It’s unseasonably warm as we approach “tis the season,” but things are heating up in a good way for a couple of companies that have been stuck in venue hell for a while. Griffin Theatre has been in negotiations for five—count ’em, FIVE years—with the city about taking over an old police station at 1940 W. Foster. The bureaucratic shuffle is drawing to a close, and the company celebrates this Saturday with a party at Los Manos Gallery, 5220 N. Clark Street (near their old home at the former Calo Theatre, which is now the Brown Elephant resale shop). The benefit runs from 7:30 to 11 p.m. and features drinks, food, and a chance to rub elbows with the artists. Tickets are $40 apiece or 2-for-$70 at 773/769-2228, ext. 2 or online. Griffin’s current production of Stephen Sondheim’s Company runs through Sunday at Stage 773 . They hope to be in their new digs by the beginning of 2012.

Further afield, Clockwise Theatre has won approval from the Waukegan City Council to take residence the first of the coming year at 221 N. Genesee, next door to the majestic Genesee Theatre. Formerly a department store, the new Clockwise space offers the company 5,000 square feet with room to expand, 25-foot ceilings, and the convenience of a downtown location, including a parking garage across the street. Clockwise, founded by playwright/actor Madelyn Sergel, Rebecca Adler, and Evan Lasko, will open Sergel’s play, Special Needs, which she also directs, on February 24.

Silk Road Theatre Project ’s production of Wajdi Mouawad’s Scorched has turned into a hot ticket. The story of a brother and sister from Quebec who return to their mother’s troubled Middle Eastern homeland has won rave reviews in Dale Heinen’s staging, and is extended through November 21.

Middle Eastern themes also pop up in this Sunday’s “ShPIeL Showcase,” focusing on “new and diverse Jewish theatre.” It runs at the Hoover-Leppen Theatre at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, beginning at 2 p.m. under the auspices of the Association for Jewish Theatre and “ShPIel—Performing Identity.” The showcase includes excerpts from a variety of pieces, including American Klezmer: Identity Crisis, a musical by Chicagoan Joanne Koch, Sarah Blacher Cohen, Ilya Levinson, and Owen Kalt about a pair of sisters and band of klezmer musicians who arrive in America in 1910; Chicago playwright Todd Logan’s Defamation, about a lawsuit between a African-American businessman and a Jewish real estate developer; Victory Gardens playwrights’ ensemble member James Sherman’s homage to Yiddish theater, Jacob and Jack; and From Tel Aviv to Ramallah, beatboxer Yuri Lane’s solo “hip-hop travelogue of peace” set at a West Bank checkpoint. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door and can be ordered online.

In related news, on November 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Piven Theatre , Rebecca Joy Fletcher performs her solo Cities of Light, exploring cabarets of the 1920s and ’30s in Paris, Warsaw, Berlin, and Tel Aviv. Tix are $10 at the door.

Artist, writer, actor and raconteur Tony Fitzpatrick has released a book version of This Train, the performance piece he developed at 16th Street Theater in Berwyn last winter which was subsequently remounted at the Steppenwolf Theatre Merle Reskin Garage this summer. The handsome volume expands upon Fitzpatrick’s ruminations—a travelogue of the mind, if you will—on the hobo alphabet and the artists and writers who have influenced his work, from Nelson Algren to Walt Whitman to the late singer/songwriter Townes Van Zandt. Fitzpatrick opens an exhibit of new work, “The Night Parade,” at Firecat Projects, 2124 N. Damen, on November 19, 7-10 p.m. You can read more about the impetus behind Fitzpatrick’s work on his blog at http://tonyfitzpatrick.wordpress.com/.

Another kind of travelogue opens in a short run next month at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts. Tour Guides promises to “turn Chicago inside out” in a series of short pieces by Chicago poets. This is the first piece developed through the Guild Complex’s Poetry Performance Incubator—it’s staged by Teatro Luna co-founder Coya Paz. This poetic insider’s guide to Chicago traditions past and present runs through December 18. Reservations and info at 877/394-5061 or at the Guild Complex website.

Some other openings of note: AstonRep Theatre Company presents a doubleheader of two Joe Orton one-acts that don’t get produced too often, The Erpingham Camp and The Good and Faithful Servant, under the moniker Labour and Leisure at the BoHo Studio (a.k.a. the Heartland Studio) in Rogers Park. It runs from tonight through December 11.

Mary Arrchie Theatre offers the Midwest premiere of Joan MacLeod’s Toronto, Mississippi, running through December 19. The story follows Jhana, a teenage girl with autism, as she struggles to live independently of her family. In other Mary Arrchie news, producing director Carlo Garcia (who is also directing the MacLeod play) has set a goal for this year of giving to charity every day for 365 days—thus far, he has donated over $2,000 to his own “Living Philanthropic” project and inspired others to do likewise. You can follow Carlo’s journey and find out about some worthwhile causes to support at "http://livingphilanthropic.tumblr.com/.

Mary Arrchie’s production of Cherrywood, directed by David Cromer, received a nomination as best ensemble in the Broadway World Chicago Awards, which are selected online by voters. You can choose the final winners by voting between now and December 20 at http://chicago.broadwayworld.com/vote2010chicago.cfm.

The Midwest Independent Film Festival hosts its annual “Best of the Midwest” Awards Gala on December 7. You can vote online through November 19. Tickets for the BMA Awards (also available online) are $50 through Thanksgiving and include a pre-show cocktail reception at Rockit Bar & Grill beginning at 7 p.m.

