Theater events: Goodman stages 'The Convert'

World premiere

Goodman Theatre, which produced Danai Gurira's “In The Continuum,” presents her latest play, “The Convert.” The first in a cycle of plays about Zimbabwe, the drama is set in 1895 in colonial Africa. It centers on a young girl named Jekesai who, during an uprising, must decide between her new faith and her family's culture. Emily Mann directs the world premiere co-production with the McCarter Theatre Center.

Previews begin at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. The show opens March 5. $12-$42. (312) 443-3800 or goodmantheatre.org.

Standup in Schaumburg

Comedian and actor John Henton headlines Schaumburg's Improv Comedy Club this weekend. Henton, whose career got a “jump start” courtesy of Johnny Carson and “The Tonight Show,” co-starred in TV's “The Hughleys” and “Living Single.”

8 and 10:15 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24; 7 and 9:15 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25; and 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, at 5 Woodfield Road, Schaumburg. $15, $17. (847) 240-2001 or improv.com.

‘Laramie' revisited

Redtwist Theatre presents the Chicago-area premiere of “The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later,” the companion piece to Tectonic Theater Company's original production inspired by the 1998 murder of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard. Downers Grove's Greg Kolack directs.

Previews begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 1, at 1044 W. Bryn Mawr, Chicago. The show opens at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 4. $27, $30. (773) 728-7529 or redtwist.org.

Other theater events:

Ÿ Previews continue through Saturday, Feb. 25, for Strawdog Theatre Company's revival of Robert E. Sherwood's Depression era hostage drama “Petrified Forest.” Shade Murray directs the darkly comic political thriller which opens Sunday, Feb. 26, at 3829 N. Broadway, Chicago. (773) 528-9889 or strawdog.org.

Ÿ Betrayal, plots and incest are among the issues addressed in “Doublewide Lust,” a comedy by Ed Furman (“Rod Blagojevich Superstar”) about a man forced to move in with his father and stepmother after his wife leaves him. The show opens Friday, Feb. 24, at the Annoyance Theatre, 4830 N. Broadway, Chicago. (773) 561-4665 or theannoyance.com.

Ÿ Actress and comedian Lily Tomlin headlines two shows this weekend at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. Show times are 5 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25. (847) 673-6300 or northshorecenter.org.

Ÿ Chicago Shakespeare Theater's abridged (75-minute) version of “The Taming of the Shrew” opens Saturday, Feb. 25, at Navy Pier 800 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. Joseph Jefferson Award winner Rachel Rockwell directs the show, which stars Ericka Ratcliff and Matt Mueller as the battling twosome. (312) 595-5600 or chicagoshakes.com.

Ÿ The second installment of Bootstraps Comedy Theater's urban podcast version of “A Prairie Home Companion” dubbed “The City Life Supplement” will be recorded beginning at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at Transistor Chicago, 3819 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. Admission is pay-what-you-can. (214) 460-1735 or citylifesupplement.org.

Ÿ Remy Bumppo Theatre hosts the “Eat, Think and Be Merry!” annual benefit from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, at The Union League Club, 65 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago. The event includes a live auction, lunch and a preview of Remy Bumppo's upcoming production of Lee Blessing's “Chesapeake.” For tickets, call director of development Kate Oczkowski at (773) 244-8119 or remybumppo.org.

Ÿ Previews begin on Monday, Feb. 27, for Urban Theater Company's Midwest premiere of Suzan-Lori Parks “(Expletive) A.” Inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne's “The Scarlet Letter,” the play is about Hester, a woman living in a post-apocalyptic world who must take a person's life to save the life of her imprisoned son, Monster. The show opens Friday, March 2, at the Wicker Park Art Center, 2215 W. North Ave., Chicago. Also, the theater company hosts an Oscar viewing party beginning at 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, at Standard Bar & Grill, 1332 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Admission is $25 and includes open bar and appetizers. Proceeds benefit Urban Theater Company. (312) 239-8783 or urbantheaterchicago.org.

Ÿ A pair of estranged brothers meet in the attic of a New York City brownstone to go through their deceased parents' belongings in Arthur Miller's “The Price,” which examines the conflict between self-preservation and obligation to one's family. Michael Menendian directs Raven Theatre's revival which begins previews Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 6157 N. Clark St., Chicago. The show opens Monday, March 4. (773) 338-2177 or raventheatre.com.

