Spotlight: Paramount Theatre's 'Into the Woods' is a different spin on the Brothers Grimm
Happily ever after?
The Baker, his Wife, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Jack are among the Brothers Grimm characters hoping to make their dreams come true in "Into the Woods," the Stephen Sondheim/James Lapine musical about what happens after happily ever after. Paramount Theatre artistic director Jim Corti and Trent Stork co-direct Paramount's revival.
Previews at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4; 1 and 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5; 1:30 and 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8; and 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, at 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. The show opens Feb. 10. $28-$79. Masks encouraged. (630) 896-6666 or paramountaurora.com.
New at Second City
Second City's new sketch comedy show, "Dance Like There are Black People Watching: A Black Excellence Revue," features an all-Black ensemble of writers and performers.
8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through April 1 at 230 W. North Ave., Chicago. Tickets start at $29. Masks optional. (312) 337-3992 or secondcity.com.
Pulitzer winner revived
Remy Bumppo Theatre continues its season with a revival of "Anna in the Tropics," Nilo Cruz's poetic Pulitzer Prize-winning play about Cuban immigrants working in a Florida cigar factory in 1929 whose lives begin to mirror those of the characters in Leo Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina." Laura Alcalá Baker directs.
Previews at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, Feb. 8-11, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. The show opens Feb. 16. $30-$40. Masks required. (773) 975-8150 or remybumppo.org.
A right to privacy
A man attempts to erase from the internet an indiscretion he committed when he was 17 in Raven Theatre's Chicago-area premiere of "Right to be Forgotten," Sharyn Rothstein's new drama about reclaiming one's privacy. The play is inspired by a European Union principle that grants individuals the right to have their personal data erased if it is no longer necessary for the organization that originally collected it.
Previews at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 9-11, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, at Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark St., Chicago. The show opens Feb. 13. $30-$40. Masks required. (773) 338-2177 or raventheatre.com.
In other news
Check with venues about COVID-19 precautions.
• In time for Valentine's Day, The Second City premieres its new sketch comedy show, "The Second City Swipes Right: An Incomplete Guide to The Ultimate Date Night." Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursday and 7 p.m. Sunday at Up Comedy Club, 230 W. North Ave., Chicago. (312) 337-3992 or secondcity.com.
• Performances begin Friday, Feb. 3, for MadKap Productions' "The Book of Merman," an original musical comedy partly inspired by the tuner "The Book of Mormon." It's about a couple of missionaries who encounter Broadway legend Ethel Merman, who mistakes them for traveling salesmen. Performances run through Feb. 26 at the Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave., Skokie. Masks recommended. (847) 677-7761 or skokietheatre.org.
• Curious Theatre Branch and BeauTown Cabaret team up for "This is Not a Churchill," consisting of four short plays that pay homage to playwright Caryl Churchill. The production is a response to Churchill's 1999 experimental play "This is a Chair," in which news bulletins were followed by a scene that had nothing to do with the announcement. Performances run Friday, Feb. 3, through Feb. 25 at the Facility Theatre, 1138 N. California Ave., Chicago. Tickets are $15 or pay-what-you-can. See facebook.com/curioustheatre.
• Three Brothers Theatre, in cooperation with Genesee Theatre, presents "Lombardi," about National Football League Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi. The play unfolds over a week in 1965 as the Green Bay Packers coach prepares to lead his team to a championship. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3, and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. Tickets are $15. (847) 263-6300 or geneseetheatre.com.
• Cabaret Zazou chanteuse LiV Warfield performs with her band at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, on the 14th floor of the Cambria Hotel, 32 W. Randolph St., Chicago. Warfield, whose second album was co-executive produced by Prince, has collaborated with Questlove, Ray Angry of The Roots, Heart's Nancy Wilson and The New Power Generation. See cabaretzazou.com for tickets.
