Violet Jessop was a career woman rarity at the turn of the century, working as a female cabin maid crew member of luxury steamship liners crossing the Atlantic Ocean. At her death of age 83 in 1971, she also found later life fame and is best known as having survived both the sinking of the HMHS Britannic and her sister ship the RMS Titanic. As a first-class maid, just 20, she was one of the few female staff members to secure a lifeboat seat. Actor and historian Leslie Goddard has returned to the Theatre at the Center stage in Munster to share this true account of the twin nautical disasters Jessop survived in vivid and fascinating detail and facts with audiences in her one-woman play “Violet Jessop: Titanic Survivor,” playing now through Sunday. Audiences learn the incredible accounts of Jessop as she tells her unforgettable stories of these terrifying disasters and gives a fascinating glimpse at life behind the scenes on the most glamorous luxury liners of their day. Tickets are $40 and available at the box office by calling 219-836-3255 or visiting www.TheatreAtTheCenter.com. For an additional $30, guests can add a pre-show Titanic-themed meal inspired by the final dinner served on that fateful night, as presented by 10Forty Banquets and Catering Inc. on Sunday before the matinee performance. This historic multi-course themed dinner includes Beef Barley Soup, Roast Chicken Breast, Lyonnaise Château Potatoes, Creamed Carrots and a dessert of French Custard Éclair with Berries.
‘Killing Monsters’
Chicago Street Theatre will take audiences on a quest to the farthest realms of the imagination April 4 through 19 in its production of Qui Nguyen’s “She Kills Monsters.” A stage face-to-face encounter with courageous heroes, dark villains, swords and dragons, it is inspired by the game series “Dungeons and Dragons.” The story of “She Kills Monsters” revolves around sisters Tilly and Agnes Evans who were never really close when Tilly was alive but after she died in a car crash, Agnes discovers her notebook and her love for D&D. Immersing herself in fantasy gaming, she finds a way to escape her real-life struggles of fitting in at school and bullying over her sexuality. Debuting off-Broadway in late 2011 and later winning the American Alliance for Theatre and Education’s Distinguished Play award in 2013, “She Kills Monsters” has grown enormously popular with teenagers and young adults and has been a favorite performed at many high schools and colleges in a version known as the “Young Adventures Edition.” It runs for nine performances; Thursday, April 17, will be a costume night for audience members to wear their favorite Dungeons and Dragons attire. Tickets are $22 for adults, $20 for seniors 62 and older and students under 21, as well as military members with ID, and $17 each for groups of 10 or more people.
Chicago Street Theatre is located at 154 W. Chicago St. in Valparaiso. Call 219-464-1636 or visit www.chicagostreet.org
A royal performance
Valparaiso University’s Department of Theatre has “Anastasia” for the spring 2025 musical April 3 to April 5 at the Center for the Arts on campus. The historical nod and tale of adventure, identity and perseverance is directed by Keri Burman Castro with musical direction by Daniel Evan Castro. Based on the animated 1997 film by Tony Award winners Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty, and Lynn Ahrens, and adapted for the stage, “Anastasia” follows a young woman searching for her past, set against the backdrop of post-revolutionary Russia and 1920s Paris. Along the way, she finds herself pursued by a Soviet officer while forming unexpected alliances with a dashing con man and an ex-aristocrat. Featuring a sweeping musical score and visually stunning design, the production captures the magic and emotion of Anya’s journey. Tickets for the two-hour and one 15-minute musical are $15 for adults and $10 for senior citizens and $10 for non-VU students and are available online at https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?ticketing=vuca or by calling 219-464-6950.
Something funny
George Wallace, J. Anthony Brown, Ted Carpenter, and Michael Colyar bring their trademark humor and timeless wit to the stage for one night only 7 p.m. March 29. It’s an unforgettable night of laughter as four of the most iconic comedians in the industry come together for their “Legends of Comedy” show playing center stage at Hard Rock Northern Indiana Casino at 5400 W. 29th Ave. on the Hard Rock Live main stage. Led by Colyar, the veteran comedian, actor, and motivational speaker, he boasts a career spanning more than three decades. Known for his unique blend of comedy, storytelling, and heartfelt messages, Colyar spans stand-up comedy, television and film. Tickets start at $55 by calling 219-228-2383; hardrockcasinonorthernindiana.com/entertainment.
Philip Potempa is a journalist, published author and weekly radio show host on WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at PhilPotempa@gmail.com.
