Jennifer Hudson: The EGOT winner comes home for a Chicago stop on a limited tour promoting her holiday album, “The Gift of Love.” Expect a mix of Hudson’s original songs as well as Christmas classics and her powerful cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” 8 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St.; tickets $60.50-$150.50 at www.msg.com
“Songs of Good Cheer”: Get ready to sing! Former Tribune columnists Mary Schmich and Eric Zorn host their 26th annual caroling party, featuring a house band of Chicago musicians from across folk, jazz and country. Songbooks are provided. Through Dec. 15 at the Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave.; tickets $58 at oldtownschool.org
“A Latin American Christmas”: Historical guitarist Jonatan Alvarado will join the Newberry Consort for a multilingual program featuring Christmas music that would have been heard in Guatemala, Mexico, Chile and other Spanish-speaking areas between the 16th and 18th centuries. During a free, pre-show panel discussion, musicologist Paul Gustav Feller-Simmons will discuss his work transcribing archival music from South American missions and convents. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church, 4220 N. Sheridan Ave.; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 14 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 939 Hinman Ave., Evanston; and 4 p.m. Dec. 15 at the National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St.; tickets $10-$65 at newberryconsort.org
“Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol”: The magic of Manual Cinema is its talent for helping us see classics through new eyes — and that’s certainly the case with this pandemic-era spin on Charles Dickens’ classic. With additional writing by Nate Marshall, the production layers on the story of Aunt Trudy, who’s attempting to stage her late husband’s annual puppet show via Zoom. Manual Cinema’s awe-inspiring visual effects whip up an emotional response. Through Dec. 29 at the Studebaker Theater, 410 S. Michigan Ave.; tickets $20-$65 at fineartsbuilding.com
“That’s Weird, Grandma — A Holiday Spectacular!”: Direct from the imaginative minds of Chicago elementary school students comes this family-friendly annual sketch show. Professional actors, comedians and musicians perform a variety of tales illuminating the quirky and often hilarious ways kids’ minds work. Through Dec. 15 at the Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave.; tickets $15-$25 at playmakerslab.org
“Adverses”: Aguijón Theater, one of Chicago’s oldest professional Latino theater companies, offers a modern spin on the Electra myth with a play that aims to combine a humorous teatronovela approach with a meaningful exploration of the complicated relationship between mothers and daughters. Performed in Spanish with English supertitles. Through Dec. 15 at Aguijón Theater, 2707 N. Laramie Ave.; tickets $12-$35 at aguijontheater.org
“Reduction 10” and “Taiko Legacy 21”: Asian Improv Arts Midwest and Tsukasa Taiko present two performances centered around Japanese instrumentation. “Reduction 10” aims to bridge traditional and modern Asian American music, while “Taiko Legacy 21” celebrates the traditions of ozashiki (geisha chamber music), ohayashi (classical / folk / theater music) and matsuri taiko (festival taiko music). “Reduction 10” will be at 7 p.m. Dec. 14 and “Taiko Legacy 21” will be at 2 p.m. Dec. 15 in the Edlis Neeson Theater at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 220 E. Chicago Ave.; tickets $20 at airmw.org
Family Day — Zines!: With the announcement this week that Wicker Park’s beloved indie bookstore Quimby’s is up for sale, it seems especially necessary to inspire the next generation of zine publishers. Enter Family Day at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. In collaboration with its Teen Creative Agency and its annual Zine Fest, kids will have the opportunity to create their own DIY publications and get free copies of a zine about how to make art. Bonus: Museum admission is free to families as part of the program. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 14 at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 220 E. Chicago Ave.; details about this free event at visit.mcachicago.org
Have something to do around Chicago? Email events to day.chitribevents@gmail.com.
