Entertainment

Weekend picks: Hang with Jordan Knight at Viper Alley

Posted January 28, 2012 5:00 am

By Laura Milbrath Stewart and Scott C. Morgan

Jordan Knight brings his solo show to Viper Alley at 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28.

New Kid returns

Jordan Knight, the former lead singer of 1980-'90s pop group New Kids on the Block, will bring his distinctive, soulful falsetto voice to Viper Alley, 275 Parkway Drive, Lincolnshire, during a special solo show this weekend. If you were a New Kids fan back in the day or a devotee of Knight's later solo work, this show gives you the chance to see him in a small, intimate venue. $35. Go to viper-alley.com. 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28

Journey on

Need suggestions on where to spend your vacation dollars this year? If so, visit Chicago Travel & Adventure Show this weekend for tips and celebrity seminars with travel experts like Samantha Brown, Patricia Schultz and more this weekend at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont. $9-$15. Kids younger than 16 admitted free with a guardian. (847) 692-2222 or adventureexpo.com. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29

Fun with ‘Madeline'

Youngsters and their families can take part in silly activities and story time fun as they celebrate the classic “Madeline” children's books, by Ludwig Bemelmans and his grandson John Bemelmans Marciano, in the “Super ‘Madeline' Saturday” event at Anderson's Bookshops at 123 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville, (630) 355-2665, and 5112 Main St., Downers Grove, (630) 963-2665. Free. Visit andersonsbookshop.com. 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, in Naperville and 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, in Downers Grove

Sail away

Start dreaming now about spending summers boating on Lake Michigan when the 2012 Progressive Insurance Strictly Sail Chicago Show comes to Navy Pier's Festival Halls A & B, 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. $12-$15; kids ages 15 and younger admitted free. (312) 595-7437 or strictlysailchicago.com. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29

Free days at Brookfield Zoo

Visit with the animals of Brookfield Zoo on the zoo's upcoming free-admission days. Guests can wander through more than 200 landscaped acres that are home to more than 450 species of animals from around the world at the zoo, First Avenue and 31st Street, Brookfield. (708) 688-8000 or CZS.org. Note: There is a $10 parking fee. Free zoo admission from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays through Tuesday, Feb. 28

Mush! mush!

See dog sled demonstrations, learn about Alaskan history and find out about dog adoption options this weekend when Husky Heroes return this weekend at the Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. $12; $11 seniors; $9 kids ages 2 to 17. (630) 968-0074 or mortonarb.org. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 28-29

Snow business

Once a major attraction at Randhurst Mall in Mount Prospect, the giant snow sculptures by international competitors now emerge this weekend as part of Snow Days Chicago at Navy Pier's Gateway Park, 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. Free admission. (312) 595-7437 or navypier.com. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29

Ice maidens

Rapunzel from #8220;Tangled#8221; joins the pantheon of Disney princesses like Tiana from #8220;The Princess and the Frog#8221; and Cinderella who each don ice skates for the latest Disney on Ice show #8220;Dare to Dream#8221; starting Wednesday at the Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont, and then moving to the United Center, 1901 W. Madison St., Chicago. $15-$75. (800) 745-3000 or disneyonice.com. Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 28-29, in Rosemont and Wednesday through Sunday, Feb. 1-12, in Chicago

So very grand

More than 400 pianists are set to perform on 12 grand pianos as part of a series of American Grands XVII concerts this Saturday at Elgin Community College's Visual and Performing Arts Center, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. $22. $15 kids ages 12 and younger. (847) 622-0300 or elgin.edu. 1, 4 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28

Rootsy celebration

Fans of folk, bluegrass and roots-rock music should definitely set aside time for the second half of the Chicago Blues and Bluegrass festival at the Congress Theater, 2135 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. The headliners are the Drive-By Truckers, a group that combines the sound of classic Southern acts like Lynyrd Skynyrd with more contemporary influences like The Replacements and Dinosaur Jr. The Truckers are always a great live act, and they'll be just one part of the festival, which opened last weekend and wraps up this weekend in the city. Other performers on the bill for the second round include acclaimed Chicago folk-rock singer Joe Pug and a slew of up-and-coming local bands. $35. Go to cbbfestival.com. 4 p.m. to midnight Saturday, Jan. 28

