Mr. Singer spotlights audience in Wilmette

Family Fun: Singalong with Mr. Singer in Wilmette, see ‘Antigone’ in Evanston, take daughters on a date in Glenview, enjoy ‘The Lorax’ in Northbrook and see stars and planets in Highland Park.

Frequently hysterical ‘Hysteria’

HYSTERIA ★ ★ ★ 1/2 The Victorian era is justly famous for many fine developments: railroads, neo-gothic architecture, universal suffrage, the rise of the middle class and inventions such as photography, the phonograph and the telephone. Stuffiness, too. The Victorians developed stiff, stuffy propriety to …

Highland Park Strings close season in high style

The Highland Park Strings just wrapped up its 33rd season of free Sunday afternoon concerts, and a 34th will commence Oct. 21. That’s reason enough to cheer this volunteer ensemble, but the concert on May 20 provided additional incentive. Not only did it boast an …

Chicago Philharmonic, soloists inspire genuine ovations

Standing ovations are so common at concerts and plays that the New York Times has declared war on them. And indeed, they have become devalued. But Sunday night the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra’s concertmaster David Perry played Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with such speed, dexterity and style …

McEvoy still relishes life at the track

It’s spring, the time of year when most Americans become horse racing fans, if only for the two minutes it takes to run the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May, or perhaps for a few weeks longer if a viable Triple Crown candidate …

Highland Park artist works in Japanese style

Highland Park’s Kay Thomas’ first exposure to sumi-e, or Japanese ink painting, was an art lesson show on public television in 1963. “This caught my attention and intrigued me,” explains Thomas.

Charactistically Asian, sumi-e painting, or literally, ink painting, is the art of extracting the …

One-woman show tells a hairy tale

Deborah Staples is playing a colorful role at Writers’ Theatre in Glencoe. Actually, she’s playing several of them as “The Blonde, The Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead.” Robert Hewett’s one-woman play begins when a redheaded housewife named Rhonda Russell reveals that her husband is moving …

Baha’i concert honors harmony of spirit

The Sixth Annual Baha’i Choral Festival Sunday promises a multi-cultural experience celebrating the spiritual harmonies of the world’s religions. Featuring 200 voices from Germany, Italy, Bermuda, Barbados, Uganda, Trinidad, Finland, Hawaii and Canada, the Choral Festival will feature 10 choral compositions by Baha’i followers sung …

Deerfield composer’s work gets orchestral debut

Three soloists and an original composition by Dr. Armando Susmano of Deerfield are on the program for the final concert of the 33rd season of the Highland Park Strings free concerts, set for 3 p.m. Sunday, May 20, at Highland Park High School. Susmano’s Serenade …

Young artists can apply for Highland Park festival

Three young Highland Park artists, Alyssa and Ashley Smolensky and Ryan Heller, will be among the 6-18-year-old artists displaying their work at the Barrington Art Art Festival, May 26-27 at Cook and Station streets, downtown Barrington. Highland Park-based Amdur Productions, producer of the Barrington and …

New theater company debuts in Highland Park

There’s something about the ancient art of story-telling that simply will not go away. It’s been a draw as long as there have been campfires — and people brave enough to stand up and rap about whatever comes to mind. Hunting mastodons, wrangling with mothers-in-law, …

Arts and entertainment calendar for May 24

Stage

“After Miss Julie,” presented by Focal Point Theatre Company through June 10 at Piccolo Theatre, 600 Main St., Evanston. Miss Julie, a wealthy politician’s daughter, finds herself entangled in a perilous web of class conflict, seduction and betrayal when she spends the evening with …

Thrill to Circus in Progress in Evanston

Family Fun: Marvel at daring feats in Evanston, enjoy the smallest show on Earth in Glenview, sing and dance in Wilmette and book a surprise in Lincolnshire.

Evanston-based orchestra to play for Joffrey

The Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra, which gives a series of concerts at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall in Evanston, has been named the official orchestra of the Joffrey Ballet. “We’re thrilled,” said Donna Milanovich, flutist and executive director of the Chicago Philharmonic. “They asked us to submit information …

True grit, humor and heart in ‘[title of show]’

“[title of show]” just may be the most self-referentially meta-musical ever writ.

Jeff Bowen (music and lyrics) and Hunter Bell’s (book) musical is about two guys named Jeff and Hunter struggling to create a musical titled “[title of show].” And while theater nerds will delight …