Entertainment

Weekend picks: Mo'Nique taps her standup roots in Schaumburg

Posted May 22, 2015 5:45 am

By Laura Milbrath Stewart and Scott C. Morgan

Academy Award-winner and comedian Mo'Nique performs at the Improv Comedy Showcase in Schaumburg. Associated Press file photo, 2009

Unique Mo'Nique

Catch up with Academy Award-winning actress Mo'Nique and her standup comedy roots this weekend at the Improv Comedy Showcase at Woodfield Mall, 5 Woodfield Road, Schaumburg. $43 plus a two menu-item purchase. (847) 240-2001 or improv.com. 8 and 10:15 p.m. Friday, May 22, and 7 and 9:15 p.m. Saturday, May 23

Meadows Cruise Night

See classic cars, listen to music, dig in to ice cream and more as the fourth annual Meadows Cruise Night season kicks off Friday. Cruise nights, which take place in the Meadows Christian Fellowship parking lot at 2401 Kirchoff Road, Rolling Meadows, continue through Friday, Sept. 4. Free. (847) 255-8764 or meadowsfamily.org. 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 22

Andrew Combs at the Union

Country and pop songwriter and guitarist Andrew Combs headlines The Union, 129 W. Benton Ave., Naperville. $15 at the door; free with a North Central College ID. (630) 637-7469 or theunionnetwork.com. 7 p.m. Friday, May 22

Fab and faux four

The slick and flashy multimedia Broadway and London West End jukebox show "RAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles" returns to the Windy City for an eight-performance run starting Wednesday at the Bank of America Theatre, 18 W. Monroe St., Chicago. $35-$75. (800) 775-2000 or broadwayinchicago.com. 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 22; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, May 23; and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May 24

Arts outdoors

See all kinds of art on display and on sale as part of the sixth annual Barrington Art Festival this weekend at the intersection of Cook and Station streets, Barrington. Free. (847) 926-4300 or amdurproductions.com. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 23-24

What a gem!

Shop for rocks, gems, minerals, crystals, fossils, handmade jewelry, beads, books and more at the Chicagoland Gem & Mineral Association's Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show at the DuPage County Fairgrounds, 2015 Manchester Road, Wheaton. The show also features hands-on demonstrations of jewelry making, geode cracking and gold panning, along with guest speakers, kids' activities and silent auctions. One-day admission is $5 for adults; $3 for seniors and students (ages 13-18); free for kids younger than 13, scouts in uniform and military personnel (with ID). cgma.squarespace.com. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 23, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 24

Car Show-Car Corral and Swap Meet

The Waukegan-North Shore Chapter of the Antique Car Club of America teams up with the Volo Auto Museum to host the 50th Annual Car Show-Car Corral and Swap Meet at the Volo Auto Museum, 27582 Volo Village Road, Volo. See a wide variety of classic cars and trucks from the 1950s. Guests can also sell a car or car parts or buy a car at the event. Refreshments available at the beer and wine garden and the Betty Boop Outdoor Grill. General admission for the museum and car show is $8.95-$14.95. (815) 385-3644 or volocars.com. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 24

Prairie Arts Festival

Art enthusiasts won't want to miss the 28th Annual Prairie Arts Festival featuring works by more than 130 artists at the Robert O. Atcher Municipal Center grounds, adjacent to the Prairie Center for the Arts, 101 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. There's more than just the fine art and craft exhibition and sale. Enjoy live entertainment, children's activities, food and more. Free; takes place rain or shine. prairiecenter.org. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 23-24

Family Field Day

St. James Farm Forest Preserve, at Winfield and Butterfield roads in Warrenville, celebrates its heritage with the annual Family Field Day featuring hayrides, canine and equestrian performances, a dairy exhibit, tours, kids' activities, archery, fishing, food and more. Free; fees for some activities. No registration required. (630) 933-7248 or dupageforest.com. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 23

All wet

Memorial Day weekend marks the official opening of Hurricane Harbor for the 2015 season at Six Flags Great America, 1 Great America Parkway, Gurnee. $66.99 general admission, $46.99 kids under 48 inches tall. (847) 249-4636 or sixflags.com. 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. opening weekend Saturday through Monday, May 23-25, then various times through Monday, Sept. 7

Rising jazz dance

See rising dance artists from the student companies of Gus Giordano Dance at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. $15-$30. (847) 673-6300 or gusgiordanodance.com. 1 and 5:30 p.m. Saturday, May 23

