Philip Dawkins exploded onto the scene with 2015’s Charm, inspired by the life of Chicago’s Gloria Allen, a trans etiquette teacher. If you saw Charm, you need no further encouragement to check out Dawkins’ newest work, The Burn. If not, know that he’s a playwright of wit, depth, smarts and nuance. With The Burn, he tackles high school bullying and a student production of The Crucible that puts a stark light on how life imitates art (and vice versa). Public performances are Feb. 23-24 and March 2-3 ad Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St. (Weekday performances are reserved for students.) Tickets are $20, $15 with student ID; visit Steppenwolf.org.