What's new in theaters near and far

• Previews begin Friday, Feb. 18, for Piccolo Theatre Ensemble's production of “A Servant of Two Masters,” Carlo Goldoni's 18th century, commedia dell'arte about a wily servant who one-ups his masters. The show, directed by John Szostek, opens Friday, Feb. 25, at the Evanston Arts Depot, 600 Main St., Evanston. (847) 424-0089 or piccolotheatre.com.

• Saint Sebastian Players' production of “Arms and the Man” marks the first time the Chicago company has produced a play by George Bernard Shaw. Jim Masini directs the tale about a young woman engaged to marry a Bulgarian war hero who falls for a Swiss mercenary who appears to be a coward. The show opens Friday, Feb. 18, at St. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey Ave., Chicago. (773) 404-7922 or saintsebastianplayers.org.

• “The People's Four Seasons” is an original production from Quest Theatre Ensemble that combines music and puppetry to tell the story of human life within the context of the seasons. Artistic director Andrew Park wrote and directs the show, which begins previews Friday, Feb. 18, at the Blue Theater, 1609 W. Gregory St., Chicago. The show opens Friday, Feb. 25. (312) 458-0895 or questensemble.org.

• Victory Gardens Theater presents “Literally Sexy 3” as part of its Fresh Squeezed series showcasing new works and emerging artists. The adults-only show is described as a “bawdy vaudeville revue.” The show runs at 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19, at 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. (773) 871-3000 or victorygardens.org.

• The Annoyance Theatre presents a showcase titled “Sketch-It” at 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20 and 27, at 4830 N. Broadway, Chicago. The theater also announced the extension of its musical “Skiing is Believing” through April 9. (773) 561-4665 or theannoyance.com.

• A gay man mourning the loss of his husband gets another blow when their adopted African American daughter informs him she wants to seek out her birth mother in Caitlin Montanye Parrish's “A Twist of Water,” a co-creation with Erica Weiss. Route 66 Theatre Company presents the world premiere of the play in previews at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. The show opens Monday, Feb. 21. (773) 975-8150 or twistofwater.wordpress.com.

• Metropolis Performing Arts Centre presents a concert version of the Stephen Sondheim musical “Into the Woods” on Monday, Feb. 21, at 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. Proceeds from the concert — featuring Broadway veterans Nate Johnson and Melissa Minyard and cabaret performer Lisa Rock — will benefit Breaking Broders, Metropolis' outreach program bringing together students from suburban and inner city schools. (837) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com.

• Goodman Theatre hosts a panel discussion in conjunction with its world premiere of Thomas Bradshaw's “Mary” at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 21, at 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. Reverend Irene Monroe, Rabbi Laurence Edwards and associate minister Ann Louise Haak discuss homophobia and religion. Admission is free, but tickets are required. (312) 443-3800 or goodmantheatre.org.

• A couple of real estate developers, one with mayoral aspirations, plan to redevelop a blighted Pittsburgh neighborhood, at the expense of its longtime residents, in “Radio Golf,” the drama that concluded August Wilson's historic, 10-play Pittsburgh Cycle chronicling the African-American experience in America through each decade of the 20th century. Congo Square Theatre co-founder Aaron Todd Douglas directs Raven Theatre's revival featuring Michael Pogue and Warren Levon as the longtime friends and would-be developers who must choose between preserving the community's past or bettering their own futures. Previews begin Tuesday, Feb. 22, at 6157 N. Clark St., Chicago. The show opens Feb. 27. (773) 338-2177 or raventheatre.com.

• Ron OJ Parson directs the Midwest premiere of “Samuel J. and K.,” Naperville native Mat Smart's drama about two brothers — one black and one white — who take a life-changing trip to Africa. Cliff Chamberlain and Samuel G. Roberson Jr. star in the production, which is part of Steppenwolf Theatre's young adults series. Previews begin Tuesday, Feb. 22, at 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago. The show opens Feb. 26. (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

• “Special Needs,” written and directed by Clockwise Theatre artistic director Madelyn Sergel, has its final preview Tuesday, Feb. 22. The play about a family whose members draw upon faith and humor to raise a special needs son, opens Friday, Feb. 25, at 221 N. Genesee, Waukegan. Teachers can attend the final preview free. (800) 838-3006 or clockwisetheatre.org.

• Previews begin Wednesday, Feb. 23, for Lookingglass Theatre's world premiere adaptation of Edith Wharton's “Ethan Frome.” Laura Eason adapts and directs the play about a New England farmer trapped in a joyless marriage who is rejuvenated when his ailing wife's vibrant young cousin arrives to help take care of her. The show opens Saturday, March 5, at the Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago. (312) 337-0665 or lookingglasstheatre.org.

