Weekend picks: Michael Palascak brings comedy to Zanies

Midwestern mirth

Rising comedian and Midwest native Michael Palascak returns to town to perform Wednesday through Friday at Zanies at MB Financial Park, 5437 Park Place, Rosemont. $22 plus a two menu-item purchase. (847) 813-0484 or rosemont.zanies.com. 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, April 8-9, and 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday, April 10

Contemporary classical

The fifth annual Sounds of New Music Festival features the Chicago-based virtuoso chamber ensemble Picosa performing cutting-edge classical compositions on Thursday at North Central College's Wentz Concert Hall, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville. $15; $5 students. (630) 637-7469 or finearts.northcentralcollege.edu. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 9

All sewn up

Get ideas for your own homemade art projects by attending classes or taking in impressive crafting displays at the Original Sewing & Quilt Expo, which returns to town starting Thursday at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center, 1551 N. Thoreau Drive, Schaumburg. $12 admission and $19 per class session. (847) 303-4100 or sewingexpo.com. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, April 9-10, and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, April 11

Remembering the Civil War

The Glen Ellyn Historical Society presents DuPage County historian Kurt Carlson as he discusses Chicago's role in the Civil War in a program at the Glen Ellyn History Center, 800 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn. Carlson, a member of both the Glen Ellyn Historical Society and three Civil War roundtables, will focus on how Chicago supported troops and assisted with the transportation of supplies. Tickets are available at Stacy's Corners Store, at the history center's address. $5 for adults; free for students. (630) 469-1867 or glenellynhistory.org. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 16

FRIDAY

Touch a Tractor

Learn about life on the farm at the 10th annual Touch-a-Tractor family event at the Kane County Farm Bureau, 2N710 Randall Road, St. Charles. Climb on an antique tractor, ride pedal tractors, see modern farm equipment and get an up-close look at farm animals like baby chicks and more. Plus, there will be farm-themed movies and music and a kids' raffle to win a pedal tractor. Free. Refreshments available for purchase; proceeds benefit the KCFB Foundation. (630) 584-8660 or kanecfb.com. Noon to 4 p.m. Friday, April 10, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 11-12

Presidential anniversary

Emmy Award-winners Ed Asner ("The Mary Tyler Moore Show") and Loretta Swit ("M*A*S*H") star in the stage drama "An Evening with the Roosevelts" as part of a 70th Anniversary celebration of the namesake Chicago school tonight at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, Chicago. $25-$75. (800) 982-2787 or auditoriumtheatre.org. 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 10

Play On!

The College of Lake County Theatre Department presents a trio of comedic one-act plays - "Mary Just Broke Up With This Guy" by Garth Wingfield, "Soap Opera" by David Ives and "Wanda's Visit" by Christopher Durang - in its "Play On!" program at the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. CLC students take on the entire production, working as actors, directors, stage managers and technicians. $7-$9. (847) 543-2300 or clcillinois.edu. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 10-11; 2 p.m. Sunday, April 12

Very sketchy

If you want a local laugh without driving into the city, see the tour of "The Second City Hits Home" tonight at College of Lake County's Lumber Center for the Performing Arts, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. $28-$35; $27-434 seniors; $12-$15 students. (847) 543-2300 or clcillinois.edu/tickets. 8 p.m. Friday, April 10

Eagles tribute

Hear rock hits like "Take it Easy," "Heartache Tonight" and more when the tribute band Hotel California performs "A Salute to the Eagles" tonight at Belushi Performance Hall at College of DuPage's McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. $40-$45; $50 VIP tickets. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org. 8 p.m. Friday, April 10

Here comes the song

Chicago a cappella performs song hits by the Fab Four in the show "Beatlemania" over two weekends at four locations: North Central College's Wentz Concert Hall, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville; then at Pilgrim Congregational Church, 460 Lake St., Oak Park. $30-$38; $25 seniors; $12 students. (773) 281-7820 or chicagoacappella.org. 8 p.m. Friday, April 10, in Naperville; 4 p.m. Sunday, April 12, in Oak Park

Looking for laughs?

