Spotlight: 'The African Company Presents Richard III' comes to the stage
Drama under the stars
The African Company of New York, the nation's first black theater ensemble, creates a bit of a stir in Carlyle Brown's period drama "The African Company Presents Richard III." Set during 1821 and inspired by a true story, Brown's play chronicles the struggles of the African Company, whose popular productions of classical works threaten Broadway's Caucasian establishment. To that end, a white rival theater owner stages William Shakespeare's "Richard III" to compete with the African Company's production. Ron OJ Parson directs Oak Park Festival Theatre's revival. Previews at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 28, and Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 1-2, and 7 p.m. Sunday, July 29, at Austin Gardens, 167 Forest Ave., Oak Park. The show opens Friday, Aug. 3. $10-$32. (708) 300-9396 or oakparkfestival.com.
Farce under the stars
Citadel Theatre concludes its season with Moliere's comedy "Scapin" performed under the stars at three Lake County locations. Moliere's comedy centers on a crafty servant who aids young men who've fallen in love with penniless young women to the dismay of their fathers, who have selected other brides for their sons. 6:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday, July 27-29, at the Mellody Farm Nature Preserve, 350 N. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest. Also, Aug. 3-5 at Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, 21850 N. Riverwoods Road, Riverwoods, and Aug. 10-12, at Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart, 760 E. Westleigh Road, Lake Forest. $15. (847) 735-8554 or citadeltheatre.org.
Bechdel Fest
Broken Nose Theatre presents Bechdel Fest 6: Revolution, its annual showcase of new short plays showcasing female-identifying and nonbinary actors presented as part of Steppenwolf Theatre's LookOut Series. All of the plays featured during the mini-fest are inspired by cartoonist Alison Bechdel ("Fun Home"), who's credited with coming up with the Bechdel-Wallace Test for evaluating the portrayal of women in culture and entertainment according to these principles: a work has to have at least two female characters who talk to each other about a subject other than a man. 7 p.m. Sunday and Monday, July 29-30, and 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 31, at Steppenwolf's 1700 Theatre, 1700 N. Halsted St., Chicago. $25. (312) 335-1650 or brokennosetheatre.com or steppenwolf.com.