The Bears will pair their navy jersey with navy pants for their season finale against the Vikings this season, marking the first time since 2017 that the team has worn the monochromatic uniform look.

John Fox’s Bears wore the look once for a “Color Rush” game at Lambeau Field in 2017.

The Bears unveiled their uniform schedule Friday. Amazingly, their standard home uniform — which features a navy jersey and white pants — will be worn in Week 1 and not again until Week 9. They’ll wear the set in Weeks 10, 13, 15 and 16, too.

The standard road uniform — a white jersey over navy pants — will be worn in Weeks, 2, 4, 5, 7, 11, 12 and 17.

The team’s white, striped throwback jerseys, which are paired with navy pants, a Michigan-striped helmet and striped socks, will be worn in Week 3.

As previously announced, the Bears will wear their orange jerseys, white pants and brand-new orange helmets in Weeks 6 and 8.

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Please send scores and corrections to [email protected].

Thursday, September 1

NONCONFERENCE

Eisenhower 48, Thornridge 0

Foreman 14, Butler 6

Hansberry 18, Marshall 0

King 8, Crane 6

Marian Catholic 55, Leo 21

Proviso West 39, Leyden 26

Reavis 51, Rowe-Clark 14

Friday, September 2

FOX VALLEY

Crystal Lake Central at Jacobs, 7

Crystal Lake South at Cary-Grove, 7

Dundee-Crown at Hampshire, 7

McHenry at Huntley, 7

Prairie Ridge at Burlington Central, 7

ILLINOIS CENTRAL EIGHT

Lisle at Wilmington, 7

UPSTATE EIGHT

Elgin at East Aurora, 7

Glenbard East at South Elgin, 7

Glenbard South at Fenton, 7:30

Streamwood at Larkin, 7

West Chicago at Bartlett, 7

NONCONFERENCE

Ag. Science vs. Julian at Gately, 4:15

Barrington at Prospect, 7

Batavia at Lincoln-Way East, 7

Bishop McNamara at Coal City, 7

Bloom at Argo, 7

Bremen at Joliet Central, 6:30

Brooks at St. Laurence, 7

Brother Rice at St. Rita, 7:30

Chicago Christian at Ottawa Marquette, 7

Clark vs. St. Viator at Forest View, 7

Collins at Chicago Academy, 4:15

Curie at Solorio, 7:30

Deerfield at Glenbrook North, 7

DeKalb at Plainfield South, 7

DePaul Prep vs. Amundsen at Winnemac, 4:15

Downers Grove North at Willowbrook, 7:30

DuSable at Westmont, 7

East Peoria at Aurora Central, 7:30

Elk Grove at Hoffman Estates, 7:30

Evanston at Libertyville, 7

Evergreen Park vs. Carver at Gately, 7:15

Fremd at Hersey, 7

Geneseo at Grayslake Central, 7

Geneva at Kaneland, 7

Glenbard West at Downers Grove South, 7:30

Glenbrook South at Sandburg, 6

Golder at Back of the Yards, 4:15

Harvard at Woodstock North, 7

Hillcrest at Montini, 7:30

Hinsdale Central at Proviso East, 7:30

Hoopeston at Seneca, 7

IC Catholic at Joliet Catholic, 7:30

Johnsburg at Marian Central, 7:30

Joliet West at Minooka, 7

Kenwood at Bradley-Bourbonnais, 7:30

Lake Forest at Carmel, 7:30

Lake View at Marmion, 7:30

Lake Zurich at St. Charles North, 7:30

LaSalle-Peru at Metamora, 7:30

Lemont at Nazareth, 7:30

Limestone at Woodstock, 7:30

Lincoln-Way Central at Lake Park, 7:30

Lyons at Addison Trail, 6

Manteno at Plano, 7:15

Marengo at Canton, 7:30

Marine vs. Phoenix at Orr, 4

Marist at Richards, 6:30

Mather at Speer, 7:30

Metea Valley at Lockport, 7

Milwaukee King, Wis. at St. Ignatius, 7:30

Moline at Benet, 7

Morgan Park at Rich Township, 7:15

Morris at Antioch, 7

Mundelein at Grayslake North, 7

Naperville Central at Plainfield North, 7

Naperville North at Glenbard North, 7

New Trier at Stevenson, 7

Niles West at Niles North, 7

North Lawndale at De La Salle, 7

Oak Forest at Sycamore, 7

Oak Park-River Forest at Hinsdale South, 7:30

Oswego at Andrew, 7

Oswego East at Lincoln-Way West, 7:30

Ottawa at Streator, 7

Palatine at Buffalo Grove, 7

Peotone at Edgewood, Ind., 6

Plainfield Central at Yorkville, 7

Plainfield East at Shepard, 7

Reed-Custer at Arcola, 7

Richmond-Burton at Menominee, Wis., 7

Riverside-Brookfield at Wauconda, 7

Rochelle at Herscher, 7

Rolling Meadows at Schaumburg, 7

Round Lake at Maine East, 7

Salt Fork at Momence, 7

St. Charles East at Waubonsie Valley, 7

St. Patrick at Notre Dame, 7:30

Stagg at Oak Lawn, 7

Steinmetz at Ridgewood, 7:15

Sterling at St. Francis, 7:30

Sullivan at Perspectives, 7:30

Taft at Grant, 7:15

TF North at Hope Academy, 7

TF South at Lane, 7:15

Thornton at Galesburg, 7

Thornwood at Fenwick, 7:30

Tinley Park at Aurora Christian, 7

Vernon Hills at Lakes, 7:30

Vocational vs. Hyde Park at Eckersall, 4:15

Von Steuben vs. Payton at Lane, 4:15

Walther Christian at Elmwood Park, 6

Warren at Maine South, 7:30

Washington, Ill. at Kankakee, 7

West Aurora at Romeoville, 7

Wheaton Academy at Christ the King, 7:30

Wheaton North at Providence, 7:30

Wheaton-Warrenville South at Neuqua Valley, 7

Wheeling at Conant, 7:30

York at Morton, 7:30

Zion-Benton at Maine West, 6:30

Saturday, September 3

NONCONFERENCE

Bogan vs. Little Village at Orr, 10 a.m.

