What’s New

Welcome to our highlights for concerts, festivals and live music in Chicago. From free shows at Millennium Park to large festivals like Ravinia and Lollapalooza, and intimate shows at small local venues, our guide has all the latest music entertainment. Bookmark this page and check back for updates on concerts and events.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Maestro Riccardo Muti conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 2017.(C) Todd Rosenberg Photography

WHAT: Ricardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra reunite for their first concerts since February 2020 with a series of three performances in a fall residency. The opening program (Sept. 23-25) features music by Joseph Bologne-Chevalier de Saint-George and Florence Price as well as Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 3 (Eroica).” Violinist Leonidas Kavakos joins Muti and the orchestra for Brahms “Violin Concerto in D Major” plus the orchestra performs “Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 (Sept. 30-Oct. 2). The final fall program (Oct. 7-9) features the CSO’s first performance of Missy Mazzoli’s 2006 work “These Worlds in Us” plus pieces by Anatoly Liadov and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

WHERE: CSO at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan.

TICKETS: $38-$260.

VISIT: For updated information regarding the CSO’s Covid 19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit cso.org.

Berwyn Blues Festival

Black Joe Lewis Connor Beitel Photo

WHAT: The inaugural Berwyn Blues Festival kicks off Sept. 24-26 at FitzGerald’s, 6615 W. Roosevelt Rd. The lineup includes Shemekia Copeland, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, Thornetta Davis, Cedric Burnside, Jackie Venson, Toronzo Cannon & the Chicago Way, Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials, Joanna Connor Band, Bette Smith, Honey Island Swamp Band and more.

TICKETS: $50/day.

VISIT: For updated information regarding the festival’s Covid 19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.

Hyde Park Jazz Festival

Makaya McCraven David Marques

WHAT: The Hyde Park Jazz Festival returns with mostly outdoor performances. Festival highlights include the debut of local drummer and band leader Makaya McCraven’s new piece commissioned by the festival plus sets by Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Dee Alexander & the Metropolitan Jazz Octet, The New String Trio featuring Regina Carter, Junius Paul and Tomeka Reid, Juan Pastor’s Chinchano with Miguel Zenon, Micah Collier Trio and more.

WHEN: From 1-10 p.m. Sept. 25 and noon-7 p.m. Sept. 26 around Hyde Park.

TICKETS: Admission is free.

VISIT: For updated information regarding the festival’s Covid 19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit hydeparkjazzfestival.org.

Heartless Bastards

Heartless Bastards frontwoman Erika Wennerstrom.Photo by Aaron Conway

WHAT: Heartless Bastards tour behind the new album “A Beautiful Life,” which features new songs by frontwoman Erika Wennerstrom whose lilting melodies and driving beats enforce lyrics that outline her vision of the challenges faced living in today’s complex world. “It’s so easy to get caught up in the material goals that are prioritized by our society and the every-man-for-himself mentality of late-stage capitalism,” Wennerstrom says. “That way of thinking presents a false idea of what a beautiful life is, and I think it’s so important that we as individuals all ask ourselves what it truly means to have a beautiful life.”

WHEN: At 9 p.m. Sept. 24

WHERE: Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln

TICKETS: $30.

VISIT: For updated information regarding the venue’s Covid 19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit lh-st.com.

‘Songs for Nobodies’

Bethany Thomas in “Songs for Nobodies.” Photo by Michael Brosilow

WHAT: “Songs for Nobodies” is Joanna Murray-Smith’s one-woman tour-de-force that celebrates the iconic work of Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Billie Holiday, Edith Piaf and Maria Callas. Bethany Thomas stars in the story of the unexpected encounters between these divas and the ordinary women whose lives they changed. Rob Lindley directs.

WHEN: From Sept. 23-Oct. 31

WHERE: Northlight Theatre at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie.

TICKETS: $30-$89.

VISIT: For updated information regarding the theater’s Covid 19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit northlight.org.

Ear Taxi Festival

Matt UlerySally Blood Photo

WHAT: The Ear Taxi Festival with its spotlight on new and experimental music begins with a Spotlight Series from Sept. 16-29 followed by a Mainstage Series Sept. 30-Oct. 4. The opening weekend is packed full of performances: rhythm is image (Sept. 16), Matt Ulery’s Mannerisst 11 (Sept. 17), Quijote Duo (Sept. 18), Kosmologia (Sept. 18-19), Fifth House Ensemble (Sept. 19), Fourth Coast Ensemble (Sept. 19) and Koeun Grace Lee (Sept. 19).

TICKETS/INFO: Prices and locations vary. For a complete schedule and updated information regarding the festival’s Covid 19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit eartaxifestival.com.

‘Feelin’ Groovy Series’ at The Hideout

WHAT: As part of the city’s Chicago in Tune Festival, The Hideout’s “Feelin’ Groovy” series features conversations with key figures from Chicago independent record labels and live sets of music from musicians that span genres and generations. Upcoming are Cedille Records president Jim Ginsburg with Black Oak Ensemble (Sept. 13), Thrill Jockey founder Bettina Richards with Thalia Zedek Band (Sept. 15), Teklife co-founders of Ashes57 and DJ Spinn with a performance by DJ Spinn (Sept. 16), Sooper Records co-founder Nnamdi with Sen Morimoto, Drag City director of sales Rian Murphy with Lama Lobsang Palden and Jim Becker (Sept. 22) and Sonorama Discos co-founder Marlowe Baca with Dos Santos (Oct. 1).

WHEN/WHERE: All are at 6 p.m. outdoor at The Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia.

TICKETS: Admission is free. For vaccination and/or mask policies, visit hideoutchicago.com.

Ifetayo Ali-Landing(C) Earl E. Gibson III

World Music Wednesday

Bomba con Buya Amy Young Photo

WHAT: The Old Town School of Folk Music’s weekly showcase of world music and dance, returns beginning Sept. 1 with Jazz a la Mexicana, a concert featuring traditional and folkloric Mexican music mixed with jazz. A celebration of Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center’s 50th anniversary follows on Sept. 8 with performances of Puerto Rican bomba music by Bomba con Buya and Mancha E’ Platano. The current roster of concerts runs through Dec. 1.

