Spotlight: Oil Lamp takes the stage outdoors, Steel Beam salutes 'Women of Steel'
Onstage outdoors
Oil Lamp Theater hosts the first of its Onstage and Outdoors series with a live, outdoor cabaret comprised of Broadway hits from "Hamilton," "Frozen" and "Phantom of the Opera" among others. They're performed by Jonah D. Winston, Desiree Gonzalez, Gabriel Fries, Shayla Rogers and Eustace J. Williams. Audience members may attend in groups of two to six and will be physically distanced from other groups. Performers will wear face coverings when not singing. Audiences must wear face coverings when outside their assigned sitting area. Restrooms are available at Oil Lamp Theater, a short walk from the site.
7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27, (weather permitting) at Our Lady of Perpetual Help parking lot, 1775 Grove St., Glenview. $15-$40. (847) 834-0738 or oillamptheater.org.
Strawdog's 'The Four'
Strawdog Theatre Company launches its all-virtual 33rd season with a performance of a poem titled "The Four." Written and directed by interim artistic director Kamille Dawkins, the performance consists of four ensemble members reflecting on the company's values of ensemble, connection, challenge and community and how they've inspired the company's progress. Performances conclude with Dawkins, Scott Danielson, Becca Levy and Michael Reyes burning "the words we aspire to and the words we leave behind" during a fire ritual. Audience members can add their words to the ritual by emailing them to thefour@strawdog.org.
5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, on Facebook live. $10 donation. See strawdog.org.
Women of Steel
Steel Beam Theatre announced it will livestream five solo performances highlighting notable women from history, literature, stage and screen as part of its Women of Steel series. First in the series is Martina Mathison channeling comedian and sex symbol Mae West. That's followed by Megan Wells re-creating characters from Bram Stoker's "Dracula," and Leslie Goddard channeling Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, wife of Alexander, and her sisters Angelica and Peggy. Paddy Lynn portrays children's author Beatrix Potter, and the series concludes with Debra Miller as writer Jane Austen.
7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27. Performances continue monthly through Jan. 31. $10. Patrons will receive a link and instructions to view the performances. (630) 587-8521 or steelbeamtheatre.com.
Women's work
The Elmhurst History Museum commemorates the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment with a salute to suffragette Alice Paul, a leader in the women's rights movement. First-person history presenter Leslie Goddard portrays Paul in a prerecorded, virtual performance available for free online at elmhursthistory.org from Sunday, Sept. 27, through Oct. 11.
Drive-in Beatrix Potter
The Chicago Children's Theatre debuts a film version of the puppet show "Beatrix Potter and Friends" - comprised of four stories including "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" - outdoors in its West Loop parking lot. Co-creator Kay Kron hosts the screening, which will be projected on a 30-foot screen and which is preceded by cellist Sarah Sonia Goldberg performing classical music for beginners.
Performances are at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays, Oct. 1-18, at 100 S. Racine Ave., Chicago. $45 per car (for up to six people) or for walk-up patrons. Space is limited to 17 cars. Advance reservation required. (312) 374-8835 or chicagochildrenstheatre.org.
In other news
• The Second City hosts virtual happy-hour celebrations featuring some of its alumni at 7 p.m. Thursdays through Nov. 5. The Second City Happy Hour includes interactive games, sketch comedy and special guests. Admission is $15. See secondcity.com.
• PrideArts' four-show virtual season commences with "Closet Play," a virtual benefit (without an audience) that will stream live on Facebook and YouTube from the theater at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30. The benefit consists of readings from James Baldwin and Tennessee Williams' poetry accompanied by original jazz compositions. The event puts a spin on the closet drama, which is a play written to be read instead of performed. The benefit will be followed later this year by three short comedies, which will be filmed at the theater and streamed for audiences. Links to the benefit will be available on the PrideArts Facebook page at facebook.com/pridefilmsandplays and pridearts.org.
• The Chicago International Puppet Theatre will hold its annual Living Room Tour fundraiser at locations in Glencoe, Chicago and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 1-4. Each event includes dinner and a puppet performance. Tickets are $150. They're available at chicagopuppetfest.org.
• Silk Road Rising recently debuted "In-Dialogue," a podcast consisting of interviews conducted by co-executive artistic director and Mount Prospect native Jamil Khoury. The current series examines Arab American and Middle Eastern American theater movements. See silkroadrising.org.
• Writer/actress and Goodman Theatre artistic associate Dael Orlandersmith ("Lady in Denmark," "Yellowman") was among theater, dance and jazz artists who received the 2020 Doris Duke Artist Award for excellence in theater, which is accompanied by $275,000. "Getting the award has changed my life," said Orlandersmith in a prepared statement. "I want to thank whoever nominated me and the people on the panel that recommended me for the award. I am eternally grateful, and I send lovelight to you."
• Skokie's Northlight Theatre recently announced that it will postpone live productions from its 2020-2021 season until March 2021. Subscribers who have already renewed for 2020-2021 will have their season subscriptions honored for the next five Northlight productions. New package options will be available soon.