Best Bets: Historical interpreter channels founding father Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson at the Raue
Scholar and historical interpreter Clay Jenkinson channels founding father Thomas Jefferson during his appearance at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. Jenkinson examines Jefferson’s life, policies and his impact by combining a monologue with a post-performance audience Q&A. Tickets start at $49, $31.50 for RaueNOW members. 815-356-9212 or rauecenter.org. 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17
An entertainment feast
• The North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, hosts Feast A Da Funny, an evening of stand-up comedy inspired by Italian feasts featuring Tammy Pescatelli, Bret Ernst and WGN favorite Pat Tomasulo. $48.15-$59.45. 847-673-6300 or northshorecenter.org. 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16
• Alternative rock band Toad the Wet Sprocket marks the release of its latest record, “Rings: The Acoustic Sessions,” at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. Tickets start at $59. 847-673-6300 or northshorecenter.org. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17
Dance premiere
Pablo Picasso’s early 20th-century painting “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” inspired the latest work by percussionist/composer Tim Daily and The Seldoms, a Chicago dance company known for its multimedia performances rooted in history, science and current events. Daily and The Seldoms premiere the Cubist-inspired “All At Once” — which is accompanied by marimba, drums, cymbals, gongs and smaller percussion instruments — at the Studio5 Performing Arts Center, 1938 Dempster St., Evanston. $39, $18 students, seniors and members of the military. Studio5.dance. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16-17
Chamber concerts
• The chamber orchestra Camerata Chicago opens its season with a program that includes “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” The Sinfonia Concertante for Four Winds by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the premiere of “Fantasy on English Melodies” by local composer Dr. Tony Payne. $50 for adults, $40 for 65 and older, $10 for students, $2 for kids 14 and younger, $75 VIP tickets. 312-799-0916 or cameratachicago.org/. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, at Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut St., Chicago; 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at Armerding Concert Hall, 520 E. Kenilworth Ave., Wheaton; and 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, at the Union Church of Hinsdale, 137 S. Garfield St., Hinsdale
• Flutist Sasha Ishov, bassist Will Yager and soprano Ah Young Hong premiere composer Michael Hersch’s “Philomela Fragments,” a composition inspired by Ovid’s epic poem “Metamorphoses.” The concert, which also includes compositions by Carlos Bandera and Alexa Rinn, is part of the sounding/BODY series at the International Museum of Surgical Science, 1524 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. $15, $10 students. imss.org/. 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16
• To open its 2026-2027 season, Chicago Opera Theater invites audiences to take a trip “On the Wilde Side” at a concert celebrating a century of music inspired by the works of Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde including “Salomé” and “The Picture of Dorian Gray” among others. The performance takes place at the Studebaker Theater, 410 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. $50. chicagooperatheater.org. 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18
Woodstock’s haunted trail
Visitors to Woodstock’s Haunted Trail this year can opt for family-friendly frights or more adult scares. The Candy Walk for kids includes trick-or-treating from 3-6 p.m. The Zombie Walk for adults takes place from 7-10 p.m. The trail is at 900 W. South St., Woodstock. Free, but donations are accepted. WoodstockIL.gov. 3-10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17
Dance Theatre of Harlem returns
The celebrated Dance Theatre of Harlem returns after a decade to perform at The Auditorium, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive, Chicago. Ensemble members will perform DTH’s signature “Firebird,” the 1982 ballet choreographed by John Taras that’s set to Igor Stravinsky’s composition. The program also includes “Donizetti Variations,” set to Gaetano Donizetti’s opera “Don Sebastian” and choreographed by George Balanchine, and “Return,” set to music by James Brown and Aretha Franklin and choreographed by artistic director Robert Garland. $44-$154. 312-341-2300 or auditoriumtheatre.org. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17
Funny females take center stage
More than 50 women and female-identifying comedians converge on the Comedy Plex, 1128 Lake St., Oak Park, for the Funny is Female Comedy Festival. “Funny Is Female is about much more than putting women on stage,” said Angie McMahon, the festival’s artistic director, in a prepared statement. “We want to create a place where women can meet each other, support each other, learn from one another and build connections that continue long after the festival is over.” In addition to stand-up performances, the festival consists of workshops, panel discussions and networking events. $10-$50. 708-665-7539 or comedyplex.com. Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 22-25