The Five
Don’t-miss picks for Wednesday, November 27, through Tuesday, December 3
1 Chance the Rapper
Rap: Since his triumphant Lollapalooza performance, the Chatham MC has only gone to greater heights—including touring with Eminem and Kendrick Lamar. Now he caps off the year with his anything-goes Social Experiment Tour.
11/27, 11/29 at 7:30 p.m. $23. Riviera Theatre, 4746 N Racine. event.etix.com
2 City Self
Art:New York artist Sarah Morris pays tribute to our fair city in this new exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art, featuring her 2011 film Chicago and paintings and photographs from Chicago artists.
11/29–4/14. $12. Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E Chicago. mcachicago.org
3 Dylan
Theatre: Go for actor Gage Wallace who reprises his role as Welsh poet Dylan Thomas in this Red Theater Chicago remount.
11/29–12/22. $16–$32. Red Theater Chicago at the Den Theatre, 1333 N Milwaukee. redtheater.org
4 Foreign Bodies: The Films of Claire Denis
Film: The Gene Siskel Film Center devotes four weeks to the works of this underrated French director. Start with her latest, Bastards.
Through 12/5. $13. Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N State. siskelfilmcenter.org
5 Holiday Fantasea
Exhibits: Keep the kids occupied at this Kris Kringle–themed staging of the Shedd’s popular live show.
11/29–12/28. General admission plus $6–$8. Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S Lake Shore. sheddaquarium.org
What I’m Doing This Weekend
Up next in our series of weekend plans from notable, in-the-know locals—a.k.a. people we like: writer and Funny Ha-Ha founder Claire Zulkey. Funny Ha-Ha takes place at the Hideout on Friday, November 29 at 6:30 p.m.
“Friday evening is Funny Ha-Ha; it’s the show that I produce roughly four times a year. I recommend it for people who need to get out of the house this weekend. It’s a good time; we’ve got two slam poets, Samantha Irby and my husband, Steven Delahoye, who will show some short films.
“That night my parents are going to be babysitting our kid, so after the show, I’m going to Masa Azul with my husband, who has never been. I’m not the biggest churro fan because they can get really greasy, but [Masa Azul’s] churros are really good and come with this delicious chocolate dipping sauce.
“On Saturday, we’ll go to the Kohl Children’s Museum in Glenview. Our son is actually too young to enjoy the exhibits, but we sit him in the baby area, and it’s all padded so he can be very brave and curious. They have free parking too. If the weather is nice, we have free passes to the Brookfield Zoo so we’ll maybe walk around.
“And then Sunday, I go to a class called WERQ at Cheetah Gym in Edgewater. It’s kind of like Zumba, but more hip hop oriented and for older people like me who like to dance but can’t really bust a move. And then Sunday evening, I have plans to go to RPM Italian, which I actually don’t know that much about. We’re going to celebrate a friend’s birthday.” —As told to Tomi Obaro
Freebie of the Week
The Wreathing of the Lions
Seasonal: It’s not the holidays until the big cats in front of the Art Institute are clad in their annual finery. Usher in the good cheer with the Maxwell Street Klezmer band and free hot chocolate.
11/29 at 10 a.m. Free. Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S Michigan. artic.edu