Best Bets: 'Magical Cirque Christmas' plays Rosemont; 'Elf on a Shelf' comes to Genesee
Seasonal spectacle
Circus acts are choreographed to holiday music in the touring spectacle "A Magical Cirque Christmas" on Saturday at the Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont. $29-$75. $15-$25 parking. (800) 745-3000 or rosemonttheatre.com. 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21
Watchful sprite
Kids should be extra good for the month of December if they want to see the tour of "The Elf on a Shelf: A Christmas Musical" tonight at the Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. $39.50-$99.50. (847) 263-6300 or geneseetheatre.com. 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20
Byrne returns
Comedian Steve Byrne ("Sullivan and Son," "Always Amazing") continues his run of standup shows this weekend at the Improv Comedy Showcase, 5 Woodfield Road, Schaumburg. $22 plus a two-item purchase. (847) 240-2001 or chicago.improv.com. 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20; 7 and 9:15 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21
Country guy
Fans of country music star Brett Eldredge ("Bring You Back," "Illinois") won't want to miss his "GLOW Live Tour" with special guest comedian Barry Rothbart this weekend at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St., Chicago. $39.50-$343.50. (800) 745-3000 or thechicagotheatre.com. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 20 and 21
Fixx is in
The band Fixx ("One Thing Leads To Another," "Red Skies") mixes hits with holiday favorites for "The FIXXmas Tour" tonight at the Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. $29-$49. (630) 962-7000 or arcadalive.com. 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20
Radio days
Travel back to the golden days of American radio theater with "It's a Wonderful Life: Live from the WVL Radio Theatre," a staged version of the beloved 1946 Frank Capra film. It's on Saturday at Elgin Community College's Blizzard Theatre, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. $29. (847) 622-0300 or elgin.edu/arts. 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21
Dickens re-envisioned
Actor and playwright Tom Mula performs "Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol," his acclaimed one-man version of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" on Saturday at Studio5, 1934 Dempster St., Evanston. $20-$25; $15-$20 students. studio5.dance. 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21
British tradition
Kids can shout back at the actors on stage with an interactive version of "A Christmas Carol - A Holiday Pantomime," based upon the British theater tradition, for six performances starting Saturday at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. $20; $6 students. (815) 356-9212 or rauecenter.org. 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21; 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 27 and 28; 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22 and 29