Messing with a Friend

Messing With a Friend features Susan Messing, and other invited talented and funny improvisors from around Chicago, from iO to Second City to The Annoyance. A collection of self-edited improvised scenes based on a single suggestion. A joyful, uncensored, and improvised romp through hell. Thursday nights at 10:30 pm. Admission is $5.

CITY: Chicago

The Book of Mormon

Nine 2011 Tony Awards® say it's the Best Musical of the Year. Vogue says, "It's the best musical of the last 25 years." And The New York Times says, "It's the best musical of this century." It's THE BOOK OF MORMON, the Broadway phenomenon from South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and Avenue Q co-creator Robert Lopez. The Daily Show's Jon Stewart calls it "A crowning achievement. So good, it makes me angry." Contains explicit language.

CITY: Chicago

Oliver!

DuPage County, Chicago's Western Suburbs - One of the most beloved classics of all time, Oliver! is the wildly successful British musical based on the Charles Dickens novel. After a successful opening run in the West End in 1960, Oliver! has brought Dickens' ageless characters to life, enjoying numerous critically acclaimed runs and revivals in the United States and England. Audiences will follow orphan Oliver Twist as he embarks on a life-threatening adventure through the dismal streets of nineteenth-century England. The sensational score includes "Food Glorious Food," "Consider Yourself," "You've Got to Pick-a-Pocket or Two," "I'd Do Anything," "As Long As He Needs Me" and many more.

CITY: Oakbrook Terrace

"Jersey Boys" Peoria Civic Center

The 2006 Tony Award®-winning Best Musical about Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. This is the story of how four blue-collar kids became one of the greatest successes in pop music history. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide – all before they were 30! Jersey Boys, winner of the 2006 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Show Album and most recently, the 2009 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, features their hit songs “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Rag Doll,” “Oh What a Night” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.

CITY: Peoria

Carousel @ The Annoyance Theatre

Carousel is a revolving door of improv groups, showcasing Annoyance students and performers in their most creative ensembles. Tuesday nights at 8pm. Admission is $8.

CITY: Chicago

Forever Plaid

When an eager doo-whopping boy band inconveniently dies on their way to their first big gig, the heaven-sent boys hilariously return to earth to take the stage one last time and fulfill their big dreams on the Pheasant Run Mainstage!

CITY: St. Charles

Boeing, Boeing

Boeing, Boeing was revived in 2007 after an undeniably successful seven-year run in the West End. The Wall Street Journal hailed Boeing-Boeing as one of "the funniest plays to hit Broadway in ages" and The Daily Telegraph said it was "the funniest show on the London stage." This charming revival focuses on Bernard, a jet setting architect living in Paris. He has been successfully juggling three flight attendant fiancés with the help of his reluctant housekeeper who keeps track of everyone's comings and goings. Mayhem follows soon after the arrival of an old college pal as flights are delayed, schedules change and chaos ensues. The laughs come fast and furious when Bernard finds himself struggling to keep up with his overwhelming amorous lies. Audiences will have to fasten their seat belts for a roaring ride that will take them up, up and away!

CITY: Oakbrook Terrace

TNT (Tuesday Night Thing)

An Explosion of Improv Talent! You want to see some of the best of the best improvisers in the city of Chicago, in one night, in one place in one show?? THIS IS IT. Seriously. You don't get much better than these folks... Tuesday nights at 9:30pm. Admission is $8.

CITY: Chicago

Annoyance House Ensemble in Fire & Beer

Cast and directed by Mick Napier, the Annoyance House Ensemble is a collection of some of the best emerging talent in Chicago. Friday nights at 10 pm. Admission is $10.

CITY: Chicago

Smokey Joe’s Café – The Songs of Leiber and Stoller

Smokey Joe’s Café, originally presented, in it’s pre-Broadway engagement as Baby That’s Rock n Roll, the Songs of Leiber and Stoller at The Royal George Theatre in 1994, returns to its roots at The Royal George with the 2012 critically acclaimed Theo Ubique Cabaret production. The original Broadway presentation had a successful five-year run with 2,036 performances at the Virginia Theatre. Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, as much as anyone, virtually invented rock ‘n’ roll, and now their songs provide the basis for an electrifying entertainment that illuminates a golden age of American culture. Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre’s Smokey Joe’s Café – The Songs of Leiber and Stoller’s features nearly 40 of the greatest songs ever recorded, covering the classic themes of love won, lost and imagined blend with hilarious set-pieces and slice-of-life emotions, such as “Hound Dog,” “Love Potion #9,” “Yakety Yak,” “Charlie Brown,” and “Jailhouse Rock,” and with a cast of nine plus a four piece band, the return of this hit production is sure to bring sold out crowds to their feet once again.

