500 Clown comes to the 'burbs
The innovative physical theater ensemble 500 Clown brings to Naperville its wonderfully subversive, anti-Rockwellian "500 Clown Christmas," a wholly entertaining show that sends up the season while celebrating the compassion and generosity that inspires it. The clowns bring the show to North Central College for a brief run. It contains adult language and mature themes and is for audiences 14 and older.
Facts: Performances begin with a benefit preview Thursday, Dec. 18, at the Theatre of Meiley-Swallow Hall, Old Grace Evangelical Church, 31 S. Ellsworth, Naperville. (630) 637-7469 or northcentralcollege.edu/show.
One-man show
Writers' Theatre co-founder and artistic director Michael Halberstam reprises his adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" at the Glencoe theater. Halberstam stars as Ebenezer Scrooge in this solo performance, now in its 13th year.
Facts; Opens Saturday, Dec. 13, and runs through Dec. 23 at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. (847) 242-6000 or writerstheatre.org.
Double shot of McPherson
Steppenwolf Theatre concludes 2008 with a 2007 Broadway hit, "The Seafarer," a. second, holiday-centered play by Conor McPherson. (McPherson's "Dublin Carol" is currently running in the upstairs theater.) Old friends gather for a Christmas Eve card game and discover the stakes they're playing for are higher than they imagined in the play featuring ensemble members Francis Guinan, Tom Irwin, John Mahoney and Alan Wilder, along with Randall Newsome. Steppenwolf's Randall Arney directs.
Facts: Opens Saturday, Dec. 13, at 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.
What's new
• Strawdog Theatre hosts a holiday version of "The Game Show," the company's late night, interactive event, at 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, and Saturday, Dec. 13, at 3829 N. Broadway, Chicago. (773) 528-9889 or strawdog.org.
• "A White Christmas," a holiday music review, runs Saturday, Dec. 13, and Sunday, Dec. 14, at the Village Players Performing Arts Center at 1010 Madison St., Oak Park. Also at the theater, "'Tis the Season," a holiday storytelling festival, begins Saturday, Dec. 13, and runs weekends through Dec. 21. (866) 764-1010 or village-players.org.
• Lifeline Theatre KidSeries presents its annual production of "Snowflake Tim's Big Holiday Adventure," ensemble member Christina Calvit's adaptation of her own book about a boy who loses his baby sister in a magical world and goes to great lengths to get her back. The play, for ages 5 to 10, opens Sunday, Dec. 14, at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago. (773) 761-4477 or lifelinetheatre.com.
• Animal trainer "Samantha Martin and her Amazing Acro-Cats" return to Gorilla Tango Theatre, 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago for a holiday performance Saturday, Dec. 13, and Sunday, Dec. 14, that finds felines riding skateboards and jumping through hoops. (773) 549-3357 or gorillatango.com or amazinganimals.biz.
• Michael Ryczek directs redwist theatre's production of "Marvin's Room," Scott McPherson's dark family comedy about a woman suffering from leukemia who learns her best chance of survival rests with a bone-marrow transplant from her sister, from whom she has long been estranged. The play opens Thursday, Dec. 18, at 1044 W. Bryn Mawr, Chicago. (773) 728-7529 or redtwist.org.
• Hell in a Handbag Productions opened "Silent Night of the Lambs," a seasonal satire complete with murder and cannibalism, inspired by the Hollywood hit, "Silence of the Lambs," recently at Mary's Attic, 5400 N. Clark St., Chicago. (312) 409-4357 or handbagproductions.org.
- Barbara Vitello