Theater events: Arc celebrates strong women of 'Steel'

Comic caper

Suburbanites on the brink of economic disaster during the 2008 recession resort to crime with humorous results in "Random Theft and Other Acts," by John David Westby. Steel Beam Theatre begins 2017 with a revival of the caper comedy, under director Marge Uhlarik-Boller. Opens 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, at 111 W. Main St., St. Charles. $23-$28. (630) 587-8521 or steelbeamtheatre.com.

'Night Fever'

Drury Lane Theatre presents the regional premiere of "Saturday Night Fever," the stage adaptation of the 1977 film about a paint store employee who, once a week, trades his dead-end existence for a bit of local fame at a Brooklyn disco. Adrian Aguilar stars as Tony Manero (a role John Travolta originated) in Drury Lane's revised production directed and choreographed by Tony Award nominee Dan Knechtges ("Xanadu") with music by The Bee Gees. Previews begin at 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19, at 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. The show opens Jan. 26. $43-$60. Dinner and show packages available. (630) 530-0111 or drurylanetheatre.com.

Southern revival

Women get more than haircuts and perms at Truvy's Beauty Salon, a small-town Louisiana shop where six spirited, strong-willed women gather to share their triumphs and tragedies in Robert Harling's "Steel Magnolias." Artistic director Mark Boergers directs Arc Theatre's revival of the dramedy. Previews begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19, at Red Curtain Theater in the First Congregational Church House, 1417 Hinman Ave., Evanston. The show opens Jan. 20. $10, $25. See arctheatrechicago.org.

What's new

• Previews begin Friday, Jan. 13, for About Face Theatre's Chicago-area premiere of "The Temperamentals," Jon Marans' 2009 drama chronicling the founding of the Mattachine Society, the nation's first LGBT rights organization, and the love affair between its founding members. Artistic director Andrew Wolkoff directs the production, which opens Thursday, Jan. 19, at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. (773) 975-8150 or aboutfacetheatre.com.

• The Greenhouse Theater Center concludes its Solo Celebration! Series with "Circumference of a Squirrel," starring Will Allan. John Walch's drama about intolerance centers on Chester, a "rodentophobe" who recounts his childhood growing up with a father whose rabid hatred for squirrels consumed his life. Previews begin Friday, Jan. 13, at 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. The show opens Wednesday, Jan. 18. (773) 404-7336 or greenhousetheater.org.

• Strawdog Theatre Company's season continues with William Shakespeare's "Cymbeline," a tale of a daughter wrongfully banished by her impulsive father, directed by Lifeline Theatre's Robert Kauzlaric in his Strawdog directing debut. Performances begin Friday, Jan. 13, at Factory Theater, 1623 W. Howard St., Chicago. The show opens Jan. 23. (866) 811-4111 or strawdog.org.

• In the 26th century, humans and modified humans investigate an alien tower in an attempt to uncover the mysteries contained therein in the sci-fi thriller "Diamond Dogs." It's adapted from the science fiction adventure by former astrophysicist Alastair Reynolds by Shanghai Low Theatricals, a development group helmed by Chicago stalwart Steve Pickering, who also adapted the story. House Theater of Chicago artistic director Nathan Allen teams up with puppet designer Mary Robinette Kowal for this world premiere, which is part of the 2017 Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival. Previews begin Friday, Jan. 13, at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago. The show opens Jan. 22. (773) 769-3832 or thehousetheatre.com.

• Lifeline Theatre's annual Fillet of Solo Festival showcasing solo artists and storytelling collectives runs Friday, Jan. 13, through Sunday, Jan. 29, at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago. Among the artists showcased during the two-week festival are: The Sweat Girls; the Asian ensemble Stir-Friday Night!, the all-female identified ensemble the kates, members of the Lifeline Storytelling Project, the LGBTQ ensemble OUTspoken and The Stoop, comprising storytellers who craft tales extemporaneously on a specific theme. Tickets are $10 per show or $50 for an all-festival pass. (773) 761-4477. See lifelinetheatre.com for a schedule.

• Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago, presents the area premiere of the satire "Gloria," Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' 2016 Pulitzer Prize finalist about competitive, twenty-something writers in New York's cutthroat publishing world. Previews begin Saturday, Jan. 14. The production, a remount of director Evan Cabnet's off-Broadway production for Vineyard Theatre, opens Jan. 23. (312) 443-3800 or goodmantheatre.org.

