March 16 - 29, 2020

MARCH 18 - 22 Flower & Garden Show When: Wed - Sat 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Sun 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Where: Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave. What: Experience every facet of horticulture by walking through gardens, participating in DIY workshops, learning from educational seminars, enjoying garden-to-table cooking presentations and more. More info and a list of the special events at chicagoflower.com. FREE.

MARCH 18 - 22 Comedy Film Festival When: Various Where: Columbia College, 1104 S. Wabash Ave. What: The Chicago Comedy Film Festival's mission is to support comedy as a vital and influential art form. The festival showcases films that range from low budget to studio quality. Some events are free, but the screenings are $12, and a full festival pass is $75. More info and a list of showings at chicagocomedyfilmfestival. com.

MARCH 19 Talk It Out: Beyond the Binary When: 3 p.m. Where: Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St. What: This is the first event of the #TalkItOut series sponsored by the Chicago Foundation for Women. This event will take afresh look at some of the most pressing issues facing women, girls, trans, and gender nonbinary people in Chicago today and will look at bold avenues for making progress in addressing those challenges. More info at cfw.org. FREE.

MARCH 19 - 22 'La Bayadère' When: Thurs & Fri 7:30 p.m.; Sat 2 & 7:30 p.m.; Sun 2 p.m. Where: Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive What: American Ballet Theatre presents this full-length ballet is a story of eternal love, mystery, fate, vengeance and justice. Tickets start at $50 at auditoriumtheatre.org.

MARCH 19 - APRIL 5 'Cooking with Bubbie' When: Thurs & Sat 7:30 p.m.; Fri 1:30 p.m.; Sun 2 p.m. Where: Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave., Skokie What: Internationally acclaimed actress Francine Berk returns as America’s most famous grandmother: The Bubbie. At a taping of her TV cooking show, Bubbie will share her recipes for brisket and hamantaschen (cookies), while entertaining viewers with comedy skits and original songs. $45 at skokietheatre.org.

MARCH 20 The Robert Cray Band When: 8 p.m. Where: North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie What: Robert Cray has been bridging the lines between blues, soul and R&B for the past four decades. With five Grammy wins, a Blues Hall of Fame induction, and as an Americana Lifetime achievement award winner, Cray has created a sound that derives from American roots and arrives today both fresh and familiar. Tickets start at $40 on northshorecenter.org.

Chicago Danztheatre The Queer Landscape

Danztheatre photo

MARCH 20 & 21 The Queer Landscape When: 7:30 p.m. Where: Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 1650 W. Foster Ave. What: This dance show highlights the intricacies, growing awareness and history of oppression of the LGBTQ+ community. Tickets are $25 at the door or $19 in advance at danztheatre.org.

MARCH 20 - 22 Winning Works When: Fri 7:30 p.m.; Sat 2 & 7:30 p.m.; Sun 2 p.m. Where: Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave. What: The Joffrey Academy of Dance presents four world premieres from the winners of the tenth annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition: Chanel DaSilva, Tsai Hsi Hung, Pablo Sánchez and Durante Verzola. $30 at joffrey.org.

MARCH 20 - 22 Villain Arts Tattoo Convention When: Fri 2 p.m. - 12 a.m.; Sat 11 a.m. - 12 a.m.; Sun 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Where: Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Rd., Rosemont What: This event will have artists and vendors, entertainment, tattoo contests, seminars and special guests. There will also be after-parties. Tickets are $22 for one day or $45 for a three-day pass. More info at villainarts.com.

MARCH 20 - 22 Eric Roberson When: 8 p.m. Where: City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph St. What: Grammy Award-nominee, singer, songwriter and producer Eric Roberson has broken boundaries as an independent artist. He has received many awards and nominations for his music. Tickets start at $45 on citywinery.com.

MARCH 20 - 30 Chicago Cabaret Week What: Cabaret has been at the heart of Chicago’s nightclub scene for more than a century. Venues around the city will bring artists and their personal renditions of the Great American Songbook, blues, jazz, burlesque, pop, comedy and Broadway. Schedule at chicagocabaretweek.org. Ticket prices depend on the show, and start at $10.

