Three To See: This Week's Theater Recommendations

By Melody Udell in Arts & Entertainment on Dec 5, 2014 10:30PM

Broadway in Chicago's 'Newsies.' Photo by Deen van Meer.

This week, on the stage: A hip-hop Christmas parody, a nostalgic Disney musical and a grand opera. Variety, indeed.

Anna Bolena
Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti’s famed opera about the former queen of England and her love triangle with King Henry VIII is a sweeping, emotion-filled drama—just what we expect for a night at the opera. The show runs through Saturday, Dec. 6 through Sunday, Jan. 16.

Lyric Opera, 20 N. Wacker, 312-332-2244 or online.

Newsies
The jaunty tale of newspaper pushers who stand up to publishing bigwig Joseph Putlizer is one of the better Disney-movie-turned-musicals in recent years. Expect lots of pirouetting newsboys. The show runs Wednesday, Dec. 10 through Sunday, Jan. 4.

Broadway in Chicago at the Oriental Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St., 312-977-1700 or online.

A Q Brothers’ Christmas Carol
It’s Charles Dickens’ classic Christmas tale, but with a hip-hop twist—need we say more? The show runs through Sunday, Dec. 31.

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