Theater events: 'Detective's Wife' run extended

'Wife' extends

Barbara Robertson, star of Keith Huff's one-woman play "The Detective's Wife," remains on the case at Writers' Theatre, which has announced a second extension of the world premiere. The play centers on mystery lover Alice, who uncovers some ugly truths when she searches for answers to her husband's murder.

Runs through Aug. 14 at Books on Vernon, 664 Vernon Ave., Glencoe. (847) 242-6000 or writerstheatre.org.

Naughty and nice

The recently relocated Comedy Shrine picks up right where it left off, with its weekend improv shows suitable for a variety of tastes. The club's long-running, interactive "Whose Line?" improv show runs weekends and includes a late-night "naughty" version. On Sunday afternoons, Sister schools audiences in all things Catholic in "Late Night Catechism."

The all-ages "Who's Line?" runs at 8 p.m. Fridays and 8 and 10 p.m. Saturdays. The adults-only version runs at 10 p.m. Fridays. "Late Night Catechism" is at 3 p.m. Sundays at 4034 Fox Valley Center Drive, Aurora. (630) 585-0300 or comedyshrine.com.

At the plate

Zanies St. Charles is among six comedy clubs hosting preliminary rounds for the World Series of Comedy competition, which concludes in Las Vegas in September where participants compete for work at clubs around the country. Forty standup comedians will perform over four days, with the top three advancing to the finals.

Competition runs Wednesday through Saturday, July 27-30, at Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. (630) 584-6342 or zanies.com.

Other theater events:

• Writers Anthony Tournis and Nick Digilio examine the Cubs-Sox rivalry and how it divides siblings in the Factory Theater's new show "Black and Blue," beginning previews on Friday, July 22, at Prop Thtr, 3502 N. Elston Ave., Chicago. The show opens July 29. (866) 811-4111 or thefactorytheater.com.

• The all-female stage combat theater ensemble Babes With Blades hosts a benefit titled "Swing for Swash" from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 23, at The Charnel House, 3421 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago. The event includes a swing dance lesson, open dancing, entertainment, complimentary appetizers, and beer and wine. (773) 904-0391 or brownpapertickets.com or babeswithblades.org.

• "Girls, I Do Adore!," a man's recollections of going through puberty during the 1990s written and performed by E.J. Caillouet, runs at 8 p.m. Sunday, July 24 and 31, at The Annoyance Theatre, 4830 N. Broadway, Chicago. Also at the Annoyance, Tim Paul chronicles his search for love on the Internet in "No Fats, No Femmes: Tails of Dialing-Up." The show opens Sunday, July 24. (773) 561-4665 or theannoyance.com.

• Longtime Barrel of Monkeys company member Molly Brennan directs performances of the new version of "That's Weird, Grandma" beginning Monday, July 25, at the Neo Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. (312) 409-1954 or barrelofmonkeys.org.

• The grand duke arrives in the 16th-century Italian city and announces a contest for the best swordsman in "The Swordsman of San Gimignano," a comedy by Mike Brayndick featuring a devious ambassador and his henchman, nobleman Ruffaelo, the evil Lucrezia, a plucky orphan and a mysterious woman. On The Spot Theatre Company and New Rock Theater present the world premiere production, which begins performances on Wednesday, July 27, at 3933 N. Elston Ave., Chicago. (773) 639-5316.

• The Chicago Park District's annual Theater on the Lake, showcasing some of the best productions of 2010-11, continues at Fullerton Parkway and Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. Bohemian Theatre Ensemble remounts its production of the Roger Miller-William Hauptman musical "Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." The production runs July 27-31. (312) 742-4786 or chicagoparkdistrict.com.

• Collaboraction remounts its acclaimed "1001," Jason Grote's modern retelling of "The Arabian Nights" — which debuted in Chicago last September — with its original cast and crew. Director Seth Bockley stages the production in the Flat Iron Arts Building, 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. The five-week run begins Thursday, July 28. See collaboraction.org for more information.

• 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" features a remount of the 2010 production of "The Apple" a 1980 disco opera about a Canadian pop duo who travels to the U.S. where they confront an all-powerful music industry executive. The performance is at 8 p.m. Thursday, July 28. (773) 275-5255 or neofuturists.org.

• About Face Theatre hosts a benefit performance and reception at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 28, at the Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. Proceeds from the $100 ticket will benefit About Face's Youth Theatre whose members will perform scenes they developed during their summer workshop. That includes a sneak peek at the ensemble's 2012 performance "What's the T? Examining the "T" in LGBTQ" exploring trans identity. See aboutfacetheatre.com for more information.

• A coloring contest, a sword-fighting demonstration and a "Peter Pan" exhibit are on tap before Wednesday, Thursday and Friday performances of three-sixty entertainment's production of "Peter Pan," a theatrical spectacle inspired by J.M. Barrie's classic tale and containing live action, aerial stunts, computer visuals and puppetry. Performances run through Aug. 21 at the Freedom Center, 650 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago. Also, the venue presents free movies inside the tent beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesdays. Next up is "Ghostbusters" on Tuesday, July 26. (888) 772-6949 or broadwayinchicago.com.

• Lookingglass Theatre has announced a second extension of "The Last Act of Lilka Kadison" about an elderly woman haunted by the ghosts of her youth, when she escaped from her native Poland on the eve of World War II. Performances of the play by Nicola Behrman, Abbie Phillips and ensemble members David Kersnar, Heidi Stillman and Andrew White run through Aug. 21 at 821 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago. (312) 337-0665 or lookingglasstheatre.org.

• The Oracle Theatre's talk show "Tonight It's Live," hosted by actor/comedian Tom Bambara, continues at 11 p.m. Saturdays at the theater located at 3809 N. Broadway, Chicago. The show follows the traditional late-night talk-show format and features a band as well as performances by members of the Chicago arts community. Admission is free. The show streams live at 11 p.m. Saturdays at tonightitslive.com. For more information, see oracletheatre.org.

• "Tiny Fascists — a Boy Scout Musical," about a group of scouts embarking on a camping trip who face every danger imaginable, continues through Aug. 28 at The Annoyance Theatre, 4830 N. Broadway, Chicago. (773) 561-4665 or theannoyance.com.

• Pride Films & Plays announced eight finalists in its Women's Work Contest of female writers. The four plays and four screenplays will be performed in staged readings from Sept. 7-11 at the Hoover-Leppen Theater at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St., Chicago. See pridefilmsandplays.com for more information.

• Stage Left Theatre announced Lacey Holmes has taken over as managing director. Formerly with Steppenwolf Theatre and Broadway in Chicago, Holmes received her master's degree from Columbia College Chicago.