Saturday
Nixon’s Nixon: Just in time for the political season, William Brown and Larry Yando reprise their performances as Henry Kissinger and Richard Nixon in Russell Less’ dramatic imagining of what might have happened on the night before President Nixon’s resignation. Through Oct. 19 at Writers’ Theatre, 664 Vernon Ave., Glencoe; $60-$75, 847-242-6000, www.writerstheatre.org.
Scenes from the Big Picture: In this slice of 24-hours of life in contemporary Belfast, the playwright Owen McCafferty smashes together 21 different characters in 40 scenes. The piece was first presented at London’s National Theatre in 2003; Scott Cummins’ Seanachai production will be the Midwestern premiere. Through Oct. 5 by Seanachai Theatre Company at Storefront Theater, 66 E. Randolph St.; $20, 312-742-8497, www.dcatheater.org.
Tuesday
The Threepenny Opera: In the hands of the radical director Sean Graney of The Hypocrites, Bertolt Brecht’s iconoclastic operetta becomes a fusion of skateboard ramps, graffiti art, seventy pairs of shoes and a single piano player, banging out the famous ditty “Mack the Knife.” Through Oct. 12 by the Hypocrites at Steppenwolf’s Merle Reskin Garage Theatre, 1624 N. Halsted St.; $10, 312-335-1650, www.steppenwolf.org.
Wednesday
Heroes and Villains: Anthony Moseley directs the world premiere of a play by Daniel Janoff. Herein, a man tries to convince a town that he’s actually a superhero. Peter DeFaria (“A Steady Rain”) stars. Through Sept. 21 by Collaboraction Theatre Company at Theatre Building Chicago, 1225 W. Belmont Ave.; $18-$25, 773-327-5252, www.collaboraction.org.
Thursday
No Darkness Round My Stone: This new, English version of the lyrical French-language play by Fabrice Melquiot offers an unusual look at the hidden world of gravediggers. Max Truax directs. Through Oct. 11 at Trap Door Theatre, 1655 W. Cortland St.; $20, 773-384-0494, trapdoortheatre.com.
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