WHERE: Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln

Admission is free, a $10 suggested donation is appreciated. For updated information regarding the venue’s Covid 19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit oldtownschool.org.

Chris Foreman Courtesy Origin Records

Chris Foreman at the Green Mill

What: The Green Mill has reopened and that means the return of Chris Foreman, a Friday night fixture at the popular jazz club. Foreman, a jazz organist blind since birth, is a master on the Hammond B3 and regarded as Chicago’s best. His playing is a blend of blues-gospel and jazz honed in his professional experience, which has included work with Hank Crawford, Albert Collins, Bernard Purdie, The Deep Blue Organ Trio and The Mighty Blue Kings.

When: 5-7:30 p.m. Fridays

Where: The Green Mill, 4802 N. Broadway

Cost: No cover charge

Visit greenmilljazz.com

Ravinia Festival

What: The Ravinia Festival, the oldest outdoor music festival in the country, returns with reduced capacity. As usual, the lineup is a varied slate of music from classical to pop, jazz and rock. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra returns for a six-week run with conductor Marin Alsop leading seven concerts in her first season as Ravinia’s chief conductor. Also on the roster are: Garrick Ohlsson, Cynthia Erivo, Counting Crows, Kurt Elling, Brian McKnight, John Hiatt and the Jerry Douglas Band, The Roots, John Legend, Madeleine Peyroux, Midori, Joshua Bell, Pinchas Zukerman, the Chicago Sinfonietta and the Joffrey Ballet.

When: July 1-Sept. 26

Where: Highland Park

Tickets: prices vary

Visit: ravinia.org.

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On the day he was named the Bears’ starting quarterback, 22-year-old Justin Fields acted like he’d been here before, even though he had not. It seemed like a bigger day for everyone else than it was for him.

“I think I’m ready. I’ve been preparing for this moment for a long time,” the rookie from Ohio State said after learning he would start in place of injured Andy Dalton against the Browns on Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.

“My mindset doesn’t change. I’m still going to have to play my football and prepare the best I can — get a lot of practice reps and study, study, study and get more comfortable and confident with the plays and stuff like that.”

While it might have been a red-letter day for Bears fans desperate for a franchise quarterback, Fields the epitome of calm Wednesday — unmoved by the moment and focused on the task at hand. Whatever emotion he was feeling, he channelled inward and out of sight.

Fields said he was “even-keeled” when coach Matt Nagy gave him the news. “I think I had a good idea that I might start, so I wasn’t really surprised by it,” he said. “Just kind of focused and trying to get prepared for Sunday.

Nagy said Fields was “stoic” upon learning he was starting — and wasn’t expecting a happy dance. “He’s a guy that has a lot of confidence in himself, in a good way,” Nagy said. “It rubs off onto his teammates, to his coaches. You feel it. You understand it. You appreciate it.”

That mindset is part of the journey Fields took to get here.

“I used to not be this way,” Fields said. “I definitely learned from past experiences — past first starts. I still remember my first start in high school, I was as nervous as can be. I think being more this way — just being stoic and even-keeled — just keeps my mind calm and allows me to think more.”

He said his Bears teammates have helped instill that comfort level. “Just practicing with them every day,” Fields said. “I think they have a lot of trust in me. Them having my back and having confidence in me that I’m gonna go out there and execute — that’s kind of kept me comfortable and kept me poised and confident.”

All those qualities — the focus, confidence, stoicism and ability to channel his emotions — will come in handy Sunday. It doesn’t figure to be an easy task on the road, commanding a wobbly offense still getting its feet on the ground, against a Browns defense that, while vulnerable, still has two game-wrecking pass rushers in defensive ends Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney.

But after coming in cold against the Bengals last week, Fields will have the advantage of a full week of first-team reps in practice and a better grasp of the offensive game plan.

“It’s definitely going to help me,” Fields said. “More than last week, of course, getting reps with the offense instead of just working with the scout [team] offense. It’s definitely going to have me more prepared this week, and I’m excited.”

That’s about as emotional as Field would get on this day. But he acknowledged the journey that got him here. Three years ago he was on the bench at Georgia behind starter Jake Fromm. On Sunday he’ll be an NFL starter. Who knows where it goes from here?

“It means a lot,” he said. “If you told me seven, eight years ago that I’d be in this position, I probably wouldn’t believe you. But as time went along, I got more comfortable and I guess my goals kind of got bigger and bigger. Around this time last year, I had an idea I could be in this position right now, so actually seeing myself in this position, being able to start on Sunday, it’s amazing.”

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NEW YORK — R. Kelly got away with sexually abusing underage victims for more than two decades by ruling his inner circle enablers with an iron fist, a prosecutor told jurors on Wednesday at the R&B singer’s sex-trafficking trial.

“The defendant set rules, lots of them, and he demanded complete obedience,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Geddes said during closing arguments in federal court in Brooklyn.

That meant “for many years what happened in the defendant’s world stayed in the defendant’s world,” Geddes added. “But no longer.”

Among the secrets was Kelly’s 1994 marriage to the up-and-coming singer Aaliyah when she was 15, the prosecutor said. Only a few days later, the defendant “didn’t skip a beat” by allegedly sexually assaulting a 17-year-old in his dressing room after a concert in Miami, she said.

The government had accused Kelly in opening statements last month of organizing a network of assistants, bodyguards and others at his disposal “to target, groom and exploit girls, boys and young women for his own sexual gratification.” Six weeks of testimony from more than 45 witnesses and other evidence proved “he did just that,” Geddes said.

The start of the government’s summation — to continue on Thursday — came after Kelly told U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly that he won’t take the witness stand, allowing him to avoid the risk of a potentially brutal cross-examination.

“You don’t want to testify, correct?” Donnelly asked Kelly. He responded: “Yes, ma’am.”

