Spotlight: Otherworld and First Folio theaters stream recent productions
Offstage chats
Victory Gardens Theater's ongoing online conversation series "Your World Off Stage" continues from 1 to 2 p.m. Friday, May 29, with playwright Will Arbery and director Jonathan Berry sharing their plans for Arbery's Chicago premiere of "Heroes of the Fourth Turning." That's followed by a conversation between emeritus VGT artistic director Chay Yew and playwrights Luis Alfaro, Philip Dawkins, Samuel D. Hunter and Naomi Iizuka from 2 to 3 p.m. June 5. The series concludes June 12 with playwright Ali Viterbi and director Devon de Mayo discussing the world premiere of Viterbi's "In Every Generation." The conversations take place over Zoom and require advance registration. See victorygardens.org/event/your-world-off-stage-conversation-series.
Sondheim @ 90
Porchlight Music Theatre's ongoing "Sondheim @ 90" round-table series continues at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 30, with a discussion of "Into the Woods," Stephen Sondheim's examination of fairy tales and what happens after "happily ever after." Tony Award winner David Cromer ("The Band's Visit"), Broadway veteran Sean Allan Krill ("Jagged Little Pill") and Tony winner Jessie Mueller ("Beautiful: The Carole King Musical," "Waitress") join artistic director Michael Weber for the conversation on Facebook at facebook.com/porchlightmusictheatre.
Virtual concerts
Tony Award winner and Evanston native Jessie Mueller is among the Broadway theater artists scheduled to appear on The Seth Concert Series. Hosted by Sirius/XM broadcaster Seth Rudetsky, the series debuted in 2011 as "Broadway @the Art House." Tony winner Kelli O'Hara guests on the combination concert and chat series at 7 p.m. Sunday, May 31. Tickets for the online series are $20 and $25 and are available at thesethconcertseries.com.
PFP salutes nominees
Pride Films and Plays hosts a virtual concert showcasing non-equity Joseph Jefferson Award musical nominees at 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 1, on YouTube. Hosted by "Buyer & Cellar's" Scott Gryder, PFP's annual Nominee Night will consist of recorded video performances from members of Black Button Eyes' "Ghost Quartet," BoHo Theatre's "Big Fish," Brown Paper Box Company's "If/Then," PFP's "A Man of No Importance," Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre's "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" and Underscore Theatre Company's "The Ballad of Lefty and Crabbe." Admission is free, but donations will be accepted for Season of Concern and to help fund the PFP's reopening. Additionally, PFP will host a performance of Gryder's "Buyer and Cellar" at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 4. Tickets for that performance are available at pridefilmsandplays.com.
'Cymbeline' returns
There won't be live performances under the stars at the Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oak Brook this summer, but First Folio Theatre will serve up a Shakespeare play beginning Wednesday, June 3, when the company streams a video from its 2013 Joseph Jefferson Award-winning production "Cymbeline: A Folk Musical." Adapted from William Shakespeare's comedy by executive director David Rice and featuring music and lyrics by Rice and Michael Keefe, the story unfolds in Appalachia during the Civil War, where a young woman falsely accused of betraying her lover must fight to restore her good name. Tickets are $20. They're available at firstfolio.org.
Mercury Theater highlights
Mercury Theater Chicago recently introduced an online video series showcasing theater artists from past productions. "Backstage Stories" features artists recalling their experiences working with the company. "On the Air With Mercury Theater Chicago" is a variety video series during which Mercury artists share "various at-home skills and performances." "On the Road to Priscilla" consists of videos documenting the forthcoming production of "Priscilla Queen of the Desert." The videos are available on Mercury Theater Chicago's Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube channels.
Sci-fi streaming
The science-fiction- and fantasy-based Otherworld Theatre's 2017 production of "The Rogue Aviator" is available for viewing online via the digital performance platform Patreon. The alternative history play is set during the 1930s in the city of Olympus, which promises a utopia but actually oppresses its citizens until aviator Ellie McLoud intervenes. Patreon subscriptions start at $5 per month. See otherworldtheatre.org.
In other theater news
• Beginning Saturday, May 30, Victory Gardens Theater will host free seminars via Zoom from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturdays for artists whose work has been curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics include virtual auditions, creating a home recording studio and taxes. See victorygardens.org/events/spring-virtual-seminar-series.
• Brooke Flanagan, who currently serves as Chicago Shakespeare Theater's managing director, has been named Steppenwolf Theatre's new executive director, the first female executive director in the company's 45-year history. Flanagan, who previously served seven years at Steppenwolf as director of major gifts, also worked with the Ravinia Festival and the League of Chicago Theatres. She replaces David Schmitz, who is leaving the company after five years to become the executive director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.