Theater Events
OPENING OCT. 22
WHAT: “MUSIC MAN JR.”
WHEN: Through Sunday
WHERE: Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin
ABOUT: Children’s Theatre of Elgin presentation featuring 76 Fox Valley children and youth in the school adaptation of the 1959 hit musical.
SCHEDULE: 7 p.m. Oct. 22-24; 2 p.m. Oct. 25.
TICKETS: $10 adults, $8 seniors and students, $7 groups of 20 or more for the Oct. 22 performance.
INFO: 847-931-5900 or www.cteelgin.com
OPENING OCT. 23
WHAT: “DRACULA”
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. Saturday; 7 p.m. Oct. 30; 2 & 7 p.m. Oct. 31
WHERE: Woodstock High School’s Auditorium Stage, 501 W. South St., Woodstock
ABOUT: Woodstock High School and District 200 present an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” by Steven Dietz. No patron younger than 13 will be admitted without a parent.
TICKETS: $10 adults, $5 seniors and students
TICKETS: 815-337-7469
WHAT: “THE MALTESE FALCON”
WHEN: 8 p.m Friday and 2:30 & 7:30 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Improv Playhouse Black Box Theater, 735 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville
ABOUT: Staged classic radio thriller performance by the Improv Playhouse Radio Theatre.
TICKETS: $12 adults, $6.50 children, seniors and military
TICKETS: www.improvplayhouse.com
WHAT: “NOT WHAT YOU EXPECTED”
WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Oct. 30-31
WHERE: Memorial Hall Civic Theatre, 10308 Main St., Richmond
ABOUT: Theater Undreground presentation. A comedy about a rock band that gets eaten alive by the music industry.
TICKETS: $10 a person ($2 of each ticket sold will be donated to Transitional Living Services in Hebron to help homeless veterans).
TICKETS: 815-206-4759 or www.theaterundreground.com
WHAT: “ROMEO & JULIET”
WHEN: Friday through Nov. 8
WHERE: Elgin Art Showcase, 164 Division St., Elgin
ABOUT: Shakespeare’s timeless story about tragic young love gets a new look in this all-female production.
SCHEDULE: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 7 p.m. Sundays
TICKETS: $15 at the door
TICKETS: 847-841-1713 or www.janustheatre.wordpress.com
OPENING OCT. 24
WHAT: “TALES OF A FOURTH GRADE NOTHING”
WHEN: 3 p.m.
WHERE: Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake
ABOUT: A Judy Blume favorite. A humorous look at family life and the comical troubles that can only be caused by a younger sibling. Appropriate for ages 6 and older.
TICKETS: $19, $22, $25
INFO: 815-356-9212 or www.rauecenter.org
THEATER EVENTS
McHenry County
“BACKSTAGE”: 7 p.m. Nov. 6-7 and 2 p.m. Nov. 8, Richmond-Burton Community High School Auditeria, 8311 N. Route 31, Richmond. Presented by the Richmond-Burton Community High School Drama Club. Laura Armbruister is posing as her own substitute teacher because the school administration wants to put an end to all this drama nonsense, but they can’t close down the upcoming play until they find Ms. Armbruister to fire her. Meanwhile, fellow teacher and admirer, Steve Clarkson is doing what he can to help Laura keep her job. But one of the students gets the wrong idea and thinks the two teachers are eloping at lunchtime! Tickets: $7 adults, $5 seniors and students at 815-678-6585.
“CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF”: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5-7, 12-14 and 19-21, Black Box Theatre at McHenry County College, 8900 Route 14, Crystal Lake. By Tennessee Williams. Southern seductress Maggie “the Cat” tangles with her husband Brick’s lack of desire and her in-laws’ lack of decorum as they all confront ghosts from the past and uncertainty of the future while plotting to secure their portion of the family fortune. Contains adult language and mature themes. Tickets: $12 general public, $8 seniors, students, faculty/staff and alumni at 815-455-8746 or jgeller@mchenry.edu.
“BREAKING LEGS”: through Oct. 24, Woodstock Opera House, 121 Van Buren St., Woodstock. Woodstock Musical Theatre Company comedy presentation. The story takes place in an Italian restaurant owned by a successful mobster and managed by his beautiful daughter. Her former college professor arrives to ask for money to produce his new play. Schedule: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets: $23 adults, $20 seniors and students at 815-338-5300 or www.woodstockoperahouse.com.
“HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL”: Oct. 30 through Nov. 8, Huntley High School Performing Arts Center, 13719 Harmony Road, Huntley. Students ages 8-18 of Christian Youth Theater Chicago (McHenry) present Disney’s “High School Musical.” Schedule: 9:30 & 11:45 a.m. Oct. 29; 7 p.m. Oct. 30; 2 & 6 p.m. Oct. 31; 2 p.m. Nov. 1; 9:30 & 11:45 a.m. Nov. 3; 7 p.m. Nov. 6; 2 & 6 p.m. Nov. 7; 2 p.m. Nov. 8. Tickets: $8-$12 in advance, $2 extra at the door. Tickets and information: 847-516-2298 or www.cytchicago.org.
“LEADING LADIES”: Nov. 6-22, Woodstock Opera House, 121 Van Buren St., Woodstock. TownSquare Players presentation. Two English Shakespearean actors are down on their luck. When they hear an elderly lady in York, Pennsylvania is about to die and leave the majority of her fortune to two long-lost nephews, they decide to pass themselves off as her beloved relatives and get the cash. Schedule: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: $23 adults, $20 seniors and students at 815-338-5300 or www.woodstockoperahouse.com.
“MAME”: 7 p.m. Nov. 12-14 and 1:30 p.m. Nov. 15, Drendall Ballroom of Sun City Huntley, 12940 Del Webb Blvd., Huntley. Musical version of “Auntie Mame” presented by the Theatre Company of Sun City. Story of an eccentric, wealthy woman from New York raising her Midwestern nephew, Patrick, her only living relative, after his father dies. Tickets: $15 adults, $10 children 12 and younger at 847-515-8545 or 847-515-1583.
“NOISES OFF”: through Oct. 25, Cosman Theater, 12015 Mill St., Huntley. Schedule: 7 p.m. Oct. 23-24; 3 p.m. Oct. 25. GreenRoom Productions fall play about a troupe of actors preparing their show for the road. Some material not appropriate for children younger than 13. Tickets: $15 adults, $12 seniors and students at the door. Tickets and information: 847-931-4233 or www.greenroomtheater.com.
“THE ODD COUPLE” (The Female Version): through Oct. 24, Woodstock High School’s Anthony F. Casalino Black Box Theater, 501 W. South St., Woodstock. By Neil Simon. Woodstock High School and District 200 presentation. Olive and Florence have been friends for years, but they learn the differences that made them friends drive them over the edge when they come to live with each other. Schedule: 7 p.m. Oct. 24. Tickets: $10 adults, $5 seniors and students at 815-337-7469.
Kane County
“CAPITOL STEPS - OBAMA MIA!”: 8 p.m. Oct. 23, Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. Capitol Steps satire group puts the “mock” in democracy. Tickets: $25.50-$30.50, $35.50 at 630-896-6666 or www.paramountaurora.com.
Chicago
“ANIMAL CRACKERS”: through Nov. 1, Goodman Theatre in the Albert, 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. When a celebrated sculpture goes missing from Mrs. Rittenhouse’s fancy house party in honor of African explorer Captain Spaulding, her guests set out to find the thief in a series of madcap antics and exploits. Based on the original Marx Brothers Broadway hit and film classic. Schedule: 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 & 7:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: $25-$76 at 312-443-3800 or www.goodmantheatre.org.
