Play Baal: Two new takes on Brecht

If you'd told me last month that we'd be seeing not one, but two new adaptations of Bertolt Brecht's rarely-produced Baal this season, I'd have called for a psych evaluation. Compared to Threepenny Opera or even The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Baal—Brecht's first play, the heartwarming tale of an amoral, drunken poet causing destruction everywhere he goes—is about as obscure as it gets. But Chicago will in fact be blessed with two separate musical revamps of the tale: TUTA is developing a new adaptation with music by Joshua Schmidt (Adding Machine, A Minister's Wife) and a libretto by Huddersfield playwright Ugljesa Sajtinac, to debut at the Chopin next May. This follows the company's production of another early Brecht work, The Wedding, in January.

In the nearer term, EP Theater announced this afternoon that its own version of Baal, which it's billing as "a live music spectacle," will open next month. It stars Craig Cunningham and Shawn Pfautsch and has a live score by art-rock duo The Loneliest Monk. EP's Baal runs September 12–October 10, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm. Tickets are $12 (312-850-4299).