Spotlight: Broadway vet makes debut at Writers, ‘Little Mermaid’ opens at Drury Lane
Life worth living
Broadway veteran Jessie Fisher returns to Chicago for her Writers Theatre debut in “Every Brilliant Thing,” a solo show about the lengths people go to for those they love. Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe’s play commences with a youngster making a list of life’s wonderful things — ice cream, construction cranes, laughing so hard you shoot milk out of your nose — for her mother, who suffers from depression. Kimberly Senior directs. Previews at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Oct. 31-Nov. 1 and Nov. 6-7; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3, at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The show opens Nov. 8. $70. (847) 242-6000 or writerstheatre.org.
Spooky Shakespeare
Janus Theatre, in association with the Elgin Shakespeare Project and Moonlight Theatre, presents William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” a tragedy steeped in the supernatural whose characters include witches, visions and ghosts. Sean Hargadon adapts and directs. 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Oct. 31-Nov. 1; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2; and 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3, at Moonlight Theatre, 7 S. 2nd Ave., St. Charles. $30. moonlighttheatre.com.
Everyone’s favorite ogre returns
Ogre and reluctant hero Shrek and his pal Donkey go on a journey to rescue Princess Fiona in “Shrek the Musical.” The touring production, directed and choreographed by Danny Mefford, comes to the Genesee Theatre this weekend. 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, at 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. $45-$99. (847) 263-6300 or geneseetheatre.com.
A not-so-fine romance
A woman’s life takes a terrifying turn after she goes on a blind date with a man who becomes increasingly possessive in Rebecca Gilman’s 2000 suspense tale “Boy Gets Girl.” Steve Scott, who directed Eclipse Theatre Company’s 2006 revival, helms MadKap Productions’ production, which stars Olivia Winters as Theresa and Colton Schied as her date, Tony. 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 1-2, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3, and through Nov. 24 at Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave., Skokie. $38, $42. (847) 677-7761 or skokietheatre.org.
World premiere
Nothing Without a Company returns for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic to stage the premiere of “Sofa King Queer” by Chicago writer/composer/lyricist Kevin Sparrow. Set in 2008, the pop-punk rock musical centers on a queer young man who, 24 hours away from a breakout performance, has to decide which secrets to keep and which to reveal. 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 1-2, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3, and through Dec. 2 at the Berger Park Cultural Center, 6205 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago. $30-$60. nothingwithoutacompany.org.
Family-friendly tuner
Drury Lane Theatre provides holiday counterprogramming in the form of “Disney’s The Little Mermaid,” the stage adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale and the 1989 animated film about a musical mermaid who falls in love with a prince and makes a Faustian bargain with a sea witch to trade her voice for legs in an effort to win his love. Scott Weinstein directs the revival, which stars Sarah Kay as Ariel and Patrick Johnson as Prince Eric. Previews at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6 and 13; 1:30 and 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Nov. 7-8; 3 and 8 p.m. Nov. 9; and 2 and 6 p.m. Nov. 10 at 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. The show opens Nov. 14. (630) 530-0111 or drurylanetheatre.com.
WeWomen Fest
Artemisia Theatre remounts its fall playwright festival re-titled the WeWomen Play Festival featuring readings of works by six female Chicago-area playwrights. 7:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, Nov. 4-16, at The Little Studio, Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Pay what you can. artemisiatheatre.org.