The defense completed a short case on Wednesday that relied on a handful of former Kelly employees and other associates who agreed to take the stand to try to discredit allegations

Most of the defense witnesses said they never saw Kelly abuse anyone. One even said Kelly was “chivalrous” to his girlfriends. Another admitted he owed Kelly for his break in music business and wanted to see him beat the charges.

By contrast, prosecutors have called dozens of witnesses since the trial began in federal court in Brooklyn on Aug. 18. They included several female and two male accusers who testified that once they were in Kelly’s web, he groomed them for unwanted sex and psychological torment, mostly when they were teenagers. Their accounts were supported at least in part by other former Kelly employees, whose own testimony suggested they were essentially paid off to look the other way or enable the recording artist.

Jurors have heard evidence about a fraud marriage scheme hatched to protect Kelly after he feared he had impregnated Aaliyah. A marriage license that was put into evidence falsely listed her age as 18; he was 27 at the time.

Aaliyah, whose full name was Aaliyah Dana Haughton, worked with Kelly, who wrote and produced her 1994 debut album, “Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number.” She died in a plane crash in 2001 at age 22.

The 54-year-old Kelly, perhaps best known for the 1996 smash hit “I Believe I Can Fly, ” has pleaded not guilty to racketeering charges. He’s also charged with that multiple violations of the Mann Act, which makes it illegal to transport anyone across state lines “for any immoral purpose.”

The defendant has vehemently denied the allegations, claiming that the accusers were groupies who wanted to take advantage of his fame and fortune until the #MeToo movement turned them against him.

Meanwhile, a judge at a hearing Wednesday in Chicago said that a criminal case there against Kelly will remain on hold until the New York trial is over.

___

Associated Press writer Michael Tarm in Chicago contributed to this report.

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Welcome to our highlights of events and entertainment on stage at Chicago’s theaters. From local productions to Broadway hits, our guide has the latest on shows in the city. Bookmark this page and check back for updates and ticket information.

Destinos: Chicago International Latino Theater Festival

WHAT: Destinos: Chicago International Latino Theater Festival returns Sept. 23-Oct. 17 with its always diverse roster featuring works from Chicago and around the world. The performances, in addition to the Goodman Theatre’s staging of “American Mariachi,” performed at a various venues are Lagartijas Tirades al Sol’s “Tijuana” (Sept. 23-26), which asks the question: What does democracy mean in Mexico today?; Teatro Tariakuri’s “La manera como luces esta noche” (Sept. 25-Oct., 17), a comedic fairy tale about a princess and the commoner who loves her; Combat Hippies’ “AMAL” (Sept. 30-Oct. 3), an examination of the impact of war; Casa de Teatro’s “Mal de Amores” (Oct. 8-10), a fusion of storytelling and song as an old man tells love stories and a woman sings boleros, baladas and rancheras; Urban Theater Company’s “Brujaja” (Oct. 9-10), which pairs theater, dance and drumming; Teatro Vista’s “Futurology presents: The Fifth World” (Oct. 10-11), a new serial audio play about a true crime producer who is entangled in myth’s as old as the world; Vision Latino Theatre’s “Y tu abuela, where is she?” (Oct. 11-24), about an interracial couple seeking to modify the genes of their unborn children; Agus, Sol y Sereno’s “Corazon de Papel” (Oct. 14-17), a depiction of post-Hurricane Puerto Rico told through puppetry; Aguijon Theater’s “La Gran Tirana: Descarga dramatica” (Oct. 15-Nov. 21), a new work inspired by La Lupe, the Queen of Latin Soul.

VISIT: For more information on the festival and updated information regarding the Covid 19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit clata.org.

Peacebook Festival

Karen OlivoPhoto by Madison Uphoff

WHAT: Collaboraction’s Peacebook Festival offers different perspectives on peace via films and solo performances including one by Tony Award-winner Karen Olivo (“West Side Story”). At 5:30 p.m. Sept. 25 (Kennedy-King College, 740 W. 63rd): Carla Stillwell’s “Oh, Colonizers,” a satirical film which connects the dots between capitalism and the Jan. 6 insurrection; “Encounter Englewood,” videos showcasing the life and vibrancy of Englewood and short solo works performed by Ameena Matthews, Banks Performance Project, E’mon Lauren, John Johnson, Loretta “Firekeeper” Hawkins, Mica Cole and Teh’Ray “Phenom” Hale Sr. At 5:30 p.m. Oct. 2 (Kehrein Center for the Arts, 5628 W. Washington): a screening of “Oh, Colonizers” and solo performances by Abad Viquez, Ada Cheng, Anthony Wolf, David Flores, Karen Olivo, Marvin Tate and Molly Brennan.

TICKETS: $5-$35

VISTI: For updated information regarding the festival’s Covid 19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit collaboraction.org.

‘Songs for a New World’

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre’s season begins with Jason Robert Brown’s “Songs for a New World.” Pictured in rehearsal are Emily Goldberg (from left), Matthew Hunter, Averis I. Anderson and Nora Navarro.Courtesy of Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

WHAT: Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre’s season begins with Jason Robert Brown’s “Songs for a New World,” which tells the stories of people facing a variety of life-changing crisis and features a score that blends pop, gospel and jazz.

WHEN: From Sept. 24-Oct. 24

WHERE: Howard Street Theatre, 721 Howard, Evanston

TICKETS: $42-$54

VISTI: For updated information regarding the theater’s Covid 19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit theo-u.com.

‘Last Night in Karaoke Town’

Factory Theater presents “Last Night in Karaoke Town.”Michael Courier

WHAT: Factory Theater restages “Last Night in Karaoke Town,” Mike Beyer and Kirk Pynchon’s comedy set in one of Cleveland’s oldest karaoke bars that may have to close its doors when the new owner announces he wants to change it into a cider bar. Directed by Kim Boler.

WHEN: From Sept. 24-Nov. 6

WHERE: The Factory Theater, 1623 W. Howard

TICKETS: $10-$25.

