There are plenty of new shows this weekend, as well as last chances to attend events closing soon. Here’s some of what we recommend:
Fri 3/9: Comedian and Whirled News Tonight standout Atra Asdou showcases her character work at her self-described “one-woman human dog show” A Poodle in People Clothes at iO Theater (1501 N. Kingsbury). 10:30 PM, $14
Fri 3/9: Tom Papa, who’s performing at City Winery (1200 W. Randolph), is a constant presence on late night programs, and appeared in Behind the Candelabra, Inside Amy Schumer, The Knick, and more. He’s the head writer for the radio show Live From Here, the newest incarnation of A Prairie Home Companion. 7 and 10 PM, $28-$40
Fri 3/9-Sun 3/11: Celebrating its 60th year, the New York-based Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater showcases six different works at Auditorium Theatre (50 E. Congress), including Chicago-raised choreographer Talley Beatty’s Stack-Up. Each performance closes with Ailey’s modern classic Revelations. Fri 7:30 PM, Sat 2 and 8 PM, Sun 3 PM, $41-$150
Fri 3/9-Sun 3/11: The Michael Weber-directed production of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along, about the showbiz careers of three friends, rolls away from Ruth Page Center for the Arts (1016 N. Dearborn) after Sunday 11. The musical, which explores how recognition and financial success affects an artistic lifetime, is “gratifying, stirring, heart-wrenching,” writes the Reader‘s Dan Jakes. Fri 8 PM, Sat 4 and 8 PM, Sun 2 PM, $55-$60
Fri 3/9-Sun 3/11: “William Blake and the Age of Aquarius,” which illustrates the impact the Romantic poet had on American artists—from Allen Ginsberg to Jimi Hendrix—closes after this weekend. This exhibit, at Block Museum of Art (40 Arts Circle D., Evanston), is equal parts trippy and philosophical. Fri 10 AM-8 PM, Sat-Sun 10 AM-5 PM, free
Sat 3/10: Like the name implies, Good Food and Bad Decisions features a feast and a game called “Bad Decisions.” Bring your game face, which includes your mouth to stuff with grub, to Omega Station (7238 N. Harlem). 7-11:30 PM, $30-$40
For more things to do this weekend—and every day—visit our Agenda page.