Theater events: Ben Tedder defends the 'Caveman' in Aurora

• Performances begin Friday, March 13, for Copley Theatre's production of "Defending the Caveman." Ben Tedder stars as the titular Neanderthal in Rob Becker's examination of the battle of the sexes, which runs through March 29, at 8 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. (630) 896-6666 or paramountaurora.com.

• Rural romance: Playwright John Patrick Shanley drew upon his farming family as inspiration for "Outside Mullingar," a romantic comedy set in rural Ireland about a woman pining for her oblivious cattle farmer neighbor. Artistic director BJ Jones directs Northlight Theatre's production of the play, which received a 2014 Tony Award nomination. Kate Fry and Mark Montgomery star. Previews begin at 8 p.m. Friday, March 13, at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. The show opens March 20. $25-$78. (847) 673-6300 or northlight.org.

• Irish wake: Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, the interactive comedy and music revue "Flanagan's Wake" returns to Fox Valley Repertory. The show, which ran for years in Chicago, centers on an unnamed resident of the fictional Grapplin, Ireland, whose friends and family gather to give him a proper send-off. 8 p.m. Saturday, March 14, at Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. $32. (630) 584-6342 or foxvalleyrep.org.

• 'Les Mis' revived: Paramount Theatre artistic director Jim Corti helms the revival of "Les Miserables," the musical epic by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg. Adapted from Victor Hugo's 19th-century novel and set against the French Revolution, it's about a peasant jailed for stealing bread to feed a child and his quest for redemption. Corti's all-star cast includes Rod Thomas, George Keating, Marya Grandy and Devin DeSantis among others. Previews begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, at 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. The show opens March 21. $41-$54. (630) 896-6666 or paramountaurora.com.

• Chicago Dramatists returns after a one-year hiatus with the world premiere of ensemble member Rohina Malik's "The Mecca Tales." Developed in conjunction with Goodman Theatre, it's about five American Muslim women who meet in Mecca during the Islamic pilgrimage, or Hajj, over the course of which each woman confronts her reason for making the journey. The show opens Friday, March 13, at 1105 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago. (312) 633-0630 or chicagodramatists.org.

• A cast of 27 performs in Griffin Theatre Company's revival of "Balm in Gilead," Lanford Wilson's glimpse into the lives of the drug dealers, hustlers, junkies, prostitutes and runaways who populate an all-night coffee shop in Manhattan. Previews begin Saturday, March 14, at The Den Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Ensemble member Jonathan Berry ("Punk Rock," "Spring Awakening") directs. See griffintheatre.com.

• Provision Theater artistic director Timothy Gregory adapts and directs the company's stage adaptation of Lucy Maud Montgomery's classic young adult novel "Anne of Green Gables" as part of its young audiences series. The story is about a spirited young girl with a penchant for getting into trouble and her adopted family. The 60-minute production runs at noon and 3 p.m. Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays beginning Saturday, March 14, at 1001 W. Roosevelt Road, Chicago. (312) 455-0066 or provisiontheater.org.

• "Snorf" is on the move. The Noah Ginex Puppet Company and the Side Project Theatre have teamed up to present season three of "Snorf! The Saturday (Almost) Noon Monster and Piggie/Comedy-Variety Show" in its new home beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 14. Performances also take place on April 11, May 9, June 13 and July 11 at The Side Project Theatre, 1439 W. Jarvis Ave., Chicago. (773) 340-0140 or thesideproject.net or thesnorfshow.com.

• Chicago Children's Theatre brings its production "Red Kite, Blue Sky," geared toward children with autism, to Independence Park, at 3945 N. Springfield Ave., Chicago, on Saturday and Sunday, March 14-15. Performances are at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. (773) 227-0180, ext. 15, or chicagochildrenstheatre.org.

• Collaboraction hosts its second Let Hope Rise event beginning at noon Saturday March 14, at Austin Town Hall, 5601 W. Lake St., Chicago. An offshoot of the company's "Crime Scene" project, the event features a variety show, poets, a teen dance ensemble and Collaboraction's Crime Scene Team including poets Shaquilla Moore and Latilya White; actors Dana Anderson and Antonia Arcely; and Dionne Hawkins, artistic director of the Austin Town Hall Drama Company. (312) 226-9633 or collaboraction.org.

