Best Bets: Adam Ant, Beatles tribute, ‘The Choir of Man’
‘80s Brit-rockers return
Adam Ant, the 1980s rocker whose hits include “Goody Two Shoes” and “Stand and Deliver,” and British ska band The English Beat play the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive, Chicago. Tickets start at $39.50. auditoriumtheatre.org. 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 26
‘Heartbreak on the Map’
Grammy Award-winning country duo Dan + Shay, in advance of their September release “Bigger Houses,” bring their “Heartbreak on the Map” tour to the United Center, 1901 W. Madison St., Chicago. The concert also features special guests Ben Rector and Hailey Whitters. $20-$200. unitedcenter.com. 7 p.m. Friday, March 22
CSO in Wheaton
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra performs Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 at Wheaton College, Edman Memorial Chapel, 401 E. Franklin, Wheaton. The piece begins with sleigh bells, progresses to children’s songs, followed by a macabre violin solo and concludes with a child’s impression of heaven sung by soprano Ying Fang. The program also includes Richard Wagner’s Act 1 prelude to “Lohengrin” and the premiere of Lowell Liebermann’s Flute Concerto No. 2 featuring principal flutist Stefán Ragnar Höskuldsson. $65-$115. (312) 294-3000 or cso.org/wheaton. 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 22
Cirque on ice
Cirque du Soleil’s “Crystal,” which pairs the company’s signature circus arts with figure skating, comes to the NOW Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates. The story centers around the titular Crystal, a young girl who feels out of place, and her journey of self-discovery that allows her to come into her own as a person and as an artist. $35-$105. cirquedusoleil.com/crystal. 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 22; 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday, March 23; and 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday, March 24
Beatles tribute
The Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights, presents Abbey Road, a tribute to The Beatles that re-creates the band’s hits. It is accompanied by a video of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. $35. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 23
‘Lift Every Voice’
Multimedia musician Titus Underwood, principal oboist with the Nashville Symphony, joins The Music Institute of Chicago for “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” a celebration of Black composers taking place at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston. $30-$60; livestreaming $15. (847) 448-8326 or nicholsconcerthall.org. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 23
‘Hop’ to it
Cantigny, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton, hosts a free Easter egg hunt, photos with Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, crafts ($5 fee), a screening of the 2011 film “Hop” and brunch at Le Jardin (see website for menu and prices). Parking is $5. cantigny.org. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 24
Secrets revealed
Australian magician and sleight-of-hand expert Harry Milas presents the show “The Unfair Advantage” at Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago. During his performances, Milas “lifts the veil on cheating” to reveal “how magicians, card cheaters and mentalists fool the world.” $75. unfairadvantage.show. Opens at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 26, and runs through April 24
Music, mates & good times
Part party, part concert and part theater experience, “The Choir of Man” consists of nine singer/instrumentalists from the United Kingdom (plus a couple of local artists) performing pop, classic rock and folk songs in a limited run at the Apollo Theater, 2500 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. Tickets start at $35. (773) 935-6100 or choirofmanchicago.com. Previews at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, March 27-28, and other dates. The show opens April 3 and runs through May 26
A conversation with Percival Everett
Award-winning novelist and Pulitzer Prize-finalist Percival Everett discusses his new novel, “James,” a re-imagining of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” with author Gabriel Bump at the Studebaker Theatre, 410 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. $10. fineartsbuilding.com/events/percival-everett. 7 p.m. Thursday, March 28