The Five

Don’t-miss picks for Wednesday, February 24, through March 1, 2016

1 American Buffalo

Theater This is your last chance to catch David Mamet’s profound, profane classic marking the end of the Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co. Carlo Lorenzo Garcia directs a cast featuring company founder Richard Cotovsky. If you’ve yet to visit the storied black box on Sheridan, now’s the time.
Through 3/20. $20-$30. Mary-Arrchie Theatre at Angel Island, 735 W. Sheridan. maryarrchie.com

2 Yo-Yo Ma

Classical The always charismatic and playful Yo-Yo Ma performs Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1.
2/25 at 8, 2/26 at 1:30, 2/27 at 8, 3/1 at 7:30. $36–$270. Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan. cso.org

3 Rebirth Brass Band

Jazz You may know this New Orleans big band from HBO’s post-Katrina drama Treme, but the ensemble has released 16 LPs since its 1983 inception, all showcasing Rebirth’s stock blend of second-line music, funk, soul, and hip-hop.
2/27-28. $25–$46. 2/27: SPACE, 1245 Chicago, Evanston. 2/28: The Promontory, 5311 S. Lake Park. ticketweb.com

4 Weight of Rage

Art Inmates at Stateville Prison create portraits, poetry, and fiction, which are on display here. A lecture series will run in conjunction.
Through 4/20. 5020 S. Cornell. hydeparkart.org

5 Dance Chance

Dance DanceWorks Chicago’s popular “open-mic night” is an informal way for three randomly selected choreographers to show 15 minutes of work followed by a moderated discussion in which artists and audiences engage in post-performance discussion.
2/26 at 7. $3 donation. Lou Conte Dance Studios, 1147 W. Jackson. danceworkschicago.org

What I’m Doing This Weekend

Up next in our series of weekend plans from notable, in-the-know locals: art dealer Natalie Popovic Schuh. Noelle Allen’s Low Fire opens this Saturday at Schuh’s gallery, Regards.

“My husband and I live in Lake View, but our gallery is in Ukrainian Village, so we’re always going back and forth. Friday morning I’ll go to Pure Barre and basically get my ass kicked before Noelle Allen’s opening at Regards. Then I’ll go to the Coffee & Tea Exchange, a little, no-frills coffee shop with great beans.

“That morning, we’ll do a walkthrough at the gallery with the artist, Noelle Allen. We want to make sure we know everything about the work that she wants us to before the opening. Then we’ll have lunch up at Milk and Honey Café. If we get there early enough for breakfast, we’ll get their huevos rancheros, but everything is good. We’ll usually do whatever their latté special is to get us through the rest of opening day.

“Later, we’ll go to the Neubauer Collegium opening for Ian Kiaer, an artist based in London. The Collegium always does great shows, and we try to support everything we can in Hyde Park, because my husband also works at the Gray Center down there. Afterwards, we’ll go to the Woodlawn Tap—we had our first date there. It’s just a dive bar, a lot of university students. It’s not trendy, which I like.

“Saturday, I’ll get breakfast at Floriole, which I think is the best bakery in the city. Their pastries are amazing, and they make their own almond milk, one of those things I’m willing to spend the extra dollar for. I’ll also pick up flowers from Sprout Home; I always try to make sure we have fresh flowers at an opening.

“The opening runs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. that evening. Noelle works in ceramics, but she’s not interested in traditional ceramics. The works are weird, but they’re beautiful—they make you want to spend time with them. After the opening, we have a big dinner at our house, which we usually have catered by Pastoral. I’ll make Manhattans for dessert, and that will probably go quite late.

“The Sunday morning after an opening is always slow. Mike will pick up donuts from Dinkel’s; they’re one of the oldest bakeries in the city, and their sour cream old fashioned is amazing. I like places that haven’t changed a lot. We’ll watch some Premier League—we’re both for Arsenal fans—and after that, we’re going to Deborah Stratman’s sound installation at the Fern Room of the Lincoln Park Conservatory. We’ll have dinner at Hopleaf, which is one of our favorite places in the city—great mussels and beer. Then we’ll walk our bulldog, Niles, and head home.” —As told to Hannah Nyhart

Freebie of the Week

Regards: Low Fire

Art Noelle Allen’s large, thin, rainbow-hued sculptures seem flimsy but are actually strong—and are perhaps her best body of work to date.
2/27–4/9; opening reception 2/27, 4 p.m.–7 p.m. 2216 W. Chicago. regardsgallery.com