VISIT: For updated information regarding the theater’s Covid 19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit thefactorytheater.com.

Steppenwolf: Tracy Letts

WHAT: Here’s a trio of treats from playwright Tracy Letts. Leading up to the Steppenwolf Theatre restaging of his play “Bug” in November, the company is streaming three short plays which Letts says, “share at least one thread: a world off-kilter… they feel very much like stories for 2021.” Rainn Wilson performs the monologue “Night Safari,” which poses questions about animal behavior and human biology; William Petersen, Karen Rodriguez and Mike Nussbaum voice the puppets in “The Old Country,” in which two men in a diner wax nostalgic; and Letts performs “The Stretch,” a monologue about a horse race that is not what it seems. Patrick Zakem directs the first two and outgoing artistic director Anna D. Shapiro directs the third.

WHEN: Streams from Sept. 29-Oct. 24

TICKETS: $20

VISIT: steppenwolf.org.

Lyric Opera: ‘The Elixir of Love’

WHAT: The Lyric Opera presents Donizetti’s “The Elixir of Love,” a classic of the bel canto repertoire. The heartwarming comedy, directed by Daniel Slater, is the story of a naive waiter Nemorino (tenor Charles Castronovo) who pines for the flirtatious Adina (soprano Ailyn Perez) who also happens to be his boss.

WHEN: From Sept. 26-Oct. 8

WHERE: The Lyric Opera, 20 N. Wacker.

TICKETS: $39+

VISIT: For updated information regarding the Lyric’s Covid 19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit lyricopera.org.

‘American Mariachi’

WHAT: Jose Cruz Gonzalez’s “American Mariachi” is the story of a young woman, Luca (Tiffany Solano), who spends her days caring for her ailing mother, Amalia (Gigi Cervantes), but longs to shake up her life. When the mariachi songs on a forgotten album spark her mother’s memory, she sets out to create an all-female mariachi band, an unheard of idea in the 1970s, the time in which the play is set. It’s a “funny, tender-hearted story about family, tradition and memory,” says director Henry Godinez. The cast includes an ensemble of musicians from the Grammy-nominated group Sones de Mexico.

WHEN: From Sept. 18-Oct. 24

GOODMAN THEARE: Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn

TICKETS: $25+

INFO: For updated information regarding the theater’s Covid 19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit goodmantheatre.org.

Lyric Opera — ‘Macbeth’

WHAT: The Lyric Opera’s 67th season begins with “Macbeth,” the inaugural production of music director Enrique Mazzola. The new production of Verdi’s opera from Scottish director Sir David McVicar is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, a portrait of a power-hungry couple and their bloody ascent to the throne of Scotland. Roman Burdenko portrays Macbeth with Sondra Radvanovsky as Lady Macbeth. Sung in Italian with projected English subtitles.

WHEN: From Sept. 17-Oct. 9

WHERE: Lyric Opera, 20 N. Wacker

TICKETS: $39+

INFO: For updated information regarding the Lyric’s Covid 19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit lyricopera.org.

‘The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes, Vol. 5 — Sex!’

Ed Jones (from left), Grant Drager and David Cerda with (bottom, right) Ryan Oates in “The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes, Vol. 5-Sex!” Rick Aguilar Studios

WHAT: Hell in a Handbag Productions long-running parody series continues with “The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes, Vol. 5 — Sex!,” in which Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia explore their naughty side. Original cast members — David Cerda, Grant Drager, Ed Jones and Ryan Oates — star as the Geriatric Fab Four. Written by Cerda and directed by Madison Smith.

WHEN: From Sept. 16-Oct. 23

WHERE: Leather Archives & Museum, 6418 N. Greenview

TICKETS: $27-$45.

INFO: For updated information regarding the theater’s Covid 19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit handbagproductions.org.

‘Forever Plaid’

WHAT: Drury Lane Theatre returns with “Forever Plaid,” Stuart Ross and James Raitt’s musical revue packed with hit tunes from the 1950s. Paul Stancato directs.

WHEN: From Sept. 17-Nov. 7

WHERE: Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace

TICKETS: $59-$72.

INFO: For updated information regarding the theater’s Covid 19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit drurylanetheatre.com.

The Neo-Futurists

“The Infinite Wrench” by the Neo-FuturistsJoe Mazza

WHAT: The Neo-Futurists kick off their season with the return of the late-night show “The Infinite Wrench,” in which the ensemble attempts to perform 30 plays in 60 minutes.

WHEN: Ongoing performances are at 7 p.m. Sundays

WHERE: Neo-Futurists, 5153 N. Ashland

TICKETS: $10

INFO: For updated information regarding the theater’s Covid 19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit neofuturists.org.

‘Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992’

Jazzma Pryor in “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992.”Courtesy of Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre

WHAT: Jazzma Pryor stars in Anna Deavere Smith’s tour-de-force solo show “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992.” In it she portrays nearly four dozen people who were connected either directly or indirectly to the 1992 Los Angeles riots that erupted after the trial and acquittal of the police officers accused of assaulting Rodney King. The playwright shaped the piece from interviews that she conducted while researching the play. Tim Rhoze directs.

WHEN: From Sept. 11-26

WHERE: Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre at Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes, Evanston

TICKETS: $25. For vaccination and/or mask policies, visit fjtheatre.com.

‘The World Goes Round’

Kevin Earley (from left), Allison E. Blackwell, Meghan Murphy, Joseph Anthony Byrd, Amanda Rose are featured in “The World Goes Round” at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire. @BrandonDahlquistPhotography

WHAT: The songs of musical theater team John Kander and Fred Ebb are the centerpiece of the revue “The World Goes Round.” The hit parade of songs includes selections from “Cabaret,” “New York, New York,” “All That Jazz,” “Funny Lady,” “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” “Maybe This Time” and more. The cast features Allison E. Blackwell, Joseph Anthony Byrd, Kevin Earley, Meghan Murphy and Amanda Rose; Marcia Milgrom Dodge directs and choreographs.

