This intimate "musical about musicals" recaps the troubled, fascinating, life of Broadway songwriter Edward Kleban, whose one great triumph—writing the lyrics for A Chorus Line—failed to lead to long-term success. A mentally unstable, obsessive-compulsive chain-smoker who died of throat cancer in 1987 at age 49, Kleban left behind a trunkful of quirky, beautifully crafted, unpublished songs that playwrights Linda Kline (Kleban's lover) and Lonny Price use as the basis for their portrait of the artist. Porchlight Music Theatre presents a first-rate Chicago premiere directed by Stacey Flaster, with musical direction by Beckie Menzie. Bill Larkin is pitch-perfect as the charming yet infuriating Kleban, and the seven-member supporting cast are equally splendid. —Albert Williams

Price: $30-$39