CITY: Chicago

I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change

Fall head over heels for this hilarious musical comedy about that terribly wonderful, simply complex thing called love. From dressing for a first date, marriage and babies, in-laws and the injustice of long lines for the ladies room, this musical romp through the everyday relationships will have everyone rolling in the aisles with laughter.

CITY: Lincolnshire

Gaelic Park Irish Fest

Irish Fest brings together the best in Irish music from America, Canada and Europe. In addition to all of the music, there will be Irish sports, dancing, theater & story-telling, a petting zoo, Irish dogs and ponies, and Irish import stories. For the little people, there are magicians, puppets, jugglers, and clowns, and most importantly, unlimited carnival rides are included in the admission price in addition to free parking.

CITY: Oak Forest

Night of the Iguana

A spiritually-lost reverend battles to save himself amid the denizens of a dilapidated Mexican hotel. Caught between the women who tempt and taunt him, Shannon faces his own personal Gesthemane during the dark tropical night where everyone learns exactly what happens when you come to the end of your rope. Performance times: Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm, Sundays at 3 pm

CITY: Chicago

Illinois Shakespeare Festival

The Illinois Shakespeare Festival exemplifies a long-established tradition of professional theatre devoted to performing the plays of William Shakespeare. The festival has been named one of the ten best theatre festivals anywhere by National Geographic. In addition to the mainstage show, theatre-goers can also enjoy behind the scenes tours, live jazz music, nightly Green Shows, fine art fairs and ice cream socials with the cast and crew. Spend a pleasant summer’s evening on the grassy lawn of the Festival grounds with a picnic basket, bottle of wine and great friends before the show.

CITY: Bloomington

Big Love

The term “battle of the sexes” gets a whole new meaning when a group of brides-to-be on the run from the altar face down their jilted grooms at an Italian villa. Strawdog Artistic Associate Matt Hawkins, director of The House Theatre’s Cyrano and Strawdog’s award winning smash hit Red Noses returns (triumphantly) to the mainstage with Mee’s poetic, madcap riff on love, violence and gender roles. Produced by the Strawdog Theatre Company.

CITY: Chicago

Girlfriend

On the roller coaster ride toward functional adulthood, where change seems to be the only constant, it's good to know you can always trust your best girlfriend. Right? In this world-premiere comedy by Keely Flynn, directed by 20% Company Member Amy Buckler, join Anna and Caro as they navigate the ups and downs of being a twenty-something in the Chicago theatre world.

CITY: Chicago

Creditors

Before The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, before Ingmar Bergman, before even the phrase "Swedish noir," came Creditors, a sexy, twisting tale of psychological manipulation and revenge. Strindberg saw the play as comedy, but it is humor as dark as midwinter Sweden.

CITY: Chicago

Collected Stories

Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies confronts the themes of competition and intellectual property in Collected Stories. Using 2010’s Broadway version of the script, a mentor and her protégée battle in this 80-minute two character tour-de-force co-directed by Mary Ann Thebus and her daughter Steppenwolf Artistic Associate Jessica Thebus, in their first collaboration as co-directors. Featuring ABT Ensemble members Carmen Roman and Gwendolyn Whiteside.

CITY: Chicago

Lascivious Something

On a secluded Greek island, an American ex-pat pursues his passions: winemaking and his breathtaking young wife. Then, on the eve of Ronald Reagan’s presidential inauguration, the first tasting of the new wine is interrupted by the unexpected arrival of August’s former lover. Inspired by Greek tragedy, Lascivious Something combines evocative language with sympathetic yet deeply flawed characters straight out of Euripides.

CITY: Chicago

Tea with Edie and Fitz

From Dead Writer’s Playwright in Residence Adam Pasen, Tea with Edie and Fitz chronicles the tempestuous meeting of literary icons Edith Wharton and F. Scott Fitzgerald at her estate for tea in the 1920s. In scenes that jump backward and forward chronologically and span the entire globe (from glittering, expatriate Paris to roaring post-WWI Manhattan), the play examines the lives of two authors at the height of their powers and imagines what may have happened in that meeting that led them to never speak again. Particular attention is paid to their relationships with their equally legendary partners: Fitzgerald and his beautiful and troubled Southern wife, Zelda, and Wharton with the ghost of her mentor and longtime companion Henry James. Tea with Edie and Fitz calls into question themes of gender, sanity, time, the purpose of art and the nature of love and loss.

