John-Mark McGaha channels beloved crooner Nat King Cole during holiday shows at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre.
Courtesy of Michael Brosilow
A Nat King Cole Christmas
“A Nat King Cole Christmas With John-Mark McGaha” celebrates the beloved American crooner through story and song when McGaha performs such Cole hits as “The Christmas Song,” “Unforgettable” and “All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth,” among others, in this holiday co-production from Artist’s Lounge Live and the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre. 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 9, and 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, at 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. $49, $45. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com.
A modern ‘Carol’
Steel Beam Theatre presents “The Ultimate Christmas Carol,” John Westby’s contemporary reimagining of Charles Dickens’ tale in which the famous author stages a Christmas story penned by his good pal Ebenezer Scrooge. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 6-7, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, and through Dec. 22 at 111 W. Main St., St. Charles. $22-$28. (630) 587-8521 or steelbeamtheatre.com.
By any means necessary
“Fraudulent LLC,” about a “doctor” determined to get his clients the help they need even if it means lying and cheating, is the next production in Trap Door Theatre’s Trap Open, a new play development series rooted in nontraditional forms of playmaking. Jonathan Quigley writes and directs. 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, Dec. 5-7, 12-14 and 19-21, at 1655 W. Cortland Ave., Chicago. $20. (773) 384-0494 or trapdoortheatre.com.
New works showcase
Goodman Theatre showcases four plays and one musical as part of its 20th New Stages Festival showcasing in-development works. Among them is the musical “Broken Eggs,” based on Cuban writer Eduardo Machado’s plays “Broken Eggs” and “Fabiola.” The mini-fest also features readings of “Ashland Avenue” by Lee Kirk; “George Washington’s Mexican Birthday” by Dolores Díaz; “Rave” by Dael Orlandersmith; and a new English-language adaptation of “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” by Marco Antonio Rodriguez. Wednesday through Sunday, Dec. 11-15, at 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. Free, but reservations are required. (312) 443.3800 or goodmantheatre.org.
PlayMakers Laboratory reprises its annual family-friendly holiday sketch show “That’s Weird, Grandma: A Holiday Spectacular!”
Courtesy of Evan Hanover
‘That’s Weird, Grandma’ holiday version
PlayMakers Laboratory stages its annual family-friendly sketch show “That’s Weird, Grandma: A Holiday Spectacular!” The show consists of adaptations of stories written by children from Chicago elementary schools and performed by adult actors. 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Dec. 12-13, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 14-15, at the Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. $25 adults, $15 youth. playmakerslab.org.
Vocalists Cunio, left, and LiV Warfield perform in Teatro ZinZanni’s combination dinner-theater-cabaret-circus arts production “Love, Chaos and Dinner,” which has been extended through Feb. 16, 2025.
Courtesy of Elliot Fisher
Teatro ZinZanni extends
Teatro ZinZanni has extended its current incarnation of “Love, Chaos and Dinner,” a combination cabaret, comedy and circus arts dinner-theater event featuring “America’s Got Talent” veteran LiV Warfield and singer/aerialist Cunio. 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday; noon and 7 p.m. Saturday; 4 p.m. Sunday and other select dates through Feb. 16, 2025, at the Cambria Hotel, 14th floor, 32 W. Randolph St., Chicago. Show-only tickets start at $84; four-course dinner and show tickets start at $124. zinzanni.com/chicago.
