Spotlight: Ronnie Marmo returns as Lenny Bruce at the North Shore Center
Red Orchid premiere
A Red Orchid Theatre premieres "Revolution," the latest play by ensemble member Brett Neveu ("Eric LaRue," "The Malignant Ampersands"). Ensemble member Travis A. Knight directs the play, which centers around a woman celebrating her 26th birthday while creating friendships and building her community.
Previews at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8 and 15; 3 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9; and 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, at 1531 N. Wells St., Chicago. The show opens Sept. 16. $20-$45. (312) 943-8722 or aredorchidtheatre.org.
New tuner
After she loses out on a scholarship to her dream school, overachiever Jane Huang and her high school friends build a drug empire to pay for college tuition in "Baked! The Musical." Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre presents a fully staged developmental production of the all-Asian tuner by Jord Liu and Deepak Kumar.
7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Sept. 7-9, and 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, and runs through Oct. 8 at 721 Howard St., Evanston. $40, prix fixe dinner an additional $33. (773) 939-4101 or theo-u.com.
A singular sensation
MadKap Productions revives "A Chorus Line," director/choreographer Michael Bennett's groundbreaking musical in which dancers auditioning for a Broadway show share the events that shaped their lives and determined their careers.
7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 8-9, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, and runs through Oct. 8 at the Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave., Skokie. $38, $45. (847) 677-7761 or skokietheatre.org.
Tragedy for our times
Babes With Blades artistic director Hayley Rice puts a contemporary spin on "The Duchess of Malfi," John Webster's 17th-century tragedy about a widowed duchess whose decision to remarry a man of low stature prompts drastic action by her disapproving brothers. At a time when women, members of the LGBTQIA community and people of color are being increasingly marginalized, the story of a woman finding agency and fighting patriarchy is especially relevant, Rice said in a prepared statement.
Previews at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, and Sept. 14-15, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, at The Factory Theater, 1623 W. Howard St., Chicago. The show opens Sept. 16. $28-$35. babeswithblades.org.
Lenny Bruce revisited
Writer/performer Ronnie Marmo, whose solo show "I'm Not a Comedian ... I'm Lenny Bruce" had a lengthy pre-pandemic run in Chicago, brings this tribute to the trailblazing comic and social critic to the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts for two shows. Written by Marmo and directed by Joe Mantegna, the show chronicles Bruce's life, career, legal troubles and death at age 40 from an overdose.
2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, at 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. $34-$70. (847) 673-6300 or northshorecenter.org.
Sedaka is back
Marriott Theatre and Artists Lounge Live present Broadway veteran John Michael Dias ("Beautiful: The Carole King Musical," "Jersey Boys") in his cabaret show "Breaking Up is Hard to Do: John Michael Dias Sings Neil Sedaka." Dias' salute to the singer/songwriter includes such Sedaka hits as "Calendar Girl," "Oh Carol" and "Love Will Keep Us Together," among others.
7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 11, and 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. $60. (847) 634-0200 or marriotttheatre.com.
'Hamilton' ticket lottery
"Hamilton" producer Jeffrey Seller and Broadway In Chicago will hold a digital lottery for a limited number of $10 tickets to "Hamilton," which begins performances Sept. 13 at the James M. Nederlander Theatre. Digital lotteries will open at 10 a.m. Friday and close at noon the following Thursday for the upcoming week's performances. Participants 18 and older can use the "Hamilton" app available for iOS and Android devices in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. hamiltonmusical.com/us-tour/lottery.