CITY: Chicago

Fight Girl Battle World

From the team that brought you the hit production of Nguyen’s Soul Samurai, comes an action-packed sci-fi saga that blends video projection, puppetry, stage combat, parody and much more into one delicious mix. Set in a futuristic universe where humanity is nearly non-existent, Fight Girl revolves around E-V, a hardnosed prizefighter and the last known female human in the galaxy as she battles to survive. Produced by InFusion Theatre Co.

CITY: Chicago

Next to Normal

DuPage County, Chicago's Western Suburbs - We are honored to present the regional premiere of Next To Normal, one of only eight musicals in history to win the Pulitzer Prize for drama. This riveting story is an intricate dissection of a "normal" American family. Driven by an incredible score (which won Tony Awards for Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations) the narrative burrows into family secrets long since buried. This is a musical that asks the question: Can the seemingly perfect family survive an insurmountable event and tender the untenable. A story whose mere description would destroy it. See it before anyone reveals its secrets. Book and Lyrics by Brian Yorkey and Music by Tom Kitt.

CITY: Oakbrook Terrace

The Electric Baby

When a young man is killed in a car accident, a group of fractured souls come together to care for a magical glowing baby. Folk tales and folklore weave throughout this story of sad endings, strange beginnings and the unlikely people that get you from one place to the next. This powerful and moving new play received it’s world premiere last spring at Pittsburgh’s Quantam Theatre and was hailed by the critics as “Enthralling” “Eloquent” And “Glowing.”

CITY: Chicago

The Three Musketeers

In pursuit of his dream of becoming a Musketeer, young d’Artagnan travels to Paris, where he befriends the legendary Three Inseparables: Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. His acts of bravery catch the eye of King Louis XIII, but ensnare d’Artagnan in the deadly schemes of Cardinal Richelieu and the beautiful, yet depraved, Milady Clarik. When Constance, the love of his life, is kidnapped on the eve of war, d’Artagnan must weigh his loyalties to king and country, comrades-in-arms, and the callings of his heart. Journey from Paris to London, from countryside taverns to glittering palaces, from a humble Gascon farm to the siege of La Rochelle, in an epic tale of passion, intrigue, and adventure.

CITY: Chicago

Yellow Moon

Writers’ Theatre continues its season with Yellow Moon, by David Greig and directed by Associate Artistic Director Stuart Carden. This is the ballad of Leila and Lee—a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde who learn that they aren’t alone in the world the night that they discover each other. Their wild ramble across the Scottish highlands in search of an absent father is told in a series of lyrical narratives that will immerse audiences in the action, forging a breathless drama of beauty in the darkness.

CITY: Glencoe

Why Do Fools Fall In Love

Millie's getting married and when three of her girlfriends throw her a bachelorette party, the girls end up sharing more than a great time after tequila shots and Snowball sugar highs. Rating: PG

CITY: St. Charles

Pal Joey

Pal Joey, the O’Hara, Rodgers & Hart masterpiece introduced the world to the first anti-hero to propel a musical; featuring one of the greatest American musical scores including “I Could Write a Book,” “You Mustn’t Kick it Around,” “Zip” and “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered.” The story, based on the book by The New Yorker columnist John O’Hara, focuses on the dirty deeds done by the charming cad Joey Evans. Starting a new job at a seedy south side Chicago nightclub, Joey is soon juggling the affections of a naive shop girl and a wealthy society dame who is also married. Once Joey has charmed the socialite into setting him up in his own joint, Chez Joey, he ditches the shop girl and is riding high, playing the big-time operator. However, life for Joey is never easy and when he is threatened with his affair being leaked to the socialite’s husband his glamorous world is turned upside down.

