Fall theater promises premieres, award-winning drama
The battle for the hearts and minds of suburban musical theater lovers heats up this fall as Aurora newcomer Paramount Theatre goes head-to-head with longtime musical theater titans in Lincolnshire and Oakbrook Terrace.
The announcement came earlier this year that director/choreographer Jim Corti would take over as artistic director for the 80-year-old Paramount Theatre. Additionally, the theater announced it would self-produce a four-show Broadway series staged by in-demand directors including Rachel Rockwell, last year's Jeff Award winner for “Ragtime,” who also directed Drury Lane's current production, “Sweeney Todd.”
Corti heralded the series debut by pulling out the big guns: Lerner and Loewe's beloved “My Fair Lady.” The lavish, critically acclaimed production opened just last week and stars Jeff Award winner Andrea Prestinario as Eliza and Chicago Shakespeare Theater veteran Nathan M. Hosner as Henry Higgins. It runs through Sunday, Oct. 2, at 8 Galena Blvd., Aurora. (630) 896-6666 or paramountaurora.com.
The competition includes Drury Lane's revival of “The Sound of Music,” Rodgers and Hammerstein's final collaboration and one of the world's best-loved musicals. Rockwell directs and choreographs the show; the all-star cast includes Larry Adams, McKinley Carter, David Girolmo, John Reeger and newcomer Jennifer Blood as Maria. The show runs Oct. 20 through Dec. 23 at 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. (630) 530-0111 or drurylaneoakbrook.com.
That old favorite starts up just as Marriott closes its current production, the movie-inspired “For The Boys.” It runs through Sunday, Oct. 16, at 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. (847) 634-0200 or marriotttheatre.com.
Fox Valley Repertory Theatre scares up some chills with the suspenseful “The Woman in Black,” about a lawyer trying to come to terms with ghosts from his past. John Gawlik directs Alex Hugh Brown and Ron Rains. It takes the stage Oct. 14-30 at Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. (630) 584-0342 or foxvalleyrep.org.
Circle Theatre director/choreographer Kevin Bellie delivers a steampunk version of the deliciously irreverent “Urinetown,” a sendup of capitalist greed, political corruption and social revolt set in the future at a time when private toilets are banned and public toilets are controlled by a giant corporation
The Writers' Theatre revival of Tom Stoppard's #8220;The Real Thing#8221; marks the return of artistic director Michael Halberstam following the critically acclaimed Lincoln Center run of Writers' original production, #8220;The Minister's Wife.#8221; Writers' favorite Sean Fortunato stars in this articulate examination of love and theater. See it through Nov. 20 at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. (847) 242-6000 or writerstheatre.org.
Other noteworthy shows opening this fall include:
#376; American Theatre Company opens its season with #8220;The Amish Project,#8221; an examination of the tragedy that unfolded in Pennsylvania in 2006 after a man entered an Amish schoolhouse, shot 10 schoolgirls and killed five, as well as himself. Artistic director PJ Paparelli, who penned #8220;columbinus,#8221; a compelling look at alienation and senseless violence, directs. The show starts Friday, Sept. 23, and runs through Sunday, Oct. 23, at 1909 W. Byron, Chicago. (773) 409-4125 or atcweb.org.
#376; Gary Griffin, an expert interpreter of the musicals of Stephen Sondheim, directs the Chicago Shakespeare Theater revival of #8220;Follies,#8221; in which former chorus girls and other performers from the fictional Weismann Folies gather for a reunion where they confront the ghosts of their younger selves and their present discontent. The show runs Tuesday, Oct. 4, through Nov. 6 at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. (312) 595-5633 or chicagoshakes.com.
#376; #8220;Ann: An Affectionate Portrait of Ann Richards,#8221; a one-woman show about the feisty late Texas governor, comes to Chicago for a pre-Broadway run. Holland Taylor, of TV's #8220;Two and a Half Men,#8221; stars. #8220;Ann#8221; takes the stage Nov. 13 and runs through Dec. 4 at the Bank of America Theatre, 18 W. Monroe St., Chicago. (800)