Theater events: 'Rapunzel' lets her hair down at Metropolis

Fairy tale time

Chicago Kids Company brings its adaptation of "Rapunzel" to the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre as part of the theater's Stories in Action! series for young audiences. Recommended for children up to third grade, the tale tells of a young girl, locked in a tower by an evil queen, whose escape is aided by a prince who reaches her by climbing up her hair. Performances begin at 10 a.m. Monday, July 13, at 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. $14 for adults, $12 for children. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com.

Folk at Steel Beam

Folk singer-songwriter Mark Dvorak, artist-in-residence at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, performs at Steel Beam Theatre. Proceeds from the concert benefit the theater and its programs. 8 p.m. Friday, July 10, at 111 W. Main St., St. Charles. $15. (630) 587-8521 or steelbeamtheatre.com or markdvorak.com.

LeapFest XII

Stage Left Theatre's annual new play festival features in-progress works developed through the company's Downstage Left program. Plays include Beth Kander's "The Bottle Tree" about the lingering impact of a school shooting; Evan Linder's "Byhalia, Mississippi" about a couple confronting racial prejudice; Kristiana Colon's "the darkest pit" about students and a teacher trapped in a classroom during a school shooting; and Jeff Tabnick's "Love in the Time of the Bumblehive," about an NSA employee who outs his wife as a terrorist because he suspects she's cheating on him. Discussions follow every performance. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 13, and run through July 31 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Single tickets are $11. A four-show LeapPass is $22. (773) 975-8150 or stagelefttheatre.com.

Other theater events

• Quentin Tarantino meets William Shakespeare in Commedia Beauregard's remount of its dark comedy "Bard Fiction," by Ben Tallen, Aaron Greer and Brian Watson-Jones, who take characters from the film "Pulp Fiction" and place them in Elizabethan England. Christopher Kidder-Mostron directs the show, which opens Friday, July 10, at City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago. (312) 487-1893 or cbtheatre.org.

• Honest Theatre revives "No Exit," Jean-Paul Sartre's existential examination of the afterlife in which three damned souls are relegated to spend eternity with each other. Performances begin Friday, July 10, at The Alley Stage, 4147 N. Broadway, Chicago. See honesttheatre.com.

• Monsters step out of a young girl's nightmares and into her waking life in the dark comedy "Alligator," by Dream Theatre Company artistic director Jeremy Menekseoglu. Dream Theatre's production begins Friday, July 10, at 5026 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. (773) 552-8616 or dreamtheatrecompany.com.

• The Arc Theatre returns for its sixth season to Ridgeville Park, 908 Seward St., Evanston, with its production of William Shakespeare's tale of overwhelming ambition "MacBeth." Artistic director Mark Boergers helms the production, which previews at 7 p.m. Friday, July 10. Free performances run at 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday through Aug. 2 at the Evanston park. See arctheatrechicago.org.

• The New Colony's summer Side Stage series concludes with the musical "It's Good for the Heart" writer/composer/lyricist John Keating's musical about a woman who returns home for her father's funeral after two decades away. Performances are at 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 10-11, at The Den Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. See thenewcolony.org.

• Cody Melcher and Chris Hauser bring their dark, sketch-comedy show "Melcher & Hauser: Janitors to Janitees" - about a caretaker of a building that turns out to be existence itself - to Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. They perform at 10:30 p.m. Fridays beginning Friday, July 10. (773) 327-5252 or stage773.com.

• Performances begin Saturday, July 11, for Provision Theater Company's remount of its adaptation of "Anne of Green Gables." The latest in the company's young audience series, the 70-minute play is based on Lucy Maud Montgomery's novel about an early 20th-century family who expect to adopt a boy but instead find their new addition is a clever young girl named Anne Shirley. Artistic director Timothy Gregory directs the show, which runs at noon and 3 p.m. Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays at 1001 W. Roosevelt Road, Chicago. (312) 455-0066 or provisiontheater.org.

• The New American Folk Theatre, in conjunction with redtwist theatre, present the Midwest premiere of "The Summer of Daisy Fay," adapted by Ed Howard from Fannie Flagg's novel "Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man." Charlie Irving stars in the solo show about a spunky young woman from a small Mississippi town recalling how in 1958 she dreamed beyond her humble beginnings. The show opens Saturday, July 11, at 1044 W. Bryn Mawr, Chicago. (773) 426-6442 or newamericanfolktheatre.org.

