Theater events: Circle Theatre remounts prehistoric fable 'Triassic Parq'

'Triassic' remount

Circle Theatre remounts its 2015 play with music "Triassic Parq: The Musical," a prehistoric fable by Marshall Pailet, Bryce Norbitz and Steve Wargo about the upheaval that results when one dinosaur in a clan of females spontaneously turns male. Artistic director Nicholas Reinhart of Downers Grove choreographs the show, which he co-directs with Tommy Bullington. Previews begin at 8 p.m. Friday, July 14, at Heartland Studio, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago. The show opens Wednesday, July 19. $20. circletheatrechicago.org.

Uncle Lar at Zanies

Comedian Larry Reeb, who punctuates his observations on marriage and child-rearing with the phrase, "that's a tip from your old Uncle Lar," headlines Zanies in St. Charles this weekend. A Chicago stalwart, Reeb is also a veteran of Showtime, HBO and Sirius Satellite Radio. 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, July 13-14, and 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. Saturday, July 15, at 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. $22-$32, plus a two-item food or beverage minimum. (630) 524-0001 or zanies.com/st-charles.

'Black!'

London-born Michael Washington Brown brings his show "Black!" to Chicago's Athenaeum Theatre for a limited run. In this solo show, Brown plays characters from England, Africa, Jamaica and the United States to examine the "perspectives of various people from the Black global community" to understand their shared experiences and those that differentiate them. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 20, at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. $25. (773) 935-6875 or athenaeumtheatre.org.

Other theater events

• Eclipse Theatre Company's season-long salute to playwright Kia Corthron continues with the "Megastasis," about a 19-year-old father whose happily ever after with his infant daughter and her mom gets derailed by an indiscretion. Previews continue through Saturday, July 15, at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. The show opens Sunday, July 16. Aaron Todd Douglas directs. (773) 935-6875 or eclipsetheatre.com.

• Chicago Shakespeare Theater's family-friendly "Madagascar - A Musical Adventure" opened this week at Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. Rachel Rockwell directs and choreographs the show, which is based on the DreamWorks film about Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Gloria the Hippo, Melman the Giraffe and a host of penguins breaking out of New York's Central Park Zoo and embarking on an adventure to the island nation. Performances run through Aug. 27. (312) 595-5600 or chicagoshakes.com.

• Performances began this week for The Roustabout's premiere of Ike Holter's "Put Your House in Order," a thriller said to be in the style of Stephen King. Produced as part of A Red Orchid Theatre's incubator program supporting new theater companies, the production runs through July 24 at 1531 N. Wells St., Chicago. (312) 943-8722 or roustaboutschicago.com.

• Chicago actor and Goodman Theatre veteran Steve Pickering and longtime Remy Bumppo Theatre ensemble member Annabel Armour make their Theatre at the Center debuts in the Chicago-area premiere of "The Tin Woman" by Sean Grennan. Grennan's sister Erin Noel Grennan plays the titular role in the play about a woman who receives a heart transplant and eventually meets the donor's family. Previews continue through Saturday, July 15, at 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana. The show, directed by Linda Fortunato, opens Sunday, July 16. (219) 836-3255 or theatreatthecenter.com.

• Previews begin Friday, July 14, for The Factory Theater's premiere of "Fight City," Scott Oken's future-set dramedy about a tough, but levelheaded police officer trying to make sense of the world and its near constant violence. The show opens July 21 at 1623 W. Howard St., Chicago. (866) 811-4111 or thefactorytheater.com.

• A struggling artist trying to find her voice accidentally summons the ghost of John Lennon in "(expletive) John Lennon!" an original comedy by Corn Productions opening Friday, July 14, at 4210 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. See cornservatory.org.

• American Theater Company's Youth Ensemble presents an abridged version of the company's acclaimed docu-theater production of "The Project(s)" about the lives of Chicago's public housing residents. Performances run Friday, July 14, through July 23 at 1909 W. Byron St., Chicago. (773) 409-4125 or atcweb.org.

• Citadel Theatre hosts its annual summer gala Big Band Vintage Glam beginning at 5:45 p.m. Saturday, July 15, at the Highland Park Country Club, 1201 Park Avenue West, Highland Park. The evening includes dinner, dancing, an open bar and musical entertainment. Tickets cost $195. See citadeltheatre.org/gala.

• Goodman Theatre hosts free staged readings of works in progress by members of its playwrights unit Sunday through Tuesday, July 16-18, at 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. Featured plays include: "The Beauties" by Dawn Renee Jones about a goddess and her relationship with her son; "Jo and Live" a drama about estranged sisters by Evan Linder; "June in the Parade" by Emma Stanton about three generations of women struggling with dementia and memory issues; and "Refrigerator," Lucas Baisch's version of a future where people dispose of their bodies and upload their consciousness to IceBox & Co. (312) 443-3800 or goodmantheatre.org.

• Steppenwolf Theatre co-founder Jeff Perry is joined by Broadway veterans Norm Lewis ("The Phantom of the Opera") and Alice Ripley ("Next to Normal") for Standup Shakespeare: A Concert Reading. Part of Steppenwolf's LookOut Series, the performance pairs William Shakespeare's works with Ray Leslee's music to tell a "fractured love story." It takes place at 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 17, at 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

• The third annual Chicago Theater Bike Ride: Love Hard, a 12-mile ride benefiting The Actors Fund and the Chicago Emergency Aid Fund, which helps theater artists in need, takes place at 11 a.m. Sept. 9 at Foster Beach, 5200 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. The minimum suggested donation is $25. A benefit event to defray upfront costs of the ride takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. July 31 at Four Moon Tavern, 1847 W. Roscoe St., Chicago. See lovehardbikeride.org.

• Chicago magician David Parra, creator and co-star of The Magic Cabaret, a weekly close-up magic performance at the Greenhouse Theater Center, will attempt to mystify Penn & Teller on their TV show "Penn & Teller: Fool Us" at 7 p.m. Aug. 10 on The CW network.

• Broken Nose Theatre has extended its remount of Michael Perlan's "At the Table," about a group of friends whose weekend retreat leads to a tense examination of privilege. Performances run through Aug. 5 at The Den Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. See brokennosetheatre.com.

• Hell in a Handbag has extended its production of "The Golden Girls - The Lost Episodes," its campy parody of the 1980s sitcom. Performances run through Sept. 16 at Mary's Attic, 5400 N. Clark St., Chicago. (800) 838-3006 or handbagproductions.org.

• In local theater news, Firebrand Theater, a musical theater company committed to providing female theater artists with opportunities on and offstage, has named Kimberly Lawson, currently audience services manager for Lookingglass Theatre, as its new managing director. Also, longtime Chicago publicist K.D. Kweskin passed away June 29 at her home in St. Louis, Missouri. A Northwestern University graduate and former Joseph Jefferson Committee member, Kweskin represented such companies as Raven Theatre, Theater Wit, Music Theater Works (formerly Light Opera Works) and Theo Ubique Cabaret Theater among others. A memorial service is scheduled for July 18. Contact Myrna Petlicki at myrna_petlicki@sbcglobal.net.