Three To See: This Week's Theater Recommendations

By Melody Udell in Arts & Entertainment on Sep 20, 2014 7:00PM

Chicago Shakespeare Theater's 'King Lear.' Photo by Liz Lauren.

Welcome mad kings, persevering migrant workers and lusty international affairs to the Chicago stage this week.

King Lear
Versatile Chicago actor Larry Yando—best known for his year-after-year-stint as Scrooge in the Goodman’s A Christmas Carol—is tackling one of Shakespeare’s best roles: the maddening, beleaguered King Lear. The show runs through Sunday, Nov. 9.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater, 800 E. Grand. Ave., 312-595-5600 or online.

The World of Extreme Happiness
In playwright Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig’s latest play, the main character, Sunny, has had her share of adversity. Her parents left her to die as a baby in rural China, but she survived and is now attempting to make her way out of poverty amid the country’s chaotic economic revolution. The show runs through Sunday, Oct. 12.

Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn, 312-443-3800 or online.

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Based on the film of the same name, Women on the Verge... is a zany musical portrait of a group of women and their lusty, 48-hour affairs. The show runs through Sunday, Oct. 12.

Theatre at the Center, 1040 Ridge Rd., Munster, Ind., 219-836-3255 or online.