February brings a highly anticipated musical to Chicago Shakespeare, a festival of cutting-edge theater inside a garage, a musical about Chicago murders in the 1920s, and a new drama about murders in the city today.
Gypsy
February 6 to March 23
Two of Chicago’s most critically acclaimed shows in recent years were Stephen Sondheim musicals directed by Gary Griffin at Chicago Shakespeare: “Follies” and “Sunday in the Park with George.” Now here comes another, with Griffin directing the famed show about burlesque dancer Gypsy Rose Lee, with Sondheim’s lyrics, Jule Styne’s music and Arthur Laurents’ book. Tony Award-nominee Louise Pitre plays the title role in this must-see for musical lovers. Chicago Shakespeare Theater, 800 E. Grand Ave., Chicago, 312-595-5600
The Gospel of Lovingkindness
February 21 to March 23
This world premiere by Marcus Gardley, who recently joined Victory Gardens’ playwright ensemble, was inspired by the homicides plaguing Chicago’s South Side. One woman mourns the murder of her son. Another woman grapples with her son committing that same deadly act. With this drama, one of Chicago’s leading theaters takes on one of the city’s most tragic and seemingly intractable problems. Victory Gardens Theatre, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, 773-871-3000
Chicago
February 25 to March 2
The 1975 musical that became the 2002 Oscar-winning movie returns in a touring production. It would be great if some local theater did a bang-up version of the original non-musical play from 1926—Maurine Watkins’ lacerating satire of sensational murder cases in the city’s jazz age—but this snazzy song-and-dance adaptation by Bob Fosse, John Kander and Fred Ebb is a classic in its own right. Bank of America Theatre, 18 W. Monroe St., Chicago, 312-977-1700
Garage Rep
February 14 to April 21
Each year, Steppenwolf uses a performance space inside its garage building to host three new plays by emerging storefront theater companies. See all three or just the ones that grab your interest. Either way, it’s a great chance to discover some up-and-coming talent. This year, the festival showcases the New Colony’s “reWILDing Genius,” Prologue Theatre’s “Saturday Night/Sunday Morning” and Walkabout Theater’s “The Wild.” Steppenwolf Theatre Garage, 1624 N. Halsted St., Chicago, 312-335-1650
Theater Guide
CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATRE
Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night’s Dream
February 22 to March 22
312-595-5600
GOODMAN THEATRE
Buzzer
February 8 to March 9
312-443-3800
INTERROBANG (AT THE ATHENAEUM)
The Pitchfork Disney
February 6 to March 2
773-935-6875
NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
Tom Jones
Through February 23
847-673-6300
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY (ETHEL M. BARBER THEATER)
Cabaret
February 14 to March 2
847-491-7282
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY (JOSEPHINE LOUIS THEATER)
Aimee and Jaguar
January 31 to February 24
847-491-7282
PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE (AT STAGE 773)
Ain’t Misbehavin’
February 1 to March 9
773-327-5252
RAVEN THEATRE
The Playboy of the Western World
February 4 to April 5
773-338-2177
SIGNAL ENSEMBLE THEATRE
Plainsong
January 30 to March 8
773-698-7389
STEPPENWOLF THEATRE
Russian Transport
February 6 to May 11
312-335-1650
TIMELINE THEATRE
The How and the Why
Through April 6
773-281-8463
Photo: The cast of CHICAGO (Paul Kolnik)
