1 Standup Specialists

The second annual Comedy Gazelle Awards sees the zine of the same name both celebrating and sending up the city’s standup scene, with performances by some local favorites. Jan. 4. thedentheatre.com

2 Hopelessly Devoted

In UIC’s new exhibition Contemporary Ex-Votos: Devotion Beyond Medium, present-day Latino artists create works in response to 19th- and 20th-century retablos, or small devotional paintings in the Mexican folk art tradition. Jan. 12–Mar. 16. gallery400.uic.edu

3 Settling Scores

The jazz musician and composer Terence Blanchard, whose opera Champion is at Lyric Opera this month, revisits some of his celebrated film scores (including BlacKkKlansman and Da 5 Bloods, both Oscar nominated for their music) with the Chicago Philharmonic. Jan. 13. auditoriumtheatre.org

Editor’s note: The above event was cancelled after press time.

4 Screen and Heard

The 2000 film adaptation of Nick Hornby’s music-nerd novel High Fidelity moved the action from London to Chicago, filming on location at spots like the Green Mill and Double Door. Star John Cusack hosts a screening followed by a conversation about the making of the movie. Jan. 18. auditoriumtheatre.org

5 No Strings Attached

The sixth edition of the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival earns its global moniker with performers from as far afield as Norway, Chile, Kenya, and Indonesia. Jan. 18–28. chicagopuppetfest.org

6 Squirrel Power

The Chicago-based songwriter Ella Williams, who performs as Squirrel Flower, has said her 2023 album Tomorrow’s Fire was inspired by the nature-versus-industry duality of the Indiana Dunes. She plays Lincoln Hall as part of this year’s Tomorrow Never Knows fest. Jan. 19. lh-st.com

7 A Different Drummer

NPR Music called jazz experimentalist Makaya McCraven’s latest album, In These Times, “a self-contained musical world.” He’s joined at Symphony Hall by the equally adventurous Meshell Ndegeocello. Jan. 19. cso.org

8 Mane Event

Let your kids live out their most Lisa Frank–colored dreams when the immersive fantasy playland Unicorn World horns into Navy Pier. Jan. 26–28. theunicornworld.com

9 All Things Go

The much-anticipated new musical Illinoise takes its score from indie heartthrob Sufjan Stevens’s 2005 concept album about our fair state, with tracks including “Casimir Pulaski Day” and “Chicago.” Jan. 28–Feb. 18. chicagoshakes.com

10 Howl About It

Get ready to raise the woof for Dog Man: The Musical, based on the kids’ graphic novel series by Dav Pilkey. The touring production sits and stays for four weeks at the Studebaker Theater. Jan. 31–Feb. 25. dogmanthemusical.com