Entertainment opportunities abound in our region! Here are a few of the best our area has to offer.
August
Ted Nugent
Aug. 3, 7:30 p.m. Nugent has carved a permanent place in rock and roll history as the guitar-shredding showman, selling more than 40 million albums, performing more than 6,400 high-octane concerts and continuing to set attendance records at venues around the globe. Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles, (630) 587-8400, arcadalive.com.
The Purple Xperience … Tribute to Prince
Aug. 5, 8 p.m. This five-piece tribute band from Minneapolis, Minn., has been performing since February 2011 to bring the memories of Prince and The Revolution across the U.S. Arcada, St. Charles, (630) 587-8400, arcadalive.com.
Lonesome Highway: A Tribute to Bob Dylan
Aug. 6, 7 p.m. No one does Bob Dylan better than this band, and no detail is overlooked, with classic songs like “Blowing in the Wind” and “Like a Rolling Stone,” as well as some Dylan inspired songs by the Byrds and The Traveling Wilburys. Woodstock Opera House, 121 Van Buren St., Woodstock, (815) 338-5300, woodstockoperahouse.com.
MBTL: Imagination Movers
Aug. 7, 4 p.m. Catch television stars Rich, Scott, Dave and Smitty from the Emmy Award-winning series “Imagination Movers.” The interactive performers are known for catchy pop-influenced tunes. Ferro Pavilion, George Williams College of Aurora University (GWC), 350 Constance Blvd., Williams Bay, Wis. (262) 245-8501 musicbythelake.com.
Shirley Jones
Aug. 7, 3 p.m. Over six decades of show business, this Academy Award-winning singer and actress of well-known musical films has appeared in “Oklahoma!,” “Carousel,” and “The Musican Man.” Arcada, St. Charles, (630) 587-8400, arcadalive.com.
Woodstock Celebrates Mozart
Aug. 7 & 14, 3 p.m. Mozart returns to Woodstock, as the Midwest Mozart Festival continues the tradition of memorable chamber orchestra performances featuring the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Woodstock Opera House, (815) 338-5300, woodstockoperahouse.com.
Get Lit(erary)
Aug. 11, 7 p.m. This monthly reading series invites a group of readers from a pool of Williams Street Repertory actors and supporters to read from work by distinguished authors each month. Le Petit Marche, 19 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake, (815) 356-9212, rauecenter.org.
“Into the Woods”
Aug. 11-21, check website for times. This popular musical brings together several Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault fairy tales to explore the consequences of characters’ wishes and adventures. Stage Coach Players, 126 S. 5th St., DeKalb, (815) 758-1940, stagecoachers.com.
U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America
Aug. 12, 6:30-8:30 p.m. This band’s community and civic outreach performances serve to instill patriotism, build partnerships, enhance the reputation of the Air Force and the United States, and demonstrate American values to the world. Norris Cultural Arts Center, 1040 Dunham Road, St. Charles, (630) 584-7200, norrisculturalarts.com.
MBTL: Chicago Philharmonic
Aug. 13, 7:30 p.m. Broadway vocalists perform feature songs from legendary Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II shows, including “The King and I,” “Carousel,” “Oklahoma!” and “South Pacific.” Ferro Pavilion, Williams Bay, Wis., (262) 245-8501, musicbythelake.com.
New York Bee Gees with Rainere Martin
Aug. 13, 8 p.m. This Bee Gees tribute show is presented by present or former members of well known acts, including The Alan Parsons Project, Happy Together Tour, Meatloaf, Queen, Blue Oyster Cult, Riot, Herman’s Hermits, Enrique Iglesias, The Rippingtons and more. Arcada, St. Charles, (630) 587-8400, arcadalive.com.
Summer Breeze: Harpeth Rising
Aug. 13, 7 p.m. Unapologetic genre-benders, these three women fuse folk, newgrass, rock, and classical into a sound that’s organically unique. Robert O. Atcher Municipal Center Grounds, 101 Schaumburg Ct., Schaumburg. Tickets: Prairie Center for the Arts, (847) 895-3600, villageofschaumburg.com/depts/cultural/pca.
Toto
Aug. 13, 8 p.m. This American rock band, performing since 1977, celebrates the release of the 2015 album, “TOTO XIV.” Arcada, St. Charles, (630) 587-8400, arcadalive.com.
The Bacon Brothers
Aug. 17-18, 7:30 p.m. Brothers Michael and Kevin Bacon, each accomplished in their own right, play gritty rock that is unapologetically unique and authentic. Metropolis Performing Arts Center, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights, (847) 577-2121, metropolisarts.com.
Happy Together Tour 2016
Aug. 19, 8 p.m. Take a trip through the golden age of rock-and-roll with the artists behind all those 1960s and ‘70s favorites, the “oldies, but goodies” you don’t want to miss it. Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora (630) 896-6666, paramountaurora.com.
