Arts and entertainment calendar for May 24

Updated: May 22, 2012 9:24PM

Stage

“The Last Five Years” will be presented by Liberty Town Productions at 7:30 p.m. May 25-26 at Austin’s Fuel Room, 481 Peterson Road, Libertyville. The all-sung story explores a five-year relationship between a rising novelist and a struggling actress. Dinner-theatre tickets are $35 (buffet, soft drinks and tip included); theatre-only tickets are $20. Dinner will be served from 6-7 p.m. Doors open for theatre-only ticket holders at 7 p.m. Visit www.libertytownproductions.com.

“Hero,” the story of a talented young artist and comic book illustrator living anything but a superhero life, June 20-Aug. 19 at the Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. The performance schedule is 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. Wednesdays; 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturdays; and 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: $40-$48, plus tax and handling fees. Discounts available for students and senior citizens. Dinner and theatre tickets, $55, are available Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Dinner is at Kings Wharf Restaurant or the Fairfield Inn (based on dining availability). Call (847) 634-0200 or visit www.marriotttheatre.com.

“Lend Me a Tenor,” through June 3 at Citadel Theatre, 300 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest. Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; 3 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: $35-$37.50 general admission, with discounts for students and senior citizens. Call (847) 735-8554 or visit www.citadeltheatre.org.

“Lend Me a Tenor” will be presented by Kirk Players at 7:30 p.m. June 8-9 and 2 p.m. June 9 at Mundelein High School Theatre, 1350 W. Hawley St. Tickets: $14; $12 students and seniors; $7 for children under 12. Visit www.kirkplayers.org or call (847) 521-6192.

“The Pirates of Penzance,” through June 10 at the Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. The performance schedule is 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. Wednesdays; 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturdays; and 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: $41-$49, plus tax and handling fees. Discounts available for students and senior citizens. Dinner and theatre tickets, $55, are available Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Dinner is at Kings Wharf Restaurant or the Fairfield Inn (based on dining availability). Call (847) 634-0200 or visit www.marriotttheatre.com.

Classical

Vernon Area Public Library, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire. (847) 634-3650. www.vapld.info. June 24, 2-4 p.m.: Buffalo Grove Symphonic Band presents its seventh annual Ensemble Recital. No registration required.

Pop/folk/jazz

Austin’s Saloon & Eatery, 481 Peterson Road, Libertyville. (847) 549-1972. www.austinssaloon.com. Music at 10 p.m. unless noted otherwise. June 2: The Usuals. June 8: Badfish in a tribute to Sublime, with Trigger Fish. June 15, 9 p.m.: Dirge Within with Skinwalker and Wing of Severance. June 16, 7 p.m.: Crossfade with Weaving the Fate and Candlelight Red. June 26, 8 p.m.: Puddle of Mudd.

Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. (847) 263-6300. www.geneseetheatre.com. For tickets, call (800) 982-2787 or see www.ticketmaster.com. June 7, 7:30 p.m.: Willie Nelson. $42.50-$85. Sept. 28, 7:30 p.m.: Jim Peterik’s Lifeforce with special guests Mindi Abair, Steve Oliver and Lisa McClowry, and featuring smooth jazz band Lake Effect. $24.75 and $34.75. Nov. 2, 8 p.m.: A cappella group Straight No Chaser — “#SNCLIVE Tour.” $29.50-$49.50.

Lake County Folk Club events are held at 7 p.m. Sundays at Aleks’ Restaurant, 525 Rockland Road, Lake Bluff. Concert admission is $12; $10 for Lake County Folk Club members, students and senior citizens.No admission charge for Open Stage and Song Circle. Reservations encouraged for all concerts; call (847) 602-8882. For information, visit www.thelakecountyfolkclub.org. May 27: Song Circle.

Vernon Area Public Library, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire. (847) 634-3650. www.vapld.info. June 27, 7 p.m.: Bluegrass concert featuring Harpeth Rising, four classically trained musicians who play banjo, fiddle, cello, and hand drum.

