After years of darkness induced by both a pandemic and an internal crisis at the Victory Gardens Theater Company, the Richard Christiansen Theatre inside Chicago’s historic Biograph Theatre is finally coming back to life.
The Los Angeles-based actor and director Ronnie Marmo said he plans to produce two shows inside the black box theater named after the late, venerable Tribune critic this spring. One will be a reprise engagement of Marmo’s prior Chicago hit “I’m Not a Comedian … I’m Lenny Bruce,” as directed by Joe Mantegna, and the other is a new production of “Bill W. and Dr. Bob,” the true story of the two founders of Alcoholics Anonymous, as written by Samuel Shem and Janet Surrey. Marmo is renting the space from Victory Gardens.
“Bill W,” a name familiar to all who trust Alcoholics Anonymous, will begin performances March 7, with “Lenny Bruce” following in rotating repertory on March 14. In a telephone interview, Marmo said that a prior production of “Bill W.” on the West Coast attracted big audiences.
“I am beyond excited to bring Lenny back to Chicago and introduce Chicago audiences to a story that literally saved my life,” Marmo said. “We plan to make that great little theater sing again.”
Tickets ($69-$79) go on sale Friday at www.lennybruceonstage.com and www.billwanddrbobonstage.com
Chris Jones is a Tribune critic.