Must See Plays for March 2013

From noir love triangles told in song to grad students solving the equation of love to epic battles of Shakespearean and Dungeons & Dragons degrees to nineteenth century Japan and our own backyard, March in Chicago is bringing us an eclectic and exciting range of theatre. Here are the plays I'm most excited to see:

Steppenwolf Theatre Garage Rep 2013

See What I Wanna See (Bailiwick Chicago)
Music, Lyrics & Book by Michael John LaChiusa; Directed by Lili-Anne Brown, Music Directed by James Morehead

Michael John LaChiusa's three-part musical explores lust, greed, murder and redemption through the stories of a 1950s murder noir, a priest's crisis of faith, and the final tryst of two lovers.

Featuring: Harter Clingman, Sharriese Hamilton, Evan Tyrone Martin, Peter Oyloe, and Danni Smith.

Blacktop Sky (Theatre Seven of Chicago)
Written by Christina Anderson; Directed by Cassy Sanders

Blacktop Sky examines the intersection of love, violence, and seduction inside an institution with a haunting Chicago legacy: the public housing project.

Featuring Kristin Ellis, Eric Lynch, Julian Parker.

She Kills Monsters (Buzz22 Chicago)
Written by Qui Nguyen; Directed by Scott Weinstein

Qui Nguyen's touching comedy combines real life, fantasy, and 90's pop culture in the search for the badass in us all.

Featuring Katherine Banks, Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary, Daeshawna Cook, Fred Geyer, Jessica London-Shields, Allie Long, Morgan Maher, Jose Nateras, Ellie Reed, Sara Sawicki and Richard Traub

Steppenwolf Garage 1624 North Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60614. For tickets and full schedule of the Rep, click here

Kill Shakespeare (Strawdog Theatre Company)
Adapted from their comic by Anthony Del Col and Conor McCreery; Directed by Anderson Lawfer

In this dark tale (adapted from the graphic novel of the comic book series of the same name), the Bard's most famous heroes embark upon a journey to discover a long-lost soul. Hamlet, Juliet, Othello, Falstaff, Romeo and Puck search for a reclusive wizard who may have the ability to assist them in their battle against the evil forces led by Shakespearean villains Richard III, Lady Macbeth and Iago. That reclusive wizard is, of course, the Bard himself, William Shakespeare.

A combination of Fables, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and The Lord of the Rings, Kill Shakespeare , Chicago's first "living graphic novel," offers a remixed envisioning of the greatest characters of all-time featuring action, romance, music, comedy, lust, drama and bloody violence.

Featuring Bryan Bosque, Kate Harris, Nikki Klix, BF Helman, Brian Amidei, Conor Burke, Caleb Probst, Steve Herson, and James Anthony Zocolli.

Strawdog Theatre Hugen Hall , 3829 North Broadway Street. Runs Sundays at 12 p.m., Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. through March 26. Tickets are $15. Tickets may be ordered online at strawdog.org or by calling OvationTix toll-free: 866-811-4111.

Crime Scene: A Chicago Anthology (Collaboraction)

Crime Scene: A Chicago Anthology is a timely new theatrical reaction to Chicago's history of violent crime and a call to discover what it might take to create lasting change in our city. The show, a Collaboraction world premiere conceived and directed by Anthony Moseley , couples nonfiction source material such as interviews, articles, and online comments with three true Chicago crimes to raise critical questions surrounding segregation, poverty, the news media, popular culture, and our numbness to it all.

Featuring: Scott Baity Jr., Victoria Blade, Luis Crespo, Michael Johnson, Eddie Jordan III, Laura Korn, Patrese McClain, Eamonn McDonagh, Niall McGinty, Medina Perine, Shavac Prakash and Lisandra Tena.

Collaboraction on the 3rd floor of the Flat Iron Arts Building, 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave in Wicker Park through April 7. Show times are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 pm, and Sunday at 7 pm. There is no performance on March 17. There are two added Industry Nights Monday, March 18 and Monday, April 1 at 7 pm. Tickets are $30; $15 for students, educators and industry. Purchase tickets online at www.collaboraction.org or call 312.226.9633 . Crime Scene: A Chicago Anthology runs approximately 85 minutes, followed each night by a facilitated discussion. The show is recommended f or ages 15 and up due to violence and mature content.

Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West (TimeLine Theatre Company)
Written by Nomi Iizuka, Directed by Lisa Portes

This sexy, multi-faceted puzzle of a play travels from East to West and across time, exploring provocative themes in both epic scope and human scale. In the 1880s, a Victorian woman visiting Japan is fascinated by a new invention — the camera — that allows people to own images of distant lands they never dreamed they would be able to see. In modern-day Tokyo, a collector navigates shifting relationships in search of physical memories of the past. Along the way we gaze as if through a lens at the mysterious intersection of art and authenticity, where very little is what it appears to be.

Featuring Rebecca Spence, Craig Spidle, Kroydell Galima, Michael McKeogh and Tiffany Villarin.

TimeLine Theatre at 615 W. Wellington Ave in East Lakeview, through April 14, 2013. Runs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. (except 8:30 p.m. on March 28), Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. To purchase tickets or for more information, call the TimeLine Theatre Box Office at 773.281.8463 x6 or buy online at timelinetheatre.com

Completeness (Theater Wit)
Written by Itamar Moses, Directed by Jeremy Wechsler.

Modern romance is more complex than any scientific problem ever in Itamar Moses's smart, sexy new comedy about brainy grad students toggling in and out of love.

Featuring Matt Holzfeind, Kristina Valada-Viars, Rae Gray and Andrew Jessop.

Theater Wit 1229 W. Belmont in Lakeview. Performances run through March 24. Regular show times are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 pm; and Sunday at 2 pm. No show Thursday, Feb. 21. Tickets are $18-$36. For tickets and information, visit TheaterWit.org or call 773.975.8150.

This is just a small sampling of what Chicago has to offer. There are so many great artists, from the commercial theatre to the storefronts, that make the theatre in this town the most exciting in the country. We live in this wonderful city where artistic risks are being taken every night! I challenge you to DVR whatever may keep you at home at any given night and take full of advantage of the wonderful theatre and culture this town has to offer. Instead of just going out for drinks with your friends, see a play before and watch the conversation it inspires when you go out for drinks after. If nothing I've listed here strikes your fancy, visit The League of Chicago Theatres and find a play. There's always something running!