Theater events: Teatro Vista premieres Chicago-set thriller

World premiere

Teatro Vista stages the premiere of "The Wolf at the End of the Block" by Chicago playwright Ike Holter ("Hit the Wall," "Sender"). The Chicago-set thriller unfolds in the wake of a crime that takes place in a boarded-up neighborhood bar. Ricardo Gutierrez directs ensemble members Sandra Marquez and Gabriel Ruiz in Holter's examination of racial profiling and family relationships. Previews begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. The show opens Feb. 4. $20-$30. (773) 871-3000 or victorygardens.org or teatrovista.org.

Stoppard revival

Hamlet's college friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are summoned to Denmark by the prince's mother to cheer the melancholy Dane, then get caught up in palace intrigue in "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead." Tom Stoppard's early comedy places "Hamlet's" minor characters front and center to examine their offstage exploits. Josh Sobel directs the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre production. Previews begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, at 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. The show opens Feb. 10. $30, $38. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com.

'Good People'

A single mom, struggling to support herself and her special needs daughter seeks help from an old boyfriend turned successful doctor in "Good People," David Lindsay-Abaire's darkly comic commentary on class. Amelia Barrett stars in Buffalo Theatre Ensemble's revival. The preview is at 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, at the McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. The show opens Feb. 3. $35. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org or btechicago.com.

Other theater events

• The Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N. Southport Ave., Chicago, salutes an iconic singer in its new musical revue, "I Left My Heart: A Salute to the Music of Tony Bennett." Director/choreographer Kevin Bellie helms the show, which features Jim DeSelm, Robert Hunt and Evan Tyron Martin. Accompanied by a four-piece band, the trio will pay tribute to (not impersonate) the well-loved crooner. Previews begin Friday, Jan. 27. The show, with music direction by Linda Madonia, opens Thursday, Feb. 2. (773) 325-1700 or mercurytheaterchicago.com.

• Refuge Theatre Project remounts its 2016 production of "High Fidelity: The Musical" based on Nick Hornby's 1995 novel and Stephen Frears' 2000 film about a record store owner who tries to make sense of his wrecked love life by recounting his top five breakups. Previews begin Friday, Jan. 27, at 1415 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. The show opens Sunday, Jan. 29. See refugetheatre.com.

• Previews begin Friday, Jan. 27, for the world premiere of Manual Cinema's "Magic City," which inaugurates the Chicago Children's Theatre's new home at 100 S. Racine Ave., Chicago. Loosely based on Edith Nesbit's 1910 children's book about a boy who builds himself a city then finds himself magically transported into it, the all-ages show incorporates shadow puppets and live actors. It opens Feb. 3. (872) 222-9555 or chicagochildrenstheatre.org.

• Justin Perkowitz and Alisa Jordheim star as Nanki-Poo and Yum-Yum in a production of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta "The Mikado" at the McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. Michael La Tour directs the production accompanied by The New Philharmonic, conducted by Kirk Muspratt. The story centers around the son of the Japanese emperor who - after fleeing his home to avoid marrying a much older woman - escapes to a new land, disguises himself as a minstrel and falls in love with a young girl betrothed to the country's Lord High Executioner. The performances are at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org.

• The Metropolis Performing Arts Centre hosts a wine-tasting fundraiser from 2:30 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. Tickets are $45 and include music, hors d'oeuvres, wine tasting and a raffle. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com.

• Chicago Dramatists showcases its inaugural class of Tutterow Fellows with scenes from their plays at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at 1105 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago. A training program for emerging playwrights, the fellows are named for Chicago Dramatists' late longtime artistic director Russ Tutterow, who championed new writers. See chicagodramatists.org.

• Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents the world premiere of "The Book of Joseph," Karen Hartman's family history chronicle about a man who discovers a suitcase of letters written by his family in Poland during World War II and his father's efforts to save lives. The play, commissioned by CST, was inspired by Richard Hollander's family letters, which he collected in his book "Every Day Lasts a Year." Previews begin Sunday, Jan. 29, at Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. The show opens Feb. 4. (312) 595-5600 or chicagoshakes.com.

• Playwright and drag performer Charles Busch brings his one-man show - "Charles Busch; That Girl, That Boy" - to Pride Films and Plays, 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago. Busch performs his personal reminiscences at 7:30 p.m. Sunday and Monday, Jan. 29-30. (800) 737-0984 or charlesbusch.com or pridefilmsandplays.com.

• Gift Theatre co-founder and artistic director Michael Patrick Thornton and improviser Susan Messing team up for a sketch improv at 7 p.m. Mondays, Jan. 30 and Feb. 6, at Steppenwolf Theatre's 1700 Theatre, 1700 N. Halsted St., Chicago. The performances are part of Steppenwolf's LookOut performance series. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

• Mad River Theater Works performs "Everybody's Hero: The Jackie Robinson Story" at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. The production tells the story of the baseball standout who in 1947 became the first African-American to play major league baseball. (815) 356-9212 or rauecenter.org.

• The U.S. tour of "The Bodyguard, The Musical" begins a two-week run Tuesday, Jan. 31, at the Oriental Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St., Chicago. Deborah Cox stars as the pop diva threatened by a stalker, whose manager hires a former Secret Service agent to protect her. Adapted from the 1992 film starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, the musical includes such Houston hits as "Saving All My Love," "I Will Always Love You" and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody." (800) 775-2000 or broadwayinchicago.com.

• "Everybody's a Critic," an improvised sketch comedy show inspired by Yelp restaurant reviews, premieres Tuesday, Jan. 31, at The Annoyance Theatre, 851 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. "Hug It Out," made up of the best Huggable Riot sketch revues, runs Wednesdays at the Annoyance through March. "(Expletive) Trump," a sendup of the 45th president, has reopened. It runs Saturdays. Lastly, "How the (expletive) Did We Get Here?" a documentary-style show examining Chicago corruption and hosted by history buff Jacob Eugene Horn, runs Fridays through Feb. 24. (773) 697-9693 or theannoyance.com.

• Previews begin Thursday, Feb. 2, for Steppenwolf Theatre's Chicago-area premiere of "Straight White Men," written and directed by Young Jean Lee. An examination of identity and privilege, the story centers on a father (ensemble member Alan Wilder) who invites his three sons home for Christmas. The show opens Feb. 11 at 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

• Rhinoceros Theater Festival, Curious Theatre Branch's 28th annual fringe arts fest, continues through Feb. 26 at Prop Thtr, 3502 N. Elston Ave., Chicago. Participating ensembles include Curious Theatre, Organic Theater Company, Prop Thtr and Theatre Y as well as solo artists Mark Chrisler, Jenny Magnus and Beau O'Reilly among others. See rhinofest.com for a list of shows, cabaret performances, lectures and readings. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 (or pay what you can) at the door. (773) 492-1287.

• Fill the Pantry, the annual food drive hosted by Medieval Times, 2001 N. Roselle Road, Schaumburg, continues through Feb. 5. For any three nonperishable food items dropped off at the Schaumburg castle, donors receive 40 percent off the price of an adult ticket and 25 percent off the price of a child's ticket. The food items will benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Tickets are available at medievaltimes.com/chicago using the code FOOD17. Three donated food items per person are required for each admission with a limit of six discounted admissions per order.

• American Theater Company's resident stage manager since 2008, Katie Klemme has been named the company's new managing director. Her appointment coincides with artistic director Will Davis' inaugural season.