CITY: Chicago

Measure for Measure

The Saint Sebastian Players offer a new take on a classic, producing William Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, set in the 1970s southern United States. In Measure for Measure, the Duke empowers Lord Angelo to rule in his place while he purports to leave on a journey but secretly investigates the moral decay of his dukedom, disguised as a friar. Resorting to an old law against fornication to enforce his strict standards of morality, Angelo proceeds to condemn fornicators to death. The first of these is Claudio, a young man who has made his fiancée pregnant. Claudio’s sister Isabella, who is about to take her vows as a nun, pleads for her brother’s life. Angelo uses his power to try to blackmail Isabella into his bed, leaving the pious young woman with an impossible choice: uphold her commitment to chastity or commit a serious sin to save her brother’s life. Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

CITY: Chicago

South Pacific

Rodgers and Hammerstein's “South Pacific,” awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, is considered one of the greatest musicals of all time. Based on James Michener's “Tales of the South Pacific,” the ground-breaking story follows U.S. nurse Nellie Forbush, a cockeyed optimist, who falls in love with a French plantation owner yet struggles to accept his past. The legendary score includes "Some Enchanted Evening," "Younger Than Springtime" and the haunting "Bali Ha'i."

CITY: Lincolnshire

The Silent Language

The Silent Language, a U.S. premiere, by Serbian playwright Miodrag Stanisavljevic, translated by Zoran Paunovic, is a highly musical and darkly comedic fairy tale. Written in the 1981, The Silent Language is an adaptation of an old Serbian folk tale originally called Nemusti Jezik. It follows the journey of a young village servant named Poor Gasho as he gains the ability to understand the “the silent language.” As defined in this story, it is the language that only animals can speak and understand. On a larger scale, the script also speaks to the things we see and hear in everyday life, but fail to recognize due to our inabilities to listen and focus on details.

CITY: Chicago

9 to 5

This hilarious new musical from Grammy Award-winner Dolly Parton features the hit title song and Tony Award-nominated score. 9 to 5 is the hilarious story of friendship and revenge in the rolodex era. When three unlikely friends take control of the office and put their sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot of a boss in his place, they learn there is nothing they can't do, even in a man's world.

CITY: Lincolnshire

Mary Poppins

The world's favorite nanny arrives on the Marriott stage! Mary Poppins, based on P.L. Travers' beloved stories and the classic Disney film, features a magical score and thrilling dancing with "A Spoonful of Sugar," "Chim Chim Cher-ee,""Feed the Birds" and "Let's Go Fly a Kite" coming to life in front of your eyes for the very first time. So bring the whole family and spend a Jolly Holiday with Mary and an irresistible cast of characters.

CITY: Lincolnshire

Hello, Dolly!

DuPage County, Chicago's Western Suburbs - Hello, Dolly! has become one of the most enduring musical theater hits, enjoying three Broadway revivals and international success that included being made into the film that was nominated for seven Academy Awards. Hello, Dolly! is the story of turn-of-the-century widowed matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi, who, after cunningly negotiating marriages for others through a series of comic romantic entanglements, ultimately finds her own match. Hello, Dolly! is a magical piece of musical theater filled with memorable songs such as "Put On Your Sunday Clothes," "Before the Parade Passes By," and "It Only Takes A Moment." Show-stopping dance numbers like "Dancing" and "The Waiter's Gallop" are combined with beautiful turn-of-the-century costumes to create a musical the whole family will enjoy.

CITY: Oakbrook Terrace

Let's Misbehave

Celebrate the life and times of legendary Broadway wit and composer Cole Porter in a must see revue showcasing over 30 of his classic songs.

CITY: St. Charles

Mighty Richland Players Theater: "Christmas Snow"

Another year of combined musical theater talents with cast members coming from Mighty Richland Players, Plum River Playhouse and Hanover Back Street Players. The whole family will delight in the humor and meaning of the holiday season. All performances are in dessert theater format. November 29, 30, December 1. Friday and Saturday: Doors Open: 7 pm; Show: 7:30 pm; Sunday: Doors Open: 1:30 pm; Show: 2:00 pm. Dessert Theater: $20

CITY: Orangeville

Hamlet

What do you get when you combine the ghost of a murdered king, his ambitious brother-in-law, a betrayed lover, and a prince hell-bent on revenge? Hamlet. Come celebrate the tenth anniversary of Moraine Valley's "Shakespeare Under the Stars" with our ambitious and creative interpretation of Shakespeare's masterpiece. Bring your picnic dinner and beach chairs to the Gateway Arch and experience our production of what many critics believe to be the greatest play ever written. Free admission. Thursday, August 1-Saturday, Aug. 3, 2013.