Viper Alley, 275 Parkway Drive, Lincolnshire. www.viper-alley.com. (866) 463-3401. Shows are for ages 21-plus, unless noted otherwise. May 25, 9 p.m.: Mr. Blotto: Recreating the Altamont Speedway Festival of Dec. 6, 1969. $10-$20. May 26, 8 p.m.: Generation: The Sixties Experience with special late set with Fortunate Sons presenting a tribute to CCR. $10-$15. May 29, 7 p.m.: Brother Joscephus & the Love Revival Orchestra. $10-$20. June 1, 8:30 p.m.: Bruce in the USA (Bruce Springsteen tribute). $20-$37. June 8, 8:30 p.m.: Jon Anderson: The voice of YES. $26-$65. June 9, 6:30 p.m.: Elvis Tribute: Rick Saucedo — Summer Nights, City Lights. $10-$15. June 16, 7:30 p.m.: Pat Travers Band (guitar rock). $15-$30. June 26, 8 p.m.: Tower of Power (R&B). $35-$65. June 29, 8 p.m.: Blues guitarist and singer Coco Montoya. $18-$30. June 30, 7:30 p.m.: Reely Dan (Steely Dan tribute). $10-$30. July 3, 8 p.m.: Victor Wooten with Spare Parts, $20-$50. July 11, 8 p.m.: Edwin McCain, $20-$50. July 13, 8 p.m.: John Parr with Sam Llanas, $15-$35. July 14, 9 p.m.: The Prince Experience, $15-$30. July 28, 6:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.: Contemporary vocalist Linda Eder presents her “Songbirds” show. $30-$75. July 31: 1960s English pop band The Zombies with Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent. $30-$70.

Art galleries

College of Lake County Robert T. Wright Community Gallery of Art, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. Call (847) 543-2240 or visit http://gallery.clcillinois.edu. Gallery hours are 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Fridays; 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturdays; and 1-5 p.m. Sundays. Through June 29: “Here Comes Trouble,” an exhibit of 23 works by Chicago painter Bill Frederick. Frederick uses simple materials of brush, ink, watercolor and paper, and his work expresses his preoccupations with friends and family, history, geography, and a nagging sense of dread.

Deer Path Art League & Gallery, located in the Gorton Community Center, 400 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest. (847) 234-3743. www.deerpathartleague.org. Gallery hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday; Saturdays by appointment. Through May 25: “Art is … Lasting Landscape,” an exhibit of traditional images featuring unique use of color and technique by landscape artists. June 8-July 27: “Art is … A Photo Festival!” The opening reception, with complimentary wine and cheese, will be from 5-8 p.m. June 8.

The Highland Park Art Walk, a juried exhibition of artwork by Illinois artists displayed in downtown Highland Park shops and businesses, will be held June 1-30. Meet the Artists Day, 2-4 p.m. June 16, will feature participating artists at their display locations. Party with the Artists, an awards ceremony and silent auction, will be held from 4-6 p.m. June 16 at Blue Rose Gallery, 667 Central Ave., Highland Park. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.highlandparkartwalk.org or call (847) 440-6542.

Lake Forest Senior Center, 100 E. Old Mill Road, Lake Forest. (847) 234-2209. Through June 14: Kay Thomas, Highland Park artist and teacher, will exhibit watercolor and sumi paintings. Gallery hours are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Re-invent gallery, 202 E. Wisconsin Ave., Lake Forest. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays; Sundays by appointment. E-mail reinventlf@gmail.com. Through June 22: Multi-media art show of works by the McMahon family of artists. The show includes watercolor paintings, sculptures, glasswork, neons, metalcraft and other media by six members of the family, all Lake Forest natives.

Undercroft Gallery, located in the lower level of the Christ Episcopal Church, 410 Grand Ave., Waukegan. Gallery hours are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, or by appointment at (847) 367-5308. Through June 25: “Malcolm Layson: A Practical Man,” a show of work by Waukegan artist Malcolm Layson, including 25 watercolors, etchings and oil paintings ranging from wartime action in the Pacific Ocean to peaceful family summers in Michigan’s north woods. An artist’s reception is scheduled from 1-4 p.m. June 16.

Auditions & Opportunities

Encore Theatre will hold auditions for “Rent” from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. May 26 at Dancenter North, 540 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville. Auditions are open to high school and college actors, singers and dancers. Prepare 16-32 bars of a rock/pop or contemporary musical theatre song and bring sheet music. Rehearsals begin July 21; production dates are Aug. 9-12. If cast, there is a $150 workshop fee. For an audition appointment, visit www.encoretheatre.net or call (847) 708-8880.

CenterStage in Lake Forest will hold auditions for “The Music Man” from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. June 2 and 1-5 p.m. June 3 at the Gorton Community Center, 400 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest. Callbacks will be held from 7-9 p.m. June 4. Performance dates are July 27-Aug. 4. For information, visit www.CenterStageLakeforest.org or call (847) 234-6062.

