Theater events: BTE brings the chill with 'Frozen'

British playwright Bryony Lavery examines grief and forgiveness in her compelling drama “Frozen,” which brings together three conflicted people following the disappearance of a 10-year-old girl. Buffalo Theatre Ensemble member Bryan Burke directs Michael Sassone and Connie Canady Howard in the company's production.

Opens Friday, Jan. 21, at the McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org.

Family vacation

Jeff Award winner Rachel Rockwell directs “Leaving Iowa,” Tim Clue and Spike Manton's comedy about a middle-aged man recreating the family vacations of his youth, as the inaugural production of the newly re-christened Fox Valley Repertory (formerly Noble Fool Theatricals). In a related note, Fox Valley Rep hosts a ribbon cutting, including a few scenes from the show, at 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, at the theater.

Previews continue through Friday, Jan. 28. The show opens Saturday, Jan. 29, at the Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. (630) 584-6342 or foxvalleyrep.org.

Cirque returns

East meets West in “Dralion,” the latest Cirque du Soleil show to play the Sears Centre. In this show, marrying ancient Chinese circus traditions with modern Cirque arts, the title represents “Dralion's” dual symbols — the dragon and the lion.

Wednesday, Jan. 26, through Sunday, Jan. 30, at 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates. (888) 732-7784 or cirquedusoleil.com/dralion.

What's new

• The Elgin Cultural Arts Commission hosts a staged reading of Merri Biechler's “Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver,” which looks at how a family handles the incurable illness of one of its members, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21, and Saturday, Jan. 22, and 1 p.m. Jan. 23, at the Eglin Art Showcase, 164 Division St., Elgin. See cityofelgin.org for information.

• Aurora's Paramount Theatre presents the Dr. Seuss inspired musical “Seussical” at 9:30 a.m., noon and 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21, at 8 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. (630) 723-2461 or paramountaurora.com.

• Previews continue through Saturday, Jan. 22, for Goodman Theatre's production of artistic associate Regina Taylor's trilogy, “The Trinity River Plays.” The trilogy is comprised of “Jar Fly” about two cousins divided by different life directions and a terrible secret; “Rain” about a writer whose life begins to unravel; and “Ghoststory” about a woman trying to reconcile with her husband, while dealing with her past. It opens Sunday, Jan. 23, at 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. Ethan McSweeny directs a cast that features Karen Aldridge, Penny Johnson Jerald and Jacqueline Williams. (312) 443-3800 or goodmantheatre.org.

• Broadway in Chicago brings “9 to 5: The Musical” to the Bank of America Theater, 18 W. Monroe St., Chicago, through Jan. 30. (800) 775-2000 or broadwayinchicago.com.

• A young man's disappearance prompts his mother, sister and his late father's best friend to reminisce in an effort to understand the events in J.T. Rogers' “Madagascar.” Kimberly Senior directs Next Theatre Company's Midwest premiere of the drama. Previews continue at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes St., Evanston. The show opens Monday, Jan. 24. (847) 475-1875, ext. 2 or nexttheatre.org.

• Steppenwolf Theatre artistic associate Jessica Thebus directs fellow ensemble members Sally Murphy (“August: Osage County”) and Stephen Louis Grush (Goodman's “The Seagull”) in “Sex with Strangers,” an examination of relationships and identity by Laura Eason that debuted two years ago as part of Steppenwolf's First Look Repertory of New Work. The play centers on hot young online writer Ethan and fizzling writer Olivia whose hookup turns complicated. The show opens Jan. 29 at 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

• Sisters relive a traumatic event from their long-lost youth in “The New Electric Ballroom,” Irish playwright Enda Walsh's dramedy about the devastating results of reliving old heartache. Robin Witt directs A Red Orchid Theatre's Midwest premiere featuring longtime Chicago favorites Kate Buddeke, Kristen Fitzgerald and Guy Van Swearingen along with Laurie Larson. Previews continue through Saturday, Jan. 22, at 1531 N. Wells St., Chicago. The show opens Sunday, Jan. 23. (312) 943-8722 or aredorchidtheatre.org.

• Playwright Joel Drake Johnson (“Four Places,” “A Guide for the Perplexed”), a former Stevenson High School teacher, premieres his latest play “The Boys Room” at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. Previews begin Friday, Jan. 21, for the play about brothers in midlife crisis mode who return (unsuccessfully) to the sanctuary of their boyhood home. Associate artistic director Sandy Shinner directs Joe Dempsey, Steve Key, Allison Torem and Mary Ann Thebus in the world premiere which opens Jan. 31. (773) 871-3000 or victorygardens.org.

• “Funk It Up About Nothin'” the Q Brothers urban riff on Shakespeare's “Much Ado About Nothing,” returns to the Chicago Shakespeare Theater — where it originated — beginning Friday, Jan. 21. The show runs through Feb. 13 at Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. (312) 595-5600 or chicagoshakes.com.

• A man's offhand comments about a pretty female co-worker complicate his relationship with his less attractive girlfriend and their best pals in Neal LaBute's “reasons to be pretty,” which premiered off-Broadway in 2008 under Steppenwolf Theatre's Terry Kinney. Fellow ensemble member Rick Snyder directs this Profiles Theatre production which stars ensemble members Somer Benson and Darrell W. Cox along with guest artists Darci Nalepa and Christian Stolte. Previews begin Friday, Jan. 21, at 4147 N. Broadway, Chicago. The show opens Jan. 27. (773) 549-1815 or profilestheatre.org.