#8216;Grease' is the word

Sing along with the musical score at a screening of the 1978 film #8220;Grease,#8221; during the #8220;Grease Sing-a-long#8221; at the Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. Join on-screen stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in singing favorite songs such as #8220;Summer Nights,#8221; #8220;You're the One That I Want#8221; and more. $3-$6. (847) 782-2366 or geneseetheatre.com. 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28

It's Magic

If you loved comic magician Mike Super on the NBC-TV series #8220;Phenomenon,#8221; then don't miss his Magic Illusion show this Saturday at the College of Lake County's Lumber Center for the Performing Arts, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. $22-$30; $20-$28 seniors; $7-$15 kids. (847) 543-2300 or clcillinois.edu/tickets. 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28

Poor #8216;Butterfly'

The New Philharmonic presents a special costumed concert staging of Puccini's classic tear-jerker opera #8220;Madama Butterfly#8221; with guest soloists like Michelle Areyzaga, John Sumners and more at College of DuPage's McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. $38; $36 seniors; $28 kids. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org. 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28

#8216;Disgraced'

Fresh from Fox Valley Repertory's #8220;Moonlight and Magnolias,#8221; director Kimberly Senior helms American Theater Company's world premiere of #8220;Disgraced,#8221; Ayad Akhtar's drama about an up-and-coming Muslim-American lawyer who's betrayed just as his professional dreams are about to come true. Usman Ally (#8220;The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity#8221;) stars in the show at 1909 W. Byron St., Chicago. $30-$40. (773) 409-4125 or atcweb.org. Preview at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28; show opens Monday, Jan. 30

Wherefore art thou?

Shakespeare's classic romantic tragedy #8220;Romeo and Juliet#8221; gets a beautiful silent treatment when The State Ballet Theatre of Russia performs the classic ballet version featuring a gorgeous score by Prokofiev this weekend at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, Chicago. $30-$87. (800) 982-2787 or auditoriumtheatre.org. 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29

#8216;Rapunzel'

Winnetka Theatre's #8220;Especially for Kids#8221; program presents a musical adaptation of #8220;Rapunzel#8221; at the Winnetka Community House, 620 Lincoln Ave., Winnetka. The classic tale involves a young woman with super-long hair who is cloistered in a tower by a possessive witch. $12. Call (847) 604-0275 or visit winnetkatheatre.org or winnetkacommunityhouse.org. 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29

It's magic!

Magician David Kovac presents a magic show with comedy and audience participation at the Round Lake Area Public Library, 906 Hart Road, Round Lake. Free. (847) 546-7060 or rlalibrary.org. 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29

Northwest Symphony Orchestra

The Northwest Symphony Orchestra presents its winter concert, #8220;NSO Revisited,#8221; featuring oboe soloist Michael Henoch, assistant principal oboe for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, on Sunday. The program, at Maine West High School Auditorium, 1755 S. Wolf Road, Des Plaines, includes works by composers Ludwig von Beethoven and Modeste Mussorgsky. $10-$20. Visit northwestsymphony.org. 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29

Strictly Sail Chicago 2012 at Navy Pier features demonstrations like remote-control sailboats.

Sculptor Xu Rui of China shows off his Indian Chief sculpture from a past edition of Snow Days Chicago at Navy Pier. COURTESY OF FRAN VOLZ/SNOW VISIONS INC.

Cinderella, Rapunzel and Tiana share the spotlight in Disney on Ices Dare to Dream, coming to the Allstate Arena in Rosemont Jan. 26-29 and the United Center in Chicago from Feb. 1-12.

The Husky Heroes return to the Morton Arboretum in Lisle this weekend. Daily Herald File Photo

See Ron the bison and more than 400 other species of animals at Brookfield Zoo during the zoos upcoming free-admission days. Courtesy of the Chicago Zoological Society

American Grands XVII is featured for three shows on Saturday, Jan. 28, at Elgin Community College.

Sing along with John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John and other stars of the 1978 film Grease during the Grease Sing-a-long at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan on Saturday.

The State Ballet Theatre of Russia's touring ballet "Romeo and Juliet" comes to the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Magician Mike Super comes to College of Lake County's Lumber Center for the Performing Arts in Grayslake for a performance on Saturday, Jan. 28.

Magician David Kovac performs a free magic show at the Round Lake Area Public Library on Sunday, Jan. 29. Courtesy of the Round Lake Area Public Library

Article Comments

Article Categories
Entertainment

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.