Highland Park Players will hold auditions for “42nd Street” from 1:30-4 p.m. June 2 and 7-9:30 p.m. June 4 at West Ridge Center, 636 Ridge Road, Highland Park. All roles are available for ages 14 and older. Actors should prepare 32 bars of a song to sing and come ready to tap dance and do cold readings. Rehearsals begin Aug. 6, with production dates Oct. 12-27 at the Northbrook Theatre. For information, visit www.highlandparkplayers.com.

Chicago Master Singers will hold vocal auditions for the 2012-13 season Aug. 9, 14, 16 and 21 in Palatine. Dedicated singers are invited to call (877) 825-5267 or send an e-mail to cms.information@gmail.com to make an audition appointment. CMS is a 130-voice ensemble directed by Alan Heatherington featuring singers from throughout the Chicago area. The ensemble will perform this season with the Ars Viva Orchestra and the Lake Forest Symphony. For details, visit www.chicagomastersingers.org.

The Lake County Heritage Farm Foundation is accepting entries for “The Farm: Images from the Heartland 2012,” open to artists, 18 years or older, from Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana. The topic of the juried show is farm scenes, including buildings, equipment, animals, fields, crops and people. Cash prizes will be awarded. Winning artists will be eligible for Awards of Excellence in the amount of $300, $200 and $100 for first, second and third place positions. A special award of $250 will be given for the best image of a Lake County, Illinois, farm scene. Winning artists’ work will be on display at the Discovery Museum, located in the Lakewood Forest Preserve near Wauconda, from Aug. 25 through Nov. 4. Entry deadline is June 1. For details, visit www.lchff.org.

Artists are sought for the second annual Mundelein Fine Arts Festival, a juried art festival to be held from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 8-9 at Kracklauer Park in downtown Mundelein. Booth fee is $120; jury fee is $10. Artists should submit a cd with four jpeg or tif images of their work and one of their booth setup. Application deadline is June 15. Applications can be downloaded at www.mundeleinartsfestival.com. For more information, contact Terry Skriba at mundeleincc@tds.net or (847) 970-9235.

Highland Park Poetry invites amateur, semi-professional and professional poets of all ages who live, work or go to school in Illinois to submit original poetry not to exceed 30 lines for the Prairie State Poetry Contest 2012. There is no theme or structure required. Cash prizes are $100 for first place, $50 for second place, $25 for third place. There is a reading fee of $3 per poem; limit five poems. Poets will receive their awards at a contest reading on July 13 at The Art Center of Highland Park. Send poem(s) as text in the body of an e-mail to Jennifer@highlandparkpoetry.org, and put “Prairie State Poetry Contest 2012” in the subject line of the e-mail. Submission deadline is 5 p.m. June 8.

Benefits

Citadel Theatre Company will hold its 10th anniversary gala, “Copacabana,” from 7 p.m.-midnight June 8 at the Greenbelt Cultural Center, 1215 Green Bay Road, North Chicago. The evening includes dinner, dancing to music by the Robert Cole Orchestra, and door prizes. $125 per person. To RSVP, call (847) 735-8554 or visit www.citadeltheatre.org.

Books & poetry

Cook Park Library, 413 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville. (847) 362-2330. www.cooklib.org. May 29, 7 p.m.: The New Yorker executive editor Dorothy Wickenden will discuss her book, Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West, the nonfiction account of a year in the life of two close friends who embarked on a brief but life-changing adventure. The book draws upon a collection of letters that Wickenden’s grandmother, Dorothy Woodruff, wrote home to Auburn, N.Y., from the small community of Elkhead, Colo., where she and her lifelong friend Rosamond Underwood had gone to teach for a year in 1916. Books for signing will be available to purchase courtesy of Lake Forest Bookstore. June 7, noon: Claire Cook, bestselling author of Must Love Dogs, will present her new book, Wallflower in Bloom, during a luncheon at the Libertyville Civic Center, 135 W. Church St. Free, but registration is required. Books for signing will be available for purchase courtesy of Lake Forest Bookstore. Bring your own lunch or order an optional box lunch provided by Café Pyrenees for $8. Lunch orders must be placed by June 1. Lake Forest Book Store

author luncheon featuring Melanie Gideon, author of Wife 22, 11:30 a.m. June 7 at Lovell’s of Lake Forest, 915 S. Waukegan Road. Luncheon $39. To reserve, call (847) 234-4420. For information, visit www.lakeforestbookstore.com.

Vernon Area Public Library, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire. (847) 634-3650. www.vapld.info. June 14, 10 a.m.: Discussion of The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson.

