Families in Chicago can choose from a wide variety of productions for young people. Some of the promising ones for the fall include ” Princess and the Pea,” presented by Chicago Childen’s Theatre, and “Guns,” by Chicago Playworks at De Paul University. Those who didn’t get a chance to see the delightful productions of “Rumpelstiltskin,” performed by the Children’s Theatre Fantasy Orchard, and “Bunnicula,” in an original adaptation by Lifeline Theatre KidSeries, the first time they were produced several years ago will get an opportunity to see them restaged this season, and those who did see them already will probably want to go again.
Youngsters in junior high school and high school can get acquainted with Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Co. thanks to their Family Series, which is presenting “Twelve Angry Men.”
Here is a brief schedule of children’s theater performances. Some details are subject to change, so be sure to call in advance for up-to-date information. In almost all cases, reservations are recommended.
Group rates are available for many performances. Check the This Week listings in Friday for additional performances.
Apple Tree Theatre Company’s Theatre for Young Audiences, 593 Elm Place, Highland Park; 708-432-8223: “The Devil’s Arithmetic,” 10 a.m. Oct. 30 and 1 p.m. Nov. 5; $5.
AlphaBet Soup Productions, 708-932-1555: “Cinderella (or `All’s Well-a That Ends Well-a’)”, Oct. 12-28, Bicentennial Theatre, Bluff St. at 201 Jefferson St., Joliet, Nov. 1-Dec. 21; Lewis University Philip Lynch Theatre, Rte. 53, Romeoville, Nov. 30-Dec. 9; North Central College, Pfiefer Hall, 30 N. Brainard St., Naperville. “Snow White,” Oct. 25-Feb. 25, Candelight Dinner Playhouse, 5620 S. Harlem Ave., Summit. “Pinocchio,” Nov. 8-Dec. 3, Triton College, Richard Burton Theatre, 2000 5th Ave., River Grove, Dec. 5-16; Museum of Science and Industry, 57th St. and Lake Shore Drive; $4.75 in advance, $5 at door.
Beverly Art Center, 2153 111th St.; 312-445-3838: “Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” by the National Marionette Co., 2 p.m. Oct. 15, $4; “A Christmas Carol,” 8 p.m. Dec. 2, 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Dec. 3 and 2 p.m. Dec. 4, $5 in advance, $6 at the door; “Christmas by Remote Control,” 8 p.m. Dec. 16-17, $2 Dec. 18, $7-$15.
Centre East, 7701-A Lincoln Ave., Skokie; 708-673-6300. Family Theatre Series: Tom & Jerry and environmental crusader Captain Planet make live appearances, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Oct. 8; “Babes in Toyland,” 1 p.m. Nov. 13; “Dinosaur Mountain,” 1 p.m. Nov. 20; “The Snow Queen puppet performance, 1 p.m. Dec. 3; “The Nutcracker,” 2 p.m. Dec. 10; “After Christmas With Rudolf” with entertainer Dave Rudolf, 2 p.m. Dec. 28; “Treasure Island,” 1 p.m. Jan. 21; “The Chinese Golden Dragon Acrobats,” 1 p.m. Feb. 5; “Thumbelina,’ 1 p.m. Feb. 12; “Cinderella,” 1 p.m. Feb. 26; “Gulliver’s Travels,” 1 p.m. March 4; “The Little Prince,” 1 p.m. March 26; “Aladdin,” 1 p.m. April 8; “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” 1 p.m. May 7; $7-$13 depending on performance.
Chicago Children’s Theatre, Diller Street Theatre of the North Shore Country Day School, 310 Green Bay Rd., Winnetka; 312-262-9848: “Princess and the Pea,” 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays (except Nov. 24), 2 p.m. Sats. and Suns., Nov. 15-Dec. 4 and 2 p.m. Nov. 25 and 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Nov. 18 and Dec. 2 at the Diller Street Theatre; 10:30 a.m. Jan. 11-13 at the West Pavilion Auditorium, the Museum of Science and Industry, 57th St. and Lake Shore Drive. “Robin Goodfellow,” 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and Fridays (except April 14) and 2 p.m. Sats. and Suns. (except April 16) March 28-April 3 with an additional performance at 7 p.m. April 28 at the Diller Street Theatre; 10:30 a.m. May 3-4, 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. May 5 and 2 p.m. May 6 at the Skyline Stage, Navy Pier Chicago; $5-$8 for single tickets, $7-$14 for subscription.
Chicago Playworks of De Paul University, Merle Reskin Theatre, 60 E. Balbo Drive, 312-362-8455: “Guns,” Oct. 11-Dec. 10; “The Prince and the Pauper,” Jan. 10-March 11; “The Sleeping Beauty,” March 28-May 20; performances are 10 a.m. most Tuesdays and Thursdays and 2 p.m. most Sats.; $5, $8-$12 for season subscription.
Children’s Theatre Fantasy Orchard, Ivanhoe Theater, 750 W. Wellington Ave., 312-539-4211: “Rumpelstiltskin,” 10:15 a.m. Mon.-Fri., 1 p.m. Sats. Oct. 12-Dec. 17; African Folktales, 10:15 a.m. Mon.-Fri., 1 p.m. Sats., Feb. 1-28; $4.50-$6.
