24 things to do in Chicago April 30-May 6

Theater

Timeline Theatre debuts its new theater space with “An Enemy of the People,” running May 6-June 7.

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Timeline Theatre debuts its new theater space with “An Enemy of the People,” Amy Herzog’s new version of Henrik Ibsen’s classic drama about a respected doctor (Will Allan) who raises the alarm when a deadly discovery threatens the health of an entire village. Ron OJ Parson directs. From May 6-June 7 at Timeline Theatre, 5035 N. Broadway. Tickets: $40-$95. Visit timelinetheatre.com.

Covenant - ID is playright Malkia Stampley at rehearsal - photo by Hugo Hentoff.jpg — Malkia Stampley is the director of “Covenant,” running from May 2-31 at Goodman Theatre.

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“Covenant” is Chicago native York Walker’s tense thriller about a man who left his small Georgia town a struggling guitarist and returns as a blues star. Was there a dark deal involved in his success? Malkia Stampley directs. From May 2-31 at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St. Tickets: $24-$64. Visit goodmantheatre.org.
Set amid the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, Fred Ebb, Bob Fosse and John Kander’s “Chicago the Musical,” is the story of housewife/nightclub dancer Roxie Hart (Ellie Roddy) who stands accused of murdering her lover. David Hyslop directs. From May 5-10 at The Auditorium, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Dr. Tickets: $40-$115. Visit broadwayinchicago.com.

Pandemonium, Please Hold - photo by Timothy Schmidt.jpg — The Second City’s new mainstage show, “Pandemonium, Please Hold,” transforms the chaos of everyday life into shared hilarity.

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The Second City’s new mainstage show, “Pandemonium, Please Hold,” transforms the chaos of everyday life into shared hilarity. Carisa Barreca directs. Ongoing at The Second City, 1616 N. Wells St. Tickets: $40+. Visit secondcity.com.
David Malloy’s “Octet” uses chamber-inspired a cappella music to explore the impact and perils of life online. Keira Fromm directs. From April 30-June 7 at Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark St. Tickets: $45. Visit raventheatre.com.
City Lit Theater presents “Scaramouche,” Kingsley Day and James Glossman’s musical adaptation of Raphael Sabatini’s adventure story about the exploits of a provincial lawyer (Ethan Smith) who is radicalized by a friend’s brutal murder. Beth Wolf directs. From May 1-June 14 at Edgewater Presbyterian Church, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. Tickets: $45. Visit citylit.org.
“Always…Patsy Cline” is Ted Swindley’s musical that features many of the country legend’s classic hit songs. Harmony France directs. From May 1-June 7 at American Blues Theater, 5627 N. Lincoln Ave. Tickets: $24.50+. Visit americanbluestheater.com.
Melissa Ross’ “Do Something Pretty” follows three teens in 1992 as they navigate their way through the murky path to adulthood. Jessica Fisch directs. From May 2-June 6 at Rivendell Theatre, 5779 N. Ridge Ave. Tickets: $38. Visit rivendelltheatre.org.
Readings on Ravenswood returns with Tom Stoppard’s “Arcadia” (May 4), a.k. payne’s “Furlough’s Paradise” (May 11), Alexis Scheer’s “Laughs in Spanish” (May 18), Katie Kleiger’s “Different Words for Happiness” (June 1), Rajiv Joseph’s “Gruesome Playground Injuries” (June 8) and Jordan Harrison’s “Marjorie Prime.” At 7 p.m. each night at Remy Bumppo Theatre’s rehearsal space, 1751 W. Grace St. Free, donations appreciated. Visit remybumppo.org.

Dance

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Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre performs the world premieres of Shannon Alvis and Joe Cerqua’s “Immense World,” which explores the connection between humans and nature, and Monique Haley, Kendrick Scott and Cerqua’s “We Intersect,” a piece rooted in jazz and blues. Also on the program are “Victims of Comfort,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “A Place Between Earth & Sky (2019): Revival.” At 7:30 p.m. April 30-May 1 and noon May 2 at Dance Center of Columbia College, 1306 S. Michigan Ave. Tickets: $10-$30. Visit cerquarivera.org.

South Chicago Dance Theatre - photo by MReid Photography .jpg — South Chicago Dance Theatre presents three world premieres and an audience favorite, Donald Byrd’s “It Begins” at 6 p.m. May 1 at Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph St.

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South Chicago Dance Theatre presents three world premieres: Kia S. Smith’s “Suite on the Sahara,” Natasha Adorlee’s “Slip Force” and David Dorfman’s “Subject(s)? Verb Object!” An audience favorite, Donald Byrd’s “It Begins,” will also be performed. At 6 p.m. May 1 at Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph St. Tickets: $31.10+. Visit harristheaterchicago.org.
Mandala South Asian Performing Arts presents “Purush: When Power Becomes Poetry,” an evening-length performance that explores improvisation across classical Indian dance traditions by male dancers. At 7:30 p.m. May 2 at Visceral Dance Center, 3121 N. Rockwell Ave. Tickets: $25. Visit mandalaarts.org.

Music

The Claudettes - photo credit Timothy Hiatt.jpg — The Claudettes will perform at 8 p.m. May 2 at Old Town School of Folk Music, 4545 N. Lincoln Ave.

