The Five
Don’t-miss picks for Wednesday, June 24 through June 30, 2015
1 Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Theater: Christopher Durang’s smart, witty riff on Chekhov finds two extremely childish adults, Vanya and Sonia, under siege by their movie-star sister Masha and her young boy toy, Spike. Steve Scott directs an excellent cast that includes Ross Lehman, Janet Ulrich Books, and Mary Beth Fisher.
Through 7/26. $25–$86. Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn. goodmantheatre.org
2 Cristela Alonzo
Comedy: Though her ABC sitcom was canceled, the comedian continues to tour relentlessly. Topics of choice include her strict Catholic upbringing and growing up poor in San Juan, Texas.
6/25 at 8. $30. Zanies, 1548 N. Wells. chicago.zanies.com
3 Good People
Theater: The vanishing middle class has a vivid face in David Lindsay-Abaire’s plunge into the life of an increasingly desperate minimum-wage single mom trying to keep a roof over her head and food on the table while caring for a disabled daughter. Matt Hawkins directs.
6/27–8/2. $25–$35. Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W. Bryn Mawr. redtwist.org
4 “Weird Al” Yankovic
Music: Yankovic nabbed his first Billboard No. 1 album thanks to his 2014 charmer, Mandatory Fun. He performs songs, such as “Tacky” (based on the Pharrell earworm “Happy”), from the album here.
6/27 at 7:30. $34–$54. The Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State. thechicagotheatre.com
5 Phillip Maisel
Art: Like the cubists, Maisel plays with the optical perception of two-dimensional space in his abstract photographs. He builds geometric compositions that delight in illusion, especially those that began as found photos (from a thrift store) or a telescope that he altered through photography and collage.
Through 7/18. Free. Document, 845 W. Washington. documentspace.com
What I’m Doing This Weekend
“What I’m Doing This Weekend” is taking a break, but will return next week. —Tomi Obaro
Freebie of the Week
Dragon Boat Race for Literacy
Races: Thirty teams compete in this traditional boat race brought from China to Chi-Town. Enjoy a day of live music, children’s activities, and booth vendors as you watch from the waterfront.
6/27 at 8 a.m. Free. Ping Tom Memorial Park, 300 W. 19th. chicagochinatown.org/dragon-boat