Best bets: Only he didn't sing 'fudge ...'
Shoot your eye out?
Ralphie's cinematic quest to get a Red Ryder BB Gun gets transformed into song and dance in the seasonal tour “A Christmas Story, The Musical!” coming next week to the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St., Chicago. $25.50-$45.50. (312) 462-6300 or achristmasstorythemusical.com. Dec. 14, through Friday, Dec. 30; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 14, 16, 20, 22, 28 and 29; 3 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 15, 21, 26, 27 and 30; 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Dec. 17; 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Dec. 18 and 24; 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 23
Best in show
Dogs of all kinds compete for prizes at the Skokie Valley Kennel Club Dog Show this weekend at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont. $5; $2 kids. (847) 692-2222 or skokievalleykc.org. 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9 through Sunday, Dec. 11
Hellenic hello
After a monthlong “soft-opening,” the new National Hellenic Museum dedicated to Greek history and culture officially opens on Saturday at 333 S. Halsted St., Chicago. $10 adults; $8 seniors/students; $7 kids ages 3-12. (312) 655-1234 or nationalhellenicmuseum.org. Grand opening Saturday, Dec. 10. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Light driving
Add a sense of adventure to driving around and seeing seasonal light displays as part of The Christmas Lights Tour Road Rallye this Saturday starting at Woodfield Shopping Center, Golf Road at Route 53, Schaumburg. $10 per vehicle and Toys for Tots donation. (847) 446-2904 or wheelsrallyeteam.com. 6 p.m. registration; 7 p.m. start Saturday, Dec. 10
Holiday tunes
The Elgin Symphony Orchestra celebrates Christmas with the concert “'Tis the Season” featuring guests pianist Richard Ridenour, soprano Elizabeth Norman, The Choral-Aires Chorus and the Elgin Children's Chorus and more this weekend at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. $20-$66. (847) 888-4000 or elginsymphony.org. 3:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10; 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11
Nutcracker of the week
Those who remember traveling to Chicago's Arie Crown Theater to see choreographer Ruth Page's version of “The Nutcracker” won't want to miss Civic Ballet of Chicago's famed staging that uses her choreography. Catch it this weekend at Elgin Community College's Blizzard Theatre, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. $27; $15 kids ages 12 and under. (847) 622-0300 or elgin.edu/arts. The production then moves to the Lumber Center for the Performing Arts, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. $23-$31 (senior and students discounts available). (847) 543-2300 or clcillinois.edu/tickets. 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 10 and 11 in Elgin; 1 and 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17, 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18 in Grayslake
Celtic Christmas
Gavin Coyle's “A Celtic Christmas” features carols and more in a special Saturday benefit concert for the People's Resource Center at the College of DuPage's McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. $25. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org. 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10
‘Messiah' we sing
Amateur musicians who want to sing along with Handel's oratorio “The Messiah” can so in two local Sunday concerts. There's the “Do It Yourself Messiah” at Batavia Fine Arts Centre Auditorium, West Wilson and Western Avenues, Batavia. $15. BataviaSTAGE.org; then there's the “Voices in Harmony: Sing-Along Messiah” at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. $18; (815) 356-9212 or rauecenter.org. 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11 in Batavia; 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11 in Crystal Lake
Big band in a bar
Swing music favorites popularized by the likes of Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington and more get played by the 17-piece Jazz Consortium Big Band this Sunday at Durty Nellie's Pub, 180 N. Smith St., Palatine. $10 cover. (847) 358-9150 or durtynellies.com. 7 to 10 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11