Theater

Spotlight: A sorcerer, a queen, an AIDS activist and visionaries take center stage this week

Posted August 20, 2024 10:57 am

Annemarie Andaleon plays Henrietta Howell in Black Button Eyes Productions' premiere of “A Shadow Bright and Burning.” Courtesy of Tyler Core

Fantasy tale

When monsters from another dimension invade Victorian England, Henrietta Howell, a young female sorcerer, may be the only one able to stop them in “A Shadow Bright and Burning.” Black Button Eyes Productions presents the world premiere of Ed Rutherford’s adaptation of Jessica Cluess’ 2016 fantasy novel. Previews at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 23-24, at The Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway, Chicago. The show opens Sunday, Aug. 25. $40. blackbuttoneyes.com.

The men behind Marvel

City Lit Theater Company premieres “The House of Ideas,” the final part of Mark Pracht’s Four-Color Trilogy about the creation of comic books. The play examines the rise of Marvel Comics and the troubled relationship between visionary creators Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Terry McCabe directs. Previews at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 23-24 and 30-31, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, at Edgewater Presbyterian Church, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr, Chicago. The show opens Sept. 1. $25-$35. (773) 728-7529 or citylit.org/.

A musical about making a musical

PrideArts opens its 2024-2025 season with a revival of “[title of show],” a one-act musical by composer/lyricist Jeff Bowen and writer Hunter Bell that chronicles the creation of a one-act musical. Jay Españo directs, and Casey Coppess and Jonah Cochin will play Hunter and Jeff, respectively. Previews at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, at 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago. The show opens Monday, Aug. 26. $25-$35. (773) 857-0222 or pridearts.org.

Redtwist Theatre revives “The Normal Heart,” Larry Kramer's 1985 play about the early days of the AIDS crisis. The production stars top row from left: Joshua Servantez, Tamara Rozofsky and Cameron Austin Brown. Middle row from left: Gardy Gilbert, Peter Ferneding and Zarchary Linnert. Bottom row from left: Philip C. Matthews, Christopher Meister and Caleb Crawford.

‘The Normal Heart’ revived

During the early 1980s, writer and gay activist Ned Weeks struggles to raise awareness of an unidentified disease killing gay men in “The Normal Heart,” Larry Kramer’s semi-autobiographic, 1985 account of the early days of the AIDS epidemic and the origins of the advocacy group The Gay Men’s Health Crisis. Redtwist Theatre ensemble member Ted Hoerl directs the revival featuring Peter Ferneding as Ned and Zachary Linnert as his partner, Felix Turner. Opens at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, at 1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago. $35. (773) 728-7529 or redtwisttheatre.org.

Janet Ulrich Brooks plays Queen Elizabeth II in Drury Lane Theatre's revival of “The Audience” by Peter Morgan.

Portrait of a queen

Janet Ulrich Brooks returns to Drury Lane Theatre to play Queen Elizabeth II in “The Audience,” Peter Morgan’s portrait of the “woman behind the crown.” The play unfolds through imagined private meetings the Queen had with her prime ministers from the time she assumed the throne at age 25 until 86. This marks Brooks’ second time playing this role in Chicago. In 2017 she starred in TimeLine Theatre’s revival of Morgan’s play alongside Matt DeCaro as Winston Churchill and Mark Ulrich as Anthony Eden, both of whom rejoin her in director Jessica Fisch’s Drury Lane production. Previews at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28 and Sept. 4; 1:30 and 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29; 7 p.m. Aug. 30; 3 and 8 p.m. Aug. 31; and 2 and 6 p.m. Sept. 1 at 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. The show opens Sept. 5. Tickets start at $52.95. (630) 530-0111 or drurylanetheatre.com.

Tomer Proctor-Zenker, left, Nathanael Vangine, Liliana Mastroianni and Ryan Hake star in Unexpected Theatre Company's premiere of “7 Minutes to Live.” Courtesy of Joe Mazza/Brave Lux

World premiere

Andrea J. Dymond helms Unexpected Theatre Company’s premiere of “7 Minutes to Live” by Richard Lyons Conlon. Co-produced by Chicago Dramatists and Prop Thtr, “7 Minutes to Live” is described as “a gothic dramedy about urban angst, patriarchal privilege, caste warfare, incendiary literature and true love.” Previews at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 27-28, at Chicago Dramatists, 798 N. Aberdeen, Chicago. The show opens Thursday, Aug. 29. Pay-what-you-can, with a suggested price of $25. chicagodramatists.org.

How to preserve an art form

Under The Umbrella Productions, an independent group of Chicago-area artists and theater-makers, present “The Underground Society for Music” by writer/lyricist Austin Lamewona and composer Brooke Vespoli. A two-part play with music, the show unfolds in a world without music where a group of musician/artists collaborate with poets to revive the dying art form. The Aug. 30 performance will be recorded for an album. 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 29-31, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1 at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. $35. undergroundplaywithmusic.com.

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