advertisement
The Second City's red touring company brings the “Laugh Harder Not Smarter” show to the McAninch Arts Center in Glen Ellyn Saturday, Feb. 14.

Best Bets: Laugh it up with Second City at The MAC, stand-up at the Raue Center

Get ready for Valentine’s Day laughs when The Second City tours to the McAninch Arts Center and stand-up comedians perform at the Raue Center. Plus, Hey Nonny hosts a Mardi Gras party and The Joffrey Ballet brings “American Icons” to the Lyric Opera House.

‘Dawson’s Creek’ star James Van Der Beek dies at 48

James Van Der Beek, a heartthrob who starred in coming-of-age dramas at the dawn of the new millennium, shooting to fame playing the titular character in “Dawson’s Creek” and in later years mocking his own hunky persona, has died. He was 48.

LAGO in Lake Zurich is hosting Date Night Steak Night for couples celebrating Valentine’s Day.

Enjoy romantic multicourse, prix fixe dining experiences this Valentine’s Day

Time is of the essence to book a romantic, prix fixe dining experience at a suburban restaurant for Valentine’s Day.

An unnamed man from the future (Sam Rockwell) tries to recruit volunteers to join a group fighting a coming AI apocalypse in “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die.”

A man from the future fights an AI apocalypse in ‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die’

In Gore Verbinski’s absurdist AI sci-fi satire “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die,” a strange unnamed man (Sam Rockwell) steps into a Los Angeles diner and declares that he’s from the future. “All of this is going to go horribly wrong,” he says.

10,000 Maniacs will perform Thursday through Sunday, Feb. 12-15, at City Winery in Chicago.

Concerts Feb. 13-19: 10,000 Maniacs, Dan Navarro, Bret Michaels and more

Upcoming concerts include 10,000 Maniacs at City Winery, Dan Navarro and Jessica Willis Fisher at The Venue in Aurora, Bret Michaels at the Arcada Theatre and more.

George Lopez brings the laughs to the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan Saturday, Feb. 14.

Things to do Feb. 13-19: George Lopez, Russell Peters, Jim Gaffigan, Valentine’s Day events, Dinosaur Adventure and more

Make plans for George Lopez at the Genesee Theatre, Russell Peters at Schaumburg’s Chicago Improv, Valentine’s Day events, Dinosaur Adventure at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Jim Gaffigan at the Chicago Theatre and more.

The Captain (Jeff Perry), right, dances to the accompaniment of Alice (Kathryn Erbe) to impress Kurt (Cliff Chamberlain) in Steppenwolf’s “The Dance of Death.”

Steppenwolf’s ‘Dance of Death’ delivers dark laughs from a bitter marriage

It’s funny how Steppenwolf Theatre Company has chosen to celebrate part of its 50th anniversary season by showcasing one of western theater’s most toxic wedding anniversaries in “The Dance of Death.” But that’s par for the course for a Chicago theater institution that is famous for its ferocious acting.