Bolingbrook vs. Simeon at Gately, 3

Cahokia at Homewood-Flossmoor, 3

Chicago Military vs. Prosser at Westinghouse, 10 a.m.

Chicago Richards vs. Rauner at Lane, 7

Corliss at Orr, 1

Crete-Monee at Andrean, Ind., 3

Dwight at Bismarck-Henning, 2

East Moline at Loyola, 1:30

Englewood STEM vs. Senn at Lane, 1

Fenger vs. UP-Bronzeville at Eckersall, 4

Gage Park vs. Lincoln Park at Lane, 4

Harlan vs. South Shore at Eckersall, 1

Hubbard at Highland Park, 1

Johnson vs. Pritzker at Winnemac, 4

Kelly vs. Kennedy at Stagg, 10 a.m.

Mount Carmel vs. Phillips at Gately, 7

Raby at Westinghouse, 1

Roosevelt vs. Lindblom at Stagg, 1

Schurz vs. Catalyst-Maria at Stagg, 4

St. Edward at Taylorville, 1

Washington vs. Clemente at Lane, 10 a.m.

Young at Goode, 4

Sunday, September 4

NONCONFERENCE

Comer vs. UIC Prep at Lane, 10 a.m.

Dyett vs. Bulls Prep at Lane, 1

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The Cavaliers’ blockbuster trade for Donovan Mitchell will make them another tough rival for the Bulls.

Earlier this afternoon, The Cleveland Cavaliers completed a blockbuster trade with the Utah Jazz to acquire star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell.

The Cavaliers sent the Jazz Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, 2022 lottery pick Ochai Agbaji, three unprotected first-round picks, and two future pick swaps as well. This deal was a sign-and-trade for Sexton who agreed to a four-year deal worth $72 million. The first-round picks are for 2025, 2027 and 2029 while the pick swaps are for 2026 and 2028.

Although this trade cost the Cavaliers a number of future assets, the main core of their team is still intact and much stronger now. The Cavaliers got excellent seasons from Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley last year, but now the team has added the true superstar talent they had been lacking. Donovan Mitchell was an all-star last season that averaged 25.9 points per game, so his presence should help take Cleveland to the playoffs

This trade makes next season a lot tougher for the Chicago Bulls, as they will face this new Cavaliers’ squad four times next year. The Bulls were able to win three of their four matchups with the Cavaliers last season, but the two teams will now be much more evenly matched this year. The central division already has a powerhouse Bucks team, but now a much-improved Cavaliers team and an up-and-coming Pistons team will make the division even tougher for the Bulls this upcoming season.

The Bulls will get to face this new-look Cavaliers team early on as they host them for their 2022 home opener on October 22.

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If live theater is what you seek, Chicago’s stages are filled with musicals, comedy, dramas and more to help you celebrate the fall months ahead with an evening or afternoon at a local venue.

Here’s what’s playing (or set to open in the next few weeks) on area stages:

“My Brother Langston”: Backed by music from the Harlem Renaissance, Rueben Echoles’ play shows why Langston Hughes was considered one of the greatest poets and civil rights leaders. Directed by Echoles. To Sept. 18. Black Ensemble Theater, 4450 N. Clark, $55; blackensemble.org.

“Hello, Dolly!”: Heidi Kettenring stars in Michael Stewart and Jerry Herman’s musical adaptation of Thornton Wilder’s play “The Matchmaker.” Directed and choreographed by Denis Jones. To Oct. 16. Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Dr., Lincolnshire, $59-$64; marriotttheatre.com.

“Richard III”: Babes With Blades presents Shakespeare’s drama about Richard of Gloucester and his bloody rise to England’s throne. Directed by Richard Costes. To Oct. 15. The Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway, $20-$35; babeswithblades.org.

“Girlfriend”: The Chicago premiere of Todd Almond and Matthew Sweet’s musical, based on Sweet’s album of the same title, about two teens who begin to explore their relationship. Directed by Jay Espano. To Sept. 25. Pride Arts Center, 4139 N. Broadway, $35; pridearts.org.

“National Merit”: Valen-Marie Santos’ drama about seven students who embark on an intensive PSAT prep program in the hopes of becoming National Merit Scholars. Directed by Enrico Spada. To Sept. 25. BoHo Theatre at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont, $30; bohotheatre.com

“Miss Holmes Returns”: In Christopher M. Walsh’s play, Miss Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Dorothy Watson search for the truth behind a seemingly clear-cut murder case. Directed by Elise Kauzlaric. To Oct. 16. Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood, $45; lifelinetheatre.com.

“Chagall in School”: In James Sherman’s drama, artist Marc Chagall’s goal to open a free school where students can explore their artistic goals quickly becomes complicated. Directed by Georgette Verdin. To Oct. 8. Grippo Stage Company at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont, $38-$42; theaterwit.org.

“Hay Fever”: Noel Coward’s comedy follows the eccentric Bliss family over one weekend at their country estate where confusion reigns. Directed by Terry McCabe. To Oct. 9. City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr, $34; citylit.org.

“Murder on the Orient Express”: Ken Ludwig’s adaptation of the Agatha Christie mystery finds Hercule Poirot investigating a murder on the title train. To Oct. 23. Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, $54-$74; drurylanetheatre.com.

“Dreamgirls”: Tom Eyen and Henry Krieger’s musical follows the Dreamettes, three women who navigate the highs and lows of life, love and fame as they try to break into the 1960s music scene. Directed by Christopher Betts. To Oct. 16. Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena, Aurora, $28-$79 (pay what you can on Sept. 1, 3); paramountaurora.com.

“Southern Gothic”: Windy City Playhouse remounts its immersive play set in a full-scale 1960s home where four couples celebrate a birthday; over the course of the evening well-kept secrets are revealed. To Nov. 30. Petterino’s lower level, 150 N. Dearborn (entrance to theater is on Randolph), $65-$105; windycityplayhouse.com.

“The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington”: James Ijames’ drama is a fever dream that takes us into the uncomfortable and horrific ramifications of this country’s original sin. Directed by Whitney White. Sept. 1-Oct. 9. Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted, $20+; steppenwolf.org.

“The Garbologists”: Lindsay Joelle’s offbeat buddy comedy pairs a blue-collar, old-school sanitation worker with an Ivy League-educated newbie in the cab of a New York City garbage truck. Directed by Cody Estle. Sept. 1-Oct. 2. Northlight Theater at North Shore Center, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, $30-$89; northlight.org.

“The Clinic”: Season two of Congo Square Theatre’s old-school radio melodrama follows the continued escapades of Dr. Latisha Bradley, whose revolutionary medical discovery will change the world. Now streaming, $15 suggested; congosquaretheatre.org

“Arsenic and Old Lace”: In Joseph Kesselring’s classic, a hilarious chain of events ensues when a nephew discovers his maiden aunts’ macabre secrets. Directed by Ron OJ Parson. Through Oct. 2. Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis, $37.50-$84; courttheatre.org.

“The Notebook”: World premiere of Ingrid Michaelson and Bekah Brunstetter’s musical based on Nicholas Sparks’ novel, a moving portrait of the enduring power of love. Co-directed by Michael Greif and Schele Williams. Sept. 6-Oct. 16. Chicago Shakespeare Theater at Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand, $45-$125; chicagoshakes.com.

“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”: Stephen Sondheim’s macabre masterpiece about an unjustly exiled barber who returns to 19th century London seeking revenge. Directed by Derek Van Barham. Sept. 8-Nov. 6. Kokandy Productions at Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division, $40; kokandyproductions.com.

“Clybourne Park”: Bruce Norris’ comedy-drama inspired by Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun,” about a suburban house and the two couples who own it 50 years apart. Directed by Kurt Naebig. Sept. 8-Oct. 9. Buffalo Theatre Ensemble at McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell, Glen Ellyn, $42; btechicago.com.

“Stew”: Zora Howard’s drama explores how the secrets we keep from our mothers eventually become the secrets we keep from ourselves. Directed by Malkia Stampley. Sept. 9-Oct. 22. Shattered Globe Theatre at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont, $45; sgtheatre.org.

“HOA”: In Angelina Martinez’s play, see what happens when a couple finds their dream home in a neighborhood that’s not quite right. Directed by Christy Arington. Sept. 9-Oct. 22. Factory Theater, 1623 W. Howard, $25; thefactorytheater.com.

“Clyde’s”: Lynn Nottage’s comedy is set in a truck stop cafe where the formerly incarcerated kitchen staff share a quest to create the perfect sandwich. Directed by Kate Whoriskey. Sept. 10-Oct. 9. Goodman Theatre, 150 N. Dearborn, $25-$80; goodmantheatre.com.

“Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster”: Manual Cinema’s adaptation of Mo Williams’ story about the unlikely friendship between a monster who longs to be scary and his friend Sam, the most scaredy-cat kid in the world. Sept. 10-Oct. 16. Chicago Children’s Theatre, 100 S. Racine, $25-$36; chicagochildrenstheatre.org.

International Voices Project: An introduction to some of the most exciting new voices on the international theater scene. Sept. 12-28. Instituto Cervantes, 31 W. Ohio, free or donation; ivpchciago.org.

Destinos: Chicago International Latino Theater Festival: Maria del Carmen Felix and Mariannela Catano in “La Pajara de San Juan” (Sept. 14-17), Colectivo El Pozo’s “Las Migas” (Sept. 15-Oct. 2), Teatro Tariakuri’s “Bruna la Bruja Bruta” (Sept. 17-Oct. 16), Teatro Linea de Sombra’s “Pequenos Territorios en Reconstruccion” (Sept. 21-25), Sergio Blanco’s “Tebas Land” (Sept. 22-Oct. 9), Teatro Vista’s “Enough to Let the Light In” (Sept. 21-Oct. 23), Urban Theater Company’s “Evolution of a Sonero” (Sept. 29-Oct. 23), Teatro Publico’s “Blanco Temblor” (Sept. 29-Oct. 2), American Blues Theater’s “Alma” (Oct. 7-Nov. 6), Vision Latino Theater’s “Sancocho” (Oct. 10-Nov. 30), Paramount Theatre’s “BULL: A Love Story” (Oct. 5-Nov. 20), Ricardo Gamboa’s “The Wizards” (Oct. 14-Nov. 22), Aguijon Theater’s “Cintas de Seda” (Oct. 13-Nov. 20). Locations and prices vary; clata.org.

