Summer theater is traditionally lightweight: fluffy comedies, chirpy musicals—even Shakespeare comes on picnic grounds. Not in Chicago, though. Oh, the 2013 schedule includes nostalgic tune-filled revues like Theo Ubique’s double-header Cole Porter Songbook at the No Exit (June 6-July 21; 800-595-4847) and Smokey Joe’s Cafe at the Royal George (through June 30; 312-988-9000) along with minimal-stress fare like Lifeline’s The Three Musketeers (June 10-July 21; 773-761-4477), Black Fox’s The Brothers Beckett at the Athenaeum (June 6-30) and Eclipse’s Bedroom Farce (directed by Nick Sandys, on loan from Remy Bumppo, also playing at the Athenaeum July 28-Sept. 1; 773-935-0860). What’s noteworthy about the outlook for the skillet-temps season, however, is the number of star appearances, premiere productions and heavyweight classics braving the warm weather.
Headlining the big-timers home from Hollywood are William Peterson, returning to portray the expat dad of a teenage girl in Slowgirl at Steppenwolf (July 31-Aug. 25; 312-335-1650), and Michael Shannon, teaming up with his long-time scene partner Guy Van Swearingen at Red Orchid for some harness-racing flimflam in Simpatico (July 8-Aug. 24; 312-943-8722). You can still see Rhea Perlman in the world premiere of Bruce Graham’s Stella & Lou at Northlight through June 9 (847-673-6300). Veteran Big Shoulders playwright Keith Huff premieres his latest grit-and-spit Chicago-noir drama, titled Big Lake, Big City, at Lookingglass through Aug. 11 (312-337-0665). Luis Alfaro, author of the 2012 mean-streets Oedipus El Rey, re-imagines Colchean queen Medea as an undocumented immigrant seeking refuge in Pilsen for Mojada at Victory Gardens (July 22-Aug. 11; 773-871-3000). Steppenwolf’s other auditorium houses Belleville, Amy Herzog’s tale of Americans likewise adrift in foreign lands (July 6-Aug. 25; 312-335-1650).
It’s not all new plays: Mary-Arrchie’s late-winter sleeper production of The Glass Menagerie, after having to turn away eager crowds from the Angel Island loft, reopens at Theater Wit to run through June 30 (773-975-8150). House Theater brings back its perennial crowd-pleasing Death and Harry Houdini, starring dazzlemaster Dennis Watkins, June 30-Aug. 11 (773-278-1500), and Wayward Productions extends its innovative motorcycle-gang Richard III—now featuring Carlo Lorenzo Garcia as Richard and Jude Roche as Buckingham—at The Den through June 29 (866-468-3401). Freshly-mounted classics include racial-bending repertory stagings of Molie re’s Misanthrope (through June 9) and Tartuffe (June 20-July 14) at Court Theatre (773-753-4472) and Timeline’s production of Lorraine Hansberry’s American classic, A Raisin in the Sun, to start off its fall line-up (Aug. 20-Nov. 17; 773-281-8463).
Moving out into the neighborhoods, theatergoers can still find plenty to exercise their brains: For those who didn’t get enough of khaki-clad soldiers with heavy accents in Black Watch, Signal Ensemble premieres This Is War, Hannah Moscovitch’s account of Canadian troops in Afghanistan (Aug. 22-Sept. 28; 773-347-1350). Profiles presents the Midwest premiere of In God’s Hat, Rhett Rossi’s parable of two jailbird brothers (Aug. 23-Oct. 13; 773-549-1815) while just up the street, Mary-Arrchie—back on its home turf—revives Uncle Bob, Austin Pendleton’s controversial tale of an elderly AIDS-infected recluse and his self-destructive young nephew (June 13-July 21; 773-871-9442). Speaking of elders, Don Bender and Vincent Lonergan, two of the storefront circuit’s most popular—let’s just say—mature leading men, will put their gray heads together for the premiere of Sherod Santos’ Lives of the Pigeons at the Side Project (June 2-30; 773-340-0140).
Even the musicals (listed in more detail elsewhere) are more ambitious than standard seasonal repertoire, Boho Theatre delving into survival tactics of prisoners in Kiss of the Spider Woman (June 1-30) and Haven Theatre examining transgender identity issues in Hedwig and the Angry Inch (July 5-Aug. 11), both playing at Theater Wit (773-975-8150). Black Ensemble’s Ain’t No Cryin’ The Blues—starring the charismatic Rick Stone—pays homage to the late Howlin’ Wolf (June 9-Aug. 11; 773-769-4451), as Othello: The Remix continues its hip-hop tragedy at Chicago Shakespeare to June 15 (312-595-5600). Finally, look for Mary Zimmerman’s adaptation of The Jungle Book at the Goodman (June 21-Aug. 4; 312-443-3800) to brim over with surprise and wonder.