• Filament Theatre stages Scottish playwright Oliver Emanuel's unique take on "The Adventures of Robin Hood." Emanuel adapts the swashbuckling tale for two actresses. Jyreika Guest plays the titular character, and Molly Bunder plays everyone else in this production, which begins performances Saturday, Jan. 14, at 4041 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Omen Sade directs. (773) 270-1660 or filamenttheatre.org.

• The anti-bullying musical "The Hundred Dresses," adapted and created by Ralph Covert and G. Riley Mills from Eleanor Estes' novel, gets a remount courtesy of Chicago Children's Theatre. The Hypocrites' Sean Graney directs the family-friendly show about the new girl in school who wears the same faded dress every day but swears she has 100 silk dresses in her closet. Previews begin Tuesday, Jan. 17, at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. The show opens Jan. 21. (872) 222-9555 or chicagochildrenstheatre.org.

• Artists from around the world will participate in the 2017 Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, running Thursday, Jan. 19, through Jan. 29, at various locations around the city. Participating ensembles include Lookingglass Theatre ("Mr. and Mrs. Pennyworth"); the Museum of Contemporary Art ("Chiflon el Silencio del Carbon" from Chile's Silencio Blanco); Victory Gardens ("Kick the Klown Presents a Kakafination of Kafka" by Michael Montenegro and Greg Allen); Adventure Stage Chicago ("Plastique" from Montreal's Theatre Puzzle) and the Chicago Children's Theatre (which inaugurates its new home at 100 S. Racine Ave. with "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" from Minneapolis' Open Eye Figure Theatre). Founded by Chicago puppeteer Blair Thomas, the festival - the only one of its kind in the United States - showcases all styles of puppetry from marionettes and shadow to Bunraku and toy puppets. Tickets range from free to $40. Note: Not all productions are suitable for children. (312) 554-9800. See chicagopuppetfest.org for a schedule.

• Performances continue through Saturday, Jan. 14, for "Snack Break" comprised of short, savory plays by "palatable playwrights." Produced by The Yard in cooperation with Victory Gardens Theater, the mini-fest features works by Ike Holter, Philip Dawkins, Kristiana Rae Colon, Isaac Gomez, Lauren Gunderson, Hansol Jung and Brett Neveu. Performances take place at 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. Founded in 2015 by Mechelle Moe and Joel Ewing, The Yard produces "theater relevant to young people performed by young people." New resident artists include dramaturge and educator Jared Bellot, lighting designer Maggie Fullove-Nugent, stage manager Dina Marie Klahn, actor/directors Will Kiley and Dana Murphy, sound designer Aaron Stephenson and set designers Andrew Burden Swanson and John Wilson. See victorygardens.org.

• Irish Theatre of Chicago has extended its production of "The Weir," a ghost tale by Conor McPherson. Performances continue through Feb. 4 at The Den Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. See irishtheatreofchicago.org.

• Writers Theatre has extended its world premiere of "The Hunter and the Bear," PigPen Theatre Company's whimsically theatrical ghost story about a hunter searching in the north woods for his young son who has disappeared. Performances run through Jan. 29 at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. (847) 242-6000 or writerstheatre.org.

• Several Metropolis Performing Arts Centre productions have been selected as finalists for the 2016 BroadwayWorld Chicago non-equity awards. "Rent," "Young Frankenstein," "A Christmas Carol" and "Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash" were among the productions selected as finalists by BroadwayWorld readers. "These nominations are a tribute to the hard work of all the gifted actors, directors, designers and staff who call our wonderful theater home," said Metropolis executive director Joe Keefe in a prepared statement.

• Naperville's BrightSide Theatre received a grant from the DuPage Foundation, a philanthropic organization promoting the arts, education, the environment, health and human services in DuPage County. In a prepared statement, foundation vice president Barb Szczepaniak paid tribute to not-for-profit organizations and volunteers who help make "our community strong, vibrant and culturally and environmentally rich."

• Fin Coe, Jeffrey Owen Freelon Jr., Michael Allen Harris, Kristi Parker-Barnhart, Deanna Reed-Foster, Esteban Reyna, Shariba Rivers, Omer Abbas Salem and Dagoberto Zolio Soto are recent additions to The New Colony. Co-artistic director Andrew Hobgood welcomed the artists, who have "demonstrated a true passion for making change in our industry and world by creating new work and nurturing new audiences."

• Former Route 66 Theatre Company business manager Alana Parvey Zalas has been named the new managing director of About Face Theatre. "We are thrilled to welcome Alana to the About Face team," said artistic director Andrew Volkoff in a prepared statement. "Her precision and strong finance skills will be a huge asset."

• Red Theater recently welcomed Cara Beath Heath as its new literary coordinator.