Frequently hysterical ‘Hysteria’

HYSTERIA ★ ★ ★ 1/2 The Victorian era is justly famous for many fine developments: railroads, neo-gothic architecture, universal suffrage, the rise of the middle class and inventions such as photography, the phonograph and the telephone. Stuffiness, too. The Victorians developed stiff, stuffy propriety to …

‘Xtreme Bugs’ invades Brookfield this summer

Family Fun: Gawk at gigantic bugs in Brookfield, listen to bug stories in Oak Brook, bounce and giggle in Burr Ridge and shake things up in Clarendon Hills

Diversions: 4 picks for the coming week

Looking for fun, fancy or off-the-beaten-path options for the coming week? We present four, for your consideration.

Oak Brook’s Seasons 52 offers fresh flavors year round

Rising from the shadows of Braxton, Seasons 52 debuted at Oakbrook Center earlier this month, featuring seasonally changing menu of fresh grilled meats and fish, local vegetables, crisp salads and tasting-sized desserts.

“Oakbrook Center is an ideal setting for Seasons 52,” said company President Stephen …

Wheaton Drama has its own ‘Scoundrels’

Although the musical “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” is based on the 1988 movie of the same name, which starred Steve Martin and Michael Caine, the director for Wheaton Drama’s presentation of the play did not want to refer to the movie for any assistance. “When I …

Disc golf: Give it a throw

If you’ve ever happened across a chain-linked basket shaped like an inverted teardrop while out for a nature hike, you may have unwittingly stumbled upon a disc golf course.

Disc golf isn’t new — it was formalized in the 1970s — but its popularity has …

All-American cuisine stars at Bakersfield inWestmont

Before the clean lines of the architecture and the chic interior attract their attention, visitors to Bakersfield will notice the aroma of the new restaurant’s wood-fired grill. The grill is used to prepare some of the restaurant’s signature dishes, said Ken Tsang, director of marketing …

Arts and entertainment calendar for May 24

Stage

“Ah, Wilderness!” , by Eugene O’Neill, May 31-June 10 at Theatre of Western Springs, 4384 Hampton Ave. In Connecticut in 1906, the Miller family celebrates the Fourth of July as their 16-year-old son goes through the trials of young love. Tickets are $18 and …

Civil War Days return to Naperville

Family Fun: Experience the Civil War era in Naperville, get creative with Legos in Clarendon Hills and recycle household items in Oak Brook.

Diversions: 4 picks for the coming week

Looking for fun, fancy or off-the-beaten-path options for the coming week? We present four, for your consideration.

Oakbrook Terrace kids’ theater stages ‘Bye Bye Birdie’

When Jan Barker, head of the Park Players at Oakbrook Terrace Park District, first considered staging “Bye Bye Birdie” with her young troupe, she worried that she might not have enough actors. But, she says, “The kids wanted to do it so badly they dragged …

Lake Bluff singer adds a touch of country

What would you do if Death rang your doorbell?

Lake Bluff folk singer-songwriter David Hawkins, it seems, would write a song.

“I love this one Gahan Wilson cartoon in which a man has just answered the front door to see the Grim Reaper standing there,” …

Oak Park actress finds theater magic in ‘Oz’

For Dara Cameron of Oak Park and Rob Rahn of Lincolnshire, now appearing in Drury Lane’s Theatre for Young Adults “The Wizard of Oz,” this is not the first time over the rainbow. Nor is it their first time in the show together. Cameron portrayed …

Entertainment calendar for May 17

Stage

“Ah, Wilderness!” , by Eugene O’Neill, May 31-June 10 at Theatre of Western Springs, 4384 Hampton Ave. In Connecticut in 1906, the Miller family celebrates the Fourth of July as their 16-year-old son goes through the trials of young love. Tickets are $18 and …

Historian speaks on Chicago’s candy history

Historian and author Leslie Goddard speaks on “Sweet Home Chicago: Chicago’s Candy-Making History,” at 1 p.m. Thursday, May 17, the Elmhurst Historical Museum Education Center, 120 E. Park Ave. Goddard has been researching and speaking on the topic of Chicago’s candy history over the last …