Volo Bog, 28478 W. Brandenburg Road, west of Highway 12 between State Routes 120 and 134, Ingleside. Of Bogs & Books Reading Group meets from 10-11:30 a.m. the second Saturday of the month. The small, informal book discussion group is for adults interested in environmental, outdoor and natural history literature. Books selected for discussion range from classic to contemporary. Reservations are requested at dnr.volobog@illinois.gov or (815) 344-1294. June 9: The Story of Stuff — How Our Obsession with Stuff is Trashing the Planet, Our Communities, and Our Health —And a Vision for Change by Annie Leonard.

Child’s play

Academy at Citadel Theatre, 300 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest, offers summer performance camps, including “School House Rock Live Jr.,” for grades 1-4, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Thursday, June 11-July 7; and “Beauty and the Beast Jr.,” for grades 5-12, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday, June 11-July 11. Fee is $899 per student. Visit www.citadeltheatre.org/education/summer-performance-camp.html.

Dancenter North, 540 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville. (847) 367-7970. www.dancenter-north.com. June 6 and 20, 4-4:45 p.m.: “Singing Teddy Bears Picnic” workshop for 4- and 5-year-olds. The class will celebrate song and movement by encouraging participants to dress for a “picnic” and to bring their teddy bears. Each class is $10. Registration required. July 9-25, 3-5:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays: “Let’s Make a Musical, ” a musical theatre workshop for ages 7-12. $180. July 16 and 18, 6-8:30 p.m.: “How to Audition for a Musical,” for grades 8-12. The workshop will concentrate on vocal preparation and song selection. $50.

Deer Path Art League, located in the Gorton Community Center, 400 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest. (847) 234-3743. www.deerpathartleague.org. Summer Art Camp, for grades K-8, meets from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday. Fee is $150 per week, which includes all materials. June 11-14: Painting & Drawing with O’Keefe. June 18-21: Painting & Expression with Kandinsky. June 25-28: Painting & Collage with Beardin. July 2-5: Painting with Rausenberg. July 9-12: Illustration & Books. July 16-19: Assemblage Like Joseph Cornell.

Improv Playhouse offers summer performing arts camps in Libertyville and Highland Park for children in first grade through high school, including “Hairspray” and “Camp Glee” musical theater camps, teen film making, fashion modeling, and improv comedy. For information or to register, call (847) 968-4529 or visit www.improvplayhouse.com.

Vernon Area Public Library, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire. (847) 634-3650. www.vapld.info. June 5 and June 7, 7 p.m.: Discussion of Emily’s Fortune by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Participants receive a copy of the book to keep. For grades 2-3. June 13, 7 p.m.: Emerald City Theatre presents “If You Give a Cat a Cupcake.” June 22, 11 a.m.: Dave Herzog’s Marionettes present “Puppet Soup!” For children up to age 8 with an adult. June 26, 2 p.m.: Ken Schultz, the Flying Fool, entertains with an afternoon of comedy, juggling, and hilarious feats in a program for grades 1-9.

Dance

Dancenter North presents its annual Spring Showcase Collection performance, “On the Cover,” at 7:30 p.m. May 25 at the College of Lake County’s James Lumber Theatre, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake, featuring the Dancenter North Ballet Company, Soul-2-Soles Tap Company and Upstairs Jazz Company. The performance also includes special guests from Junior Encore Theatre. Tickets: $12-$18. Call (847) 367-7970 or visit www.dancenter-north.com.

Ballroom Chicago North Shore Dance, 8-11 p.m. May 26 at Lodge Hall, 1799 Green Bay Road, Highland Park. $10 per person. Free mini-lesson from 7:15-7:45 p.m. (with paid admission). Visit www.ballroomchicago.com or call (847) 757-2227.

Dancenter North, 540 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville. (847) 367-7970. www.dancenter-north.com. June 11-July 28: Summer session of dance and singing classes, plus special camps and workshops, for children ages 3-5. Offerings include Story Book Ballet, Ballerina Dreams Camp, The Singing Teddy Bear’s Picnic, and Try Me Trio of ballet, tap and singing. Also offering workshops for students in grades 2-12, including “Mix it Up,” featuring ballet, jazz, and modern dance styles; and classes in jazz dance, tap, audition skills, ballet and more.

Rich Burnett’s Sunday Afternoon Ballroom Tea Dance, 1-4 p.m. May 27 in the Dance Academy of Libertyville building, 746 Park Ave. (Route 176 ), Libertyville. $5 per person.

