Theater

Spotlight: Dive into Marriott Theatre’s ‘Finding Nemo’

Posted October 07, 2025 5:27 pm

Avelyn Lena Choi plays the titular precocious clown fish in Marriott Theatre’s young audiences production of “Disney’s Finding Nemo.”

‘Nemo’ makes a splash

An adventurous clown fish who dreams of life behind his anemone gets more than he bargained for when he finds himself in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef in “Disney’s Finding Nemo,” Marriott Theatre’s latest young audiences production starring Avelyn Lena Choi as Nemo, Devin DeSantis as Nemo’s dad Marlin and Leah Morrow as friend Dory. Marriott associate artistic director Katie Johannigman directs.

Previews at 10 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 11-12 and 16-17, at 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. The show opens Oct. 18. $16.75. (847) 634-0200 or marriotttheatre.com.

A timely premiere

A 16-year-old girl makes a deadly bargain with a witch that costs her in “The Sporting Life,” a seasonally appropriate “coming-of-rage” drama by Marjorie Muller in its world premiere at The Factory theater. Kayla Menz directs.

Previews at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 10-11, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, at 1623 W. Howard St., Chicago. The show opens Oct. 17. $30. (312) 275-5757 or thefactorytheater.com.

Brian Parry plays Captain Gorodetsky, whose schooner carries mysterious cargo, in City Lit Theater and Black Button Eyes Productions’ world premiere of “Strange Cargo: The Doom of the Demeter,” inspired by Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” Courtesy of Steven Townshend

Horror on the high seas

City Lit Theater, in cooperation with Black Button Eyes Productions, premieres “Strange Cargo: The Doom of the Demeter.” Inspired by the seventh chapter of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” it’s the story of a Russian schooner transporting a certain count’s belongings from Transylvania to England whose crew vanishes one by one. Ed Rutherford directs Timothy Griffin’s play.

Previews at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 10-11 and 17, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, at 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago. The show opens Oct. 18. $30, $38. (773) 293-3682 or citylit.org.

Portrait of a young artist

John Patrick Shanley’s school experiences inspired his autobiographical play “Prodigal Son,” about 15-year-old scholarship student Jim Quinn, a tough kid and budding writer who finds acceptance difficult at his tony prep school. JK Entertainment’s revival at the Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture stars Julian Rus as Jim.

7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, and through Nov. 2 at 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. $36, $26 for students and seniors. jkentertainment.org.

Babes With Blades premieres “The Mark” by ensemble member Jillian Leff.

World premieres

• “The Mark,” a sci-fi adventure by Babes With Blades ensemble member Jillian Leff (“The S Paradox”), is about a young laborer named Raina living in a dystopian society who joins the army, which raises her stature in society just as her fellow laborers begin to rise up in a class war. The Babes’ world premiere is directed by Richard Costes and stars MJ Handsome as Raina.

Previews at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, and Thursday and Friday, Oct. 16-17, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, at Bramble Arts Loft, 5545 N. Clark St., Chicago. The show opens Oct. 18. $20-$30. babeswithblades.org.

• Redtwist Theatre’s season devoted to defiant femmes continues with the premiere of “Chicago: Queerly Adapted From The Play You’ve Never Heard of That Inspired the Musical You Can’t Get Away From.” It’s adapted from Maurine Dallas Watkins’ 1926 satire “The Play Chicago,” which is based on the real-life murder trials of Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner and which also inspired the musical “Chicago.”

Previews at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 16-18, at 1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago. The show opens Oct. 19. $10-$60. redtwisttheatre.org.

Sam McLellan plays well-meaning Elder Price in the North American tour of “The Book of Mormon.” Courtesy of Julieta Cervantes

Welcome back, ‘Book of Mormon’

“The Book of Mormon” returns to Chicago for a brief run. The irreverent, adults-only musical comedy by “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone along with Robert Lopez tells the story of well-meaning missionaries sent to spread God’s word to residents of a remote Ugandan village. Sam McLellan plays Elder Price and Diego Enrico plays his best pal, Elder Cunningham.

7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, Oct. 14-17; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18; and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at the CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe St., Chicago. $49-$126. broadwayinchicago.com.

Domestic drama

Middle-aged siblings confront the news that their elderly parents may be a danger to each other in “Four Places,” a domestic drama by the late Joel Drake Johnson in a revival at 4 Chairs Theatre. 4 Chairs founder Laura Berman directs.

7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 16-18, and 3 p.m. Oct. 19 and through Nov. 2, at Bramble Arts Loft, 5545 N. Clark St., Chicago. $38. 4chairstheatre.org.