Things to do Feb. 7-13: Cirque du Soleil’s ‘OVO,’ ‘Dancing With the Stars Live!’ and more
Starts Before Friday
“It’s All Fun and Games: Historic Toys of Evanston” Exhibition: 1-4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, Feb. 6-9, at the Evanston History Center, 225 Greenwood St., Evanston. Exhibition celebrating Evanston’s contributions to the toy industry, including Tinkertoys, Operation and Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots. $10, free for members and kids younger than 12. evanstonhistorycenter.org.
Disney On Ice presents “Let’s Dance!”: 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6; 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7; 11 a.m. and 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8; and 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9, at the Allstate Arena, 6920 Mannheim Road, Rosemont. Featuring songs and stories from Disney’s animated favorites on ice. $18.75-$140. rosemont.com/allstate.
Matt Braunger Stand Up Comedy: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6, and 7 and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7-8, at the Comedy Vault, 18 E. Wilson St., Batavia. $25. comedyvaultbatavia.com.
Salonen Conducts “Bluebeard’s Castle”: 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 6-8, at the Chicago Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Opera stars Christian Van Horn and Ekaterina Gubanova bring to life Bartók’s one-act opera about Duke Bluebeard and his newest wife, Judith. Sung in Hungarian with English supertitles. Tickets start at $35. cso.org.
Friday, Feb. 7
Dueling Pianos: 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 1500 Brookdale Road, Naperville. Two nationally recognized pianists, John Angotti and Craig Colson, will perform. $30. stapostle.org.
“Singin’ in the Rain” Film with Orchestra: 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago. The Lyric Opera of Chicago Orchestra performs the score for “Singin’ in the Rain” live alongside the film. Tickets start at $39. lyricopera.org.
“UnHappily Ever After”: 7-9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7-8, at the Basement of the Dead Haunted House, 42 W. New York St., Aurora. Special valentine’s haunted house. $22.99-$49.99. basementofthedead.com.
Victor Garcia Latin Jazz Quintet: 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, at the Gorton Center, 400 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest. Latin jazz. $25-$32. gortoncenter.org.
Broadway Laughs: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7-8, at the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. A high-energy night of show tunes, covering over 100 years of musical comedy. $35-$40. prairiecenter.org.
Complexions Contemporary Ballet: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress Parkway, Chicago. Complexions celebrates its 30th anniversary season with the new work “For Crying Out Loud,” set to the music of U2. Tickets start at $39. auditoriumtheatre.org.
“Groundhog Day the Musical”: 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, Feb. 7-16, at the Woodstock Opera House, 121 W. Van Buren St., Woodstock. Theatre 121’s production of the musical based on the film “Groundhog Day.” $15-$33. theatre121.org.
Mulberry Street, A Billy Joel Experience: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. Thomas Linsk performs a Billy Joel tribute. $35-$39. metropolisarts.com.
Face 2 Face: A Tribute to Elton John & Billy Joel: 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, at Rialto Square Theatre, 102 N. Chicago St., Joliet. Elton John and Billy Joel tribute. $29.50-$49.50. rialtosquare.com.
Winter Music Fest: Friday through Sunday, Feb. 7-9, at the Broken Oar, 614 Rawson Bridge Road, Port Barrington. Performances by Journey tribute band Infinity at 8 p.m. Friday; Fleetwood Mac tribute band The Chain at 7 p.m. and Foreigner/Bad Company tribute FOFO at 9 p.m. Saturday; and CTA Chicago Tribute Anthology at 2 p.m. Sunday. No cover. brokenoar.com.
Saturday, Feb. 8
“Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!": 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Feb. 8 to March 2, and 7 p.m. Fridays, Feb. 14 and 21, at the Prairie Lakes Theater, 515 E. Thacker St., Des Plaines. Based on the award-winning children’s book by Mo Willems about a pigeon who wants to drive a bus. $45-$75. bignoise.org/pigeon.
Together We Can. Together We Will. Black History Month Celebration: 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Fox Valley Mall, 2340 Fox Valley Center Drive, Aurora. Inspirational speakers, live performances, interactive exhibits, and a Vendor Village designed to spotlight Black-owned businesses. Free admission. bit.ly/BHME2025.
Long Grove Cocoa Crawl: Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, at 145 Old McHenry Road, Long Grove. Free hot cocoa samples at tents located throughout town. longgrove.org.
Be Mine Bazaar: 1-7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, at Phase Three Brewing, 932 Donata Court, Lake Zurich. Shop from a curated selection of Valentine’s gifts including 3D-printed figurines, glass art, handmade jewelry, sweets, gifts for pets and more. Many participating artists and makers will donate a portion of their sales to charities. Concessions. Free admission. phasethreebrewing.com/.
Cupids Court Event and Craft Fair: 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, at Hawthorn Mall, 122 Hawthorn Center, Vernon Hills. Handcrafted treasures, sweet treats and more from local crafters, makers and small businesses, plus valentine-themed demos and workshops and a Kids’ Corner. Free admission. visithawthorn.com.
