'Joseph' making its return to Marriott Theatre

Twenty-four years after its Marriott Theatre premiere, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" returns to Lincolnshire. The Bible story-inspired musical stars Max Quinlan as the young man first enslaved, then imprisoned, who is sustained by his faith and ultimately rewarded for it. Marriott veteran Marc Robin directs.

Facts: Previews begin Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. Opens Feb. 25. (847) 634-0200 or marriotttheatre.com.

Janus walks through 'Oedipus'

Janus Theatre stages Sophocles' tragedy "Oedipus Rex" - about a man's inability to escape his destiny - promenade style, meaning audience members inhabit the performance space alongside the actors. Janus co-founder Sean Hargadon directs.

Facts: Opens Friday, Feb. 13, at the 8th floor of the Elgin Art Showcase, 164 Division St., Elgin. (847) 841-1713 or janustheatre.wordpress.com.

Guthrie at the MAC

Prince Hal, the undisciplined royal in "Henry IV parts 1 and 2" comes into his own as England's sovereign in Shakespeare's "Henry V," dispatching his enemies, conquering France and claiming his queen. The Guthrie Theater and The Acting Company bring their co-production to the McAninch Arts Center for one performance.

Facts: Preshow talk, 6 p.m., curtain at 7 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 15, at the MAC at College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org.

What's new

•The Mod world of 1960s London serves as the setting for Piccolo Theatre's production of "Twelfth Night," in which shipwrecked Viola disguises herself as a man, falls in love with her employer the Duke who's in love with the grieving countess who's in love with the disguised Viola. Karen Yates directs the production which opens Friday, Feb. 13, at the Evanston Arts Depot, 600 Main St., Evanston. (847) 424-0089 or piccolotheatre.com.

•Apple Tree Theatre's Orchard Series continues at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb., 13, with Ross Lehman, a frequent presence on the Apple Tree stage, headlining an evening devoted to romance and featuring his fellow Chicago theater veterans. Tickets are $40. On Saturday, Feb. 14, TV host Ben Hollis hosts "What's It Like to Be You," a show comprised of interviews with members of the audience. The performance is at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20. Performances are at the Karger Recreation Center, 1850 Green Bay Road, Highland Park. (847) 432-4335 or appletreetheatre.com.

•"Picasso at the Lapin Agile," Steve Martin's play about an imagined meeting between Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso marks the next production in Saint Sebastian Players' season. The play opens Friday, Feb. 13, at St. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey Parkway, Chicago. (773) 404-7922 or saintsebastianplayers.org.

•Previews begin Friday, Feb. 13, for Lifeline Theatre's adaptation of Ron Hansen's "Mariette in Ecstasy," about how a young nun's encounter with the divine impacts the other members of her cloistered order. Lifeline ensemble member Elise Kauzlaric directs the world premiere production which opens Monday, Feb. 23, at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago. (773) 761-4477 or lifelinetheatre.com.

•A Japanese typist, suspected in the disappearance of his wife, confesses that he is really a car salesman from Pittsburgh in Darren Callahan's surrealist comedy-drama, "The White Airplane." Polarity Ensemble Theatre's world premiere begins previews Friday, Feb. 13, at the Josephinum Academy, 1500 N. Bell, Chicago. The show opens Monday, Feb. 16. (800) 838-3006 or petheatre.com.

•The Moving Dock Theatre Company hosts "Frugal Love: An Evening of Poor Theatre for Poor Dates" featuring sketches about love and money at 7 and 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, and Saturday, Feb. 14, in room 720 in the Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Tickets are $10, $5 for your date. (312) 427-5490 or movingdock.org.

•The Village Players continue its season devoted to music with "Amadeus." DePaul University and Victory Gardens instructor Doug Long directs Peter Shaffer's play about genius and jealousy centered around the relationship between a brilliant composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his modestly talented counterpart Antonio Salieri. Performances begin Saturday, Feb. 14, at the Village Players Performing Arts Center, 1010 Madison St., Oak Park. (866) 764-1010 or village-players.org.

•An original, family-friendly musical adaptation of "Cinderella" is the next production by Emerald City Theatre Company. Performances begin Saturday, Feb. 14, at Apollo Theater, 2540 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. (773) 935-6100 or emeraldcitytheatre.com.

•The husband and wife team of Joseph Bologna and Renee Taylor share the secrets of a successful marriage in their show, "If You Ever Leave Me- I'm Going With You." The couple performs their celebration of their 43-year union at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15 at the Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. (630) 896-6666 or paramountaurora.com.

•Solo performer Arlene Malinowski, the hearing child of deaf parents, brings her one-woman show "What Does the Sun Sound Like?" about growing up amid two clashing cultures, to the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater as part of its Access Project Crip Slam series. Malinowski performs at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, and Monday, Feb. 16, at 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. (773) 871-3000 or victorygardens.org.

•Set at a karaoke bar and featuring a soundtrack of self-empowerment anthems, "Girls Night: The Musical" is about five female friends in their 30s and 40s reminiscing about their heartaches and joys. The show returns to the Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora, for a brief run beginning Tuesday, Feb. 17. Performances run through Thursday, Feb. 19. (630) 896-6666 or paramountaurora.com.

•Bohemian Theatre Ensemble hosts its "More than Skin Deep" benefit at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 16 at Heartland Studio, 7016 Glenwood Ave., Chicago. (773) 791-2392 or bohotheatre.com.

•Apple Tree Theatre brings its production of the family-friendly play, "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry," about a black family struggling against intolerance and injustice in 1930s Mississippi, to the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. Performances run from Tuesday, Feb. 17, to Tuesday, Feb. 24. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com.

•The Gift Theatre Company donates a portion of the proceeds from their Stop and Kiss Night to the Center on Halsted, which serves the Chicago area lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Held to promote the Gift's production of "Stop/Kiss," Diana Sons' play about friendship between two women that blossoms into romance, the event takes place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, at Ts Bar, 5025 N. Clark St., Chicago. (773) 283-7071 or thegifttheatre.org.

•A ragtag group of theater-loving students work to save their school from bankruptcy in Half Naked Productions' "High School Production 4: Come Hell or Heil Water," continuing through March 11 at Gorilla Tango Theatre, 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. (773) 598-4549 or gorillatango.com.