ART
LECTURE
Tom Learner, conservator, the Tate Gallery, London, speaks on “The Impact of Modern Painting”; 6 p.m. Tuesday; Price Auditorium, Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave.; free; 312-443-3600.
H.C. WESTERMANN
“H.C.Westermann” and “See America First: The Prints of H.C. Westermann,” sculpture and prints retrospectives for a 20th Century original on the 20th anniversary of his death; open, respectively, Saturday and Thursday; Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave.; $8; and David and Alfred Smart Museum, 5550 S. Greenwood Ave.; free; 312-280-2660 and 773-702-0200.
HEDRICH BLESSING PHOTOS
“Building Images: 70 Years of Hedrich Blessing Photography,” an archival celebration of a premier studio that specialized in architectural photography; final weeks; Chicago Historical Society, Clark Street at North Avenue; $5 suggested admission; 312-642-4600.
LITHOGRAPHS
“Evert Taube — 61 Lithographs,” Gosta Werner’s semiabstract lithographs illustrate the songs of a popular Swedish icon; Swedish American Museum Center, 5211 N. Clark St.; $4; 773-728-8111.
— Alan G. Artner
JAZZ
COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA
Grover Mitchell leads the band, which still conveys some of the excitement of the original; Friday through Sunday at the Jazz Showcase, 59 W. Grand Ave.; $40; 312-670-2473.
911 MAMBO
One of the best Latin jazz ensembles in the city plays in an unconventional setting; 7 p.m. Friday at Loyola Park, 1230 W. Greenleaf Ave.; free; 312-427-1676.
MATT WILSON QUARTET
The adventurous drummer brings a measure of subtlety to the jazz avant-garde; 8 p.m. Saturday at the Green Mill Jazz Club, 4802 N. Broadway; $8; 773-878-5552.
— Howard Reich
DANCE
MAD SHAK DANCE COMPANY
The Chicago troupe premieres “Like Clouds in the Skies of Never,” choreographed by artistic director Molly Shanahan; 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday in the Storefront Theater, 66 E. Randolph St.; $12; 312-742-8497.
— Richard Christiansen
CLASSICAL
EOS ORCHESTRA
Adventurous, New York-based chamber orchestra makes its Ravinia debut with a fascinating Vienna School program, Jonathan Sheffer conducting symphonies by Webern and Schoenberg, also Schoenberg’s arrangement of “The Farewell,” from Mahler’s “The Song of the Earth.” Mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung is the soloist; 8 p.m. Monday in the Martin Theatre at Ravinia, Highland Park; $10-$30; 847-266-5100.
JAMES PAUL
Grant Park Music Festival principal guest conductor directs his first concerts of the season. The free program holds orchestral works by Irving Fine and Aaron Copland, plus Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony; 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at the Petrillo Music Shell; 312-742-4763.
L’OPERA PICCOLA
Intrepid Chicago opera troupe launches a summerlong Donizetti festival with one of his choicest comedies, “Don Pasquale,” conducted by David Richards and starring John Payonk in the title role. Performances, sung in Italian (with English titles) with full orchestra, are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. next Sunday, at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave.; $50; 312-560-1072.
CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
More Top Picks Best Slant Boards For Handwriting
The CSO under Christoph Eschenbach plays an all-Beethoven program, with the extraordinarily gifted Lang Lang as soloist in the Piano Concerto No. 4, at 8 p.m. Friday at Ravinia, site of the young pianist’s triumphant debut two summers ago. Vocal soloists and the Chicago Symphony Chorus join conductor and orchestra for Verdi’s Requiem Mass, presented in honor of the composer’s centennial, at 8 p.m. Saturday; $10-$40; 847-266-5100.
— John von Rhein
THEATER
`AMONG THE THUGS’
A riveting study of the group culture of English soccer hooligans, adapted for the stage by Tom Szentgyorgyi and brought to life by director Kate Buckley and a rip-roaring all-male ensemble; through July 8 at the Owen Bruner Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St.; $16-$37; 312-443-3800.
`THE BOMB-ITTY OF ERRORS’
The Shakespeare comedy about mistaken identity, inventively transplanted to a funky urban landscape and ingeniously delivered in intricate hip-hop rhyme by a quartet of frenetic young comedians; through Aug. 12 at the Royal George Cabaret Theater, 1633 N. Halsted St.; $35; 312-988-9000 or 312-902-1500.
`THE FATHER’
August Strindberg’s stinging drama of the war between the sexes, with Michael Canavan, as an immovable martinet, opposed by Shannon Cochran, as his irresistible wife, in a take-no-prisoners battle; through July 29 at Writers’ Theatre at Books on Vernon, 664 Vernon Ave., Glencoe; $30; 847-835-5398.
`THE LAST FIVE YEARS’
On every level — writing, direction, acting, design and overall production — composer Jason Robert Brown’s new two-person, 80-minute musical about the rise and fall of a love affair is a breakthrough triumph; through July 1 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie; $32-$45; 847-673-6300.
`MAMMA MIA!’
A hugely enjoyable musical, set on a sunny Greek island resort, that winningly combines a sweet romantic comedy with a rousing hit parade of 22 golden oldies composed by the ’70s pop group ABBA; through Aug. 11 at the Cadillac Palace, 151 W. Randolph St.; $34.50-$77.50; 312-902-1400.
`THE TAFFETAS’
Silliness, superbly served up, abounds in this sendup of ’50s pop music, as performed by the a quartet of sharp actresses who portrays four sisters singing their little hearts out on a mythical TV show; through July 28 at Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire; $33-$38; 847-634-0200.
— Richard Christiansen
ROCK
SAM PREKOP AND ARCHER PREWITT
Half of the Sea and Cake teams up for some melodically inventive acoustic duets, in a benefit for local publication The Baffler; Thursday at Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Ave.; $10; 773-726-3600.
LIQUID SOUL
Acid-jazz dance music from Grammy nominees; Thursday at Field Museum; $10; 312-665-7600.
AMERICAN MUSIC FESTIVAL
FitzGerald’s 20th annual shindig is packed with standouts, including a gospel showcase headlined by Otis Clay, New Orleans’ veteran high-steppers Dirty Dozen Brass Band and singer-songwriter Alejandro Escovedo on Saturday; Friday-July 3 at FitzGerald’s, 6615 W. Roosevelt Rd., Berwyn; $20; 708-788-2118.
AIR
French synth-pop duo blends ’70s melodicism with futuristic textures; Saturday at Vic Theatre, 3145 N. Sheffield Ave.; $25, 312-559-1212.
PAUL SIMON/BRIAN WILSON
Two innovators of ’60s pop share the stage with their large touring bands; Saturday at Tweeter Center, Tinley Park; $22-$52; 312-559-1212.
— Greg Kot