COUNTY FAIR, The Gift Theatre at National Pastime’s Old Speakeasy, through Feb 23. Iowa’s Hancock County is not Nashville, but even the most humble of American citizens have their own small hopes, plans, and secrets. (Barnidge)
THE GUYS, Piven Theatre Workshop at Lakeshore Theater, through Feb. 26. Two actors in the heartfelt, simple and never maudlin story of journalist Anne Nelson dealing with 9/11 by helping a NYC fire captain write eulogies for his men. Rotating star cast. (Reed)
THE ROSE TATTOO, Goodman Theatre, through Feb. 15. Love lost and rediscovered, a young Sicilian widow, a steamy gulf town combine in Tennessee Williams’ ‘love-play to the world.’ Alyssa Bresnahan’s lead performance alone is worth seeing, but the entire production is ‘molto bene.’ (Reed)
THE SHADOW BOX, TinFish Theatre, through March 1. Long before AIDS, Michael Christofer’s award-winning play examined the ways—bravely and otherwise—we face the prospect of a slow death. This TinFish production makes a case for ‘bravely.’ (Barnidge)
— Mary Shen Barnidge and Rick Reed