Entertainment

Weekend picks: Jimmie Walker brings good times to Comedy Shrine

Posted April 18, 2015 6:15 am

By Laura Milbrath Stewart and Scott C. Morgan

Jimmie Walker from the 1970s series “Good Times” performs at the Comedy Shrine in Aurora on Friday and Saturday, April 17 and 18. Associated Press

Good Times

See “Good Times” TV sitcom star Jimmie “J.J.” Walker go beyond his “Dy-no-mite” catch phrase when he performs standup comedy this weekend at the Comedy Shrine, 4034 Fox Valley Center Drive, Aurora. $25 plus a two-drink minimum. (630) 585-0300 or comedyshrine.com. 8 p.m. Saturday, April 18

Coin show

See rare coins and collectible paper money at more than 250 booths with exhibitors from 40 states at the Central States Numismatic Society's 76th Anniversary Convention at the Schaumburg Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center, 1551 N. Thoreau Drive, Schaumburg. Free admission. centralstates.info. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 25

Indoor & outdoor decor

Get ideas and do some shopping for your home at the Antiques, Garden & Design Show this weekend at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. $18 one-day ticket; $20 three-day pass. (847) 835-5440 or chicagobotanic.org. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 18-19

Fabulous Frogs!

Learn to identify various frogs from their songs and physical characteristics at the naturalist-guided Fabulous Frogs! hike at the Creek Bend Nature Center, 37W700 Dean St., St. Charles. Participants should be prepared to get muddy and wet. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Free, but registration is required. (630) 444-3190 or email programs@kaneforest.com. 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 18

Outdoor Story Time

Put on your walking shoes for this story time: A storyteller from Lake County's Cook Memorial Public Library District will lead a half-mile walk during the Outdoor Story Time program at Capt. Daniel Wright Woods, St. Mary's Road at Everett Road, Libertyville. The group will stop along the trail for stories and poems. Park in the lot nearest to the entrance. To register, call (847) 362-2330 or see webres.cooklib.org. 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 18

Monster mash

Beloved furry monsters come to life on stage with the touring show “Sesame Street Live: Let's Dance,” which plays this weekend at the Sears Centre Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates. $18-$78. (888) 732-7784 or searscentre.com. 10:30 a.m., 2 and 5:30 p.m. Saturday, April 18; 1 and 4:30 p.m. Sunday, April 19

Mirth by Mitch

Catch up with rising comedian Mitch Fatel and his mixture of mischievous dialogue and off-color comments starting Thursday at the Improv Comedy Showcase at Woodfield Mall, 5 Woodfield Road, Schaumburg. $19 plus a two menu-item purchase. (847) 240-2001 or improv.com. 7 and 9:15 p.m. Saturday, April 18; 7 p.m. Sunday, April 19

Funny pants

Comedian Sarah Colonna promotes her book “Has Anyone Seen My Pants?” via a standup comedy tour locally starting Thursday at two Zanies locations: Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles, (630) 584-6300; then at MB Financial Park, 5437 Park Place, Rosemont, (847) 813-0484. $25 plus a two menu-item purchase. zanies.com. 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, April 18, in Rosemont

Flea, Craft & Thrift

Browse through and shop for handcrafted goods, collectibles, antiques, thrift-store items and baked goods at the two-day Flea, Craft & Thrift Extravaganza in Glenbard South High School's Field House, 23W200 Butterfield Road, Glen Ellyn. Free admission. gsboosters.com. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 18-19

Folk duo

Hear how Amanda Walther's soprano voice blends with the alto sound of Sheila Carabine as the folk duo Dala, which returns this Saturday for a concert at Elgin Community College's Blizzard Theatre, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. $30. (847) 622-0300 or elgin.edu/arts. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 18

Byrd and Barris

Folk singers and songwriters Jonathan Byrd and Sally Barris team up for a concert at the Maple Street Chapel, 220 S. Main St., Lombard. Musician Johnny Waken will join them on the saw and mandolin. $15. (630) 627-0171 or maplestreetchapel.org. Tickets may be purchased at the door with cash or check. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 18; doors open at 7 p.m.

Steve Winwood

Steve Winwood may not be as ubiquitous as he once was on the airwaves here, but he's still rolling with it with new albums and performances. The British import — who made a career out of populating '80s mix tapes with songs about the finer things, the high life and a gal named Valerie — brings his award-winning catalog to the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St., Chicago, for a night of guitar rock. Tickets start at $32.50. (312) 462-6300 or thechicagotheatre.com. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 18

'Fiddler' fiddler

Violinist David Taylor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is the guest soloist for the New Philharmonic concerts “Back to Bock,” which prominently feature cadenzas from “Fiddler on the Roof” and Vaughan-Williams' “The Lark Ascending” this weekend at Belushi Performance Hall in College of DuPage's McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. $46. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org. 8 p.m. Saturday, April 18; 3 p.m. Sunday, April 19

Amanda Walther and Sheila Carabine are the duo Dala. The two return to perform at Elgin Community College on Saturday, April 18.

See Elmo and his furry friends in "Sesame Street Live: Let's Dance!" at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates.

Courtesy of Sally BarrisFolk singer and songwriter Sally Barris, pictured, headlines with fellow folk artist Jonathan Byrd at the Maple Street Chapel in Lombard.

Comedian Mitch Fatel performs at the Improv Comedy Showcase in Schaumburg.

Comedian Sarah Colonna performs at Zanies locations in Chicago, Rosemont and St. Charles.

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