Entertainment
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Concerts Jan. 9-15: Bill Murray & his Blood Brothers, Mavis Staples, Alyssa Allgood and moreJan 06, 2026 8:36 am - Upcoming concerts include Bill Murray and his Blood Brothers at Thalia Hall, Mavis Staples at the Chicago Theatre, Alyssa Allgood’s “Leap” Album Release at Evanston’s Space and more.
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Things to do Jan. 9-15: Free days at Shedd, Women’s Jazz Fest, Chicago RV Show and moreJan 06, 2026 6:37 am - Make plans to take advantage of free days at Shedd Aquarium, plus Erica Rhodes’ stand-up comedy at Zanies in Rosemont, the Women’s Jazz Festival at Hey Nonny, the Chicago RV Show in Schaumburg, ice skating and Cocoa Cabanas at Cantigny in Wheaton and more.
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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 cancellations
Jan 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 education
Jan 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 ... 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 Sunday. Here’s what to know.
Jan 05, 2026 10:35 am - The Golden Globes on Sunday are the first major ceremony of the awards season. They’re not exactly an Oscar bellwether, but they’re embraced as a champagne-soaked party with some of the biggest stars in film and television sitting together at tables like a nightclub.