Theater events: BrightSide revives Simon farce 'Rumors'

Simon farce revived

BrightSide Theatre continues its fourth season with a production of Neil Simon's 1988 farce, "Rumors." Aaron Hendrickson directs the comedy in which friends invited to a dinner party hosted by New York City's deputy mayor discover the hostess is missing and the host has a bullet hole in his ear, resulting in their attempts to conceal the events from the police and the press. Opens at 8 p.m. Friday, March 6, at the Theatre at Meiley-Swallow Hall, North Central College, 31 S. Ellsworth Ave., Naperville. $22, $25. (630) 637-7469 or brightsidetheatre.com.

'Superstar'

North Central College graduate Max DeTogne stars in Theo Ubique's intimate, acoustic revival of "Jesus Christ Superstar," the rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice chronicling Christ's final days. Former Westmont resident Donterrio Johnson stars as Judas in the production, directed by artistic director Fred Anzevino with choreography by Lincolnshire native Brenda Didier. Previews begin at 8 p.m. Friday, March 6, at No Exit Cafe, 6970 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago. The show opens March 9. $39-$43. (800) 595-4849 or theo-u.org.

C.S. Lewis at home

Writer/actor David Payne brings his play "An Evening With C.S. Lewis" - the British author and academic who penned the children's fantasy series "The Chronicles of Narnia" - to the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre. In this one-man show directed by Payne, Lewis shares with a group of American writers the significant moments of his life. Previews begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 12, at 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. The show opens March 15. $30, $38. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com.

Other theater events

• "Oh What a Night!" - a 1960s musical review featuring four male singers and a five-piece band - run Fridays and Saturday, March 6 through April 18, at Music Comedy Live, 3110 N. Sheffield, Chicago. (773) 610-5930 or mclchicago.com.

• Jackalope Theatre Company announces the first production of its Pioneer Series new works initiative. Inspired by a Scottish folk ballad, Shannon Pritchard's "Traces" is about a Chicago girl who meets a mysterious man at a farmers market who disappears after one day. Performances begin Friday, March 6, at The Frontier, 1106 W. Thorndale Ave., Chicago. See jackalopetheatre.org.

• Genesis Theatrical Productions begins its staged reading series at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, at The Pride Rehearsal Space, 1411 W. Wilson St., Chicago. First up is P.H. Lin's "Zelda at the Oasis" about a day in the life of Zelda Fitzgerald that takes place one night at the Oasis Bar. See genesistheatricals.com.

• Chicago Improv Productions are at 11 a.m. Friday, March 6, at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St., Chicago, and 11 a.m. Saturday, March 7, at Garfield Park Conservatory, 300 N. Central Park Ave., Chicago. The free, family-friendly performances are part of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Juicebox series. (312) 744-3316 or chicagoculturalcenter.org.

• John Lithgow brings his show, "Stories By Heart," to the Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora, for an 8 p.m. performance Saturday, March 7. In his one-man show, Lithgow pairs his recollections with stories by P.G. Wodehouse and Ring Lardner. (630) 896-6666 or paramountaurora.com.

• Goodman Theatre resident director Chuck Smith helms a revival of "Two Trains Running," a 1960s-set drama in August Wilson's 10-play series chronicling the African-American experience in 20th-century America. Ron OJ Parson plays Memphis Lee, owner of a fading diner that attracts a group of regulars - including ex-con Sterling (Chester Gregory), mentally challenged Hambone (Ernest Perry Jr.) and funeral director West (A.C. Smith). They're wounded but undefeated even as their neighborhood crumbles around them. Previews begin Saturday, March 7, at 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. The show opens March 16. It's the centerpiece of a citywide celebration of Wilson's work that includes concert readings of his nine other plays in the series beginning on March 17. There are also panel discussions, including one in which Tony Award-winner Phylicia Rashad and Tony nominee Michele Shay discuss women's roles in Wilson's plays. (312) 443-3800 or goodmantheatre.org.

• Strawdog Theatre Company takes theatergoers "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" beginning Sunday, March 8, at 3829 N. Broadway St., Chicago. Ensemble member Mike Mroch directs Clint Sheffer and Ann Sonneville's adaptation of the Jules Verne fantasy adventure. Kathrynne Wolf stars as Captain Nemo in the production, which opens Monday, March 9. (866) 811-4111 or strawdog.org.

• Pride Films & Plays hosts its Afternoon Delight fundraiser from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, March 8, at 1644 N. Ada St., Chicago. The $50 admission includes beer, wine, cocktails and entertainment. (773) 697-7069 or pridefilmsandplays.com.

• Steppenwolf Theatre honors ensemble member and Emmy and Obie Award-winner Laurie Metcalf at its annual Women in the Arts fundraiser luncheon at noon Monday, March 9, at The Standard Club, 320 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago. Tickets are $300. They're available at (312) 654-5632 or by email at specialevents@steppenwolf.org.

• Previews begin Tuesday, March 10, for Kokandy Productions' revival of "The Fully Monty," by composer/lyricist David Yazbek and writer Terrence McNally. Inspired by the 1997 British film, the American translation is the story of five unemployed steelworkers who take up stripping to provide for their families. John D. Glover directs the production, which opens Thursday, March 12, at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. (773) 975-8150 or kokandyproductions.com.

