Theater events: Darkly comic 'Constant State of Panic' premieres at Clockwise

Modern anxiety

Playwright Patrick Gabridge takes a darkly comic look at maintaining a modern-day marriage in "Constant State of Panic." Clockwise Theatre presents the Chicago-area premiere about an expectant father who fears every disaster is a terrorist act. Opens at 8 p.m. Friday, April 17, at 221 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. $20. (847) 775-1500 or clockwisetheatre.org.

Colonna at Zanies

Comedian, author and "Chelsea Lately" round-table regular Sarah Colonna headlines Zanies this weekend. Colonna is on tour in support of her most recent book, "Has Anyone Seen My Pants?" 8 and 10 p.m. Friday, April 17, at Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles, (630) 584-6300, and 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, April 18, at MB Financial Park, 5437 Park Place, Rosemont, (847) 813-0484 or zanies.com. $25, plus a two-item minimum.

Rock & Roll Alice

Jeff Award-winning composer Michael Mahler teams up with Jeff Award-winning director Rachel Rockwell (Drury Lane Theatre's "Billy Elliot") for Mahler's new children's rock musical "Wonderland, Alice's Rock & Roll Adventure," inspired by Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Lookingglass." Chicago Children's Theatre's premiere stars Ariana Burks and Isabelle Roberts, of Glencoe, as the young girl searching for her musical voice. Wheaton native Matthew Yee plays the Mad Hatter. Previews begin at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 22, at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. Opens April 24. $10-$38. (872) 222-9555 or chicagochildrenstheatre.org.

Other theater events

• Previews continue through Saturday, April 18, for Eclipse Theatre Company's "Lips Together, Teeth Apart," the first in its season-long showcase of plays by Terrence McNally. The action unfolds on Fire Island, a favorite getaway for members of the gay community, where two straight couples contemplate their futures. The show, directed by Ted Hoerl in his Eclipse debut, opens Sunday, April 19, at Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. (773) 935-6875 or eclipsetheatre.com.

• The Hypocrites concludes the 2015 season with a revival of Anton Chekhov's "Three Sisters," about siblings who hope in vain to leave their drab, provincial town for the bright lights of Moscow. Ensemble member Geoff Button directs the production, which begins previews Friday, April 17, at The Den Theatre, 1329 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. The show opens Wednesday, April 22. See the-hypocrites.com.

• Porchlight Music Theatre revives the Stephen Sondheim-Burt Shevelove-Larry Gelbart musical, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," a tale about house slave Pseudolus who promises to unite his master with the pretty girl next door in exchange for his freedom. Previews begin Friday, April 17, at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. The show opens Thursday, April 23. (773) 327-5252 or porchlightmusictheatre.org.

• Dead Writers Collective opens its season dedicated to Oscar Wilde with "Lady Windermere's Fan," about a proper if somewhat judgmental 19th-century young woman whose sterling reputation is seemingly ruined overnight. Previews begin Friday, April 17, at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. The show, directed by artistic director Jim Schneider, opens Wednesday, April 22. (773) 327-5252 or deadwriters.net.

• Three generations of African-American fathers examine their family's legacy of abandonment in "Sins of the Father," an eta Creative Arts Foundation production beginning performances Friday, April 17, at 7558 S. South Chicago Ave., Chicago. (773) 752-3955 or etacreativearts.org.

• In a world where teens are told who they must be, four young people battle dragons and break curses in an effort to determine for themselves their future in "Worthy," created by Adventure Stage Chicago education manager Dani Bryant. Adventure Stage's world premiere of this modern fairy tale marks the company's final production for 2015. Previews begin Friday, April 17, at Vittum Theater, 1012 N. Noble St., Chicago. The show opens April 25. (773) 342-4141 or adventurestage.org.

• "Rise of the Real Man," a show that examines violent crime in select Chicago neighborhoods, runs at 7 p.m. Friday, April 17, and 4 p.m. Sunday, April 19, at Gorilla Tango Theatre, 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Also at Gorilla Tango, EEK! Theatre Company celebrates its fifth year with "High Five: The Very Best of Marijuanarama!" beginning Saturday, April 18. Lastly, Gorilla Tango presents the latest in its Just RANTing the Blues series set in a fantastic, alternative universe Chicago. "Rant: #010 Turmoil, Mystification" and "Rant #011: "Well, I Guess That's That: The Conundrum of the Last Two Caucasian People on Earth" run at 8 p.m. Monday, April 20 and 27, at the theater. (773) 598-4549 or gorillatango.com.

• Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents the world premiere of its musical adaptation of Jane Austen's novel "Sense and Sensibility," about the romantic adventures of the Dashwood sisters. The musical by writer/composer/lyricist Paul Gordon ("Jane Eyre," "Daddy Long Legs") begins previews Saturday, April 18, at Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. The show, helmed by artistic director Barbara Gaines, opens April 29. (312) 595-5600 or chicagoshakes.com.

• Stage Left Theatre ensemble member Drew Martin sets his production of William Shakespeare's "All's Well That Ends Well" among 1950s mobsters in the company's production of the comedy about a middle-class young woman who tricks her beloved - a nobleman's son - into marrying her. Previews begin Saturday, April 18, at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. The show opens Thursday, April 23. (773) 883-8830 or stagelefttheatre.com.