• Former "Jersey Boys" cast member John Michael Coppola headlines the concert revue "A Jersey Voice: Sinatra to Springsteen ... and Everyone in Between" at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 15, at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. Also appearing are The Four C Notes, a Four Seasons tribute group. Some of the proceeds benefit Arlington Cares, which raises money for the village's emergency assistance fund. See arlingtoncaresnfp.org.

• "Million Dollar Quartet," the long-running, fictionalized revue inspired by a 1956 jam session at Sun Records between Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley, offers family discounts on Sunday, March 15, April 5, May 17, June 14, July 12 and Aug. 9. On those dates, kids younger than 17 will be admitted free with every adult ticket purchase. Performances continue through the summer at the Apollo Theater, 2540 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. (773) 935-6100 or ticketmaster.com or milliondollarquartetlive.com.

• The citywide August Wilson celebration accompanying Goodman Theatre's revival of "Two Trains Running" continues on Tuesday, March 17, with a concert reading of "Fences" at 7 p.m. at 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. (312) 443-3800 or goodmantheatre.org.

• Previews begin Wednesday, March 18, for Lookingglass Theatre Company's Midwest premiere of "Title and Deed." Michael Patrick Thornton stars in Will Eno's solo piece that unfolds as a meditation on life and our search for home. The play, directed by Marti Lyons, opens March 27, at the Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago. (312) 337-0665 or lookingglasstheatre.org.

• Transcendent Ensemble Theatre Company presents Matthew Maguire's adaptation of "Phaedra," inspired by the Greek myth of the Queen of Athens who lusts after her stepson. Maguire sets the play among the wealthiest one percent, whose members battle their forbidden desires. Performances begin Wednesday, March 18, at Transcendent, 1434 N. Western Ave., Chicago. See transcendentensemble.com.

• Chicago newcomer Windy City Playhouse presents its inaugural production, Deborah Zoe Laufer's comedy "End Days," about a New York City family that flees to the suburbs following the attacks of September 11, 2001. Teatro Vista co-founder and Goodman Theatre artistic associate Henry Godinez directs the production, which stars Tina Gluschenko, Keith Kupferer, Tosin Morohunfola, Sari Sanchez and Steven Stafford. Previews begin Thursday, March 19, at 3014 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago. The show opens March 23.

• Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago, presents the world premiere of "The Good Book," by Denis O'Hare and Lisa Peterson, who penned Court's successful production of "An Iliad." An examination of faith and doubt, it centers on a 13-year-old boy who dreams of becoming a priest and a Biblical scholar who wrestles with a crisis of faith. Previews begin Thursday, March 19. The show, directed by Peterson, opens March 28. (773) 753-4472 or courttheatre.org.

• Previews begin Thursday, March 19, for Mercy Street Theatre Company's world premiere of "The Bird Girl," by resident playwright E.J.C. Calvert. Artistic director Julia Rohed directs the drama about a woman with multiple deformities living in a remote asylum who gets "scooped up by an enterprising ringmaster and finds herself the centerpiece of a traveling freak show." The show opens March 20 at Unity Lutheran Church, 1212 W. Balmoral Ave., Chicago. See mercystreettheatre.org.

• Rivendell Theatre Ensemble hosts its fundraiser Salon 2015 beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 19, at Level Office, 73 W. Monroe St., Chicago. Rivendell will honor Willa Taylor, a U.S. Navy veteran and director of education and community engagement at Goodman Theatre, for her advocacy of female theater artists in Chicago. The event includes music, food and beverages, a silent auction and a raffle. Tickets are $80 in advance, $100 the day of the event and $125 for VIP. (773) 334-7728 or rivendelltheatre.org.

• "First Date," the musical about a couple's blind date, welcomes dating expert Melinda McIntire who will host an online dating Q&A after the 7:30 p.m. performance Thursday, March 19, at the Royal George Cabaret, 1641 N. Halsted St., Chicago. See firstdatechi.com.