CITY: Palos Hills

The Liar

Writers’ Theatre concludes its 2012-2013 Season with The Liar, by David Ives, sdapted from the comedy by Pierre Corneille, and directed by William Brown. Hours after arriving in Paris, charismatic scoundrel Dorante is smitten by a pair of comely young ladies and confounded by a case of mistaken identity. Not to worry, Dorante is handsome, charming—and a pathological liar. He wins admirers wherever he goes…so long as he never has to tell the truth! Misunderstandings, secret agendas, and witty wordplay abound in this ingenious and irreverent update of a classic French romp.

CITY: Glencoe

The Old Man and The Old Moon

Writers’ Theatre will open its 2013-2014 Season with the Midwest Premiere of The Old Man and The Old Moon, A New Play With Music by PigPen Theatre Co., directed by Associate Artistic Director Stuart Carden and PigPen Theatre Co. The Old Man and the Old Moon creates an epic new mythology, centered on a man whose job is to collect spilled light to refill the leaking moon. When his wife unexpectedly leaves home in pursuit of much-needed adventure, he abandons his post to follow her, throwing the world into chaos as he searches for his lost love, his fading memory and, ultimately, himself. A blend of resonant storytelling, spirited indie-folk music and inventive puppetry creates a theatrical experience that will win audiences over with its wit, style and depth of emotion. Writers’ Theatre is thrilled to collaborate with the young men of PigPen Theatre Co., who bring the story of The Old Man and the Old Moon to such brilliant, vibrant life that its New York production earned a coveted spot on multiple “Best of the Year” lists.

CITY: Glencoe

Making God Laugh

Join two empty-nesters as they welcome home their three grown kids for the holidays, a priest, an aspiring actress, and a former star athlete. Don't miss this hilarious performance at the Fox Valley Repertory Theater at Pheasant Run.

CITY: St. Charles

Mighty Richland Players Theater: "Queen of the Cow Towns"

“Queen of the Cow Towns” at the Mighty Richland Players Dessert Theater. Enjoy this original musical melodrama by Mike Carver. Performances are in dessert theater format. $20. Friday and Saturday: 7:30 pm; Sunday: 2 pm. (Information: 815-819-1310; Tickets: 888-596-1249 or 608-325-5700)

CITY: Orangeville

Port Authority

Acclaimed playwright Conor McPherson (The Seafarer, Shining City, Dublin Carol) crafts a series of interconnected monologues that explore the heart and soul of three generations of Irishmen. A young man escapes his parents’ house to share digs with two alcohol-soaked friends and a mesmerizing young woman; a middle-aged laborer lands a dream job that he’s not remotely qualified for; and a widower receives a mysterious package that touches a hidden part of his memory. The lightly interlocking stories of these three men at three different stages of life weave together a tale that is both spirited and moving in its portrait of ordinary lives. Directed by Writers’ Theatre favorite William Brown (A Little Night Music, Heartbreak House), Port Authority revels in the rough lyricism of McPherson’s language and the poignancy of these stories of lost love, big dreams and the consequences of even our smallest choices.

CITY: Glencoe

Sting at Ravinia

Tickets go on sale in the spring for this don't-want-to-miss show. As a solo musician and member of The Police, Sting has received 16 Grammy Awards for his work, three Brit Awards, winning Best British Male in 1994, a Golden Globe, an Emmy Award, and several Oscar nominations for Best Original Song. He is a member of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

CITY: Highland Park

Alton Little Theater: The Music Man

The 80th season of Alton Little Theater kicks off with The Music Man. In July 1912, a traveling salesman, “Professor” Harold Hill, arrives in River City, Iowa, intrigued by the challenge of swindling the famously stubborn natives of Iowa. Masquerading as a traveling band instructor, Professor Hill plans to con the citizens of River City into paying him to create a boys’ marching band, including instruments, uniforms, and music instruction. Once he has collected the money and the instruments and uniforms have arrived, he will hop the next train out of town, leaving them without their money or a band. It’s all part of a big swindle, but falling in love with the town librarian wasn’t part of the deal. With classic tunes that include the show-stopping “Seventy-Six Trombones,” The Music Man is an irresistible, all-American musical for the entire family!This will be an all-youth production scheduled for July 18-21 and 25-28.

CITY: Alton

Alton Little Theater: THe Haunting of Hill House

Dr. Montague, an anthropologist whose true passion is the supernatural, rents the supposedly cursed titular building in order to investigate the existence of psychic disturbances. His guests are the house's heir and two women with previous experience of the paranormal. The group bonds almost immediately, but fear is a corrosive emotion and the house's manifestations soon cause cracks to appear. The horror inherent in the play does not lie in Hill House (monsterous though it is) or the events that take place within it, but in the unexplored recesses or its characters' (and its audiences') minds. This is perhaps why it remains the definitive haunted house story. This mystery is scheduled for Oct. 24 - 27 and Oct. 31 - Nov. 3.

