With spring already promising a fertile dance lineup, thanks to the annual festival at the Shubert Theatre, the Auditorium Theatre is also planning an impressive dance series that will spill over into the fall and will boast “Show Boat” as part of its subscription campaign.
After the Joffrey Ballet performs at the Auditorium, 50 E. Congress Pkwy., during the third week of January, a separate, Spotlight Series of dance begins with the Dance Theatre of Harlem Feb. 14 through 19. The American Indian Dance Theatre March 10, the Japanese percussion troupe Kodo March 13, and Principal Dancers of the New York City Ballet March 16 through 19 come next. (The NYCB roster, a rare downtown appearance, is now scheduled to include Lourdes Lopez, Kyra Nichols, Heather Watts, Wendy Whelan, Nokolaj Hubbe, Nilas Martins, Jock Soto and Damian Woetzel, though casts are always subject to change.)
This fall, the Auditorium will host a return of American Ballet Theatre Sept. 21 through Oct. 1, performing both “Romeo and Juliet” and mixed repertory, and the Feld Ballets/NY Oct. 5 through 8.
The $9 million “Show Boat,” announced earlier this week, arrives March 26, 1996, and is included in the Auditorium’s Spotlight subscription series. Also, priority seating is promised for the production of “Kiss of the Spider Woman” starring Chita Rivera, which takes the stage in May at the Chicago Theatre. Subscriptions go on sale Friday. For more information: 312-559-2900.
– Touchstone Theatre and the Ivanhoe’s Doug Bragan are teaming up to transfer Touchstone’s hit revival of the current revue “Ain’t Misbehavin’ ” to run Feb. 3 through March 26 at the Ivanhoe, 750 W. Wellington Ave. For tickets: 312-975-7171.
– Bruce Young and Deborah Staples have been cast in the title roles of Shakespeare Repertory’s “Troilus and Cressida” Jan. 18 through March 5 at the Ruth Page Theatre, 1016 N. Dearborn St.
Young is a veteran Chicago stage actor and founding member of Shakespeare Rep. He played Ulysses in the troupe’s 1987 “Troilus and Cressida” and played a host of stage and film roles over the years. Staples is a regional theater veteran who recently took lead roles with Milwaukee Rep. Artistic director Barbara Gaines will direct. For tickets: 312-642-2273.
– European Repertory Company will present the U.S. premiere of French playwright Bernard-Marie Koltes’ “Robert Zucco,” a controversial work about a patricidal serial killer, Jan. 20 through Feb. 26, at 615 W. Wellington Ave.
Koltes, one of France’s more popular contemporary playwrights, died of AIDS in 1989. For tickets: 312-248-0577.
– The spunky, offbeat troupe Rococo Rodeo plans a holiday special, “X-Mas With Kenn F. (And Mike),” Wednesday at the Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Pianist Michael Bruce, John and Andrew of Elysium (doing their darker take on Christmas), Michael A. Shepperd, flamenco guitar and dance by Tomas de Utrera and Azucena Vega, Katherine Chronis, Jim Carrane and, in what’s billed as a final performance, the Daydream Believers are all part of the lineup.
For more information: 312-248-0047.
