What’s new: Sept. 23-30

Ÿ Paradise Productions revives Ernest Thompson’s domestic drama “On Golden Pond” in the studio theater at 1010 W. Madison St., Oak Park. Lombard resident Deanna Norman and Jim Leonard star as Ethel and Norman Thayer who welcome their adult daughter Chelsea, her boyfriend and his son to their summer home for a visit. The show opens Friday, Sept. 23, (708) 829-5050.

Ÿ The early days of the Civil Rights movement provide the backdrop for “Violet: A Musical,” by composer Jeanine Tesori (“Caroline, or Change”) and lyricist Brian Crawley. The show is about the relationship between a disfigured young woman and a black soldier. Bailiwick Chicago presents the off-Broadway hit which runs through Oct. 16, at the Mercury theater, 3745 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. See bailiwickchicago.com for information.

Ÿ American Theater Company ensemble member Sadieh Rifai stars in “The Amish Project,” playwright Jessica Dickey’s retelling of the 2006 shooting deaths of five Amish girls by an armed intruder and the community’s subsequent expression of forgiveness toward the gunman’s widow and family. Previews begin Friday, Sept. 23, at 1909 W. Byron, Chicago. The show opens Tuesday, Sept. 27. (773) 409-4125 or atcweb.org.

Ÿ Three young people experience love and disappointment for the first time in the musical “Starting Here, Starting Now” by Richard Maltby Jr. and David Shire. Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre presents a revival of the show in its intimate, 50-seat home at No Exit Café, 6970 N. Glenwood, Chicago. Previews begin Friday, Sept. 23. The show opens Sunday, Sept. 25. Fred Anzevino directs; Eugene Dizon serves as music director. (800) 595-4849 or theoubique.org.

Ÿ New Millennium Theatre Company serves up a seasonally appropriate salute to campy horror films with an original play, “Scott Janus: Monster Hunter!” by ensemble member Paul Czarnowski. A young man who suspects that his neighbor might be a supernatural creature, enlists help from a specialist he finds in a comic book classified ad in this sendup, which opens Friday, Sept. 23, at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. (773) 975-8150 or nmtchicago.org.

Ÿ Hell in a Handbag Productions presents the Chicago area premiere of the satirical, adults-only “Pussy on the House,” a 2004 mash-up of a Tennessee Williams’ classic with a campy, gender-bending melodrama. Matthew Gunels directs the all-male cast which includes female impersonator Honey West as Big Mama. Previews begin Friday, Sept. 23, at the Athenaeum Theater, 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. The show opens Tuesday, Sept. 27. (800) 838-3006 or handbagproductions.org.

Ÿ Annoyance Theatre remounts its horror film parody “Splatter Theater” just in time for Halloween. Previews begin Friday, Sept. 23, at 4830 N. Broadway, Chicago. The show opens Friday, Sept. 30. (773) 561-4665 or anoyanceproductions.com.

Ÿ Previews continue for A Red Orchid Theatre’s Chicago area premiere of “Becky Shaw” Gina Gionfriddo’s tart comedy about the disaster that results when Suzanna sets up a blind date for her stepbrother Max and the fragile Becky Shaw, who works with Suzanna’s husband, Andrew. The show opens Sunday, Sept. 25, at 1531 N. Wells St., Chicago. (312) 943-8722 or aredorchidtheatre.org.

Ÿ Monologist Greg Walloch headlines Victory Gardens Theater’s latest installment of its Crip Slam series. Walloch performs his solo show at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, at 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. (773) 871-3000 or victorygardens.org.

Ÿ New Leaf Theatre’s free Treehouse Readings Series resumes Wednesday, Sept. 28, at the Lincoln Park Cultural Center, 2045 N. Lincoln Park West, Chicago. A teenage boy named Cliff and his best friend search for Cliff’s sister who disappeared into a cult a year earlier in “Salvation Road.” Also at New Leaf, the world premiere of “Burying Miss America,” a play by Brian Golden that was included in last year’s Treehouse Reading Series. Directed by artistic director Jessica Hutchinson, the play centers on estranged siblings who reunite after the death of their mother, Nebraska’s one and only Miss America. See newleaftheatre.org for more information.

