Spotlight: Broken Nose premieres 'This is Only a Test'
World premiere
Broken Nose Theatre resumes in-person performances with its premiere of "This is Only a Test," Eric Reyes Loo's drama that asks whether preparing young people to defend themselves against violence might encourage more. Loo's play imagines how training high school students to respond to active shooter scenarios might breed a new kind of violence.
Previews at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 11-12, at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. The show opens Sunday, Feb. 13. Admission is pay-what-you-can. COVID-19 precautions: Proof of vaccination and masking required. See brokennosetheatre.com or thedentheatre.com.
Rom-com
Just in time for Valentine's Day, Citadel Theatre Company revives John Patrick Shanley's "Outside Mullingar," the Ireland-set comedy about middle-aged romance. The play centers on introverted Anthony (Ross Frawley) and his longtime neighbor Rosemary (Laura Leonardo Ownby), who has long been attracted to him but has been reluctant to confess her feelings. Unfortunately, her time is running out, as Anthony's father indicates he intends to leave the family farm to a nephew instead of his son.
Opens at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 11, at 300 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest. $40, $45. COVID-19 precautions: Masks required. (847) 735-8554, ext. 1, or citadeltheatre.org.
'Notebooks' revived
Goodman Theatre revisits one of its most popular productions, Mary Zimmerman's "The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci," nearly 30 years after it premiered at the Chicago theater. Zimmerman returns to direct her play, whose spoken text comes from the Renaissance genius' notebooks and theses on topics ranging from anatomy and love to engineering and dreams. Eight actors play Leonardo, including Christopher Donahue, who appeared in the original production.
Previews at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 11-12; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13, through Feb. 20. The show opens Feb. 22 at the Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. $15-$55. COVID-19 precautions: Proof of vaccinations and masking required. (312) 443-3800 or goodmantheatre.org.
In other news
Check with venues about COVID-19 precautions.
• Performances continue for The Second City's new show "The SuperAfroWavyDrippyExtraBrilliantDope Show." Performed by an all-Black cast, the show runs at 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday through March 9 at the e.t.c. Theater at Piper's Alley, 230 W. North Ave., Chicago. Also, Second City debuts a new salute to its all-time best melodies titled "Sing Out, Second City." Performances begin Thursday, Feb. 17, and run at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday at the Piper's Alley complex. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and masking is required. (312) 337-3992 or secondcity.com.
• MadKap Productions' season continues with a revival of John Patrick Shanley's "Doubt: A Parable," starring Judy Rossignuolo-Rice as a conservative nun who believes a beloved progressive priest is abusing one of the students in his care. Performances begin Friday, Feb. 11, at the Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave., Skokie. Theatergoers must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination and wear masks. (847) 677-7761 or skokietheatre.org.
• Richard Gallion Entertainment presents "1800s vs. 2020," a play by writer/actor/producer Richard Gallion about a young man who comes upon a photo of a man who resembles him and is transported from 21st-century America into 19th-century America. Performances run Saturday, Feb. 12, through Feb. 27 at APC Theater, 11401 S. Vincennes Ave., Chicago. See richardgallion.com.
• The Gift Theatre hosts a virtual Valentine's Day fundraiser at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 14. Titled giftLIT, the event consists of stories and music by Gift ensemble members and friends. Tickets are $25 and $50. See thegifttheatre.org.
• Invictus Theatre Company revives "Ruined," Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning play commissioned by Goodman Theatre about women caught up in the Republic of Congo's civil war who find refuge at a brothel whose owner takes in (and profits from) victims of sexual violence. Previews begin Thursday, Feb. 17, at 1106 W. Thorndale Ave., Chicago. The production opens Feb. 21. Proof of vaccination and masking required. See invictustheatreco.com.
• The Apollo Theater Chicago, 2550 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, has added a Valentine's Day performance of "Bachelor: The Unauthorized Parody Musical," a sendup of the reality TV dating show. The performance is at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 14, and includes a $10 specialty cocktail. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and masking required. (773) 935-6100 or bachelorthemusical.com.
• The Physical Theater Festival hosts Scratch Night, a showcase of in-progress contemporary, visual and physical theatrical works. It takes place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 17, at Newport Theater, 956 W. Newport Ave., Chicago. See eventbrite.com for tickets.
• First Folio Theatre's 50/50 winter raffle is underway with a winner sharing half the jackpot with the Oak Brook theater. Single tickets are $5, with five tickets for $20 and 30 tickets for $100. The 50/50 raffle drawing takes place Feb. 27. See firstfolio.org.
• Multidisciplinary theater artist Kelcey Anyá has taken over as the first managing director of Artemisia Theatre, an ensemble founded in 2011 "to share women's untold stories." The hiring of Anyá means the company's leadership is comprised entirely of women. "It's a sisterhood of leaders who empower women as writers, directors, performers," said board president E. Faye Butler in a prepared statement. "A place where women can bring their fire, passion and lived experience and share true stories from their perspective."
• Raven Theatre commissioned Chicago playwright Paul Michael Thomson to develop his new work, "brother sister cyborg space," during 2022 as part of the theater's new play initiative. Raven's development process includes financial support, readings and workshops with actors.