Theater/Auditions
Marmion Academy's Drama Club holding auditions: Marmion Academy is looking for girls and boys in grades 3-6 to perform in the upcoming spring musical, "Seussical!" Children who love to sing, perform and would like to be part of the Whoville chorus are encouraged to audition. Auditions will be held Sunday, Jan. 28 from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Choir Room at Marmion Academy, located at 1000 Butterfield Road in Aurora. Children will be asked to sing a short selection from the song, "Oh, The Things You Can Think." Copies of music can be picked up in Marmion's main office or by emailing the director kvoris@marmion.org. Visit marmion.org/whovillechorus for additional information.
Fox Country Players auditions Jan. 25, 27: Fox Country Players and the Waubonsee Department of Community Education announce open auditions for their upcoming production of "Whose Wives Are They Anyway?", an American farce by Michael Parker. Auditions will be held on Thursday, Jan. 25 from 7 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 27 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Waubonsee Community College Sugar Grove Campus Auditorium. Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. Three men and five women will be cast ranging in age from 20 to 60 years. For a detailed character list, please visit the Fox Country Players website at foxcountryplayers.org and click on the "Current Production" tab. Any questions can be submitted by clicking the "Contact Us" tab at the same website. Performances of "Whose Wives Are They Anyway?" will be April 6-8 at the Waubonsee Community College Sugar Grove Campus Auditorium.
IVT presents "On Golden Pond": Indian Valley Theatre (IVT) will present its rendition of Golden Globe winning Best Motion Picture (drama), "On Golden Pond" in March. "On Golden Pond"will be performed for two weekends: Friday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 4 at 2 p.m., plus Friday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 11 at 2 p.m. All performances will take place at the Sandwich Opera House, 140 E. Railroad St. in Sandwich. Tickets are $15 each in advance and can be purchased online at indianvalleytheatre.com or $18 at the door if seats are available up to 30 minutes before curtain. For questions or more information, email info@indianvalleytheatre.com or contact IVT at 888-365-8889.
"Bill W. and Dr. Bob" opens Feb. 9: The Morris Theatre Guild Inc. will present Samuel Shem and Janet Surrey's comedy/drama, "Bill W. and Dr. Bob," beginning on Feb. 9. Based on the lives of two real people, "Bill W. and Dr. Bob" tells the true story of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous. "Bill W. and Dr. Bob" opens on Friday, Feb. 9. Additional performances will be held Feb. 10, 11, 16, 17, and 18. All Friday and Saturday evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and both Sunday matinee performances will begin at 2:30 p.m. Ticket prices for adults are $12 each if bought by email, phone or online, and $15 each if purchased at the door. For those age 13 and under, or students able to show their ID, the ticket price for email, phone or online reservations is $10 each. Reservations can be made by emailing tickets@morristheatreguild.org, calling the theater at 815-942-1966, or at the guild's website, morristheatreguild.org. The Morris Theatre Guild is at 516 W. Illinois Ave., Morris.
Daniel Martin at Waubonsee Community College: The perfect blend of incredible and hilarious. Daniel Martin has quickly become one of the most in-demand entertainers in the nation. His high-energy blend of incredible magic, exhilarating escapes and sarcastic improv consistently leads to standing ovations and record-breaking crowds at theaters, colleges and corporate events worldwide. His magic and comedy have been featured on CBS, NBC, WGN, VH1, ESPN and at thousands of live events. Show is set for 7 p.m. Saturday, March 3, in the Waubonsee Community College Sugar Grove Campus Auditorium. Tickets are $19 adults and $12 for children 12 and under. For information, visit waubonsee.edu.
Concerts/Music
"Shakespeare at the Piano": Join guest artist Paul Kenyon, professor of piano at Olivet Nazarene University, for an evening of piano music exploring Shakespeare's life and writings at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 20. The program will be held at University of St. Francis Sexton Auditorium, 500 Wilcox St., Joliet. The repertoire will include works by Shakespeare's contemporaries, William Byrd and Domenico Scarlatti, as well as Beethoven's "Tempest" Sonata and selections from Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet." Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for seniors aged 65 and older and non-USF students. USF students and staff get in free. Most performances begin at 7:30 p.m. but guests are encouraged to check performance times and dates and purchase tickets at stfrancis.edu/music-at-moser.
