Spotlight: Copley revives ‘Peter Pan’ prequel; Chicago Shakes presents ‘Lord of the Rings’ tuner in U.S. premiere

Copley Theatre revives ‘Peter and the Starcatcher’

The Copley Theatre commences its third season with “Peter and the Starcatcher,” the coming-of-age play-with-music that imagines how J.M. Barrie’s beloved character became the boy who refused to grow up. Adapted from Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson's “Peter Pan” prequel, “Peter and the Starcatchers,” the show features songs by Wayne Barker. Copley’s production stars Terry Bell as the Boy, Shelbi Voss as the titular starcatcher Molly, and Nick Sandys as the pirate Black Stache. Previews at 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, July 24-25; 8 p.m. July 26; 2 and 8 p.m. July 27; and 1 and 5:30 p.m. July 28 at 8 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. The show opens July 31. $40-$55. (630) 896-6666 or paramountaurora.com.

‘Lord of the Rings’ the musical

In commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the publication of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings,” Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents the U.S. premiere of “The Lord of the Rings — A Musical Tale.” Adapted from Tolkien’s books, the musical chronicles Frodo’s quest to vanquish evil with help from the Fellowship. Academy Award winner A.R. Rahman (“Slumdog Millionaire”), Finnish folk band Värttinä, and Tony Award winner Christopher Nightingale (“Matilda the Musical”) composed the score for director Paul Hart’s production, which features Broadway veteran Spencer Davis Milford as Frodo and Tom Amandes (“Everwood,” “Parenthood”) as Gandalf. Previews at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 19-20 and July 23-25; and 2 p.m. Sunday, July 21, at Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. The show opens July 26. Tickets start at $41. (312) 595-5600 or chicagoshakes.com/lordoftherings.

• Also, free pop-up performances of “Shakes in the City: Twelfth Night” begin at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 20, at Polk Bros. Park at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago, and continue at various Chicago parks through Aug. 18. See chicagoshakes.com for the schedule.

BIPOC playwright showcase

Lifeline Theater showcases BIPOC writers’ versions of theater and literary classics as part of its third annual adaptation showcase. Featured plays include Mildred Inez Lewis’ “Timonia @ Nashville,” about a hip-hop mogul who loans money to a former lover who then refuses to repay the loan, and “Rabbits in Their Pockets,” Kimberly Dixon-Mays’ adaptation of “Br’er Rabbit” and other African American folk tales. “Timonia @ Nashville” is at 7 p.m. Friday, July 19, and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, July 20; “Rabbits in Their Pockets” is at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 20, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, July 21, at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago. $13-$18. (773) 761-4477 or lifelinetheatre.com.

The power of Black women

Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre revives poet/playwright Ntozake Shange’s 1976 work “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf.” Described as a “choreopoem,” the play consists of 20 poems choreographed to music that chronicle the stories of Black women who have endured racism and sexism. Tim Rhoze directs and Marsae Lynette Mitchell choreographs. Preview at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 20, at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes St., Evanston. The show opens at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 21. $32. (847) 866-5914 or fjtheatre.com.

First Floor Theater premiere

Atheist Christian falls in love with aspiring pastor Daniel in “In His Hands” by Benjamin Benne. First Floor Theater Chicago’s premiere stars Alex Benito Rodriguez as Christian and Yuchi Chiu as Daniel as men exploring a new relationship while negotiating their past lives. Ensemble member Micah Figueroa directs. Previews at 8 p.m. Thursday, July 25, and July 27 and 31, and 3 p.m. July 28 at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. The show opens Aug. 1. $5-$35. firstfloortheater.com.

Stand-up comedy + theater = ‘Obliteration’

Writer/director and Gift Theatre ensemble member Andrew Hinderaker (“Let the Right One In,” “Suicide, Incorporated”) combines stand-up comedy and theater in “Obliteration,” a play about two comedians struggling to make sense of a world that’s falling apart. Gift Theatre co-founder Michael Patrick Thornton and ensemble member Cyd Blakewell star in the production, which is part of Steppenwolf Theatre’s LookOut summer season. 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, July 25-27 and 31 and Aug. 1-4, at the 1700 Theatre, 1700 N Halsted St., Chicago. $30. (312) 335-1650, thegifttheatre.org or steppenwolf.org.

Wells and Welles

Lucid Theater Company premieres “Wells and Welles,” Chicago playwright Amy Crider’s two-hander about a real-life meeting between actor/director Orson Welles and author H.G. Wells. In 1938, Welles produced a radio play adaptation of H.G. Wells’ “The War of the Worlds” without the author’s permission. Two years later, the two men met at a San Antonio hotel where they were both staying. Crider imagines the exchange between the 75-year-old novelist/futurist and the 25-year-old filmmaker in this premiere starring Pete Blatchford as H.G. Wells and Garret Wilford as Orson Welles. The preview is at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 19, at City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave, Chicago. The show opens at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 20. $25. lucidtheater.com.

Beat the heat with the Blue Men

Blue Man Group offers discounted tickets starting at $39 to select performances through Sept. 22 as part of its summer splash sale. Performances take place at the Briar Street Theatre, 3133 N. Halsted St., Chicago. blueman.com/chicago/offers.