On stage: Court Theatre remounts Homer's ancient tale in 'An Iliad'

Posted February 21, 2020 5:00 am

Timothy Edward Kane reprises his role as The Poet in Court Theatre's revival of "An Iliad." Courtesy of Joe Mazza Brave Lux

• Theatre Momentum, a company dedicated to dramatic improvisation, debuts "Multiple Exposure," its new show comprised of actors combining three, one-act plays "overlapping with one another like a multiple exposure photograph." Performances begin Friday, Feb. 21, at 1803 W. Byron St., Chicago. See theatremomentum.com.

• Underscore Theatre Company hosts a benefit concert The Reality of Love & Life curated and headlined by Ebrin R. Stanley, who played Hercules Mulligan/James Madison in Chicago's "Hamilton." Also performing at the Friday, Feb. 21, concert is Tessa Dettman and Steven Romero Schaeffer. A portion of the proceeds benefits Underscore Theatre, whose Chicago Musical Theatre Festival runs through Feb. 23 at The Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway, Chicago, which is also the site of the concert. $15 in advance, $20 at the door. See cmtf.org.

Trap Door Theatre presents "Reality Theatre." Courtesy of Trap Door Theatre

• Eight plays and four storylines performed in one hour, that's how representatives from Trap Door Theatre describe "Reality Theatre" opening Sunday, Feb. 23, at 1655 W. Cortland St., Chicago. Among the tales are one about an actress playing a spoon in "Beauty and the Beast" and another about a man who reconsiders a blood contract. (773) 384-0494 or trapdoortheatre.com.

• Songs from newer musicals including "Tootsie," "Hadestown" and "Moulin Rouge! The Musical" are among those included in "New Faces Sing Broadway Now," Porchlight Music Theatre's ongoing series showcasing emerging musical theater artists singing show tunes from a specific Broadway season. The Monday, Feb. 24, concert takes place at SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston. The Tuesday, Feb. 25, concert takes place at The Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario St., Chicago. (773) 777-9884 or porchlightmusictheatre.org.

• The Second City premieres its new improvised show "The Second City's Temple of Geekdom" on Monday, Feb. 24, at UP Comedy Club, Piper's Alley, 230 W. North Ave., Chicago. A rotating cast of improvisers will perform in the show. Audience members decide the universe where live-action role-players will venture. (312) 337-3992 or secondcity.com.

• Court Theatre's Spotlight Reading Series continues Monday, Feb. 24, at the Monumental Baptist Church, 729 E. Oakwood Blvd., Chicago. The free reading is of Phillip Hayes Dean's "The Sty of the Blind Pig," about a woman and her old-fashioned mother whose relationship is tested when a mysterious street singer shows up searching for a woman he once knew. (773) 753-4472 or courttheatre.org.

• The off-Broadway solo show "Book of Moron" by Robert Dubac plays the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut St., Chicago. Dubac plays everyman Robert. Unsure of his purpose and finding it difficult to think for himself, Robert relies on his inner voices - including the voice of reason, his inner child and his inner jerk - to navigate his way to the truth. Performances run Tuesday, Feb. 25, through Sunday, March 1. (800) 775-2000 or broadwayinchicago.com or robertdubac.com.

• Previews begin Wednesday, Feb. 26, for Court Theatre's site-specific remount of its award-winning "An Iliad," Lisa Peterson and Denis O'Hare's solo adaptation of Homer's epic tale chronicling the 10-year Trojan War. Timothy Edward Kane reprises his award-winning role as The Poet. The show opens Feb. 29 at The Oriental Institute, 1155 E. 58th St., Chicago. (773) 753-4472 or courttheatre.org.

Karen Rodriguez and Harrison Weger rehearse Steppenwolf Theatre for Young Adults' premiere of "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter," adapted from Erika L. Sanchez's novel. Courtesy of Lowell Thomas

• A high school student pursues her dreams of becoming a writer as she copes with the death of her older sister in Steppenwolf Theatre for Young Adults' premiere of "I A Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter," adapted from Erika L. Sanchez's book by Isaac Gomez. Performances begin Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

• Mayor Jane Byrne's move into Chicago's Cabrini-Green in an attempt to highlight the poverty and violence that plagued public housing inspired J. Nicole Brooks' "Her Honor Jane Byrne," premiering at Lookingglass Theatre Company. Brooks described the play in a prepared statement as history joined to myth. Previews begin Wednesday, Feb. 26, at Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago. The show, directed by Brooks, opens March 7. (312) 337-0665 or lookingglasstheatre.org.

• Congo Square Theatre Company marks its 20th anniversary with a revival of 1965's "Day of Absence," Douglas Turner Ward's satire about what happens when all of the African-American citizens disappear from a fictional Southern town. Previews begin Thursday, Feb. 27. Director Anthony Irons' production opens March 2 at Victory Gardens Theatre, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. (773) 871-3000 or congosquaretheatre.org.

• Chicago's own Joseph Jefferson Award-winner Kate Buddeke joins Sandy Duncan ("Peter Pan"), Donny Most ("Happy Days") and Adrian Zmed ("TJ Hooker") for "Middletown," a new play by Dan Clancy about two couples "riding the roller coaster of life." Previews begin Thursday, Feb. 27, at The Apollo Theatre, 2540 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. The show, which is performed without a set or props by actors reading directly from scripts, opens March 4. (773) 935-6100 or apollochicago.com.

• Shattered Globe Theatre has extended its Chicago-area premiere of "Sheepdog," Kevin Artigue's drama about the budding romance between two Cleveland police officers - an African-American woman and a Caucasian man - that fractures following an officer-involved shooting. Performances run through March 15 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. (773) 975-8150 or shatteredglobe.org.

• Broken Nose Theatre has extended its U.S. premiere of "Labyrinth," Beth Steel's drama about a young Wall Street banker who realizes his bank's lending policies are pushing developing Latin American countries into bankruptcy. Performances run through March 7 at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. See brokennosetheatre.com.

• Raven Theatre kicks off its 2020-2021 season on Sept. 24 with a revival of Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee's courtroom drama "Inherit the Wind," a fictionalized account of The Scopes Monkey Trial about a small-town teacher arrested on charges of teaching his students Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. That's followed by the Chicago premiere of "The Luckiest" (Oct. 22-Dec. 6), Melissa Ross' drama about a woman who receives a devastating diagnosis that sets her mother and her best friend at odds. Next up is Jonathan Harvey's "Beautiful Thing" (Feb. 11-March 28, 2021), about the friendship between two working-class boys living in southeast London who "find solace with one another from their mundane, yet overwhelming lives." The season concludes with the premiere of "The Last Pair of Earlies" (May 6-June 20, 2021), about long-married spouses who begin to wonder if they are enough for each other. Performances take place at 6157 N. Clark St., Chicago. Season subscriptions range from $60 (for subscribers under 30) to $125 and are available at (773) 338-2177 or raventheatre.com.

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