WHEN:From Sept. 15-Nov. 7

WHERE: Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Dr., Lincolnshire

TICKETS: $50-$60. For vaccination and/or mask policies, visit marriotttheatre.com.

‘Thirteen Days’

Sheila Willis (from left), Cameron Feagin, Kat Evans, Julia Kessler and Maggie Cain star in “Thirteen Days” at City Lit Theater.Photo by Steve Graue

WHAT: “Thirteen Days” is Brian Pastor’s adaptation of Robert F. Kennedy’s memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis. The world-premiere play, performed by an all-female cast, is set in President John F. Kennedy’s Situation Room where he maneuvers his way through the conflicting counsel of his advisors as the world comes close to nuclear war. Leading the cast are Cameron Feagin as JFK and Kat Evans as Attorney General Robert Kennedy; Pastor directs.

WHEN: Sept. 10-Oct. 24

WHERE: City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr

TICKETS: $32. For vaccination and/or mask policies, visit citylit.org.

‘Brighton Beach Memoirs’

WHAT: Citadel Theatre presents Neil Simon’s “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” a comedy about a teen who must cope with the mundane existence of his life in Brooklyn.

WHEN: Sept. 15-Oct. 17

WHERE: Citadel Theatre, 300 S. Waukegan, Lake Forest

TICKETS: $20-$45. For vaccination and/or mask policies, visit citadeltheatre.org.

‘Kinky Boots’

Michael Wordly makes his Paramount Theatre debut as Lola in “Kinky Boots.”Thomas J. King

What: Live performances return for a new season at the Paramount Theatre with Cyndi Lauper and Harvey Fierstein’s high-kicking “Kinky Boots.” This first regional production of the Broadway musical, directed by Trent Stork, stars Devin DeSantis as Charlie, the shoemaker attempting to save his failing shoe factory, and Michael Wordly as Lola, the fierce drag queen who shows him the way.

When: Aug. 18-Oct. 17

Where: Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena, Aurora

Tickets: $36-$74

For updated information regarding the theater’s COVID-19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit paramountaurora.com.

Theatre Y

WHAT: Theatre Y’s ambitious new adventure “You Are Here: The Emerald Camino Project” is a return of its urban pilgrimages, this time through Daniel Burnham’s Emerald Necklace — the boulevard system that links the public parks on Chicago’s West and South sides. The immersive 12-part walking experience was created with artists, community leaders and organizations across a dozen communities. “This is a joyful post-pandemic experience that connects Chicago’s diverse communities through the intersection of conversation and art,” says Theatre Y’s artistic director, Melissa Lorraine. If you are walking through the neighborhood in which you live, admission is free; all other participants are Theatre Y Members or encouraged to become members (for as little as $5/month).

WHEN: Aug. 21-Sept. 26 For updated information regarding the theater’s COVID-19 vaccination and/or mask policies as well as dates and times for each walk, visit theatre-y.com.

Blue Man Group

Blue Man Group Caroline Talbot Photography

What: Those crazy characters in blue return for more goofy fun. The show, which encourages audiences to reconnect with their inner child, is a combination of art, music, comedy and technology.

When: Ongoing

Where: Briar Street Theatre, 3133 N. Halsted.

Tickets: $49-$89

For updated information regarding the theater’s Covid 19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit blueman.com.

Teatro ZinZanni

The artistry and the excitement of Teatro ZinZanni returns to Chicago starting July 8. Pictured: Lea Hinz.Michael Doucet

What: The immersive, whirlwind theater experience that is Teatro ZinZanni has reopened featuring a new show with a cast of comedians, aerialists, acrobats, singers, dancers and a gourmet meal, it brings comedy, music and cirque back after a long pandemic hiatus. Included among the performers are powerhouse vocalists Storm Marrero and Cunio, aerial acts Lea Hinz and Duo 19, veteran comedians Frank Ferrante and Joe DePaul and acrobatic dancers Mickael and Vita.

When: Ongoing

Where: Spiegeltent ZaZou on the 14th floor of the Cambria Hotel, 32 W. Randolph

Tickets: $119-$189; limited show only tickets $69. Visit zinzanni.com/chicago.

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Of all the things the White Sox want to tighten up, clean up or straighten out after they clinch the AL Central Division – besides the celebration mess they’ll undoubtedly leave in the visitors clubhouse at Progressive Field in Cleveland – none looms larger than having the bullpen in tip-top shape for the postseason.

Games in October are won and lost in the late innings. The Sox front office, knowing this to be true, acquired All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel from the Cubs at the trade deadline to pair him with their own All-Star closer, Liam Hendriks, and form what looked like an unbeatable back-end bullpen tandem.

Kimbrel didn’t come cheaply. The Sox gave up second baseman Nick Madrigal and Codi Heuer to get him, but it looked like a master stroke of aggressiveness from a front office adding a big weapon to their World Series hunting arsenal.

But eight weeks later, Kimbrel is struggling to command his four-seam fastball and sharp curveball, seemingly missing on his glove side more than times than not, and often by plenty.

There are 11 games left and 14 days before Game 1 of the ALDS, likely against the Astros on Oct.7 in Houston, for Kimbrel and pitching coach Ethan Katz and assistant pitching coach Curt Hasler to figure it out.

They believe they are onto something.

“We’ve centered on a couple of simple things in his delivery that he continues to monitor,” said Hasler, who oversees the bullpen.

“There were some delivery things, how he wasn’t using his back leg. We looked at before-and-after video, and he saw right away and said, ‘That’s it.’ It’s not difficult.”

Pitchers have peaks and valleys, even Hall of Fame caliber guys like Kimbrel, who pitched to a 0.49 ERA with the Cubs this season. Since coming to the Sox, Kimbrel – primarily working the eighth inning in what is now becoming a more familiar role – has posted a 5.78 ERA, giving up more hits (17) and home runs (four) in 19 innings than he did in 36 2/3 innings on the North Side (13 hits, one homer).

