Martians attack: The invasion of Chicago begins in the ’burbs in Lifeline’s ‘War of the Worlds’

On their march to Chicago, invading Martians will first storm the West and Northwest suburbs. At least that’s how theater artist John Hildreth imagines an extraterrestrial attack will unfold in his Chicago-set adaptation of H.G. Welles’ seminal 1897 sci-fi novel “The War of the Worlds” in its world premiere at Lifeline Theatre, which is known for its literary adaptations.

Hildreth and director Heather Currie agreed setting the adaptation here during an unspecified but modern era would make the story more relatable. To that end, the Streator, Illinois, native and 26-year Lifeline ensemble member referenced suburbs including Bartlett, Batavia, Aurora, Elgin, Inverness, Prospect Heights, Lombard, Woodridge and Hanover Park, among others.

“I wanted to put (the play) in the Chicagoland area, but I didn't want to be too specific about the time it was taking place,” said the 40-year theater veteran, whose adaptation references the actual Fox River but also includes sand pits, underground caverns and other made-up landmarks.

The production marks a reunion of Hildreth and Currie, who earned Joseph Jefferson Award nominations for their 2023 Lifeline collaboration on Kurt Vonnegut’s “Cat’s Cradle,” which earned Hildreth a Jeff for best adaptation.

Currie approached Hildreth with the idea of adapting “War of the Worlds” for Lifeline’s stage. Hildreth, a Second City alumnus and a director himself, agreed.

Although he had seen Steven Spielberg’s film version starring Tom Cruise when it opened 20 years ago, the three-time Jeff Award-winner took pains to avoid any other version of Welles’ story chronicling an alien invasion from Mars.

“I wanted to extrapolate from the novel my own ideas,” he said. “I didn’t want to be influenced by the film adaptations.”

Or the grandiose special effects that are not possible at the Rogers Park theater.

“We have a very tiny stage,” Hildreth continued. “We had to be very creative with movement, with physicality, with props, lights and sound.”

His biggest challenge was creating a cast of characters (which the novel lacks) that experience the events of the play.

“There are not many characters in the book. There’s not much dialogue and not many relationships,” said Hildreth, whose protoganists consist of scientists and their students.

“We went through three drafts,” he said. “That’s what the rehearsal process is with new works. Every rehearsal you’re making changes, adding things, cutting things, switching things around.”

Describing his adaptation as heavily pro-science, Hildreth says it is a social satire. But he declines to comment on its message, saying he prefers audiences determine that for themselves.

“It’s a story about how people behave and how their behavior changes when they’re in a crisis,” he said, adding that people’s natural instincts don’t necessarily lend themselves to friendliness and cooperation, particularly when Martians are on the move.

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“War of the Worlds”

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday; 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 2:30 p.m. Sunday through July 13

Where: Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago, (773) 761-4477, lifelinetheatre.com/

Tickets: $20-$45