OCTOBER
Annabel Armour
Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey
Remy Bumppo Theatre Company, pros at this type of period piece, present the U.S. premiere of this new Tim Luscombe adaptation of Jane Austen’s first novel. Begins October 2 at Greenhouse Theater Center
Neil LaBute
Wrecks
Profiles Theatre’s resident artist Neil LaBute’s one-man play has been produced twice, both times with Ed Harris in the lead role and directed by LaBute. For their twenty-fifth season, Profiles hosts this Midwest premiere that may not star Ed Harris, but promises to be intense. Begins October 3 at Profiles Theatre
Simon Stephens
Motortown
Steep Theatre Company launches the North American premiere of Simon Stephens controversial and provocative examination on the effects of war. Robin Witt, director of Steep’s hit “Harper Regan” returns. Begins October 3 at Steep Theatre
Anne Kauffman
Smokefall
Called playwright Noah Haidle’s “version of ‘Our Town’” by the Los Angeles Times, this examination of a Midwestern family takes the stage at the Goodman Theatre under the direction of the Obie-winning Anne Kauffman.
Begins October 5 at Goodman Theatre
Ana Maria Martinez
Otello
Classic Shakespearean drama brought to life with the music of Verdi and the production work of former Royal Shakespeare Company director Sir Peter Hall. With Johan Botha as Otello and Ana Maria Martinez as Desdemona it will be an opera to remember.
Begins October 5 at Lyric Opera
The North China Lover
Lookingglass ensemble member Heidi Stillman adapts and directs this world premiere based on the Marguerite Duras novel about adolescent awakening. Judging by “Hephaestus” and “Cascabel,” her previous writing/directing credits at Lookingglass, this should be an experience. Begins October 6 at Lookingglass Theatre
The Life and Death of Madam Barker
Red Tape Theatre kicks off their tenth-anniversary season (and the first season for new artistic director Brandon Ray) with this world-premiere cabaret based on a character created by Molly Brennan (who will star as Madam Barker) and John Fournier.
Begins October 14 at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
Madama Butterfly
Puccini’s tragic opera coproduced by Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera and Grand Théâtre de Genève prsented at Lyric Opera. Produced by Tony and Olivier award-winning Michael Grandage and starring Amanda Echalaz and James Valenti.
Begins October 15 at Lyric Opera
The Table
Created and presented by Blind Summit (who created puppetry for Danny Boyle’s Olympic Opening Ceremony), this “epic” seventy-minute Bunraku puppet show inspired by Beckett, the Bible and Ikea promises to be memorable.
Begins October 16 at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Audience Annihilated Part Two: Gold Star Sticker
It’s not officially Halloween in Chicago until Jeremy Menekseoglu and Dream Theatre Company annihilate an audience. This follow-up to the truly terrifying “Part One: Women Only Train” is a haunted house/theater mash-up that only allows one-to-four audience members in at a time and has them serve as the lead character: a tormented child. Begins October 18 at Dream Theatre
All Girl Frankenstein
Judging by last year’s “All Girl Moby Dick,” this second phase of The Chicago Mammals’ ALL GIRL project promises to be electrifying. Begins October 19 at Zoo Studios
Wicked
Remember when this hit musical adaptation of the book by Gregory Maguire ran for almost four years in Chicago (closing in 2009)? Whether you missed it then or just want to relive it, Broadway In Chicago gives you the chance starting at the end of October. Begins October 30 at Oriental Theatre
Alan Ayckbourn
Haunting Julia
Wrapping up a season dedicated to the works of playwright Alan Ayckbourn, Eclipse Theatre Company mounts this haunting psychological ghost story under the direction of Kevin Hagan. Begins October 31 at The Athenaeum Theatre