Ÿ Previews begin Thursday, Sept. 29, for Red Tape Theatre Company’s production of the little-known Henrik Ibsen play, “Brand,” about an uncompromising clergyman — devoted to Old Testament teachings — whose beliefs take a great toll on him and his family. Max Truax directs the show which opens Monday, Oct. 3, at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 621 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. See redtapetheatre.org for information.

Ÿ Newcomer Slingshot Productions announces its inaugural production, “Low,” a play by Wren Graves about four mediocre artists whose jealousy divides them. Performances begin Thursday, Sept. 29, at The Second Stage, 3408 N. Sheffield Ave., Chicago. For more information, see lowplay-eorgf.eventbrite.com.

Ÿ The 140th anniversary of the fire that devastated and redefined Chicago on Oct. 8, 1871, prompted Lookingglass Theatre to restage ensemble member John Musial’s 1999 production, “The Great Fire.” The show inaugurates a season devoted to examination of decisions people make at times of crisis. Previews continue at Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago. The show opens Saturday, Oct. 1. (312) 337-0665 or lookingglasstheatre.org.

Ÿ A drug heist gone wrong threatens the bonds of three men — related by blood and friendship — in “Riff Raff,” a 1995 play by film and TV actor and Tony Award winner Laurence Fishburne set on Halloween in an abandoned New York City building. The Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company revival opened this week at Angel Island, 735 W. Sheridan Road, Chicago. (773) 871-0442.

Ÿ Playwright Keith Anwar draws upon the experiences of his mother in his drama “Kabulitis,” about an American woman suffering through the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, who conjures memories of living in Kabul with her Afghan husband. Polarity Ensemble Theatre presents the world premiere of the drama in association with Rasaka Theatre Company. The show opened this week at the Josephinum Academy, 1500 N. Bell St., Chicago. (800) 838-3006 or petheatre.com.

Ÿ “Jimmy of Nazareth,” the true story of performer Jimmy Pennington’s battle with depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder, opened this week at the Annoyance Theatre, 4830 N. Broadway, Chicago. (773) 561-4665 or annoyanceproductions.com.

Ÿ Ruckus Theater began its season with two staged readings running in repertory at The Side Project Theatre, 1439 W. Jarvis Ave., Chicago. “Conk and Bone,” by Joe Musso, is about two men awaiting their ferry ride across the River Styx. “Dumb Angel,” by Seth Miller, is about one artist’s “quest for auditory joy.” They run through Tuesday, Sept. 27. For information see, ruckustheater.org.

Ÿ The one-ring UniverSoul Circus runs at Chicago’s Washington Park, at 51st Street and Payne Street, through Sunday, Oct. 16. The urban, hip-hop show is sponsored by the Black McDonald’s Operators Association of Chicago. (800) 745-3000 or universoulcircus.com.

Ÿ Eclipse Theatre Company concludes its season devoted to Kentucky-born playwright Naomi Wallace with the Chicago premiere of her play “The Fever Chart: Four Visions of the Middle East” which examines the political complexities of the region from the perspective of the people living and working there. The play runs through Oct. 30 at the Greenhouse Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. See eclipsetheatre.com.

Ÿ An ever-changing lineup of magicians make up Annoyance Theatre’s revival of “A Magic Evening,” running Sundays at 4830 N. Broadway, Chicago. (773) 561-4665 or annoyanceproductions.com.

Ÿ Stage Left Theatre announced the recipients of its playwright residencies for its 30th season, as part of Downstage Left, the company’s new-play development series. One of the finalists is Barbara Lhota, whose play “Warped” chronicles what happens after two police officers drive home an intoxicated woman who later claims she’s been raped. The other finalist is Claudia Barnett, who examines the appearance and disappearance of the Weird Sisters from Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” in her play, “Witches Vanish.” See stagelefttheatre.com.

Ÿ For its continued efforts at showcasing British theater artists as part of its World Stage Series, Chicago’s British-American Business Council has awarded the Chicago Shakespeare Theater its 2011 British Consul General Award.

— Barbara Vitello