Theater events: 'Lend Me a Tenor' opens in Lake Forest

Farce in Lake Forest

A famous tenor set to perform at the Cleveland Grand Opera Company's season opening gala goes missing, setting in motion high jinks and hilarity in Ken Ludwig's farce, “Lend Me a Tenor.” Citadel Theatre Company revives the door-slamming comedy directed by Robert Estrin.

Opens at 8 p.m. Friday, May 4, at the West Campus Theater, 300 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest. $35, $37.50. (847) 735-8554 or citadeltheatre.org.

Putting it together

Northlight Theatre presents “[title of show],” a musical by Jeff Bowen (music and lyrics) and Hunter Bell (book) chronicling the creation of a musical. It centers on Jeff and Hunter trying to create a new work for a musical theater festival whose deadline for submissions is quickly approaching. “[name of show]” — named for the space on the application form that asks for the name of the show — follows their efforts to make the deadline with a work they hope will change their lives. Peter Amster directs. Doug Peck is the music director.

Previews begin at 8 p.m. Friday, May 4, at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. The show opens May 11. $25-$65. (847) 673-6300 or northlight.org.

Comedy, Irish style

Kimberly Senior, who directed redtwist theatre's acclaimed production of “The Pillowman,” returns to direct another Martin McDonagh play, “The Cripple of Inishmaan,” a dark comedy about an outcast Irish orphan named Cripple Billy who's tapped by an American film crew to appear in a film they're shooting nearby. Josh Salt stars as the titular character in a production featuring ensemble members Jan Ellen Graves, Debra Rodkin and Jeff Award winner Brian Parry.

Previews begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 10, at 1044 W. Bryn Mawr, Chicago. The show opens May 13. $25-$30. (773) 728-7529 or redtwist.org.

• Mike Nussbaum and Coburn Goss have taken over as Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis in “Freud's Last Session,” Mark St. Germain's examination of a meeting between the father of psychoanalysis and the Christian academic, running through July 15, at the Mercury Theater, 3745 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. The show celebrates Freud's 156th birthday Sunday, May 6, with a meet-and-greet with the cast members following both performances. The Mercury Theater offers $45 tickets to the first 156 theatergoers who book tickets for the performances using the code word “birthday.” (773) 325-1700 or mercurytheaterchicago.com.

• Performances begin Friday, May 4, for A-Squared Theatre Workshop's production of “My Asian Mom,” a salute to “Asian motherhood in all its awkward glory,” running through Saturday, May 26, at Stage, 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. The show consists of eight playlettes or scenes from larger plays about Korean, Filipino and Chinese mothers. (773) 327-5252 or a-stw.org.

• New Beast Theatre Work's “Here are Lions” examines war and social change during the 20th century through the eyes of a young salesman caring for his mother in 1968 Chicago while the ghost of his late father — killed during World War II — travels through space and time to witness war, corruption and ordinary life. The show opens Friday, May 4, at Elastic, 2830 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. See newbeast.com for more information.

• Dog & Pony Theatre Company presents the world premiere of “The Whole World is Watching,” a play with music about the 1968 Democratic Convention by company members Devon de Mayo (book and lyrics) and Stephen Ptacek (book, lyrics and music). Previews begin Friday, May 4, at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. The show opens Saturday, May 12. (773) 871-3000 or dogandponychicago.org or victorygardens.org.

• Debra Ehrhardt performs her autobiographical one-woman show “Jamaica Farwell,” about a woman who escapes her homeland in pursuit of the American dream, beginning Friday, May 4, at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago. (800) 838-3006 or chopintheatre.com

• Salsation Theatre Company hosts its annual benefit Cinco de Salsation! from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 5, at Ristorante al Teatro, 1227 W. 18th St., Chicago. Tickets are $30 and include food entertainment and a raffle. (312) 725-9801 or salsation.org.

• The City Life Supplement presents an urban version of the Prairie Home Companion at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, May 5, at 3819 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. (214) 460-1735 or citylifesupplement.org.

• American Demigods host Sonnets & Striptease 2: Money Never Sleeps, a free party to raise funds for the company's new horror themed show “The Factory That Makes Devils,” opening next month. The company receives $1 from each drink purchased from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, May 6, at The Spot, 4437 N. Broadway, Chicago. See americandemigods.com.

• Previews begin Sunday, May 6, for Teatro Luna's world premiere “Living Large in a Mini Kind of Way,” by Diane Rodriguez who also directs. The play asks the question: What lengths would you go to to obtain a social security that could change your life for the better? The show opens Thursday, May 10, at the Viaduct Theater, 3111 N. Western Ave., Chicago. (773) 819-5862 or teatroluna.org.

• Route 66 Theatre Company hosts its annual Mile Markers Benefit featuring musical guests Hollis Resnik, Ross Lehman, Michael Mahler, Rebecca Finnegan and a special performance from George Andrew Wolff and Larry Adams from “The Hunchback Variations.” Tickets are $30 for the event, which includes complimentary cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, entertainment and a silent auction runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday, May 7, at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. See route66theatre.org for information.

• Former New York Times drama critic Frank Rich and Steppenwolf Theatre artistic director Martha Lavey will discuss Steppenwolf's season long theme “dispatches form the homefront” at 7 p.m. Monday, May 7, at 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago. Tickets are $10. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

• The third annual International Voices Project, showcasing international playwrights with eight concert-style, free play readings, takes place from Tuesday, May 8, to Tuesday, July 17, at various locations throughout Chicago. See ivpchicago.org for schedule and tickets or call (773) 250-7055.