Fairs & festivals

Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair, June 22-24 in the Expo Center at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 1060 Peterson Road, Grayslake. Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Fiber arts instructors will conduct workshops in knitting, spinning, felting, weaving, basket making, macramé, beading and polymer clay modeling. Musicians will perform throughout the fair, and there will be a fleece judging competition, folk art and vintage handbag exhibits, a vendor marketplace, and food concessions. There will also be a Garment Extravaganza runway presentation at 1 p.m. Saturday, and a llama/alpaca show on Friday and Saturday. Admission is $10 each day; $25 for all three days. Free admission for children 10 and under. For information or to register for workshops, visit www.fiberandfolk.com.

Artists on the Bluff will sponsor an art show from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. June 23-24 on the village green in Lake Bluff. Orginal artwork on display and for sale will include paintings, drawings, jewelry, sculpture and pottery. There will also be vendors offering refreshments, live musical entertainment, a children’s tent, and opportunities for visitors to participate in sketching and figure drawing. For information, call (847) 735-0620 or (847) 650-2125.

Film

Vernon Area Public Library, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire. (847) 634-3650. www.vapld.info. June 15, 2 p.m.: Screening of “Babette’s Feast,” rated G. June 23, 2 p.m.: Screening of “Big Miracle,” rated PG. June 29, 2-4 p.m.: Screening of “Big Night,” rated R.

Organizations

Shutter Bugs Camera Club meets from 7-9 p.m. the third Wednesday of each month, except December, at Volo Bog, 28478 W. Brandenburg Road, west of Highway 12 between State Routes 120 and 134, Ingleside. Meetings include how-to workshops, members’ photos and competitions. Ages 13 to adult are welcome. Upcoming meetings include June 20 and July 18. For information, visit www.shutterbugsofvolobog.org.

Workshops & classes

Deer Path Art League, located in the Gorton Community Center, 400 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest. (847) 234-3743. www.deerpathartleague.org. Spring and summer classes include Painting — Start from Where You Are, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Tuesdays, May 29-July 3; Etching & Printmaking, 9 a.m.-noon Wednesdays, May 30-July 11; Realistic Watercolor, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Thursdays, May 31-July 5; Pastel Painting, 7-9 p.m. Thursdays, May 31-July 5; Introduction to the New Acrylics, 9:30 a.m.-noon June 2; Drawing and Painting, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Mondays, June 4-July 9; Landscape Painting, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays, June 9-July 28; How to Start in Watercolor — The Basics, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. June 16; Abstract Painting, 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. June 29-Aug. 17.

Kirk Players will present free children’s and adult theatre workshops, June 11-July 30 at Mundelein High School. To register, visit www.kirkplayers.org. For information, e-mail Paddy Lynn at paddy@kirkplayers.org.

Vernon Area Public Library, 300 Olde Half Day Road, Lincolnshire. (847) 634-3650. www.vapld.info. June 13, 6:30-8:45 p.m.: Writer’s Support Group. Newcomers welcome; no registration required.

Et cetera

Ragdale Day — A Celebration of the Arts, noon-4 p.m. June 3 at Ragdale, 1230 N. Green Bay Road, Lake Forest. The event features open studios, dance and music performances, family activities and tours. Visitors can see the inner workings of Ragdale’s artist retreat, experience the poetry, dance, music and art created there, and visit the newly restored Ragdale House, the historic summer home of architect Howard Van Doren Shaw. All ages welcome. Free admission. For information, visit www.ragdale.org or call (847) 234-1063.

Short Story Theatre, a newly formed story-telling troupe of local writers and actors, will perform at 7 p.m. May 30 at Vibe at 1935, 1935 Sheridan Road, Highland Park. Performers include Susan Block and Rick Leslie of Highland Park, Donna Lubow of Riverwoods, and Benita Haberman of Vernon Hills. No cover. Call (847) 432-6663 to reserve a table.

Museums

Deerfield Historic Village, 517 Deerfield Road, Deerfield. (847) 948-0680. www.deerfieldhistoricalsociety.org. Open Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m., June through September, and by appointment. Visitors can view five buildings of historic interest including the 1837 Caspar Ott log house, Lake County’s oldest standing building, which celebrates its 175th anniversary this year. Other buildings include a farm house, one-room schoolhouse, carriage house and visitor center. Permanent exhibit: “Deerfield History” from the first settlers through the 1950s.  Admission is free; donations are welcomed.

Lake County Discovery Museum, located in the Lakewood Forest Preserve, Route 176, west of Fairfield Road, near Wauconda. (847) 968-3400. www.LCFPD.org. Hours are 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday; and 1-4:30 p.m. Sundays. Admission: $6; $2.50 for children ages 4-17; free for children 3 and younger. Through Aug. 19: “The Blues: From the Heart and Soul,” featuring playbills and autographs, as well as the original musical instruments that created some of the most influential music in American history.

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