Spotlight: Blue Man Group, Practical Theatre reunion on tap for holiday week
Magic of the season
Chicago Magic Lounge pays tribute to close-up magic and the local bar scene where it flourished during Christmas Week. New Year's Eve performances include close-up magic as well as a stage show and champagne toast.
7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, Dec. 26-28, and 7 and 10 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Dec. 29-30, at 5050 N. Clark St., Chicago. Special New Year's Eve shows at 7 and 10 p.m. Dec. 31. $52.50-$85. The late New Year's Eve show includes close-up magic, stage show, champagne toast and souvenir champagne flute. $80-$110. Proof of vaccination required, masks optional. (312) 366-4500 or chicagomagiclounge.com.
Blue holidays
The Blue Man Group has added additional holiday shows that include special PVC performances of "Jingle Bells" and "Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel." There are also additional New Year's Eve performances.
2, 5 and 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23, and Monday through Thursday, Dec. 26-29; 2 and 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 25; 11 a.m., 2, 5 and 8 p.m. Dec. 30 and 1, 4, 7 and 10 p.m. Dec. 31 at the Briar Street Theatre, 3133 N. Halsted St., Chicago. Tickets start at $49. Masks encouraged. (800) 258-3626 or blueman.com/Chicago.
Practical humor
Founded in 1979 by Paul Barrosse, Brad Hall and several other Northwestern University students, the improv and comedy group Practical Theatre Company helped launch the careers of Julia Louis-Dreyfus and fellow "Saturday Night Live" alums Hall, Barrosse and Gary Kroeger. In 2010 Paul Barrosse teamed up with Victoria Zielinski, musician Steve Rashid and writer Dana Olsen ("The 'Burbs," "George of the Jungle") for shows in Los Angeles and Chicago. The group has reunited for "Vic & Paul & Dana's Post-Pandemic Revue" consisting of sketches and original songs about everything from marriage and cancel culture to conspiracy theories, Greek gods and whoopee cushions.
8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 29-31, and Jan. 4, 5 and 7, at Studio5 Performing Arts Center, 1934 Dempster St., Evanston. $35, $45; New Year's Eve: $45, $60. Masks optional. (847) 328-6683 or studio5.dance.
In other news
Check venues for COVID-19 precautions.
• WBEZ Chicago 91.5 FM and Vocalo 91.1 FM will air Goodman Theatre's "A Christmas Carol - A Radio Play" at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 25. Recorded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the production was co-adapted and directed by Jessica Thebus and stars Larry Yando as Ebenezer Scrooge.
• io Theater toasts its return to Chicago two years after closing its doors in 2020 with a New Year's Eve party that includes sketches and songs from "Improvised Jane Austen" and "Holidays From Hell" followed by long-form improv, comedian Max Thomas, drag queen Neutral Gena, MC Binkey, the musical group Botanical Barz All Stars, karaoke and dancing. The party starts at 8 p.m. Dec. 31 at 1501 N. Kingsbury St., Chicago. Tickets are $55 and include admission to all shows, open bar (beer and well drinks) and a champagne toast at midnight. Masks optional. See ioimprov.com.
• PrideArts collaborates with drag artists Tirrany Reigns and Ramona Mirage on "In the Family," Reigns' queer family dramedy about the trials and tribulations that follow a major family loss and a raucous New Year's Eve. Performances run Jan. 6-15 at 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago. (773) 857-0222 or pridearts.org.
• Looking ahead: Tickets for Theatre Week 2023, taking place Feb. 16-26, go on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 10. Participating organizations may include: Broadway in Chicago, The Joffrey Ballet, Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, The Lookingglass Theatre, The Second City, Cabaret ZaZou and others. Tickets ($30, $15 or less) are available at hottix.org or at Hot Tix locations at 72 E. Randolph St., Chicago, or 108 N. State St. (inside Block 37 Shops on State), Chicago. See choosechicago.com/chicago-theatre-week.
• Chicago Children's Theatre partners with the Oak Park-based Whirlwind Coffee to create a new coffee named Red Kite blend. For every bag of coffee sold, Whirlwind Coffee will donate $3 to Chicago Children's Theatre's Red Kite Project, a theatrical and educational program for youth on the autism spectrum. Whirlwind's charitable promotion runs through 2023 in honor of the 15th anniversary of the Red Kite Project. The coffee is available at the cafe at 513 Madison St. in Oak Park or online at whirlwindcoffee.com.