CITY: Alton

Celtic Woman at Ravinia

This group of ladies have been described as being "Riverdance for the voice." The group has undertaken a number of world tours. Cumulatively, albums by Celtic Woman have sold over 6 million records worldwide. With such a variety of music and so much talent this is sure to be a great show.

CITY: Highland Park

Alton Little Theater: 9 to 5: The Musical

9 to 5: The Musical is based on the 1980s hit movie Nine to Five. Pushed to the boiling point by their boss, three female coworkers concoct a plan to get even with the sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot they call their boss. They conspire to take control of their company and learn there's nothing they can't do - even in a man's world. Set in the late 1970's, 9 to 5: The Musical is a hilarious story of friendship and revenge in the Rolodex era. Outrageous, thought-provoking, and even a little romantic, 9 to 5: The Musical is about teaming up and taking care of business. This production is scheduled for July 24 - 27 and July 31 - Aug. 3, 2014.

CITY: Alton

Alton Little Theater: The Drowsy Chaperone

The curtain rises on a present-day musical theatre fanatic eager to tell you about his favorite Broadway musical - The Drowsy Chaperone. As he begins listening to the rare cast recording, the show cleverly blooms to life, telling the hilarious tale of a pampered Broadway starlet and her debonair fiance, an overzealous producer, a dizzy chorine, the Latin lover, and a couple of bumbling gangsters. Ruses are played. Hi-jinks occur. And the plot spins everyone into musica comedy euphoria. This production will Sept. 12 - 15 and Sept. 19 - 22.

CITY: Alton

Acting Out Theatre Company presents "Chicago"

Acting Out Theatre Co. is producing the widely popular Broadway show, Chicago, the Musical, on July 26, 27, and 28, 2013 in downtown Momence. Chicago is a universal tale of fame, fortune, and “All That Jazz” that is full of one show-stopping song after another and “Razzle Dazzle” dance numbers. This popular sensation has been honored with six Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards and thousands of standing ovations! We will build a temporary stage in the middle of Washington Street to perform this musical and in keeping with the era, will feature a “speakeasy” each night before show time. The speakeasy will feature food and drink of that roaring era gone by. “Rouge your knew and grab you buckle shoes” and we will see you in Momence! Tickets available June 1.

CITY: Momence

27th Annual Scottish Festival & Highland Games

Experience the best of Scotland without leaving Chicago at the 27th Annual Scottish Festival & Highland Games, June 14-15, 2013 at Hamilton Lakes in Itasca, Illinois. Highland Dance competition, Heavy Athletics, Rugby Exhibition, Friday Night Fling, crowning of the Heather Queen and Court and a Ceilidh (pronounced Kay-Lee), a lively celebration of traditional and contemporary Celtic music. Champion Supreme Piping and Drumming competition; Heavy Athletics U.S. Open Championship featuring traditional Scottish contests including the Caber Toss (flipping 20-foot, 140-pound tree trunk), the 22-pound Hammer Throw, the Sheaf Toss (flipping a bale of hay over a high bar) and the Clachnert (throwing a 16-pound river stone); Highland Dance competition; Rugby Sevens Highland Challenge; Coerver Cup 3v3 youth soccer tournament; Dogs of Scotland and other animal presentations; Genealogy and cultural exhibits; Parade of Clan Tartans; Children's activities including mini golf, crafts and carnival attractions; and attendee competitions including the Kilted Mile Fun Run/Walk, British Car Show, Haggis Hurling Contest for women, Knobbly Knees contest for men, Haggis Eating Contest and Shortbread Contest. Attendees will also enjoy musical performances on the Celtic Rock Stage, Whisky tastings and seminars, traditional Scottish or American cuisine and shopping in the Celtic Marketplace.

CITY: Itasca

History Comes Alive

Every day for 12 weeks this summer, you’ll be able to take a step back in time as you participate in a whole array of living history performances and programs that will both delight and educate about the Springfield Abraham Lincoln knew and loved for most of his life. From Civil War encampments to White House kitchen chats with Mr. Lincoln himself, there’s something for everyone. Some event may have fee.

CITY: Springfield