You can still savor the good things in life, no matter what kind of food allergy you may be stuck with. The Schaumburg Gluten Free and Allergen Friendly Expo widens your eyes to a whole new world of savory and safe foods with samples, classes, coupons and more. Over 100 brands will be exhibiting treats and discounts to make your grocery shopping easier, and educational panels will teach you a thing or two on how to live a gluten-free lifestyle. Your favorite brands, restaurants, authors and bloggers will be around for a meet and greet, as well as a chance to get some seriously helpful advice about your allergies. Walk out of the Schaumburg Convention Center with a complimentary reusable tote bag to lug all those goodies, too.

Annie and her brother Jack climb up into their backyard treehouse and climb back down more than 400 years in the past in the Midwest premiere of this hip-hop musical based on the acclaimed book by children’s author Mary Pope Osborne. Teaming up with none other than William Shakespeare himself, the daring sibling duo must overcome a severe case of stage fright to save the playwright’s big show — and in the process discover that history is made by people who conquer their fears. Full of Hamilton-style hip-hop beats, Magic Tree House: Showtime With Shakespeare at the Apollo Theater in Chicago is a tuneful tale of time travel and theater. Discount performance tickets on Goldstar go through February 25th.

Free tickets, anyone? Hop aboard the Comp Train, Goldstar’s popular two-day promotion that features complimentary tickets to tons of fun events throughout the country. For just 48 hours, Goldstar will be offering literally thousands of free tickets to live theater, concerts, dance, comedy and more. And since all you pay is a small service fee (the amount varies depending on the event, but it’s usually just a couple bucks), the Comp Train’s a great way to discover new events in your area and treat your plus one, your family or even just yourself to something totally great — and totally unexpected.

I like the tours…and say that every time, but have yet to actually click the link!

Free tickets, anyone? Hop aboard the Comp Train, Goldstar’s popular two-day promotion that features complimentary tickets to tons of fun events throughout the country. For just 48 hours, Goldstar will be offering literally thousands of free tickets to live theater, concerts, dance, comedy and more. And since all you pay is a small service fee (the amount varies depending on the event, but it’s usually just a couple bucks), the Comp Train’s a great way to discover new events in your area and treat your plus one, your family or even just yourself to something totally great — and totally unexpected.

This high-flying comedy, based on a French farce, follows an American Lothario living in swinging ’60s Paris who’s secretly engaged to three different flight attendants and who manages to keep them apart with reluctant help from his housekeeper. But when the new, faster Boeing jet goes into service, the ladies’ schedules get jumbled, and things turn turbulent as all three of them descend on his apartment at the same time, along with an old schoolmate who can’t seem to keep his pal’s cover stories straight. A 2008 Tony winner for Best Revival, Boeing Boeing comes in for a laugh-filled landing at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights.  PITA and I saw this on Broadway with a male friend – he thought it was one of the funniest shows he’d seen in years.  Get your discount tickets on Goldstar for performance dates through mid-March.

Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night’s Dream is the perfect choice for families or any time-challenged theater fans. This 75-minute abridged version brings Shakespeare’s magical comedy to life at The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, where its extended run through the end of February will serve thousands of additional students and families this year. One evening, four young lovers find themselves lost in the forest. When the Fairy Court finds them, hijinks and hilarity ensue until the dawn. Following the performance, the cast remains on stage for a Q&A session, then joins the audience in the lobby for conversation and photos. 

The roots of the Chicago Flower and Garden Show date back as far as 1847 and create an experience that you and your family will not soon forget, featuring more than 20 experiential gardens as well as DIY solutions to inspire, educate and motivate the next generation of gardeners. For 2018, the Flower Show has partnered with Bernie’s Book Bank, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase book ownership among at-risk children throughout Chicagoland, to set the theme for this year’s show at Navy Pier. “FLOWERTALES: Every Garden Has a Story to Tell” features the creators of the Chicago Flower and Garden Show gardens interpreting the unique role flowers, plants and gardens play in the stories of our lives and literature. Enjoy workshops led by industry professionals at the Get Growing Education Series, see culinary demonstrations from top chefs at Garden Gourmet Stage and visit live butterflies and other animals at the Kids’ Activity Garden.  Tickets on Goldstar for the March 14-18 show start at COMP (plus service fee).

You’ve watched SNL for years. Now relive 40 years of the show in a way you never imagined. At Saturday Night Live: The Experience at Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications, you can become immersed in the show’s fast-paced creative processes and see how ideas become reality in just days. Interact with sets, original props and costumes. Take selfies on the Jeopardy set, rock out on the Wayne’s World couch, and deliver the “news” from behind the Weekend Update desk.  Tickets on Goldstar are $15-$20 for any operating date through February 28, 2018.

If you dug The Havana Cuba All-Stars, then without a doubt you’re going to love ¡Cubanismo! Founded by legendary trumpeter Jesús Alemañy, this all-star orchestra celebrates the legacy of Cuban music incorporating dance styles from around the world. Their sizzling up-tempo is full of swaggering horns and wild polyrhythms, recalling the vintage big-band sound. In that mix, they also throw in some traditional rumba, cha-cha and even lesser known rhythms developed by the Cuban jazz greats of the ’40s. Intrigued yet? Then bust a move with ¡Cubanismo! at McAninch Arts Center at the College of DuPage main campus in Glen Ellyn.  Performance is on Sunday,  February 18 at 3 pm.

Annie and her brother Jack climb up into their backyard treehouse and climb back down more than 400 years in the past in the Midwest premiere of this hip-hop musical based on the acclaimed book by children’s author Mary Pope Osborne. Teaming up with none other than William Shakespeare himself, the daring sibling duo must overcome a severe case of stage fright to save the playwright’s big show — and in the process discover that history is made by people who conquer their fears. Full of Hamilton-style hip-hop beats, Magic Tree House: Showtime With Shakespeare at the Apollo Theater in Chicago is a tuneful tale of time travel and theater. Discount performance tickets on Goldstar have been added – now through February 25th. . This was published as Stage Fright on a Summer Night (Magic Tree House #25), in case you’re wondering.