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Theater spotlight: BrightSide revives Chekhov-inspired comedy in Naperville

Chekhov revisited

BrightSide Theatre revives "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike," Christopher Durang's witty riff on the works of Russian writer Anton Chekhov. The play centers around middle-aged siblings Vanya and Sonia who have remained in their childhood home while sister Masha, a successful actress, has traveled the world. She upsets her siblings' world when she returns home for a visit with her current, much younger lover Spike in tow. BrightSide artistic director Jeffrey Cass directs.

8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 8-9, and 3 p.m. Sunday, March 10, and runs through March 24 at the Theatre at Meiley-Swallow Hall, North Central College, 31 S. Ellsworth St., Naperville. $25, $30. (630) 447-8497 or brightsidetheatre.com.

Downers Grove native Kelli Harrington stars as Francesca, the Italian war bride turned Iowa farmer's wife, in Theo Ubique's production of "The Bridges of Madison County."

Love at last

Downers Grove native Kelli Harrington stars as Francesca, the Italian war bride turned Iowa farmer's wife who falls in love with a dashing National Geographic photographer (played by Tommy Thurston), in Theo Ubique's production of "The Bridges of Madison County." The musical by composer/lyricist Jason Robert Brown and writer Marsha Norman is based on Robert James Waller's book. Artistic director Fred Anzevino directs the company's revival, which marks the second production at its new suburban home.

Previews are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 8-9, and 7 p.m. Sunday, March 10, at 721 Howard St., Evanston. The show opens Monday, March 11. $25-$54; $50-$69 with dinner. (773) 347-1109 or theo-u.com.

Revival x 2

UrbanTheater Company and Teatro Aguijón collaborate on a production of "Not for Sale," a play by Guadalis Del Carmen about community, gentrification and who gets to dictate the evolution of a neighborhood. Since its 2018 premiere, the drama about a store owner pressured by developers and rising property taxes to give up his longtime store has been revised by Del Carmen, who says she "wanted to improve the story ... (to give) each character more nuance and higher stakes." UrbanTheater's production will be in English and Teatro Aguijón's will be in Spanish.

7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 8-9, and 3 p.m. Sunday, March 10, and runs through April 7 at Batey Urbano, 2620 W. Division St., Chicago. The Spanish-language translation of the play will be staged in mid-April at Teatro Aguijón, 2707 N. Laramie, Chicago. $15-$20; $30 ticket includes brunch at Nelly's Puerto Rican Restaurant, 2458 W. Division St., Chicago. See urbantheaterchicago.org.

Northlight premiere

Northlight Theatre premieres "Landladies," a drama by Sharyn Rothstein about a landlady and her single mom tenant whose friendship demands they carefully navigate their personal and professional relationships. Jess McLeod directs Shanesia Davis and Leah Karpel, who play Marti and Christine. The cast also includes Julian Parker as Poet.

Previews at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 14; 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 15-16; and 2:30 and 7 p.m. Sunday, March 17, at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. Opens March 22. $30-$88. (847) 673-6300 or northlight.org.

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