Theater events: Paramount revives 'Hair'

Broadway back story

The arrival of a young actress to the Wisconsin retreat of married stage legends Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne leads to a romantic upheaval in “Ten Chimneys,” Jeffrey Hatcher's comedy about Broadway legends who hosted some of the most influential stage and screen stars of their time. BJ Jones directs Northlight Theatre's production. Previews begin Friday, March 9, at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. The show opens March 16. $25-$60. (847) 673-6300 or northlight.org.

Let the sunshine in

The Tribe converges in Aurora, where Rachel Rockwell directs Paramount Theatre's revival of “Hair,” the American love-rock musical by James Rado and Gerome Ragni with music by Galt MacDermot. It's about a group of hippies coming of age in New York City, while trying to negotiate love, sex, rebellion and society. Skyler Adams plays the conflicted Claude, and Adrian Aguilar plays his free-spirited best-friend, Berger. Emilie Lynn stars as Sheila, the woman they both love. Previews begin Wednesday, March 14, at 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. The show opens March 16. $34.90-$46.90. (630) 896-6666 or paramountaurora.com.

Call for letters

Fox Valley Repertory artistic director John Gawlik invites Fox Valley residents to submit war correspondence from their loved ones for consideration for “Letters Home: A Memorial Day Remembrance Concert,” a tandem production from FVR and the Fox Valley Concert Band, which will take place May 25 and 26, on the Pheasant Run Resort's main stage. Residents have until April 15 to submit letters to Fox Valley Rep, 4052 E. Main St., St Charles, IL 60174, attention “Letters Home.” Letters may be scanned and emailed to Gawlik at jgawlik@foxvalleyrep.org.

• The Building Stage presents its world-premiere adaptation of "Hansel und Gretel," in which parents embark upon a comic rescue mission to find their children before they become witch fodder. Previews begin Friday, March 9, at 412 N. Carpenter St., Chicago. Conceived and directed by Blake Montgomery, who combines the Grimm brother's 19th-century fairy tale with Engelbert Humperdinck's opera. The show is suitable for older children and adults. It opens March 11. (312) 491-1369 or buildingstage.com.

• Actress/writer Shanna Shrum plays six characters — including a pregnant waitress, domestic abuse victim and an overprotective father — in the world premiere of "Dandelion Chains," running at 8 p.m. Fridays beginning March 9 at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. See stage773.com for tickets or dandelionchains.com.

• Rough House, a Chicago puppet theater, opens its latest show "Murder Ballads." Directed by co-founder Mike Oleon, "Murder Ballads" incorporates puppetry and toy theater in the staging of ballads by Tom Waits, Nick Cave and original songs by company member Max Wirt, all of which tell the story of a murder. It opens Friday, March 9, at Orchestra Hall Presents! at 2341 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. See roughhousetheater.com for tickets.

• Syndicated sex columnist Dan Savage and his brother Bill Savage, a lecturer in the English department at Northwestern University, discuss homophobia and anti-gay bullying following the Friday, March 9, performance of "fml: how Carson McCullers saved my life," the current production of Steppenwolf Theatre's Young Adults Series. The discussion is part of the It Gets Better Project to help gay teens struggling with bullying. (312) 335-1650 or

steppenwolf.org.

• Jean Genet's "The Maids" — loosely inspired by the true story of a pair of domestics who killed their employer and her daughter in 1933 France — is the next in Oracle Productions' second season of free, public access theater. The play centers on sisters Claire and Solange, played by Jack Lewis and Rich Logan — who take turns acting out sadomasochistic scenarios involving the murder of their mistress. It opens Saturday, March 10, at 3809 N. Broadway, Chicago. Admission is free, but reservations are necessary. See oracletheatre.org for information.

• Sunday, March 11, marks the start of Sunday matinees of Barrel of Monkey's long-running show, "That's Weird Grandma," inspired by stories from Chicago public school students. The 2 p.m. Sunday shows run through May 27 at the Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. (312) 409-1954 or barrelofmonkeys.org.

• Theo Ubique, the Chicago cabaret theater located at No Exit Cafe, 6970 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago, presents an intimate production of "The Light in the Piazza," the gorgeous, Tony Award-winning musical by Craig Lucas and Adam Guettel. Set in 1953, the play is about a young girl who falls in love with a handsome young Italian boy while traveling in Europe with her mother. Artistic director Fred Anzevino directs and Lincolnshire dance instruct Brenda Didier choreographs the show, which opens Monday, March 12. (800) 595-4849 or theo-u.org.

• Julianna Margulies, the Emmy award-winning star of CBS' "The Good Wife," is the guest of honor at Steppenwolf Theatre's Women in the Arts fundraising luncheon at noon Monday, March 12, at the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph St., Chicago. Tickets start at $200. They're available at steppenwolf.org/luncheon or at (312) 654-5732.

• "Riverdance" returns to Chicago for a brief run beginning Tuesday, March 13. Performances continue through March 18 at the Oriental Theatre, Ford Center for the Performing Arts 24 W. Randolph St., Chicago. (800) 775-2000 or broadwayinchicago.com.

• Chicago Children's Theatre transfers its world premiere musical "The Houdini Box" from the Mercury Theater to the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, beginning Wednesday, March 14. The musical — with book and lyrics by Hannah Kohl and music by Mark Messing — is about a boy who receives a box that may hold the secrets to the great magician's success. Through March 25. (847) 673-6300 or

chicagochildrenstheatre.org.

• Mary-Arrchie Theatre has extended its production of Tracy Letts' "Superior Donuts," about the relationship between the aging hippie owner of a rundown doughnut shop and his employee, a fast-talking African-American kid who claims he's written the great American novel. Performances continue through May 6 at 735 W. Sheridan Road, Chicago. (773) 871-0442 or maryarrchie.com.

• Trap Door Theatre's "They are Dying Out," Peter Handke's farce about an amoral businessman who ruins everyone around him, continues through March 24 at 1655 W. Cortland Ave., Chicago. (773) 384-0494 or trapdoortheatre.com.

• Pride Films and Plays has added an additional performance of "Man Boobs," a comedy by J. Julian Christopher about love and body image acceptance, at 7:30 p.m. March 15, at Mary's Attic, 5446 N. Clark St., Chicago. (800) 838-3006 or pridefilmsandplays.com.

• Remy Bumppo Theatre announced its 2012-2013 season, the first under artistic director and longtime ensemble member Nick Sandys. The season opens with Edward Albee's "Seascape" (Sept. 12-Oct. 14), followed by George Bernard Shaw's "You Never Can Tell" (Nov. 21-Jan. 6, 2013). The season concludes with August Strindberg's "Creditors," in a new version by David Greig, opening on April 10, 2013, and running through June 2. Performances take place at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. Subscriptions go on sale March 28 at remybumppo.org or (773) 404-7336. Single tickets go on sale Aug. 1.

• TimeLine Theatre Company, named one of the nation's top 10 emerging theater companies by the American Theatre Wing (the organization that hands out the Tony Awards), announced its 2012-2013 season consisting of local and Chicago-area premieres. The season opens with Moises Kaufman's "33 Variations," beginning performances Aug. 23, at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. It runs through Oct. 21. Next up is the world premiere of Susan Felder's "Wasteland" (Oct. 12-Dec. 30), followed by "Concerning Strange Devices From the Distant West" by Naomi Iizuka (Jan. 15-April 14, 2013). J.T. Rogers' "Blood and Gifts" (April 30-July 28, 2013) concludes the season. The final three plays will run at the company's home at 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago. Four-admission, FlexPass subscriptions are available at timelinetheatre.com or (773) 281-8463.