• Broadway in Chicago and Emerald City Theatre presents "Fancy Nancy The Musical" based on the children's books by Jane O'Connor, with illustrations by Robin Preiss Glasser. Katrina Fiss stars as the titular Nancy who's stuck playing a tree in her first dance recital. The show runs Saturday, July 11, through Aug. 23, at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut St., Chicago. (800) 775-2000 or broadwayinchicago.com.

• A second outdoor production of William Shakespeare's "Macbeth" opens Saturday, July 11, at Touhy Park,

7348 N. Paulina St., Chicago. Midsommer Flight's production moves to Schreiber Park, 1552 W. Schreiber Ave., Chicago, on July 25. From there the show moves to Gross Park, 2708 W. Lawrence Ave. along Gunnison Street, Chicago, on Aug. 8. The last stop on the tour is Lincoln Park, beyond the cultural center at 2045 N. Lincoln Park West at N. Stockton Drive, on Aug. 22. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. See midsommerflight.com.

• EEK! Theatre Company brings its sketch-comedy series "Summer Schlock" to Gorilla Tango Theatre, 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, Saturdays, beginning July 11. (773) 598-4549 or gorillatango.com.

• Collaboraction hosts its final Let Hope Rise event of the summer at noon Saturday, July 11, near the Loyola Park field house at Pratt Avenue and Lake Michigan in Chicago. The event begins with a free meal from Connie's Pizza followed at 1 p.m. by a variety show hosted by Collaboraction artistic director Anthony Moseley and featuring DJ Shon Roka, actress/singer/writer Sandra Delgado, the comedy duo of Lorena Diaz and Wendy Mateo, singer/songwriter Jenny Lynn, Sir Taylor and his youth poetry group Example Setters and members of the "Crime Scene" ensemble. An offshoot of the company's ongoing "Crime Scene" theatrical series, the goal of the event is to develop ways to increase the peace in Chicago neighborhoods. Admission is free. See collaboraction.org.

• The Gift Theatre hosts its second annual fundraiser The Season Release Bash from 4 to 10 p.m. Sunday, July 12, at the Fischman Liquors and Tavern back lot at 4780 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. The $25 ticket includes unlimited beer courtesy of Lake Effect, Slapshot and Mikerphone breweries. Entertainment comes courtesy of DJ White Russian, Sidewalk Chalk and Sad Brad Smith. (773) 283-7071 or thegifttheatre.org.

• A memorial service for Russ Tutterow, the emeritus artistic director of Chicago Dramatists who died in May after devoting more than 30 years to Chicago theater, will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 13, at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. Doors for "An Evening of Sharing" open at 6 p.m. Attendees are invited to share their memories of Tutterow and are encouraged to bring an item for display that illustrates his effect on their lives. In her American Theatre Magazine tribute, Chicago Dramatists resident playwright Lydia Diamond wrote: "Russ bestowed upon us all dramaturgical wisdom, directorial brilliance, kindness, laughter, wit, and a generosity of spirit that's unquantifiable." For more information, see chicagodramatists.org.

• Eclipse Theatre's season-long salute to Terrence McNally continues with "A Perfect Ganesh" about two middle-aged American women who travel to India to recover from personal tragedies and find inner peace. Previews begin Thursday, July 16, at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. The show opens July 19. Steven Fedoruk directs. (773) 935-6875 or eclipsetheatre.com.

• Victory Gardens Theater's IGNITION Festival of New Plays begins Thursday, July 16, at 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. The lineup includes: "Confessions of a P.I.M.P.," a solo show written and performed by Andre De Shields tracing his career from Baltimore to Broadway; "Queen," Madhuri Shekar's drama about Ph.D candidates who realize their data is faulty; and "Stay & Eat," A. Zell Williams' play about a powerful African-American politician from Chicago's South Side desperately trying to keep her floundering family together. Also part of the festival is Jose Rivera's "The Last Book of Homer" about a screenwriter kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel while shooting a movie about the Trojan War; Minita Gandhi's dark comedy "Muthaland" about an Indian-American woman who discovers family secrets when she returns to India for a visit; Julia Cho's "Office Hour" about a writing professor and her student whose disturbing writings suggest he may be a "ticking time bomb"; and Basil Kreimendahl's "Sadie River's Drag Ball on the Lawn" about a poor, unconventional drag family whose "mother" teaches them to pass as upper-class. Performances run through July 19, and admission is free. (773) 871-3000 or victorygardens.org.

