SUMMER STAGES: Top 10 Picks for Chicago Summer Theatre

Here's a listing of the top ten places that are really burning it up in theater this summer, in Chicago and the region nearby. Seek them out, and enjoy!

THE JUNGLE BOOK, Chicago, Illinois

There is no bigger summer musical theater production in town than the world premiere of "The Jungle Book" at the Goodman Theatre, located at the corner of Dearborn and Randolph in the heart of the Loop Theatre District. Director and bookwriter Mary Zimmerman has been given apparently free reign by the powers that be at Disney to give theatrical life to the studio's classic animated film, and surviving film composer Richard M. Sherman has been on hand to work with Zimmerman, musical director Doug Peck and the cast, headed by Broadway's Andre De Shields and Kevin Carolan, Chicago's Larry Yando and Usman Ally and young Akash Chopra as Mowgli. This is the must-see event of the summer, June 21-August 4, 2013.

http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/Jungle-Book/

KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, Chicago, Illinois

In the Lakeview neighborhood, at Theater Wit, the Bohemian Theatre Ensemble is bringing us a revival of Kander and Ebb's "Kiss Of The Spider Woman," running May 31-June 30 in a production directed by Peter Marston Sullivan and choreographed by Linda Fortunato. Jennifer Grubb is the titular arachnid.

http://www.bohotheatre.com

HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, Chicago, Illinois

When "Spider Woman" closes at Theater Wit, the new Haven Theatre will move right on in, producing John Cameron Mitchell's "Hedwig And The Angry Inch" from July 5-August 11 in the Wit space, directed by Kyle Trent and starring Ryan Lanning and Lauren Paris. Trust me, these two can sang

http://www.haventheatrechicago.org/

THE COLOR PURPLE, Chicago, Illinois

North of Theater Wit, the Mercury Theater still has "Barnum" on the boards until June 16, starring Gene Weygandt and Cory Goodrich in a rare full staging of this Cy Coleman circus-themed musical. But work has already begun on the first ever local staging of "The Color Purple," opening August 14th for a long fall run. Should be exciting!

http://mercurytheaterchicago.com/2013-season/

NEXT TO NORMAL, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois

Out west, the Drury Lane Theatre's successful and large-cast production of "Oliver!" winds up June 2, to be followed by the comedy "Boeing, Boeing" (June 13-August 4). But then, never you fear, for the highly anticipated Chicago regional premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical "Next To Normal" is next, running August 15-October 6. Oh, but when will they announce the cast??? We can't wait! William Osetek directs.

http://www.drurylaneoakbrook.com/

CABARET, Evanston, Illinois

In Evanston, Light Opera Works is preparing Gilbert and Sullivan's immortal "H.M.S. Pinafore" for its June voyage to comic opera hilarity and high-jinx, running June 8-16 at Cahn Auditorium on the campus of Northwestern University. And in August, LOW will bring us its artistic director, Rudy Hogenmiller, starring in Kander and Ebb's probably immortal "Cabaret," directed and choreographed by Stacey Flaster and running August 10-25. This should be something.

http://light-opera-works.org/

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, Munster, Indiana

Among suburban musical theater offerings, the Theatre At The Center in southeast suburban Munster, Indiana is running "What A Glorious Feeling" (the play with music about the creation of the film, "Singin' In The Rain") only through June 2, but just announced the cast for its production of William Finn's "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," running July 11-August 18 and directed by David Perkovich. Cory Goodrich and Jake Mahler star as Rona Lisa Peretti and Douglas Panch, with Bear Bellinger as Mitch, Nicole Miller as Olive (she will also choreograph), Patrick Tierney as Leaf, Jonathan Wagner as William, Frank J. Paul as Chip, Landree Fleming as Logainne and Rose Le Tran as Marcy.

Theatre-at-the-Centers-THE-25TH-ANNUAL-PUTNAM-COUNTY-SPELLING-BEE

TIMBER LAKE PLAYHOUSE, Mt. Carroll, Illinois

The closest thing to traditional professional summer stock theater that we have from a Chicago perspective is probably the Timber Lake Playhouse, located in Mt. Carroll, Illinois, near Galena in northwestern Illinois. Many of the professionals working here are based in Chicago, and many audience members are probably familiar with the Chicago theater scene during the colder months of the year. This summer, Executive Director Jim Beaudry's company kicks it off in high hat style with "A Chorus Line," directed by Broadway performer Will Taylor and running June 6-16. Beaudry himself will helm "The Music Man," running July 5-14, and Derek Bertelson will direct "Spamalot" (August 1-11), choreography by Jim Beaudry and Cameron Turner. The season will end with the new musical "S' Wonderful," featuring 42 songs by the Gershwin brothers. The plays "Tuesdays With Morrie" and "Unnecessary Farce" round out the offering.

http://timberlakeplayhouse.org/

LITTLE THEATRE ON THE SQUARE, Sullivan, Illinois

Down in central Illinois, we find another theater close to the heart of many Chicagoans, the Little Theatre On The Square in Sullivan. The season this summer kicks off with "Fiddler On The Roof" from June 5-16, to be followed by "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum" (June 19-30) and, surprisingly, "Anything Goes" (July 3-14). Even more surprising is a rare revival of the Tony Award-winning "The Will Rogers Follies" (July 17-28: go catch this one!), with the season wrapping up with the popular "Spamalot" (July 31-August 11). Good for them!

http://www.thelittletheatre.org/

BARN THEATRE, Augusta, Michigan

And the Barn Theatre over in Augusta, Michigan, that state's oldest professional summer stock theater, marks its 67th season with an introductory revue, "The Great Big Bar Show" (May 28-June 9), leading to the first big musical of the summer, "42nd Street," playing June 11-23. The musical "Peter Pan" will soar June 25-July 7 (with "Guiding Light" star Robert Newman [Josh Lewis] as Captain Hook), followed by the play "Deathtrap" (July 9-21). Three big musicals comprise the summer's second half, with "Tarzan" swinging onto the stage from July 23-August 4, "Shrek" being family friendly from August 6-18, and "Young Frankenstein" bringing Mel Brooks monster realness from August 20-September 1. Four of these musicals are Barn Theatre premieres.

http://www.barntheatre.com/