'Love' and laughs at the Noble Fool; 'Cake' and confidences at the Citadel
By Kerry Reid
SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNEMay 2, 2008
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change: In the spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to love—and savvy producers start thinking of ways to capitalize on it. Joe DiPietro and Jimmy Rogers' show, the longest running musical comedy revue in off-Broadway history, also enjoyed a years-long run at the Royal George Theatre Center on Halsted Street. This lighthearted and sometimes touching look at romance, marriage, in-laws, and sex (not necessarily in that order, of course) includes the inevitable dating-service video sketch (the show was written in the '90s, before social networking sites on the Internet) and a wry scene where an elderly widower attempts to woo at a funeral home. Tom Mullen directs a cast of four.
Opens Saturday at Noble Fool Theatricals, Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. Through July 19. Tickets are $27-$38 at 630-584-6342 or noblefool.org.
Another Piece of Cake: An actress friend of mine once lamented that crossing the threshold into her 60s meant that the only roles available to her were "nannies and grannies." Local playwright Madelyn Sergel takes aim at the hackneyed stereotypes of sweet, doddering elderly women in this world premiere with Citadel Theatre. On her 80th birthday, Clara and her friends decide to let loose a barrage of secrets in between shots of bourbon and bites of the titular pastry.
Opens Friday at Gorton Center, 400 E. Illinois Rd., Lake Forest. Through May 18. Tickets are $25 at 847-735-8554 or citadeltheatre.org.
The Greatest Story eBertolt: A Brecht Review: Say it aloud. There really should be some kind of demerit for that groaner of a title. But particularly in a watershed election year, we can use all the Brecht we can find. Elgin native Sarafina Vecchio adapted this piece from the voluminous writings of the 20th Century German master of political theater and the music of his sometime-collaborator, Kurt Weill. She also directs this Janus Theatre world premiere.
Opens Friday at Elgin Art Showcase, 164 Division St., Elgin. Through May 18. Tickets $15 at 847-931-0637.
Stones in His Pockets: Two actors play all 13 roles in Marie Jones' Tony-nominated dramatic comedy about a rural Irish town upended by the filming of a Hollywood epic. Charlie and Jake, two locals who take on work as extras, are the principal characters, but we also meet the glamorous A-list actress and a cantankerous old-timer who proudly declares "I'm the last surviving extra from 'The Quiet Man.' "
Opens Friday at Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage, Fawell and Park Boulevards., Glen Ellyn. Through May 25. Tickets are $27-$30 at 630-942-4000 or www.atthemac.org.
onthetown@tribune.com
