Things to Do in Chicago Jan. 9-15: The Mix

Theater

• The Goodman Theatre and Definition Theatre present “Fat Ham,” James Ijames Pulitzer Prize-winning, Tony Award-nominated reimaging of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” Ijames sets his version at a boisterous Southern cookout, where Juicy (Trumane Alston) grapples with his identity, his family and his father’s ghost. The all-Chicago cast also features Sheldon Brown, E. Faye Butler, Ronald L. Conner, Victor Musoni, Ireon Roach and Anji White; Tyrone Phillips directs. From Jan. 11-Feb. 23 at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn. Tickets: $25-$85. Visit goodmantheatre.org.
  
• Jocelyn Bioh’s Tony Award-winning comedy “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding” is a glimpse into the lives of a group of West African immigrant women who find community in a bustling Harlem hair salon. TheaterMania says it’s “an overwhelmingly affectionate portrait of Black female joy.” Whitney White directs the Midwest premiere. From Jan. 14-Feb. 2 at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, 800 E. Grand. Tickets: $44-$125. Visit chicagoshakes.com. 

• Chicago International Puppet Festival returns with puppeteers from around the world performing a variety of works, including all-ages spectacle shows, intimate works and adults-only, late-night puppet cabarets. Opening night features a pre- and post-show party wrapped around a performance of Plexus Polaire’s “Dracula: Lucy’s Dream.” From Jan. 15-26 at various venues. Ticket prices vary. Check out the long list of companies and performances at chicagopuppetfest.org.
  
• Jackalope Theatre remounts “The Smuggler,” its winter 2023 hit thriller in rhyme. Tim Finnegan is an Irish immigrant tending bar on the island of Amity, an affluent summer enclave off the coast of Massachusetts, who is drawn into the dark world that exists in the shadows of the wealthy island. From Jan. 14-25 at The Broadway Armory, 5917 N. Broadway. Tickets: $15-$35. Visit jackalopetheatre.org. 
  
• “Glassheart” is Reina Hardy’s new play, a modern-day reimagining of the “Beauty and the Beast” fairy tale, with the Beast now living in Chicago and looking for a way to break the curse. Brian Pastor directs. From Jan. 10-Feb. 23 at City Lit Theatre, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr. Tickets: $30. Visit citylit.org.
  
• Winterfest of New Works is a showcase of eight shows in development by Chicago artists: Juan Munoz’s “I’m Not Sad,” Fred Cavair Robinson’s “Stay Human You Animal,” Aaron Jamieson Roberts’ “Single-Sided,” Mantra and Alondra Rios’ “Love in the Time of …,” Satya Chavez’s “The Olive Tree,” Charlie Baker’s “The Mysterious Magician (And Chip),” Annie A. and Eileen Tull’s “Fat Jokes” and Renzo Vicente, Logan Van Lergerghe, Bryce Ranee and Marcus Bobbit's "New Line." From Jan. 10-26 at Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre, 721 Howard, Evanston. Tickets: $10. Visit theo-u.com.
  
• “I’m Spiritual Dammit!” is Jenniffer Weigel’s solo show that follows her life from a skeptical journalist to a spiritual adventurist. At 7 p.m. Jan. 13 at Wayfarer Theater, 1850 2^nd St., Highland Park. Tickets: $20. Visit wayfarertheaters.com.
  
• Remy Bumppo Theatre presents Readings on Ravenswood, a series of six plays featuring ensemble members. Among the plays are Sanaz Toossi’s “Wish You Were Here,” Michael Hollinger’s “The Virgin Queen Entertains Her Fool” and Duncan Macmillan’s “People, Places and Things.” From Jan. 13-Feb. 24 at Remy Bumppo Theatre rehearsal room, 1751 W. Grace. Admission is free; donations accepted. For a list of plays, visit remybumppo.org. 
  
• In his new show “Static Magic,” up-and-coming magician Trent James mixes humor with personal stories about growing up as a second-generation magician. To March 26 at Chicago Magic Lounge, 5050 N. Clark. Tickets: $42, $47.50. Visit chicagomagiclounge.com.

Comedy

• The Comedy Gazelle Awards (The Gazellies) are awarded annually to comedians in the Chicago comedy scene. The awards were launched by Jerry Hamedi in 2020 after he moved to Chicago to pursue stand-up and fell in love with the vibrant local scene and made it his mission to elevate the city’s local talent. At 7:30 p.m. Jan.9 at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee. Tickets: $16. Visit thedentheatre.com.

