One of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, The Taming of the Shrew follows the treacherous road to romance for a strong-willed pair who’ve met their ultimate match in one another. The comedy kicks off with a wealthy Italian merchant decreeing that the younger of his two daughters cannot be wed before her ill-tempered, less popular sister is married. The problem is that no man in Padua is willing to propose to the sharp-tongued Katherine. That is, until the fortune-hunting Petruchio, newly arrived from Verona, agrees to woo and wed Katherine (for a sizable dowry, of course). What follows is a classic battle of the sexes that sends sparks flying. Enjoy Shakespeare under the stars with this production at the Oak Park Festival Theatre in Austin Gardens.  Comp tickets are available for the last two weeks in July; August tickets start at $8.

Since their debut in 2000, Rascal Flatts has rocked the country and pop worlds by charting 16 No. 1 singles and selling more than 22 million albums worldwide. Known for their crowd-pleasing, high-energy live concerts, the Ohio-based band’s nine albums have produced an incredible string of radio hits over the last 15 years, including “These Days,” “Bless the Broken Road,” “What Hurts the Most,” “Take Me There,” and their latest, “I Like the Sound of That,” off their album Rewind. The guys are the most awarded country group of the past decade, having won more than 40 ACAs, ACMs, AMAs, CMAs and they even scored a songwriter Grammy for “Bless the Broken Road.” They’re scheduled to be joined at on Sunday, August 7th at Tinley Park’s Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre by up-and-coming pop-country singers Kelsea Ballerini and Chris Lane.

SpongeBob is coming to Chicago but the pre-Broadway premiere will close for tickets on Goldstar on July 10th – almost a month more to see this show!  SpongeBob and all of Bikini Bottom face the total annihilation of their undersea world. Watch as a most unexpected hero rises up and takes center stage in the Pre-Broadway World Premiere of The SpongeBob Musical, featuring an original score by a legendary roster of Grammy winners and a song by David Bowie, plus direction by acclaimed Steppenwolf director Tina Landau and sets by the same designers behind Fun Home, Hedwig and Spring Awakening. Get ready to dive to all-new depths of theatrical innovation at Oriental Theatre.

Free tickets? Goldstar has added more deals to the CompTrain; enjoy complimentary tickets to fun events across the country. Thousands of free tickets to live theater, concerts, dance, comedy and more and all you pay is a small service fee (amount varies depending on the event).  It’s a great way to discover new events in your area.

SpongeBob is coming to Chicago but the pre-Broadway premiere will close for tickets on Goldstar on June 19th!  SpongeBob and all of Bikini Bottom face the total annihilation of their undersea world. Watch as a most unexpected hero rises up and takes center stage in the Pre-Broadway World Premiere of The SpongeBob Musical, featuring an original score by a legendary roster of Grammy winners and a song by David Bowie, plus direction by acclaimed Steppenwolf director Tina Landau and sets by the same designers behind Fun Home, Hedwig and Spring Awakening. Get ready to dive to all-new depths of theatrical innovation at Oriental Theatre.

Free tickets, anyone? Hop aboard Goldstar’s Comp Train and enjoy complimentary tickets to fun events across the country. Thousands of free tickets to live theater, concerts, dance, comedy and more and all you pay is a small service fee (amount varies depending on the event).  It’s a great way to discover new events in your area.

Dog Film Festival

Enjoy free (service charge) Wednesday and Thursday night sunset cruises courtesy of Goldstar.  Wednesday night cruises offer fireworks as well, but June and July are already sold out, although August remains.  Thursday cruises are available for June and July.  Don’t put it off or your date will be gone.

Kidz Bop has been America’s premier music brand for kids since 2001, with over 15 million albums sold. Their colorful, high-energy, all-ages concert features kid-friendly versions of today’s hottest pop hits. The Kidz Bop Kids have been named Billboard‘s No. 1 kids’ artist for five consecutive years. With popular contemporary songs, the whole family can enjoy dancing under the open sky when the Life of the Party tour comes to Chicago’s FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island.  Tickets to the August 7th 3 pm performance are only $19 (plus service fee) on Goldstar.

The Oak Park Festival Theater kicks off their 42nd season in high style with a production of George Bernard Shaw’s sharp-witted satire Pygmalion, staged outdoors at the beautiful Austin Gardens in honor of Shaw’s 160th birthday. It’s the ever-relevant tale of arrogant dialect expert Henry Higgins, who sets out to transform Eliza Doolittle, a cockney flower girl, into a proper society lady. But he doesn’t count on his “creation” having a mind of her own. This classic comedy, written in 1912, is named after a Greek myth, in which a sculptor falls for one of his own creations, and is famed for inspiring the musical My Fair Lady. Bring the entire family to the show, including your four-legged fur kids, who don’t need a ticket to attend.

Timeless children’s classic The Velveteen Rabbit hops from the bedside table to the theatrical stage in this special one-hour production for kids of all ages from the Marriott Theatre. In Margery Williams’ touching story, a young boy forms a special bond with his stuffed rabbit, who wants nothing more than to become real through the love of its owner. Directed and choreographed by Amanda Tanguay with musical direction by Ellen K. Morris, the play introduces this poignant tale to a new generation of fans and reminds older generations why it still tugs at their heartstrings after all these years. As a bonus, each performance is followed by a Q&A session with the cast.  Tickets for all July performances are $9 on Goldstar (plus fee).