Entertainment

Weekend picks: Schaumburg's Improv hosts Finesse Mitchell

Posted July 29, 2014 1:00 am

By Laura Milbrath Stewart and Scott C. Morgan

Comedian Finesse Mitchell appears at the Improv Comedy Showcase in Schaumburg from Friday through Sunday, Aug. 1-3.

Laugh central: Comedian Finesse Mitchell, a veteran of the 2013 Shaq All-Star Comedy Jam tour, continues his run of standup shows this weekend at the Improv Comedy Showcase, 5 Woodfield Road, Schaumburg. $19 plus a two-item menu purchase. (847) 240-2001 or improv.com. 8 and 10:15 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1; 7 and 9:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2; and 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3

FRIDAY

Schmidt on show: Comedian and Bolingbrook High School alum Lenny Schmidt returns to town for a run of standup shows starting on Wednesday at Zanies at Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. $23 plus a two menu-item purchase. (630) 584-6342 or zanies.com. 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1; and 7:30 and 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2

7th Heaven: The band 7th Heaven brings the rock tunes of groups such as The Beatles, Bon Jovi, Journey, U2 and others back to life in a Palatine Park District Sounds of Summer Concert at the Fred P. Hall Amphitheater, 262 E. Palatine Road, Palatine. Free. (847) 991-0333 or palatineparks.org. 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1

SATURDAY

Tots and trucks: Kids get a chance to sit in the driver's seat of heavy (stationary) machinery at the Annual Big Trucks Event on Saturday at Ron Beese Park, 50 Rotary Drive, Barrington. Free admission. (847) 381-0687 or barringtonparkdistrict.org. 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 2

Asian arts: Dances, sporting events and concerts of many different Far East cultures are featured at the new Destination Asia Festival this weekend at the Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. $12; $11 seniors; $9 kids ages 2-17. (630) 968-0074 or mortonarb.org. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 2-3

Fun with fairies: Celebrate magic and fairies at The World of Faeries Festival in Vasa Park, on Route 31, South Elgin. Festival features music, costumed performers, a Fairy Tea Party and more. Tickets are $11 at the gate; $8 seniors ages 65 and older, and free for children ages 12 and younger. Free parking. Call (815) 788-1630, or visit theworldoffaeries.com. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3

Everything's Irish: Celebrate Irish traditions at the Fox Valley Irish Festival at RiverEdge Park, Aurora, 360 N. Broadway, Aurora. Live music, food, a petting zoo, dance performances and many other family activities are showcased. $5-$10. Visit riveredgeaurora.com. 1 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2. Kids' activity area is open from 1 to 5 p.m.

You'll flip: Cheer on competitors such as Olympic champion Kyla Ross and up-and-comer Makenzie Sedlacek of West Chicago at the Secret U.S. Classic Gymnastics Championships on Saturday at the Sears Centre Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates. $40-$69 all-day package; $20-$35 junior women's session; $25-$45 senior women's session. (888) 732-7784 or searscentre.com. 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2

Sweet street: Take a sugary break from the David Adler Festival of the Arts by sampling a wide selection of bite-size treats at the MainSweet Dessert Walk on Saturday in Downtown Libertyville along Milwaukee Avenue. $15. (847) 680-0336 or mainstreet libertyville.org. 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2

'Best of Broadway': Liberty Town Productions hosts its sixth annual Musical Summer Showcase as local performers present a “Best of Broadway” cabaret show in the Fuel Room at Austin's Saloon and Eatery, 481 Peterson Road, Libertyville. The program includes songs from American musicals through the years. Admission is $12; $8 for students. Visit libertytownproductions.com. 6 and 8:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2

Venetian Night: Take in a Venetian-style boat parade, dance at a street party and then wrap up the night with fireworks at Venetian Night at Dockers Restaurant and Lounge, 33 W. Grand Ave., Fox Lake. Events for spectators are free; it's $25 to enter a boat. See foxlake.org for details. This year's theme is “Christmas on the Chain.” 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2

Seven veils: Soprano Patricia Racette takes on the title role of Richard Strauss' controversial Biblical opera “Salome” for the first time in a concert with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra led by James Conlon on Saturday at the Ravinia Festival, 418 Sheridan Road, Highland Park. $25-$90; $10 lawn seat. (847) 266-5100 or ravinia.org. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2

'Here's the Score!': Wheaton Municipal Band presents the “Here's the Score!” concert, Edman Memorial Chapel at Wheaton College, 401 E. Franklin Ave., Wheaton. Wayne Messmer joins the band as he sings selections from American musical scores. Messmer also narrates the tale of “Casey at the Bat.” Free. Visit wheatonmunicipalband.org. 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2

'Tragic' event: A theatrical event three years in the making and encompassing all 32 surviving Greek tragedies premieres this week in Chicago. Conceived, adapted and directed by Joseph Jefferson Award winner Sean Graney, the 12-hour “All Our Tragic” was inspired by The Hypocrites production of Graney's “Sophocles: Seven Sicknesses.” At The Den Theatre, 1329 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. The show opens Aug. 10. $30 Friday and Saturday; $75 Saturday and Sunday. See the-hypocrites.com. Previews begin at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2

SUNDAY

Honoring circus artists: Chicago's 15th Annual International Clown Week Celebration is a remembrance of circus artists of the past, held in a well-known resting place for circus artists, Woodlawn Cemetery, 7750 W Cermak Road, Forest Park. The event features speakers, laying of flowers, circus arts performances, kids' activities, refreshments, clowns and more. Bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating. Free admission. Performers (clowns, acrobats, jugglers, etc.) are welcome to come in costume and perform at the end of ceremony. Visit facebook.com/showmens.rest or performforthelove.com/showmensrest. 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3

Rock on: Get your fill of classic rock when the Marshall Tucker Band, right, The Artimus Pyle Band, Molly Hatchet and The Outlaws perform in concert on Sunday at Festival Park adjacent to the Grand Victoria Casino, 132 S. Grove Ave., Elgin. $19-$79. (888) 508-1900 or grand victoriacasino.showare.com. 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3

Talented 10: See the Top 10 finalists of Suburban Chicago's Got Talent in their last two chances to wow the judges tonight at the Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. $10. (847) 895-3600 or prairiecenter.org. The winner and online Fan Favorite will be announced after a free performance by the finalists at the Taste of Arlington Heights in downtown Arlington Heights on Saturday, Aug. 9. 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3 in Schaumburg

Olympic champion Kyla Ross is expected to compete at the Secret U.S. Classic Gymnastics Championship at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates on Saturday, Aug. 2. Associated Press

Traditional Thai dancers are part of the mix for the Destination Asia Festival this weekend at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle. Courtesy of Morton Arboretum

The Tsukasa Taiko Drummers are part of the mix for the Destination Asia Festival this weekend at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle. Courtesy of Morton Arboretum

Opera soprano Patricia Racette stars in the title role of Richard Strauss' "Salome" with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park on Saturday, Aug. 2. Courtesy of Ravinia Festival

The Marshall Tucker Band appears in concert with other music groups at Festival Park in Elgin on Sunday, Aug. 3.

Under the Streetlamp returns to the Paramount Theatre in Aurora on Sunday, Nov. 9. Courtesy of Paul Natkin

Honor circus artists of the past and celebrate the world of clowns and the circus at the Celebration of International Clown Week at Woodlawn Cemetery in Forest Park.

Enter a world of magic and faries at the World of Faeries festival in Soth Elgin's Vasa Park. Courtesy Mike Smith

A boat sporting Uncle Sam and Snoopy during venetian boat night on the Fox River in Algonquin. Daily Herald/Patrick Kunzer

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