Spotlight: House Theatre re-imagines 'Snow Queen,' Marriott revives 'Kiss Me, Kate'

Classic tale re-imagined

The House Theatre of Chicago debuts its re-imagined staging of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen" under director AmBer Montgomery. Adapted by Lanise Antoine Shelley, the production includes puppetry and music and is suitable for ages 8 and older.

Previews at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Nov. 12-13 and 19-20, and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18, at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago. The show opens Nov. 21. $20-$40. COVID-19 precautions: Proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test and masking mandatory. See thehousetheatre.com.

'Carnage' revived

Naperville native and actor/improviser/cartoonist Mike Newquist co-stars alongside Maggie Antonijevic, Erin Kathleen O'Brien and Mark Tacderas in AstonRep Theatre Company's revival of "God of Carnage," Yasmina Reza's dark comedy about two upper-middle class couples who meet to discuss a playground incident involving their respective children. Derek Bertelsen and Robert Tobin co-direct the revival.

Previews at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12, at The Edge Off-Broadway Theatre, 1133 W. Catalpa Ave., Chicago. The show opens Saturday, Nov. 13. $10-$20. COVID-19 precautions: Proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test and masking mandatory. (773) 828-9129 or astonrep.com.

Audio drama premiere

Broken Nose Theatre premieres "Primer," an audio play by ensemble member Spenser Davis about institutions "prioritizing property over people." Set in a fictional Michigan Avenue store that has been vandalized by looters, the action unfolds from several different perspectives. Literary manager Brittney Brown directs an all Broken Nose cast, which includes Lake Zurich native E.M. Davis.

Streaming online on demand from Monday, Nov. 15, through Dec. 5 at brokennosetheatre.com. Tickets are pay-what-you-can.

Battle of the sexes

Susan Moniz and Larry Adams co-star in Marriott Theatre's revival of the Cole Porter musical "Kiss Me, Kate," a backstage theater tale about divorced actors Lilli (Moniz) and Fred (Adams) who battle onstage and off when they're cast in a production of William Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew." Johanna McKenzie Miller, who made her acting debut 20 years ago on Marriott's stage, makes her main stage directorial debut.

Previews at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 17-18; 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19; 4 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20; and 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 21, at 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. The show opens Nov. 23. $50-$60, with dinner packages available. COVID-19 precautions: Proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test and masking mandatory. (847) 634-0200 or marriotttheatre.com.

In other news

Check with venues regarding COVID-19 precautions.

• Master improviser Colin Mochrie (The Second City, "Whose Line is it Anyway?") and hypnotist Asad Mecci bring their show "HYPROV: Improv Under Hypnosis" to the Raue Center this weekend. The duo, along with five audience volunteers, performs at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, at 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. Tickets are $45 to $65, with a limited number available. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test for those 12 and older; masks mandatory for everyone 2 and older. (815) 356-9212 or rauecenter.org.

• Babes With Blades Theatre Company's Fighting Words Festival of in-development works runs Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 13-14, online and in-person at The Factory Theater, 1623 W. Howard St., Chicago. Featured plays include "Phantom Queens" about campers who confront suspicious locals; "Child's Play" about a mother who tries to rescue her child from faeries; and "The Mark" about a female soldier in a dystopian society who gets caught up in a class war. Admission is free and streaming is also available. See babeswithblades.org.

• The Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture presents its inaugural event "Dante 360," at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 14, at 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. Actors, visual artists and musicians will illustrate Dante Alighieri's "The Divine Comedy" while historian Elizabeth Lev discusses its significance. See athenaeumcenter.org/dante.

• Citadel Theatre's season continues with a revival of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" based on the characters in Charles M. Schulz's "Peanuts" comic strip. Previews begin Wednesday, Nov. 17, at 300 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest. The show opens Nov. 19. Masks required. (847) 735-8554, ext. 1, or citadeltheatre.org.

• As part of its Porchlight Revisits series celebrating "lost musical," Porchlight Music Theatre presents "Nunsense," about the Little Sisters of Hoboken's efforts to host a variety show to raise fund for the burials of their 52 fellow sisters who died after eating tainted vichyssoise. The performances are at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 17, and at 1:30 and 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18, at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. (773) 777-9884 or porchlightmusictheatre.org.

• "Love, Actually The Unauthorized Musical Parody," begins previews Wednesday, Nov. 17, at the Apollo Theater Chicago, 2550 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. Inspired by the 2003 movie, the parody traces the romantic relationships of nine couples from cute meetings to grand gestures to breakups. The show opens Nov. 21. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and masking required. See loveactuallyparody.com.

• Roselle native Tommy Malouf and Buffalo Grove native Stephanie Shum are among the cast members of The New Coordinates' premiere of "Love in the Time of Jonestown," a radio play by ensemble member Omer Abbas Salem that will stream online from Nov. 21, through Dec. 12 at thenewcoordinates.org. The play is about a community that purports to welcome and accept newcomers but seems to have more sinister intentions. Tickets are $15. See thenewcoordinates.org.• Theatre Above the Law's premiere of "Eb and Belle" by Ryan Stevens puts a new spin on Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" by examining the relationship between young Ebenezer Scrooge and his first love, Belle, which occurred before he became a misanthrope. Previews begin Thursday, Nov. 18, at The Jarvis Square Theater, 1439 W. Jarvis St., Chicago. The show opens Nov. 20. Audience members must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination and wear masks. See theatreatl.org.

• Actress/comedian Janeane Garofalo ("Ratatouille," "Reality Bites," "The West Wing," "The Larry Sanders Show") headlines The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Garofalo performs at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 19-20. Tickets are $25-$48. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and masking required. (773) 697-3830 or thedentheatre.com.

• The Neo Futurists launched their annual fundraiser, which includes efforts to raise $30,000 in 60 days through a series of their signature productions. That includes a made-in-24-hours edition of its weekly show "The Infinite Wrench" on Nov. 21. That's followed by "best of 2021" shows running Dec. 4-12. Performances of "60 Songs in 60 Minutes" take place Dec. 15 and 16. The two-month fundraiser concludes Dec. 31 with "A Very Neo New Year." Performances take place at 5153 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. Tickets range from $15-$25. See neofuturists.org.

• In celebration of the 30 years since Blue Man Group's New York City debut, Blue Man Chicago makes $30 tickets available for Monday performances during November. Additionally, the blue men have partnered with Dryhop Brewers to release a new, blue-hued IPA called Brew Man Group. Lastly, audience members attending the 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 14, performance at the Briar Street Theatre, 3133 N. Halsted St., Chicago, can attend a post-performance workshop where ensemble members will test new material. See blueman.com for more information.

• Windy City Playhouse announced the extension of "A Recipe for Disaster," the hit show created in association with master chef Rick Bayless, through spring 2022. An immersive production that combines farce and dinner comprised of three mini-courses, it all unfolds at Petterino's restaurant, 150 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. Tickets range from $100-$130. (773) 891-8985 or windycityplayhouse.com.