Theater
In Martyna Majok’s darkly funny immigrant play “Ironbound,” Polish cleaning lady Darja (Lucy Carapetyan) renegotiates for her future with men who can offer her love or security, but never both. Georgette Verdin directs. From Sept. 26-Oct. 27 at Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark. Tickets: $30-$45. Visit raventheatre.com.
David Javerbaum’s comedy “An Act of God” stars Alex Weisman as a world-weary diety who takes a crack at rewriting the Ten Commandments with archangels Michael (Michael Turrentine) and Gabriel (Em Modaff) at his side. Keira Fromm directs. From Oct. 2-Nov. 10 at Paramount’s Copley Theatre, 8 E. Galena, Aurora. Tickets: $40-$55. Visit paramountaurora.com.
Destinos: Chicago International Latino Theater Festival (Oct. 2-Nov. 3), the annual event that showcases theater artists and companies from Chicago, the U.S. and Latin America, includes 22 productions at venues citywide. Among the offerings are Compania Criolla’s psychological drama “El Brote”; Kraken Teatro’s “Desvenar,” which explores the significance of the chile in Mexico; Zahy Tentehar’s one-woman show “Azira’i,” about the author’s relationship with her mother, and much more. For a complete festival list, visit clata.org.
Beethoven’s only opera, “Fidelio,” a story of freedom’s hard-won triumph over oppression, returns to the Lyric Opera for the first time in 20 years. Elza van den Heever stars as fighter Leonore with Russell Thomas as her husband, the political prisoner Florestan. Five performances Sept. 26-Oct. 10 at Lyric Opera, 20 N. Wacker. Tickets: $42+. Visit lyricopera.org.
Chicago Opera Theater presents the North American premiere of “Leonora,” a classical Italian opera composed by Ferdinando Paër with a libretto by Giuseppe Maria Foppa and Giacomo Cinti. It’s based on the same story as Beethoven’s “Fidelio” and is being staged to complement the Lyric Opera production. At 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1 and 4 and 3 p.m. Oct. 6 at Studebaker Theatre, Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan. Tickets: $50+. Visit chicagooperatheater.org.
American Blues Theater remounts Audrey Cefaly’s “The Last Wide Open,” a recent sold-out summer hit about a waitress (Dara Cameron) and a Polish immigrant dishwasher (Michael Mahler) whose lives intersect in mystical ways. It “delivers the kind of emotional punch that pierces the heart,” Catey Sullivan wrote in a four-star review. Gwendolyn Whiteside directs. From Oct. 2-26 at American Blues Theater, 5627 N. Lincoln. Tickets: $30-$45. Visit americanbluestheater.com.
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” features a fresh script by Douglas Carter Beane as well as the composing duo’s lovely songs. From Sept. 26-Oct. 20 at Metropolis Performing Art Centre 111 W. Campbell, Arlington Heights. Tickets: $45, $49. Visit metropolisarts.com.
The Savoyaires present “Iolanthe,” Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta about a band of fairies, the British House of Lords and the half-mortal, half-fairy who’s caught in between. From Sept. 27-Oct. 6 at Chute Auditorium, 1400 Oakton, Evanston. Tickets: $15-$30. Visit savoyaires.org.
Dance
Ballet 5:8 and Chicago A Cappella present “Lamentations,” a collaboration between dancers and singers, which features choreographer Julianna Rubio Slager’s take on “Lamentations of Jeremiah,” two motets by 16th century composer Thomas Tallis. From Sept. 27-Oct. 6 at four Chicago-area locations. Tickets: $20+. For more information, visit ballet58.org or chicagoacappella.org.
Harvest Chicago Contemporary Dance Festival includes performances by Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, Faith Von Atzigen, Giordano II, Jacksonville Dance Theatre, Lucid Banter Project, The Seldoms and more. From Sept. 27-28 at Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn. Tickets: $30-$35. Visit hccdf.com.
Music
The 18th annual Hyde Park Jazz Festival features some 36 performances by acts including Willie Jones III Quintet, Geof Bradfield’s Colossal Abundance, The Wherewithal, Makanda Project with Dee Alexander, Bobby Broom Trio, Victor Garcia Sextet and more. From 1 p.m.-midnight Sept. 28 and 2-7 p.m. Sept. 29 at venues across Hyde Park. Admission: $10 donation. Visit hydeparkjazzfestival.org.