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The Claudettes mixes blues and R&B with a punk-rock spirit and film-noir moods to create a seductive sound. The Chicago band (composer-pianist Johnny Iguana, lead singer Rachel Williams, drummer Michael Caskey and bassist Zach Verdoorn) performs songs from their new album, “Garage Glamour,” as well as more from their songbook at 8 p.m. May 2 at Old Town School of Folk Music, 4545 N. Lincoln Ave. Tickets: $39. Visit oldtownschool.org.
International Jazz Day All-Star Global Concert brings together a lineup of more than 40 artists, reflecting jazz’s far-reaching influence across genres and cultures. Led by Herbie Hancock and Kurt Elling, the concert features international performers and Chicago artists. At 7 p.m. April 30 at Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Dr. Admission is free; the concert also will be streamed (yt.be/jazzday). For more information, visit chicago.jazzday.com.

The Cribs by Steve Gullick.jpg — The Cribs will perform May 5 at The Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Ave.

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British indie rock band The Cribs (twins Gary and Ryan Jarman and their younger brother Ross) is in the midst of their first North American headline tour in nine years in support of the new album, “Selling a Vibe.” Pitchfork says the album “shoots the band’s guitar riffs through a sunny filter, giving listeners their daily vitamins in the form of bubbly earworms.” The Feeders open at 9 p.m. May 5 at The Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Ave. Tickets: $33.17. Visit emptybottle.com.
The Chicago Jazz Orchestra celebrates jazz icon Roy Eldridge, one of the influential trumpeters of the swing era who was a pioneer in breaking down the color barrier in American popular music. Featured are trumpeter Jon Faddis and vocalist Alyssa Allgood. At 3 p.m. May 3 at Studebaker Theater, Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave. Tickets: $26-$45. Visit fineartsbuilding.com.
Nova Linea Musica presents “L’dor v’dor,” a program celebrating the legacy of Jewish-American composers. Included is the world premiere of David Hanlon’s “Ki Ger Anokhi Imakh,” a piece inspired by connections between Hanlon’s grandparents who fled Austria in 1939 and the refugees of today. Also works by Leonard Bernstein, Laura Kaminsky, Ricky Ian Gordon and more performed by soprano Arianna Zukerman, mezzo-soprano Heather Johnson and pianist Jason Wirth. At 6:30 p.m. May 6 at Guarneri Hall, 11 E. Adams St. Tickets: $10-40. Visit novalineamusica.org.

Museums

Anne Frank exhibit - photo credit John Halpern, courrtesy of Anne Frank House.jpg — “Anne Frank The Exhibition” opens May 1 and runs to early 2027 at Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr.

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“Anne Frank The Exhibition,” presented by Amsterdam’s Anne Frank House, immerses visitors in a full-scale recreation of the rooms where Frank, her family and other Jewish refugees spent two years hiding from the Nazis. Also included are more than 130 original artifacts from the Anne Frank House that provide an opportunity to learn about Frank through the multifaceted lens of her life. Opens May 1 to early 2027 at Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr. Admission: $25.95 and $14.95 ages 3-11 for nonresidents; $16.95 and $9.95 for residents. Visit griffinmsi.org.

MIke Cloud's Poison Arrows South Africa.jpg — “Poison Arrows South Africa” is part of the Mike Cloud: Wordless Obstruction exhibition at Museum of Contemporary Art.

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Next up in the Chicago Works exhibition series is “Mike Cloud: Worldless Obstruction,” which features newly commissioned works that continue Cloud’s experimentation with abstraction, symbolic language and the sculptural dimensions of painting. From May 6 to Feb. 7 at Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave. Tickets: $10-$22. Visit mcachicago.org.

Movies

Chicago Critics Film Festival presents a selection of the most anticipated films of the year picked by the Chicago Film Critics Association. Among the more than two dozen films are John Carney’s “Power Ballad,” Joe Swanberg’s “The Sun Never Sets,” Daniel Roher’s “Tuner” and Kent Jones “Late Fame.” Many filmmakers and guests will be in attendance. From May 1-7 at Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave. Tickets: $16, festival pass $225. Visit chicagocriticsfilmfestival.com.

Rooftop Cinema Club - Courtsey of Rooftop Cinema Club.jpg — Rooftop Cinema Club returns May 6 to The Emily Hotel, 311 N. Morgan St.

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Rooftop Cinema Club returns May 6 with a roster of films screened under the stars on the roof of The Emily Hotel, 311 N. Morgan St. May films include “Love Jones,” “Con Air,” “50 First Dates,” “Freakier Friday,” “La La Land,” “Sinners” and more. Screenings continue into the fall. Tickets: $21-$29. Visit rooftopcinemaclub.com.

Family fun

VALBORG 2025 — Valborg, a traditional Swedish celebration welcoming the arrival of spring with rituals that ward off evil spirits and greet warmer weather, is set for April 30 at Chicago Waldorf School, 5200 N. Ashland Ave.

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Valborg is a traditional Swedish celebration welcoming the arrival of spring with rituals that ward off evil spirits and greet warmer weather. Enjoy Swedish songs, family-friendly entertainment and traditional Valborg soup courtesy of The Dinner Belle. From 5-8 p.m. April 30 at Chicago Waldorf School, 5200 N. Ashland Ave. Admission is free. Visit andersonville.org/events/valborg.

Mexico Fest - Courtesy of Navy Pier.jpg — Mexico Fest features three days of programming including music and dance performances, an artisan market, activities for children and more May 1-3 at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave.

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Mexico Fest features three days of programming including music and dance performances, an artisan market, activities for children and more. From noon-5 p.m. May 1-3 at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave. Admission is free. Visit navypier.org.
Evolution: Asian American Arts Festival includes artists and performers in a number of disciplines including dance, theater, interactive art displays, film and music. Plus food and a craft market. From noon-8 p.m. May 2 and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. May 3 at Lookingglass Theatre, Water Tower Water Works, 163 E. Pearson St. Tickets: $25+. Visit aaac.art.

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