Best Bets: Jeff Award-winner Michael Mahler channels Paul Simon in concert at Marriott Theatre
Salute to Paul Simon
Actor/singer/composer/lyricist and Joseph Jefferson Award-winner Michael Mahler brings his show “Feelin’ Groovy: Michael Mahler Sings Paul Simon” to the Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. Fellow theater artist Devin DeSantis will join Mahler to perform Simon and Garfunkel hits including “The Sound of Silence” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” $65. marriotttheatre.com/shows/special-events. 7 p.m. Monday, March 16, and 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 17
Precious gems
As an institution devoted to showcasing antiques and modern gemstones and earth science exhibits, the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art, 1220 Kensington Road, Oak Brook, is an ideal place to celebrate National Jewel Day. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. $10 adults, $8 seniors, $5 students. (630) 833-1616 or lizzadromuseum.org. Friday, March 13
At the Raue Center
• Singer Tina Naponelli pays homage to Carole King in “Tapestry Unraveled,” a tribute concert featuring such hits as “You’ve Got a Friend,” “I Feel the Earth Move” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. $27.40-$59. (815) 356-9212 or rauecenter.org. 8 p.m. Friday, March 13
• Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, singer/songwriter/harmonica player Derrick Procell and his 10-member band bring their show “An Irish Heartbeat: A Tribute to the Music of Van Morrison” to the Raue Center. The tribute to the Irish troubadour will include hits such as “Gloria,” “Brown-Eyed Girl” and “Moondance.” Tickets start at $53. (815) 356-9212 or rauecenter.org. 7 p.m. Saturday, March 14
Peppa Pig in concert
The North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, hosts the family-friendly “Peppa Pig: My First Concert,” an interactive introduction to a live orchestra featuring music from the show for kids 18 months and older. $48.15-$70.75. (847) 673-6300 or northshorecenter.org. 1 and 4 p.m. Sunday, March 15
‘Lord of the Rings’ in concert
In honor of the 25th anniversary of “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” The Auditorium, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive, Chicago, hosts a screening of the film with the score played live by an orchestra, chorus and soloists. $110.40-$224.40. Auditoriumtheatre.org. 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 13, and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 14
Whiskey tasting
The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois 53, Lisle, teams up with Binny’s Beverage Depot for two winter whiskey tastings for patrons 21 and older. Admission includes live music and a 6-ounce snifter glass. $60, $30 for designated drivers per session. mortonarb.org. 3-5 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Saturday, March 14
Timeless tragedy
For The Lyric Opera of Chicago’s production of Giacomo Puccini’s beloved “Madama Butterfly,” director Matthew Ozawa and an all-female Japanese design team imagine Japan as a “fantasy seen entirely through Western eyes.” The production marks the Lyric debut of soprano Karah Son as the doomed geisha Cio-Cio-San in love with naval officer Lt. B.F. Pinkerton (Evan LeRoy Johnson in his Lyric debut), who abandons her not knowing she’s pregnant with their child. Domingo Hindoyan conducts. Performances take place at 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago. Tickets start at $52. lyricopera.org. Saturday, March 14, through April 12
Improv at the Genesee
Master improviser Colin Mochrie and his “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” co-star Brad Sherwood return to the Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan, with their improv show “Asking for Trouble.” $47.55. (847) 263-6300 or geneseetheatre.com. 7 p.m. Thursday, March 19
St. Patrick’s Day cruise
The Seadog invites guests aboard to experience the longtime tradition of dying the Chicago River green in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. The excursion includes Irish music. Guest can bring their own snacks and beverages. Tickets start at $62. cityexperiences.com/city-cruises. 10 a.m. Saturday, March 14
Dance Crash remount
Chicago Dance Crash, an ensemble that combines street dance, concert dance and physical theater, remounts “LXIV: (six.four),” its 2025 “genre-bending fusion of chess, street dance and strategy” that examines power and hierarchy. Performances take place at the Ann Barzel Theater at Visceral Dance Center, 3121 N. Rockwell St., Chicago. $25 for adults, $15 for kids. ChicagoDanceCrash.com. 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 14-15
Bison pit stop
A trio of larger-than-life bronze bison statues stop briefly at the Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, on their way to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. fieldmuseum.org. On view: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, March 16, and 9-10 a.m. Tuesday, March 17