“Cabaret”: Kander and Ebb’s classic musical set amidst the decadence of 1929 Berlin and the threat of the emerging Third Reich. Directed by Robbie Simpson. Sept. 15-Oct. 22. Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell, Arlington Heights, $45; metropolisarts.com.

“St. Sebastian”: Andrew Kramer’s dark comedy about a queer white couple that moves into a historically Black neighborhood. Directed by Graham Miller.Sept. 15-Oct. 2. Refracted Theatre at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee, $18; refractedco.com.

“Red Summer”: The world premiere of Andrew White and Shepsu Aakhi’s drama, set during the 1919 Chicago race riots, about two World War I soldiers — one Black, one white — who fought on the same side during the war but are now pitted against one other; directed by Lydia J. Dymond. Sept. 16-25. Governors State University Center for the Performing Arts, 1 University Dr., University Park, $29-$39; govst.edu/redsummer.

“Little Shop of Horrors”: Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s musical about a meek plant store worker, his co-worker crush and the man-eating plant that causes them trouble. Directed by Matthew Silar. Sept. 15-Oct. 16. Citadel Theatre, 300 S. Waukegan, Lake Forest, $40, $45; citadeltheatre.org.

“Fiddler on the Roof”: The North American premiere of a new production of Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick’s classic musical, the heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives and the traditions that define faith and family. Sept. 17-Oct. 7. Lyric Opera, 20 N. Wacker, $40+; lyricopera.org.

“Anastasia”: Terrence McNally, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty’s musical about the woman who claims to be the missing princess of the Romanov empire. Directed by Darko Tresnjak. Sept. 20-25. CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe, $27+; broadwayinchicago.com.

“Enough to Let the Light In”: Paloma Nozicka’s drama about two girlfriends who spend a night celebrating a milestone until secrets are revealed and lives changed. Directed by Georgette Verdin. Sept. 21-Oct. 23. Teatro Vista at Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theater, 1700 N. Halsted, $35, $40; steppenwolf.org.

“Alma”: Benjamin Benne’s drama about a single mother who fears a sacrifice from her past will now make her worst nightmare a reality; directed by Ana Velazquez. Sept. 22-Oct. 22. American Blues Theater at Rivendell Theatre, 5779 N. Ridge, $25-$45; americanbluestheater.com.

‘The Ugly One”: Marius Von Mayenburg’s comedy about a man who was never concerned about his looks until he’s told he’s the ugliest man in the world. Directed by Michael Mejia. Sept. 22-Oct. 29. Trap Door Theatre, 1655 W. Cortland, $25; trapdoortheatre.com.

“Botticelli in the Fire”: Jordan Tannahill’s hot-blooded queering of Renaissance Italy that questions the value of art at the collapse of society. Directed by Bo Frazier. Sept. 22-Nov. 5. First Floor Theater at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee, $25-$35; firstfloortheater.com.

“The Strange Case of Jekyll and Hyde”: In a new adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novella, Dr. Henri Jekyll finds the cards heavily stacked against her as she struggles to survive in Victorian England. Directed by Morgan Manasa. Sept. 22-Oct. 23. Idle Muse Theatre at The Edge Off-Broadway Theater, 1133 W. Catalpa, $10-$20; idlemuse.org.

“What to Send Up When It Goes Down”: Aleshea Harris’play-pageant-ritual-homegoing celebration responds to the gratuitous loss of Black lives and interrupts discourses that enable the ubiquity of racialized violence in our society. Co-directed by Ericka Ratcliff and Daniel Bryant. Sept. 24-Oct. 16. Congo Square Theatre at Lookingglass Theatre, Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan, $35; lookingglasstheatre.org.

“Wicked”: Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s musical is the untold backstory of the witches of Oz. Sept. 28-Dec. 4. Nederlander Theatre, 24 W. Randolph, $59+; broadwayinchicago.com.

“Tiger Style!”: Mike Lew’s comedy about two squabbling siblings who join forces to overcome the outrageous pressures of adulthood. Directed by Brian Balcom. Sept. 29-Oct. 30. Writers Theatre, 325 Tudor, Glencoe, $35-$90; writerstheatre.org.

“The Malignant Ampersands”: Brett Neveu’s unofficial sequel to Orson Welles’ “The Magnificent Ambersons” — a century ago they were a wealthy, thriving family, today, they are cursed with disease and misfortune. Directed by Dado. Sept. 29-Nov. 20. A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells, $30-$40; aredorchidtheatre.org.

“Private Lives”: Noel Coward’s iconic 1930 comedy about a once-married couple who unexpectedly cross paths while on honeymoons with their new partners. Directed by Ian Frank. Sept. 29-Nov. 13. Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark, $40; raventheatre.com.

“Frankenstreisand”: Tyler Anthony Smith’s drag comedy which presents Dr. Barbra Frankenstreisand’s first show in 27 years as she performs twisted versions of her signature songs. Directed by Stephanie Shaw. Sept. 29-Oct. 31. Hell in a Handbag Productions at Redline VR, 4702 N. Ravenswood, $21-$40; handbagproductions.org.

