Kevin Hart: Need a jolt? Kick off the New Year with Kevin Hart’s brand of high-energy comedy as he brings his “Acting My Age” tour to the Chicago Theatre. 7:30 p.m. Jan. 3-4 and 7 p.m. Jan. 5 at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St.; tickets at kevinhartnation.com
Alex English: Former “Saturday Night Live” writer and Detroit native Alex English performs a three-night stand at Zanies Chicago. You know Lisa from Temecula? The Ego Nwodim character that cracked up Pedro Pascal and the rest of the SNL cast? English had a major role in creating her. 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. Jan. 3-4 at Zanies Comedy Night Club, 1548 N. Wells St.; tickets $30 at etix.com
Bill Murray and His Blood Brothers: Actor, comedian and Wilmette native Bill Murray performs rock ‘n’ roll and blues with Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia. Friday’s show also features Toronzo Cannon, and Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials will perform on Saturday. 8 p.m. Jan. 3-4 at Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St.; tickets $50 at bloodbrothersband.com
Christian Lopez and JD Eicher: Christian Lopez made his Grand Ole Opry debut last year, and now he and indie rock songwriter JD Eicher are playing this weekend at Evanston’s Space. Expect a night of folk rock and alt-pop. 7 p.m. Jan. 4 at Space, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston; tickets $20-$30 at christianlopezmusic.com
“A Bright Room Called Day”: Blank Theatre takes on a 1985 Tony Kushner play that follows a group of politically engaged artists as they navigate Hitler’s rise to power. A Tribune review noted that the “production especially excels … in balancing the Berliners’ fiery politics with their individual emotional journeys.” Through Jan. 5 at the Greenhouse Theatre Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.; tickets $15-$35 at blanktheatrecompany.org
Young Playwrights Festival: Three one-act plays written by Chicago high school students will be showcased during the Pegasus Theatre’s 38th annual Young Playwrights Festival. “Family Fishing” by Lydia Vodopic of Lane Tech College Prep High School, “Love and Gyros” by Lily Zhang of Whitney M. Young Magnet High School; and “Superheroes Anonymous” by Carolina Boss of Whitney M. Young Magnet High School were selected from a pool of 300 submissions for workshopping and performance. Through Jan. 26 at Pegasus Theatre Chicago, 1105 W. Chicago Ave.; tickets ($15-$30) at pegasustheatrechicago.org
The Silver Fox — Howard Hawks Matinees: Hole up in the Music Box this weekend and catch some classics. Running through February, the theater has curated a matinee series featuring golden age director-producer Howard Hawks. This weekend’s picks are the 1959 Western “Rio Bravo,” starring John Wayne and Dean Martin, and the 1928 romantic comedy “A Girl in Every Port,” featuring live piano accompaniment by David Drazin. Watch for future screenings of “Bringing Up Baby,” “His Girl Friday,” “Only Angels Have Wings” and more. 11:30 a.m. some Saturdays and most Sundays through Feb. 23 at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave.; tickets $10 at musicboxtheatre.com
“Cats: Predators to Pets”: Experience a new kind of cat video. Get to the Field Museum to learn about wild cats and how felines developed relationships with humans. The exhibit combines video, taxidermy and touchable casts. Look for stories from Field Museum scientist Anderson Feijó, assistant curator of mammals, whose research has discovered new species of pampas cats. Through April 27 at the Field Museum, 1400 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr.; tickets $22-$40 at fieldmuseum.org
“Thomas & Friends — Explore the Rails”: This weekend is your last chance to climb into Thomas the Tank Engine and fix Percy’s wobbly wheel. This interactive exhibit rolls out of the Kohl Children’s Museum after closing on Sunday. Through Jan. 5 at Kohl Children’s Museum, 2100 Patriot Blvd., Glenview; tickets $18-$20 at kohlchildrensmuseum.org
Winter Curl & Chill: Head to the Gwen Hotel for a rooftop curling match. Curling aficionados, be warned: You won’t be playing on real ice. But then again, most curling rinks don’t offer firepits, mulled wine or fondue. Tradeoffs. Through March 9 at the Gwen Hotel, 521 N. Rush St.; reservations $25 per person at thegwenchicago.com
Have something to do around Chicago? Tell us. Email events to day.chitribevents@gmail.com.
Jennifer Day is a freelance writer.
