Theater spotlight: Williams Street channels Johnny Cash for 'Ring of Fire'
An American tale
The spirit of the great country singer/songwriter Johnny Cash animates "Ring of Fire," a revue showcasing songs made popular by the Man in Black, including numbers like "I Walk the Line," "Folsom Prison Blues" and "Ring of Fire" among others. Cash doesn't appear as a character in the show, which tells his life story and that of the generation he entertained. Williams Street Repertory artistic director Richard Kuranda helms his company's revival. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 6-7, and 3 p.m. Sunday, July 8, at Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. $35.50; $24.85 for RaueNow members. (815) 356-9212 or rauecenter.org.
A '60s celebration
Six singer/actresses celebrate 1960s pop and R&B tunes made famous by such seminal artists as Aretha Franklin, Lesley Gore, Tina Turner and The Supremes in "Beehive: The 60's Musical." Dina DiCostanza directs and choreographs the buoyant musical revue featuring Anastasia Arnold, Halle Bins, Christie Burgess, Caitlin Dobbins, Bre Jacobs and Jayla Williams-Craig as the retro divas. Previews at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, July 12-13, and 3 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 14, at 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. Opens July 20. $35, $40. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com.
Classic by Inge
A snowstorm strands a group of passengers at a roadside diner near Kansas City in "Bus Stop," by William Inge, the next production in Eclipse Theatre Company's season-long salute to the playwright. Ensemble member Steve Scott directs this bittersweet examination of love, loneliness and determination that centers on the romance between aspiring chanteuse Cherie (Danielle Pereira) and her naive, would-be cowboy lover Bo (Anthony Conway). Previews at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, July 12-14, at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. The show opens Sunday, July 15. $20, $30. (773) 935-6875 or eclipsetheatre.com.