Theater events: Williams Street Rep stages Victorian thriller 'Any Other Name'

Identity theft

Williams Street Repertory presents "Any Other Name," a play by George Brant about identity theft, Victorian style. It centers on a near-impoverished, failing British poet who hatches a plan to steal the poems from a celebrated writer who has gone mad. The WSR production transfers to Theater Wit in Chicago on April 21, following its Crystal Lake run. Opens at 8 p.m. Friday, March 17, at 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. $35.50. (815) 356-9212 or rauecenter.org or wsrep.org.

Comedy, Irish-style

Metropolis Performing Arts Centre serves up laughs for St. Patrick's Day. Standup comedians Jeanie Doogan and Jimmy McHugh headline "The All Irish, All the Time Comedy Show" hosted by comedian Bill Brady. 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 17, at 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. $30. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com.

Coming to America

Griffin Theatre Company's season-long examination of the American dream continues with the world premiere of "In to America," artistic director Bill Massolia's ("Letters Home") examination of American immigrants. Lifeline Theatre artistic director Dorothy Milne directs the play, which chronicles the immigrant experience from Jamestown through the present day. Previews begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 18, at The Den Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. The show opens March 26. $28-$36. (866) 811-4111 or griffintheatre.com.

Other theater events

• Previews begin Friday, March 17, for The House Theatre of Chicago's remount of "The Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz," the company's contemporary twist on L. Frank Baum's novel adapted by Phillip Klapperich and directed by Tommy Rapley. Kara Davidson plays Dorothy. The revival opens March 27 at Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago. (773) 769-3832 or thehousetheatre.com.

• An aging child star desperate to get back into show business teams up with a young dancer in the 1950s to form a hit comedy duo. But things are not as they seem in The Factory Theater's production of "Born Ready," a comedy by Stacie Barra. Previews begin Friday, March 17, at 1623 W. Howard St., Chicago. The show opens March 24. See thefactorytheater.com.

• American Theater Company's revival of William Inge's "Picnic" will feature a racially diverse, nontraditional cast in which males take on female roles and females take on male roles. "My number one goal here is to not have a conversation about what kind of body is playing the role of what kind of body," said director Will Davis in a prepared statement. The cast includes Molly Brennan as Hal, Malic White as Madge and Michael Turrentine as Rosemary. Previews begin Friday, March 17, at 1909 W. Byron St., Chicago. The show opens March 22. (773) 409-4125 or atcweb.org.

• Joy Donze wrote and performs her solo show "13 and Not Pregnant," taken from her middle school journals and chronicling everything from her best friends to her first French kiss. Collaboraction and Baby Crow Productions team up for the adults-only show, which runs Friday, March 17, and Saturday, March 18, at the Flatiron Arts Building, 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. See collaboraction.org.

• Theatre Momentum presents its newest show, an improvised one-act drama, "Porch Play," which opens Friday, March 17, at 1803 W. Byron St., Chicago. See theatremomentum.com.

• Otherworld Theatre, a company devoted to science fiction and fantasy performance, remounts its world premiere adaptation of Edgar Rice Burrough's "A Princess of Mars" about a Confederate deserter who finds himself transported to Mars. Performances begin Saturday, March 18, at Berger Park, 6205 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago. See otherworldtheatre.org.

• Performances continue at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 18, and at 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday, March 19, for "A Jewish Joke," about a 1950s comedy writer who - on the day before his movie's big premiere - is asked to name names to the House Committee on un-American Activities. The ShPieL Performing Identity stages the show at the Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave., Skokie. (847) 677-7761 or ajewishjoke.com.

• Chicago Children's Theatre presents live captioning and sensory-friendly performances of its circus-centered, family-friendly show, "The Year I Didn't Go to School," on Saturday, March 18, and Sunday, March 19, at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. The show chronicles a girl's adventure traveling Italy as a member of her family's puppet theater troupe. (872) 222-9555 or chicagochildrenstheatre.org.

• Magician and actor Brett Schneider performs his interactive, sleight-of-hand show at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 18, and 7 p.m. Sunday, March 19, at the 1700 Theatre, 1700 N. Halsted St., Chicago. "Communion: An Evening of Magic by Brett Schneider" is part of Steppenwolf Theatre Company's LookOut performance series. Write Club: Siege at 1700 returns to the 1700 Theatre from Thursday, March 23, through Saturday, March 25. Two writers compete to create new works with the audience choosing the winner. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org/lookout.

• The Future is Female Festival, consisting of staged readings and 10-minute plays by women, begins at 7 p.m. Sunday, March 19, at Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago. Participating playwrights include Rohina Malik, Loy Webb, Tanuja Jagernauth and Sarah Cosgrove among others. A preshow concert by singer/songwriter Daniela Sloan begins at 6 p.m. See thefutureisfemalefestival.com.

• WildClaw Theatre Company, an ensemble that specializes in horror theater, opens its 2017 season with a revival of the classic thriller "The Woman in Black." Based on Susan Hill's novel, the ghost story set during the early 20th century centers on a lawyer who tries to uncover the truth about a mysterious woman who haunts a remote British burg. Previews begin Tuesday, March 21, at The Den Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. The show, directed by Elly Green, opens March 24. See wildclawtheatre.com.

• The producers responsible for "The Illusionists" team up with the puppet designers from "War Horse" to create "Circus 1903 - The Golden Age of Circus." The show, which includes puppets, acrobats, musicians, high-wire artists and other performers, runs Tuesday, March 21, through Sunday, March 26, at The Oriental Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St., Chicago. (800) 775-2000 or broadwayinchicago.com.

• Lookingglass Theatre Company in association with Dark Harbor Stories presents the U.S. premiere of "Beyond Caring." Written and directed by Alexander Zeldin, the play looks at people who exist without a safety net at society's fringes, working for low wages in difficult conditions. Previews begin Wednesday, March 22, at Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago. The show opens April 1. (312) 337-0665 or lookingglasstheatre.org.

• Remy Bumppo Theatre Company revives Garson Kanin's 1946 comedy "Born Yesterday." It's about a bullying wheeler-dealer who arrives in Washington with Billie, a beautiful but dumb ex-chorus girl. Her lack of sophistication embarrasses him, so he hires a magazine writer to educate her to Washington D.C. standards. Ensemble member David Darlow directs. Previews begin Wednesday, March 22, at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. The show opens March 27. (773) 404-7336 or remybumppo.org.

• "Mother of Smoke," a world premiere co-production between Red Tape Theatre and Walkabout Theater, opens Thursday, March 23, at Pride Arts Center, 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago. A mashup of Chuck Mee's "Trojan Women: A Love Story" and Anton Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard," the play is about two women living through a crisis. One of them laments the destruction of her life, while the other refuses to acknowledge the threat. Walkabout artistic director Thom Pasculli directs the production which features Buffalo Grove native Stephanie Shum. See redtapetheatre.org.

• Lifeline Theatre announced an extension of its family-friendly production of "A Wrinkle in Time," adapted from Madeleine L'Engle's novel about two siblings and their friend who embark on a mission to rescue their father from a darkness that threatens the universe. Performances continue through April 23 at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago. (773) 761-4477 or lifelinetheatre.com.

• Lookingglass Theatre Company announced it will open its 30th season Oct. 4 with a revival of its award-winning, circus-inspired production of Charles Dickens' "Hard Times." The tale, set against the backdrop of the Industrial Revolution, examines the divide between wealthy mill owners and their impoverished workers. That's followed by ensemble member Kevin Douglas' "Plantation!" (Feb. 21-April 22, 2018) about a Texas matriarch who reveals to her southern belle daughters the true history of their ancestral home. The season concludes with the world premiere of "20,000 Leagues Under the Seas" (May 23-Aug. 19, 2018). Adapted from Jules Verne's novels by David Kersnar and Althos Low, it's about renowned scientists and explorers who circle the globe with the mysterious Captain Nemo to battle the creatures and monsters that inhabit its oceans. Performances take place at the Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Three-play subscriptions range from $116 to $170. The Gglasspass is a $150 flex pass that includes three tickets which can be used in any combination any 2017-2018 show. The Madhatter's Club flex pass is available for theatergoers 35 and younger. It is $75 and includes three tickets to be used in any combination for any Lookingglass production during 2017-2018. (312) 337-0665 or lookingglasstheatre.org.

• Academy Award-winning screenwriter Tarell Alvin McCraney's "Choir Boy," a 2013 play about a gay teenager at an African-American prep school, marks the start of Raven Theatre's 35th season on Sept. 27. Raven's Chicago area premiere is followed by Melissa Ross' "Nice Girl" (Jan. 24-March 11, 2018). It's about a middle-aged woman inspired by a new work friendship and a flirtation with an old classmate. Next up is a commission by playwright Philip Dawkins called "The Gentleman Caller" (March 28-May 13, 2018), which imagines what might have happened in 1944 when frustrated arts critic William Inge interviewed emerging playwright Tennessee Williams. A final production, to be announced, will run May 2 to June 17, 2018. Performances take place at 6157 N. Clark St., Chicago. Subscriptions for the four-play season are now available. Single tickets will be available at a later date. (773) 338-2177 or raventheatre.com.

• Remy Bumppo Theatre explores truth and lies as part of its 21st season titled "Truth Be Told." The season begins Oct. 4 with a 75th anniversary production of Thornton Wilder's "The Skin of Our Teeth," starring Kareem Bandealy as the patriarch of a family that narrowly survives one disaster after another. That's followed by an adaptation of Eugene Scribe's "Puff: Believe It Or Not" (Nov. 22-Jan. 7, 2018), a sendup of academics, politics and finance set in mid-19th century Paris. The season concludes with the U.S. premiere of Debbie Tucker Green's dark comedy "hang" (March 21-April 29, 2018), about a woman who holds the fate of another person in her hands. Performances take place at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. See remybumppo.org for information on subscriptions and single tickets.