On November 18, Evanston Arts Depot in the Main Street Metra station hosts the Percolator Films screening of Throw Down Your Heart, Sascha Paladino’s 2008 documentary about American banjo maestro Bela Fleck’s journey to Africa to explore the roots of the instrument on that continent. The screening is at 7 p.m., and admission is $8 at the door or online at http://throwdownyourheart.eventbrite.com/.

Wildclaw Theatre presents their annual “Deathscribe” festival of original horror plays for radio on December 6 at the Mayne Stage, 1328 W. Morse, 8 p.m. The lineup this year includes Chatter by Newt Calkins; Tape Deck by Liz Siedt; Monitor Spectare by Jude Mire; The D’Arque House by Christopher Hainsworth; and The Change in Buckett County by David Schmidt. It starts at 8 p.m., tickets are $20 at 773/381-4554 or www.maynestage.com, and you can listen to podcasts of past “Deathscribe” shows at the Wildclaw website.

WBEZ expands its arts coverage with a new culture blog devoted to theatre, which extends the on-air “Dueling Critics” reviews by Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman on Friday’s “848” program with online content from the Dueling Duo, as well as dance reports from Laura Molzahn, longtime dance critic (and former editor) for the Chicago Reader and commentary from former Time Out Chicago theatre editor and current producer of “The Paper Machete,” Christopher Piatt. Each contributes one blog entry per week.

On Monday, November 15, 7 p.m., Strawdog Theatre hosts “Phonebook,” a benefit performance salon at which a galaxy of talented folks present their interpretation of “reading from the phonebook.” The lineup this year includes T.J. Jagodowski and David Pasquesi of “T.J. and Dave” fame; Dennis Zacek of Victory Gardens ; solo clown performer Dean Evans (a.k.a. “Magical Exploding Boy”); the ubiquitous Mr. Piatt, who collaborates with Anderson Lawfer and Eric Roach, actors and proprietors of the blog, “Reviews You Can Iews” and “the undisputed inventor of Chicago theatre,” Mike Nussbaum. Tickets are $100, which includes libations and other refreshments, and can be ordered online.

The Undisputed Inventor will also be on hand on November 22 at Theatre of Western Springs for the “Cattell Lecture Series: A Conversation with Mike Nussbaum.” Named for the founder and first artistic director of TWS, the series brings Chicago theatre professionals to the western ’burbs for an informal conversation about the craft. Nussbaum’s discussion kicks off at 7:30 p.m. It’s free and open to the public. Information at 708/246-4043.

Quest Theatre Ensemble could use a bit of a seasonal miracle. In order to produce their traditional touring holiday presentation of Blue Nativity, they need to get some repairs made on their aging bus. Quest, which presents all its shows on a free-admission basis, estimates that it will take about $5,000 to get the bus up and running for this year’s tour. You can donate online.

Chicago Children’s Theatre collects dresses during its current remount of the musical The Hundred Dresses, based on Eleanor Estes’ beloved story about bullying and friendship and featuring a score by Ralph Covert of “Ralph’s World” and a book by G. Riley Mills. The company asks that patrons bring “new and gently used” party frocks that will eventually be sold by the Party Dress Project to benefit youth services organizations. Please make sure that the clothes are in good condition, clean, and on a hanger. They will be displayed in the lobby of the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts through the December 2 closing date.

On Monday, November 22, the local branch of the Dramatists Guild hosts a “director/dramatist exchange” from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Goodman Theatre . It’s co-hosted by DG regional rep Douglas Post and Elizabeth Margolius, co-founder and co-artistic director of DirectorsLabChicago. The event is designed as a meet-and-greet networking opportunity for local members of the Guild to mingle with directors who are interested in new work. No scripts or CDs can be brought to the event. To check availability of slots, contact Amy VonVett at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Priority is given to members who have not attended a director/dramatist exchange in the last 18 months.

Post has been getting around beyond Chicago. A production of his musical version of The Wind in the Willows opened November 6 at the Access Theatre in New York, presented by Different Directions, a homeschooling organization with a focus on the arts. The show will also get an encore production with City Lit Theater (which produced it last year), November 27-January 3. Post’s one-man mystery play, Bloodshot, did well in a production last year at the Nuffield Theatre in Southampton, England and is subsequently gearing up for a U.K. tour next spring and summer, as well as a production at Vienna’s English Theatre in fall of 2011.

YouthPLAYS seeks submissions for unpublished scripts to market to schools, youth and children’s theatres, and other groups. They are particularly interested in one-acts (30-35 minutes) with flexible/large casts, many opportunities for actresses, and suitable for performance by age-appropriate teens. Comedies and dramedies are preferred, though more serious fare will be considered. They also seek 6-8 minute monologues and 10-minute duets with youth characters and adaptations of well-known youth-friendly titles. If you have anything that might work for them, send a query to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Attn: Script Submissions, and include a short synopsis, a cast breakdown, running time, your thoughts about what age group the material is geared for, and a short bio.

Finally, a few passings to note. Celebrated theatre historian Oscar Brockett, whose “History of the Theatre” has been an indispensable tome for generations of theatre students, passed away at age 87 on November 6.

Longtime volunteer usher Joseph “Butch” Gnaidek has died at age 69, as reported by Jonathan Abarbanel in Footlights. The cantankerous but beloved Gnaidek was a fixture at many off-Loop openings for many years.

And our condolences to 16th Street Theater founder and artistic director Ann Filmer, whose mother, Nancy, passed away after a battle with brain cancer on November 5. We know that the theatre community is holding Ann and her family in their thoughts at this difficult time.

The clocks have fallen back, but time marches on—send news of how you’re filling your theatrical calendar to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .