Tony and Grammy nominee and Emmy winner Liz Callaway returns to Chicago with To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim || Saturday, June 14th at The Studebaker Theater

**** Highly Recommended  "Sunny Afternoon" – based on the music of the Kinks, is an absolute blast! Walking into the Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, you’ll feel the excitement and anticipation in the air. Leading with You Really Got Me, they’ll cover the Kinks’ hit songs, including many that were never released here in America – and you’ll be dancing in your seat!  By the way, never, did I ever, think I’d see the ENTIRE audiences at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre on their feet dancing – and they were! 4 BIG Spotlights

The Northwest Indiana Symphony and conductor Kirk Muspratt present two great performances in April: Bass Ensemble, Sunday, April 6 at 2:30pm at the Theatre at the Center, and “Tchaikovsky!” one-night only, Friday, April 25 at 7:30 pm at the Auditorium at Living Hope Church featuring violinist Esme Arias-Kim.

Jeff Award-winning Open Space Arts concludes its exciting second season with powerful staged readings from April 25th – May 10th, and a groundbreaking premiere opening May 23rd || Readings series to include 100 DAYS - eight compelling new 10-minute plays written since the last election, selected from 167 submissions.

Lyric Opera of Chicago receives historic gift from Penelope Steiner || One of the largest individual contributions in company history fuels new era with transformative $25 Million Gift

D-Composed collaborates with Chicago singer-songwriter Jamila Woods for a FREE sound-healing experience fusing music and poetry by Black artists and honoring the Austin community’s resistance || the listening field || Sunday, April 27, 2025, 5-6:30 p.m. at the Kehrein Center for the Arts || The artist’s first public experimentation with sound healing invites audiences to participate by spreading out in the space and sharing experiences in open dialogue

THE DEN THEATRE ANNOUNCES MAY COMEDY SHOWS || Juno Birch, Fern Brady, Guy Branum, Kurt Braunohler, Daphnique Springs, “And Then We…” Podcast, “Love Isn’t Blind” Dating Show, Paula Poundstone, Orny Adams, Caroline Baniewicz, and Tim Meadows to Appear At Wicker Park Comedy Club in May

BALLET 5:8 UNVEILS 2025–26 SEASON: HISTORIC REPERTOIRE AND CONTEMPORARY VOICES

DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND OIL LAMP THEATER’S THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT IS NOW EXTENDED THROUGH APRIL 13th, DIRECTED BY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ELIZABETH MAZUR LEVIN || Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell and Gordon Farrell’s Comedic Play Explores the Battle Between Facts Vs. Truth

**** Highly Recommended  I was kind of surprised when I read that the Copley Theatre was doing "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee".  It’s a sweet, silly, ultimately happy musical about a group of snarky fifth grade misfits competing for a trophy and the chance to go to the national Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.  Although it’s one of my favorites, it’s also a favorite show for community/high school theater groups – which means it’s been a tad overdone.  That said, the Copley’s high-energy production was terrific – definitely out-spelling the competition!  4 Spotlights