Entertainment

Best bets: American Grands XIX tickles the ivories

Posted January 21, 2014 4:00 am

By Scott C. Morgan

The Elgin Community College Arts Center presents American Grands XIX in concert on Saturday, Jan. 25. Almost 500 performers of all talent levels and age groups from throughout the area perform in three performances. Daily Herald file photo by Laura Stoecker/lstoecke

Many keys

Nearly 500 local performers of all ages and abilities play 12 grand pianos in the American Grands XIX concert Saturday at Elgin Community College's Blizzard Theatre, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. $24; $15 students. (847) 622-0300 or elgin.edu/americangrands. 1, 4 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25

Resilient trees

Marvel at finely sculpted miniature pine, plum and bamboo plants at the Three Friends of Winter Bonsai Silhouette Show this weekend at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. Free admission; $25-$65 parking fee. (847) 835-5440 or chicagobotanic.org. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday, Jan. 24-26

Icy speed

See some of the country's best competitors in the growing sport of synchronized skating at the 2014 Midwestern & Pacific Coast Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships this weekend at the Sears Centre Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates. $30 one-day ticket; $20 senior one-day ticket; $60 all-event ticket. (888) 732-7784 or searscentre.com or 2014midpacsynchronsectionals.org. 2 to 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25

Tapping up a storm

Tony Award-winner Savion Glover appears in his latest tap dancing show “STePz,” which also features tappers like Marshall Davis Jr., andmembers of 3 Controversial Women tonight at Millennium Park's Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive, Chicago. $30-$55. Glover also brings his family show “Glover & Friends” for a Saturday matinee. $10-$15. (312) 334-7777 or harristheaterchicago.org. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24, for “STepz”; 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, for “Glover & Friends”

Celtic bash

Championship Irish musicians, dancers and entertainers are all featured in The Irish House Party, which returns for a third annual engagement tonight at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. $20. (815) 356-9212 or rauecenter.org. 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24

Working man

Comedian Erik Griffin (Comedy Central's “Workaholics”) draws from his mixed heritage and many more topics for his humor. Catch him this weekend at two Zanies locations: 1548 N. Wells St., Chicago, (312) 337-4027; then at MB Financial Park, 5437 Park Place, Rosemont, $25 plus a two-menu item purchase. (847) 813-0484 or zanies.com. 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24, in Chicago; 8 and 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, in Rosemont

Voices elevated

The nine-voice male ensemble Cantus perform works from the Renaissance to the 21st century in a Sunday concert at the College of Lake County's Lumber Center for the Performing Arts, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. $30-$50; $15 students; $12 kids. (847) 543-2300 or clcillinois.edu/tickets. 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26

Plan ahead

Duplicate 'Desperado'

If you love 1970s rock hits like “Desperado” and “Hotel California,” then don't miss the cover band concert Heartache Tonight: A Tribute to the Eagles on Friday, Feb. 28, at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. $30-$35. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com. 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28

Country royalty

Some call George Strait the “King of Country.” See if he lives up to the billing on Saturday, March 8, at the Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont. $74.50-$95.50. $20 parking. (800) 745-3000 or allstatearena.com. 7 p.m. Saturday, March 8

The Three Friends of Winter Bonsai Silhouette Show runs from Friday, Jan. 24, through Sunday, Jan. 26, at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe.

The nine-member male vocal ensemble Cantus performs in Grayslake at College of Lake County's Lumber Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, Jan. 26.

Comedian Erik Griffin will appear at Zanies locations in Chicago and Rosemont. Courtesy of Kayana Szymczak/Picture Group

Heartache Tonight, an Eagles tribute band, comes to the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights on Friday, Feb. 28. Courtesy of Heartache Tonight

Country star George Strait will perform at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 8. Associated Press

Tony Award-winner Savion Glover brings his show STePz to Millennium Parks Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Chicago on Friday, Jan. 24. Courtesy of Lois Greenfield

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Chicago Communities Elgin Entertainment Glencoe Grayslake Hoffman Estates Music News Performing Arts Region Rosemont Waukegan

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