“Sometimes you see guys kind of start the season off on fire, trend up and then kind of hit a plateau,” catcher Yasmani Grandal said, “and they start coming down and then all of sudden they’re like, oh they figured it out and they start trending up again.”

Any time now, Craig, is what the Sox front office must be thinking.

And those who would be getting the ball to Kimbrel are almost as vital to the Sox’ World Series hopes. Michael Kopech’s ERA has climbed from 1.52 on July 30 to 3.69 with a September ERA of 5.40, albeit with 16 strikeouts and two walks over 8 1/3 innings. He is trending better with one earned run allowed in his last five outings, however. And Ryan Tepera, another deadline acquisition from the Cubs, cut his finger at his apartment and hasn’t pitched since Sept. 10. He hopes to pitch in three games before the postseason.

Left-hander Aaron Bummer (3.86 ERA) has struck out 10, walked one and allowed one run over nine appearances in September, and lefty Garrett Crochet hasn’t allowed a run in seven appearances this month, allowing three hits and one walk. And right-hander Jose Ruiz (2.89 ERA) is riding a streak of 10 consecutive scoreless outings dating to Aug. 25, mostly in lower-leverage situations.

And then there’s Hendriks (2.77 ERA, 34 saves), the least of the Sox’ worries. The AL saves leader has a remarkable strikeouts to walks ratio of 103 to seven, and and looks to be rounding into playoff form with one run allowed in his last 14 appearances.

As everyone waits for Kimbrel, Hasler doesn’t seem worried.

“Number one, it’s not for lack of stuff,” Hasler said. “The stuff is coming out of his hand extremely well. The velocity is good, the sharpness, depth and late break of the breaking ball are good. He’s getting strikeouts.

“I have no doubt Craig will get it figured out and as the games get bigger he’ll step up even more. He’s a huge part of what we’re going to do. We’re going to hand the ball to Craig and Liam and absolutely be in real good shape.”

NOTE: The Sox and Tigers were rained out Wednesday, as were the Indians and Royals, leaving the Sox magic number to clinch the AL Central at 2. The Sox could clinch as soon as Thursday with doubleheader sweep of the Indians.

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. — During the construction of Notre Dame Stadium in 1929, the Fighting Irish football team needed a temporary home venue — one close enough and grand enough to accommodate the program’s growing fan base.

They found it in Soldier Field, a then-new stadium 100 miles to the west on the shore of Lake Michigan. At the time, team and venue were young and relatively untested; Notre Dame’s sole national title at that point had been claimed in 1924, the same year Soldier Field opened.

On Saturday, the No. 12 Irish return to Soldier Field to play No. 18 Wisconsin. It marks Notre Dame’s 13th game in the venerable stadium — they currently hold a 10-0-2 record — with the most recent matchup coming against Miami in 2012.

Tim LeFevour, the general manager of Soldier Field, fondly recalled the fanfare of the 2012 game.

“It is like putting a bowl game on every time we are fortunate enough to have Notre Dame come to Chicago and play here,” he said. “It doesn’t feel like a regular game — it always feels special.”

The matchup is unique in another sense: With a win, coach Brian Kelly would move ahead of Knute Rockne to become the all-time wins leader in Notre Dame history. And he would do it in the stadium the Rockne-led Irish called home for that 1929 season — a stadium in the city where Rockne was raised before building Notre Dame into one of college football’s greatest programs.

This weekend’s game is part of Notre Dame’s Shamrock Series of games played at neutral venues. The Fighting Irish are 9-0 in those matchups but are a 6 1/2-point underdog in this one.

“The Shamrock games are important to them,” Kelly said of his players. “They see them a little bit differently, especially when you’re playing close to home in Chicago, they know the history there.”

Indeed, the close connections between Notre Dame athletics and the Windy City date back more than a century. The familiar “Chicago’s team” moniker for the Fighting Irish — irksome to some, beloved by others — has roots in the slew of Rockne-era ties.

In 1893, when Rockne was a child, his family moved from Norway to Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, where Rockne lived until enrolling at Notre Dame in 1910. Throughout Rockne’s coaching tenure, the Irish played at Soldier Field seven times.

Over the following decades, many young Chicago football players have taken the two-hour trip east to join the Irish. A smaller, steady stream of Notre Dame players have made the opposite trek to play for the Chicago Bears. Some, like Chris Zorich, did both. Zorich, a defensive tackle on Notre Dame’s 1988 national championship team, was raised on Chicago’s South Side and spent five years with the Bears.

Notre Dame is represented on the current Bears roster by Alex Bars, Sam Mustipher and Cole Kmet, a native of the Chicago suburb of Lake Barrington.

Twenty miles down the road from Lake Barrington is Lake Forest High School, home of Fighting Irish offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, as well as two current members of Notre Dame’s roster: Rylie Mills and Eddie Scheidler. When Mills signed in December 2019, Rees said the recruiting visit took him “around the corner” from his childhood home.

Rees was the backup quarterback to Everett Golson the last time Notre Dame played in the Bears’ home stadium. Nine years later, Rees is in his second season as the Irish offensive coordinator and will face the Badgers with an offense led by Wisconsin’s own former quarterback, Jack Coan.

On Saturday, Notre Dame’s 3-0 start and unbeaten Soldier Field legacy will be put to the test. Kelly will get his first chance to become the winningest coach in program history — in a city that’s been an integral part of it.

“Chicago is a great base for us and Notre Dame fans,” Kelly said. “So we’re excited about that opportunity and certainly the challenge of playing a very good Wisconsin team.”

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South Side residents Peter Taylor and Anne Alt have been bicyclists their whole lives. But a lack of bike lanes in their neighborhoods limited the places they could go and made riding on the street unsafe.

“I rode a lot of places in the city in the ’80s when there were no bike lanes at all,” said Alt, 58. “People in cars were like, ‘What are you doing here?'”

On Wednesday, the two cyclists stood with Ald. Carrie Austin (34th) and Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Gia Biagi and others to announce the “biggest bike lane expansion in Chicago history.”

