Spotlight: Music Theater Works revives 'The Producers,' Fleetwood-Jourdain stages 'The Light'

Posted August 02, 2023 11:00 pm

Jazzma Pryor stars with Rich Oliver in Fleetwood Jourdain Theatre's production of "The Light" by Chicago playwright Loy A. Webb.

We got the beat

A fictional royal family struggles to outrun prophecies that would spell the end of their kingdom in "Head Over Heels," a jukebox musical set to the music of the 1980s girl group The Go-Gos. Steel Beam Theatre revives the show that was conceived and written by James Whitty with playwright James Magruder.

7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 4-5, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 6, and running through Aug. 20 at 111 W. Main St., St. Charles. $22-$28. Masks optional. (630) 587-8521 or steelbeamtheatre.com.

Rich Oliver stars with Jazzma Pryor in Fleetwood Jourdain Theatre's production of "The Light" by Chicago playwright Loy A. Webb.

A secret revealed

A young Black couple contends with a secret from their past in "The Light," a two-hander by Chicago playwright Loy A. Webb. Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre's revival stars Jazzma Pryor as Genesis and Rich Oliver as her husband, Rashad. Artistic director Tim Rhoze directs.

Preview at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes St., Evanston. The show opens at 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 6. $30. Masks optional. (847) 866-5914 or fjtheatre.com.

Kings of Broadway

A floundering Broadway producer and his nervous accountant figure they can make more money with a flop than with a hit. And they believe they have such a bomb in "Springtime for Hitler," the musical within the blockbuster tuner "The Producers," adapted by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan from Brooks' 1968 hit film. Music Theater Works' revival stars Thomas M. Shea as Max Bialystock, David Geinosky as Leo Bloom and Kelsey MacDonald as their comely assistant, Ulla. L. Walter Stearns directs Music Theater Works' 150th production.

Preview at 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10, at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. The show opens at 8 p.m. Aug. 11. $39-$106. Masks recommended. (847) 673-6300 or musictheaterworks.com.

Britain Gebhardt plays a mystery writer turned sleuth in Hell in a Handbag Productions' musical parody "Murder, Rewrote." Courtesy of Rich Aguilar Studios

Handbag premiere

Hell in a Handbag Productions premieres "Murder Rewrote," a musical parody by Ed Rutherford and George Howe inspired by the long-running TV mystery series "Murder, She Wrote." Britain Gebhardt plays the famed mystery writer who becomes embroiled in murder and mayhem when the daughter of Hollywood legend June Crayfish (David Cerda) is murdered, leaving June the prime suspect.

Previews at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 10-12, at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. The show opens at 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 13. $25-$56. Masks recommended. handbagproductions.org.

More Marie and Rosetta

Northlight Theatre has extended its acclaimed production of "Marie and Rosetta," a play with music about gospel greats Sister Rosetta Tharpe (Bethany Thomas) and her protégé Marie Knight (Alexis J. Roston). Performances run through Aug. 13 at Northlight Theatre, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. (847) 673-6300 or northlight.org.

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