North Central presenting feminist re-imaginings

North Central College will present “Canon Fire,” a composite of feminist re-imaginings of the literary and dramatic canon, in four performances later this month.

The show will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, April 26-28, and 2 p.m. Sunday, April 29, in the college's Meiley-Swallow Hall, 31 S. Ellsworth St., Naperville.

Devised by Carin Silkaitis, assistant professor of theater and chairwoman of art and theater, along with Chicago playwright Nic Wehrwein, “Canon Fire” weaves two short plays by Carolyn Gage and Susan Miller with new, original monologues about race, gender and sexuality authored by Silkaitis and Wehrwein.

The show, for mature audiences only, features original music by Chicago acoustic-rock artist Christine Kent.

In “Louisa May Incest,” Gage conjures a conversation between Louisa May Alcott and her famous “Little Women” character Jo March in a showdown that raises historical questions about Alcott's sexuality as well as her relationship with her father.

In “It's Our Town, Too,” Miller pays tribute to Thornton Wilder's moving play “Our Town,” but this time it's young Emily and Elizabeth who fall in love, setting in motion this tale of desire and friendship in the face of homophobia, fear and the losses of daily life.

The bringing together of these two shows shines a spotlight on how differences in identity and belief often upstage our shared longings.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students and senior citizens. Call the North Central College Box Office at (630) 637-SHOW or visit northcentralcollege.edu/showtix. The show is intended for mature audiences only.