Theater events: Cosmetic titans battle it out in Goodman's 'War Paint'

Alonzo at Zanies

Texas-born comedian Cristela Alonzo headlines Zanies in St. Charles and Rosemont this weekend. Besides appearing on "Conan," "Late Night With David Letterman" and "The View," Alonzo produced and starred in ABC's short-lived sitcom "Cristela" last year. 8 p.m. Friday, June 24, at Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles, (630) 524-0001. 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, June 25, at MB Financial Park, 5437 Park Place, Rosemont, (847) 813-0484. $25 plus a two-item food or beverage minimum. See zanies.com.

LeapFest XXI

Stage Left Theatre presents its annual new works showcase LeapFest XIII. New works by Mrinalini Kamath, Shayne Kennedy, Andrew Kramer and Aline Lathrop will run in repertory through June 29. Stage Left will partner with the Chicago Park District to present the festival's first week at four Chicago parks. Begins with free readings at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 25, at the Lincoln Park Cultural Center, 2045 N. Lincoln Park West, Chicago, and continues through June 29 at Chicago parks. The remainder of LeapFest continues at 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. $10. (773) 975-8150 or stagelefttheatre.com.

Get your 'War Paint' on

Tony Award winners Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole star as cosmetic titans Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden in Goodman Theatre's world premiere of "War Paint," a new musical by writer Doug Wright, composer Scott Frankel and lyricist Michael Korie that chronicles the rise of two of the country's major female entrepreneurs. Michael Greif directs the show, which features local favorites Mary Ernster and David Girolmo. Previews begin at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 28, at 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. The show opens July 18. $50-$102. (312) 443-3800 or goodmantheatre.org.

Other theater events

• The Hypocrites host their annual benefit gala, The Epic Bash, from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday, June 24, at the Ravenswood Event Center, 4011 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago. The $100 general admission includes carnival games, cocktails and beverages. The $250 VIP admission includes all of that plus a sneak peek at next season's "Cinderella at the Theater of Potatoes." See the-hypocrites.com.

• GayCo Productions celebrates Pride Week with the gay-themed, adult improv show "Star Whores - The Pride Awakens" at 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 24-25, at The Playground Theatre, 3209 N. Halsted St., Chicago. (773) 871-3793 or gayco.com.

• Steppenwolf Theatre and Second City team up for a staged reading of "The People vs. Friar Laurence, the Man Who Killed Romeo and Juliet" at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 25-26, at the 1700 Theatre, 1700 N. Halsted St., Chicago. Ron West directs this sendup of William Shakespeare's tragedy in which the friar must prove his innocence, Court TV-style. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org/lookout.

• As part of its First Generation series, Genesis Theatrical Productions presents a staged reading of "Thicker Than Water," Douglas Parker's drama inspired by the case of Andrea Yates, the Texas mom who in 2001 drowned her five children (ages six months to 7) in a bathtub. Kaitlin Taylor directs the free reading, which takes place at 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 27, at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. Donations accepted. See genesistheatricals.com.

• Pride Films and Plays presents a workshop performance of the new musical "A History of Summer" at 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, June 28-29, at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. The musical by composer/lyricist Jonathan Monro and writer Adam Mathias chronicles the events occurring on Fire Island's LGBTQ resorts between 1869 and 2016 and the issues members of the LGBTQ communities confronted during that period. $10 donation recommended. (800) 737-0984 or pridefilmsandplays.com.

• The record-breaking musical "The Book of Mormon," the deliciously subversive, adults-only sendup of religions' more fantastical tenets by "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and "Avenue Q" scribe Robert Lopez, returns to Chicago for a seven-week run. Performances begin Wednesday, June 29, at The PrivateBank Theatre, 18 W. Monroe St., Chicago. (800) 775-2000 or broadwayinchicago.com.

• Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre artistic director Fred Anzevino announced the upcoming season will include two Chicago premieres and two revivals. The season begins Sept. 23 with "Fly By Night," a darkly comic musical by Kim Rosenstock, Will Connolly and Michael Mitnick. Set against the 1965 blackout, it's about a melancholy sandwich maker whose life is upended by a pair of entrancing sisters. Next up is "Honky Tonk Angels" (Dec. 9-Jan. 29, 2017), a country-tinged musical about three "good old gals" who pursue dreams of stardom in Nashville. Frank Loesser's "The Most Happy Fella," a love story involving an Italian wine grower in California's Napa Valley, begins previews March 10, 2017. The season concludes with Theo Ubique's original revue from 2008, "Jacques Brel's Lonesome Losers of the Night" (June 15-Aug. 6, 2017), which follows the romantic misadventures of two sailors at an Amsterdam bar. Performances take place at No Exit Cafe, 6970 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago. (800) 595-4849 or theo-u.com.

• A Red Orchid Theatre explores identity and space during its upcoming 24th season, which begins Sept. 29 with previews of Harold Pinter's first play, "The Room." Directed by ensemble member Dado, it's about Rose, a woman who prefers to remain inside, away from the hostile world, whose sanctuary is invaded by strangers and eventually her own husband. That's followed by Jennifer Haley's "The Nether" (Jan. 26-March 12, 2017) about a young detective's discovery of a disturbing type of virtual entertainment. Ensemble member Karen Kessler directs. The season concludes with David Adjimi's "3C" (April 20-June 4, 2017). Ensemble member Shade Murray directs this darkly comic tale (inspired by 1970s sitcoms) about a guy who moves to Los Angeles to begin a new life and after a wild night of partying finds himself in the apartment of two girls. Subscription packages range from $50 for preview performances to $1,500, which includes unlimited admission, prime seating and VIP events. (312) 943-8722 or aredorchidtheatre.org.

• Saint Sebastian Players opens its 35th season with Lionel Bart's "Oliver" (Oct. 21-Nov. 13), the musical set during England's Victorian era that chronicles the adventures of an oft-abused orphaned boy who falls in with a gang of young thieves. That's followed by Canadian playwright Maureen Hunter's "Transit of Venus" (Feb. 17-March 12, 2017) about an astronomer who puts off marrying his beloved so he can travel the world to plot the course of Venus across the sky. The season concludes with Tom Stoppard's "Hamlet"-inspired dramedy "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" (April 28-May 21, 2017), which brings to the forefront a pair of minor characters from William Shakespeare's tragedy, neither of whom know what is really happening around them. Performances take place at St. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey St., Chicago. Season subscriptions are $45. Single tickets are $20 and $25. (773) 404-7922 or saintsebastianplayers.org.

• About Face Theatre opens its 2016-2017 season with a re-imagined revival of Doug Wright's Pulitzer Prize-winning "I Am My Own Wife," which the theater helped develop in 2003. Performances run from Nov. 4 to Dec. 10 for this inspired-by-fact show about Charlotte von Mahlsdorf (born Lothar Berfelde) who hid from Nazis and Communists by dressing as a woman. Transgender actress Delia Kropp and two additional stars appear in the show, which is typically performed by one man. Andrew Volkoff directs. The season continues with "The Temperamentals" (Jan. 13-Feb. 18, 2017), Jon Maran's off-Broadway show about the founding of the Mattachine Society, the first sustained LGBTQ rights organization and the love affair between two of its founding members. Next up is the Chicago-area premiere of Tanya Barfield's "Bright Half Life" (May 26-July 1, 2017), which traces the ups and downs of a modern lesbian relationship told through memories. The season also includes an untitled world premiere from About Face's Youth Theatre Ensemble. Performances take place at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Single season subscriptions are $120, seasons subscriptions for two people are $216. See aboutfacetheatre.com.