South Pacific, Drury Lane Oakbrook, through June 17. Superior musical values and a stellar cast lift this new production beyond "old warhorse" status. Regrettably, the messages of South Pacific about race and bullies remain as pertinent today as ever. JA
Lettie, Victory Gardens Theater at the Biograph, through May 6. Boo Killebrew's contemplative stereotype-free portrait of an ex-con struggling to mend relations with her kinfolk and start a new life is a role custom-made for rising star Caroline Neff. MSB
The Spitfire Grill, Refuge Theatre Project at the Windy City Café, through May 5. Audiences can escape our chilly spring with this cozy environmental-staged musical celebrating the joys of pastoral landscapes and community. MSB
9 to 5 the Musical, Firebrand Theatre at the Den, through May 20. In Harmony France's savvy reboot, the cast looks like Chicago, sings like a dream and tells a mighty gratifying story. You'll be cheering when the "girls" take over their workplace. Trust me: You want to hear them roar. CES
By Abarbanel, Barnidge and Sullivan