2025 Black History Month Celebration: 4-5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Jack Benny Center for the Arts, 39 Jack Benny Drive, Waukegan. Family event featuring musical performances and spoken word, dramatic readings, dance and more. Free. waukeganil.gov.
“Dancing with the Stars Live!”: 4 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont. Live performance by the professional dancers of the hit show. $57.50-$123. rosemont.com.
Going Gershwin by Ryan & Ryan: 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Elgin Community College Arts Center, 1700 Spartan Drive, Building H, Elgin. A dynamic father-son piano duo blending classic and contemporary music. $37. eccartscenter.org.
Ragtime Pianist Reginald R. Robinson: 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Evanston History Center, 225 Greenwood St., Evanston. Virtuoso ragtime pianist Reginald R. Robinson, winner of the distinguished MacArthur Award, will play a concert of ragtime classics and original compositions. $40. evanstonhistorycenter.org.
Boy Band Review: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. Boy band tribute show. $35. metropolisarts.com.
Folsom Prison Experience: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, at Rialto Square Theatre, 102 N. Chicago St., Joliet. A high-intensity re-creation of one of Johnny Cash’s most significant days in his musical career. $42.50-$62.50. rialtosquare.com.
“The Puccini Heroines”: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8; 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago. Sondra Radvanovsky will perform leading-lady moments from “Tosca,” “La Bohème,” “Madama Butterfly” and “Turandot,” plus melodies from Puccini’s more rarely performed works. Sung in Italian with projected English titles. Tickets start at $59 Feb. 8, $69 Feb. 13 and 16. lyricopera.org.
Dance Chicago’s “Dances From The Heart”: 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture, 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. Showcasing romantic and transformational works from Dance Chicago’s best performers, featuring an array of dance styles including flamenco, ballet, jazz, comedy dance, musical theater, tap, urban fusion, Irish, classical Indian, hip-hop and more. $19-$49. athenaeumcenter.org.
Sunday, Feb. 9
Farmers Market+ at The Dole: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9, at The Dole, 401 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake. Over 50 farmers, food purveyors and artisans, plus live music from BCU, food trucks, coffee drinks, seasonal and brunch beverages, and a kids’ entrepreneur booth. Free admission. farmersmarketatthedole.org.
Fruteland Jackson: 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9, at the Glenview Public Library, 1930 Glenview Road, Glenview. Blues guitarist and songwriter Fruteland Jackson combines lecture and song to trace the evolution of blues music in American culture — from the Mississippi Delta and Piedmont regions to the Great Migration and the origins of rock ’n’ roll. Free. Register at glenviewpl.org.
Opera in the Afternoon: 3-4:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9, in the Forest View Community Education Center, 2121 S. Goebbert Road, Arlington Heights. The Northwest Symphony Orchestra performs Act III of Puccini’s “La Bohème,” as well as arias and orchestral music from Wagner, Verdi, Gounod and others. $10-$20. northwestsymphony.org.
Pipe Organ Concert with Jeff Neufeld: 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9, at St. Laurence Catholic Church Elgin, 225 Jewett St., Elgin. Pipe organ music from Bach, Buxtehude, Rachmaninoff, Couperin and more played by organist Jeff Neufeld. Freewill offering. stlaurenceelgin.org.
Monday, Feb. 10
Black Author’s Book Fair 2025: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10, at the College of Lake County, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. A book fair featuring the works of Black authors, a keynote speaker and panel discussion at 11 a.m., and a Q&A at noon. Free admission. fytadmynlyfe.com.
“Johnny Mercer: Four-Time Oscar Winner”: 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 10, at the North Shore Senior Center, 161 Northfield Road, Northfield. Charles Troy describes Mercer’s co-founding of Capitol Records in the early 1940s and his four Oscar-winning songs, including the story behind “Moon River.” $15-$20. nssc.org
Tuesday, Feb. 11
In Love with Love: 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11, at the ECC Arts Center, 1700 Spartan Drive, Building H, Elgin. Performance of heartfelt ballads, Broadway hits and beloved pop songs. $32. eccartscenter.org.
Black History: Afro Fusion Dance Workshop: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11, at the College of Lake County, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. With Corey Ratliff, director of ALATS Dance. clcillinois.edu.
Get Lit: Murder Most Heartbroken: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11, at the American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan Ave., second floor, Chicago. A murder-mystery event where sleuths can work together or alone to decipher clues, navigate surprising twists and piece together the truth behind a case of literary intrigue. Includes an array of beverages and a Shatter Your Sorrows station, where guests can decorate a plate to break. Must be 21 or older. $7.50-$25. americanwritersmuseum.org.
Silent Action Comedy Film: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11, at the Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. See the 1925 film “Miss Bluebeard.” $10. arcadalive.com.
The St. Olaf Choir: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11, at Wheaton College, 501 College Ave., Wheaton. Composed of 75 mixed voices, the St. Olaf Choir is hailed as one of the nation’s premier a cappella ensembles. $10-$35. stolaf.edu/tickets/choir.
