Spotlight: Janus Theatre opens ‘outsiders’ season with ‘The Ibsen Project: Hedda’
Janus Theatre commences ‘outsiders’ season
Janus Theatre Company commences its 27th season devoted to outsiders with a scripts-in-hand adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s 19th-century protofeminist classic “Hedda Gabler,” about a woman desperate to free herself from societal constraints and a disappointing marriage who manipulates everyone around her. Artistic director Sean Hargadon directs Janus’ version, which is titled “The Ibsen Project: Hedda.”
7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 27-28, and 6 p.m. Sunday, June 29, at the Elgin Art Showcase, 164 Division St., Elgin. $10. janusplays.com.
Shakespeare under the stars
• Midsommer Flight teams up with the Chicago Park District for free performances of William Shakespeare’s early comedy “Love’s Labour’s Lost” in Chicago parks this summer. The story centers on the King of Navarre (Joshua Pennington) who decrees he and three noblemen will swear off women for three years in order to concentrate on their studies. That vow proves hard to keep when the Princess of France (Vanessa Copeland) arrives with her three ladies in waiting. Artistic director Beth Wolf directs.
6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 27-28, and 2 p.m. Sunday, June 29, at Chicago Women’s Park and Garden, 1801 S. Indiana Ave.; July 3-6 (no show July 4) at Gross Park, 2708 W. Lawrence Ave.; July 11-13 at Nichols Park, 1355 E. 53rd St.; July 18-20 at Kelvyn Park, 4438 W. Wrightwood Ave.; July 25-27 at Winnemac Park, 5100 N. Leavitt St.; and Aug. 1-3 at Touhy Park, 7348 N. Paulina Ave. Free. midsommerflight.com or nightoutintheparks.com.
• Washed ashore after a shipwreck, Viola disguises herself as a page named Cesario and goes to work for Duke Orsino in “Twelfth Night,” William Shakespeare’s late romantic comedy. Complications arise when Viola falls for the duke, who sends her (disguised as Cesario) to woo the Countess Olivia who falls in love with Cesario. Oak Park Festival Theatre artistic director Peter G. Andersen directs the company’s outdoor production, which stars Ama Kuwonu as Viola, Evan Ozer as Orsino and Madison Kiernan as Olivia.
Previews at 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, July 1-3, at Austin Gardens, 167 Forest Ave., Oak Park. The show opens July 5. $40, free for kids 12 and younger. Discounts for seniors and students. oakparkfestival.com.
Handbag Productions’ staged readings
Hell in a Handbag Productions’ staged reading series commemorating Pride Month continues with David Cerda’s “Joan Crawford Goes to Hell,” a satirical mashup of her daughter Christina Crawford’s memoir “Mommie Dearest” and excerpts from Crawford’s own book, “My Way of Life.” Cerda directs the reading, which marks the first of this play in more than 25 years.
7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 27-28, at The Clutch, 4335 N. Western Ave., Chicago. $6.25-$26.25. handbagproductions.org.
Family-friendly fare at Second City
The Second City reprises its hit show from last summer “No Grown-ups Allowed,” consisting of family-friendly songs and sketches from The Second City archives as well as new material for young audiences.
2 p.m. Saturday, July 5, and every Saturday through Sept. 6 at the UP Comedy Club, Piper’s Alley, 230 W. North Ave., Chicago. Tickets start at $29. (800) 896-8120 or secondcity.com.