Theater events: 'Later Life' opens at Steel Beam

Romance rekindled

Henry James' novella “The Beast in the Jungle” inspired “Later Life,” a bittersweet comedy by A.R. Gurney (“Love Letters”) about a couple who rekindle the brief romance they had 30 years earlier. Terry Domschke directs Steel Beam Theatre's production, which stars artistic director Donna Steele and Richard Culliton, who co-starred in the company's 2009 production of “Glengarry Glen Ross.”

Opens Friday, May 13, at 111 W. Main St., St. Charles. (630) 587-8521 or steelbeamtheatre.com. On Friday and Saturday, May 13-14, California Pizza Kitchen, 1202 Commons Drive, Geneva, will donate 20 percent of the check to the theater upon receipt of a benefit flyer found on Steel Beam's website.

Tragedy revisited

A 1930 Marion, Ind., lynching of two black men accused of robbery and rape — immortalized by photographer Lawrence Beitler and the inspiration for the haunting “Strange Fruit” — inspired “The Gospel According to James.” Charles Smith's play dramatizes the events leading up to the murders and offers a fictionalized version of a meeting between two of the people involved. Victory Gardens' Chicago-area premiere stars Broadway veteran Andre DeShields (“The Full Monty,” “The Wiz”).

Previews begin Saturday, May 14, at 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. It opens Wednesday, May 18. (773) 871-3000 or victorygardens.org.

Here come the nuns

After an unfortunate kitchen mix-up depletes their number, forcing them to raise money for funerals, the Little Sisters of Hoboken put on a variety show showcasing each nun's special talent in “Nunsense,” the off-Broadway hit that spawned six sequels. David Belew directs the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre's production featuring Kelli Clevenger of Vernon Hills and Amy Malouf of Roselle.

Previews begin Thursday, May 19, at 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. It opens May 22. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com.

Other theater happenings:

Ÿ Previews begin Friday, May 13, for Profiles Theatre's Midwest premiere of “Fifty Words,” Michael Weller's drama about the revelations and rancor that surface when a married couple finds themselves alone at home for the first time in years. Joe Jahraus directs the production starring ensemble members Darrell W. Cox and Katherine Keberlein. The show opens May 19 at 4147 N. Broadway, Chicago. (773) 549-1815 or profilestheatre.org.

Ÿ The Annoyance Theatre has added “Oprah! A Comedy! ...” to its main stage lineup beginning Friday, May 13. The show, featuring cameo “appearances” by Oprah's favorites, runs through June 10 at 4830 N. Broadway, Chicago. (773) 561-4665 or theannoyance.com.

Ÿ Workshop productions of new works by local playwrights make up this year's Dionysus Cup Festival of New Plays hosted by Polarity Ensemble Theatre at 1500 N. Bell Ave., Chicago, from Friday, May 13 to May 29. Featured plays include Richard Engling's “Absolution,” about a novelist who writes a tribute to a dead friend; Trina Kakacek's “Attachment Disorder” about an adopted girl whose birthparents show up at her 18th birthday party; and Helen Valenta's “The Longing of a Stray Dog,” about three desperate people whose lives intersect disastrously on a hot weekend in Chicago. Also on tap is Bill Jepsen's “Never the Bridesmaid” about siblings who have a lot to say about each other's love lives, and Katie Watson's “Pound of Flesh,” about a white woman's attempt to make amends for her slaveholding ancestors. (800) 838-3006 or petheatre.com.

Ÿ School-age members of Fox Valley Repertory's Performing Arts Academy will collect pet food and pet product donations before performances of “You're a Good Man Charlie Brown” on Saturday and Sunday, May 14-15, at the Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. The theater will donate items collected at the 4 p.m. Saturday, May 14, show and the 11 a.m. Sunday, May 15, show to HELP (Homes for Endangered and Lost Pets), a St. Charles organization. (630) 364-0550 or foxvalleyrep.org.

Ÿ Hell in a Handbag Productions unleashes “Trogg! A Musical.” Loosely based on Joan Crawford's last film, it's about a monster discovered in a cave near a sleepy Southern California coastal town and the lady anthropologist (played by writer/actor David Cerda) out to prove that it's a prehistoric caveman. Previews begin Saturday, May 14, at Chopin Theater, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago. The show opens May 22. (800) 838-3006 or handbagproductions.com.

Ÿ Shattered Globe Theatre continues its interactive production “Down & Dirty Romeo & Juliet” at various Chicago venues. Performances are at 7 p.m. Sundays, May 15 and 29, at Justin's, 3358 N. Southport Ave., and at 7:30 p.m. Monday, May 16, at the John Hancock Observatory, 875 N. Michigan Ave. At the beginning of each performance the actors are introduced and the audience's applause determines who plays which part. The production is inspired by “The Factory Hamlet” created by London's Factory Theatre. See shatteredglobe.org for information.

