Theater spotlight: Revivals take center stage this week in the suburbs, Chicago
Lyric revival
More than 100 artists, including 43 instrumentalists, will participate in Lyric Opera of Chicago's revival of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's "West Side Story" in a coproduction with Houston Grand Opera and Glimmerglass Festival. Glimmerglass artistic director Francesca Zambello directs the Lyric premiere, which stars Corey Cott and Mikaela Bennett as the young lovers Tony and Maria, whose family and cultural ties threaten their burgeoning romance. Preview at 7 p.m. Friday, May 3. The show opens at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 4, at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago. $59-$199. (312) 827-5600 or lyricoopera.org/westsidestory.
'Elephant Man' revival
Joseph Carey Merrick, also known as John, a 19th century Englishman dubbed the Elephant Man because of his severe physical abnormalities, inspired playwright Bernard Pomerance's "The Elephant Man." The Tony Award-winning play chronicles Merrick's transformation - courtesy of a young, well-meaning surgeon - from side show performer to society darling. James Knight plays the titular role in Williams Street Repertory's revival directed by Daniel Ellis. Opens at 8 p.m. Friday, May 3, and runs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through May 19, at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. $24.85 for RaueNOW members, $35.50 for nonmembers. (815) 356-9212 or wsrep.org.
Cromer returns
Tony Award winner David Cromer returns to Writers Theatre for the first time in nine years to helm the company's production of "Next to Normal," Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey's 2010 Pulitzer Prize-winning musical about a woman struggling with a mental illness and the impact that struggle has on her family. "It's truly a privilege to be in collaboration with David Cromer again," said artistic director Michael Halberstam in a prepared statement. "We both share a profoundly personal attachment to the subject matter of this remarkable work and he has assembled a brilliant team of artists to realize his vision." Previews at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 8, Thursday, May 9, Friday, May 10, and Saturday, May 11; 2 p.m. Sunday, May 12, at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The show opens May 15. $35-$80. (847) 242-6000 or writerstheatre.org.
Women's work
With most of the Oberon Play House theater company's male artists serving in World War II, it's up to the female ensemble members to save the season in "Into the Breeches!" a comedy by suburban Chicago native George Brant. They do so by staging an all-female production of the Henriad, William Shakespeare's power plays consisting of "Henry IV, parts 1 and 2" and "Henry V." Jessica Thebus directs Northlight Theatre's production, which includes Elk Grove Village's Darci Nalepa, Hollis Resnik and Penny Slusher among others. Previews at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 9; 8 p.m. Friday, May 10, and Saturday, May 11; 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 12, and through May 17, at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. The show opens May 18. $30-$88. (847) 673-6300 or northlight.org.