American Buffalo, Steppenwolf, through Feb. 7. I've seen David Mamet's career-making masterwork many times, including the original. This one's the best, brilliantly played and directed to scuzzy, pseudo-brave, foul-mouthed and ( eventually ) tender perfection. JA
Death of a Salesman, Raven Theatre, through Jan. 16. You may think you know every nuance of this American classic, but Raven Theatre lends fresh urgency to the last 24 hours of its humble mid-20th-century hero, armed with only a smile and shoeshine. MSB
A Fool Such As I, eta Creative Arts Foundation, through Jan. 24. A hot, juicy love affair is what propels Gus Edwards' entertaining urban drama. So what if the murderous twist at the end feels tacked on? Everything else is plenty of fun. SCM
Killer Joe, Profiles Theatre, through Feb. 28. This is vintage Tracy Letts containing a scene with a chicken leg that'll put you off Colonel Sanders forever. What's not to love in this hilariously disturbing and garishly profane tale of matricide, trailer trash and fast food debauchery? Steppenwolf's Rick Snyder directs the NC-17 mayhem. CS
—By Abarbanel, Barnidge,
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Morgan and Sullivan
