Cliffhangers, Babes with Blades at Breadline Theatre, through Nov. 20. Straight male pigs beware: babes’ boobs may bounce as they swing sword, but they’re defending themselves against guys like you! These girl stage combat pros enjoy old-fashioned cat fights, too. JA
Death of a Salesman, Hypocrites at the Athenaeum, through Oct. 16. Last chance to see Arthur Miller’s portrait of the loss of the American dream, powerfully staged by one of Chicago’s best young directors, Sean Graney. RR
Galileo, Side Studio, through Oct. 15. When church and state are not separate, egghead theories can get their authors in big trouble, and this brainy production of Brecht’s play about Galileo vs. the Pope tells us why. MSB
Seascape, City Lit Theatre, through Oct. 30. Evolution ain’t easy, says Edward Albee in his 1975 Pulitzer Prize play, but what choice do we have? Director Terry McCabe and a quartet of intelligent actors convey the humor and pathos of this absurd inevitability. MSB
By Abarbanel, Barnidge and Reed