Jeff Lynne’s ELO, now on its final tour with Lynne the lone remaining original member, is known for its epic live show and classic songs such as “Sweet Talkin’ Woman,” “Telephone Line,” “Last Train to London,” “Don’t Bring Me Down,” “Evil Woman” and so many more. At 8 p.m. Sept. 27-28 at United Center, 1901 W. Madison. Tickets: $47+. Visit ticketmaster.com.
Lake Street Dive’s new album, “Good Together,” finds the band highlighting “our shared humanity against the social divisions pulling us apart.” They refer to the new songs as “joyful rebellion.” At 6:30 p.m. Sept. 26-27 at The Salt Shed, 1357 N. Elston. Tickets: $59+. Visit ticketmaster.com.
A new festival, Warm Love Cool Dreams, takes its name from the words of Nelson Algren. The varied lineup includes The Jesus Lizard, Sextile, King Woman, Kelela, Floating Points, Sister Nancy and more. At 3:30 p.m. Sept. 28-29 at The Salt Shed, 1357 N. Elston. Tickets: $49+. Visit ticketmaster.com.
“Robeson” is a new music theater piece exploring the legacy of singer, actor and activist Paul Robeson. Bass-baritone Davóne Tines collaborated with D-Composed, a local chamber music collective, for this Chicago-exclusive version of the piece. At 6 p.m. Oct. 1 at Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph. Tickets: $20. Visit dcomposed.com.
As he winds down his quartet The Chosen Few, saxophonist Isaiah Collier joins with bassist Micah Collier, pianist Julian Davis Reid and drummer James Russell Sims to play their new and final album, “The World Is On Fire,” in its entirety at 8:30 p.m. Sept. 26 at Constellation, 3111 N. Western ($20), and Oct. 10-13 at Jazz Showcase, 806 S. Plymouth Ct. ($20+). Visit constellation-chicago.com and jazzshowcase.com.
Longtime collaborators, British avant-pop, electronic artist Charli XCX and Australian pop singer Troye Sivan, co-headline a tour that also includes rapper Shygirl. At 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30 at United Center, 1901 W. Madison. Tickets: $196+. Visit ticketmaster.com.
Museums
“Haegue Yang: Flat Works” is a retrospective survey featuring two-dimensional works created over the past three decades by the Korean artist predominantly known as a sculptor and installation artist. Included among her mesmerizing “flat” works are paper collages, wallpaper, hardware store collages, lacquer paintings and more. To Dec. 20 at Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario. Admission is free. Visit artsclubchicago.org.
Movies
“Cinema Unbound” is an 11-film retrospective celebrating the great filmmaking partnership of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Films include “The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp,” “A Matter of Life and Death,’ “Black Narcissus,” “The Red Shoes,” “The Small Black Room,” “Peeping Tom” and more. From Oct. 2-17 at Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State. Tickets: $14.50. Visit siskelfilmcenter.org.
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Live in Concert” is a screening of the 2023 animated film accompanied by a range of musicians and instruments (an orchestra, a scratch DJ on turntables, percussion and electronic instruments) performing the film’s score. Shelbie Rassler conducts. At 1 and 7 p.m. Sept. 28 Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph. Tickets: $40-$105. Visit broadwayinchicago.com.
Family Fun
Superstars from the gymnastics world, including Simone Biles, showcase their high-flying, jaw-dropping talents in “Gold Over America,” a pop concert-style spectacle. Other gymnasts include Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Hezly Rivera, Paul Juda, Brody Malone, Fred Richard, Joscelyn Roberson, Shane Wiskus and Yul Moldauer. At 7 p.m. Sept. 29 at United Center, 1901 W. Madison. Tickets: $50+. Visit ticketmaster.com.
“The Grimmest of Tales” is an outdoor walking play featuring the twisted tales of the Brothers Grimm. Recommended for 10 and up. From Sept. 28-Oct. 27 at Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Rt. 53, Lisle. Arboretum admission: $6.95-$16.95; play: $15, $25. Visit mortonarb.org.
Jack O’Lantern World returns with its marvelous display of more than 5,000 hand-carved pumpkins. Plus there’s a pirate ship light show, a friendly ghost, inflatables, glowing mini golf, a pumpkin weigh-off competition and more. From Sept. 27-Oct. 27 at 200 S. Rand, Lake Zurich. Tickets: $14.99-24.99. Visit thejackolanternworld.com.
Family Fall Fest features bounce houses, face painting, a petting zoo, pumpkin painting, balloon sculptures, music, food and more. From 1-5 p.m. Sept. 29 at Parkway Bank Park, 5501 Park Place, Rosemont. Admission is free. Visit parkwaybankpark.com.
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