Theater events: Den Theatre premieres 'Matrix' musical parody; Porchlight honors director Gary Griffin

• The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, premieres "The One: The Matrix Parody Musical," Laura Marsh's sendup (created by fans, for fans) of the 1990s sci-fi trilogy. Performances begin Friday, Aug. 2. (773) 697-3830 or thedentheatre.com.

• Silent Theatre hosts The Wild Party Variety Hour at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, at Steppenwolf's 1700 Theatre, 1700 N. Halsted St., Chicago. Dubbed "The Strange Case of Dr. Marvin and Mr. Shhhhh!" the horror story inspired-show is part of Steppenwolf's LookOut Series. It features Silent Theatre ensemble members Brenan Balfe and Marvin Quijada, also known as Silent Marvin. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org or silenttheatre.com.

• Corn Productions presents "The Fifth Ace," an improv and standup showcase running Sundays, beginning Sunday, Aug. 4, at the Cornservatory, 4210 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. See cornservatory.org.

• Chicago Dramatists hosts La Nuit D'Amour Dramatique, its summer fundraiser, from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, at 1105 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, followed by an after party from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tickets are $35 per person and include dancing, wine, beer and soft drinks. Guests are invited to dress as their favorite hero or villain from stage or screen. See chicagodramatists.org.

• Porchlight Music Theatre kicks off its 25th season with its annual Chicago Sings fundraising concert Monday, Aug. 5, at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago. The event begins at 6 p.m. with cocktails and appetizers followed by performances of numbers from past shows including "Dreamgirls," "End of the Rainbow" "Ragtime" and others. The event will also honor director Gary Griffin with the 2019 Guy Adkins Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Music Theatre in Chicago. Tickets are $125, $150 at the door. (773) 777-9884 or porchlightmusictheatre.org.

• Theater residencies at Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St., Chicago, continue Monday through Saturday, Aug. 5-10, with Barrel of Monkeys. The company will hold three, one-hour writing workshops for children ages 7 to 17 during which ensemble members and participants will create a sketch show. That's followed by an open rehearsal on Thursday, Aug. 5, and performances at 1 and 5 p.m. Aug. 9 and 10. Admission is free. See millenniumpark.org.

• Steppenwolf Theatre artists performing in the revival of "True West" discuss the significance of Sam Shepard's play - whose 1982 New York transfer put the company on the national stage - at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 5, in the Downstairs Theatre at 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago. Ensemble member Francis Guinan, who reprises his role from the company's original production, joins Jon Michael Hill and Namir Smallwood for "True West" Through the Decades: A Multigenerational Reflection on Launching and Revisiting a Legendary Work. Tickets are $40. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

• Theatre Y hosts Camino Fiesta to mark its upcoming production of "The Camino Project," a new walking performance piece that runs Aug. 17 to Sept. 22. The fiesta includes hors d'oeuvres, beverages and dancing. It begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, at the Stan Mansion, 2408 N. Kedzie Blvd., Chicago. Tickets are $100. Proceeds support Theatre Y's free theater movement. See theatre-y.com/events.

• Lookingglass Theatre has extended for the second time its premiere of "Frankenstein," adapted from Mary Shelley's classic by writer/director David Catlin. Performances run through Sept. 1 at the Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago. (312) 337-0665 or lookingglasstheatre.org.

• "Hamilton: The Exhibition," the immersive homage to Alexander Hamilton that opened in April at Northerly Island, 1535 S. Linn White Drive, Chicago, will close several weeks early on Aug. 25, producer Jeffrey Seller announced this week. Inspired by Lin-Manuel Miranda's hit musical (which concludes its three-year Chicago run on Jan. 5, 2020), the exhibition offers a "deeper dive" into the life of the Founding Father and first treasury secretary, the American Revolution and the early days of the U.S. In a prepared statement, producers cited as reasons for the closing "numerous, unrelated events on Northerly Island during the final weeks of summer that would complicate access to the exhibition and compromise the customer experience." Tickets from Aug. 26 to Sept. 8 will be refunded from Ticketmaster or other points of purchase. See hamiltonexhibition.com.

• Theatre at the Center announced its landmark 30th anniversary season that artistic director Linda Fortunato promises has something for everyone. It begins Feb. 13, 2020, with "Almost Heaven - John Denver's America," a celebration of the singer/songwriter's life and career. Lanford Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning "Talley's Folly" (April 30-May 31, 2020) is about two middle-aged people taking the first, tentative steps toward romance and a life together. Linda Fortunato stars opposite her husband, Sean Fortunato. That's followed by the musical celebration of Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller in "Ain't Misbehavin'" (July 9-Aug. 9, 2020), which features the songs "Honeysuckle Rose," "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" and "The Joint is Jumpin'" among others. The Jerry Herman musical "Hello Dolly!" (Sept. 10-Oct. 11, 2020) stars E. Faye Butler as the matchmaker Dolly Levi, who arranges romance for her clients and for herself. The season concludes with "Elf, The Musical" (Nov. 12-Dec. 20, 2020) about Buddy, a human raised in the North Pole as an elf, who travels to New York City to find his father. Performances take place at 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana. Subscription renewals run from Aug. 18 to Sept. 22. New subscription sales begin Oct. 8, and individual tickets go on sale Dec. 10. (219) 836-3255 or theatreatthecenter.com.