THREE TO SEE: This Week’s Theater Recommendations

By Melody Udell in Arts & Entertainment on Nov 1, 2012 6:20PM

From a high-stakes roller derby to a ramshackle doughnut shop, this week on stage provides what Chicago theater does best: variety.

Superior Donuts
Taking place at a rundown doughnut shop in Uptown, Superior Donuts is all Chicago. Playwright and former Chicagoan Tracy Letts — of Pulitzer-winning August: Osage County fame — brings us a more lighthearted audience favorite with laughs and local jokes aplenty. The show runs Saturday, Nov. 3 through Sunday, Nov. 25. Showtimes are Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m.

Royal George Cabaret Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted St., $50, 312-988-9000 or online.

Down and Derby
Part play, part sporting event, this show combines live-action roller derby with a gritty storyline: a fierce group of roller chicks try to find themselves as part of a small town, underdog sports team. The show runs through Saturday, Dec. 8. Showtimes are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.

The New Colony at Red Tape Theatre, 621 W. Belmont, $20, 773-413-0862 or online.

The Odd Couple
Neil Simon’s famous story of ill-fitting roommates Oscar and Felix may not be new and thrilling Chicago theater, but the show promises to be a classic night of comedy helmed by a former Second City star. The show runs through Sunday, Dec. 16. See website for showtimes.

Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, $40-$67, 847-673-6300 or online.