Music

• Preservationist, storyteller and instrumentalist Dom Flemons has long had a love for finding forgotten folk songs and presenting them to modern-day audiences. But on his most recent album, “Traveling Wildfire,” he discovers his own voice on a set of original songs. At 8 p.m. Jan. 9 at FitzGerald’s, 6615 W. Roosevelt, Berwyn. Tickets: $25-$35. Visit fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.
  
• “Too Hot To Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Messiah” reinvents the original music from the “Messiah” using scat, backbeats, improvisation and jazz and gospel vocals. The event begins with a new video homage to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the performance features a 70-member Chicago choir honoring historic church choral traditions. At 6 p.m. Jan. 11 and 3 p.m. Jan. 12 at Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells. Tickets: $39+. Visit auditoriumtheatre.org.
  

• Americana band Cracker, led by founders David Lowery and Johnny Hickman, tours behind the new album “Alternative History: A Cracker Retrospective,” a two-CD release featuring a collection of re-recordings, demos, outtakes, collaborations and live tracks that present an alternate history of the band. At 3 (unplugged show) and 7 p.m. (full band show) Jan. 12 at Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln. Tickets: $45 (7 p.m. sold out but there is a wait list). Visit oldtownschool.org.
  
• The 28^th annual Winter Chamber Music Festival features a seven-concert series: Dover Quartet (Jan. 10), Third Coast Percussion with Jessie Montgomery (Jan. 11), Trio Valtorna (Jan. 12), Vertavo String Quartet (Jan. 17), Viano Quartet (Jan. 19), Dudok Quartet Amsterdam (Jan. 24), and Miro Quartet (Jan. 26). At Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, Northwestern University, 50 Arts Circle, Evanston. Tickets: $15-$40. Visit music.northwestern.edu/events.
  
• Sons of the Silent Age, a band dedicated to the music of David Bowie, returns with its annual benefit concert celebrating 50 years of Bowie’s “Young Americans” and more. Plus actor Michael Shannon performs the songs of John Lennon. (A portion of the proceeds benefits Endeavor Health’s Integrative Medicine Program.) At 7 p.m. Jan. 11 at Metro, 3730 N. Clark. Tickets: $28, $33. Visit metrochicago.com.
  
• Chicago jazz guitarist Henry Johnson, who was influenced by Kenny Burrell, George Benson and Wes Montgomery, performs at 6 and 8:15 p.m. Jan. 10-11 at Andy’s Jazz Club, 11 E. Hubbard. Tickets: $20+. Visit andysjazzclub.com.
  

Museums

• “The Living End: Painting and Other Technologies, 1970-2020” is a group show examining the different methods artists have used — video and still cameras, computers, the internet, automation — to challenge or intervene in the practice of painting and the role of painters, suggesting that painting remains in a constant state of renewal and rebirth. To April 13 at Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago. Admission: $10-$22. Visit mcachicago.org.
  
• “The Upsetters” features paintings by five Native American artists — Amber Gunn Gauthier, April Holder, Avis Charley, David Martin and Ryan Singer —  who want you to rethink what you may (or may not) know about Native American art. To Jan. 18 at Center for Native Futures, 56 W. Adams. Admission is free; donations welcome. Visit centerfornativefutures.org. 

Movies

• Ang Lee’s martial arts film “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” starring Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh, is screened as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performs Tan Dun’s Oscar-winning score. At 7:30 p.m. Jan. 10-11 at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan. Tickets: $59+. Visit cso.org.

Family Fun

• The Shedd Aquarium’s Caribbean Reef exhibit is no more but in its place in the Shedd’s rotunda is “Wonder of Water,” two massive 28,110-gallon tanks featuring saltwater and freshwater ecosystems. . At 1200 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr. Aquarium admission: $19.95+. Visit sheddaquarium.org.
  
• The Brookfield Zoo (8400 31^st St., Brookfield; brookfieldzoo.org) is offering free admission from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat-Sun, Tue and Thu through Feb. 27. Over at the Chicago History Museum (1601 N. Clark; chicagohistory.org), free days for Illinois residents are Jan. 20-24, 28-31 and every Tue-Fri in February. Check out exhibits including “City on Fire: Chicago 1871,” “Dressed in History: A Costume Collection Retrospective” and more.