MARCH 21 Silk Poems When: 4 p.m. Where: Wrightwood 659, 659 W. Wrightwood Ave. What: Join Wrightwood 659, the Smart Museum of Art and the Poetry Foundation for a program featuring a live reading of the book “Silk Poems” by artist and poet Jen Bervin, as well as an exclusive tour of the current art exhibit "The Allure of Matter." Make your reservation on wrightwood659. org. FREE.

MARCH 21 & 22 West Loop Spirits, Wine and Beer Festival When: Sat 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Where: Stephen M. Bailey Auditorium, 1340 W. Washington Blvd. What: This event features fine chocolate and artisan specialties, along with live entertainment to benefit Chicago Canine Rescue. Tickets start at $10 on chocolatewinespirits. weebly.com.

MARCH 22 Shamrock Shuffle When: 9 a.m. Where: The Loop, starting and finishing in Grant Park, 337 E. Randolph St. What: Tickets start at $25 for the mile, $35 for the 2-mile and $55 for the 8K. Participants are not required to run. Schedule of events and more information at shamrockshuffle.com.

MARCH 22 Tchaikovsky Discovers America When: 3 p.m. Where: North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie What: A Classical Kids Live! and Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra performance based on historical events: the story of the great composer’s arrival in New York for the grand opening of Carnegie Hall in 1891. Tickets start at $14 on northshorecenter.org.

MARCH 22 - APRIL 5 Macy’s Flower Show When: Mon - Sat 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Where: Macy’s, 111 N. State St. What: Embark upon an underthe-ocean odyssey, discovering long-lost treasures and aquatic beauty in Macy’s State Street. The “Voyage to Oceanum” show goes deep into the worlds of underwater plants and sea creatures. Find a list of events at macys.com/s/flower-show. FREE.

MARCH 23 Who Represents Us?: Andy Warhol’s Ten Portraits of Jews of the 20th Century When: 5:30 p.m. Where: Spertus Institute, 610 S. Michigan Ave. What: In this once-controversial series, Andy Warhol memorialized luminaries of modern Jewish culture. He depicted them in his signature pop-art fashion, splashed with color and shapes, blurring boundaries between art and commerce. The exhibition will be open until September 21, but reserve a spot for the opening reception on spertus. edu. FREE.

MARCH 24 - APRIL 12 'My Fair Lady' When: Various Where: Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph St. What: This play tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a linguistics professor who is determined to transform her into his idea of a “proper lady” - but who is really being transformed? Tickets start at $27 on broadwayinchicago.com.

THROUGH MARCH 30 Rev. Martin L. Deppe Exhibit When: Mon - Thurs 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Fri & Sat 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sun 1 - 5 p.m. Where: Harold Washington Library, 400 S. State St. What: Rev. Deppe’s social justice activism began in the 1960s when he aligned his church with the civil rights and antiwar movements. He joined Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference as one of the founding ministers with their Operation Breadbasket program. Attend this exhibit to learn all about him and his activism. Chipublib.org. FREE.

THROUGH APRIL 12 'School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play' When: Various Where: The Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St. What: As the reigning queen bee at Ghana’s most exclusive boarding school sets her sights on the Miss Universe pageant, a new student unexpectedly changes the game. This show spotlights the universal similarities - and glaring differences - of teenage girls around the globe. $20 at goodmantheatre.org.

What the Constitution Means to Me

courtesy photo

THROUGH APRIL 12 'What the Constitution Means to Me' When: Various Where: Water Tower Place, 835 N. Michigan Ave. What: This boundary-breaking play breathes new life into the Constitution and imagines how it will affect the next generation of Americans. The tour stars Tony-nominated actress Maria Dizzia (from "Orange Is the New Black") and features original Broadway cast members Mike Iveson and Rosdely Ciprian. Tickets start at $31.50 on broadwayinchicago.com.

-compiled by Rachel Koertner