Boy band central

Catch up with the 1990s boy band New Kids on the Block as part of "The Main Event Tour" with TLC and Nelly this weekend at the Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont. $29.50-$109.50. (800) 745-3000 or allstatearena.com. 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 23-24

Victorian Halls' new release

Chicago indie-pop trio Victorian Halls dropped its second album "Hyperalgesia" Tuesday and is spending a few nights making sure you know about it. Catch the guys and their more mature sound as they celebrate the release of the new album Saturday at Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake St., Chicago, along with friends Flight Plan, Alone At Heart and Post Script. Tickets are $10. (312) 666-6775 or bottomlounge.com. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 23

Downhome music

The Jenae Cherry Band, Judson Brown Band and North Country Blonde are just some of the acts included in Awakenings: Digging the Roots of Local Country Music at the Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. $20-$30. (847) 263-6300 or geneseetheatre.com. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 23

3 classical Bs

Violinist Philippe Quint is the guest soloist with the Lake Forest Symphony as they perform music by Bartok, Bruch and Brahms this weekend at College of Lake County's Lumber Center for the Performing Arts, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. $35-$59. (847) 295-2135 or lakeforestsymphony.org. 8 p.m. Saturday, May 23, and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 24

Paddle along

Cheer on the boating contestants in the second oldest continual canoe race in the United States at the 18½-mile 58th Annual Des Plaines River Canoe & Kayak Marathon at the Oak Springs Road Canoe Launch, 15562 Oak Springs Road, Libertyville. $30 late registration fee. (847) 604-2445 or canoemarathon.com. 8 a.m. Sunday, May 17

Classic autos

See what automotive treasures can be found or shown off today as part of the 50th Annual Car Show-Car Corral and Swap Meet at the Volo Auto Museum, 27582 Volo Village Road, Volo. $14.95; $11.95 seniors; $8.95 kids. (815) 385-3644 or volocars.com. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 24

Northwest of 59 and Ogden

Stubhy Pandav and Adam Krier of local rock band Lucky Boys Confusion will bring the band's catalog - and a new tune from the upcoming album - for an acoustic you-call-it show at Fitz's Spare Keys, 119 N. York St., Elmhurst, Sunday, May 24. Bring your knowledge of LBC's pop-rock history and see how they carved a foothold into the suburban music scene. Longtime collaborators Swizzle Tree, as well as Johnny Kocher, Valo and Ronny Robinson, open. Tickets are $11 in advance, $14 at the door. (630) 379-5007 or fitzssparekeys.com. 5 p.m. Sunday, May 24

Go Rockin' in the Park

Rosemont's Rockin' in the Park summer concert series kicks off with Johnny Russler and The Beach Bums Band performing rock, reggae, surf and calypso music at MB Financial Park, 5501 Park Place, Rosemont. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. The concert is followed by fireworks. Free. rosemont.com. 7 p.m. Sunday, May 24

British battles

Hear musical responses to the 18th-century Jacobite Rebellion when conductor Jane Glover leads the Music of the Baroque in performances of Handel's "Dettingen Te Deum" and Haydn's "Mass in Time of War" today and Monday at two locations: Northwestern University's Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston, then at Millennium Park's Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive, Chicago. $27-$75. (312) 551-1414 or baroque.org. 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May 17, in Evanston and 7:30 p.m. Monday, May 18, in Chicago

Rivers flows to Rosemont

Mason Rivers - Naperville's answer to country rock - has been pleasing crowds in a few different incarnations since 2000, but founding member Kelly Ott stumbled back on the best recipe for the band, and renewed friendships along with it. Mason Rivers brings its energetic, twangy rock act to Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill, 5441 Park Place, Rosemont, Sunday, May 24. Free. (847) 678-0088 or countrybaril.com. 9 p.m. Sunday, May 24

New Kids On The Block members Joey McIntyre, left, Danny Wood, Donnie Wahlberg, Jonathan Knight and Jordan Knight bring "The Main Event" tour to the Allstate Arena in Rosemont. Associated Press

Victorian Halls celebrates a new album release with a show Saturday, May 23, at Bottom Lounge.

Johnny Russler and The Beach Bum Band headline on the season's opening Rockin' in the Park concert at MB Financial Park in Rosemont. Courtesy of Johnny Russler and The Beach Bum Band

"RAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles" returns for a run at the Bank of America Theatre in Chicago from Wednesday, May 20, through Sunday, May 24. Courtesy of Richard Lovrich

Violinist Philippe Quint performs with the Lake Forest Symphony in Grayslake.

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