Theater events: Prairie Center hosts 'Churchill' for one night Oct. 1

Keaton's Churchill

Ron Keaton brings his solo show "Churchill" to the Prairie Center for the Arts Saturday. The play unfolds as Winston Churchill recounts his triumphs and failures for friends on the eve of his 1946 speech at Missouri's Westminster College, during which he introduced the phrase "The Iron Curtain." Keaton adapted and stars in the production, which premiered in 2014 at the Greenhouse Theater Center. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. $23, $25. (847) 895-3600 or prairiecenter.org.

A legend revisited

First Folio Theatre picks up where Bram Stoker's Dracula tale leaves off with the Chicago-area premiere of "Dr. Seward's Dracula." Adapted by Joseph Zettelmaier, the play follows Seward (ensemble member Christian Gray), who questions his sanity while trying to explain multiple dead bodies in the wake of Dracula's demise. Alison C. Vesely directs a cast that includes Chicago-area veteran Craig Spidle and Des Plaines native Elizabeth Stenholt among others. Previews begin at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, at the Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 W. 31st St., Oak Brook. $23-$39. The show opens Oct. 8. (630) 986-8067 or firstfolio.org.

Stoppard on Pirandello

Remy Bumppo Theatre commences its 20th anniversary season with a revival of "Pirandello's Henry IV," Tom Stoppard's "re-imagined translation" of Luigi Pirandello's 1922 meditation on madness. Artistic director Nick Sandys, a First Folio Theatre ensemble member, directs the play about an aristocrat (Mark L. Montgomery) knocked unconscious after falling from his horse, who awakes believing he's an 11th-century German emperor. Previews begin at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. The show opens Oct. 10. $32.50-$57.50. (773) 404-7336 or remybumppo.org.

What's new

• Previews continue for Windy City Playhouse's Chicago-area premiere of "Apartment 3A," by film and TV actor Jeff Daniels. Ron OJ Parson directs the romantic comedy about a woman coming off a painful breakup and a bad day at work whose encounter with an enigmatic neighbor may signal a change for the better. The show opens Thursday, Oct. 6, at 3014 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago. (773) 891-8985 or windycityplayhouse.com.

• The Gift Theatre presents the world premiere of "A Life Extra Ordinary," a mystery by Melissa Ross ("Thinner Than Water") about an expectant mother who goes missing on Christmas Eve. Wheaton native John Gawlik directs the production that includes Elk Grove Village native and Gift ensemble member Darci Nalepa. Previews continue through Sunday, Oct. 2, at 4802 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. The show opens Monday, Oct. 3. Also, The Gift announced its new play development series 4802 will accept applicants through Jan. 1, 2017. "4802 exists to nurture the creation of vital works of theater, which pioneer what is possible in a storefront space," said 4802 director and ensemble member Andrew Hinderaker in a prepared statement. "If applicants want to devise a piece in a company of artists; if they want to stage a movement workshop, a pop-up production, a table read - any approach that serves the development of their piece is welcome. The Gift is their laboratory." (773) 283-7071 or thegifttheatre.org.

• Haven Theatre Company begins its fourth season with Idris Goodwin's coming-of-age story "How We Got On," about three aspiring young rappers stuck in suburbia where they battle family dysfunction and teen angst. Previews continue through Saturday, Oct. 1, at The Den Theatre's new Bookspan Theatre, 1335 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Named for director and performer Janet Bookspan, the 99-seat theater opens this month at The Den Theatre. Haven Theatre will be its primary resident company. See haventheatrechicago.com.

• "Fantasy Island for Dummies" is the latest from Trap Door Theatre. Written by Ruth Margraff, directed by Kate Hendrickson, with original music by Nikos Brisco, the play was inspired by the television series about a mysterious man who presides over a paradise where people's wishes come true. The show opened this week at 1755 W. Cortland St., Chicago. (773) 384-0494 or trapdoortheatre.com.

• Conor McPherson's adaptation of "The Birds" - based on the Daphne du Maurier short story that inspired Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 film - descends on Citadel Theatre. Artistic director Scott Phelps helms the thriller about a couple who takes refuge in an abandoned house after they're attacked by masses of birds. Performances begin Friday, Sept. 30, at 300 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest. (847) 735-8554 or CitadelTheatre.org.

• Quest Theatre Ensemble updates its original 2008 musical revue "The People's History of the United States" with puppets by Nick Rupard and new music by Scott Lamps and Andrew Park. The revamped show also features new vignettes about recent history including the Obama presidency, the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut, and the shooting death of Laquan McDonald among others. Performances begin Friday, Sept. 30, at The Blue Theatre, 1609 W. Gregory Ave., Chicago. See questensemble.org.

• MCL Chicago premieres a timely new musical comedy titled "Curse of the Goat," which traces Chicago Cubs history back to 1945 when a goat's removal from Wrigley Field inspired its owner to curse the team from that point on. Performances begin Friday, Sept. 30, at 3110 N. Sheffield Ave., Chicago. "I wanted to write a love letter to sports fandom from somebody who dropped out of Little League to be in show choir," said playwright C.J. Tuor in a prepared statement. See MCLChicago.com.

• Chicago Opera Theater presents the Chicago premiere of Frank Martin's 1942 opera "The Love Potion," an adaptation of the medieval tale of forbidden love. In this case, Tristan goes to retrieve Isolde, his uncle's unwilling bride, and falls in love with her after they mistakenly drink a love potion. Performances run from Friday, Sept. 30, to Oct. 7 at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. See chicagooperatheater.org.

