Theater events: 'Stand-Up Dads' at the Paramount

Here's to dads

Four funny fathers team up for “Stand-Up Dads,” a show that details the joys of suburban fatherhood. Comedians Dan St. Paul, Tim Bedore, Milt Able and Kelly McDonald star in the show running at Aurora's Paramount Theater. Suitable for teens and older.

8 p.m. Friday, April 8, at 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. (630) 896-6666 or paramountaurora.com.

‘Anne Frank' on stage

The Metropolis Performing Arts Centre commemorates April's Holocaust Remembrance Month with a remount of “The Diary of Anne Frank.” Brian Rabinowitz directs the play — part of the theater's Stories in Action! series for young audiences — which recounts a young girl's experience hiding from the Nazis with her family during World War II. Elaine Ivy Harris stars as Anne, with Marshall Stern as Mr. Frank.

Performances begin Monday, April 11, at 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com.

Stop the presses

TimeLine Theatre Company revives “The Front Page,” the classic comedy by journalists-turned-playwrights Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur in which political corruption and no-holds-barred journalism collide on the eve of an execution presided over by a dubious group of officials and reported by a zealous group of scribes. Nick Bowling directs the show, which stars PJ Powers and Terry Hamilton as ace reporter Hildy Johnson and his determined editor, Walter Burns.

Previews begin Tuesday, April 12, at 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago. The show opens Saturday, April 16. (773) 281-8463, ext. 6, or timelinetheatre.com.

Other shows opening this week:

Ÿ Master puppeteer Michael Montenegro (“The Puppetmaster of Lodz”) brings his one-man show “Solo Works” to Theatre Zarko in Evanston's Noyes Cultural Arts Center. Incorporating a wide range of styles, the production showcases an array of Montenegro's creations in vignettes that examine the struggles within the self. It runs Friday, April 8, to May 21 at 927 Noyes St., Evanston. (847) 350-9275 or theatrezarko.org.

Ÿ Following a tour in the Israeli Army, Eben returns to his Montana home and his minimum-wage job at Valumart, which has decided to send him to its national convention in “I Am Montana,” by Samuel D. Hunter. Rachel Edwards Harvith directs the show, which runs through May 1 at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. (773) 935-6860 or mortartheatrecompany.org.

Ÿ Performances begin Friday, April 8, for The State Theatre of Chicago's original show, “The Voodoo Chalk Circle,” Chelsea Marcantel's contemporary adaptation of Bertolt Brecht's “The Caucasian Chalk Circle.” Tim Speicher directs the play about how a hurricane disrupts the social structures of New Orleans, causing ancient customs to replace them. The show combines music, puppetry, dance and video projections, and it runs through Sunday, May 1, at the Viaduct Theater, 3111 N. Western Ave., Chicago. (773) 296-6024 or statetheatrechicago.com.

Ÿ A Red Orchid Theatre concludes its season with Machiavelli's “The Mandrake,” about a would-be lover who wants to sleep with a beautiful, married woman and who concocts an outrageous scheme to do so. Goodman Theatre's Steve Scott directs the translation by Peter Constantine. Previews begin Friday, April 8, at 1531 N. Wells St., Chicago. The show opens Monday, April 11. (312) 943-8722 or aredorchidtheatre.org.

Ÿ Steppenwolf Theatre hosts its ninth annual Red or White Ball to benefit young people's arts education. The fundraiser includes food, music, dancing and a silent auction and takes place on Friday, April 8, at Salvage One, 1840 W. Hubbard St., Chicago. Tickets are available at (312) 654-5681 or steppenwolf.org/rowb.

Ÿ Adventure Stage Chicago hosts its annual fundraiser from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 9, at Vittum Theater, 1012 N. Noble St., Chicago. Spring Fling: An Arabian Extravaganza features belly dancing, food from Ameer Kabob, open bar (with slushies for kids), raffle, auction and family activities. It begins with a 2 p.m. performance of “Sinbad: The Untold Tale.” Tickets are $60 for adults, $30 for kids. (773) 342-4141 or adventurestage.org.

Ÿ American Family Theater presents the musical “Beauty and the Beast” at 3 p.m., Saturday, April 9, at the Center for the Performing Arts at Governors State University, at 1 University Parkway, University Park. Also at Governors State, a revue of classic big band tunes and ballads titled “In the Mood: A 1940s Musical.” The show features the music of Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey among others. It's at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 10. (708) 235-2222 or centertickets.net.