• First Floor Theater presents the world premiere of "The Paranoid Style in American Politics," a political thriller by political journalist and company member Emmett Rensin, about the response of six, far-right campaign workers to leaked information that could derail their candidate's run for an Illinois Senate seat. The Will Bishop production opens Sunday, April 19, at The Flat Iron Arts Building, 1565 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. See firstfloortheater.com.

• Raven Theatre concludes its season with Richard Kalinoski's 1995 drama "Beast on the Moon," about refugees from the Armenian government's attempts in 1915 to exterminate certain populations including ethnic groups, organizers and intellectuals. Previews begin Tuesday, April 21, at 6157 N. Clark St., Chicago. The show, directed by co-founder and artistic director Michael Menendian, opens April 27. (773) 338-2177 or raventheatre.com.

• "Anna in the Afterlife," Richard Engling's drama about a novelist in a coma deciding whether to return to the living, discovers fellow writer Anna has been split into three beings, possibly as a result of her suicide. The play was inspired, in part, by Engling's friend and colleague Fern Chertkow, who took her own life in 1988. It's part of a cycle titled The Afterlife Trilogy, on which he collaborated with Chertkow. Polarity Ensemble Theatre presents the world premiere under director Susan Padveen beginning previews Wednesday, April 22, at The Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. The show opens April 25. (773) 404-7336 or petheatre.com.

• Silk Road Rising presents the world premiere of "Muthaland," Minita Gandhi's dark comedy about a young woman transformed by a trip to India where she uncovers a long-held family secret. Performances run April 23-26 at the Historic Chicago Temple Building, 77 W. Washington St., Chicago. (312) 857-1234 or silkroadrising.org.

• "Sounds So Sweet," Black Ensemble Theater's salute to girl groups - from The Andrews Sisters to The Supremes to Destiny's Child - continues through May 31 at 4450 N. Clark St., Chicago. Associate director Rueben Echoles wrote and directed the show. (773) 769-4451 or blackensemble.org.

• Rock songs including "Wipeout" and "All Shook Up" are included in the sci-fi musical spoof "Return to the Forbidden Planet," running through April 25 at the Jedlicka Performing Arts Center, 3801 S. Central Ave., Cicero. (708) 656-1800 or jpactheatre.com.

• Northlight Theatre has extended its production of John Patrick Shanley's "Outside Mullingar," about a cattle rancher in rural Ireland and his female neighbor who pines for him despite the long-simmering feud between their families. Performances continue through April 25 at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. (847) 673-6300 or northlight.org.

• "First Date," the musical revue by writer Austin Winsberg and composer/lyricists Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner about blind dates, has been extended. Performances continue through May 17 at the Royal George Cabaret Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted St., Chicago. firstdatechi.com.

• Trap Door Theatre has extended its production of "La Bete." Inspired by the writings of Moliere, the play is about a man named Elomire (an anagram for Moliere) who leads an acting company whose work has gone stale. Performances continue through May 2 at 1655 W. Cortland St., Chicago. (773) 384-0494 or trapdoortheatre.com.

• Lifeline Theatre extended its world premiere of "The One and Only Ivan," adapted by ensemble member James E. Grote from the 2012 children's book by Katherine Applegate and illustrator Patricia Castelao. The play centers on gorilla Ivan's efforts to free a baby elephant named Ruby aided by Bob the dog and a young human. Performances continue through May 17 at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago. (773) 761-4477 or lifelinetheatre.com. Also, Lifeline announced Josh LeVasseur, a former campaign fundraiser for candidates in Michigan and California, will be its new director of development. "I'm excited and grateful for the opportunity to join the Lifeline team. Not-for-profit theaters are the incubators of America's greatest playwrights and performers, and I look forward to supporting and growing upon Lifeline's proud history," LeVasseur said in a prepared statement.

• The Gift Theatre has extended its world premiere of "The Royal Society of Antarctica," about a young woman who returns to her birthplace at the McMurdo Station in Antarctica to uncover answers to her mother's disappearance. The play was written by Naperville native Mat Smart and directed by Wheaton native and Fox Valley Repertory artistic director John Gawlik. Performances continue through May 24 at 4802 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Additionally, The Gift hosts a post-show conversation with Smart, Gawlik, the cast and special guest Jeanne Ropollo (author of "Grandma Goes to Antarctica: A Journey of Discovery," who was with Smart at the McMurdo Station), following the 2:30 p.m. performance Sunday, April 19. (773) 283-7071 or thegifttheatre.org.

• Emerald City Theatre has extended its production of "Bingo's Birthday Bash," an immersive theater event for children up to age 5. Performances continue through Aug. 9 at 2933 N. Southport Ave. Chicago. (773) 529-2690 or emeraldcitytheatre.com.

• Continuing at the Annoyance Theatre, 851 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, is the sketch-comedy revue "AWK Presents ... The Yuk Yuk Hour" at 10 p.m. Wednesdays through May 20. Additionally, The Annoyance has extended its long-form improv show "Trigger Happy" until June 24. Also comedian Peter Kim presides over "Your (expletive) Relationship," an adults-only show about failed relationships. It runs at 10 p.m. Thursdays through May 14. (773) 697-9693 or theannoyance.com.