• Opera in Focus, comprised of puppet performances of opera scenes, begins its 65th anniversary on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at the Rolling Meadows Park District Theater, 3000 Central Road, Rolling Meadows. The program includes scenes from Franz Lehar's "The Land of Smiles," Giacomo Puccini's "La Rondine," and Oscar and Hammerstein's "South Pacific." Performances take place at 4 p.m. Wednesdays and 1:30 p.m. Saturdays through March 4. (847) 818-3220 or operainfocus.com.
• The next installment in Porchlight Music Theatre's "Porchlight Revisits" series showcasing rarely revived plays and musicals continues with "I Am a Camera," adapted from John Van Druten's play (and the inspiration for the tuner "Cabaret"), which he adapted from Christopher Isherwood's 1939 novel "Goodbye to Berlin." Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8, and 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. Masks required. (773) 777-9884 or porchlightmusictheatre.org.
• Collaboraction and The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center premiere "Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till," an interactive re-enactment of the trial of the men who murdered the 14-year-old boy for allegedly whistling at a white woman. Adapted from the trial transcript by G. Riley Mills and Willie Round and directed by Anthony Moseley and Dana N. Anderson, "Trial in the Delta" runs Thursday, Feb. 9, through Feb. 19 at 740 E. 56th Place, Chicago. $30-$55. See collaboraction.org.
• Physician and illusionist Dr. Ricardo Rosenkranz previews the latest incarnation of his show "Physician Magician" on Thursday, Feb. 9, at Rhapsody Theater, 1328 W. Morse Ave., Chicago. The show, which includes new illusions, opens Feb. 17. (888) 495-9001 or rhapsodytheater.com.
• In honor of Valentine's Day, Blue Man Group Chicago offers two tickets for $99 to select performances purchased through Feb. 28 at the Briar Street Theater, 3133 N. Halsted St., Chicago. See blueman.com/chicago/offers.
• "Edward the Dancing Elephant," a family-friendly video by composer/lyricist Ralph Covert (Ralph's World, The Bad Examples) about an elephant pursuing his dream of becoming a tap dancer, is available on CCTv, The Chicago Children's Theatre's YouTube channel. The free video features dancer/CCT teaching artist and M.A.D.D. Rhythms ensemble member Time Brickey.
• Porchlight Music Theatre has extended its revival of "Cabaret." Performances run through March 5 at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. Masks required. (773) 777-9884 or porchlightmusictheatre.org.
• Trap Door Theatre has added 7 p.m. Sunday performances to its production of "Princess Ivona," Polish playwright Witold Gombrowicz's tale of a woman who becomes entangled in court matters after becoming engaged to a prince. Performances run through Feb. 19 at 1655 W. Cortland St., Chicago. See trapdoortheatre.com.
• The Dennis Taylor Scholarship Foundation for the Performing Arts, named for the late Elgin theater-maker, is accepting applications for college scholarships for the 2023-24 school year. Thirty-two scholarships ranging from $500 to $1,200 are available for postsecondary, undergraduate or graduate music, theater and dance students residing in the Western suburbs. The application deadline is April 1. Complete an application at dennistaylorsf.org. Applicants must also provide a YouTube or Vimeo video audition.
• The Bayless Family Foundation Stepping Stone has awarded grants of $150,000 to be paid out over three years to three local ensembles. Shattered Globe will use the grant to assist its post-pandemic efforts and nurture the next generation of theater artists. Filament Theatre will use its grant to build a scene shop, and Theater Wit will use the funds to hire producers and an audience development director.
• Director/choreographer Jamal Howard - whose current productions include redtwist theatre's "The Great Khan" and BoHo Theatre's "tick, tick ... BOOM!" - is Goodman Theatre's 2023 Michael Maggio directing fellow. The fellowship offers the recipient an opportunity to assist with a Goodman production and participate in the theater's artistic life.
• Court Theatre named Jarrett King as its director of education. A veteran of Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare and Silk Road Rising theaters, King will be responsible for educational outreach and programming for area schoolchildren.