Child’s Play Touring Co., 312-235-8911: “Animal Tales & Dinosaur Scales,” 11 a.m. Oct. 22, Village of Park Forest Freedom Hall, 410 Lakewood Park, Park Forest, 708-747-0580, $4; 10:30 a.m. April 6, Copernicus Center, 5216 West Lawrence Ave., 312-235-8911, $3. “The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t,” 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Dec. 4, Tivoli Theatre, Highland Ave., Downers Grove, 708-968-1600, $6; 5:30 p.m. Dec. 5, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St., 312-744-1644, free; and Copernicus Center, 5216 W. Lawrence Ave., 312-235-8911, 10 a.m. and noon Dec. 1, 10:30 a.m. Dec. 2; $3.
Chocolate Chips Theatre Company, Dunham Theatre of Kennedy-King College, 6800 S. Wentworth Ave.; 312-994-7400: “How the Snake Got His Rattle,” 2 p.m. Oct. 29, $4; “Kingdom of Gold,” 2 p.m. Feb. 11, $4, 7 p.m. Jan. 28, $10;”Tandika Tales,” 2 p.m. May 27, $4.
Classics on Stage, Pickwick Theater, Touhy Ave. and Northwest Highway, Park Ridge; 312-989-0598: “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” 10:30 a.m. Wed.-Fri., noon Sats. Oct. 19-Nov. 19, as well as 10:30 a.m. on numerous Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and noon on numerous Saturdays March 15-June 2, 1995 ; “One Magical Christmas Eve,” 10:30 a.m. Mondays.-Fridays and noon Sats., Nov. 29-Dec. 23 with additional Saturday performances 2:30 p.m. Dec. 3 and 10; a live half-hour theater pipe organ concert prior to listed curtain times; $5 in advance, $6 at the door (reservations necessary).
Drury Lane Oakbrook Professional Children’s Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace; 708-530-0111: “Little Red and Her Friends,” 10:30 a.m. certain weekdays and Sats. Oct. 5-Nov. 19; “A Christmas Carol,” 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. certain weekdays and Sats. Nov. 22-Dec. 30; $4.50.
Drury Lane Theatre, 2500 W. 95th St., Evergreen Park; 708-422-0404: “The Wizard of Oz,” through Oct. 30; “The Nutcracker,” Nov. 8-Dec. 29; “The Little Mermaid,” Jan. 25, 1995-open ended, performances are at 10:30 a.m. on selected weekdays and noon Saturdays and Sundays; $5.50-$7.50.
Kathleen’s Cookie Crumb Club, Theatre Building, 1225 W. Belmont Ave.; 312-327-5252: 11 a.m. Saturdays, open run; $5 for first-timers, $3 for return visits.
Lifeline Theatre KidSeries, Mainstage Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave., 312-761-4477: “Bunnicula,” 1 p.m. Sats. and Suns. Sept. 24-Nov. 27, with an additional 3 p.m. performance Sats. Oct. 15-Nov. 26 ; “Miss Bianca: Adventures of the Rescuers in the Ice Palace,” 1 p.m. Saturdays and Suns. Dec. 17-Feb. 26 with some additional weekday matinees in December; $5 in advance or pay-what-you-can tickets at door on day of performance. “The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death,” 7 p.m. Fridays and Sats., 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Suns., May 13-July 9; $5-$12.
Marriott’s Lincolnshire Theatre for Young Audiences, Milwaukee Avenue south of Half Day Road, Lincolnshire; 708-634-0200: “The Magic Toy Shop,” 10 a.m. Mon.-Fri. with additional performances at 12:30 p.m. on most Fridays, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Sats., Nov. 18-Dec. 30; $6.
National-Louis University, Weinstein Center for the Performing Arts, 2840 Sheridan Rd., Evanston; 708-256-5150 ext. 2341: “Clarissa’s Closet,” 2 p.m. April 8-9, 10 a.m. April 11 and 14; $5.
Northwestern University, Struble cian’s Nephew,” 7 p.m. March 2, 3 and Theatre, 1979 Campus Drive South, 5, 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. March 4 and 2 Evanston; 708-491-7282: “The Magip.m. March 5; $6-$12.
O’Malley Theatre, 430 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-341-3719: “Snoops and Schnoozles,” 10:30 a.m. Wed., Thurs., Fri., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sats. Nov. 2-12. $5-$10.
Papai Players, Cutting Hall, 150 Wood St., Palatine; 708-359-9556: “The Wizard of Oz” Oct. 1-10; “The Adventures of Goldilocks,” Oct. 26-Nov. 18; “The Shoemaker and the Elves,” Dec. 27-30; “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” Jan. 16-Feb. 19 “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown,” March 6-April 22, call for show times, $5.
Players Workshop, The Body Politic Theatre, 2261 N. Lincoln Ave., 312-929-6288: “Quoth the Raven,” 2:30 p.m. Suns. through Nov. 13; $5.
Steppenwolf Theatre Family Series, 1650 N. Halsted St.; 312-335-1650: “Twelve Angry Men,” 10 a.m. Mon.-Fri., 7 p.m. Mondays and 11 a.m. Sats. Oct. 17-Nov. 4; “for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf,” times to be announced, April 3-May 6; $7.
Touchstone Theatre, 2851 N. Halsted St.; 312-404-4700: “Uhuru,” 10 a.m., noon, Feb. 7-10, 15-17, 22-24; $3.
Upstage/Downstage Children’s Theatre, 4411 Oakton Ave., Skokie; 708-674-4620: “The Legend of Sleepy Hamlin,” Feb. 18-26; “Hansel and April Gretel,” March 18-26; “Cinderella,” 28-May 7, all performances are Hollow,” Oct. 15-23; “The Ugly Duck” at 7 p.m. Fridays and 2 p.m. Sats. ling,” Nov. 19-20; “The Pied Piper of and Suns.; $3.50.
