OPENINGS
Friday
“A Charlie Chaplin Christmas” — through Jan. 6 at the DCA Studio Theatre at the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph St.; tickets $20 at 312-742-8497 and www.dcatheater.org. With “500 Clown Christmas” now decamped for New York, the Loop needed a new, funky Christmas show. This season, in steps the Silent Theatre Company with “A Charlie Chaplin Christmas,” a piece by Tonika Todorova that’s adapted from the films of the famed celluloid tramp. The piece (which I haven’t yet seen) is billed as a vaudeville-style show minimal dialogue and original music, based on motifs and compositions created by Chaplin. Silent Theatre is best known for its show “Lulu: a black and white silent play.” “Chaplin” is a world premiere.
“Hairspray” — through Saturday at the Paramount Theatre, 23 East Galena Blvd., Aurora; tickets $45.50-$65.50, contact 630-896-6666 or TicketMaster and www.theparamounttheatre.com. The smaller touring version of the still-playing Broadway musical stops for a couple of nights in Aurora.
Saturday
“Santa Claus and Other Lies: A Holiday Revue by Smith & Grimm” — through Dec. 29 by Hell in a Handbag Productions at Bailiwick Repertory Theatre, 1229 W. Belmont Ave.; tickets $6-$12, contact 773-883-1090 or www.handbagproductions.org. The Chicago masters of high camp turn their twisted minds to a new holiday revue featuring the comedy of Jason Grimm and Trista Smith.
Wednesday
“Little Women” — through Feb. 3 at Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire; tickets $45, contact 847-634-0200 or www.marriotttheatre.com. The Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire produces one of the first post-Broadway productions of the musical adaptation (book by Allan Knee, music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein) of the much-loved Louisa May Alcott novel about the four diverse March sisters from the era of the Civil War. Heidi Kettenring (“Wicked”) stars as tomboy Jo in this retooled and revised version of a show that did not perform well on Broadway, but has a very familiar title.
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