Grace,” about a young girl playing Peter Pan in her school production; “Borreguita and the Coyote,” a Mexican tale about a lamb who outwits a coyote; “Math Curse,” about the fear some kids have about doing math, and other tales. The center is at 1 University Parkway, University Park. (708) 235-2222 or centertickets.net.

• Mortar Theatre Company presents a staged reading of “Mr. Welfare,” Wendell Etherly's play set during the 1960s about a Chicago tavern owner who offers shelter to the homeless. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 21, and Tuesday, March 22, at Steep Theatre, 1115 W. Berwyn Ave., Chicago. See mortartheatrecompany.org for information.

• Space combat and a love triangle factor into Bryce Wissel's comedy “Ephemera,” which gets its world premiere courtesy of Polarity Ensemble Theatre. A site-specific installation incorporating props, the set and costumes by Chicago artist Lewis Lain accompanies the production, which begins previews Tuesday, March 22, at the Josephinum Academy, 1500 N. Bell St., Chicago. Ensemble member Laura Sturm directs the show, which opens Thursday, March 24. (800) 838-3006 or petheatre.com.

• The physical theater company Plasticene is the next Chicago ensemble in Millennium Park's new play development series In the Works. Plasticene presents its work-in-progress “Graphomania,” which examines how data overwhelms us. Performances run Thursday, March 24, to Saturday, March 26, at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St., Chicago. (312) 742-8497 or millenniumpark.org.

• The Factory Theater hosts a kickoff party for its production of the Rat Pack-inspired show, “Easy Six,” from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, March 24, at Chief O'Neill's, 3471 N. Elston Ave., Chicago. Previews for the show begin April 15 at the Prop Thtr, 3502 N. Elston Ave., Chicago. The show opens April 22. (866) 811-4111 or thefactorytheater.com.

• Victory Gardens Theatre has extended its production of “Circle Mirror Transformation,” Annie Baker's comedy about the members of a community acting class. Performances run through April 17 at 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. (773) 871-3000 or victorygardens.org.