>> Second City is getting ready for the grand opening of its new venue, UP Comedy Club, a “new hybrid performance venue with an eclectic blend of comedy.” The 300 seat space occupies the area where Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding played for several years. I’m planning to attend the fancy opening night celebration next Friday (which includes dinner!) and will report back on all the gory details.

>> The second annual Honor Awards, an alternative awards show celebrating the best of Chicago Theatre, has a date and time: February 28 at 8pm. Yours truly will be presenting a few of the honors. Location and other details are forthcoming — listen in to the next edition of Chicago Theatre Off Book this Friday for the inside scoop. And don’t forget, the second round of voting is still open, so cast your votes today.

>> Always wanted to learn how to become a lesbian? Well, you’re in luck! Rhode Island-based theatre artist Leigh Hendrix has a 10-step program just for you. Her show, How To Be A Lesbian in 10 Days or Less is a “hilarious coming out story and guide to gay for budding lesbians, no matter their sexual orientation.” Hurry, this opportunity begins and ends on February 23 at 8pm in Mary’s Attic, 5400 N Clark Street.

>> (re)discover theatre, a new Chicago company, is getting ready to debut its first production, Hamlet, at Live Bait Theater, running Feb. 16-25. Jessica Shoemaker, a production representative, explains, “(re)discover theatre’s goal is to adhere to the ideals of the classic playwrights — from Shakespeare to Chekhov to Beckett — while trying to rediscover the experience of these familiar characters. Within the context of our first production, we are using the text to find opportunities for new explorations, unearthing some surrealist elements, but we are not straying too far from the original manuscript. This is not Hamlet on the moon, but neither is it Hamlet in tights.”

Well said, Jessica, though I’d love to see a Hamlet on the moon someday. Meanwhile, the production photos look pretty swank: