Spotlight: Chicago premiere of 'Life After' debuts at Goodman

All-star revival

An ensemble made up of Chicago theater all-stars and an all-female creative team partner for Drury Lane Theatre's revival of "Steel Magnolias," Robert Harling's sentimental dramedy about six female friends whose unbreakable bond helps them weather some of life's biggest challenges. Johanna McKenzie Miller helms the production, the cast of which includes: Janet Ulrich Brooks, Amy J. Carle, Lillian Castillo, Cordelia Dewdney, Elizabeth Ledo and Susie McMonagle.

Previews at 8 p.m. Friday, June 10; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, June 11; 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday, June 12; and 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 15, at 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. The show opens Thursday, June 16. $64-$79. Masking is optional. (630) 530-0111 or drurylanetheatre.com.

Beautiful city

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre transforms its Evanston space into an urban park for its revival of "Godspell," the Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak musical based on the Gospel of St. Matthew. "'Godspell' is essentially about community," said director Christopher Pazdernik in a prepared statement. "We look forward to leaning into that theme for our production ... following a group of people who have been 'othered' by society in some way, coming together in their search for shared values and chosen family."

Previews at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 10-11, and 7 p.m. Sunday, June 12, and through June 19 at 721 Howard St., Evanston. The show opens June 20. $35-$54. Proof of vaccination and masking required. (773) 939-4101 or theo-u.com.

Love and loss

Goodman Theatre presents the Chicago premiere of "Life After," a musical about love and loss by composer/lyricist/writer Britta Johnson, who drew upon her own experiences dealing with her father's sudden death. "It feels like a dream come true to bring 'Life After' to Chicago," Johnson said in a prepared statement. "After the wild ride the past couple of years has been, specifically what this particular project has been through, it's a thrill to see it on the horizon again."

Previews at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 11; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 12; 7:30 p.m. June 15-17 and through June 21 at 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. The show opens June 22. $25-$80. Proof of vaccination and masking required. (312) 443-3800 or goodmantheatre.org.

Regional premiere

Victory Gardens Theater concludes its season with the regional premiere of "cullud wattah," Erika Dickerson-Despenza's drama inspired by the Flint, Michigan, water crisis, which began in 2014 and resulted in residents drinking contaminated water for years. Dickerson-Despenza's play centers on the terrible cost the environmental catastrophe had on the women in one family. VGT resident director Lili-Anne Brown directs.

Previews at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 11; 3 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 12; and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, June 15-16, at 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. The show opens June 17. $29-$62. Proof of vaccination and masking required. (773) 871-3000 or victorygardens.org.

In other news

Check with venues regarding COVID-19 precautions.

• Davenport's Piano Bar and Cabaret presents a sendup of the HBO series "Sex and the City" titled "Sex and the Windy City: An Unofficial Musical Parody" at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, June 10-11 and 17-18, at 1383 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Tickets cost $25, plus a two-drink minimum. Masks required. See davenportspianobar.com.

• Previews begin Friday, June 10, for the Chicago premiere of "Tommy on Top," a British bedroom farce about a closeted Hollywood actor who's about to become the first gay man to win an Oscar, but only if he plays his cards right. The show opens Wednesday, June 15, at the Pride Arts Center, 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago. (773) 857-0222 or pridearts.org.

• The Pivot Arts Festival, the multidisciplinary celebration of dance, opera, film and other arts, begins Friday, June 10, and runs through June 18 at The Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway, Chicago. Featured performances include: a film by performer Alex Grelle; the dance film "A Tale of Two," featuring Hubbard Street Dance Chicago; a Chicago dancemakers forum; the in-development opera "Force!"; "Beaten Path," which was inspired by American jazz and southern Indian traditions; and "The Rosina Project," a hip-hop opera inspired by "The Barber of Seville," among others. Admission ranges from free to $35. Tickets available at pivotarts.org/festival.

• Comedian Pat McGann headlines the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake, at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 11. McGann, formerly Sebastian Maniscalco's opening act, has appeared on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," "Late Night With David Letterman" and Montreal's "Just for Laughs Festival," among others. Tickets start at $25. COVID-19 vaccination and masking may be required. (815) 356-9212 or rauecenter.org.

• Performer singer/actor Scott Gryder and pianist/arranger/accompanist Nick Sula team up for "Gryder and Sula celebrate Kander and Ebb," the next performance in the PrideArts' ongoing cabaret series. The performance takes place at 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 13, at 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago. Their performance is followed on Monday, June 20, with composer/cabaret artist Kyra Leigh. (773) 857-0222 or pridearts.org.

• Stage Left Theatre hosts its second Spring Fling, an outdoor short play festival taking place Thursday through Saturday, June 16-18, at Northcenter Townsquare, 4100 N. Damen Ave., Chicago. Purchasing a $5 ticket assures the ticketholder a reserved spot closer to the performance. Theatergoers should arrive by 6:45 p.m. and bring a chair or blanket. Seating is limited. In the case of inclement weather, performances will take place at the Saint Andrew Auditorium Theatre at Addison Street and Hermitage Avenue, Chicago. See stagelefttheatre.com.

• Comedian Morgan Murphy, a writer for TV shows including "Crank Yankers," "Jimmy Kimmel! Live" and "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon," among others, performs at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. She performs Thursday through Saturday, June 16-18. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and masking required. (773) 697-3830 or thedentheatre.com.

• Citadel Theatre hosts its eighth annual gala fundraiser beginning at 4 p.m. Saturday, July 16, at the David Adler Estate, 830 N. Green Bay Road, Lake Forest. Titled "A Night at the Moulin Rouge," the event includes cocktails, dinner, dancing, entertainment, a tour of the property and a silent auction. Tickets are $300. See citadeltheatre.org.

• Trap Door Theatre has extended its production of "Medea Material," a dance and theater spectacle that examines Euripides' tragedy "Medea." Extra performances run June 23 through July 2 at 1655 W. Cortland St., Chicago. COVID-19 vaccination and masking required. See trapdoortheatre.com.

• The House Theatre of Chicago, the multi-Joseph Jefferson Award-winning ensemble whose signature productions included "The Sparrow," "Death and Harry Houdini," "The Terrible Tragedy of Peter Pan," "United Flight 232" and "The Nutcracker," among others, ceased operations on May 29 with the conclusion of its U.S. premiere of "The Tragedy of King Christophe." "Thanks to the hard work and patience of so many ... we were able to rise from the challenges of the initial pandemic hibernation and point the company in a new direction," said board president Renee Duba in a prepared statement. However, it became clear, said Duba, "we did not have the financial momentum or audience/donor support to continue beyond this fiscal year. We chose instead to maximize our current year programming and to honor all present commitments and partnerships with a thoughtfully planned exit from the Chicago theater scene and a wealth of pride in what The House Theatre of Chicago has accomplished."

• Prop Thtr announced its 41st season will begin Oct. 13 with "The Clean-Up," Hallie Palladino's drama about a young mother who falls for "a swoon-worthy superdad" at her child's preschool. That's followed by a co-production with Perceptions Theatre titled "Panther Women: An Army for the Liberation" (early 2023), which weaves together the stories of Angela Davis, Assata Shakur and Elaine Brown to highlight the women involved in the Black Liberation Movement. Performances take place at the Athenaeum Center, 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. See propthtr.org.