Best Bets: Six Flags opens new thrill ride Friday
Six Flags’ new thriller
The debut of Wrath of Rakshasa, a new ride reported to have the world’s steepest and most inverted dive, marks the opening of Six Flags Great America’s 2025 season. Special events this year include the Independence Day celebration Star Spangled Nights; Viva La Fiesta, a celebration of Latin culture; and Boo Fest, Fright Fest and Oktoberfest in the fall. Great America is at 1 Great America Parkway, Gurnee. Season passes start at $69, daily tickets start at $45. sixflags.com/greatamerica. Opening day: 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, April 18. Various hours on weekends and select days through May 20, then open daily through Aug. 21, and then weekends and select days through Nov. 2
Cirque Italia extravaganza
Cirque Italia brings its 1950s-inspired extravaganza featuring aerial artists, jugglers, contortionists, clowns and tightrope walkers to the Chicago Premium Outlets parking lot, 1650 Premium Outlet Blvd., Aurora. $10-$50. cirqueitalia.com. 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 18; 1:30, 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 19; 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. Sunday, April 20; and 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 21
Doo Wop at the MAC
The Doo Wop Project — consisting of veterans of the Broadway productions of “Jersey Boys,” “Motown: The Musical,” “Hairspray,” “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” and others — headlines the McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. The 90-minute show includes doo wop classics such as “Blue Moon,” “My Girl,” “So Much in Love” and “Sherry,” along with “doowopified” versions of contemporary tunes by Pharell Williams, Chris Stapleton and Taylor Swift. $46-$56. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 19
Kishi Bashi and the Chicago Philharmonic
Multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Kishi Bashi, a Seattle native whose music combines pop, folk and classical, joins the Chicago Philharmonic to perform orchestral arrangements of selections from Bashi’s latest album, “Kantos,” at The Auditorium, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive, Chicago. Tickets start at $59. (312) 341-2300 or auditoriumtheatre.org. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 19
An evening with Itzhak
Beloved virtuoso violinist, conductor and educator Itzhak Perlman, the Grammy and Emmy Award-winning artist whose career has spanned more than 60 years, shares stories from his life and performs some of his favorite selections as part of “An Evening With Itzhak Perlman” at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St., Chicago. He will be accompanied by pianist Rohan DeSilva. $56.50-$176.50. msg.com/the-chicago-theatre. 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 21
Expo Chicago returns
The annual Expo Chicago, showcasing local and international artists’ installations, talks and public art initiatives, returns to Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. See “Override: A Billboard Project,” a citywide public art display consisting of more than 100 digital billboards and panels in Chicago’s central business district, and “Uri: We, Us, Our,” which consists of large-scale works throughout the Festival Hall by artists working in duos and cooperatives. expochicago.com. Thursday through Sunday, April 24-27
‘Art of the Parks’
“Art of the Parks: Paintings of the National Parks” continues at the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. The exhibition showcases more than 25 paintings inspired by the historic landscapes and locations within America’s national parks. Free. (847) 895-3600. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday through May 2, with select evening and weekend hours