• Steppenwolf Theatre hosts a preshow event titled "Explore: The World of 'Grand Concourse'" at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 16, at the company's rehearsal hall at 758 W. North Ave., Chicago. It includes a game of bingo hosted by the ladies from The New Colony's production "Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche," music by the Blue Ribbon Glee Club and cuisine by Inspiration Kitchen. Admission is free, but reservations are required. Also, Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago, offers two-for-one tickets for the 7:30 p.m. shows on Friday, July 10; Tuesday, July 14; Wednesday, July 15, and Friday, July 17. To apply the discount, enter the promo code "21230" when purchasing tickets online at steppenwolf.org or mention the code when ordering tickets at (312) 335-1650.

• Rock 'n' roll, romance and mistaken identities propel the Elvis Presley-inspired musical "All Shook Up," which begins previews Thursday, July 16, at Theatre at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana. David Sajewich stars as motorcycle-riding roustabout Chad who charms small-town girl Natalie (Callie Johnson). William Pullinsi directs the musical, which features 24 Presley hits. (219) 836-3255 or theatreatthecenter.com.

• "Sit, Stand, Neal!," a solo show consisting of a collection of characters behaving absurdly, runs Sundays through Aug. 9 at The Annoyance Theatre and Bar, 851 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Also at The Annoyance, the sketch-comedy show "Nerd Alert" featuring Katherine Biskupic and Leah Frires playing assorted nerds, weirdos and super freaks of all kinds. It runs Fridays through July 24. (773) 697-9693 or theannoyance.com.

• Theater Wit, which transferred its hit production of Joshua Harmon's "Bad Jews" to the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts last month, has extended the comedy about twenty-something Jews wrestling with faith and identity. Performances run though Aug. 8 at 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. No show Friday, July 10; additional show at 8 p.m. Aug. 5. (847) 673-6300 or northshorecenter.org or theaterwit.org.

• Fox Valley Repertory has named director/educator Patrick Stinson, a graduate of Millikin University and North Central College in Naperville, as its second managing director. Stinson takes over Monday, July 13, from outgoing managing director Colleen Tovar who leaves FVR after 11 years to teach at Ball State University in Indiana. "Theatre at Pheasant Run Resort has had a great tradition of quality entertainment and art. It is my goal to continue that tradition and make Fox Valley Rep the first thing people think of when they want to see theater in the Chicago suburbs," said Stinson in a prepared statement.

• The Gift Theatre announced nine additions to the company ensemble. They include directors Marti Lyons and Erica Weiss; playwrights Will Eno and Laura Marks and actors Cyd Blakewell, Darci Nalepa, Keith Neagle, Mary Ann Thebus and Kyle Zornes. "The Gift is just what its name says," said Pulitzer Prize nominee Eno in a prepared statement. "I love The Gift Theatre and its fearless artistic director Michael Patrick Thornton. I am proud to be a part of it."

• Collaboraction artistic director Anthony Moseley announced that the company has hired as its first executive director Darcy Addison, who has held arts administration positions with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Gallery 37 among others. "Bringing on Darcy as my leadership partner signifies a new era for the company," said Moseley in a prepared statement. "I can't wait to see how Darcy's passion, wisdom and professionalism affects our Collaboraction family and future."

• American Blues Theater announced it will accept submissions for its 2016 Blue Ink Playwriting Award - created in 2010 to support new work - through Aug. 31. Submissions must be original, unpublished, full-length plays written in English. Translations, musicals and children's plays are ineligible. Playwrights may only submit one manuscript per year and works that have been professionally produced or published are ineligible. The winning playwright receives $1,000 and his or her play receives a developmental workshop at ABT. A $5 administrative fee must accompany submissions, which must be sent as a Word document or PDF file to blueink@americanbluestheaater.com. Checks should be mailed to: American Blues Theater, 1016 N. Dearborn St., Chicago, 60610, or writers can pay online at americanbluestheater.com.