Bayless stars on Chicago stage

Chicago's Lookingglass Theater looks to make an upscale event out of dinner theater, teaming with chef and TV host Rick Bayless for a production that combines circus acts, a romance narrative and a meal. Show, heftily titled "Rick Bayless in Cascabel: Dinner -- Daring -- Desire," is created by Bayless, Tony Hernandez and Heidi Stillman. Hernandez and Stillman previously collaborated with Lookingglass on "Hephaestus," a similarly cirque-esque offering that preemed in 2008 and returned for a 2010 run. Bayless, a winner of Bravo skein Top Chef Masters, has hosted PBS series "Mexico: One Plate at a Time" for eight seasons and counting. He's also the founder of the Windy City restaurant chain whose flagship is Frontera Grill. Bayless will also star in "Cascabel," set in a Mexican boarding house in the 1940s. Plot centers on a chef who falls in love with a woman who doesn't eat. Hernandez, an associate artist with Lookingglass, is topper of Silverguy Entertainment, which produces "Cascabel" with Lookingglass and Frontera Grill. Stillman is a member of the theater troupe's ensemble of regular collaborators. With a full meal served to each patron, tickets top out $205 for most weekend perfs. Cascabel" is offered outside of Lookingglass' main 2011-12 slate, comprised of new tuners "The Great Fire" and "Eastland" as well as play "Mr. Ricky Calls a Meeting." Cascabel" runs March 23-April 22 at the company's venue in downtown Chi. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com

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