On stage for spring: New, new-to-Chicago plays and musicals

Suburban and city theater fans looking for a new or a new-to-Chicago show have plenty to choose from this spring.

Besides the North American premiere of a jukebox tuner about British invasion stalwarts The Kinks, upcoming musicals include the Tony Award-winning “Titanic” by composer/lyricist Maury Yeston and writer Peter Stone and “Titanique,” the hit off-Broadway parody of James Cameron’s 1997 blockbuster.

The timely dramas “Prayer for the French Republic” addresses rising antisemitism in France during World War II and today and “Berlin” examines the rise of fascism in Weimar Germany.

And literary adaptations include regional premieres of the stage adaptation of the bestselling thriller “The Da Vinci Code” and Charles Dickens’ literary classic about sacrifice and redemption, “A Tale of Two Cities.”

With that in mind, here are a dozen (mostly new) shows for spring.

‘Sunny Afternoon’

The story of The Kinks, a seminal band from the 1960s and the British invasion, inspired the jukebox tuner “Sunny Afternoon.” Co-founder Ray Davies (“Lola,” “You Really Got Me”) came up with the story and Joe Penhall wrote the book. Chicago Shakespeare Theater artistic director Edward Hall directs CST’s North American premiere of the award-winning musical. March 21-April 27 at Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave., Chicago, (312) 595-5600 or chicagoshakes.com.

‘No Such Thing’

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble premieres “No Such Thing,” a play about how society disregards middle-aged women, by ensemble member Lisa Dillman. Malkia Stampley directs the play, which centers on Ren, a former hotshot screenwriter who begins an affair after finding herself becoming invisible both socially and professionally. March 22-April 27 at 5779 N. Ridge Ave., Chicago, (773) 334-7728 or rivendelltheatre.org.

‘Titanique’

Porchlight Music Theatre and Broadway in Chicago have assembled an all-Chicago cast for the local premiere of “Titanique,” the off-Broadway hit send-up of James Cameron’s Oscar-winning 1997 film paired with Celine Dion hits. The cast includes: Claire Kennedy McLaughlin as Celine Dion, Adam Fane as Jack and Maya Rowe as Rose, along with Rob Lindley and Adrian Aguilar, among others. March 25-May 18 at Broadway Playhouse Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut St., Chicago, broadwayinchicago.com.

‘Translations’

In a fictional village in 1833 Western Ireland, members of the British army, there to map the country and replace the names of local places with the King’s English, clash with the locals in “Translations,” by the Irish dramatist Brian Friel. Writers Theatre’s artistic director Braden Abraham directs the theater’s revival, which examines what happens when native language is erased. April 3-May 4 at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe, (847) 242-6000 or writerstheatre.org.

‘Titanic the Musical’

The 1985 recovery of the wreckage of the RMS Titanic inspired composer/lyricist Maury Yeston and book writer Peter Stone’s Tony Award-winning “Titanic the Musical,” which examines the tragedy through the eyes of the “ship of dreams” passengers. Making his debut in Marriott Theatre’s revival of the infrequently produced show is director/choreographer Connor Gallagher (Broadway’s “Beetlejuice”). April 9-June 1 at 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire, (847) 634-0200 or marriotttheatre.com.

‘The Da Vinci Code’

In Dan Brown’s novel “The Da Vinci Code,” a Harvard University professor and a police cryptologist try to unlock clues hidden in the paintings of Leonardo da Vinci to centuries-old secrets. Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel’s stage adaptation of Brown’s 2003 novel has its regional premiere at Drury Lane Theatre under the direction of Elizabeth Margolius. April 9-June 1 at 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, (630) 530-0111 or drurylanetheatre.com.

‘Prayer for the French Republic’

Northlight Theatre stages “Prayer for the French Republic,” Joshua Harmon’s timely drama about a Jewish family living in France confronting antisemitism. One story unfolds in 2016 as a couple considers emigrating to Israel as antisemitism begins to infect mainstream French politics. The other unfolds during the Holocaust as a Jewish couple awaits news of their missing family members. April 10-May 11 at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, (847) 673-6300 or northlight.org.

‘Art’

Remy Bumppo Theatre revives Yasmina Reza’s Tony Award-winning play “Art,” about the relationship between three longtime friends that is upended when one of them purchases an expensive piece of abstract art whose value the other two question. Artistic director Marti Lyons directs. May 1-June 1 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, (773) 975-8150 or remybumppo.org.

‘Berlin’

Inspired by Jason Lutes’ graphic novel series “Berlin,” this new commission by Court Theatre set during Weimar Germany consists of a series of narratives about everyday people trying to survive the onslaught of fascism and facing the decision whether to fight or abandon the city forever. Former Artistic Director Charles Newell directs playwright Mickle Maher’s adaptation. April 11-May 4 at 5535 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago, (773) 753-4472 or courttheatre.org.

‘A Tale of Two Cities’

Shattered Globe Theatre presents the Midwest premiere of Brendan Pelsue’s adaptation of “A Tale of Two Cities,” Charles Dickens’ ever-timely tale about class, revolution, sacrifice and redemption. The story centers on dissolute lawyer Sydney Carton, who out of devotion to the lovely Lucy, on several occasions saves the life of her French aristocrat husband, Charles Darnay, who Sydney resembles. April 18-May 31 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, (773) 770-0333 or sgtheatre.org.

‘Gorgeous’

After her dog handler boyfriend Bill dies, Jenny decides to continue showing his champion bulldog Gorgeous. However, the arrival of Bill’s ex-wife Bernie throws a monkey wrench into those plans in “Gorgeous,” a new play about grief and forgiveness by Keiko Green in its world premiere at Raven Theatre. May 1-June 7 at 6157 N. Clark St., Chicago, (773) 338-2177 or raventheatre.com.

‘Six Men Dressed Like Josef Stalin’

A Russian actor named Koba is tasked with training Soso, a Russian who resembles a certain general secretary of the Community Party, so that he can serve as his body double during a 1943 conference in Tehran with Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill in “Six Men Dressed Like Josef Stalin,” Dianne Nora’s play about Felix Dadaev, one of Stalin’s body doubles. A Red Orchid’s Chicago premiere is directed by ensemble member Dado. May 8-June 22 at 1531 N. Wells St., Chicago, aredorchidtheatre.com.