Black Pearl: A Tribute to Josephine Baker, Black Ensemble Theater, through June 18. Forget your present-day celebrity divas—Josephine Baker did it all first, with no regrets, and the world loved her for it. MSB
Chicago, Drury Lane Theatre, Oakbrook Terrace, through June 18. For the first professional homegrown production of Kander and Ebb's Broadway hit musical since the 1980s, director William Osetek cleverly takes aim at the media for elevating lying lowlifes to positions of fame and power. Very timely stuff. SCM
Lady X: the Musical, Hell in a Handbag Productions at Mary's Attic, through June 8. The film noir dialogue is pinpoint perfect and the song-and-dance numbers make you wish the stage were bigger so we could have more of it. MSB
Shakespeare in Love, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, through June 11. Two weeks remain to catch this sexy, funny, witty made-up tale—adapted from the hit film—of how Shakespeare wrote Romeo & Juliet. The lavish, rollicking production treats it like a musical ( it's not ). Elizabeth I projects noblesse oblige. JA
—By Abarbanel, Barnidge and Morgan
