Catch 'Flanagan' in Arlington Hts., St. Charles

Noble Fool and the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre celebrate St. Patrick's Day with performances of "Flanagan's Wake," the popular interactive comedy in which quirky Irish folk celebrate the passing of one of their own.

Info: 8 p.m. Saturday, March 13, at Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. (630) 584-6342 or noblefool.org. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 17, at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com.

Storytime in RosemontCharacters from Nickelodeon's favorite children's shows, including "Dora the Explorer" and "The Backyardigans," appear this weekend at the Rosemont Theatre as part of its "Storytime Live!" tour hosted by Moose A. Moose and Zee. Info: Friday, March 12, to Sunday, March 14, at 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont. (877) 447-7849 or nicklivetour.com.Sultry seductionRemy Bumppo Theatre concludes its season with "Les Liaisons Dangereuses," an examination of seduction, manipulation and revenge among 18th century French aristocrats. David Darlow directs a cast that includes First Folio Theatre artistic associate Nick Sandys and Palatine and Hoffman Estates native Greg Matthew Anderson.Info: Previews begin Wednesday, March 17, at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. The show opens March 21. (773) 404-7336 or remybumppo.org.What's newbull; Chicago Fusion Theatre presents "J.B." a play-within-a-play by poet and Pulitzer Prize winner Archibald MacLeish, about a wealthy banker - a stand-in for the biblical character of Job - who experiences tragedies that test his faith. The show opens Friday, March 12, at Oracle Theatre, 3809 N. Broadway, Chicago. See chicagofusiontheatre.org for tickets. bull; Redmoon Theatre hosts its 20th anniversary Spectacle Lunatique gala and fundraiser at 7 p.m. at 1463 W. Hubbard St., Chicago. The event includes entertainment and a "mini-taste" featuring food from some of the city's top restaurants. Tickets are $150 and are available at (312) 850-8440, ext. 111 or redmoon.org.bull; Previews begin Friday, March 12, for the Factory Theater's latest - "Hey! Dancin'!" - a comedy that unfolds on the set of a cable access dance show which the station manager believes has become "too black," an opinion fans Halle and Trisha don't share. The show opens March 19, at Prop Thtr, 3502 N. Elston Ave., Chicago. (866) 811-4111 or thefactorytheater.com.bull; Dancers vie for a spot in a Broadway show in "A Chorus Line," the hit 1975, Marvin Hamlisch-Edward Kleban musical and one of Broadway's longest running productions. Shawn Quinlan directs and choreographs the Village Players Theater revival opening Saturday, March 13, at 1010 Madison St., Oak Park. Also, Village Players serves up an evening of Irish song and stories at 7 p.m. Sunday, March 14 and 21. (866) 764-1010 or village-players.org.bull; A horrific 1889 Pennsylvania flood that claimed the lives of more than 2,200 people inspired Rebecca Gilman's latest, "A True History of the Johnstown Flood," beginning previews on Saturday, March 13, at the Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St. Chicago. The play centers on sibling actors for whom the tragedy proves eye-opening both socially and artistically. The production, which unites Gilman with artistic director Robert Falls, marks the sixth collaboration between Gilman and Goodman. It opens Monday, March 22. (312) 443-3800 or goodmantheatre.org.bull; Porchlight Music Theatre celebrates its 15th season at its annual gala benefit titled Time and Music: Looking Back, Moving Forward beginning at 6:30 p.m. Saturday March 13, at the Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. The evening includes dinner, dancing and performances from Porchlight ensemble members showcasing numbers from the company's previous seasons. Tickets are $125 and are available at (773) 325-9884 or porchlighttheatre.com.bull; Folk tales from around the world inspired Lifeline Theatre's latest KidSeries musical, "The Blue Shadow," written by Nambi E. Kelly, with music and lyrics by Joe Plummer. The family-friendly play is based on Kelly's book about a Native American girl named Shadow who learns about her heritage as a result of questioning her neighbors about theirs. The show opens Sunday, March 14, at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago. (773) 761-4477 or lifelinetheatre.com.bull; Black Ensemble Theater begins 2010 with the world premiere of "My Brother's Keeper (The Story of the Nicholas Brothers)," about the renowned tap dancers Fayard and Harold Nicholas, who began their partnership in the 1930s and maintained it some 60 years. Previews begin Saturday, March 13, at 4520 N. Beacon St., Chicago. The show written by Rueben Echoles, who co-stars with RaShawn Thompson as the brothers, opens on March 21. (773) 769-4451 or blackensembletheater.org.bull; Romance, relationships and family underscore "Bone Salad," a comedy by Chicago area playwright Elizabeth Nonie. The show plays Saturday, March 14, at the Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. Call (773) 939-1194 or see chicagoplaywrightelizabeth.com for information.bull; Sideshow Theatre Company concludes its season with "Medea With Child," Janet Burroway's contemporary, absurdist take on Euripides' tragedy in which a wronged wife unleashes her fury on everyone around her. The production runs through April 25, at La Costa Theatre, 3931 N. Elston Ave., Chicago. See medeawithchild.com for information and tickets. bull; LGBTQ performers Tim Miller and Holly Hughes bring their solo shows to Victory Gardens Theater as part of its Fresh Squeezed series of offbeat, alternative programs. Miller's "Lay of the Land" looks at the impact legal rulings have had on gay Americans. It runs March 15 to 21, at 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. Hughes' "The Dog and Pony Show" describes the midlife crisis experienced by the self-described "professional homosexual." It runs March 18 to 21 at VGT. (773) 871-3000 or victorygardens.org.bull; National Pastime Theater revives Elmer Rice's "Street Scene" depicting the struggles of immigrants in the early part of the 20th century as observed from the stoop of a New York City brownstone. Laurence Bryan and Keely Haddad-Null direct the show which begins previews on Monday, March 15, at 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago. "Street Scene" opens March 19. (773) 724-1554 or npt2.com.bull; Russia's Maly Drama Theatre brings its acclaimed production of Anton Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya" to the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre for five performances from March 17 to 21, as part of CST's World's Stage Series. The play will be performed in Russian with projected English translation at Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. (312) 595-5678 and chicagoshakes.com.bull; Hobo Junction hosts a talent show from 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, March 17, at The Spot, 4437 N. Broadway Ave., Chicago. Tickets are $15; the talent gets in free. See myspace.com/hobojunctioncompany.bull; Noble Fool has extended its production of Tom Dudzick's family comedy "Over the Tavern." The show runs through April 3, at the Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. (630) 584-6342 or noblefool.org.bull; Writers' Theatre has extended its Noel Coward revue "Oh, Coward!" for the fourth time, making it the Glencoe company's longest running production. The show runs through May 16, at Books on Vernon, 664 Vernon Ave., Glencoe. (847) 242-6000 or writerstheatre.org.bull; Redtwist Theatre has extended once again its acclaimed production of Martin McDonagh's "The Pillowman." It runs through April 18, at 1044 W. Bryn Mawr, Chicago. (773) 728-7529 or redtwist.org.bull; Chicago's Silk Road Theatre Project, in conjunction with San Francisco's Golden Thread Productions and New York's Lark Play Development Center, seeks submissions of in-development plays from Middle Eastern writers as part of Middle East America: A National New Plays Initiative. Middle East America will award the playwright submitting the winning entry a $10,000 commission to develop the work. The application deadline is June 15. The winner will be announced in December. For information and application guidelines, see middleeastamerica.org.