Valentine’s Day is for theater lovers since Chicagoland venues are offering:
GIRLS’ NIGHT OUT
An all-female cast brings Rebecca Gilman’s humorous and heartfelt coming-of-age story to life in “Twilight Bowl” (Feb. 8 – March 10) at Goodman Theatre.
Broken Nose Theatre presents the Midwest Premiere of “Girl in the Red Corner” (through March 2) directed by Elizabeth Laidlaw at Chicago’s Den Theatre. According to Artistic Director Elise Marie Davis, the show allows women to be “unapologetically messy and complicated and real.”
One of England’s biggest hits, Susan Hill’s acclaimed ghost story “The Woman in Black” (through Feb. 17), has been recreated for Chicago audiences at Royal George Theatre.
WE HEART HISTORY
Vanessa Stalling directs Anna Ziegler’s “Photograph 51” (through Feb. 23). The Court Theatre production spotlights British chemist Rosalind Franklin (Chaon Cross), who made significant scientific contributions amid her more celebrated male colleagues.
Sydney Charles stars as Nina Simone in Christina Ham’s “Nina Simone: Four Women” (through March 2) at Skokie’s Northlight Theatre. The play shows the way in which music helped motivate activism after four little girls were killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, and “reveals how important women were in the Civil Rights Movement and how little credit they were given historically,” notes Artistic Director BJ Jones.
MY HEART BELONGS TO DADDY (AND MAMA)
About Face Theatre presents the Chicago Premiere of “Dada Woof Papa Hot” (through Feb. 16) directed by AFT Artistic Associate Keira Fromm at Theater Wit. The comedy examines “how children change couples – especially gay folks who came of age at a time when our community was supposedly liberated from many social constraints like marriage,” explains Artistic Director Megan Carney.
ABBA’s greatest hits hit the stage in “Mamma Mia!” (Feb. 7 – April 14) at Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace. Originally conceived by Judy Craymer with book by Catherine Johnson, the musical includes choreography by Jane Lanier and music direction by Roberta Duchak.
Nina Stemme plays the title role in “Elektra” (through Feb. 22) scored by Richard Strauss. She and esteemed conductor Donald Runnicles make their Lyric Opera of Chicago debuts in this operatic classic that takes family dysfunction to a new level.
Cheryl Lynn Bruce directs Dominique Morisseau’s “Pipeline” (through March 3) at Victory Gardens Theater. The drama follows an urban high school teacher devoted to her son and students.
LOVE TO LAUGH
The Comrades ensemble-based theater company offer laughs via “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” (Feb. 7 – March 10) by Pulitzer Prize finalist Sarah Ruhl at the Greenhouse Theater Center.
Robin Witt directs Celeste M. Cooper, Sandra Marquez, Yasen Peyankov, and Barbara Robertson in Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s production of “A Doll’s House”, Part 2” (through March 17), a comic sequel that picks up where the Henrik Ibsen’s tragedy left off.
Comedic, mentalism duo and married couple Danny Orleans and the “Incredible Jan Rose” star in the Chicago Magic Lounge’s “Valentine’s Weekend Signature Show” (Feb. 14 – 16). Wes Mathison is also featured in the evening of magic and laughs.
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Top image: Becca Savoy, Hayley Burgess, Anne E. Thompson and Heather Chrisler in 2017 New Stages Festival production of Rebecca Gillman’s “Twilight Bowl”; photo by Erica Weiss, courtesy of Goodman Theatre
Center image: Cydney Moody in “Dead Man’s Cell Phone”; photo courtesy of The Comrades