“Mary Seacole”: Jackie Sibblies Drury’s drama about a 19th century British-Jamaican nurse who crossed battle and race lines to chart her own course in history from the Crimean War to a modern-day nursing home. Co-directed by Jerrell Henderson and Hannah Todd. Oct. 1-Nov. 6. Griffin Theatre at Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark, $40; griffintheatre.com

“1919”: J. Nicole Brooks’ adaptation of Eve L. Ewing’s collection of poems about the killing of Black teenager Eugene Williams in 1919 near the segregated Chicago lakeshore. Directed by Gabrielle Randle-Bent. Oct. 4-29. Steppenwolf for Young Adults at Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted, $20; Steppenwolf.org.

“BULL: A Love Story”: Nancy Garcia Loza’s drama about a man, released from prison after a decade, who returns to his Lake View neighborhood hoping to resume life with his family. Directed by Laura Alcala Baker. Oct. 5-Nov. 20.Paramount’s Copley Theatre, 8 E. Galena. Tickets: $35 for Destinos Festival performances Oct. 5-16, after that $67-$74 (pay what you can Oct. 6, 8). Visit paramountaurora.com.

“Swing State”: Rebecca Gilman’s contemporary portrait of America’s heartland in a time when it seems like everyone has a different idea of what it means to be an American. Directed by Robert Falls. Oct. 7-Nov. 13. Goodman Theatre, 150 N. Dearborn, $25+; goodmantheatre.com.

Peacebook Festival: Collaboraction’s annual event looks at theater that heals during a day of fellowship filled with workshops, panels and performances by Oba William King, Sandra Delgado, Jeronimo Speaks and more. Oct. 8. Kehrein Center for the Arts, 5628 W. Washington, $15-$30; collaboraction.org.

“Routes”: Rachel De-lahay’s drama looks through the eyes of immigrants, refugees and children in conflict with the law as they fight to get home. Directed by Mikael Burke. Oct. 12-Nov. 20. Remy Bumppo Theatre at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont, $68; remybumppo.org.

“Clue”: Jonathan Lynn and Sandy Rustin’s adaptation of the movie based on the board game about six dinner guests at a remote mansion where murder and blackmail are on the menu. Directed by Walter Stearns. Oct. 13-Jan. 1. Mercury Theater, 3745 N. Southport, $35-$80; mercurytheaterchicago.com.

“The Cleanup”: Hallie Palladino’s comedy, set behind the scenes at a DIY preschool co-op, is a window into the often invisible struggles of toddler parents. Directed by Jen Poulin. Oct. 13-Nov. 19. Prop Thtr at Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture, 2936 N. Southport, $32; athenaeumcenter.org.

“She Loves Me”: Joe Masteroff, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick’s musical about two shop clerks who respond to a lonely hearts ad and unknowingly correspond with each other. Directed by Jeffrey Cass. Oct. 14-30. BrightSide Theatre at Meiley-Swallow Hall, North Central College, 31 S. Ellsworth, Naperville, $25; brighsidetheatre.com.

“Last Ascent”: Kristin Idaszak’s drama about a professional alpinist diagnosed with a heart condition who must face a tragic accident that changed her life forever. Directed by Denise Yvette Serna. Oct. 15-Nov. 20. The New Coordinates at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee, pay-what-you-can; thenewcoordinates.org.

“The Locusts”: In Jennifer Rumberger’s thriller, a Miami police detective returns to her small hometown to help apprehend the serial killer terrorizing its citizens. Directed by John Gawlik. Oct. 20-Nov. 19. The Gift Theatre at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont, $38-$45; thegifttheatre.org.

“Camelot”: Lerner and Lowe’s classic musical tells the story of King Arthur, Guenevere, Lancelot and the Knights of the Round Table. Oct. 20-Nov. 13. Music Theater Works at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, $19.50-$106; musictheaterworks.com.

“Julius Caesar”: A modern-dress staging of Shakespeare’s tragedy about the downfall of the Roman leader. Directed by Charles Askenaizer. Oct. 20-Nov. 20. Invictus Theatre, 1106 W. Thorndale, $35; invictustheatreco.com.

“Measure for Measure”: Shakespeare’s searing examination of political corruption and social injustice is set against the turbulence of 1959 Cuba as Fidel Castro seizes power. Directed by Henry Godinez. Oct. 21-Nov. 27. Chicago Shakespeare Theater, 800 E. Grand, $49-$92; chicagoshakes.com.

“The Mark of Kane”: In Mark Pracht’s drama, it’s 1939 and two friends huddle in a Bronx apartment to create a legendary comic-book hero. Directed by Terry McCabe. Oct. 21-Dec. 4. City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr, $34; citylit.org.

“Buried Child”: Sam Shepard’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play is set in America’s heartland and details the disintegration of the American Dream within one family. Directed by Derek Bertelsen. Oct. 21-Nov. 19. AstonRep Theatre at The Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway; astonrep.com.

“Man and Moon”: In Siena Marilyn Ledger’s new play, a transitioning man meets an outer-space-loving 12-year-old girl in the waiting room of a hospital’s oncology unit, where they share with each other their dreams and fears. Oct. 21-Nov. 13. 16th Street Theatre at Madison Street Theater, 1010 Madison, Oak Park, $25, $30; 16thstreettheatre.org.

“Blue Heaven”: Four blues legends — Big Momma Thornton, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters and Stevie Ray Vaughn — reminisce about the ups and downs of their careers while waiting for the “new guy” — B.B. King — to show up. Written and directed by Daryl Brooks. Oct. 22-Nov. 27. Black Ensemble Theater, 4450 N. Clark, $55; blackensembletheater.org.

