'Sweet Charity' director Corti takes on 'Cabaret'

Jim Corti, last year's Jeff Award-winning director of the sensational "Sweet Charity," teams up with music director Doug Peck (the 2008 Jeff winner for Court Theatre's "Carousel") for Drury Lane Oak Brook Theatre's production of "Cabaret," the iconic Kander and Ebb musical about ill-fated lovers coming together during the waning days of Germany's Weimar Republic.

Info: Previews begin Thursday, Aug. 13, at 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. The production opens Wednesday, Aug. 19. (630) 530-0111 or drury laneoakbrook.com.

The male intellect revealed

Actor/writer Robert Dubac delves into the male psyche in "The Male Intellect: An Oxymoron?" Dubac introduces audiences to five alter-egos, each more misguided than the last, in this one-man show at Noble Fool.

Info: 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, and 5 and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, at the Pheasant Run Resort & Spa, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. (630) 584-6342 or noblefool.org.

Homespun humor

William Christopher, formerly Father Mulcahy on TV's "M*A*S*H," returns to the suburbs to star in the musical comedy "Church Basement Ladies." Set in 1964, the show centers around four parishioners of a Minnesota church who literally feed the flock while they swap recipes and solve each other's problems.

Info: Runs Wednesday to Sunday, Aug. 12-16, at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. (847) 931-5900 or hemmens.org.

What's new

• With "Tony n' Tina's Wedding" on hiatus, Route 66 Theatre Company motors into the Pipers Alley Theater to present the Chicago premiere of "High Fidelity- the Musical." Based on the 2000 film starring John Cusack, which was inspired by Nick Hornby's 1995 novel, "High Fidelity" centers around a thirtysomething record store owner whose recent breakup with his live-in girlfriend prompts him to seek advice from former lovers. Previews begin Friday, Aug. 7, at 1608 N. Wells St., Chicago. The production opens Monday Aug. 17. (312) 664-8844 or route66theatre.org.

• "Scenes from an Italian Notebook," a collection of 10 short plays written by Paul Barile of The Sweet Life theater company, plays Friday, Aug. 7, and Saturday, Aug. 8, at City Lit Theater Company, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago. The production moves to the Mary-Arrchie Theatre at Angel Island, 735 W. Sheridan Road, Chicago, for Aug. 14 and 15 performances and to the Indian Boundary Park & Cultural Center, 2500 W. Lunt Ave., Chicago, for performances Aug. 21 and 22. (773) 282-0344.

• Signal Ensemble Theatre marks the beginning of its seventh season with "The Ballad of the Sad Café," Edward Albee's interpretation of Carson McCullers' 1951 novella about a lonely woman who falls improbably in love with a mysterious man just as her estranged husband returns from prison. Co-artistic director Ronan Marra directs the play, which centers on the dilemma of whether it's better to love or be loved. Previews begin Friday, Aug. 7, at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division Ave., Chicago. The production opens Sunday, Aug. 9. (773) 347-1350 or signalensemble.com.

• Playground Theater remounts its improvised, sci-fi thriller "Thems" beginning Friday, Aug. 7, at 3209 N. Halsted St., Chicago. The adults-only show runs at 10:30 p.m. Fridays through Sept. 25. (773) 419-0571 or themsiscoming.com.

• The recession-weary residents of a working-class London neighborhood circa 1986 try to combat the effects of Thatcherism in Jim Cartwright's comedy-drama "Road." The play is the first production by newcomer Ka-Tet Theatre Company. It opens Friday, Aug. 7, at Stage Left Theatre, 3408 N. Sheffield Ave., Chicago. (800) 838-3006 or katettheatre.com.

• Hangar 9 Theatre Company begins its second season with "Boys' Life," Howard Korder's comedy about the misadventures a trio of former college buddies trying to negotiate the big city and a grown-up romance during the late 1980s. Performances begin Friday, Aug. 7, at Gorilla Tango Theatre, 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. (773) 598-4549 or hangar9theatre.com.

• Anton Chekhov's "Three Sisters" inspired Inconceivable Theatre's inaugural production "Three Sisters - Alone!" in which a fictional Canadian theater company tries to produce the play with puppets while dealing with their own professional conflicts and romantic entanglements. The show runs Friday, Aug. 7, to Monday, Aug. 10, at the North Lakeside Cultural Center, 6219 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago. See inconceivabletheatre.org for ticket information.

• Modern day refugee camps provide the setting and inspiration for Bare Boned Theatre's "The Hecubae," adapted from Euripides' "Hecuba." The Bare Boned version examines the experiences of women victimized during wartime throughout history. The production opens Saturday, Aug. 8, at Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark St., Chicago. (773) 944-0292 or barebonedtheatre.org.

• To curb overpopulation in the year 2042, the government has initiated a lottery to select who will be humanely dispatched. When Tristan's wife is selected, he must chose between loyalty to his country and loyalty to his wife. This is the premise of "The Draft," a futuristic drama opening Tuesday, Aug. 11, at Gorilla Tango Theatre, 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. (773) 598-4549 or gorillatango.com.

• Playwright Anita Chandwaney will appear in her play "Instant Recall," one of three one-acts that comprise "culture/clash," an examination of the cultural confrontations unique to the residents of South Asia. "Instant Recall" begins previews Thursday, Aug. 13, at Strawdog Theatre, 2839 N. Broadway St., Chicago. Other featured plays include "Night Shift" and "Midnite's Vultures." (312) 777-1070 or strawdog.org. Information is also available from Premiere Theatre & Performance at (773) 250-7055 or ptapchicago.org.

• Sideshow Theatre Company artistic associate E. Warren Perry, Jr. wrote "Ekphrasis: Cave Walls to Soup Cans," a survey of western art condensed into 90 minutes. Previews of the world premiere are Tuesday, Aug. 11, and Wednesday, Aug. 12. The production opens Thursday, Aug. 13, at Viaduct Theatre, 3111 N. Western Ave., Chicago. For tickets and information, see ekphrasisplay.com or sideshowtheatre.org.

• Blackbird Theatre Company intends to tell the untold tale of an overexposed, celebrity love triangle in their new show, "The Tragedy of Jennifer, Brad and Angelina" running Thursday, Aug. 13, to Sunday, Aug. 16, at the Side Project, 1439 W. Jarvis, Chicago. See blackbirdtheatrecompany.com for tickets and information.