Theater spotlight: Suburban actresses star in Drury Lane's 'Matilda,' Raven's 'Undeniable'

Posted April 23, 2019 6:00 am

Natalie Galla, of Warrenville, shares the titular role in Drury Lane Theatre's regional premiere of "Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical." Courtesy of Brett Beiner

'Matilda' arrives

Warrenville's Natalie Galla and Audrey Edwards of Chicago share the role of the exceptionally talented titular character in Drury Lane Theatre's regional premiere of "Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical." Adapted from Dahl's novel, the tuner tells the story of a bookish 5-year-old cursed with a family that doesn't appreciate her, but blessed with a caring teacher who recognizes how special she is. Mitch Sebastian directs.

Previews at 8 p.m. Friday, April 26; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, April 27; and 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday, April 28, and through May 1 at 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. The show opens May 2. $50-$70. (630) 530-0111 or drurylanetheatre.com.

Matty Robinson plays popular high school athlete Anthony in "I and You" at Open Door Theater in Oak Park.

Teens connect in 'I and You'

Oak Park Festival Theatre and Open Door Theatre collaborate on a production of Lauren Gunderson's "I and You," a two-hander about high school students and the secrets and uncertainties they face. Matty Robinson plays Anthony, a popular athlete who visits Caroline (Erica Bittner), whose illness has kept her homebound for several months. Oak Park Festival artistic associate Bryan Wakefield directs.

The preview is 8 p.m. Friday, April 26, at Open Door Theater, 902 Ridgeland, Oak Park. The show opens at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 27, with a show at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 28. Runs through May 26. $15-$35. oakparkfestival.com.

Family comedy

Buffalo Theatre Ensemble concludes its season with the family comedy "Miracle on South Division Street" by Tom Dudzick. Steve Scott, the veteran director and educator who served nearly 40 years as a Goodman Theatre producer and director, helms the production. The story centers around a Polish-American family living in Buffalo, New York. The matriarch tends to a 20-foot shrine to the Virgin Mary that commends the day the Blessed Mother appeared in her father's barber shop, until a revelation unravels the family legend.

The preview is at 8 p.m. Thursday, May 2, at the McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. The show opens May 3. $40. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org or btechicago.com.

Jeff Mills and Lindsay Stock, of St. Charles, star in Raven Theatre's Chicago-area premiere of "The Undeniable Sound of Right Now" by Laura Eason. Courtesy of Christopher Semel

The next big thing

St. Charles native Lindsay Stock plays Lena, daughter of rock club owner Hank (Jeff Mills), in Raven Theatre's Chicago-area premiere of "The Undeniable Sound of Right Now." Laura Eason's experiences playing in a pop band inspired her drama about the fall of rock music and the rise of house music in 1992 Chicago. Northlight Theatre artistic director BJ Jones helms the production, which also features Wheaton native Dana Black.

Previews at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, May 2-4, and 3 p.m. Sunday, May 5. The show opens May 6. $29-$46. (773) 338-2177 or raventheatre.com.

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