“Boeing-Boeing”: Marc Camoletti’s 1960s farce about a Paris bachelor, engaged to three flight attendants, who finds life gets complicated when all three women are in town at the same time. Oct. 28-Nov. 20. Saint Sebastian Players at St. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey, $30; saintsebastianplayers.org.

“Hit ‘Em on the Blackside”: Season three of Congo Square Theatre’s sketch comedy series brings back memorable characters and new stories with a nod to social themes. Streams Oct. 28-Feb. 3, free; congosquaretheatre.org.

“Rent”: Jonathan Larson’s classic musical about a group of friends struggling to survive and create in Manhattan’s East Village under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. Oct. 29-Nov. 27. Porchlight Music Theatre at Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn, $25+; porchlightmusictheatre.org.

“American Son”: The Chicago premiere of Christopher Demos-Brown’s drama about a bi-racial couple who confront their feelings about race and bias after their son is detained by the police. Directed by Tim Rhoze. Oct. 29-Nov. 13. Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre at Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes, Evanston, $30; fjtheatre.com.

“Plaid as Hell”: A queer comedy about friends on a camping trip that gets off to a rocky start. Directed by Christina Casano. Oct. 29-Nov. 19. Babes With Blades at Factory Theater, 1623 W. Howard, $35; babeswithblades.org.

“A Murder in the Court of Xanadu”: A Theater in the Dark’s audio drama in which Kublai Khan’s Xanadu is transposed into the 21st century as one of the largest corporations on the planet. Written and directed by Corey Bradberry. Begins streaming Nov. 3, $10; atheaterinthedark.com.

“The Conspirators’ 125th Anniversary Jubilee”: The neo-commedia style ensemble visits years of political satire with a medley of musical numbers from past productions as well as new offerings. Directed by Wm. Bullion. Nov. 3-19. The Conspirators at Otherworld Theater, 3914 N. Clark, $25; conspirewithus.org.

“Jeeves Intervenes”: Margaret Raether’s adaptation of the P.G. Wodehouse story finds the marriage-averse Bertie desperately trying to avoid his ferocious Aunt Agatha with the help of his highly competent valet Jeeves. Directed by Michael Goldberg. Nov. 5-Dec. 4. First Folio Theatre at Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 31st, Oak Brook, $49, $59; firstfolio.org

“Elf”: Thomas Meehan, Bob Martin, Matthew Skylar and Chad Beguelin’s musical adaptation of the film about an elf in Santa’s workshop who discovers he is human and sets out to find his birth father. Nov. 9-Jan. 8. Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, $54-$74; drurylanetheatre.com.

“The Sound of Music :” Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein, Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse’s classic musical about a young governess and the family that changes her life. Directed by Amber Mak. Nov. 9-Jan. 8. Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena, Aurora, $28-$79 (pay what you can Nov. 10, 12); paramountaurora.com.

“Trouble in Mind”: In Alice Childress’ play set in the mid-1950s, a group of actors rehearse a new anti-lynching drama as tensions flair between the Black actress in the starring role and her white director. Directed by Ron OJ Parson. Nov. 10-Dec. 18. TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington, $25-$57; timelinetheatre.com.

“The Island”: Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Nthsona’s drama about two South African political prisoners who toil by day in a prison quarry and secretly spend their evenings rehearsing a two-man version of “Antigone.” Directed by Gabrielle Randle-Bent. Nov. 11-Dec. 4. Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis, $37.50-$84; courttheatre.org.

“Dooby Dooby Moo”: James R. Grote’s adaptation of Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin’s children’s book about a group of farm animals who join a talent contest with hopes of winning a trampoline. Directed by Heather Currie. Nov. 12-Dec. 11. Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood, $20; lifelinetheatre.com.

“The Steadfast Tin Soldier”: Mary Zimmerman’s adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale about a little tin soldier who never gives up. Directed by Zimmerman. Nov. 13-Jan. 8. Lookingglass Theatre, Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan, $45-$75; lookingglasstheatre.org.

“It Runs in the Family”: Ray Cooney’s farce is set in a hospital where a doctor attempts to fend off a paternity suit, an ex-wife, a punkish son and various other lunatics. Directed by Pat Murphy. Nov. 16-Dec. 18. Citadel Theatre, 300 S. Waukegan, Lake Forest, $40, $45; citadeltheatre.org.

“The Lion King”: Julie Taymor, Elton John and Tim Rice’s musical adaptation of the Disney film is a breathtaking and creative production that never gets old. Nov. 17-Jan. 14. Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph, $33+; broadwayinchicago.com.

“Season’s Greetings”: Alan Ayckbourn’s comedy follows the anxiety and high kinks at a family Christmas gathering. Directed by Connie Canaday Howard. Nov. 17-Dec. 18. Buffalo Theatre Ensemble at McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell, Glen Ellyn, $42; btechicago.com.

“A Christmas Carol”: Larry Yando returns as Ebenezer Scrooge in the annual staging of Charles Dickens’ classic holiday story. Directed by Jessica Thebus. Nov. 19-Dec. 31. Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn, $25+; goodmantheatre.org.

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With the season starting this Saturday against No. 2 Ohio State, here are five Notre Dame players to watch this season.

Michael Mayer (Tight End)

Mayer is the best skills position player on the roster, and arguably the best player on the team. Mayer is also one of the top ranked tight ends in the country. Mayer had 71 receptions last year for 840 yards and 7 touch downs. A projected first round pick, Mayer is going to have to be even better this year for Notre Dame to be successful in 2022.

