What's new in theater
Ÿ The nation's first so-called media circus inspired “Floyd Collins,” the musical by Adam Guettel (music and lyrics) and Tina Landau (book) which concludes Bohemian Theatre Ensemble's season. Inspired by the story of a Kentucky explorer who became trapped while searching for an underground cave in 1925, the musical details how his family's efforts to rescue him soon took a “back seat to profit” as interest in his plight swept the nation. Peter Marston Sullivan directs the musical, which features a folk and bluegrass score. Previews begin Friday, June 15, at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. The show opens Saturday, June 16. (773) 975-8150 or bohotheatre.com.
Ÿ Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago, presents free, staged readings of works by writers participating in the theater's season-long playwrights residency program. Featured plays include Martin Zimmerman's “The Solid Sand Below,” about a U.S. soldier whose life is dramatically changed after her survived a close call with an IED, at 7 p.m. Friday, June 15. That's followed by Elaine Romero's “A Work of Art,” about a family still struggling to deal with the loss of a son and brother to the war in Vietnam, at 3 p.m. Saturday, June 16. Next up is Philip Dawkins' “Stutter,” about an unassuming, small town woman who becomes involved in a class-action lawsuit related to something that happened to her during her youth, at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 16. The series concludes at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 17, with Nambi E. Kelley's “For Her as a Piano,” which weaves together stories about three generations, who pass traditions and mementos from one generation to the other. (312) 443-3800 or goodmantheatre.org.
Ÿ The Neo-Futurists offer students enrolled at Chicago-area colleges a $5 admission discount to their long-running “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind: 30 Plays in 60 Minutes” on their school's dedicated weekend. School of the Art Institute students receive the discount Friday to Sunday, June 15-17. University of Illinois-Chicago students receive the discount Friday to Sunday, June 22-24. Shows are at 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday at 5153 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. (773) 275-5255 or neofuturists.org.
Ÿ The famed Second City takes its “Laugh Out Loud” best-of tour to the Theatre at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Ind, at 8 p.m. Friday, June 15, and Saturday, June 16. (219) 836-3255 or theatreatthecenter.com.
Ÿ Route 66 Theatre Company presents a limited run debut of “Next Stop,” a new musical collaboration between six Chicago area playwrights and singer-songwriter Diana Lawrence. Various el stops around the city provides the backdrop for several different stories by playwrights Alice Austen, Aaron Carter, Ike Holter, Alex Lubischer, Brett Neveu and Caitlin Montanye Parrish, which are set to Lawrence's music. Performances run at 7:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday nights from June 18-26, at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. (773) 975-8150 or theaterwit.org or route66theatre.org.
Ÿ Porchlight Music Theatre hosts its annual benefit concert Chicago Sings, showcasing the music of Jerry Herman, at 7 p.m. Monday, June 18, at the Mayne Stage, 1328 W. Morse Ave., Chicago. Conceived by Porchlight associates Rob Lindley and Doug Peck, the benefit features E. Faye Butler, Rebecca Finnegan, Ross Lehman, Heidi Kettenring, Naperville's Joan Curto, Johanna McKenzie Miller and others performing tunes from “Mame,” “Hello Dolly” and “La Cage Aux Folles” among others. Tickets are $40 in advance, $50 at the door. (773) 777-9884 or porchlightmusictheatre.org.
Ÿ Her Story Theater, a company that raises public awareness of the issues facing women and children, hosts its third Chicago Writers Exchange beginning at 7 p.m. Monday, June 18, at the Chopin Theater, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago. The readings will examine the issue of race from the Civil Rights Movement to the present. Participating writers include Monroe Anderson, Ben Joravsky and Rick Stone among others. Donations accepted. See herstorytheater.org for more information.
Ÿ Redmoon Theatre introduces three distinct large scale objects conceived by Jim Lasko, Frank Maugeri and Alex Balestrieri, to various Chicago and suburban neighborhoods beginning Monday, June 18, and continuing through Oct. 14. Dubbed Urban Interventions, the objects will be featured at local festivals and parades throughout the summer including July 4 parades in Winnetka and Evanston. For information, see redmoon.org.
Ÿ Chad Ryan stars in Pride Films and Plays Production of “The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me,” a semi-autobiographical, one-man show by David Drake about a gay man's growing self-awareness and how that spurs him to activism. The 20th anniversary production previews on Wednesday, June 20, at Luna Central, 3914 N. Clark St., Chicago. It opens on Thursday, June 21. (800) 838-3006 or brownpapertickets.com or pridefilmsandplays.com.