• American Theater Company has added Wednesday and Sunday evening performances during the final two weeks of "The Royale," which concludes its run March 29 at 1909 W. Byron St., Chicago. Marco Ramirez's play is about the first black heavyweight champion and the sacrifices he makes to achieve that goal. (773) 409-4125 or atcweb.org.

• Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, announced its second and final extension of its hit production of "Mr. Burns, a post-electric play," Anne Washburn's comedy/musical about a post-apocalyptic world where memories of "The Simpsons" provide survivors comfort. Performances, including newly added Wednesday shows, continue through April 11. (773) 975-8150 or theaterwit.org.

• Applications for the Illinois High School Musical Theater Awards are due by 5 p.m. April 15, Broadway in Chicago announced. To be considered, high school students must play a leading male or female role in a full-length school musical staged during the 2014-2015 season. For information on awards, rules and regulations and to download an application, see broadwayinchicago.com/about/IHSMTA. The 24 finalists (12 female and 12 male) will receive tickets to "Pippin," participate in a workshop with a cast member and perform for a panel of casting agents and theater professionals on June 1 at the Broadway Playhouse, 175 E. Chestnut St., Chicago. The top two finalists, one male and one female, will receive an all-expense-paid trip to New York City from June 24-30 to compete for the national award.

• ComedySportz veteran and longtime Chicago actress and publicist Karin McKie has been named the new managing director of ComedySportz Chicago. McKie takes over March 23. McKie, who has lived and taught in Northern California since 2009, says she is thrilled to return to Chicago. "ComedySportz has been a crucial part of my life, likely my longest and most consistently fulfilling relationship," she said in a prepared statement. "ComedySportz tenets have been integral components of my career and my adult self, often the foundation of my patience, respect, flexibility, fortitude and grace under fire." ComedySportz theater is at 929 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. (773) 549-8080 or comedysportzchicago.com.

• Pride Films and Plays seeks submissions of plays, screenplays and teleplays about lesbians as part of its LezPlay (formerly Women's Words) contest and main stage series. PDFs of full-length plays including playwright contact information, resume, script synopsis and production history (if any) are due by April 30. Writers can submit applications to lezplaypfp@gmail.com.

• Artistic director Martha Lavey's last season helming Steppenwolf Theatre promises to be an intriguing one, with several world and Chicago premieres on track for what will be the company's 40th. The 2015-2016 season opens Sept. 17 with the world premiere of ensemble member Frank Galati's adaptation of John Steinbeck's "East of Eden," about sibling rivals grappling with their father's sins in California's Salinas Valley on the eve of World War I. Co-founder Terry Kinney directs. That's followed by the Chicago premiere of ensemble member Bruce Norris' "Domesticated" (Dec. 3-Feb. 7, 2016), a comedy about a politician's marriage undone by a sex scandal. Norris will also direct. The Chicago premiere of Annie Baker's "The Flick," winner of 2014's Pulitzer Prize for drama, follows. The play, about the burgeoning friendship between three employees working at a rundown movie house, runs Feb. 4 to May 8, 2016. Ensemble member Tracy Letts' latest, "Mary Page Marlowe," marks the theater's second world premiere of the season. About the significant and mundane moments in the life of an ordinary woman from Ohio, the play runs March 31 to May 29, 2016. The season concludes with the Chicago premiere of Stephen Adly Guirgis' dark comedy "Between Riverside and Crazy" (June 23-Aug. 21, 2016), about an ex-cop and his ex-con son living in Manhattan with a steady stream of "sketchy houseguests." Performances take place at 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago. Subscription packages start at $100. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

• Remy Bumppo Theatre Company examines the consequences of pursuing knowledge in its 2015-2016 season titled "Biting the Apple." The season opens Sept. 23, with Caryl Churchill's "Love and Information" about human connections and information overload. That's followed on Nov. 25, with the company's first production of a Noel Coward play. "Fallen Angels" centers on two longtime friends who before their respective weddings had an affair with the same man who has returned to London after a long absence with a request to see them both. The season concludes with "The Life of Galileo" (March 23-May 1, 2016), Bertolt Brecht's look at a scientist confronting the establishment in an adaptation by David Hare. Artistic director Nick Sandys directs. Performances take place at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. Season subscriptions are now available. Single tickets go on sale in August. (773) 404-7336 or remybumppo.org.