Theater events: Get ready to bop along to Paramount's 'Million Dollar Quartet'

Rock 'n' roll show

Paramount Theatre opens its season with "Million Dollar Quartet," the fictionalized account of a real-life meeting between Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley that occurred in 1956 at Memphis' Sun Records. Artistic director Jim Corti stages the revival of this popular jukebox musical, whose initial Chicago run lasted more than seven years. Previews begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13, at Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. The show opens Sept. 16. $36-$64. (630) 896-6666 or paramountaurora.com.

Salute to musicals

Steel Beam Theatre inaugurates its 17th season with an original salute to musicals titled "100 Years of Broadway." The revue chronicles the evolution of the art form from glamorous, Flo Ziegfeld-inspired shows through the present-day blockbusters. Douglas Orlyk conceived and directed the show, which unfolds cabaret-style and features hits, misses and a few little-known gems. Opens at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, at 111 W. Main St., St. Charles. $22-$28. (630) 587-8521 or steelbeamtheatre.org.

Watch what happens

The fourth annual Elgin Fringe Festival begins this weekend with a family mini-fest followed by the blimp raising party on Wednesday, Sept. 13, which signifies the start of the four-day fest. Choose from more than 100 performances at the Blue Box Cafe, Elgin Art Showcase, Imago, Elgin Public House, Martini Room, First United Methodist Church and Side Street Studio. Participating performers include: hop-hop artist and Elgin native Moore; Big Bad Wolf Dance Theatre; Independent Players; violinist and spoken-word performer Tricia Park; The Minnesota SkyVault Theatre Company, a group of Shakespearean minstrels; mentalist Ben Benjamins of Naperville; comedian Elaine Phillips; storytellers Julia Brownfield and R.C. Riley; magician Luis Carreon; Robert Frosty Theatre Company and others. Family Fringe runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, in Carleton Rogers Park, 55 N. Spring St., Elgin. The fest runs Wednesday through Sunday, Sept. 13-17. Performances are free, $5 or $10, plus a onetime purchase of a $3 festival button. A full fest pass costs $65. Information and tickets available at Side Street Studio Arts, 15 Ziegler Court, Elgin. See elginfringefestival.com.

Other theater events

• Performances continue for Bard in the Burbs' adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet." The production runs through Sept. 17 at Stacey De & Company, 1946 University Lane, Lisle. See bardintheburbs.org.

• MadKap Productions presents "The Drowsy Chaperone" beginning performances Friday, Sept. 8, at the Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave., Skokie. A sendup of 1920s musicals narrated by the enthusiastic Man in Chair, the musical centers around a Broadway star who upends everyone's lives when she decides to give up her career for marriage. (847) 677-7761 or skokietheatre.org.

• After 17 years, a woman returns to her backwoods Florida home to confront the family she left behind and the disturbing secret they share in "Night in Alachua County," by Chicago playwright Jennifer Rumberger. WildClaw Theatre Company, Chicago's horror theater ensemble, presents the world premiere under director Christopher M. Walsh. Performances begin Friday, Sept. 8, at The Den Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. See wildclawtheatre.com.

• Previews begin Friday, Sept. 8, for Lifeline Theatre's premiere of "Sylvester," adapted by ensemble member Christina Calvit from Georgette Heyer's 1957 novel "Sylvester: or the Wicked Uncle." It's about a wealthy duke whose life of privilege has left him immune to the feelings of others and who's promised in marriage to a sparkling young woman dominated by her stepmother. But the union of opposites upends the lives of everyone around them in this dramedy directed by Dorothy Milne. It opens Sept. 17 at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago. (773) 761-4477 or lifelinetheatre.com.

• Joseph Jefferson Award-winner Kevin Bellie directs and choreographs NightBlue Performing Arts' production of "Bullets Over Broadway," the musical adaptation of Woody Allen's film about a young playwright whose first Broadway play is financed by a gangster on the condition his girlfriend stars. Previews begin Friday, Sept. 8, at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. The show opens Monday, Sept. 11. (773) 327-5252 or stage773.com.

• Pride Films & Plays announced Kellee Terrell's "Gemma," about a lesbian who befriends a ghost inhabiting an isolated Wisconsin farmhouse, has won its 2017 LezPlay Competition. The play gets staged readings Friday and Saturday, Sept. 8-9, at 4139 N. Broadway St., Chicago. (800) 737-0984 or pridefilmsandplays.com.

• Camilla Cleese, daughter of actor and Monty Python co-founder John Cleese, is part of the ensemble performing "At Last the 1948 Show - Live" on Fridays, Sept. 8 and 15, at iO Chicago, 1501 N. Kingsbury St., Chicago. The show consists of sketches by John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Marty Feldman that aired on British television in 1967. (312) 929-2401 or ioimprov.com.

• Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago, opens its season with Belgian director Ivo van Hove's 2016 Tony Award-winning revival of Arthur Miller's examination of family and betrayal "A View From the Bridge." It centers on Brooklyn longshoreman Eddie Carbone, who becomes jealous when his immigrant cousin falls for his wife's pretty niece. Previews begin Saturday, Sept. 9. The show opens Sept. 18. (312) 443-3800 or goodmantheatre.org.

• Comedians Keegan-Michael Key, Tim Kazurinsky, Julia Sweeney and Jeff Tweedy are among the stars scheduled to roast former Second City ensemble member and "Cheers" star George Wendt. Jason Sudeikis serves as roastmaster for the event, which benefits Gilda's Club Chicago and The Second City Alumni Fund. The roast takes place at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Second City main stage theater, 1616 N. Wells St., Chicago. General admission is $1,000. (312) 664-4032 or secondcity.com.

• The Annoyance Theatre, 851 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, announces the return of "Splatter Theater," its annual parody of slasher films like "Friday the 13th." Previews for the adults-only show begin at 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9. The show opens Sept. 23. Also at The Annoyance, Huggable Riot opened its first all-musical, adults-only revue "Panic! At the Honky Tonk," a country Western-inspired examination of vulnerability. It runs at 8 p.m. Wednesdays. Also on Wednesdays is "The Customer is Always Right?" an improvised revue centered on difficult customers. Lastly, there's "Sad Clown," an adults-only sketch comedy show examining mental illness in which essayists talk about their experiences followed by improvisers riffing on the themes. It runs Fridays through Sept. 22. (773) 697-9693 or theannoyance.com.

• The third annual Chicago Theater Bike Ride to benefit The Actors Fund and The Chicago Emergency Aid Fund starts with a ceremony at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, followed by the 12-mile ride beginning at Foster Beach, 5200 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. Suggested donation is $25. Register at lovehardbikeride.org.

• Improvised Jane Austen, an all-female comedy team, presents "The 242nd Annual Michelmas Revel," during which they improvise a tale in the style of the 19th-century writer. The show runs Sunday, Sept. 10, through Oct. 1 at The Blackout Cabaret at Piper's Alley, 230 W. North Ave., Chicago. See improvisedjaneausten.com or secondcity.com.

• Broadway in Chicago presents "90210: The Musical," a parody of television's long-running teenage soap opera about pampered Beverly Hills kids. Performances run Wednesday through Sunday, Sept. 13-17, at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut St., Chicago. (800) 775-2000 or broadwayinchicago.com.

• Actor/playwright Carly Jo Geer performs her autobiographical solo show, "I Come From Hoarders," at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13, at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Her show is part of The LIVINGroom solo performance series. (773) 327-5252 or stage773.com.

• Previews begin Thursday, Sept. 14, for AstonRep Theatre Company's season-opening production "1984," inspired by George Orwell's novel about life under a totalitarian government that controls speech, the press and love. Robert Tobin directs the adaptation by Robert Owens, Wilton E. Hall Jr. and William A. Miles Jr. The production opens Friday, Sept. 15, at Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark St., Chicago. (773) 828-9129 or astonrep.com.

• Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, hosts its Fifth Annual Chicago Nerd Comedy Festival Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 14-17. Comedian/writer/producer Brandie Posey headlines the festival, which also includes Chicago musical improv and sketch comedy group Clown Car to Sicily and a cabaret show titled "Vertical Slideshow" along with the ensembles Improvised Jane Austen, The Stuntmen and others. Individual tickets cost $10. Day passes are $30 and a full festival pass is $75. (773) 327-5252 or stage773.com.

• "The Funny Papers," a satire on journalism and criticism about a plucky reporter whose paper is purchased by a company known as STRONC, runs Thursday, Sept. 14, through Sept. 28 at Prop Thtr, 3502 N. Elston Ave., Chicago. (773) 742-5420 or propthtr.org.

• Theater at the Center revives "Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." It's inspired by Mark Twain's novel and features music by Roger Miller and a book by William Hauptman. James Romney plays Huck and Jonathan Butler-Duplessis, nominated for two 2017 Joseph Jefferson Awards, plays Jim in this production directed and choreographed by Linda Fortunato. Previews begin Thursday, Sept. 14, at 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana. The show opens Sept. 17. (219) 836-3255 or theatreatthecenter.com.

• A Red Orchid Theatre's production of "Simpatico," Sam Shepard's drama about blackmail and buried secrets set against the world of thoroughbred racing, transfers to the McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, New Jersey, on Friday, Sept. 8. Ensemble member Dado directs a cast that includes Michael Shannon, Jennifer Engstrom, John Judd and Guy Van Swearingen.

• In local theater news: the Illinois Theatre Association announced Paramount Theatre artistic director Jim Corti as the 2017 recipient of its award of honor in recognition of Paramount's artistic accomplishments, originality, popular and critical acclaim. Also, Williams Street Repertory announced resident musical director Mike Potts is stepping down after six years to launch Felix and Fingers, a dueling pianos company.