1001:
A six-person cast takes on multiple roles in a humorous retelling of the ancient story “The Arabian Nights,” reset in the world of modern Middle Eastern politics.: opens Thu. through Oct. 9; 7:30 p.m. Thu. – Sat.; 3 p.m. Sun.; 7:30 p.m. Mon., Thu. – Fri.; $25; $15 previews through Sept. 12; presented by Collaboraction; Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St.; 773-278-1500.
Apocalypso:
A comedy in which eight strangers’ lives intersect as they attempt to settle old scores and make amends when rumors of an impending Armageddon surface.: opens Thu. through Oct. 2; 8 p.m. Thu. – Sat.; 2 p.m. Sun.; 8 p.m. Thu. – Fri.; $12-$15; presented by Point of Contention; BoHo Theatre at Heartland Studio Theatre, 7016 N. Glenwood Ave.; 773-326-3631.
The Astronaut’s Birthday:
A large-scale, shadow-puppet spectacle on the MCA’s outdoor plaza portrays an astronaut’s journey to save Earth, and features a five-story-high graphic novel designed by Frank Maugeri (Redmoon artistic director), Jim Lasko (City of Chicago artist-in-residence), Chris Burnham (Marvel Comics illustrator), Phineas X. Jones (local illustrator) and other comic book artists.: opens Thu. through Sept. 26; 7:30 p.m. Thu. – Fri., Sun., Thu. – Fri.; $15-$20; $10 for kids ages 3-10; presented by Redmoon Theater and the Museum of Contemporary Art; Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave.; 312-850-8440.
The Book of Liz:
Chemically Imbalanced Comedy remounts its 2008 production of this comic play–penned by David and Amy Sedaris–which follows the adventures of a female cheeseball-making expert with a sweating problem who escapes a religious community and finds work at a family restaurant run by recovering alcoholics.: opens Thu. through Dec. 18; 8 p.m. Thu. – Sat., Thu. – Fri.; $18; $10 preview Sept. 9; presented by Chemically Imbalanced Comedy; Chemically Imbalanced Theater, 1420 W. Irving Park Rd.; 800-838-3006.
Candide
: Leonard Bernstein and Hugh Wheeler’s musical adaptation of Voltaire’s comic adventure story of a man who is expelled from home, drafted into the Bulgarian army, brought before the Spanish Inquisition, swindled out of a fortune, shipwrecked on a desert isle and repeatedly separated from his true love.: opens Fri. through Oct. 24; 8 p.m. Fri.; $25-$85; Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St.; 312-443-3800.
Closure:
Tensions mount, suspicions grow and old wounds resurface when three estranged friends reunite to mourn the mysterious death of a woman they knew in their youth. Artistic director Jake Perry penned the drama.: opens Fri. through Sept. 26; 7 p.m. Fri. – Sat.; 3 p.m. Sun.; 7 p.m. Thu. – Fri.; $15; presented by Fringe Element; The Viaduct Theater, 3111 N. Western Ave.; 773-296-6024.
The Comedy of Errors:
Shakespeare’s comedy about two sets of men who search for their lost identical twins. The Hypocrites’ artistic director Sean Graney directs.: opens Thu. through Oct. 17; 7:30 p.m. Thu.; 8 p.m. Fri.; $40-$60; $30-$40 previews through Sept. 24; Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave.; 773-753-4472.
Detroit:
Laurie Metcalf stars in a new play by Lisa D’Amour, in which a couple’s picture-perfect facade collapses with comic results when they befriend their new next door neighbors. Austin Pendleton directs.: opens Thu. through Nov. 7; 7:30 p.m. Thu. – Fri.; 3 p.m., 7:30 p.m. Sat. – Sun.; 7:30 p.m. Tue. – Fri.; $20-$70; $20-$48 previews through Sept. 18; Steppenwolf Theatre Company, 1650 N. Halsted St.; 312-335-1650.
Dog Sees God:
Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead: A grieving teen whose dog has died from rabies attempts to seek solace from his burnout best friend, newly goth sister and drunken party buddies but gets a new perspective from a nerdy classmate.: opens Sept. 4 through Sept. 18; 9:30 p.m. Fri. – Sat., Fri.; $12; presented by Odradek Theatre Company; Gorilla Tango Theatre, 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave.; 773-598-4549.
It Could Happen Anywhere:
A double bill of one-acts by local playwrights: In “Jet Black Chevrolet,” by Scott T. Barsotti, a couple is plunged into terrifying circumstances when an unfamiliar car arrives at their home; and in “The Flowers are Dead,” a tragi-comedy by Matt Rieger, a stolen bicycle connects two Depression Era families.: opens Fri. through Oct. 9; 8 p.m. Fri. – Sat.; 7 p.m. Sun.; 8 p.m. Fri.; $12-$15 or pay-what-you-can; presented by Curious Theatre Branch; Prop Thtr, 3504 N. Elston Ave.; 773-539-7838.