"Last Comic Standing" finalist Rachel Feinstein performs 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, April 10, in Chicago; 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, April 11, in Rosemont

SATURDAY

Golden Age of Hollywood

Movie fans and memorabilia collectors can browse through thousands of items at the Golden Age of Hollywood Show at the Holiday Inn North Shore, 5300 W. Touhy Ave., Skokie. DVDs, 16 mm film, film books, movie magazines, posters, movie stills, celebrity autographs and collectible toys will be on display. $5; free for kids younger than 18 when accompanied by a paying adult. goldenageofhollywoodshow.com. 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, April 11

Consumer Expo

There's free fun for the whole family - a magic show, dance performances, appearances by "Ozzie" the Kane County Cougars' mascot, a bounce house, balloon art, face painting, pet adoption opportunities and more - at the St. Charles Chamber Consumer Expo at the St. Charles Sportsplex, 1400 Foundry St., St. Charles. Plus, sample fare from local restaurants at the Taste of Fox Valley. Free. stcharleschamber.com. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 11

Free wheelin'

Kids can climb on and explore dump trucks, fire trucks, police cars and other large vehicles when the Glen Ellyn Park District hosts its Touch-A-Truck event in Maryknoll Park, 845 Pershing Ave., Glen Ellyn. Free. gepark.org. 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 11

Laura's life

Take a closer look at the pioneer life of "Little House on the Prairie" author Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867-1957) during Laura Ingalls Wilder Day at Blackberry Farm, 100 S. Barnes Road, Aurora. Activities include candle-dipping, sewing, baking cornbread, blacksmithing, weaving and more. Youngsters can pretend to study in a one-room schoolhouse, just as Wilder and her siblings did long ago. $4.50 residents; $7 nonresidents. (630) 892-1550 or foxvalleyparkdistrict.org. Noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 11

Magic relationship

Married duo Kevin and Cindy Spencer perform their high-tech magic show "Spencers: Theatre of Illusion" on Saturday at Elgin Community College's Blizzard Theatre, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. $20; $15 kids. (847) 622-0300 or elgin.edu/arts. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 11

Orphan, said often

The New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players tours with its take on the classic 1879 comic operetta "The Pirates of Penzance" on Saturday at North Central College's Pfeiffer Hall, 310 E. Benton Ave., Naperville. $25-$40. (630) 637-7469 or finearts.northcentralcollege.edu. 8 p.m. Saturday, April 11

No Chaser

If you're thinking glee club, think again. The guys from Straight No Chaser have been entertaining audiences off and on since the group's inception at Indiana University in 1996. In 2006, a fluke brought the band back together, and they've been recording and touring ever since. SNC brings its a cappella "Happy Hour Spring Tour" - complete with pop hits, legendary classics and musical favorites - to Waukegan's Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. Tickets start at $46.70. (847) 782-2366 or ticketmaster.com. 8 p.m. Saturday, April 11

Diva Dayne

If you're of a certain age, you couldn't escape dance-pop star Taylor Dayne's hits in the soundtrack of your formative years. She busted out on the scene in 1987, and her "Tell It To My Heart" immediately took over junior-high dance playlists (back before they were called playlists). Since then, her career has included award-winning pop hits, chart-topping dance numbers and even a stint on television and Broadway. Dayne brings her platinum catalog to the Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles, for a night bound to be crackling with electricity. Tickets start at $29. (630) 962-7000 or oshows.com. 8 p.m. Saturday, April 11

Love Gramm

Foreigner's former lead singer Lou Gramm wants you to know what love is, and he's going to show you at Austin's Fuel Room, 481 E. Peterson Road, Libertyville, Saturday night. Gramm brings his roster of top hits and solo music for a night that's sure to stir a few memories. Tickets start at $30; (847) 549-1972 or ticketweb.com. 8 p.m. Saturday, April 11

Twista at Nellie's

Chicago's own hip-hop phenom Twista takes the stage at Durty Nellie's Saturday, 180 N. Smith St., Palatine, along with Mic One, a rising star on Chicago's scene. With more than 10 years on the books, Twista ­- known as one of the fastest rappers with his double-time rap style - brings work from his platinum-selling albums for a night of local hip-hop, with DJ Risky Bizness and SamIAm the MC opening. Tickets are $15. (847) 358-9150 or durtynellies.com. 9:30 p.m. Saturday, April 11

SUNDAY

Great Midwest Train Show

The Great Midwest Train Show, featuring 180 exhibitors with a wide variety of train scales and gauges, makes a stop at the DuPage County Fairgrounds, 1500 Manchester Road, Wheaton. Highlights include operating train displays, including a Lego layout and a hands-on HO scale layout. Guests can have their own model trains appraised or repaired at the show. $7 adults; free for kids younger than 12. greatmidwesttrainshow.com. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 12

Harlem heritage

Broadway veteran and award-winning cabaret singer T. Oliver Reid ("Chicago," "Kiss Me Kate," "Dreamgirls") performs his show "Drop Me Off in Harlem" tonight at North Central College's Madden Theatre, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville. $30-$35. (630) 637-76469 or finearts.northcentralcollege.edu. 6 p.m. Sunday, April 12