Exhibits
Native American artist to be showcased at Aurora University: "Rick Bartow: Things You Know But Cannot Explain," a 40-year retrospective of more than 120 paintings, drawings, sculptures and prints by the late Wiyot tribe artist (1946-2016), will be hosted by Aurora University Jan. 23-April 13 at the university's Schingoethe Center, 1315 Prairie St. in Aurora. The public is invited. Admission and parking are free. Center hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays. The Bartow exhibit is part of the university's 2017-2018 Celebrating Arts and Ideas series.
Oswego History: You'll find plenty of local history at Oswego's Little White School Museum at 72 Polk St. (Jackson at Polk), just two blocks from historic downtown Oswego. Regular museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Museum admission is free. For more information on the museum, call 630-554-2999, email info@littlewhiteschoolmuseum.org or visit littlewhiteschoolmuseum.org. The Little White School Museum can also be found on Facebook.
Festivals/special events
Trivia Night at the Mansion: The Reddick Mansion Association will hold "Trivia Night at the Mansion" on Saturday, Jan. 20. The contest will start at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Sponsored by the Reddick Mansion Association and hosted by RMA board member and trivia expert, Steve Novario, the game will be composed of 10 rounds of questions with 10 questions per round. Teams are limited to 5-10 people and the cost is $10 per person. Call the Mansion at 815-433-6100 to reserve a table for your team. The Mansion is located at 100 W. Lafayette Street in Ottawa.
Brave Project fundraiser:Your Performing Arts Center (YPAC) students will host a craft fair and music show on Sunday, Jan. 28 in downtown Yorkville. The youth are raising funds for a variety of area charities as part of the annual Brave Project effort. YPAC dance students will sell handmade items from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the center's new location at 222 S. Bridge Street, Yorkville, and music students and instructors will perform live from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Law Office Pub & Music Hall at 226 S. Bridge Street. The suggested donation for the music performance portion is $5 per person or $10 per family. To learn more about the Brave Project show, visit ypacarts.com.
Mini Golf at the Yorkville Public Library: The Friends of the Yorkville Public Library invite will host the fifth annual Mini Golf FUN Raiser on Sunday, Jan. 28. An 18-hole course will twist and turn through both floors of the library at 902 Game Farm Road. There will be visits from the Merry Hearts Clowns, "Broc the Croc" from Raging Waves and "Spikes" from Joliet Slammers. Refreshments and activities will be available at the 19th hole and a wide variety of items will be raffled off. Funds raised will be used to support the purchase of library books and programs. Tickets are $5 per person, cash or check. Raffle tickets and event tickets are available for purchase at the library and on the day of the event. This family-friendly event will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (last tee-off at 4 p.m.).
Eagle watching program: The Forest Preserve District of Will County will host "Eagle Watch on the River" from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, Feb. 1-3 and Feb. 8-10, at the forest preserve's Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon. Walk the paved paths along the Des Plaines River while watching for American bald eagles and other birds wintering in the preserve. Stop in at Four Rivers to enjoy a free hot beverage, listen to bird talks and view informative displays, exhibits and daily showings of the PBS film, "American Eagle" at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The free program is for all ages and registration is not required.
Rocket Girls: The Unsung Heroes of NASA: Nathalia Holt is the author of "Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us, from Missiles to the Moon to Mars" and "Cured: The People Who Defeated HIV" and a former fellow at the Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, MIT and Harvard University. She will be speaking at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 8 at Aurora University's Crimi Auditorium, 1347 Prairie St. in Aurora. "Rise of the Rocket Girls" tells the stories of women, known as "human computers," who broke the boundaries of both gender and science and offers a unique perspective on the role of women in science: both where we've been and the far reaches of space to which we're heading. Visit aurora.edu to register for this free event.
Potpourri
"Threads" and More Group: The "Threads" and More group meets on the first Tuesday of each month from 10 a.m. to noon in the Historical Room of the Yorkville Public Library, 902 Game Farm Road, Yorkville. This group is a combination of people who like to knit, crochet, quilt, sew or needlepoint. No registration needed, just bring your unfinished project to work on during the meeting.
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