Ÿ Singer Joan Collaso and percussionist Kahil El' Zabar headline eta Creative Arts Foundation's 40th annual spring benefit from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, May 15, at 7558 S. South Chicago Ave., Chicago. (773) 752-3955 or etacreativearts.org.

Ÿ Victory Gardens Theater hosts the Chicago One-Minute Play Festival at 7:30 p.m. Sunday and Monday, May 15-16, at 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. A benefit for Victory Gardens' Fresh Squeezed series, it features VGT ensemble members Lonnie Carter, Joel Drake Johnson, Nick Patricca and James Sherman, along with IGNITION artists Christopher De Paola, Kristoffer Diaz, Michael Golamco, Chisa Hutchinson, Leonard Madrid, Tanya Saracho, Jackie Sibblies Drury and Andrea Thorne among others. (773) 871-3000 or victorygardens.org.

Ÿ WNEP Theatre and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and the Chicago Office of Tourism present the 12th annual SKALD Storytelling Festival running Monday through Saturday, May 16-21, at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St., Chicago. It includes workshops for kids and adults as well as professional performances. (312) 742-8497 or dcatheater.org.

Ÿ The League of Chicago Theatres hosts its 2011 spring gala and benefit for Chicago's more than 200 theater companies beginning at 5:30 p.m. Monday, May 16, at the JW Marriott Chicago, 151 W. Adams St., Chicago. The evening includes cocktails, dinner and entertainment from area theater companies. Additionally, the League will present the 2011 Artistic Leadership Award to Teatro Vista. (312) 554-9804.

Ÿ Previews begin Tuesday, May 17, for Chicago Fusion Theatre's production of Charles L. Mee's “Big Love” a contemporary adaptation of Aeschylus' play about The Danaids, 50 Greek women forced to marry their cousins against their will. The show opens Thursday, May 19, at the Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted St., Chicago. See chicagofusiontheatre.org for information.

Ÿ Redmoon Theatre hosts its Youth Spectacle 2011 from Wednesday through Friday, May 18-20, at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 N. Cannon Drive, Chicago. Chicago schoolchildren will design, build and perform in a “live exhibition” that reflects their experience with an urban ecosystem. (312) 850-8440, ext. 111, or redmoon.org.

Ÿ Chemically Imbalanced Comedy explores aspects of the service industry in “Sucked Into Service” a double-bill consisting of “1/2 Caf Chronicles,” which examines a man's short-lived career as a barista, and “Trapped in a Box,” about a woman who loses her sanity working in a theater box office. Performances begin Thursday, May 19, at 1422 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago. (800) 838-3006 or cicomedy.com.

Ÿ Two sisters in love with a man accused of murder battle each other for his heart in “Waiting for Drew Peterson,” previewing on Thursday, May 19, at the Annoyance Theatre, 4830 N. Broadway, Chicago. The show opens June 2 and runs Thursdays through July 7. (773) 561-4665 or theannoyance.com.

Ÿ Black Ensemble Theater will extend its latest original musical, “All in Love is Fair,” set in the fictitious Love, Ill., and centered on an eclectic group of characters who learn how to love each other and themselves. Performances continue in an open run at 4520 N. Beacon St., Chicago. (773) 769-4451 or blackensembletheater.org.

Ÿ “You're Being Ridiculous ... My First Time,” a collection of embarrassing tales written and performed by those who lived them, runs through June 6 at Gorilla Tango Theatre, 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. (773) 598-4549 or gorillatango.com.

Ÿ Diamante Productions remounts its production of “Cold Cold Feet,” about a groom who gets the jitters on the eve of his Las Vegas wedding. Performances run through June 5 at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. (773) 327-5252 or diamanteproductions.com.

Ÿ Director/playwright Chay Yew has been named artistic director of Victory Gardens Theater. Yew replaces Dennis Zacek, who retires this year after 34 years at VGT's helm. The OBIE and DramaLogue award-winning director has directed world premieres by Jose Rivera, Naomi Iizuka, Kia Corthron, David Adjmi and Julia Cho among others.

Ÿ The Neo-Futurists invite artists to submit works in any medium centered around LGBTQ themes for display during the company's 2011 Chicago Gay Pride Celebration. Accepted works will be eligible for sale at a silent auction during Pride weekend. Proceeds will benefit Illinois Safe Schools. Submission deadline is 5 p.m. June 8. Submit works at the Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. A $5 submission fee is required. See neofuturists.org for more information.

Ÿ Bailiwick Chicago announced that it will produce the Chicago premiere of the musical “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” about America's seventh president. Dates will be announced later this year. In addition, former executive director Kevin Mayes has been named Bailiwick's artistic director. Brian LaDuca replaces Mayes as executive director.

Ÿ Congratulations to the ever-engaging Lookingglass Theatre, winner of the 2011 Regional Theatre Tony Award and the fifth Chicago company to have received the honor.