Theater events: 'Choir Boy' makes Chicago-area premiere at Raven Theatre

Chicago premiere

A gay teenager at an all African-American prep school takes his rightful place as the leader of the school's renowned choir and punishes the boy who bullied him in the coming-of-age play "Choir Boy" by Tarell Alvin McCraney, who shared the 2017 Academy Award for adapted screenplay for "Moonlight." Raven Theatre, under co-artistic director Michael Menendian, presents the 2013 play's Chicago-area premiere starring Christopher W. Jones. Previews begin at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27, at 6157 N. Clark St., Chicago. The show opens Oct. 3. $38-$46. (773) 338-2177 or raventheatre.com.

Backstage comedy

Citadel Theatre opens its season with a revival of Moss Hart's 1948 backstage comedy "Light Up the Sky." The action unfolds during an out-of-town tryout of a Broadway-bound play. A lackluster opening night leads the cast, producer and assorted hangers-on to believe the play is a flop and turn on each other and the first-time writer. Preview at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27, at the West Campus Theater, 300 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest. The show opens Friday, Sept. 29. $37.50, $40. (847) 735-8554 or citadeltheatre.org.

Halloween ready

Akvavit Theatre, an ensemble committed to producing works by Nordic playwrights, presents "Ghosts & zombies," attributed to Henrik Ibsen and Gustav Tegby. This version puts a ghoulish spin on Henrik Ibsen's classic about a widow whose late husband's philandering has had a devastating effect on their son. To make matters worse, their estate has become overrun by the undead. Co-artistic director Breahan Pautsch directs a cast that includes 13-year-old Bartlett resident Dylan M. Lainez. The preview is at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, at 1802 W. Berenice Ave., Chicago. The show opens Friday, Sept. 29. $10-$25. chicagonordic.org.