Mercury Theater to reopen with ‘Twist’

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

The Mercury Theater, the 300-seat venue at 3745 N. Southport that has been shuttered since June 2009, will have its official reopening this spring with a transfer of the Route 66 Theater Company production of “A Twist of Water.” The new play, written by Caitlin Montanye Parrish and directed by Erica Weiss, proved to be a big audience magnet during its world premiere run at Theater Wit in recent weeks, gaining additional attention after it was attended by Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel.

“Twist” intersperses lyrical riffs on Chicago history with its central story which is about a teenaged African-American girl who was adopted by a gay white couple and who now wants desperately to be reunited with her birth mother. The show stars Route 66’s artistic director, Stef Tovar, in the leading role of Noah, with Falashay Pearson as his daughter, Jira. Previews of the remount — the first show to be staged at the Mercury under its newly named leader, Walter L. Stearns, former artistic director of Porchlight Music Theatre, begin April 14 with an official “re-opening” on May 1. For tickets,call (773) 325-1700.

Meanwhile, Porchlight Theatre, has announced its 2011-2012 season at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont. It will include: “Putting It Together” (Sept. 2-Oct. 16), the Stephen Sondheim musical revue; “A Catered Affair” (Feb. 17-April 1, 2012), the Chicago premiere of the Harvey Fierstein-John Bucchino musical about a family that must choose between spending its savings on a family business or a lavish wedding; and “tick, tick...BOOM!” (April 27-June 10, 2012), Jonathan Larson’s quasi-autobiographical, pre-”Rent” musical about 30th birthday career anxiety that pays winning homage to Sondheim. For tickets visit: www.porchlighttheatre.com.