Theater

Spotlight: Good news for Carole King fans, ‘Beautiful’ is back in the ‘burbs

Posted January 21, 2025 9:37 am

Barbara Vitello

Samantha Gershman plays the titular songwriter in Drury Lane Theatre's “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.”

‘Beautiful’ is back

For the third time in 14 months, a suburban theater is reviving “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.” Drury Lane Theatre’s incarnation of the popular jukebox show stars Samantha Gershman as the celebrated singer/songwriter whose life and career the tuner chronicles. Previews at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29 and Feb. 5; 1:30 and 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30; 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1; and 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 2, at 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. The show opens Feb. 6. $53-$125. (630) 530-0111 or drurylanetheatre.com.

Buffalo Theatre Ensemble members Bryan Burke, second from left, and Kelli Walker rehearse for BTE's revival of “Native Gardens.” Courtesy of Rex Howard Photography

Two yards, one fence, lotsa laughs

Newcomers Pablo and Tania favor indigenous landscaping in their yard, while their neighbors, longtime residents Virginia and Frank, prefer a more conventional approach exacerbated by a clash over a shared property line in “Native Gardens,” Karen Zacarias’ comedy about class, taste and privilege. Buffalo Theatre Ensemble concludes its season with a revival directed by Steve Scott and featuring ensemble members Kelli Walker and Bryan Burke as Virginia and Frank, along with Sofia Tew and Richard Gomez as Tania and Pablo. The preview is at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, at the McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. The show opens Jan. 31. $44. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org.

Emma Jo Boyden, left, Elliot Esquivel, Adam Schulmerich and Terence Sims star in Shattered Globe Theatre's revival of Kenneth Lonergan's dark comedy “Lobby Hero.” Courtesy of Jeffrey L. Kurysz

Dark comedy in the dead of night

In a mid-rise apartment lobby in Manhattan during the graveyard shift, a security guard, his strict supervisor, a rookie police officer and her partner “navigate the question of whether doing the wrong thing for the right reason can ever be justified” in “Lobby Hero.” Nate Santana directs Shattered Globe Theatre’s revival of the 2001 dark comedy by Kenneth Lonergan (“Manchester By the Sea”). Previews are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Jan. 24-25, and Wednesday, Jan. 29, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26, at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. The show opens Thursday, Jan. 30. $10-$52. (773) 975-8150 or sgtheatre.org.

Family-friendly tale

Goodman Theatre remounts “The Lizard y El Sol,” an interactive, all-ages musical incorporating puppets, music and dance to tell the Mexican folktale about a brave lizard (Jean Claudio) who embarks on a quest to bring back the sun after it mysteriously disappears from the sky. Raquel Torre (Lifeline Theatre’s “Kid Prince and Pablo”) directs. 9 and 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 24 and 31, and 10 a.m., 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 25-26 and Feb. 1-2, at 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. $15 for kids 1-17; $10 for 18 and older. (312) 443-3800 or goodmantheatre.org/lizard.

“The Magic City,” one of Manual Cinema's signature all-ages productions incorporating shadow puppetry, cinematic techniques, and innovative sound and music, is remounted by the Chicago Children's Theatre, whose permanent home the production inaugurated in 2017. Courtesy of Charles Osgood

‘Magic City’ for kids

Manual Cinema brings its production of “The Magic City” to the Chicago Children’s Theatre for a limited run. It’s about a younger sister who becomes trapped in a miniature magic city of her own creation after her beloved older sister starts seeing a new boyfriend. 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 25-26, and through Feb. 16 at 100 S. Racine Ave., Chicago. $35.25. (312) 374-8835 or chicagochildrenstheatre.org.

Teagle F. Bougere, left, plays Civil Rights activist and voice of the Civil Rights movement James Baldwin and Eric T. Miller plays conservative pundit William F. Buckley Jr. in “Debate: Baldwin vs. Buckley,” a co-production between TimeLine Theatre and DePaul University. Courtesy of Christopher McElroen

The ‘Debate’ continues

TimeLine Theatre presents the Chicago premiere of “Debate: Baldwin v. Buckley” starring Teagle F. Bougere as civil rights leader James Baldwin and Eric T. Miller as conservative pundit William F. Buckley. Adapted and directed by Christopher McElroen, the play is inspired by the Feb. 18, 1965, televised debate between Baldwin and Buckley on the topic: Is the American dream at the expense of the American Negro? Previews at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 29-30, at Cortelyou Commons, DePaul University, 2324 N. Fremont St., Chicago. The show opens Jan. 31. $40-$75. (773) 281-8463, ext. 6, or timelinetheatre.com.

Steppenwolf Theatre ensemble member Caroline Neff and “Chicago Med” veteran Nick Gehlfuss rehearse for the theater's revival of Sam Shepard's “Fool for Love.” Courtesy of Joel Moorman

Steppenwolf revives a classic

Estranged and embattled lovers May and Eddie go round after round in a sweltering motel room where Eddie tries to convince May to run away with him again and she resists falling into their mutually destructive behavior in “Fool for Love,” Sam Shepard’s blistering examination of love’s battles. Steppenwolf Theatre’s revival stars ensemble member Caroline Neff as May and Nick Gehlfuss (“Chicago Med”) as Eddie. Previews at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Jan. 30-31, and Feb. 5-7; 3 and 7 p.m. Feb. 1; and 3 p.m. Feb. 2 at 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago. The show opens Feb. 8. $20-$128. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

Welcome back, Lookingglass

After taking a hiatus for more than a year, Lookingglass Theatre returns with “Circus Quixote,” a world premiere produced in collaboration with The Actors Gymnasium. Inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’ novel, the play transports audiences “into the dreamy madness of Don Quixote and his impossible folly-filled quest to bring good-deed doing back into the world.” Kerry and David Catlin adapted the novel and Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi designed the circus arts. Previews at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Jan. 30-Feb. 1, and Feb. 5-7, and 1:30 p.m. Feb. 2 at Water Tower Water Works, 163 E. Pearson St., Chicago. The show opens Feb. 8. $30-$80. lookingglasstheatre.org.

Article Comments

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.