Entertainment Stories from January 5, 2026 (Change date)
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‘Ready to go’: Ambitious Lakewood Forest Preserve improvements entering home stretchJan 05, 2026 7:43 pm - The transformation of the core area of Lake County’s largest forest preserve is expected to be substantially complete by the end of the year.
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‘Wicked’ composer joins growing list of Kennedy Center cancellationsJan 05, 2026 2:59 pm - Stephen Schwartz, the composer of “Wicked,” said Friday to various news outlets that he wouldn’t host a gala featuring the Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center on May 16.
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‘Homeschooled’ recalls a formidable mother and a vexed educationJan 05, 2026 1:01 pm - When the novelist Stefan Merrill Block moved from Indianapolis to Plano, Texas, at age 8, he struggled to fit in. “I try to call it ‘home,’” he recalls in his absorbing new memoir, “Homeschooled,” but “the word feels pasted on with a glue stick.” From fourth through eighth grade, Block was a victim of a 1987 Texas court ruling that legalized home schooling.
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‘The greatest honor’: It feels good to be Jelly Roll. And now, he’s ready to win a Grammy.Jan 05, 2026 12:46 pm - Jelly Roll is catching his breath. It’s not a metaphor. He’s running up a hill in South Texas when he answers The Associated Press’ phone call, part of his ongoing health transformation journey. “Endorphins are flying. I feel great,” he cheers. “It’s time to win a (expletive) Grammy!”
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St. Charles Library concert series hosting DeKalb folk singerJan 05, 2026 12:10 pm - Cora Vasseur, a singer, songwriter and guitarist, will perform beloved hits from the 1950s and '60s at the St. Charles Public Library on Jan. 11.
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Chicago Theatre Week tix on sale TuesdayJan 05, 2026 11:19 am - Discount tickets for Chicago Theatre Week 2026 go on sale Tuesday, Jan. 6 at HotTix.org.
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Haunting romance takes the stage in BrightSide Theatre’s ‘Phantom in Concert’Jan 05, 2026 10:44 am - "Phantom in Concert," a musical based on the novel "The Phantom of the Opera," will be performed by BrightSide Theatre’s cast of 16 and a nine-piece orchestra at North Central College in Naperville from Jan. 9-18.
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The Golden Globes are this week. Here’s what to know.Jan 05, 2026 10:35 am - The Golden Globes return Sunday. The boozy, bubbly kickoff to Hollywood’s awards season will feature nominees including Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael B. Jordan, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and Emma Stone.
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What to expect from CES 2026, the annual show of all things techJan 05, 2026 8:23 am - With the start of the New Year squarely behind us, it's once again time for the annual CES trade show to shine a spotlight on the latest tech that companies plan to offer in 2026.
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What to stream: Kid Laroi, ‘The Pitt’ and ‘Tron: Ares’Jan 05, 2026 5:15 am - The first week of January brings a pair of sophomore efforts: Laroi’s album “Before I Forget” and the second season of the Emmy-winning hospital drama “The Pitt.” This week’s streaming offerings also include the return of “The Night Manager” after nearly a decade.
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