Ÿ A high school student assigned to read Carson McCullers' “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” develops a kinship with the central character John Singer — the misunderstood outsider — in Sarah Gubbins' “fml: how Carson McCullers saved my life.” Steppenwolf for Young Adults presents the world premiere of the play which begins previews on Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

Ÿ New Leaf Theatre's Treehouse Reading Series continues at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 29, at the Lincoln Park Cultural Center, 2045 N. Lincoln Park West, Chicago. Next up is Mark Mason's “A Perfect Shade of Skyline Gray” about a Joliet prosecutor named Bobby Kennedy who's investigating the disappearance of a female newspaper editor. See nwleaftheatre.org for more information.

Ÿ “War and Piece,” a showing by artist Victoria Szilagyi that includes the winning entry in Babes With Blades' 2010 Sword & Pen art competition, will accompany BWB's news production “Trash.” The art show opens Wednesday, Feb. 29, at ARC Gallery, 832 W. Superior St., Chicago. “Trash” begins previews Sunday, March 25, at The Side Project Theatre, 1439 W. Jarvis Ave., Chicago. See babeswithblades.org for more information.

Ÿ While their husbands are away at war, sisters-in-law develop an unexpected bond in “Las Hermanas Padilla (The Padilla Sisters),” by Tony Meneses. Chicago Fusion Theatre presents the Chicago area premiere of the all-female production. Urban Theater Company's Juan Castaneda directs the production, which begins previews Wednesday, Feb. 29, at the Storefront Theater, 66 E. Randolph St., Chicago. The show opens Thursday, March 1. (312) 742-8497 or chicagofusiontheatre.org.

Ÿ Previews begin Thursday, March 1, for The Gift Theatre's U.S. premiere of “Absolute Hell,” by Rodney Ackland. Sheldon Patinkin directs the play about the colorful cast of characters who populate a club called La Vie En Rose in the weeks following the end of World War II. The cast includes ensemble members Paul D'Addario, Alexandra Main, Michael Patrick Thornton and Jay Worthington along with guest artists. The show opens Monday, March 5, at 4802 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. (773) 283-7071 or thegifttheatre.org.

Ÿ American Theater Company has extended its production of “Disgraced,” Ayad Akhtar's drama about an up-and-coming Muslim-American lawyer betrayed by those close to him. Performances continue through Sunday, March 11, at 1909 W. Byron St., Chicago. (773) 409-4125 or atcweb.org.

Ÿ A Red Orchid Theatre has extended its world premiere of “Megacosm,” Brett Neveu's comedy about a corporate bigwig who does everything in his power to get an inventor to sign over his world changing creation. Performances continue through Sunday, March 11, at 1531 N. Wells St., Chicago. (312) 943-8722 or aredorchidtheatre.org.

Ÿ Theater Oobleck has extended its production of “The Hunchback Variations Opera.” Performances of the show about Quasimodo and Beethoven's attempts to create a soundtrack for Anton Chekhov's “The Cherry Orchard,” continues through Sunday, March 11, at Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago. (773) 871-3000 theateroobleck.com.

Ÿ The Annoyance Theatre's original musical “(Expletive) You, I Love You, Bye: The Rahm Emanuel Story,” continues through April 28, at 4830 N. Broadway, Chicago. The Annoyance also announced it has changed the name of its “Tiny Fascists” musical to “The Boy Scout Musical (Knot Prepared).” The comedy musical about Scouts surviving a plane crash continues at 10 p.m. Fridays through March 30. (773) 561-4665 or theannoyance.com.

Ÿ The sketch comedy duo The Mary Kay Letourneau Players have extended their show at iO Chicago, 3541 N. Clark St., Chicago, through Sunday, March 11. (773) 880-0199 or chicago.ioimprov.com.

Ÿ “Attack of the 50 Ft. Feature,” a sketch comedy show inspired by 1950s drive-in films, runs through April 10, at Gorilla Tango Theatre, 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. (773) 598-4549 or gorillatango.com.

Ÿ Oracle Productions announced that Franki Jo Levinson has been named managing director and Danielle Stack has been named sponsor manager of the Chicago public access theater which charges no admission fee. They join executive director Brad Jayhan-Little and executive producer Ben Fuchsen. Next up at Oracle, Jean Genet's “The Maids” beginning performances Saturday, March 10.