Prefer theater by starlight? Check out 'Shipwrecked' in Glenview and Shakespeare in St. Charles
Theater under the stars
Oil Lamp Theater's 2022 outdoor season continues with “Shipwrecked! An Entertainment.” Donald Margulies' adventure dramedy is inspired by a Swiss explorer named Louis de Rougemont, who regaled 19th century London audiences with wild stories of adventures he claimed to have had while traveling in the Asia-Pacific region. The production features Logan Brown as Louis along with Jasmine Robinson and Van Ferro.
8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 5, Friday, Aug. 6; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 8, and through Aug. 29, on the lawn at St. David's Episcopal Church, 2410 Glenview Road, Glenview. $45. See oillamptheater.org for information on COVID-19 precautions.
Shakespeare outdoors
Kane Repertory Theatre presents an outdoor production of William Shakespeare's tragedy “Romeo & Juliet.” Paul Kassel, dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Northern Illinois University, directs.
7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12, and Friday, Aug. 13, and through Aug. 27; also 2 p.m. Aug. 29, at the pavilion at Pottawatomie Park, 8 North Ave., St. Charles. $15-$30. See kanerepertorytheatre.com.
Concerts at Marriott
Actor and recording artist Chester Gregory — who earned acclaim for his performance in the titular role of “The Jackie Wilson Story” — kicks off Marriott Theatre's 2021 concert series highlighting pop hits from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. “Higher and Higher: A Rock ‘n Soul Party with Chester Gregory” features the actor and recording artist channeling such greats as Sam Cooke, Otis Redding and James Brown.
7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 14, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 15, at 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. $55. COVID-19 precautions including face masks may be in effect. (847) 634-0200 or artistsloungelive.com.
In other news
• American Blues Theater hosts a virtual reading of “Refugee Rhapsody,” Yussef El Guindi's examination of race, class and privilege, at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6, at americanbluestheater.com. Winner of ABT's 2021 Blue Ink Playwriting Award, “Refugee Rhapsody” is about an Arab American woman who undergoes a mental health evaluation to determine why she committed a violent crime against an heiress. The suggested donation is $10.
• The Factory Theater's silent auction continues through Aug. 30. Places donating items include The Field Museum, Lake Geneva Ziplines and Adventures, Lou Malnati's Pizza and Waterriders Chicago River Kayak Tours and Rentals. See factorytheater.com.
• The Chicago storytelling collective 2nd Story announced its upcoming 23rd season kicks off Aug. 28, with three premiere performances examining how people move forward in an unfamiliar world. That's followed on Sept. 25 by a fundraiser featuring artists from around the country. The Oct. 9 performance consists of stories about people stepping outside their comfort zones. On Oct. 30, participants share stories about eerie incidents. Family-friendly stories are on tap for Nov. 21. The holiday performance on Dec. 11 includes three tales from the 2nd Story repertoire. The first half of the collective's season concludes Jan. 25 with stories by Black artists. Performances will take place over Zoom until further notice. Admission is pay-what-you-can. See 2ndstory.com for more information.
• About Face Theatre announced its 27th season will commence in March 17, 2022, with the Chicago area premiere of “Laced” by Samantha Mueller. The day after a gay bar in Florida is vandalized, three bartenders gather to process the events and decide whether to try to understand what happened or clean up and move on. That's followed by “The Magnolia Ballet” (May 12-June 11, 2022), a new play by Terry Guest about a Black teenager grappling with racism, homophobia and toxic masculinity who discovers a secret that could destroy his family. The season concludes June 18, 2022, with About Face's still untitled youth show showcasing teenage LGBTQ+ theater makers. Performances take place at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Ticket information to be announced. See aboutfacetheatre.com.
• Hell in a Handbag Productions announced its 20th anniversary season will commence this fall with the next installation in the company's popular “Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes” series. “The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes, Vol. 5 — Sex!” runs from Sept. 16 to Oct. 23. That's followed in November by a revival of “Christmas Dearest,” the holiday satire about Hollywood diva Joan Crawford visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve. Next up is “The Drag Seed” (Feb. 12-March 19, 2022), a parody of the 1956 horror film “The Bad Seed,” a production that will be remounted in New York. The season concludes May 28, 2022, with the premiere of “A Fine Feathered Murder: A Miss Marbled Mystery,” a whodunit inspired by Agatha Christie's famed amateur sleuth Miss Marple. “Golden Girls” takes place at the Leather Archives and Museum, 6418 N. Greenview Ave., Chicago. “The Drag Seed” and “A Fine Feathered Murder” take place at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago. “Christmas Dearest” location to be announced. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination required for the first show. See handbagproductions.org.