On stage: Ensemble wraps up season

An Irish tale

Buffalo Theatre Ensemble concludes its season with Brian Friel's provocative “Faith Healer,” in which the titular character Francis, his wife Grace and pal Teddy tell of Francis' dubious career. Jeff Award winner Bradley Armacost directs Steve Pringle, Carolyn Klein and ensemble member Bryan Burke.

Opens Friday, July 8, at the McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org.

Theater fest begins

Fox Valley Repertory, Steel Beam and Arcada theaters and the Norris Cultural Arts Center combine to present St. Charles' first summer theater festival. The fest includes FVR's “Around the World in 80 Days” and “Bad Dates;” Steel Beam's “At Home at the Zoo;” a Charlie Chaplin festival at the Arcada along with concerts and hands-on activities. The fest also marks the debut of FVR's Collider New Play Project featuring readings of new plays resulting from collaborations between writers and scientists.

Runs Thursday, July 14, through Sunday, July 31, in St. Charles. See the schedule at summertheaterfest.org. (800) 777-4373.

‘Aladdin' at Marriott

A young man's life transforms when he finds a magic lamp inhabited by a fun-loving genie in “Aladdin,” adapted for the stage from the 1992 film. Matt Raftery directs and choreographs Marriott Theatre's family-friendly production starring Bernie Yvon as the genie, Jameson Cooper as Aladdin and Christine Bunuan as Jasmine.

Begins Thursday, July 14, at 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. (847) 634-0200 or marriotttheatre.com.

• Fox Valley Repertory's fundraising efforts to support its Collider new play initiative continue. The initiative brings together playwrights and scientists in the development of new works addressing human existence. The St. Charles ensemble must raise $3,000 by Monday, July 18, to support, the project which is part of the St. Charles Summer Theater Festival spearheaded by Fox Valley Rep. To donate see the Kickstarter fundraising site at http://kck.st/htlFh9.

• Also at Fox Valley Repertory, St. Charles Rotary Clubs are collecting funds to help fight polio worldwide. Theatergoers can contribute through Sunday, July 31, following performances at the theater at the Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. (630) 584-6342 or rotary.org or foxvalleyrep.org.

• Emerald City Theatre remounts its hit show “Pinkalicious,” adapted from the children's book by Elizabeth Kann and Victoria Kann, about a young girl who turns pink from eating too many pink cupcakes. Performances begin Friday, July 8, at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut St., Chicago. (800) 775-2000 or broadwayinchicago.com.

• Pride Films & Plays hosts a Gay Beret Cabaret fundraiser at 9 p.m. Saturday, July 9, at Rehab, 3641 N. Halsted St., Chicago. Performer Honey West emcees and ukulele player Ben Lerman headlines. (773) 250-3117 or pridefilmsandplays.com.

• Actor and improviser Patrick Rowland debuts his one-man sketch show “Y Don't U Like Me?” on Friday, July 8, at the Playground Theater, 3209 N. Halsted St., Chicago. The show runs through Friday, July 29. (773) 871-3793 or the-playground.com.

• Signal Ensemble Theatre member Vincent Lonergan stars in The Ensemble Project's production of Samuel Beckett's “Krapp's Last Tape,” about an aging writer who spends each birthday listening to old recordings he made on previous birthdays. Previews begin Saturday, July 9, at 1802 W. Berenice Ave., Chicago. The show opens Monday, July 11. (773) 347-1350 or signalensemble.com.

• TimeLine Theatre hosts a special post-show discussion in conjunction with its production of the Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur comedy “The Front Page” immediately following the 2 p.m. Sunday, July 10, performance at 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago. “Exclusive! Chicago's Top Reporters on The Front Page: Same Story, Different Century” brings together reporters who covered the corruption trial of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Among the reporters discussing their experiences are: Elizabeth Brackett (WTTW), Janan Hanna (Reuters, Chicago News Coop, Huffington Post), Larry Meincke (WLS-TV), Rob Wildeboer (WBEZ) and guest moderator Lester Munson (ESPN). “The Front Page,” about 1920s reporters covering the scandal-ridden Windy City, runs through Sunday, July 17. (773) 281-8463 or timelinetheatre.com.

• Australian artists Suzanne Kersten, Clair Korobacz, Paul Moir and Julian Rickert — members of the Melbourne-based company Step at a Time Like This — create “en route,” a downtown Chicago, pedestrian-based theatrical event, which begins with participants receiving a text message which gives them instructions on where to meet the artists. The production runs Tuesday, July 12, to Saturday, Aug. 13, and requires participants to use a specially programmed MP3 player. For more information, call the Chicago Shakespeare Theater at (312) 595-5600.

• Actor and Second City alum Jeff Garlin (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) examines his addiction to sugar in his stand-up show, “No Sugar Tonight,” beginning Wednesday, July 13, at the Steppenwolf Upstairs Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago. Garlin performs through Sunday, July 24. (312) 335-1650 or Steppenwolf.org.

• Chicago Shakespeare Theatre presents the world premiere of its family-friendly musical “The Adventures of Pinocchio,” beginning Wednesday, July 13, at Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. Rachel Rockwell directs the show by Neil Bartram (music and lyrics) and Brian Hill (book) about Pinocchio, the puppet who discovers the meaning of family while exploring the world with his woodcarver/father Geppetto. (312) 595-5600 or chicagoshakes.com.

• The Chicago Park District's annual Theater on the Lake showcasing some of the best productions of 2010-11 continues at Fullerton Avenue and Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. Eclipse Theatre Company remounts “After the Fall,” Arthur Miller's 1964 drama about a man searching for meaning while sorting through his memories. The production runs Wednesday, July 13, through Sunday, July 17. (312) 742-4786 or chicagoparkdistrict.com.

• The Neo-Futurists' 10th annual staging of the worst-ever films continues Thursdays at 5153 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. “It Came from the Neo-Futurarium X: Battle for the Neo-Futurarium” presents a staged performance of 1954's “Devil Girl from Mars,” about a group of travelers attempting to thwart a beautiful but deadly alien. The performance is at 8 p.m. Thursday, July 14. (773) 275-5255 or neofuturists.org.

• Lookingglass Theare has extended its world premiere of “The Last Act of Lilka Kadison,” inspired by Johanna Cooper's work on Public Radio International's “One People, Many Stories.” The play centers on the aging Lilka Kadison who fled Poland 70 years earlier, on the eve of World War II and finds herself haunted by ghosts in her twilight years. Performances continue through Sunday, Aug. 7, at the Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago. (312) 337-0665 or lookingglasstheatre.org.