Ronnie Marmo as Lenny Bruce. (Doren Sorell)

Lenny Bruce is back in town, joined by the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous.

“I’m Not a Comedian… I’m Lenny Bruce” opens next week in Chicago, its fourth visit to the city. Directed by local legend Joe Mantegna, the show stars Ronnie Marmo as the comedian who took a bullet for anyone who values free speech. (I saw the show in 2020, and it was the best one-person show I’ve ever seen.)

Now Marmo is doing double duty because “Bill W. and Dr. Bob” opens this week. Marmo directs and stars in the true story of the dramatic — some say miraculous — founding of Alcoholics Anonymous in the 1930s. It’s the Chicago premiere of a play that out-of-town critics have called inspirational and funny.

So how did an actor with a New York pedigree who runs an LA theater company make a big impression on Chicago audiences? Probably the same way he impressed Mantegna.

Marmo spoke with WTTW News about it all, including his sobering experience in AA as an underage drinker.

WTTW News: What did you learn from working closely from Joe Mantegna?

Ronnie Marmo: The biggest thing I learned from him was how to be a gentleman in show business. Come early, stay late, be prepared, be a gentleman, be kind. That’s who he is. It’s not an accident he’s been working all these years, you know?

I’d think Joe would be an ideal guide to the city.

Marmo: I had never been to Chicago until I brought “Lenny Bruce” here. Joe was explaining to me how amazing Chicago is, but when you come here and the audience wraps their arms around you … I’m so grateful. Chicago is a combination of being a savvy theater town with high expectations and also extremely supportive. That’s a winning combination.

Ronnie Marmo with Joe Mantegna. (Doren Sorell)

Regarding “Bill W. and Dr. Bob,” you have personal experience with the Alcoholics Anonymous “program” as it’s called, correct?

Marmo: As a teenager I was reckless and my dad wasn’t around and my mom was working three jobs and so suddenly I was getting all my cues on how to live life from the guys on the street, and it wasn’t good. I went fast and hard and I was in and out of the program a bunch of times and finally, thankfully, when I was 20 years old, it stuck. I’ve actually never had a legal drink, which is amazing.

I’ll say. And now you’re lighting up the Biograph Theater again, home to the now dormant Victory Gardens Theater.

Marmo: I’m just trying to be a part of the solution. I know a few theaters shuttered here during the pandemic — the Royal George being one of them, where I first did “Lenny Bruce.” It’s disappointing, but it brings me joy to be able to give Chicago folks an opportunity to come and play on stage. [“Bill W. and Dr. Bob” features a cast of six, including local actors.] There’s crazy talent here, and they make me look good every night.

Lenny Bruce was revolutionary in comedy and also a free-speech activist.

Marmo: Lenny was absolutely a free speech activist. I spoke to a few friends this morning who are big First Amendment lawyers, and we decided to do a talkback for the final two performance next month. First Amendment, free speech and free expression — Lenny was absolutely on the forefront of that.

And Bill W. and Dr. Bob were also revolutionary, but in the pursuit of sobriety.

Marmo: Before Bill W. and Dr. Bob, they just kind of threw drunks away, tied them to beds and locked them in psych wards, and all it took was these two men coming together. It’s really quite a miracle. I’ve been in AA meetings all over the world, and you can walk into any meeting and there’s a connection. You speak openly with strangers because you all understand and speak the same language.

Hate to put you on the spot, but will you be selling alcohol at the venue?

Marmo: That’s funny. Yes, because the truth is it’s a great theater piece, and of course the obvious audience are the AA 12-steppers, but there’s also a lot of theater folks coming to support the show. So yeah, there’ll be booze, but hopefully for the Bill W. show we’ll sell a little more coffee than booze.

“I’m Not a Comedian… I’m Lenny Bruce” runs March 14-April 12. “Bill W. and Dr. Bob” runs Friday-April 14. For tickets, visit victorygardens.org.