Steve Cochran returns to the Metropolis

Cochran at MetropolisWGN radio personality and comedian Steve Cochran brings his stand up comedy show to the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre this weekend. Cochran's co-stars include veteran comedians Patti Vasquez and John DaCosse.7 p.m. Friday, June 25, and Saturday, June 26, at 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com.Island magicThe path of true romance proves rocky for young lovers in "Once on this Island," a musical by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty ("Ragtime") about a peasant girl in love with an aristocrat. David H. Bell directs and choreographs the show set in the Caribbean and inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid" and Rosa Guy's young adult novel from 2002, "My Love, My Love." Previews begin Wednesday, June 30, at 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. The show opens July 7. (847) 634-0200 or marriotttheatre.com.Writer, director reunitePlaywright Bruce Norris and director Anna D. Shapiro - responsible for such Steppenwolf Theatre productions as "The Unmentionables," "The Pain and the Itch" and "The Infidel" - reunite for another world premiere. Shapiro directs "A Parallelogram," Norris' new comedy about a woman who reads and perhaps even alters the future. Ensemble members Kate Arrington and Tom Irwin star.Previews begin Thursday, July 1, at 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago. The show opens July 10. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.bull; Actress/comedian Kate Flannery (Meredith on NBC's "The Office") and Chicago native Scot Robinson ("Anchorman") return to the city with their music and comedy lounge act The Lampshades. They perform at 8 p.m. Friday, June 25, and Saturday, June 26, on the Mayne Stage, 1328 W. Morse Ave., Chicago. Comedian Tim Clue opens Friday's show while Tim Walkoe does the honors Saturday. (773) 381-4554 or maynestage.com. bull; Performance artist Cleo LaVamp brings the theatrical event, "Usted es mi compa#241;ero de alma" or "You are my soul's companion," to Chicago's Gorilla Tango Theatre, 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave., for one show at 9 p.m. Sunday, June 27. The second in a series of five events, it consists of music, poetry and a playlette about a meeting in Spain between two potential soulmates. (773) 598-4549 or gorillatango.com.bull; Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents the world premiere of "The Emperor's New Clothes," a contemporized, musical version of Hans Christian Andersen's classic tale. In this version - directed by Rachel Rockwell with music and lyrics by Alan Schmuckler and book by David Holstein - the emperor and his high-spirited daughter disagree on everything, including fashion. The show opens Wednesday, June 30, at Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. (312) 595-5600 or chicagoshakes.com.bull; The Annoyance Theatre presents another "Short Shorts" showcasing three original short plays, at 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 30, at 4830 N. Broadway, Chicago. Andy St. Clair, Phil Meister and Gina Nicewonger direct. (773) 561-4665 or theannoyance.com.bull; The Chicago Park District's 58th annual Theater on the Lake season showcasing Chicago productions from the last year continues Wednesday, June 30, with a remount of A Red Orchid Theatre's hit show, "Abigail's Party," Mike Leigh's comedy set in 1970s Britain, about how the neighborhood grown-ups entertain themselves while their kids attend a party of their own. The show runs through July 4 at the theater located at Fullerton Avenue and Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. The season runs through Aug. 8. (312) 742-7994 or chicagoparkdistrict.com.bull; The Neo-Futurists launch their ninth annual staged reading series devoted to the worst screenplays ever written at 8 p.m. Thursday, July 1, at 5153 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. The 2010 installment "Film Fest IX: The Perils of the Neo-Futurarium" begins with 1984's "Supergirl" in which Superman's cousin tries to save her home planet from destruction. (773) 275-5255 or neofuturists.org.bull; Eta Creative Arts Foundation concludes its season showcasing plays by African American men with a pair of one-act plays by Ted Shine titled "Herbert III" and "Contribution." In "Herbert III," a father tries to calm his wife who worries their son is staying out too late. "Contributions," about a young activist and his unassuming grandmother, satirizes the young members of the Civil Rights Movement who scoffed at their elders' seeming indifference. The double bill opens Thursday, July 1, at eta Creative Arts Foundation, 7558 S. South Chicago Ave., Chicago. (773) 752-3955 or etacreativearts.org.bull; Bailiwick Chicago's production of "Aida," the Elton John-Tim Rice musical inspired by Giuseppe Verdi's opera, begins previews Thursday, July 1, at the American Theater Company, 1909 W. Byron St., Chicago. Scott Ferguson directs the musical about an enslaved Ethiopian princess who captures the heart of an Egyptian soldier, who must choose between her and his loyalty to his Pharoah. Deeply Rooted Dance Theater's Gary Abbott and Kevin Iega Jeff are the choreographers. The show opens July 10. See bailiwickchicago.com. bull; Tosha Fowler's adults-only solo show, "Mami, Where'd My O Go?" about a woman who returns to her Georgia home seeking a remedy for her repressed sexuality, continues through July 21 at Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago. (773) 761-4477 or lifelinetheatre.com. bull; Raven Theatre has extended its highly entertaining revival of Neil Simon's classic comedy "The Odd Couple," starring Jon Steinhagen as fussy Felix and Eric Roach as sloppy Oscar, the pal who takes Felix in when his wife throws him out. Performances continue through July 18 at 6157 N. Clark St., Chicago. (773) 338-2177 or raventheatre.com. bull; Another extension means the record-breaking "Million Dollar Quartet" will keep rockin' at the Apollo Theater, 2540 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago through Jan. 2, 2011. The terrific show is a fictionalized account of an impromptu 1956 jam session between Elvis Presley (David Lago), Jerry Lee Lewis (Lance Lipinsky) Carl Perkins (Gabe Bowling) and Johnny Cash (Sean Sullivan) at Sam Phillips' famed Sun Studios. The show's original Chicago cast transferred to Broadway after 17 months, earning critical acclaim and a recent Tony Award for Levi Kreis' Jerry Lee Lewis. (773) 935-6100 or ticketmaster.com.bull; "Cirque Shanghai: Cloud 9" has added an additional 7 p.m. performance on Sunday, July 4, and at 2 and 4 p.m. Monday, July 5, at the Skyline Stage on Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. (800) 745-3000 or cirqueshanghai.com.bull; The Paramount Theatre and Aurora Civic Center recently announced the appointment of new executive Tim Rater, former executive director for the Wheaton Grand Theatre Project and for Arlington Heights' Metropolis Performing Arts Centre. Rater will be responsible for programming and marketing at the Paramount and Copley theaters and fundraising for the same. He takes over at the end of June. bull; Stephen J. Albert will take over as executive director of Chicago's Court Theatre in August. A founding partner of an arts consulting firm, Albert began his career with the Mark Taper Forum/Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles. He also served as the executive director of Houston's Alley Theatre and as president and vice-president of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT).bull; Chicago's Stage 773, formerly known as the Theatre Building, has appointed Roosevelt University's Megan Flanagan as executive director. She joins director of operations Jill Valentine and technical director Brian Peterlin. Stage 733 also hired former Theatre Building customer service director Jack Short and the former theater's box office staff. bull; Jennifer Sultz resigned earlier this month as executive director of Evanston's Piven Theatre Workshop, the Equity theater company and acting school founded by Joyce Piven and her late husband Byrne. During her 15 years, Sultz expanded the theater's subscription series and its training program.