Theater events: Chester Gregory sings Motown hits at the Metropolis

• Porchlight Music Theatre celebrates 1941 as part of its New Faces Sing Broadway series. The series showcases songs from such 1941 tuners as "Pal Joey," "Cabin in the Sky" and "Lady in the Dark." One performance takes place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, at SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston. Another follows a preshow reception at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27, at The Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario St., Chicago. (773) 777-9884 or porchlightmusictheatre.org.

• The Metropolis Performing Arts Centre's Artists Lounge Series, created and curated by Michael Ingersoll, returns Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. Broadway veteran Chester Gregory sings Motown hits in "Higher and Higher: A Rock 'n Soul Shindig!," which includes favorites like "My Girl," "Higher and Higher" and "Heard It Through the Grapevine." Tickets are $45 and $50. (847) 577-2121 or metorpolisarts.com.

• "We are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as South West Africa, From the German Sudwestafrika Between the years 1885-1915" marks Steppenwolf Theatre Company's latest production for young adults. Written by Jackie Sibblies Drury and co-directed by Hallie Gordon and Gabrielle Randle, the production will tour six Chicago neighborhoods following its run at Steppenwolf. The story centers around a group of actors examining the long history of the German colonization of Namibia. Previews begin Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago. A sensory-friendly performance of the play takes place at 1 and 3 p.m. March 16 courtesy of Steppenwolf. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

• Irish Theatre of Chicago remounts its production of "Mojo Mickybo," Owen McCafferty's drama - set in 1970s Belfast, Ireland, and the present day - about two boys who bond over their shared obsession with the film "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." Original cast members Robert Kauzlaric and Dan Waller star in the remount at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 27-28, at The Davis Theater, 4614 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. (773) 878-3727 or irishtheatreofchicago.org.

• Previews begin Thursday, Feb. 28, for Pride Films and Plays' Chicago-area premiere of "Southern Comfort," based on the documentary of the same name about the last four years of a transgender man living in rural Georgia. JD Caudill directs the production of the tuner by Dan Collins and Julianne Wick Davis. The show opens March 4 at 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago. (866) 811-4111 or pridefilmsandplays.com.

• The Neo-Futurists present the world premiere of "Remember the Alamo," a new show by ensemble member Nick Hart. Artistic director Kurt Chiang directs the production about an ensemble that takes over the Neo-Futurist theater and forces the actors and the audience to re-create the Battle of the Alamo. Previews begin Thursday, Feb. 28, at 5153 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. The show opens March 4. (773) 878-4557 or neofuturist.org.

• Windy City Performs Theatre Company presents a new play by actor/director Del Shores in a limited run as part of its guest artist series. A riff on Luigi Pirandello's similarly titled 1921 play, Shores' "Six Characters in Search of a Play" is about six individuals he met in real life who have made their way into one of his plays, films or TV shows. Performances run Thursday, Feb. 28, through Sunday, March 3, at 4766 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. See windycityperforms.org.

• Short Story Theatre presents tales about a father's questionable influence, a history-making first day at work, an exotic journey and a highly fraught connection between neighbors during its next storytelling event at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, at Miramar Bistro, 301 Waukegan Ave., Chicago. Featured authors include Scott Woldman, Rino Liberatore, Holly Birnbaum and Avinash Vaidya. A preshow dinner option is available. (847) 433-1078 or shortstorytheatre.com.

• Remy Bumppo Theatre has extended its production of "The Father," Florian Zeller's drama about a family patriarch confronting dementia. Performances run through March 9 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. (773) 975-8150 or remybumppo.org.

• Windy City Playhouse has extended through April 7 its revival of Michael Frayn's "Noises Off," a farcical play-within-a-play about a hapless theater company touring the British provinces with a bawdy farce. Performances take place at 3014 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago. (773) 891-8985 or windycityplayhouse.com.

• Steppenwolf Theatre Company has added longtime stage manager Malcolm Ewen to the ensemble. Ewen has worked at the theater since 1987 and has stage managed more than 40 shows, four of which have gone to Broadway. "For more than 30 years, Malcolm has been a pillar of Steppenwolf contributing immensely to the honor, to the legacy and to the spirit of this company. Malcolm has touched the lives of every single member of our ensemble and it's time for the world to know the impact he has made, and continues to make, on us all," said artistic director Anna D. Shapiro in a prepared statement.