Theater events: 'This Way Outta Santaland' debuts at Theater Wit

A visit with C.S. Lewis

Writer/director David Payne returns to the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre with his one-man, bio-drama of British writer and scholar C.S. Lewis ("The Chronicles of Narnia," "The Screwtape Letters"). In the guise of an informal talk with a group of (unseen) American writers, Payne chronicles Lewis' life from his childhood to his tenure as an Oxford University professor and friendship with J.R.R. Tolkien to his late-in-life marriage to American writer Joy Davidman Greshman. Opens at 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24, at 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. $40. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com.

So long 'Santaland'

Having earned acclaim playing Crumpet the Elf for eight years in Theater Wit's "The Santaland Diaries," actor/creator Mitchell J. Fain debuts his original, tell-all holiday tale "This Way Outta Santaland (and other Christmas miracles)." Fain combines storytelling, improvisation and cocktails in the show that pairs stories about his own family and his Crumpet performances with tales supplied by his audience. Opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24, at 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. $28-$40. (773) 975-8150 or theaterwit.org.

Twice as nice

Steel Beam Theatre serves up a double-bill of holiday fare this season. It consists of the 1940s radio-play adaptation of Frank Capra's film "It's a Wonderful Life" and a revival of "Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol," Tom Mula's retelling of Charles Dickens' classic tale from the perspective of Scrooge's deceased business partner. Artistic director Marge Uhlarik-Boller and Susan Barry direct. "It's a Wonderful Life: Radio Play" opens at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24, and "Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol" opens at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1. $22-$28. The shows run in repertory through Dec. 30 at 111 W. Main St., St. Charles. (630) 587-8521 or steelbeamtheatre.org.

Griffin's 'Violet'

Griffin Theatre Company opens its 30th season with "Violet," the 1997 musical by composer/lyricist Brian Crawley ("A Little Princess") and composer Jeanine Tesori ("Fun Home"). Based on Doris Betts' short story "The Ugliest Pilgrim," the musical is about Violet, a facially disfigured woman, and the people she encounters on her journey to meet a faith healer who she hopes will transform her life. Nicole Laurenzi stars as Violet. Scott Weinstein, who directed Griffin's chamber version of "Ragtime," directs. Previews begin at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26, at The Den Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. The show opens Dec. 3. $30-$42. (773) 697-3830 or griffintheatre.com.

Holiday tradition

"A Christmas Carol" returns to the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre. Jerry Miller stars as Ebenezer Scrooge in the play-with-music adapted by resident playwright Scott Woldman from Charles Dickens' novel. Jahnavi Karandikar of Palatine and Kaydeem Koshelev of Barrington share the role of Tiny Tim. Previews begin at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 30, at 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. The show opens Dec. 2. $15, $20. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com.

Other theater events

• "Altered Boy," a one-man show by Garrett Allain, previews on Friday, Nov. 24, and opens Saturday, Nov. 25, at Pride Films and Plays, 4147 N. Broadway, Chicago. Allain's first solo show is a coming-out tale about a "good little Catholic boy who says his prayers, makes good grades ... and wins participation trophies for recreational sports" who has a hard time reconciling his faith with who he is. (800) 737-0984 or pridefilmsandplays.com.

• Writer/actress Vicki Quade returns to the Royal George Theater with her seasonal comedy "Christmas Bingo: It's a Ho-Ho-Holy Night," an interactive show in which a former nun calls Bingo numbers while recounting Christmas traditions. Quade shares the role with Kathleen Puls Andrada and Lisa Braatz. The show runs Friday, Nov. 24, through Dec. 31 at 1641 N. Halsted St., Chicago. (312) 988-9000 or nuns4fun.com.

• The Annoyance Theatre, 851 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, has several adults-only holiday shows, including "It's Christmas (expletive)," about how a dysfunctional family celebrates the holiday. It returns for the seventh year on Friday, Nov. 24. Also on Fridays, "The Customer is Always Right? Holiday Edition" consisting of sketches inspired by real customer service situations. "Sacrilege: A Nativity Story," which tells of Christ's birth from Mary's perspective, opens Tuesday, Nov. 28. "Miracle on 45th's Tweet," a satirical take on the holiday season, opens Wednesday, Nov. 29. (773) 697-9693 or theannoyance.com.

• Hell in a Handbag Productions concludes its 15th season with a revival of its adults-only holiday show "Rudolph The Red-Hosed Reindeer," David Cerda's parody of the children's TV special. The show centers around a cross-dressing reindeer who doesn't fit in with the rest of the team. Performances run Saturday, Nov. 25, through Dec. 30 at Mary's Attic, 5400 N. Clark St., Chicago. (800) 838-3006 or handbagproductions.org/.

• PAC the House, Pride Films & Plays monthly showcase featuring LGBTQ artists, continues Sunday, Nov. 26, at 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago. Featured performers include actor/comedian Jake Dewar, actress Lyla Whedbee and hip-hop artist Marcus Garlington. Drag artists Coco Iman and Ryan Royale host. (800) 737-0984 or pridefilmsandplays.com.

• Metropolis Performing Arts Centre resident playwright Scott Woldman shares a story about having to choose between dancing and martial arts as a child as part of Short Story Theatre's next storytelling evening. It takes place Wednesday, Nov. 29, at Miramar Bistro, 301 Waukegan Ave., Highwood. Participating storytellers include Anne Shimojima, Jonathan Plotkin and Elizabeth Brown. (847) 433-1078 or shortstorytheatre.com.

• Midsommer Flight presents its production of William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night," beginning Thursday, Nov. 30, at the Lincoln Park Conservatory, 2391 N. Stockton Drive, Chicago. LaKecia Harris plays Viola, a shipwrecked young woman in a strange land who disguises herself as a man and falls in love with the Duke (Ian Michael Minh), who is in love with the grieving Olivia (Kristin Hammargren), who falls in love with the disguised Viola. Ensemble member Dylan S. Roberts directs. Admission is free, but reservations are recommended and donations are accepted. midsommerflight.com.

• Writer/educator Philip Dawkins (Joseph Jefferson Award-winner for "Charm") and actor Daniel Kyri star in a staged reading of Steven Dietz's two-hander "Lonely Planet," to commemorate the 25th anniversary of its premiere. The play centers on two gay men: one who rarely leaves the map store he owns and the other who inexplicably keeps leaving chairs at the store. Readings take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30, and Friday, Dec. 1, at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Proceeds will go to Season of Concern. thedentheatre.com.

• Windy City Playhouse has extended its production of "Becky Shaw," Gina Gionfriddo's look at a blind date gone awry, for the second time. Performances continue through Dec. 17 at 3014 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago. (773) 891-8985 or windycityplayhouse.com.

• Greenhouse Theater Center seeks proposals for new solo pieces by Chicago-area artists to be developed in 2018 as part of the theater's Solo Performance Lab. Teams consisting of writer, actor and director may submit proposals for works that focus "on an unexamined facet of an historical event or illuminate the light of a little-known historical figure." Submissions must consist of a one- to three-page proposal, artist biographies, a 10-page writing sample and an artistic statement. They are due by Dec. 8. For information, email submissions@greenhousetheater.org.