By the end of 2022, CDOT plans to spend $17 million to add 100 miles of new bike lanes around the city with a concerted effort on the South and West sides. The additions will bring the city’s total bike lane miles to nearly 400.

Th city plans to add 100 miles of bikeway improvements in 2021 and 2022.Chicago Department of Transportation

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people biking to work in Chicago has nearly doubled, according to CDOT, with bike shares like Divvy breaking daily ride records on three separate occasions this year.

In July, the city completed one protected bike lane in West Pullman. The lane stretches along 119th Street between Ashland Avenue and Halsted Street and connects the Coleman Elementary Academy to the Major Taylor Trail. The trail is named after the bicycle racer and civil rights pioneer Marshall “Major” Taylor, who died in Chicago in 1932.

“When you look here, you see an example of the equity that CDOT is starting to bring to the bike network in Chicago,” said Peter Taylor, 62. He added that there are food deserts around the South Side, and the new bike lane “connects three grocery stores and allows people in our neighborhood to get to the grocery store for essential services.”

Most bike lanes will share the roads with vehicles. By the end of 2022, 12 miles of dedicated bike lanes will be marked by paint, concrete curbing or plastic poles.

Biagi said it is an “incremental process” to decide what type of bike lane and what protection goes with it.

“One of the challenges is that not every neighborhood is ready for (bike lanes)” she said. “So we might put the bike sharrow down to say, “Cycling is appropriate here.'” Doing so, she added, “builds on making cycling that option that people want to use” and the need for bike lanes.

CDOT hopes to design and install additional miles of protected bike lanes in 2022 but would need to assess community outreach and engagement before making any decisions.

For Taylor and Alt, both board members for the Friends of the Major Taylor Trail, the extra miles of bike lanes are a step in the right direction, but they say there is “still a long way to go” to providing safe and accessible cycling options.

Cheyanne M. Daniels is a staff reporter for the Sun-Times via Report for America, a not-for-profit journalism program that aims to bolster the paper’s coverage of communities on the South Side and West Side.

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Bears coaches have been designing a playbook for Justin Fields since he was drafted, drawing up and testing plays that best utilize a man clocked as the second-fastest NFL Scouting Combine quarterback this century.

Sunday, they’ll unveil an offense that will be worlds different than the one Andy Dalton ran. It figures to reside somewhere between the five option gimmicks Fields executed in Week 1 and the conservative, stagnant scheme he lumbered through in Week 2. The Bears will try to make Fields a passer first, a runner second and a weapon unlike anything the franchise has seen.

If the scheme works, it’s not hyperbole to say it will change the way the Bears offense looks for the next decade.

The future is now. And in, of all places, Cleveland.

“There are some things that he does extremely well that you want to be able to take advantage of, and that’s not always running and running the zone reads or designed QB runs,” Bears coach Matt Nagy said Wednesday, minutes after naming Fields the starter in place of an injured Dalton. “There’s a lot of stuff that he does way better than running the football. He is a quarterback that is tremendous in throwing the football that’s going to grow every day.”

Big picture, Fields’ improvement from game-to-game is the most important indicator of the franchise’s long-term health. He’ll be judged on wins and losses, too, so long as Nagy’s job security depends on showing improvement.

Monday night, the Bears’ coaching staff began drawing up their Week 3 gameplan. They weighed Fields’ strengths against the reality that, as a rookie, he’ll make mistakes.

The Bears want Fields to play fast — and that means narrowing the playbook down to a manageable size. Nagy figures to lean on running back David Montgomery. While coaches tend to give young quarterbacks easy throws, it’s hard to imagine the Bears doing it any more often than they already have. Only one team has fewer air yards than they do.

The team’s pre-snap motions and tempo changes could be tamped down — those are usually most effective with a veteran passer.

“We get together as a staff and we just talk through the things that we think he does well for us …” Nagy said. “We know on the front end there’s gonna be mistakes. That’s gonna happen. We understand that. But we gotta try to reduce and eliminate those as we go throughout the year when he’s going. So I think that for him, when he’s out there playing and going, that’s real. He’s got to be able to do that.

“And then every time he’s there playing: ‘Play hard, do your thing and just be the best quarterback you can be.'”

Fields will get every practice snap with the starters this week for the first time in his NFL career. That should smooth out some of the timing issues that plagued him Sunday at Soldier Field, when he posted a 27.7 passer rating.

“It’s definitely going to help me,” Fields said. “More than last week, of course, just getting reps with the offense instead of just working with the scout offense.”

Changes won’t be limited to the playbook. Fields’ athleticism and ability to improvise brings something new to the Bears offense.

That’s the plan, at least.

“With Justin, there’s the play that’s called and then there’s the second play that turns into kinda some backyard football,” tight end Cole Kmet said. “You know I’m going to be getting some sprints in after practice this week. You just gotta be aware of that. The scramble drill is really alive now with Justin.”

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The problem with “Dear Evan Hansen” the movie is “Dear Evan Hansen” the Broadway musical, which somehow won six Tony Awards and was a commercial hit despite a problematic, manipulative, cynical and creepy storyline asking us to empathize with an admittedly troubled teenager who tells an unspeakably cruel lie and proceeds to double down on that falsehood again and again, even as he realizes he’s causing lasting emotional damage to a grieving family.

Dear Evan Hansen: You’re the worst.

The adaptation is a curiously strange effort, as director Stephen Chbosky (“The Perks of Being a Wallflower”) films the story like an indie drama, with straightforward, realistic, dialogue-driven scenes — and then every 10 minutes or so, a character breaks into song, and it seems much more contrived and jolting than something like “La La Land.” It doesn’t help that Ben Platt (reprising his Tony Award-winning role) is still playing the part as if he’s onstage and aiming for the rafters, while the supporting ensemble including Julianne Moore, Kaitlyn Dever, Amy Adams and Amandla Stenberg are performing in more subtle, film-friendly notes.

