Another opening, another show

It ain't just football season that's starting up this month. Shows are opening all around town.

Tonight, for example, my dearest cozes in The Moth storytelling series alight in Chicago for the first of four monthly evenings of stories told live on stage. It's the last Tuesday of every month at Martyrs, 3855 North Lincoln Avenue. 7:30 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. stories. $7. More information is here.

In the past week I have been fortunate to attend the season openings of two leading Chicago theater companies, Steppenwolf Theatre and the Goodman Theatre.

Steppenwolf kicks off its new season with Fake, a world premiere by ensemble member Eric Simonson. It explores the subject of faith via the early 20th Century discovery in England of the remains of "Piltdown Man," believed at the time to be the missing link between ape and man but later revealed to be a hoax. It didn't blow me away but it's worth seeing. My Flavorpill preview is here.

Last night, the Goodman opened its new slate with a rousing production of Animal Crackers, the 1928 Marx Brothers Broadway smash that preceded the Warner Brothers screen comedy of the same name. After Groucho and co. left New York for Hollywood, the show was considered impossible to produce without its original stars and sat on a shelf for fifty years, but has enjoyed revivals in recent years. This one's funny and entertaining, with rarely seen material from the original Broadway script. My Flavorpill preview is forthcoming.

Now get out there, buy some tickets and support live theater. Football's not 'til this weekend.