• Broadway in Chicago presents "The Illusionists - Witness the Impossible." The spectacle, featuring seven magicians, runs from Tuesday, March 10, through March 22 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph St., Chicago. (800) 775-2000 or broadwayinchicago.com.

• The Performing Arts Incubator Program, a collaboration between Pivot Arts and the Loyola University Department of Fine and Performing Arts, hosts a free public reading of Juan Villa's "Don Chipotle" at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, at Hopleaf, 5148 N. Clark St., Chicago. Inspired by Miguel de Cervantes' novel, the play incorporates puppetry and music to tell the tale of two boys' journey around New York City. See pivotarts.org.

• The Annoyance Theatre's new show "1 on 1," showcasing two solo performers, opens Wednesday, March 11, at 851 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Also, the theater has extended the long-form improv show "Blackout" through March 25. (773) 697-9693 or theannoyance.com.

• American Blues Theater announced it recently bestowed its 2015 Blue Ink Playwriting Award on Jamie Pachino for her play "Other Than Honorable," about a female soldier who resigns her commission under mysterious circumstances. Pachino receives the award at ABT's "Blue Bash" beginning at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 12, at Seyfarth Shaw, 131 S. Dearborn Ave., Chicago. WBEZ anchor Joan Esposito hosts the event, which includes live and silent auctions, open bar, hors d'oeuvres, desserts and entertainment including a sneak peek at the 2015 season. Tickets are $125 and are available at (312) 725-4228 or americanbluestheater.com.

• Collaboraction extended its production of "Forgotten Future: The Education Project" examining Chicago's dysfunctional education system. Performances continue through March 22 at the Flat Iron Arts Building, 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. (312) 226-9633 or collaboraction.org.

• A Red Orchid Theatre has extended its production of "Accidentally, Like a Martyr," Grant James Varjas' dramedy about the denizens of a dive gay bar on Manhattan's Lower East Side. Performances run through March 15 at 1531 N. Wells St., Chicago. (312) 943-8722 or aredorchidtheatre.org.

• Redtwist theatre, 1044 W. Bryn Mawr, Chicago, has extended its revival of John Logan's "Red," about abstract expressionist Mark Rothko's creation of his commission for the Four Seasons restaurant in New York City. Performances run through March 29. In addition, director Steve Scott's production has been chosen for preservation by the Chicago Film Archive of Performance. (773) 728-7529 or redtwist.org.

• The Uptown Underground, an adult-only entertainment space showcasing burlesque, cabaret and comedy shows, has opened at 4707 N. Broadway St., Chicago. See uptownunderground.net.

• TimeLine Theatre Company announced its 2015-2016 season will feature the return of Mike Nussbaum, along with three Chicago premieres. The season begins at 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago, in August with a revival of Arthur Miller's "The Price" as part of a national commemoration of the playwright's 100th birthday. Nussbaum plays an antique dealer in the drama about estranged brothers who meet to sort through their late father's belongings. That's followed by the Chicago premiere of "Spill" (October-December at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago), Leigh Fondakowski's drama - created in the style of "The Laramie Project" - examining the impact of the April 2010 explosion of the BP oil rig Deepwater Horizon off the coast of Louisiana, which killed 11 people and dumped millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Ron OJ Parson returns to direct the Chicago premiere of Dominique Morisseau's family drama "Sunset Baby" (January-April 2016 at 615 W. Wellington Ave.), about a former member of the Black Power movement who tries to mend his relationship with his daughter. The season concludes in May 2016 at 615 W. Wellington Ave., with "Chimerica." Lucy Kirkwood's drama about a photojournalist searching for the truth about the mysterious protester who confronted a tank in one of the iconic photographs from the Chinese government's June 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy forces. Four-admission FlexPass subscriptions are available from $80 to $204 per person. For information on subscriptions and single tickets, call (773) 281-8463, ext. 6, or see timelinetheatre.com.

• American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin, welcomes Chicago-area directors William Brown (TimeLine, Northlight theaters) and Derrick Sanders (Congo Square Theatre) to helm productions during the company's 36th season. The season begins June 6 with William Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of Windsor," in which two women outsmart the wily Falstaff. Also opening that day is "An Iliad," Lisa Peterson and Denis O'Hare's adaptation of Homer's "The Iliad" for a solo performance in which a weary soldier recounts the Trojan War. Brown directs Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire" about a fading Southern belle whose reunion with her younger sister and volatile brother-in-law ends tragically. It opens June 12. That's followed by an adaptation of Jane Austen's comedy of matrimonial manners, "Pride and Prejudice." On June 19, Sanders directs "The Island," a drama about human resilience by Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Ntshona that centers on two black political prisoners in South Africa who spend their days at hard labor and their nights rehearsing Sophocles' "Antigone." Noel Coward's "Private Lives," about a divorced couple who rediscover their passion for each other while on honeymoons with their new spouses, opens July 31. Shakespeare's "Othello" opens Aug. 7, and the season concludes with Edward Albee's "Seascape" about a couple on the edge of retirement who contemplate the next stage of their lives. Returning patrons can purchase tickets now. Tickets go on sale to the public April 13. Four-play ticket packages start at $104; single tickets start at $45. (608) 588-2361 or americanplayers.org.