Best bets: Thomas rolls into the Sears Centre
Choo! Choo!
Thomas the Tank Engine rolls back into town with a new adventure titled “Thomas Saves the Day” as part of the tour Thomas & Friends Live! On Stage. See Thomas, Percy, Diesel and other favorites this weekend at the Sears Centre Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates. $17-$50. (888) 732-7784 or searscentre.com. 7 p.m. Friday, April 22, and 11 a.m., 2 and 5 p.m. Saturday, April 23
Amigo de Mencia
Steve Trevino got his start in standup comedy alongside Carlos Mencia (famed for Comedy Central's “Mind of Mencia”) before branching out on his own. Catch Trevino this weekend at the Improv Comedy Showcase, 5 Woodfield Road, Schaumburg. $17-$19. (847) 240-2001 or improv.com. 8 and 10:15 p.m. Friday, April 22, and 7 and 9:15 p.m. Saturday, April 23
Egg will roll
The Jaycees team up with the city of Elgin for a Bunny Day celebration featuring a pancake breakfast, an Easter egg hunt and free children's theater performances of “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing” this Saturday outside and inside the grounds of the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. Free egg hunt and general admission to the shows, but $7 admission for the pancake breakfast and $1 for photos with the Easter Bunny. See elginjaycees.org/. Saturday, April 23: 8 a.m. “Breakfast With the Bunny”; 10 and 11:30 a.m. kids theater performances; 11:15 a.m. egg hunt
Music vs. words
A poet and a composer vie for the attentions of a beautiful countess in Richard Strauss' final opera “Capriccio.” American soprano Renée Fleming stars in a Metropolitan Opera revival that is to be screened Saturday to local and worldwide movie theaters via a Live in HD simulcast. Ticket prices vary, but largely $24, $22 for seniors and $18 for kids. Visit fathomevents.com for participating theaters. Noon Saturday, April 23
Crazy ‘Quixote'
The Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg presents the Chicago premiere of Boris Eifman's re-imagined take on the classical Russian ballet “Don Quixote, or Fantasies of a Madman” for two Saturday performances at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, Chicago. $30-$87. (800) 982-2787 or auditoriumtheatre.org. 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, April 23
Scorned sorceress
Jason makes the tragic mistake of dumping his wife for another woman in “Medea” (“Médée”), a 1693 French opera by Marc-Antoine Charpentier just now receiving its Windy City debut courtesy of Chicago Opera Theater starting this weekend at Millennium Park's Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive, Chicago. $30-$120. (312) 334-7777 or chicagooperatheater.org. 7:30 p.m. April 23, 27 and 29, and 3 p.m. Sunday, May 1
Fashion passion
Students in the College of DuPage Fashion Merchandising and Design program show off their stylish work in the College of DuPage Fashion Show on Tuesday at the McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. $15; $10 seniors/students. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org. 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 26
‘Sound of Julie'
Cabaret singer Laura Freeman sings songs originated or famously interpreted by Academy Award-winning actress Julie Andrews in the concert “The Hills Are Alive With the Sound of Julie” this Wednesday at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. $30-$35. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 27