Wednesday, Feb. 12
“Waitress”: 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, and 1 and 5:30 p.m. Sundays, Feb. 12 through March 30, at the Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. The story of a waitress and expert pie maker trapped in a small town between the life she’s living and the life she wants. $28-$85. paramountaurora.com.
Round Lake Area Community Concert Band Valentine Concert: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, at the Village of Round Lake Beach Cultural & Civic Center, 2007 Civic Center Way, Round Lake Beach. “Be My Valentine” concert. Free. rlapd.org.
Thursday, Feb. 13
The Annual RV Camping & Van Show: Noon to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont. See new 2025 models, visit campground-related booth displays and more. $14 for adults, $4 for kids for one day; $19/$7 multiday pass. chicagorvshow.com.
Cirque du Soleil: “OVO”: 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Feb. 13-14; 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15; and 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, at the Now Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates. Cirque du Soleil performs a high-energy acrobatic look into a day in the life of insects. $55-$159. nowarena.com/events/cirque-du-soleil-ovo.
Colm & Laura Keegan: 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, at the The Mayfair Theatre at the Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox Ave., Chicago. Colm, Laura Keegan and pianist Brian McGrane perform music celebrating their new album, “On The Road Again.” $25-$50. irish-american.org.
Murder Mystery Dinner & Show: 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, at the Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. Interactive murder mystery with Italian food and a cash bar. $65. arcadalive.com.
Hubbard Street Dance Company Winter Series: 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 13-15, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, at the Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph Drive, Chicago. Dances include “Into Being” by FLOCK (Alice Klock and Florian Lochner), “Black Milk” by Ohad Naharin, “IMPASSE” by Johan Inger and the world premiere of “Within the Frame” by James Gregg. $20-$110. hubbardstreetdance.com.
Matthew Broussard: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, and 7 and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 14-15, at the Comedy Vault, 18 E. Wilson St., Batavia. Known for his sharp, self-effacing humor, Broussard has appeared on “The Tonight Show,” “Conan,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and more. $25. comedyvaultbatavia.com.
Ongoing
“Dragons Love Tacos”: 10 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays, through Feb. 22, and other times and dates at Northbrook Theatre, 3323 Walters Ave., Northbrook. A boy and his dog are watching a TV show about dragons when they unexpectedly get caught up in the “Dos and Don’ts” of what to serve dragons to eat. $17. nbparks.org.
Winter Ravinia Farmers Market: 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturdays through April 26 at Wayfarer Theaters, 1850 2nd St., Highland Park. Shop for local food, artisan products and sustainable products. Free. raviniafarmersmarket.com.
Artful Antics Art Exhibition and Sale: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, through Feb. 16, at the Norris Cultural Arts Center, 1040 Dunham Road, St. Charles. Browse the work of 75 artists — including photographic images by celebrated artist Marie Karambis — in this whimsical exhibition. Many works depict animals as imagined, pictured and interpreted. All work is for sale. Free. norrisculturalarts.com.
“Beautiful the Carole King Musical”: 7 p.m. Fridays, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2 and 6 p.m. Sundays, 1:30 p.m. Wednesdays, and 1:30 and 7 p.m. Thursdays, through March 23, at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. The story of Carole King’s meteoric rise to stardom. Tickets start at $69.75. drurylanetheatre.com.
“The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [ABRIDGED]”: 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday, through Feb. 16, at the Oil Lamp Theater, 1723 Glenview Road, Glenview. An irreverent romp that travels at lightning speed through the Bard’s works. Tickets start at $30. oillamptheater.org.
“Fun Home”: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 3 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays, through March 2, at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. The moving story of seeing one’s parents through adult eyes, based on Alison Bechdel’s critically acclaimed graphic novel. $20-$85. PorchlightMusicTheatre.org.
“Glassheart”: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays, through Feb. 23, at the City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago. Chicago premiere of a modern-day reimagining of “Beauty and the Beast” by Chicago-based playwright Reina Hardy. $35, $30 for seniors, $12 for students and military. citylit.org/glassheart.
“Native Gardens”: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays, through March 2, at the McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. A comedy about neighbors crossing boundaries and mending fences. $44, $42 for seniors. atthemac.org.
“The Heart Sellers”: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays, and 1 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, through Feb. 23, in the North Theatre at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. Northlight Theatre presents a play about recent Asian immigrants who reminisce about home and the dream of spreading their wings in America. $35-$59. northlight.org.
“Kid Prince and Pablo”: 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, and 2:30 p.m. Sundays, through Feb. 16, at Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave., Chicago. Hip-hop adaptation of Mark Twain’s “The Prince and the Pauper.” $45. lifelinetheatre.com.
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”: Times vary Wednesday through Sunday, through March 30, at the Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. The beloved musical about Joseph, his father Jacob, 11 brothers and the coat of many colors. Tickets start at $68. marriotttheatre.com.