• Henrik Ibsen's seminal, proto-feminist drama “A Doll's House” marks the first production in Infamous Commonwealth Theatre's 2011 season devoted to the theme of sacrifice. Artistic director Chris Maher directs the play which centers on the childlike Nora, whose past indiscretion — which she committed to protect her husband Torvald — comes back to haunt her. The show opens Saturday, Jan. 22, at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. (773) 404-7336 or infamouscommonwealth.org.

• Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia, a company known for adapting children's literature to the stage, brings its production of “Swimmy, Frederick & Inch by Inch” to the Center for Performing Arts at Governors State University. Appropriate for children ages 3 to 7, the show incorporates puppets and music to tell of a determined fish that finds out being different is not so bad, a mouse that makes art every day and an inchworm who finds that brains can extricate anyone from a difficult situation. The performance is at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22, at 1 University Parkway, University Park. (708) 235-2222 or centertickets.net.

• “Short Shakespeare! Macbeth,” Chicago Shakespeare Theater's 75-minute adaptation of Shakespeare's tragedy opens Saturday, Jan. 22, at Navy Pier, 800 E. Grant Ave., Chicago. David H. Bell directs Mark Montgomery and Lesley Bevan as the murderous couple. (312) 595-5600 or chicagoshakes.com.

• Writers' Theatre presents the world premiere of its latest Brett Neveu commission, “Do The Hustle,” about a father-son con-man team threatened when teenage Sam announces he wants to go his own way. William Brown, who also directed the premiere of Neveu's “Old Glory” at Writers, directs this production starring Patrick Andrews, Francis Guinan, Joe Minoso and Karen Janes Woditsch. Previews begin Tuesday, Jan. 25, at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The show opens Feb. 3. (847) 242-6000 or writerstheatre.org.

• Filmmaker and musician Jesse Charbonier headlines a benefit performance at 8 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 25, at Rumba, 351 W. Hubbard St., Chicago. Part of the proceeds will go to UrbanTheater Company, whose co-artistic director Marilyn Camacho stars in Charbonier's “Let's Not Discuss It” video. (312) 222-1226.

• Previews begin Wednesday, Jan. 26, for the redtwist theatre production of Conor McPherson's “Shining City,” in which a recently widowed man, who sees the ghost of his dead wife, seeks help from an untried therapist who is struggling with serious issues of his own. Joanie Schultz directs the play which features Brian Parry and John Arthur Lewis. The show opens Jan. 29 at 1044 W. Bryn Mawr, Chicago. (773) 728-7529 or redtwist.org.

• Set on “Customer Appreciation Night” at a brothel 60 miles outside of Las Vegas, Aline Lathrop's “Bordello” examines the lives of sex workers willing to fulfill almost any fantasy for a price. Chicago Dramatists presents the world premiere of the play by Lathrop, one of the company's resident playwrights. Chicago Dramatists associate artist Meghan Beals McCarthy directs the all female cast. Previews begin Thursday, Jan. 27, at 1105 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago. The show opens Feb. 4. (312) 633-0630 or chicagodramatists.org.

• A pair of plays by Young Jean Lee comprise Red Tape Theatre's next double bill, which begins previews Thursday, Jan. 27, at 621 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. The celebratory “Church” defies expectations of religious and nonreligious people alike while “Pullman, WA” centers around three people who explain how to live a better life. James D. Palmer directs. (847) 738-6919 or redtapetheatre.org.

• New Rock Theater, known for its live version of the film “Point Break,” begins 2011 with Henrik Ibsen's once controversial critique on 19th century morality “Ghosts,” in which a wealthy family's secrets are unearthed with devastating results. The show opens Thursday, Jan. 27, a 3933 N. Elston Ave., Chicago. (773) 639-5316 or newrocktheater.com.

• Sean Graney steps down from his position as artistic director of The Hypocrites and company member Halena Kays steps into the role beginning in August as the company commences its 15th season. Graney, as the newly designated founding director, will direct two shows per season while Kays directs the third. For information on upcoming productions, see the-hypocrites.com

• Condolences to the members of Filament Theatre Ensemble on the loss of business manager Allison Powell, 28, earlier this month. Powell, a Georgia native and a graduate of New York's Colgate University, studied Aboriginal ceremony and performance in Melbourne Australia. She joined the Filament staff after moving to Chicago in 2009. Filament ensemble members intend to establish an annual gift to Chicago artists in Powell's name. For information, see filamenttheatre.org.

• Political satirists the Capitol Steps perform through Sunday, Jan. 23, at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. (847) 673-6300 or northshorecenter.org.

• Goodman Theatre hosts a series of discussions centered around the productions making up the season. The discussions take place at the theater located at 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. Topics include the disparities in cancer treatment between Caucasians and minorities and a discussion with the artists involved in Thomas Bradshaw's new play “Mary,” about a college man introducing his boyfriend to his parents for the first time at the height of the so-called AIDS hysteria. (312) 443-3800 or goodmantheatre.org.

• “Detroit,” Lisa D'Amour's play about the turbulence beneath the calm exterior of suburban residents which had its world premiere last fall at Steppenwolf Theatre, will open on Broadway later this year under director Austin Pendleton, who directed the Steppenwolf production.