Platt’s Evan Hansen is a shy and depressed kid whose therapist has given him the assignment of writing encouraging letters to himself. The printout of one such letter falls into the hands of the volatile bully and loner Connor Murphy (Colton Ryan) — and when Connor commits suicide and the note is found in his pocket, Connor’s family mistakenly believe Evan was Connor’s only friend, and they turn to Evan for comfort.

So, after a teen suicide is used as a plot contrivance, Evan decides that rather than coming clean to Connor’s mother, Cynthia (Amy Adams), stepfather Larry (Danny Pino) and little sister Zoe (Kaitlyn Dever), he’ll concoct an elaborate, ongoing lie about his non-existent friendship with Connor, manufacturing a series of emails they shared and telling ridiculous stories about their adventures together. (Sidebar: Why would a teenager write to a friend with the salutation, “Dear Evan Hansen,” as if it’s 1825?) We understand Evan has been in emotional pain for a long time and is need of help, but still: He allows a well-meaning classmate (an excellent Amandla Stenberg) to spearhead an online fundraiser in Connor’s memory, he sings the show’s signature anthem “You Will Be Found” at a service for Connor and he enters into a romance with Zoe — all under false pretenses. The tonal disconnect between this darker-than-dark material and the ultimately upbeat nature of this tale simply cannot be reconciled.

There’s been a lot of chatter about how the 27-year-old Ben Platt looks far too mature to be playing the title character — though there’s no denying the power of his voice as he belts out one standard-issue Broadway tune after another. And in truth, virtually everyone playing high school students in this adaptation, from 24-year-old Kaitlin Dever to 26-year-old Colton Ryan to 27-year-old Nik Dodani (as a family friend of Evan’s), looks as if they should be playing young teachers instead of students. But even with more age-appropriate casting, it’s difficult to imagine a version of “Dear Evan Hansen” that wouldn’t make me cringe.

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Countless water rescues have been credited to Joe Pecoraro, who during a 51-year career under eight mayors rose from lifeguard to general superintendent of all of the Chicago Park District beaches and pools.

Responsible for 1,000 lifeguards, nearly 100 pools and 26 miles of beaches, Mr. Pecoraro was one of the best known lifeguards in the nation, according to Tom Gill, spokesman for the United States Lifesaving Association.

He died Sept. 2 at 91 at Central Baptist Village senior community in Norridge.

From 1982 to 1991, Mr. Pecoraro was president of the lifesaving group and was “instrumental in helping create a national training manual for open-water lifeguards, which standardized lifesaving procedures,” according to Bill Richardson, a former president of the association and retired chief lifeguard from Huntington Beach, Calif.

“How many lives have been saved,” Richardson said, “because of Joe Pecoraro’s impact?”

“Joe Pec” began his career in 1949, a time, before widespread air-conditioning or TV, that frequently saw the city’s beaches packed all summer. Lifeguards didn’t have radios then, communicating at a distance via whistles.

His mantra: “Always swim near a lifeguard.”

“A lot of my former lifeguards are now high-ranking supervisors in the police and fire departments, aldermen, doctors, lawyers, business executives,” Mr. Pecoraro once told Hospitals & Health Networks magazine. “But they’re lifeguards for life,”

Jerry Gavin, a retired Chicago lifeguard captain, said Mr. Pecoraro insisted guards keep up their training, telling them: “You have to be able to swim fast, so work out, work out, work out.”

Mr. Pecoraro described the job’s training requirements in a 1975 Chicago Sun-Times interview: “First, the applicant has to swim 200 yards in under three and a half minutes, 25 yards under water, and retrieve a 10-pound brick. . . They have to break front and rear strangleholds and tow the instructor 25 yards.”

He grew up on the Northwest Side, where he attended Smyser grade school. His father Tony was a shoemaker for Florsheim. After her children were older, his mother Marie worked as a customer-service manager at the Sears at Irving Park Road and Cicero Avenue.

“He spent a lot of time at Oak Street Beach,” Mr. Pecoraro’s daughter Mary Kelly said, “because that was the only option to get out of the apartment, where it was hot.”

He was a member of the swim teams at Schurz High School and DePaul University.

In 1949, at 19, he started working as a lifeguard at North Avenue Beach. Except during his time in the Army, where he taught swimming in Tokyo — he worked for the park district until retiring in 2000.

In 1956, he met Peggy Stewart, his future wife, at a singles dance at St. Bartholomew Church. They fell hard for each other and were married within six months.

His daughter said Mr. Pecoraro never forgot the Lake Michigan tragedy that claimed eight lives in 1954. For many years, it was called a seiche, but the National Weather Service said it’s more accurate to call it a meteorological tsunami, caused by strong, fast-moving storms.

Mr. Pecoraro also never forgot the rescues that failed, the ones that ended with lifeguards trying to console bereft mothers whose children could not be revived.

In his memoir “Naked Rescue,” he said Chicago lifeguards used a lifesaving method in the 1930s that later became known as the Heimlich maneuver.

He also wrote that some triathletes didn’t realize pool training doesn’t always prepare them for open-water swimming. At one triathlon, he said lifeguards had to pull so many struggling swimmers out of the lake that the rescue boats were in danger of sinking.

He was a member of the Illinois Water Polo Hall of Fame, the DePaul University Athletic Hall of Fame and the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

He taught swimming at DePaul for a couple of years and taught physical education on Mondays — his day off — at St. Edmund’s school in Oak Park.

In Washington, D.C. in 1986, Mr. Pecoraro was thrilled to meet a former lifeguard who went into politics after gaining fame in Hollywood — President Ronald Reagan. He said the president regaled him with rescue stories.

In addition to his wife Peggy and daughter Mary, Mr. Pecoraro is survived by his daughter Nancy and son Joseph Jr., sisters Petricia Brush and Jody Morhammer, his brother Frank and four grandchildren.

At his Sept. 13 funeral, Mr. Pecoraro’s casket was draped in a quilt made of T-shirts representing Chicago beaches and the U.S. Lifesaving Association. At the close of the funeral, his family played Stevie Wonder’s recording of “A Place in the Sun.”

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