Out & About
Emily Carlson and Steve Camara play tormented lovers in "Fool For Love" at New World Repertory Theater.
Lisle's Vodka University will teach you more than just the basics of the martini.
Film critic Dann Gire and writer Raymond Benson talk about "The Haunting" and other horror films at the Schaumburg Township Library.
Anoushka Shankar, 8 p.m. Saturday at McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. Tickets are $24-$34. (630) 942-4000.
Anoushka Shankar, the daughter of legendary musician Ravi Shankar, takes the satir to new places with a blend of classical Indian music with electronica rock.
-- Scott C. Morgan, staff writer
"Graveside Stories and Walk," 6 p.m. Saturday at Elm Lawn Cemetery, 401 E. Lake St., Elmhurst. In case of rain, performance will be on Sunday. Tickets, $5, available at Elm Classic boutique, 106 W. 3rd Ave., Elmhurst. (630) 464-2646.
If your kids think history is boring, send a chill down their spines. Actors from GreenMan Theatre Troupe will lead walks through the cemetery, giving spirited, so to speak, descriptions of Elmhurst businessmen, politicians, teachers and police officers long departed. This is the program's third year, but the first time the theater troupe has gotten involved. So watch for vivid storytelling and expect goose bumps.
-- Pam DeFiglio, staff writer
"The Chicago International Film Festival," starts 7 p.m. today and runs through Oct. 17. Tickets range in price from $13 (general movie admission) with discounts for seniors and CIFF members. Call Ticketmaster at (312) 902-1500 or go to www.ticketmaster.com. Go to www.chicagofilmfestival.org for a schedule, or call (312) 425-9400.
Opening festivities include a tribute to Chicago film critic Roger Ebert at 7 p.m. plus Marc Forster's new drama "The Kite Runner" at 7:30. The fest will show 160 movies from 44 countries at three local theaters, plus shorts, lectures, workshops and guest filmmakers.
-- Dann Gire, film critic
"Midwest Literary Festival," 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Paramount Theatre and the Copley Theater, both on Galena Boulevard, in Aurora. Free admission. www.midwestliteraryfestival.com. (630) 896-6666.
Meet the authors who wrote the best-selling books "The Nanny Diaries," "Blue Zone," "Sin in the Second City" and others during this free weekend festival in downtown Aurora. The schedule of activities has something for everyone, from writing workshops to kids programs. As a special treat, chef/author Rocco DiSpirito will sign copies of his not-yet-released cookbook, "Rocco's Real Life Recipes: Fast Flavor for Everyday." This festival is a must-do for book lovers.
-- Jamie Sotonoff, staff writer
"Dann and Raymond's Movie Club," at 7:30 p.m. today at the Schaumburg Township Library, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg. Free admission.(847) 985-5860.
Join former James Bond novelist Raymond Benson and me for our second of four discussions about movie genres. Tonight, we wrap up the Modern Age of Horror with clips from major scary movies of the last half of the 20th century, including "The Haunting," "The Exorcist" and "The Blair Witch Project."
-- Dann Gire, film critic
"Fool For Love," preview at 7:30 p.m. Friday; opening at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at 923 Curtiss St., Downers Grove. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 10. $12-$20. (630) 663-1489 or www.newworldrep.org.
New World Repertory Theater opens its fifth season with Sam Shepard's "Fool For Love," about the unsettling affair between obsessed lovers Eddie and May, who find it as difficult to live with each other as it is to live apart.
--Barbara Vitello, critic at large
Vodka University, 8 p.m. to midnight Sunday, The Lodge Pub and Grille, 5750 Lakeside Drive, Lisle. Free. Register in advance at (310) 806-4547 or onsite.
Learn the history of vodka and techniques for mixing classic cocktails at this lively night class presented by 42 Below Vodka out of New Zealand. Don't count on a stale four-hour lecture on the libation, but rather several spirited sessions throughout the night. Enroll me in the Ph.D. program.
-- Deborah Pankey, food editor