There's always something new around the corner when it comes to the Chicago theater scene. If you're tired of the tried-and-true and would rather see something new ( or at least new to the Chicago area ) , check out these spring productions:
World premieres:
El Nogalar, Teatro Vista & Goodman Theatre, through April 24. Chekhov's The Cherry Orchid serves as the inspiration for a new drama by Tanya Saracho ( Our Lady of the Underpass ) that looks at a wealthy Northern Mexican family trying to hold onto their estate amid the violence of the current-day Mexican drug war. 312-443-3800
Soul One, Clock Productions at National Pastime Theater, through April 30. A drug-addled rock star goes to a therapist for help, only to regress to his past lives for clues to his current predicament in Travis Hughes' comedy. 773-327-7077.
Twinkie and the Beast, MidTangent Productions at Hydrate, through April 30. After saddling up Snow White with seven drag queens, MidTangent Productions finds another fairy tale to spoof. Expect plenty of jokes on modern-day Chicago gay culture, pop culture and drag culture. www.tix.com
South Side of Heaven, The Second City, now in previews for an April 10 debut and open run. For its 99th main stage revue, The Second City delves into the divisions between Cubs and White Sox fans, questions the dividing line between dancing and stripping and finds other ways to tickle the funny bone via sketches, songs and improvisation. 312-337-3992
Pony, About Face Theatre at Chopin Theatre, April 10-May 22. The other half of About Face Theatre and The Hypocrites' contribution to the citywide Woyzeck Project is Sylvan Oswald's new trans-inclusive drama about a new guy in a crime-riddled military town who becomes an obsessive object of desire. Bonnie Metzgar directs. 866-811-4111
Cocks in Space & The Rise of Lazy Boy, Annoyance Theatre, April 29-June 17. Saturday morning sci-fi cartoons get an adults-only makeover in this new comedy undoubtedly filled with jokes about private parts. 773-561-4665.
Performing Tonight! Liza Minnelli's Daughter, Neo-Futurists, April 28-June 4. Mary Fons has created a character called Mary Minnelli who is certain that she is the long-lost daughter of gay icon and entertainer Liza Minnelli. See what lengths Mary and her two backup dancers go to in convincing the audience that her beliefs are true in this probing revue. 773-275-5255
No More Dead Dogs, Griffin Theatre Company at Theater Wit, April 30-June 19. William Massolia writes a stage adaptation of Gordon Korman's novel about a guy named Wallace Wallace who gets in trouble since he is always telling the truth. 773-506-8150
Stage Kiss, Goodman Theatre, April 30-June 5. The dividing line between reality and acting becomes problematic for two ex-lovers who get thrown together as a romantic duo on stage in a 1930s melodrama in this world premiere by former Chicago playwright Sarah Ruhl ( Eurydice, Orlando ) . 312-443-3800
Aces, Signal Ensemble Theatre, May 12-June 18. Jon Steinhagen's new comedy concerns six casino junkies in 1975 Las Vegas who must reevaluate their small-time scheming when an interloper enters their lives. 773-347-1350
The Outgoing Tide, Northlight Theatre, May 12-June 19. Tony Award-winner John Mahoney ( Fraiser ) stars in Bruce Graham's drama about a man's unorthodox plan to secure his family's future fortunes. 847-673-6300
Trogg! A Musical, Hell in a Handbag Productions at Chopin Theatre, May 13-July 3. The final film ever made by silver screen legend Joan Crawford serves as the inspiration for this musical spoof by David Cerda, Cheryl Snodgrass and Taylor E. Ross about a lady anthropologist who uncovers a living caveman in 1960s California. 800-838-3006
Divas, Chicago Gay Men's Chorus at the Athenaeum Theatre, May 20 and 21. Expect to see plenty of drag queens with choral backup in this revue celebrating larger-than-life pop divas of the past and current century. 800-982-2787
Mother Bear, Mortar Theatre at Athenaeum Theatre Studio 1, May 26-June 19. A union organizer tries to recruit a gang of truckers in a remote Utah desert in Jayme McGhan's new drama. 800-982-2787
Chicago-area premieres:
White Noise, Royal George Theatre, through June 5. An unscrupulous record producer grooms a duo of white supremacist singer-songwriters to become mainstream successes in this Broadway-aimed rock musical produced by Academy Award-winner Whoopi Goldberg. 312-988-9000