Ÿ Theater on the Lake continues its 60th season on Wednesday June 20, at the theater at Fullerton Avenue and Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, with a remount of Caffeine Theatre's “Or,” Liz Duffy Adams' comedy about a woman trying to finish her breakthrough play who learns of a plot to murder her current lover, King Charles II. It runs through Sunday, June 24. The 2012 season marks the debut of co-artistic directors Michael Patrick Thornton (ABC's “Private Practice”), co-founder of The Gift Theatre, and Meghan Beals McCarthy, associate artistic director of Chicago Dramatists. (312) 742-7994 or chicagoparkdistrict.com.
Ÿ The Ruckus Theater previews its latest, the world premiere of Calamity West's “Common Hatred,” partly inspired by Anton Chekhov's “The Cherry Orchard,” on Thursday, June 21, at The Side Project Theatre, 1439 W. Jarvis St., Chicago. The play centers around siblings preparing a surprise birthday celebration for their estranged brother and the understanding they come to about themselves and each other in the process. The show, directed by ensemble member Karie Miller, opens Friday, June 22. See ruckustheater.org for more information.
Ÿ In honor of Pride Weekend, The Neo Futursists present “30 Queer Plays in 60 Straight Minutes,” a special edition of their long-running “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind: 30 Plays in 60 minutes.” Performances run at 8 p.m. Thursday, June 21, through Saturday, June 23, at The Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. Proceeds benefit UCAN, an organization that assists homeless gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth. (773) 275-5255 or neofuturists.org.
Ÿ A Red Orchid Theatre announced its 20th anniversary season which includes a world premiere by ensemble member Brett Neveu and the return of founding ensemble members Michael Shannon (an Academy Award nominee) and Guy VanSwearingen. It begins Oct. 18, with the world premiere of Neveu's “The Opponent” an examination of the hardscrabble world of boxing from the perspective of a small-time gym owner and an up-and-coming fighter. Next up is Annie Baker's “The Aliens” (Jan. 17-March 3), about a couple of slackers who ruminate on life from their hangout behind a coffee shop and whose loitering is interrupted by a 17-year-old barrista. Howard Korder's “In a Garden,” about an American architect who receives a commission from the culture minister of a fictional Middle Eastern country to create something beautiful on the eve of the First Gulf War, runs April 4-May 19. The season concludes with A Red Orchid's first production of a Sam Shepard play, “Simpatico” (June 13-July 28), a tragicomedy set in the world of horse racing directed by ensemble member Dado and featuring Shannon and VanSwearingen. Season subscriptions are available at the box office at 1531 N. Wells St., Chicago, by phone at (312) 943-8722 or online at aredorchidtheatre.org.
Ÿ Signal Ensemble Theatre begins its 10th anniversary season on August 18, with the Chicago area premiere of Robert Askins' “Princes of Waco,” about an orphaned young man “adopted” by a cowboy criminal whose life is changed by the love of a young girl. The world premiere of ensemble member Jon Steinhagen's “Successors” follows. It centers on a political family that becomes unhinged when its patriarch, a big city mayor, retires without endorsing any of his children who are vying for his job. It runs from Jan. 26-March 2. The season concludes with “Lascivious Something” (May 4-June 8, 2013), sheila Callaghan's play about an American living in a Greek island with his young wife, whose life is upset by the arrival of a former lover. Tickets to the 2012-2013 season go on sale July 1. They're available at the box office located at 1802 W. Berenice Ave., Chicago, by phone at (773) 698-7389 or online at signalensemble.com.
Ÿ The Chicago Children's Theatre will begin its 2012-2013 season with a new home. The company recently announced that it will be an artist in-residence at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. Its season begins Oct. 11, with a new musical version of “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” directed by The Hypocrites' Sean Graney. An adaptation of Christopher Paul Curtis' Newberry Medal winning novel “Bud, Not Buddy” follows on Jan. 12. Next up is coproduction with Redmoon Theatre, “The Elephant & The Whale” (April 10-May 26), created by Frank Maugeri and codirected by Maugeri and Leslie Buxbaum Danzig. In addition the upcoming season includes family-friendly Thursday evening shows preceded by pizza parties along with Friday evening PJ parties. Family membership passes are available for sale at a 30 percent discount online through July 15, after which the standard family membership passes are available for a 20 percent discount on single tickets. Single ticket will go on sale at a future date. See chicagochildrenstheatre.org or call (773) 227-0180, ext. 11, for information.
— Barbara Vitello