Tyler Buchner (Quarter Back)

The Sophomore quarter back from San Diego was named the starting quarter back earlier this off season against Drew Pyne. Buchner was used mostly as a runner when he was inserted into the offense last year, rarely throwing the ball. Throwing for 300 yards, 3 touch downs and 3 interceptions, Buchner will be asked to do a lot more in 2022. Head coach Marcus Freeman has spoken very highly about Buchner and hopefully he performs at a high level this season.

Jarret Patterson (Offensive Line)

Believe it or not, but Notre Dame has a first round talent on their offensive line. Senior Jarret Patterson has been one of the most consistent players on Notre Dame’s offense the last few years. With the return of offensive line coach Harry Hiestand, Patterson will follow up the former Notre Dame first round offensive lineman under Hiestand including Quenton Nelson, Mike McGlinchey, Zack Martin, and Ronnie Stanley.

Isaiah Foskey (Defensive Line)

The leader of the defense, Foskey had 11 sacks and 6 forced fumbles last season. Another future first round pick in next year’s draft, Foskey is going to have a field day against teams in 2022. With head coach Marcus Freeman being a former defensive coach, you would expect the Fighting Irish defense to be a top ranked defense this season.

Marcus Freeman (Head Coach)

I understand that this is cheating, but nobody has more pressure on them this season than Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman. With only one game under his belt as a head coach, Freeman is looking to make a splash in his first full year as Irish head coach.

After all of the drama of Brian Kelly leaving before the bowl game last year, the players definitely have the guy they wanted to be head coach.

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Nicholas Phan, artistic director and co-founder of the Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago, was doing research for a previous installment of the organization’s annual art-song festival and discovered the extensive breadth of compositions in the form by Chicago composers past and present.

So, he and his collaborators decided to make Chicago’s fertile music history the focus of the 2022 installment of the event, known as the Collaborative Works Festival. Performances of “The Song of Chicago” are set for Sept. 7 and 8 in Roosevelt University’s Ganz Hall, 430 S. Michigan, and Sept. 11 at the Epiphany Center for the Arts, 201 S. Ashland Ave.

“Chicago has a really rich history of producing a ton of composers and poets who have done extraordinary work,” Phan said.

Well-known classical composers from Franz Schubert and Johannes Brahms to Charles Ives and Ned Rorem have written art songs. But these intimate concert works, typically settings of poems with piano accompaniment, don’t have the same visibility or popularity as other vocal forms like opera.

“The mission of CAIC is to promote the art-song repertoire,” Phan said, “and the art of the vocal recital, and this Collaborative Works Festival aims to do that by picking a theme each year and exploring that theme through song.”

The Sept. 7 program, “Chicago’s Own,” features an overview of composers who were born or spent time in the city, including Rorem, Joseph Schwantner and Reena Esmail. Chicago’s rich history of Black composers will be showcased Sept. 8 with works by such composers as Florence Price and Nora Holt, who became the first African American to receive a master of music degree in 1918.

“I’m excited about all three programs, but I’m particularly excited about this program,” Phan said, “because it’s showing a story that has been overlooked, and it’s a really important story.”

The festival concludes Sept. 11 with a tribute to Carl Sandburg, who in addition to writing poetry also famously collected American folk songs in a 1927 anthology titled “The American Songbag.” This concert will feature arrangements of some of those songs by composers like Ernst Bacon, Ruth Crawford Seeger and George Walker, as well as settings of several of Sandburg’s poems.

In keeping with the festival’s theme, all the performers except Phan will be Chicago-based, including tenor Lunga Eric Hallam, mezzo-soprano Zoie Reams, baritone Robert Sims and pianist Yasuko Oura.

Sept. 9-Oct. 1, Verdi’s “Ernani,” Lyric Opera of Chicago, Enrique Mazzola, conductor, Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Upper Wacker (lyricopera.org). Based on a play by Victor Hugo, this dramatic opera centers on a messy love quadrangle, with one of three suitors for the same woman being the king. First presented on the Lyric stage in 1984, this work is the fourth installment in an early Verdi opera series spearheaded by the company’s music director, Enrique Mazzola.

Sept 18, Handel’s “Jeptha,” North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie; and Sept. 19, Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph, Music of the Baroque, Jane Glover, conductor (baroque.org). Handel’s Christmas and Easter oratorio, “Messiah,” is widely beloved, but the great baroque master wrote more than 25 other oratorios, including his final one, “Jephtha,” based on a biblical story. These concerts are the Music of the Baroque’s first performances of this work in more than the three decades, and they inaugurate Glover’s 20th season with the group.

Sept. 22-25, Monteverdi’s “L’incoronazione di Poppea (The Coronation of Poppea),” Jarvis Opera Hall, DePaul University, 800 W. Belden (haymarketopera.org); and Oct. 16, Monteverdi’s “Vespers of 1610,” Apollo’s Fire, Alice Millar Chapel, Northwestern University, 1870 Sheridan Road, Evanston (apollosfire.org). Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) did not invent opera, but his groundbreaking creations significantly defined the medium as we know it, and they continue to be regularly performed. Haymarket will offer its first-ever historically informed production of “Coronation,” the composer’s final opera, and Apollo’s Fire presents his earlier musical setting of the Catholic evening prayer service known as vespers.

Sept. 22-24 and 27, Coleridge-Taylor’s “Solemn Prelude,” Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Hall, 220 S. Michigan (cso.org). To launch its 2022-23 season, Riccardo Muti’s last as music director, the CSO will perform a program that includes the American premiere of “Solemn Prelude.” (The other works differ on the Sept. 24 line-up.) The manuscript for the long-lost work was discovered in the archives of the Three Choirs Festival in Great Britain, where it debuted in 1899 and was again performed last year. Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912), who had an English mother and Sierra Leone Creole father, gained considerable respect in England during his short life, including early support from famed composer Edward Elgar.