Tree, Victory Gardens Theater, through May 11. Three generations of people are thrown for a loop when a past revelation about an interracial romance comes to light in Julie Herbert's drama. 773-871-3000
The Metal Children, Next Theatre, April 7-May 8. Adam Rapp drew inspiration from his own experiences of having one of his books banned for this drama about a New York writer who makes the mistake of traveling to the small American town that is hell-bent to censor his young-adult novel. 847-475-1875
I Am Montana, Mortar Theatre at Athenaeum Theatre, April 7-May 1. Samuel D. Hunter's drama focuses on a traumatized former soldier of the Israeli Army who must travel cross-country to take up a job at a big-box retailer. 800-982-2787
The Madness of George III, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, April 13-June 12. Okay, so this historical drama by gay playwright Alan Bennett ( The History Boys ) has probably already played Chicago. But it's been a while since it this drama about King George III's slipping grip on sanity been produced on such a lavish scale in a new production featuring three-time Tony Award-nominee Harry Groener and Steppenwolf Theatre ensemble member Ora Jones. 312-595-5600
Our Dad Is in Atlantis, 16th Street Theater in Berwyn, April 14-May 21. Javier Malpica's drama about two Mexican boys who sent to live with relatives they barely know is translated into English by Jorge Ignacio Cortinas for its Chicago-area premiere. 773-795-6704
The Conquest of the South Pole, Strawdog Theatre, April 21-May 28. A dark German comedy by Manfred Karge about unemployed guys who stave off boredom by reenacting Roald Amundsen's 1910 trek to the South Pole. 773-528-9696
Passing Strange, Bailiwick Chicago at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts, April 21-May 29. The critically acclaimed and Tony Award-winning 2008 rock musical by Stew and Heidi Rodewald comes to Chicago in a production featuring JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound. See what happens when an African-American musician rejects his 1970s suburban values and journeys to Europe. 312-773-6000
Medea, Chicago Millennium Park's Harris Theater for Music and Dance, April 23-May 1. The most infamous murderous sorceress and mother of Greek mythology inspired this French Baroque opera masterpiece, written in 1693 by Marc-Antoine Charpentier. 312-334-7777
Rantoul and Die, American Blues Theater at the Richard Christiansen Theater in the Biograph Theater, April 22-May 22. A dark comedy by Mark Roberts about four lowlife characters who scratch out an existence in the small town just north of Champaign, Ill. 773-871-3000
Soul Samurai, InFusion Theatre at Theater Wit, April 25-June 5. A young samurai fights for her life in an apocalyptic version of New York City in this Midwest premiere by Qui Nguyen. 773-506-8150
Next to Normal, Bank of America Theatre, April 26-May 8. Tony Award-winner Alice Ripley stars in Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt's Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Broadway rock musical about family's struggle with a mother who has bi-polar disorder. 800-775-2000.
Cirque Éloize iD, Cadillac Palace Theatre, April 26-May 8. This is a multimedia circus spectacular by Jeannot Painchaud that blends traditional acrobats and contortionists with lots of urban dance styles and moves. 800 775-2000
Peter Pan, Chicago Tribune Freedom Center, April 29-June 19. A new London-born staging of J.M. Barrie's classic fantasy about a boy who wouldn't grow up gets a unique staging in a big tent complete with puppets and 360 degree CGI theater projections. 800-775-2000.
Fifty Words, Profiles Theatre, May 6-June 11. A married couple uncovers some very uncomfortable revelations when their child is away at his first sleepover in Michael Weller's acclaimed 2008 off-Broadway drama. 773-549-1815
Fire Island, Strange Bedfellows Theatre at Athenaeum Theatre, May 26-June 12. It's not really a play, per se, but a multimedia art installation featuring film and participating actors. 800-982-2787
Alan Cumming: I Bought a Blue Car Today, Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 7:30 p.m. May 28. The Tony Award-winning Scotsman and film star offers up a cabaret revue riffing on questions of identity when he recounts the process he went through to become an American citizen. 312-334-7777