• Stage Left Theatre hosts its annual gala fundraiser heralding the start of the company's 35th season. The event includes food, beverages, a silent auction and a drag show. It takes place from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, at the Jackson Junge Gallery, 1839 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, and will include the presentation of the company's fifth annual Hallie Flanagan Award honoring Laura T. Fisher and Lori Myers, who founded Not in Our House, an organization that fights harassment, discrimination, violence and unsafe practices within the Chicago theater community. (773) 883-8830 or stagelefttheatre.com.

• Lily Be, storyteller and theater artist, is the Sideshow Theatre Company's guest at Side Series, consisting of post-performance conversations with Chicago-area artists. The conversation accompanies the Friday, Sept. 30, performance of Philip Dawkins' "The Happiest Place on Earth" at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. See SideShowTheatre.org.

• Chicago improvisers TJ Jagodowski and David Pasquesi perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at Steppenwolf Theatre's LookOut series. The performance takes place at the 1700 Theatre, 1700 N. Halsted St., Chicago. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

• Emerald City Theatre opens its season with the Chicago premiere of the family-friendly musical comedy "Diary of a Worm, A Spider & a Fly." Joan Cushing adapted Doreen Cronin's children's book about the struggles a young bug has at school. Performances begin Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Apollo Theater, 2540 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. (773) 935-6100 or EmeraldCityTheatre.com.

• The sketch comedy duo the Defiant Thomas Brothers bring their "neo-vaudeville" style comedy to Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. The duo performs at 10:30 p.m. Saturdays beginning Saturday, Oct. 1, through Nov. 19. (773) 327-5252 or Stage773.com.

• OtherWorld Theatre hosts a sci-fi play festival Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 1-2, at the Public House Theater, 3914 N. Clark St., Chicago. Paragon - A Sci-Fi/Fantasy Theatre Short Play Festival showcases 40 works by 38 writers in only two days. See Otherworldtheatre.org for a schedule.

• Metropolis Performing Arts Centre hosts its annual women-only fundraiser Sunday Soiree from 4:30 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, at 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. Tickets are $55 and include hors d'oeuvres, beverages, entertainment and complimentary gifts. (847) 577-2121 or MetropolisArts.com.

• Black Ensemble Theater's 40th anniversary season continues with a revival of its hit show "I Am Who I Am (The Story of Teddy Pendergrass)," continuing previews at 450 N. Clark St., Chicago. The revue chronicling the singer's career, including the car accident that let him a quadriplegic, opens Sunday, Oct. 2. RaShawnThompson and Deverin Deonte share the titular role. (773) 769-4451 or blackensemble.org.

• Blue Man Group teams up with Autism Speaks for its third annual autism-friendly performance at 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, at the Briar Street Theatre, 3133 N. Halsted St., Chicago. The theater will have dim lighting, sound levels will be reduced and noise isolating headphones will be available for audience members who need them. "This performance allows individuals within the autism community to experience something incredible that others may take for granted," said Mary Rios, director of the Chicagoland Chapter of Autism Speaks in a prepared statement. See blueman.com/autismspeaks. Also, in honor of the group's 25th anniversary, it will unveil its first book "Blue Man World," a sendup and celebration of the global phenomenon, at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, at the theater. See blueman.com/chicago.

• Windy City Music Theatre has 40 tickets to a read and sing-through of its upcoming main stage show "A Little Princess." This first reading takes place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, at the New Jefferson Playhouse, 766 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. See windycityperforms.org.

• Hollis Resnik and Christine Mild star in Porchlight Music Theatre's staged concert performance of "The Rink," the latest production in the company's series showcasing "lost" musicals. The 1984 show by composer John Kander, lyricist Fred Ebb and writer Terrence McNally is about woman whose family-run roller rink is about to be demolished, causing her and her daughter to face their past. Performances, directed and choreographed by artistic associate Christopher Pazdernik, run Tuesday through Thursday, Oct. 4-6, at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. (773) 327-5252 or porchlightmusictheatre.org.

• Steppenwolf Theatre opens its young adults series on Wednesday, Oct. 5, with the world premiere of Caitlin Parrish's "The Burials." Inspired by "Antigone," it's about a high school valedictorian whose life is shattered when her brother goes on a shooting rampage. She then tries to stop her father from using the tragedy to his political advantage. Performances run through Oct. 22 at 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

• Huggable Riot opens its all-female sketch comedy revue "There's Something About Bloody Mary" at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, at The Annoyance Theatre, 851 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Keeping with the Halloween theme, performances continue for the Annoyance's signature "Splatter Theater," the adults-only, slasher movie sendup that runs at 10 p.m. Saturdays through Oct. 29. (773) 697-9693 or theannoyance.com.

• Broadway in Chicago and "Hamilton" producer Jeffrey Seller recently announced #Ham4Ham, a lottery for 44, day-of-show tickets to the musical "Hamilton" for only $10. Patrons 18 and older can register online at BroadwayinChicago.com/HamiltonLottery. After the lottery closes, patrons will be notified within minutes as to whether they've won. If they have, they have 60 minutes to pay for tickets online via a credit card. Performances of "Hamilton" run through September 2017 at PrivateBank Theatre, 18 W. Monroe St., Chicago.

• Tickets go on sale Jan. 10, 2017, for Chicago Theatre Week, scheduled to be held from Feb. 9-19, 2017. Among the companies participating in the annual celebration are Goodman, Filament, Lookingglass, Teatro Vista, Redtwist and Paramount theaters. See ChicagoTheatreWeek.com.

- Barbara Vitello