Ÿ About Face Theatre and The Hypocrites have collaborated on The Woyzeck Project, a festival inspired by the classic tale and featuring two productions running in repertory at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago. The Hypocrites' Sean Graney adapts and directs “Woyzeck,” Georg Buchner's tragedy about a desperate and despairing soldier driven to destroy that which he most loves. Performances begin Friday, April 15. Bonnie Metzgar, of About Face, directs the world premiere of “Pony,” Sylvan Oswald's drama — set near Woyzeck's town — in which a waitress seduces a newcomer named Pony into a complicated, dangerous romance. Performances begin Sunday, April 10. Both shows open on Saturday, April 23. (866) 811-4111 or aboutfacetheatre.com.

Ÿ The Second City opens its 99th main stage revue, “South Side of Heaven,” skewering a president, a mayor and a TSA agent among others, on Sunday, April 10, at 1616 N. Wells St., Chicago. (312) 337-3992 or secondcity.com.

Ÿ “From Freak to Clique” is the latest solo performance featured as part of Victory Gardens Theater's Crip Slam series showcasing works that examine disability culture. Mat Fraser wrote and performs this adults-only show that contains nudity, violence and strong language. It runs at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 10, at 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. (773) 871-3000 or victorygardens.org.

Ÿ The Amazing Acro-Cats perform their agility feats at Gorilla Tango Theatre, 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, at 2 and 4 p.m. Sunday, April 10. Also at Gorilla Tango, the adults-only “Boobs and Goombas: A Super Mario Burlesque” has been extended through Saturday, April 30. (773) 598-4549 or gorillatango.com.

Ÿ Oracle Productions debuts its new Oracle Film division on Sunday April 10, with the premiere of “The Woyzeck Project,” an adaptation of Georg Buchner's 19th century play about a young soldier driven to murder. The film resets the play in a fictionalized America whose assets are under Chinese control. The screening is at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 10, at the Kit Kat Lounge and Supper Club, 3700 N. Halsted St., Chicago. See oracletheatre.org.

Ÿ Barrel of Monkey's celebrates the 10th anniversary of its show, “That's Weird, Grandma” at 7 and 9 p.m. Monday, April 11, at the Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. “TWG” is comprised of works written by Chicago area schoolchildren and performed by professional theater artists. The 10th anniversary performance consists of favorite playlettes from the last 10 years. (312) 409-1954 or barrelofmonkeys.org.

Ÿ A leader's slide into insanity underscores Alan Bennett's “The Madness of George III,” beginning previews on Wednesday, April 13, at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. Harry Groener and Ora Jones star as the monarch and his queen. The show opens Wednesday, April 20. (312) 595-5600 or chicagoshakes.com.

Ÿ Theater Oobleck co-founder Mickle Maher's premieres his latest play “There is a Happiness That Morning Is,” about two university instructors who try to justify an ill-advised public tryst or risk losing their jobs and each other. The show opens Thursday, April 14, at the Storefront Theater, 66 E. Randolph St., Chicago. (312) 742-8497 or dcatheater.org or theateroobleck.com.

Ÿ “A Twist of Water,” Route 66 Theatre Company's show that enjoyed a sold-out run at Theater Wit, will transfer to the Mercury Theater. 3745 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. Previews begin Thursday, April 14, and the show reopens on Sunday, May 1. Caitlin Montanye Parrish's play is about a gay, widowed teacher struggling to raise his adopted, African-American daughter following the death of his husband. When the girl decides to seek her biological mother, it strains her relationship with her dad. Stef Tovar and Falashay Pearson star. (773) 325-1700 or mercurytheaterchicago.com or route66theatre.org.

Ÿ Lookingglass Theatre Company's “Eastland,” about the 1915 tragedy in which the passenger ship carrying Western Electric workers to Michigan City for an employee picnic capsized in the Chicago River killing 844 people, is the latest work-in-progress to be featured as part of Millennium Park's In the Works theater lab series. Performances run Thursday to Saturday, April 14-16, at 201 E. Randolph St., Chicago. (312) 742-8497 or millenniumpark.org.

Ÿ After 22 years, Ellen Stoneking has played her last prison slut. Stoneking, who originated the part of Dame Toulouse in Annoyance Theatre's long-running “Co-Ed Prison Sluts” and one of the few original cast members still performing in the show, performed the role for the last time earlier this month. “Co-Ed Prison Sluts” runs at 10 p.m. Friday and Saturdays through April 22, and moves to Sundays on April 30, at 4830 N. Broadway, Chicago. (773) 561-4665 or theannoyance.com.