• Team Starkid — the Internet ensemble known for its original comedy musicals “A Very Potter Musical,” “Starship” and “Holy Musical B@man!” — brings its second national tour Apocalyptour to the House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 9, and Thursday, May, 10, and feature hits from the company's repertoire. See ticketmaster.com or teamstarkid.com.

• Gorilla Tango Theatre, 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, presents “Attend the Tale of Danny Tanner: A Full House Musical,” a mashup of the musical “Sweeney Todd” and the TV show “Full House,” in which Danny, his brother-in-law Jesse and his friend Joey kill a drunken driver on the anniversary of the car crash that killed Danny's wife seven years earlier. The show runs at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, beginning May 9. (773) 598-4549 or gorillatango.com.

• A circus pulls into a small town in Tennessee to the delight of the townspeople who are outraged when a member of the circus commits a gruesome murder in “Elephant's Graveyard” by George Brant. Red Tape Theatre presents the Chicago premiere which begins previews Thursday, May 10, at 621 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. The show, directed by James D. Palmer, opens Monday, May 14. See redtapetheatre.org for tickets.

• Polarity Ensemble Theatre's annual Dionysus Cup Festival of new plays, featuring workshop readings of four new plays by Chicago area playwrights, runs Thursday, May 10, through Sunday, May 20, at the Josephinum Academy, 1500 N. Bell St., Chicago. Featured plays include: “Still Point,” by John S. Green, about a young astronomer whose wife insists he see a therapist after he turns down a prestigious award; “Land Where My Fathers Died,” by Ron Hirsen, about a man who sets up a teepee on the front lawn of a woman's Rogers Park home to live his final days on the land of his ancestors; “Liars of Us All,” by Josh Nordmark, about a couple living in a secluded jungle during the 18th century whose lives are upended by the arrival of a former lover; and “Sign of the Times,” by Gwendolyn Rice, about two male singer songwriters in 1960s New York whose career takes off with the addition of a young woman to their group. Tickets are $5 per performance or $10 for a full festival pass. They're available by phone at (800) 838-3006 or petheatre.com.

• Previews begin Thursday, May 10, for Prologue Theatre Co.'s production of “Take Her to See the Maco Lights” by Bekah Brunstetter. Prologue artistic director Margo Gray directs the “ghostly love story” that unfolds along a stretch of overgrown railroad tracks in North Carolina. The show opens Saturday, May 12, at Luna Central, 3914 N. Clark St., Chicago. For tickets see brownpapertickets.org or prologuetheatreco.org. Also, the company hosts a League of Chicago Theaters event on Thursday, May 17, that includes a walking tour of a neighborhood cemetery led by Ursula Bielski, author of “Chicago Haunts.” The tour begins at 7 p.m. The performance follows at 8 p.m.

• Highland Park's The Music Theatre Company has extended its production of “Pippin” once again. The show runs through Sunday, May 13, at the Karger Center, 1850 Green Bay Road. (847) 579-4900 or themusictheatrecompany.org.

• Leslye Headland's “Bachelorette,” about three friends who show up uninvited to a former classmate's bachelorette party, has been extended. Performances continue through May 27 at Profiles Theatre, 4147 N. Broadway, Chicago. (773) 549-1815 or profilestheatre.org.

• Infusion Theatre Company has extended its world premiere of Randall Colburn's “The Improv Play,” following three improvisers navigating Chicago's scene. Performances continue through Sunday, May 20, at the Storefront Theater, 66 E. Randolph St., Chicago. Note: The final May 20 performance will take place at 1 p.m. (312) 742-8497 or infusiontheatre.com.

• Street Tempo Theatre has extended its production of the musical “Little Shop of Horrors.” Performances continue through Sunday, May 27, at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. (773) 327-5252 or streettempotheatre.com.

• The Annoyance Theatre, 4830 N. Broadway, Chicago, has extended to June 23 its production of the original musical “(Expletive) You, I Love You, Bye: The Rahm Emanuel Story.” (773) 561-4665 or theannoyance.com.

• The Neo-Futurists have announced their 24th season which begins Oct. 4 with “44 Plays for 44 Presidents,” a chronological, biographical survey of the 44 men who have held the nation's highest office. This marks a remount of one of the company's most successful shows, 2001's “43 Plays for 43 Presidents.” Next up, is the world premiere of Kurt Chiang's performance piece titled “Analog” (Feb. 28 to April 16, 2013), which grew out of Chiang's self-prescribed task of transcribing William Golding's “Lord of the Flies” by hand over the course of three years. The world premiere show, “The Miss Neo-Futurists Pageant,” created by Megan Mercier, runs May 16 through June 22, 2013. A spin on the traditional beauty pageant, the show examines the evolution of gender and societal identity as girls become women. Also on tap is the company's ongoing late night sketch show “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind: 30 Plays in 60 Minutes.” Performances take place at the Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. Tickets are available at neofuturists.org or by phone at (773) 275-5255.

• Stage Left Theatre invites playwrights to submit bad 10-minute plays as part of its DrekFest 2012. Of the submissions, four will be selected to be performed on July 31 at The ComedySportz Theatre, 929 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, where the audience will vote on the prizewinning worst play, an honor accompanied by a cash prize. Stage Left must receive submissions by June 1 accompanied by a $10 fee per play. All the fees go to the cash prizes. Call artistic director Vance Smith (773) 883-8830 for information.

— Barbara Vitello