Oct. 15, Cuarteto Latinoamericano, Music Institute of Chicago and International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago, Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston (musicinst.org/nch). Classical music might have originated in Europe, but that continent holds no monopoly on the genre. That’s the message of this 40-year-old ensemble from Mexico City, which commissions new works and champions famed Latin American composers like H?itor Villa-Lobos, Alberta Ginastera and Silvestre Revueltas, all of whom will be showcased on this program.

Oct. 20, Yunchan Lim, pianist, Skyline Piano Artist Series, Galvin Recital Hall, Northwestern University, 70 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston (music.northwestern.edu). That conductor Marin Alsop was reportedly wiping away tears in June after leading Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition with contestant Yunchan Lim, was a good indication that he would be the winner. And, indeed, the jury selected the 18-year-old as the youngest pianist ever to win the gold medal at the celebrated contest in Fort Worth, Texas.

Oct. 26-28, “Music from Paris,” Quatuor Diotima, University of Chicago Presents, Performance Hall, Logan Center for the Arts, University of Chicago, 915 E. 60th (chicagopresents.uchicago.edu). Formed in 1996 by graduates of the Paris National Conservatory, this ensemble has become one of the most sought-after string quartets in Europe. This three-concert series was originally scheduled last season when the group was in residence at the University of Chicago, but the event had to be postponed because of “unforeseen difficulties related to international travel.”

Nov. 3, Golijov’s “Falling Out of Time: A Tone Poem in Voices,” Silkroad Ensemble, Harris Theater Presents, Harris Theater (harristheaterchicago.org). Based on a book by David Grossman about parents’ grief over the death of a child, this song cycle “portrays a musical, mythical walk that traverses vast and varied emotional landscapes,” according to Silkroad’s website. The work, which was premiered as part of an American tour in 2019, was the first in a decade for this celebrated composer who sank into a creative malaise.

Nov. 9-25, Verdi’s “Don Carlos,” Lyric Opera of Chicago, Lyric Opera House (lyricopera.org). Although Verdi wrote his original version of “Don Carlos” in French, most modern stagings feature an Italian translation known as “Don Carlo.” With this production, Lyric Opera will present for the first time the 1886 Modena version in five acts in French. A slightly different five-act French version was presented last year by New York’s Metropolitan Opera to considerable acclaim, and Lyric is clearly hoping for a similar success with its production with the same director, David McVicar.

Nov. 18 and 20, Szymanowski’s “King Roger,” Chicago Opera Theater, Lira Ensemble and Apollo Chorus, Lidiya Yankovskaya, conductor, Harris Theater (chicagooperatheater.org). Written in 1918-24, Polish composer Karol Szymanowski’s “King Roger” was inspired in part by the mix of cultures and religions in around the Mediterranean basin. Performances of the work were relatively rare after its debut in 1926, but this opera has been rediscovered in recent decades and productions have become more frequent. This will be its Chicago premiere.

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As the Bears get ready to launch a new season and a new era, here are some of the key questions they’ll answer:

Where will Justin Fields rank among the NFL’s QBs this year?Around 20th among the 32 starters. That’s about where Mitch Trubisky was in his second season, too, in 2018. The big question for Bears general manager Ryan Poles is whether that’s the ceiling on what Fields can do or an incremental step toward cracking the top 10 in 2023.

Did Poles do enough this offseason?Not quite, but it must be taken into account that he took over a sub-.500 team with salary-cap problems and depleted draft assets. A major teardown was necessary before he could really begin to build. Pass rusher Khalil Mack would’ve helped this season, for example, but financial relief and draft picks the Bears got by trading him were more important in the long run. The biggest objection to Poles’ offseason is that he did not provide concrete help for Fields at wide receiver and on the offensive line. He believes he did, but it takes a lot of faith to agree.

The most glaring need the Bears have is …Cornerback, still. A good defense needs at least three. Right now, Jaylon Johnson is the only sure thing. The Bears are hoping second-round pick Kyler Gordon makes an instant impact and Kindle Vildor can turn it around after being benched last season.

A rookie who will make the biggest impact is …Gordon. He’s pivotal. If he’s as good as the Bears say he is, that changes a lot about their shaky secondary. Poles said his staff decided in pre-draft preparation that it was completely unrealistic to think he’d still be available at No. 39 overall. He came from a Washington program known for producing great cornerbacks and has experience playing inside and outside.

The team MVP will be …Roquan Smith. He’s a do-it-all linebacker who is about to enjoy the perfect intersection of stepping into his prime and shifting into a role that maximizes his strengths. He’s going to have a monster season. And he’ll get a monster contract, but it might not be with the Bears.

How will Roquan Smith fare in a prove-it year?He will, indeed, prove it. But there shouldn’t really be anything for him to prove at this point. He’s a fifth-year veteran who has lived up to the hype of being the No. 8 pick. He’s good against the run or in pass coverage, he’s a dangerous pass rusher and he’s smart.

What will the Bears’ record be in Matt Eberflus’ debut season?5-12. It’s very difficult to predict something like that because so much will change for the Bears and their opponents. A November game that looks unwinnable now might have a completely different vibe by the time they get there. The Bears will struggle to win with a stripped-down roster, but they need to show signs thatthey’reheaded the right way regardless.

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