theatre Clybourne Park
Amy Morton directing a Pulitzer winner by Bruce Norris with a cast that includes John Judd, Kirsten Fitzgerald, and James Vincent Meredith? To say we’re enthused about this Chicago-set tale of race, gentrification, and the scars of war would be putting it mildly.
GO: Previews through 9/17; $20–$52. Run continues through 11/6; $20–$75. Steppenwolf, 1650 N Halsted. steppenwolf.org

museums/galleries Bertrand Goldberg
The fate of his 1975 Prentice Women’s Hospital hangs in preservation limbo, but fans can show their support for the Chicago architect’s would-be landmark by visiting two new exhibits celebrating his singular space-age style. Where The Arts Club’s Bertrand Goldberg: Reflections lifts the curtain on Goldberg’s personal photos and art collection, the Art Institute’s retrospective, Bertrand Goldberg: Architecture of Invention, spotlights his very public works, featuring more than 100 drawings and models for projects from furniture to the iconic Marina City. Want to do more? Call Rahm’s office.
GO: Reflections: Opens 9/16. Mon–Fri 11–6. Free. The Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E Ontario. artsclubchicago.org. Architecture of Invention: 9/17–1/15. Open Mon–Wed, Fri–Sun 10:30–5; Thu 10:30–8. Free (kids under 14) to $18. Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S Michigan. artic.edu/aic

sports/rec Flatwater Classic
This year’s paddlepalooza relocates to the North Branch of the Chicago River for a six-and-a-half-mile canoe/kayak; landlubbers can choose between a 7-mile and a 13-mile cycle. All routes convene at a party in Morton Grove’s Linne Woods. And, yes, all routes earn you bragging rights.
GO: 9/18 from 10 to 4. $17 (under 18) to $35. Chicago River at Willow Road Dam, Willow and Lagoon, Winnetka. chicagoriver.org

ALSO THIS WEEK: The Garfield Park Conservatory’s Eleventh Annual County Fair, on 9/17, brings old-fashioned fall fun to the heart of the urban grind: pony rides, composting demos, a recipe swap, tool sharpening, and, for the cutthroat urban gardener, a best-in-show competition.

theatre In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play
The Wilmette native, MacArthur fellow, and Pulitzer finalist Sarah Ruhl sings the body electric in a quivering tale of what 19th-century doctors euphemistically deemed “hysterical paroxysm.” Is modern-day feminism grounded in the invention of the personal massage device? Tune in to find out.
GO: Previews through 9/18; $20–$40. Run continues through 10/9; $20–$50. Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N Lincoln. victorygardens.org

ALSO THIS WEEK: Even though Spunk, a trio of Zora Neale Hurston stories adapted for the stage by George C. Wolfe, doesn’t include the titular tale, with Alexis J. Rogers—the voice of last season’s Porgy and Bess—providing bluesy narration, we’ll be listening. On stage now at the Court.

concerts Brilliant Corners of Popular Amusements
The official explanation includes sword swallowing, carnival rides, and cheese for sale, but to oversimplify: BCOPA is a music festival. A very fine-sounding music festival—featuring Chicago’s own Shellac, Bill Callahan (aka Smog), Sidi Touré, and Dan Deacon—just when you thought music festival season was over. Some will consider the à la carte ticketing brilliant while others may find it less amusing, but at $15 to $20 a pop per bill, one or two concerts won’t break the bank.
GO: 9/16–18 from 5:30 to 11. See website for individual ticket prices. Eckhart Park, Chicago and Noble. brilliantcornersofpopularamusements.com