Spotlight: Metropolis, Drury Lane stage versions of 'A Christmas Carol'
60-minute 'Carol'
Santa joins young theatergoers for breakfast and dinner on select days during the run of Drury Lane Theatre's production of "A Christmas Carol," a 60-minute adaptation of Charles Dickens' beloved tale.
Opens at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 24, at 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. $28 for the performance only; $40 for adults and $30 for kids for breakfast with Santa; $50 for adults, $30 for kids for dinner with Santa. (630) 530-8300 or drurylanetheatre.com/.
Who's Cindy Lou
A grown-up Cindy Lou Who (Itasca native Veronica Garza) recalls how she met the Grinch and the romance they shared in "Who's Holiday!" by Matthew Lombardo. This marks the third year Theater Wit has revived the R-rated holiday comedy helmed by Christopher Pazdernik.
Opens at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24, at 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. $39-$48. (773) 975-8150 or theaterwit.org/.
A Christmas to remember
On Christmas Eve, Trudy learns her ex-husband is marrying someone she met in rehab. Before things gets too maudlin, however, the ghost of Elvis Presley appears in her apartment in "Christmas With Elvis," a holiday dramedy by Terry Spencer Hesser. Dexter Bullard directs the adults-only play, which plays Chicago for the first time in 32 years.
Previews at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 24-25, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26, at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago. The show opens Monday, Nov. 27. Tickets start at $60. chopintheatre.com/.
Metropolis tradition
New Metropolis Performing Arts Centre artistic director Brendan Ragan helms the annual production of "A Christmas Carol," a play with music adapted from Charles Dickens' story by Jacqueline Goldfinger, with music direction by Ken McMullen. Steve Connell stars as Ebenezer Scrooge.
Previews at 3 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26, at 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. The show opens Nov. 30. $20-$40. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com/.
Holiday alternative
This year marks the 47th anniversary of the debut of Black Ensemble Theater's "The Other Cinderella," founder and CEO Jackie Taylor's interpretation of the fairy tale in which Cinderella lives in the projects, her Step Mamma works at the post office and her Fairy Godmamma hails from Jamaica. Miciah Lathan plays Cinderella and RJ Griffith plays the prince.
Previews at 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25 and Dec. 2; 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26; and 8 p.m. Dec. 1 at 4450 N. Clark St., Chicago. The show opens Dec. 3. $56.50-$66.50. (773) 769-4451 or blackensemble.org.
Holiday heroes
Hell in a Handbag Productions kicks off its 2023-2024 season with "The Golden Girls Save Xmas - The Lost Episode Parody Series." On the night before Christmas, Blanche (Grant Drager) accidentally incapacitates a visitor named Nick, leaving it up to Dorothy (David Cerda), Rose (Ed Jones) and Sophia (Ryan Oates) to save the holiday for children everywhere.
Previews at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25; 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26; and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30, at The Hoover-Leppen Theatre at The Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St., Chicago. The show opens Dec. 1. $27-$55. handbagproductions.org/.
'The Wiz' returns
"The Wiz" - the musical retelling of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by composer/lyricist Charlie Smalls and writer William F. Brown, with additional material by writer/comedian Amber Ruffin - heads back to Broadway next year, with a stop in Chicago en route. Nichelle Lewis stars as Dorothy.
Performances run Tuesday, Nov. 28, through Dec. 10 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph St., Chicago. $61-$291. broadwayinchicago.com/.