Entertainment

Best bets: Stars on Ice at Allstate March 12

Posted March 07, 2011 10:00 pm

By Scott C. Morgan

Olympic gold medalist and Naperville native Evan Lysacek is set to appear in Smucker's Stars on Ice Saturday at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont.

Skating stars

Olympic medalists Evan Lysacek, Sasha Cohen and Kurt Browning are just a few of the skating athletes and luminaries lighting up the return of Smucker's Stars on Ice at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 12, at the Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont. Tickets cost $25.50-$33. (800) 745-3000 or allstatearena.com.

Israeli spotlight

Before its Windy City engagement from March 17 to 20, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago offers the suburbs a sneak peek of its culturally significant program featuring new works by Israeli choreographers Ohad Naharin and Sharon Eyal at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 11 and 12, at the McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. $40; $38 seniors; $30 kids. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org.

SXSW send off

Cheer on local bands like Joan of Arc, Chaperone, Tiger Bones and more at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, March 12, as they play a hometown gig before heading off to the South By Southwest music and film festival in Austin, Texas, at the daylong 5th Annual SXSW Send Off Party at The Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia Ave., Chicago. $10 (first come, first served). (773) 227-4433 or hideoutchicago.com.

Monster wheels

Ironman, Airdog and the original monster truck Bigfoot, right, are just a few of the famed vehicles featured in Monster Truck National's Thunder Tour, which revs up at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 12, and 1 p.m. Sunday, March 13, at the Sears Centre Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates. $12-$35; $10-$13 youth admission. (888) 732-7784 or searscentre.com.

Irish central

Extend your celebrations of St. Patrick's Day by attending Irish Dance Chicago (Friday, March 11), the St. Patrick's Festival (Saturday, March 12), the panel discussion “A View Into the Irish Economy” (Sunday, March 13) and the day-of-event St. Patrick's Day Celebration, all starting this weekend at the Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox Ave., Chicago. Ticket prices vary depending upon event, but mostly range between $10-$35. (773) 282-7035 or irish-american.org.

Celtic duo

Brian FitzGerald and Martin McCormack comprise the Celtic music duo of Switchback, which provides more than appropriate accompaniment in anticipation of St. Patrick's Day in a 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 15, concert at the Lumber Center for the Performing Arts, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. $26 adults; $24 seniors; $13 kids. (847) 543-2300 or clcillinois.edu/tickets.

A veritable zoo

Watch out Disney! DreamWorks Theatricals is getting into the touring family show market with its screen-to-stage adaptation of “Madagascar Live,” which starts a nine-performance run Wednesday at the Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, March 16-18; and 11 a.m., 2 and 5 p.m. Saturday, and Sunday, March 19 and 20. $22-$60; $118 VIP seats. (800) 745-3000 or rosemonttheatre.com.

A comic punch

If you think Chris Porter was robbed on season four of NBC's “Last Comic Standing” (he finished third), then show your support when the touring comic plays an engagement starting Thursday at The Improv Comedy Showcase, 5 Woodfield Road, Schaumburg. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 17; 8 and 10:15 p.m. Friday, March 18; 7 and 9:15 p.m. Saturday March 19; and 7 p.m. Sunday, March 20. Tickets cost $15-$17. (847) 240-2001 or improv.com.

Sasha Cohen, left, Kurt Browning, Michael Weiss, Benjamin Agosto, Joannie Rochette, David Pelletier, Tanith Belbin, Jamie Salé, Todd Eldredge, Evan Lysacek and Ekaterina Gordeeva are slated to appear in Smuckers Stars on Ice at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont. courtesy of Paul Harvath

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago member Jessica Tong dances in Sharon Eyals Too Beaucoup at the McAninch Arts Center in Glen Ellyn this weekend. Courtesy of Rose Eichenbaum

Dancer Laura Halm performs with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in Glen Ellyn this weekend. Courtesy of Rose Eichenbaum

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago dancers Benjamin Wardell, left, Christian Broomhall and Alejandro Cerrudo share roles in Sharon Eyals Too Beaucoup. Courtesy of Rose Eichenbaum

Bigfoot takes part in the Monster Truck Nationals Saturday and Sunday at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates.

Martin McCormack and Brian FitzGerald comprise the Celtic duo Switchback, which performs at College of Lake County's Lumber Center for the Performing Arts in Grayslake on Tuesday, March 15.

Nigel Jamaal Clark and Rob Marnell star in Madagascar Live at the Rosemont Theatre. courtesy of Carol Rosegg

Madagascar Live plays the Rosemont Theatre. courtesy of Carol Rosegg

Comedian Chris Porter headlines the Improv Comedy Showcase in Schaumburg.

Article Comments

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.