Michael W. Smith
Aug. 20, 8 p.m. After selling more than 15 million albums, scoring 32 No. 1 hits, receiving RIAA multi-platinum, six platinum- and 16 gold-certified albums, and earning three Grammys, this Christian music icon performs his hits and latest album, “Sovereign.” Raue Center For The Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake, (815) 356-9212, rauecenter.org.
MBTL: An Evening with Straight No Chaser
Aug. 20, 7:30 p.m. The all-male vocal phenomenon Straight No Chaser performs a cappella with humor interjected throughout the performance. The group has captured more than 20 million views on YouTube. Ferro Pavilion, Williams Bay, Wis., (262) 245-8501, musicbythelake.com.
Summer Breeze: Mason Rivers
Aug. 20, 7 p.m. Some of the finest musical talent in the Chicagoland area performs as a high-energy country band that covers the best of today’s country music as well as favorite classics. Robert O. Atcher Municipal Center Grounds, Schaumburg. Tickets: Prairie Center for the Arts, (847) 895-3600, villageofschaumburg.com/depts/cultural/pca.
Summer Breeze: Frank Winkler & The Symphonic Pops
Aug. 23, 7 p.m. This symphonic concert features a generous sampling of Broadway favorites and lights classics. Robert O. Atcher Municipal Center Grounds, Schaumburg. Tickets: Prairie Center for the Arts, (847) 895-3600, villageofschaumburg.com/depts/cultural/pca.
The Second City: “Free Speech”
Aug. 27, 8 p.m. This all-new (and timely) show pokes fun at the Electoral College, parodies your favorite political propaganda and gives audiences an irreverent look at America’s partisan persuasion. Paramount, Aurora, (630) 896-6666, paramountaurora.com.
BACT: Concert for Conservation
Aug. 27, 3-7 p.m. The Barrington Area Conservation Trust holds this annual outdoor concert as a major fundraiser to support the Trust’s mission to preserve the community’s rare and exceptional open spaces for current and future generations. Rolling Oaks Farm, 40W693 McDonald Road, Elgin, (847) 387-3149, bactrust.org.
Galactic Cowboy Orchestra
Aug. 27, 8 p.m. This band features four fun-loving musicians who cover many genres in their crazy eclectic music mix with an emphasis on art-rock. Woodstock Opera House, (815) 338-5300, woodstockoperahouse.com.
September
First Friday Improv
Sept. 2, 8-9:45 p.m. GreenRoom Productions returns from its summer hiatus with 100% clean, 99.27% hilarious 90 minutes of complete improvisation a la “Whose Line Is It Anyway.” With competing teams, live music and a cash bar. Hemmens, Elgin, (847) 931-5900, hemmens.org.
Jose Felciano “Feliz Navidad”
Sept. 4, 5 p.m. The Puerto Rican guitarist and singer pays tribute to his roots in the Spanish culture, while still staying loyal to the fact he has spent his whole life on American soil. Arcada, St. Charles, (630) 587-8400, arcadalive.com.
“Mamma Mia!”
Sept. 7-Oct. 30, check website for times. Over 60 million people in 40 different countries on 6 different continents have celebrated this story of Sophie, a 20-year-old bride-to-be who finds her mom’s diary and reads about her love-filled summer 20 years before with three different men. Sophie is convinced one of the men is her father, and she’s determined to find out who. Paramount, Aurora, (630) 896-6666, paramountaurora.com.
Artists Lounge Live: Lovesick Blues
Sept. 8, 7:30 p.m. Ease and authenticity mark this ensemble’s homage to country singer Hank Williams brief but prolific recording career. Metropolis, Arlington Heights, (847) 577-2121, metropolisarts.com.
Get Lit(erary)
Sept. 8, 7 p.m. This monthly reading series invites a group of readers from a pool of Williams Street Repertory actors and supporters to read from work by distinguished authors each month. Le Petit Marche, 19 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake, (815) 356-9212, rauecenter.org.
The Capitol Steps
Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m. The Capitol Steps began as a group of Senate staffers who set out to satirize the very people and places that employed them. Since 1981, they have recorded over 30 albums, including “ObamaMia!,” “Fiscal Shades Of Gray,” “How To Succeed in Congress Without Really Lying” and their latest album, “Mock The Vote.” Batavia Fine Arts Centre, 1401 W. Wilson St., Batavia, (630) 937-8930, bataviafineartscentre.org.
Eagles Night with Hotel California
Sept. 9, 8 p.m. With their extraordinary vocal and musical talent, Hotel California faithfully and accurately reproduce the sound of The Eagles while recreating a classic sound which transcends the boundaries of rock, R&B and country. Arcada, St. Charles, (630) 587-8400, arcadalive.com.
Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues with Sam Lay
Sept. 10, 8 p.m., special pre-performance talk at 7 p.m. As one of the world’s great blues harmonica masters, Corky Siegel returns to Fermilab with a night of a ground breaking hybrid of classical and blues in a chamber music setting. Corky Siegel is joined by Sam Lay, a renowned drummer in the Blues Hall of Fame and the Jazz Hall of Fame. Fermilab, Ramsey Auditorium, Kirk Road & Pine Street, Batavia, (630) 840-2787, fnal.gov/culture.
Riders in the Sky
Sept. 10, 4 & 8 p.m. For over 35 years, this classic cowboy quartet has been keepers of the flame passed on by the Sons of the Pioneers, Gene Autry, and Roy Rogers. Woodstock Opera House, (815) 338-5300, woodstockoperahouse.com.
“The Dixie Swim Club”
Sept. 15-25, check website for times. This comedy/drama follows five southern women over 33 years as they meet for an annual long weekend trip every August to recharge away from their families and jobs. Stage Coach Players, DeKalb, (815) 758-1940, stagecoachers.com.
Mike Toomey’s TV & Me
Sept. 16, 7:30 p.m. Toomey relates how his childhood television watching has shaped his adult life, while sharing his unique observations about his favorite programs and their characters from the 1960s and ‘70s. Metropolis, Arlington Heights, (847) 577-2121, metropolisarts.com.
Norm Macdonald
Sept. 16, 8 p.m. After years on “Saturday Night Live” and acting in movies, Norm MacDonald now performs stand-up comedy, promising now two shows are alike. His 2011 comedy special “Me Doing Stand-up” was hailed by The Guardian as one of the best stand-up specials of all time and Comedy Central named him in its top 100 comedians of all time. Arcada, St. Charles, (630) 587-8400, arcadalive.com.
“Picasso at the Lapin Agile”
Sept. 16-Oct. 23, check website for times. In this hilarious and thought-provoking play by Steve Martin, the year is 1904 and two aspiring twenty-somethings named Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso hang out at the same gritty Parisian bistro. Raue Center, Crystal Lake, (815) 356-9212, rauecenter.org.
Denny Diamond
Sept. 17, 7:30 p.m. One of the top touring family groups in the U.S. today, this band performs a tribute to the music of Neil Diamond. Woodstock Opera House, (815) 338-5300, woodstockoperahouse.com.
Wishbone Ash
Sept. 17, 8 p.m. Formed in 1969, this British rock band has more than 20 original studio recordings and several live albums to its credit. This tour celebrates its latest, “Take It Back.” Arcada, St. Charles, (630) 587-8400, arcadalive.com.
ESO: Opening Weekend
Sept. 17-18, 7:30 p.m. The Elgin Symphony Orchestra performs Tchaikovsky’s “Violin Concerto,” Rachmaninoff’s “Symphonic Dances” and more. Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. Tickets: ESO, (847) 888-4000, elginsymphony.org.
“Young Frankenstein”
Sept. 22-Nov. 6, check website for times. Comedic genius Mel Brooks’ hit movie comes to life in this mad-cap musical. Metropolis, Arlington Heights, (847) 577-2121, metropolisarts.com.
Leo Kottke
Sept. 23 & 24, 8 p.m. This acoustic guitarist, widely known for his innovative finger-picking style, which draws on influences from blues, jazz, and folk music, and his syncopated, polyphonic melodies, returns for his 31st annual performance at the opera house. Woodstock Opera House, (815) 338-5300, woodstockoperahouse.com.
8th Annual Elgin Short Film Festival
Sept. 24, 7-10 p.m. Come and see five amazing short films from 5-20 minutes in length. The festival is a contest where not only will the panel of judges vote, but every audience member will have a chance to cast their vote for their favorite film at intermission. Hemmens, Elgin, (847) 931-5900, hemmens.org.
Tommy James & The Shondells
Sept. 24, 8 p.m. On the road, Tommy James and his Shondells are still rocking, performing their many timeless hits, like “Say I am (What I Am)” and “It’s Only Love,” to sold-out crowds across the country. Arcada, St. Charles, (630) 587-8400, arcadalive.com.
Bosons
Sept. 26, 7 p.m. This performance follows the voyages of Karl and Lucy, two college kids who boldly go on a mission through worlds of subatomic particles and Star Trek to seek out which parts of us can survive against the cosmic backdrops of loss and loneliness. Raue Center, Crystal Lake, (815) 356-9212, rauecenter.org.
Jay and The Americans
Sept. 30, 8 p.m. This 1960s pop band plays many of its hits, including “She Cried,” “Only in America,” “Come a Little Bit Closer” and more. Arcada, St. Charles, (630) 587-8400, arcadalive.com.
October
Lou Gramm
Oct. 1, 8 p.m. The frontman of the hard rock group Foreigner brings back the group’s pop radio hits and singles of his own 1980s solo career. Arcada, St. Charles, (630) 587-8400, arcadalive.com.
