Celebrations of pride, feats of athleticism, art fairs and global fare usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

Although I don’t ordinarily write about fundraisers, the 29th annual Corporate Night concert at Symphony Center on Monday was so beguiling that it deserves attention.

It is no secret that we live in a world of grotesque extremes. In “Guards at the Taj,” playwright Rajiv Joseph explores this phenomenon by spinning a story that contrasts the radically opposing instincts of a megalomaniacal ruler.

From Steve Wozniak to Larry King and Lady Gaga, a new book offers insights into how to start a career and forge a unique path.

Among the winners for “The Band’s Visit” – justly rewarded Sunday night with 10 Tony Awards – were two artists with Chicago connections: David Cromer and Katrina Lenk. Laurie Metcalf, of Steppenwolf (and “Roseanne”) fame, picked up her second Tony.

A local institution holds handwritten lyric sheets belonging to the biggest-selling music artists of all time. We get a peek at this collection of cultural artifacts.

A Chicago nonprofit co-founded in 2012 by Che “Rhymefest” Smith and Kanye West has been rebranded. Rhymefest tells us what’s next for the organization formerly known as Donda’s House.

In the one-man show “Broadway & The Bard,” Len Cariou – an actor of exceptional breadth and experience – brings both a youthful enthusiasm and worldly wise sensibility to what is clearly a labor of love. 

A recently completed boathouse along the South Branch of the Chicago River got top honors this week from the nonprofit group Friends of the Chicago River.

The legendary Broadway actor brings his one-man show “Broadway and the Bard” to Chicago. Len Cariou joins us in discussion.

We stop by Delmark Records, where a blues summit took place this week in preparation for the 35th annual Chicago Blues Festival in Millennium Park.

Monroe Harbor looks very different this boating season: it’s only half full. What the Chicago Park District is doing with the extra space.

Finger-licking festivals, dance music and a bounty of books usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

Suzan-Lori Parks’ fascinating three-hour trilogy, now on stage at the Goodman Theatre, probes the meaning of freedom, and all the complexity and ambivalence that word can carry with it.

When it comes to road safety, Illinois is one of the top states in the country, according to a report from personal finance website WalletHub. But the state got poor marks in other safety categories.

Consumer watchdogs are warning residents across Chicago and beyond to be on the lookout for lottery scams that cost residents tens of millions of dollars in the last year alone.