1. Cap off Black History Month
Storyteller Oba William King explores the depth and richness of African-American culture at A Celebration of Cultural Heritage. King uses stories, poems, drums and folktales in this dynamic approach to Black History Month. (Chicago Public Library, McKinley Park Branch, 1915 W 35th St, Mon 6pm. Free.)
2. Take in a bit of Spanish nightlife
The annual Chicago Flamenco Festival kicks off this week for a five week celebration of the Spanish dance. Explore Spanish heritage through performances, symposiums, guitar workshops and more. (Various venues, Mon–Fri. See site for full event details.)
3. Make it a night at the theater
Steppenwolf’s latest Straight White Men is a hyper self-aware exploration of, you guessed it, straight white male privilege. The story focuses on a father and his three sons. (Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N Halsted St, Tue–Fri 7:30pm, Wed 2pm. $20–$89.)
4. Explore LGBT art
Art AIDS America enters its last month of its Chicago run, so get in to the Alphawood Gallery now. As the name suggests, the exhibit explores the AIDS epidemic through the lens of queer artists like Keith Haring, Jenny Holzer and Kia Labeeija. (Alphawood Gallery, 2401 N Halsted St, Wed–Fri 11am–8pm. Free, but reserve tickets ahead of time.)
5. See a classic soul artist at work
Lee Fields has been around for a minute—he’s been singing soul and R&B since the late '60s, though his music always feels fresh and relevant. See Fields backed by his band, the Expressions, at Thalia Hall this week. (Thalia Hall, 1807 S Allport St, Tue 8:30pm. $25.)
6. Take in opera’s biggest hit
Even if you don’t think you know Carmen, you definitely know Carmen. Bizet’s smash-hit story of a seductive gypsy is full of earworms that you just can’t kick. (Civic Opera House, 20 N Wacker Dr, Tue, Fri 7:30pm. $20–$299.)
7. Watch master harmonizers do their thing
Los Angeles folk musicians Dawes boast stunning four-part harmonies in the vein of Crosby, Stills and Nash. They’re currently touring their latest album, We’re All Gonna Die. How cheery. (Riviera Theatre, 4746 N Racine Ave, Wed 8pm. $30.)
8. See two of Chicago’s finest at work
TJ Jagodowski and Dave Pasquesi are absolute masters at the art of long form improvisation. See them perform at their weekly iO engagement, TJ & Dave, and you might be tempted to sign up for an improv class. (iO Chicago, 1501 N Halsted St, Wed 10:30pm. $10.)
9. Catch an eerie portrayal of your friend group
In At The Table, a group of college friends head to their annual lake house getaway weekend and end up wrestling with questions of identity and identity politics. Might hit a little too close to home. (Berger Park Cultural Center, 6205 N Sheridan Rd, Thu, Fri 7:30pm. Pay what you wish.)
10. See ClickHole IRL
The writers behind ClickHole, The Onion’s sister site that parodies BuzzFeed-esque viral content, host their monthly live show this week. If you’re familiar with their site, you know to be prepared for a very bizarre, funny show. (Hideout, 1354 W Wabansia Ave, Thu 9pm. $10.)
11. Learn how to change the world
Now that Oscar season is over, shift your attention to socially conscious films at the One Earth Film Festival. Currently in its sixth year, the fest showcases movies that explore environmentalism and conservation. (Various venues in the Loop, Mar 3–12. See website for full details.)
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