American Hero Bess Wohl came up with a delicious premise for her 2014 comedy: abandoned by their bosses almost as soon as they’re hired, three bewildered would-be “sandwich artists” go rogue, banding together to keep their submarine franchise open. The result might’ve been anything from a blue-collar farce or a corporate satire to a kind of fast-food version of Sartre’s No Exit. But while Wohl has the wit to keep things amusing in the short run, she never gives us a good reason to think the trio are anything but stupid for holding on. Lacking internal logic, unlikely developments come across as off-putting rather than exhilarating. Although Cody Estle’s staging for First Floor Theater doesn’t supply what’s missing, it does offer one consolation: Saraí Rodriguez’s droll performance as sleepy, surprising sub-maker Sheri. —Tony Adler

Little Miss Sunshine Adapted from the quirky 2006 serio-comic road film, this 2013 musical is a rough ride, with an uneven score by William Finn and a sometimes awkward book by James Lapine that doesn’t always capitalize on the strengths of Michael Arndt’s original script, namely, its offbeat characters and witty dialogue. The musical does have its strengths—Lapine and Finn are masters at finding bittersweet comedy in life’s setbacks—and Chicago Theatre Workshop’s low-budget production, directed by Maggie Portman, plays to them, at least most of the time. Robert Groth and Jennifer Thusing’s bare-bones set is more functional than attractive, but the performances are strong across the board; George Keating and Sophie Kaegi are especially charming as suicidal Uncle Frank (played in the movie by Steve Carell) and sassy would-be Little Miss Sunshine, respectively. —Jack Helbig

Waiting to Inhale All-black, all-female four-person troupe EbonyEssenceJet devise this long-form set at Under the Gun inspired by loose chats with audience members. At the performance I attended, the straightforward suggestions of “bachelor party” and “bowling alley” took a while to get rolling, with most of the ensemble lined up against a wall waiting for someone to steer. Eventually, however, the cast members flexed their creative muscles individually, demonstrating solid instincts even if the group communication never quite gelled. One element that could go: downer prerecorded radio DJ bits that cast a pall over the brighter scenes proceeding them. —Dan Jakes