Juliet:
A Dialogue About Love: A solo work performed by artistic director Melissa Hawkins, based on true events, about a Romanian woman–the mother of Transylvanian playwright Andras Visky–separated from her husband after WWII, imprisoned with her children and sentenced to death for crimes against the government.: opens Fri. through Oct. 3; 8 p.m. Fri.; 5 p.m., 8 p.m. Sat.; 3 p.m. Sun.; 8 p.m. Thu. – Fri.; $25; presented by Theatre Y; Royal George Theatre Center, 1641 N. Halsted St.; 312-988-9000.
Las Soldaderas (Female Fighters):
A drama based on the novel of the same title by Mexican author Elena Poniatowska explores women’s roles during the Mexican Revolution of the early 1900s.: opens Fri. through Oct. 3; 8 p.m. Fri. – Sat.; 6 p.m. Sun.; 8 p.m. Fri.; $20; $15 for students; $35 for Sept. 17 performance (includes post-show reception commemorating the anniversary of the Mexican Revolution); Aguijon Theater, 2707 N. Laramie Ave.; 773-637-5899.
Louis Slotin Sonata:
The Midwest premiere of Seattle playwright Paul Mullin’s drama–based on true events–explores the experiences of a Los Alamos bomb builder who becomes a walking dead man for nine days after a radiation accident.: opens Fri. through Oct. 24; 8 p.m. Fri. – Sat.; 3 p.m. Sun.; 7 p.m. Mon.; 8 p.m. Thu. – Fri.; $25-$30; $15 previews through Sept. 12; A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells St.; 312-943-8722.
The Power of Passion:
A low-income woman struggles to provide a better life for her kids but fails to recognize that remaining in a relationship with her abusive boyfriend undermines her efforts.: opens Sat. through Sat.; 7 p.m. Sat.; $20; presented by Thought Giants; DuSable Museum of African-American History, 740 E. 56th Pl.; 773-947-0600.
Romeo and Juliet:
Shakespeare’s tragedy of two young lovers and their warring families. Queensland Theatre Company artistic director Gale Edwards directs.: opens Wed. through Nov. 14; 7:30 p.m. Wed. – Fri.; $44-$75; Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave.; 312-595-5600.
Shel’s Shorts:
Four Plays by Shel Silverstein: A showcase of darkly comic, R-rated short plays which all explore miscommunications inspired by posted signs.: opens Thu. through Fri.; 7:30 p.m. Thu. – Fri., Thu. – Fri.; $10 at the door; presented by The Laboratory Theatre Project; Mary’s Attic, 5400 N. Clark St.; 773-784-6969.
The Sound of a Yellow Flower:
In this world premiere drama, set in Belarus, by ensemble member Dustin Spence, a single event upsets the balance in the lives of four interconnected characters.: opens Fri. through Oct. 3; 8 p.m. Fri. – Sat.; 2 p.m. Sun.; 8 p.m. Thu. – Fri.; $15; $10 for students; presented by Strangeloop Theatre; Trap Door Theatre, 1655 W. Cortland Ave.; 773-384-0494; 773-276-0458.
Sunday in the Park with George:
Stephen Sondheim’s Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, a fictionalized account of the painter Georges Seurat and the creation of his masterpiece, “A Sunday Afternoon on La Grande Jatte.”: opens Fri. through Oct. 31; 8 p.m. Fri. – Sat.; 2:30 p.m. Sun.; 7:30 p.m. Tue.; 8 p.m. Fri.; $38; presented by Porchlight Music Theatre; Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave.; 773-327-5252.
Sunday School Cinema:
From Vicki Quade (“Late Night Catechism” and “Put the Nuns in Charge!”) comes an interactive comedy in which a strict nun reviews popular films.: opens Sun. through Open End; 3 p.m. Sun.; $30; Royal George Theatre Center, 1641 N. Halsted St.; 312-988-9000.
Thieves Like Us:
A Depression Era gangster who makes a break for Mexico must decide whether to attempt to break his sidekick out of jail or go it alone with his girlfriend.: opens Thu. through Oct. 30; 8 p.m. Thu. – Sat.; 7 p.m. Sun.; 8 p.m. Thu. – Fri.; $25-$29; presented by House Theatre of Chicago; Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St.; 773-769-3832.
Trice:
A staged reading of a drama about the life and career of Jack Trice, who became the first African-American to play football at Iowa State University.: opens Wed. through Wed.; 7:30 p.m. Wed.; $8; Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave.; 312-264-0123.
Wuthering Heights:
In this world premiere adaptation of the classic novel by Charlotte Bronte, revenge and retribution ensue when a couple devoted to each other since childhood are brutally torn apart.: opens Fri. through Oct. 31; 7:30 p.m. Fri.; 8 p.m. Sat.; 4 p.m. Sun.; 7:30 p.m. Fri.; $32-$35; $20 for students; $20 previews through Sept. 19; Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave.; 773-761-4477