Rita Moreno
Oct. 2, 3 p.m. Best known for her Academy Award-winning role as Anita in “West Side Story,” this actress and singer brings down the house with virtuoso performances of the classic songs forever associated with her. Arcada, St. Charles, (630) 587-8400, arcadalive.com.
ESO: Charlie Chaplin’s “City Lights”
Oct. 7-9, check website for times. Enjoy this iconic silent film from 1931 as the Elgin Symphony Orchestra performs the score Chaplin himself composed. Fri.: Schaumburg Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Ct., Schaumburg. Sat.-Sun.: Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. Tickets: (847) 888-4000, elginsymphony.org.
The Stylistics
Oct. 7, 8 p.m. As one of the most well-known Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s, this now four-piece ensemble celebrates its hits from three albums “Betcha by Golly, Wow,” “I’m Stone in Love with You” and “You Make Me Feel Brand New.” Arcada, St. Charles, (630) 587-8400, arcadalive.com.
Travis Tritt
Oct. 14, 8 p.m. This American country music singer, songwriter and actor introduces his latest release, “The Calm After.” Arcada, St. Charles, (630) 587-8400, arcadalive.com.
DSO: Reach for the Stars
Oct. 15, 8 p.m. Features Gustav Holst’s enduringly popular masterpiece “The Planets,” a seven-movement orchestral suite depicting the astrological profiles of our solar system. Wentz Concrt Hall, North Central College, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville, (630) 778-1003, dupagesymphony.org.
Pat Boone
Oct. 16, 3 p.m. This multi-talented singer, composer, actor, writer, TV personality and spokesman takes the stage with his daughter, Debby Boone, for a retrospective look on his career. Arcada, St. Charles, (630) 587-8400, arcadalive.com.
“The Game’s Afoot”
Oct. 20-30, check website for times. This whodunit comedy follows Broadway star William Gillette, known for his leading role in the play “Sherlock Holmes,” and his fellow cast members as they try to determine the murderer among them during a weekend away at Gillette’s Connecticut castle. Stage Coach Players, DeKalb, (815) 758-1940, stagecoachers.com.
Gallagher – Farewell Tour
Oct. 21, 8 p.m. The legendary comedian and creator of Sledge-O-Matic fills his final tour with even more prop comedy gags. Arcada, St. Charles, (630) 587-8400, arcadalive.com.
DSO: Out of this World
Oct. 23, 2 & 4 p.m. Join the orchestra for a family-friendly performance featuring excerpts from “The Planets,” “Star Wars,” “E.T.,” and much more! Wentz Concrt Hall, Naperville, (630) 778-1003, dupagesymphony.org.
Little Anthony and the Imperials
Oct. 23, 5 p.m. One of the finest vocal groups to emerge from the talent-rich New York scene, this act performs hits from the doo-wop of the 1950s and soul music of the ‘60s. Arcada, St. Charles, (630) 587-8400, arcadalive.com.
Sinatra, Bennett & Me
Oct. 23, 2 p.m. From “Old Blue Eyes” to blue-eyed soul, multi-talented Michael B. Levin, along with his swinging live band, takes you on a memorable journey through some of the greatest music of all time. Batavia Centre, Batavia, (630) 937-8930, bataviafineartscentre.org.
David Sedaris
Oct. 26, 7 p.m. With sardonic wit and incisive social critiques, Sedaris is one of America’s pre-eminent humor writers. Raue Center For The Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake, (815) 356-9212, rauecenter.org.
The Fat Babies
Oct. 29, 8 p.m. This seven-piece jazz band interprets classic styles of the 1920s and ‘30s with its latest release, “18th & Racine.” Woodstock Opera House, (815) 338-5300, woodstockoperahouse.com.
Las Migas: Flamenco and Other Music from Spain
Oct. 29, 8 p.m. Direct from Barcelona, this all-female ensemble creates a fascinating blend of Flamenco and Mediterranean styles by combining classic and contemporary rhythms and melodies that range from powerful and passionate to playful. Fermilab, Batavia, (630) 840-2787, fnal.gov/culture.
Fox Valley Concert Band: Fall Concert
Oct. 30, 3-5 p.m. The Fox Valley Concert Band kicks off its 2016-17 season with an afternoon of Halloween classics. Norris Cultural Arts Center, 1040 Dunham Road, St. Charles, (630) 584-7200, norrisculturalarts.com.
Pasquale Esposito: “Il Tempo”
Oct. 30, 5 p.m. Pasquale, accompanied by his stellar band, will take the audience on a musical journey performing songs spanning from 1880 to present that have influenced him as an artist. The repertoire will include Italian, Spanish, Neapolitan and American Songs from his “Il Tempo” album. Arcada, St. Charles, (630) 587-8400, arcadalive.com.