Spotlight: Goodman Theatre opens its 'video vault' for new streaming series

More from The Garage

American Blues Theater's music series From the Garage continues with "California Dreamin' - The Songs of Laurel Canyon" featuring ensemble members Michael Mahler and Dara Cameron performing songs by Carole King, James Taylor, The Mamas and the Papas, Carly Simon, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Joni Mitchell and others.

The concert streams at 7 p.m. Friday, March 12. Tickets are pay-what-you-can with a suggested price of $25. See americanbluestheater.com or (773) 654-3103.

Lifeline's 'Miss Holmes'

Detective Miss Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Dorothy Watson battle sexism in their efforts to pursue their professional passions and uncover the truth about a corrupt police investigator in Lifeline Theatre's audio play production "Miss Holmes." Based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories and adapted from Christopher M. Walsh's play, the six-episode audio drama is directed by ensemble member Paul S. Holmquist.

Runs online Friday, March 12, through April 30. Tickets are pay-what-you-can with a suggested price of $20 with full access through April 30. (773) 761-4477 or lifelinetheatre.com.

Goodman's 'Encore'

Goodman Theatre opens its "video vault" to launch its free Encore series consisting of four filmed productions to be streamed over the next two months. The productions include: "How to Catch Creation" by Christina Anderson (March 15-28), Cuban ensemble Teatro Buendía's "Pedro Páramo" by Raquel Carrío (March 29-April 11), "Smokefall" by Noah Haidle (April 12-25) and "Measure for Measure" by William Shakespeare (April 26-May 9). Also available for streaming is Dael Orlandersmith's "Until the Flood" presented in cooperation with All Arts, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater and six other regional U.S. theaters.

"Live theater is ephemeral; once a performance ends, it's gone forever," said artistic director Robert Falls in a prepared statement. "But as we anticipate the day, we are thrilled to offer this rare chance to watch a handful of signature Goodman productions - including world premieres, a re-imagined classic and a groundbreaking international collaborate - from our video archives."

Streams on demand Monday, March 15, through May 9. Free with reservations at goodmantheatre.org/encore.

A Strawdog original

Strawdog Theatre concludes its virtual 33rd season with "How Do We Navigate Space?" It's a series of original performances inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest that dominated 2020. Written by Karissa Murrell Myers based on surveys from people who shared their 2020 experiences, including the search for connection, "How We Navigate Space?" is a film-theater hybrid combining music, movement and the visual arts. It's performed by Strawdog ensemble members Yuchi Chiu, Terri Lynne Hudson, Josie Koznarek, Mah Nu, Gloria Petrelli and Erik Strebig. Theater artist/activist Denise Yvette Serna directs.

Streams Monday, March 15, through April 18 at strawdog.org. Tickets are pay-what-you-can with a suggested price of $15. A portion of ticket sales go to Black Lives Matter Chicago.

In other news

• Kor Productions' season continues with a digital production of "The Pearl Fishers," Georges Bizet's opera about two lifelong male friends in love with the same woman, who is torn between secular love and her oath as a priestess. Part I streams live at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 11. Part II streams live at 7 p.m. Friday, March 12, and Part III streams live at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 13. Tickets are pay-what-you-can with a suggested donation of $10. See korproductions.org.

• TimeLine Theatre Company hosts its first virtual gala fundraiser "Step Into TimeLine: Back to Our Future" streaming online at 7 p.m. Friday, March 12, on YouTube. Company member Wardell Julius Clark hosts the event, which includes clips from past productions, music performances and live appearances. Donations accepted. Register at timelinetheatre.com/back-to-our-future for event exclusives.

• The youth poetry festival Louder Than a Bomb celebrates its 21st anniversary virtually Saturday, March 13, through April 24. Hosted by Young Chicago Authors, the festival attracts 500 poets who participate in poetry competitions, workshops and other events. Alumni include Chance the Rapper, Jamila Woods and Mick Jenkins among others. The semifinals will stream April 9 and 10. The finals stream live at 6 p.m. April 24 on YouTube Live and at youngchicagoauthors.org.

• Pianist/adapter/director Hershey Felder performs "Hershey Felder, Puccini," his bio-musical tribute to composer Giacomo Puccini ("La Boheme," "Madame Butterfly," "Tosca") live online from Florence, Italy, at 7 p.m. Sunday, March 14. He's joined by baritone Nathan Gunn, soprano Gianna Corbisiero and tenor Charles Castronovo in this tale of a young opera lover who meets his idol Puccini and leaves the encounter transformed. The performance benefits U.S. arts organizations including Porchlight Music Theatre. Tickets are $55. Viewing access ends March 21. See porchlightmusictheatre.org.

• The family-friendly musical theater podcast "What Will She Do Next?" - which used Broadway-style songs to celebrate great women of history - resumes with new episodes saluting women currently creating positive change in their communities. The first features co-creators Gabrielle Mirabella and Ernie Bird exploring the journey of #GivingTuesdaySpark leader and philanthropist Khloe Thompson. Upcoming podcasts will showcase Captain Annie G. Fox, who received The Purple Heart for her valor at Pearl Harbor and Padma Bandopadhyay, the first woman Air Marshal in the Indian Air Force. See whatwillshedo.com.

• Collaboraction's live online chat show "Crucial Connections" addresses the increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans, which have risen more than 150% over the past year, at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 18. Guest host, storyteller and educator Dr. Ada Cheng joins host and Collaboraction artistic director Anthony Moseley and executive director Dr. Marcus Robinson. Also participating is dancer/writer/activist Rohan Zhou-Lee. The show begins with Cheng's film "A Letter to My Former Self," about an Asian American student attacked in response to COVID-19, which premiered at Collaboraction's 2020 Peacebook Festival. See collaboraction.org/crucial-connections.

• Actors affiliated with Naperville's BrightSide Theatre perform Irish songs in the week leading up to St. Patrick's Day. The performances are available on the theater's Facebook page.

• Silk Road Rising will stream online its 2019 video play "Obstacle Course," adapted by co-founder and co-executive artistic director Jamil Khoury from his full-length play "Mosque Alert." Partly inspired by the proposed construction of a mosque and cultural center near the site of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, "Mosque Alert" is the fictionalized tale of the response of Naperville residents to the proposed construction of a combination mosque and community center. Khoury's abridged version is available online at obstaclecourse.tv.

• Court Theatre's site-specific production of "An Iliad" starring Timothy Edward Kane and filmed at the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, will stream online through March 31. On March 25, Court hosts a behind-the-scenes conversation with Kane and director Charles Newell about remounting the acclaimed production. Tickets are $15 for one viewer, $40 for two or more viewers. Ticket buyers have 72 hours to complete viewing once they purchase their tickets. (773) 753-4472 or courttheatre.org.

• Writer/director/actress/educator Lanise Antoine Shelley has been named The House Theatre of Chicago's new artistic director. Shelley takes over for founding artistic director Nathan Allen who stepped down after 20 years. "I am elated to start this adventure with The House Theatre of Chicago. Their whimsical and wonderfully imaginative plays are renowned. This partnership will explore the myriad ways that we can re-imagine storytelling and broaden our impact in the Chicago community," said Shelley in a prepared statement.