• New Leaf Theatre's Treehouse Reading Series continues on Wednesday, Feb. 23, with Brian Golden's “Burying Miss America” about the children of a former beauty queen reuniting at her funeral. The reading begins at 7 p.m. at the Lincoln Park Cultural Center, 2045 N. Lincoln Park West, Chicago. See newleaftheatre.org for information.

• The 16th Street Theatre, at 6420 16th St., Berwyn, opens its 2011 season with playwright-in-residence Laura Jacqmin's satirical comedy “Dental Society Midwinter Meeting,” about the fallout from a scandal involving the society's president and an unlicensed practitioner. Performances begin Thursday, Feb. 24. (708) 795-6704 or 16thstreettheater.org.

• Previews begin Thursday, Feb. 24, for “That Was Then,” Gerard Stembridge's dark comedy about a pair of Dublin residents who host a dinner party for their questionable British friends where everything goes wrong. Years later, the Brits return the favor, but much has changed. The show opens Saturday, Feb. 26, at the Irish American Heritage Center, 2626 N. Knox Ave., Chicago. (866) 811-4111 or seanachai.org.

• Strawdog Theatre Company presents Edward Kemps adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov's satirical novel, “The Master and Margarita.” Set in Stalinist Russia, it's an allegory of good vs. evil in which the devil appears as magician who upends Moscow's literary establishment. Meanwhile, a writer named Master despairs over the critical rejection of his latest book about Christ and Pontius Pilate. TimeLine Theatre's Louis Contey directs. Previews begin Thursday, Feb. 24, at 3829 N. Broadway, Chicago. The show opens Sunday, Feb. 27. (773) 528-9696 or strawdog.org.

• First Folio Theatre has added performances of its spirited revival of Noel Coward's “Blithe Spirit” at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26 and March 5, and at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 27. Performances are at Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 W. 31st St., Oak Brook. (630) 986-8067 or firstfolio.org.

• “A Minister's Wife,” inspired by George Bernard Shaw's “Candide,” and conceived and directed by Writers' Theatre artistic director Michael Halberstam, premiered last year at the Glencoe theater to critical and commercial acclaim. A remount of the musical begins April 7 at Lincoln Center Theater in New York. Liz Baltes and Kate Fry, who co-starred in Writers' production, will star in the show by Austin Pendleton (book), Joshua Schmidt (music) and Jan Levy Tranen (lyrics).

• Trap Door Theatre has extended its production of Heiner Muller's postmodernist “HamletMachine,” inspired by Shakespeare's tragedy. Performances run through Saturday, Feb. 26, at 1655 W. Cortland Ave., Chicago. (773) 384-0494 or trapdoortheatre.com.

• “Among the Squirrels,” from newcomer The Black Ship Co., continues through Saturday, Feb. 26, at Gorilla Tango Theatre, 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. The play by Eric Appleton centers around members of Chicago's goth/industrial scene. (773) 598-4549 or gorillatango.com.

• The tim&micah project presents “Versus,” an avant-garde sketch comedy revue, through Saturday, March 12, at Donny's Skybox Theatre, 1608 N. Wells St., Chicago. (312) 337-3992 or timandmicahproject.com.

Ÿ Also at Donny's Skybox Theatre, 1608 N. Wells St., Chicago, the group Warm Milk presents “Kelolelolagalaga,” a sketch comedy revue combining dark comedy, music and vaudeville. The show runs through Thursday, March 17. See warmmilkimprov.com.

• Fox Valley Repertory invites members of the community who have friends and family in the armed forces to submit war letters from servicemen and women for inclusion in a Memorial Day concert featuring the Fox Valley Concert Band. The submission deadline is April 15. Send letters to Fox Valley Rep, 4052 E. Main St., St. Charles, Ill, 60174, Attention: Letters Home. Letters can also be scanned and e-mailed to jgawlik@foxvalleyrep.org. The Memorial Day weekend performances will be at 8 p.m. May 28 and 2 p.m. May 29.

• Hobo Junction Productions seeks 10-minute scripts for the company's third annual Hobo-Robo New Comedic Works Festival: Hobos in Space! Scripts must be original comedic works with a science-fiction theme, between seven and 10 pages long. Submissions are due Monday, March 7, to hobojunction@sbcglobal.net. Put “playwright” in the subject line.

• The League of Chicago Theatres introduced a new Showgo! promotion running at participating theaters through April 16. Theater patrons can download a Showgo! game card at hottix.org or pick up a card at Hot Tix outlets at 72 E. Randolph St., Chicago, or 163 E. Pearson St., Chicago. Patrons then attend five theater productions on their game card (either up, down, across or diagonal) by April 16, and return the game card, along with their ticket stops to Hot Tix by April 17. In exchange, participants will receive a $50 gift certificate to a Lettuce Entertain You Restaurant.

— Barbara Vitello