Theater

Spotlight: Marriott hosts ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ vet in concert

Posted July 08, 2025 2:01 pm

Barbara Vitello

Musician/actor Nat Zegree brings his rockin’ all-request show to the Marriott Theatre.

Marriott welcomes Jeff winner, kids’ show

• Nat Zegree (Joseph Jefferson Award winner for Theatre at the Center’s “Million Dollar Quartet”) brings his “Greatest Hits Rockin’ Request Show” to Marriott Theatre for two shows, performing hits chosen by the audience.

7 p.m. Monday, July 14, and 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 15, at 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. $75. (847) 634-0200 or marriotttheatre.com.

• Also at Marriott, the aardvark Arthur Read, the central figure in Marc Brown’s series of children’s books and star of the animated PBS series, is nervous about performing in a big show with his class. Fortunately, pals Buster, Brain, Francine and Muffy, along with his younger sister D.W., help him through it in Marriott Theatre for Young Audiences’ premiere of “Arthur & Friends Make a Musical.” Tommy Rivera-Vega directs the show, which stars Winter Olamina as the titular mammal.

Previews at 10 a.m. Friday through Sunday, July 11-13, and Wednesday through Friday, July 16-18, at 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. The show opens July 19. $16.75. (847) 634-0200 or marriotttheatre.com.

Cynthia Marker stars in Griffin Theatre Company's Midwest premiere of the solo show “Girls & Boys.”

One-woman show in Midwest premiere at Griffin

Cynthia Marker plays a woman who meets the man of her dreams, marries him, starts a family and enjoys a seemingly idyllic existence until it begins to crumble in “Girls & Boys,” a solo dramedy about “love and the dark truths that lie beneath” by Dennis Kelly. Robin Witt directs Griffin Theatre Company’s Midwest premiere.

Previews at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 11-12, and Thursday and Friday, July 17-18, and 3 p.m. Sunday, July 13, at Bramble Arts Loft, 5545 N. Clark St., Chicago. The show opens July 19. $30-$43. griffintheatre.com.

‘Funny Thing’ revival

MadKap Productions revives “A Funny Think Happened on the Way to the Forum,” the Stephen Sondheim-Larry Gelbart-Burt Shevelove slapstick musical about Roman slave Pseudolus who schemes to win his freedom by helping his young master, Hero, woo the beautiful Philia.

7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 11-12, and 2 p.m. Sunday, July 13, and through Aug. 3 at the Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave., Skokie. $42, $48. (847) 677-7761 or skokietheatre.org.

Theater lovers can enjoy Jane Austen's “Pride and Prejudice” and primary characters the Bennet sisters as part of Morton Arboretum’s Walking Plays series. Courtesy of Claire Taylor Photos

Austen at the Arboretum

Morton Arboretum invites theater fans to experience the world of the Bennet sisters during its open-air adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” which is part of this summer’s Walking Plays series. Performances run about two hours and do not exceed two miles in walking distance.

6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 12-13, and through Aug. 3 at 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle. $27 for adults, $17 for kids 2-17, and free for kids 2 and younger. mortonarb.org.

Jack Ball, left, plays Austin and Ben Page plays Lee in Paramount Theatre's revival of Sam Shepard's “True West,” which kicks off Paramount Theatre's fourth BOLD Series at the Copley Theatre. Courtesy of Jennifer Heim Photography

Paramount’s BOLD series returns with Shepard classic

Paramount Theatre inaugurates its fourth BOLD season with “True West,” Sam Shepard’s tale of toxic sibling rivalry about estranged brothers: Austin, a Hollywood screenwriter, and Lee, a drifter and thief, whose unexpected reunion reveals they are more similar than either wants to admit. Paramount artistic director Jim Corti helms the revival, which stars Jack Ball as Austin and Ben Page as Lee.

Previews at 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, July 16-17; 8 p.m. July 18; 2 and 8 p.m. July 19; and 1 and 5:30 p.m. July 20 at the Copley Theatre, 8 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. The show opens July 23. $40-$55. (630) 896-6666 or paramountaurora.com.

Glenview native Aurora Penepacker plays the titular character in Kokandy Productions' Chicago premiere of “Amélie.” Courtesy of Collin Quinn Rice

Chicago ‘Amélie’ premiere at Kokandy

Kokandy Productions kicks off its season with the Chicago premiere of the musical “Amélie” by writer Craig Lucas, composer/lyricist Daniel Messé and lyricist Nathan Tysen, and adapted from the 2001 film. Glenview native Aurora Penepacker stars as the titular waitress, a whimsical, romantic young woman who does her best to bring joy to the people around her. Derek Van Barham directs.

Previews at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, July 17-19, and 5 p.m. July 20 and through Aug. 1 at the Chopin Downstairs Studio, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago. The show opens Aug. 2. $25-$55. kokandyproductions.com.

Musical comedy under the stars

A group of down-on-their-luck pirates cause havoc during the public display of the monarch’s personal artifacts in the family-friendly “The Queen’s Museum,” a new musical by Mark Adamczyk performed outdoors by Citadel Theatre under director Ben Ballmer.

6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, July 17-18, and 3 and 6 p.m. July 19-20, at the Mellody Farm Nature Preserve, 350 N. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest. $20. citadeltheatre.org.

Absurdist comedy at Theatre Y

The world of three mischievous orphans is upended by strangers who threaten their values and community in “Frontieres Sans Frontieres,” an absurdist comedy by Phillip Howze. Theatre Y’s production is directed by Kezia Waters.

7 p.m. Thursday, July 17; 3 and 7 p.m. July 19; and 3 p.m. July 20 and through Aug. 24 at 3611 W. Cermak Ave., Chicago. Performances are free, but donations are accepted. theatre-y.com.

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