Grand and uplifting, Les Miserables is a powerful affirmation of the human spirit and one of the most popular musicals of all time. This tale of passion and revolution in 19th-century France won seven Tony Awards on Broadway and was adapted into an Oscar-winning film. Drury Lane kicks off its 30th anniversary season with this sweeping tale of romance, passion, suspense and redemption set against the stormy backdrop of the French Revolution. Tickets through Goldstar start at $22.50 (plus service charge).  You’ll be immersed in the tale of ex-convict Jean Valjean’s struggle for redemption while trying to outrun the determined police inspector Javert, and the innocent love of his adopted daughter Cosette for the revolutionary and student, Marius. It’s a celebration of the human struggle for justice and happiness in the face of hardship, carried forward on a gorgeous score, including the beloved songs “I Dreamed a Dream,” “Do You Hear the People Sing?” and more.  Actually, my favorite song is “Master of the House.”  wonder why…

Masked Midget Wrestlers Battle During Cinco de Lucha.  Get discounted tickets to the May 5th 7:30 pm show at House of Blues with this Goldstar deal.  With names like Tiny Terminator and Lil Rampage, it’s a safe bet the wrestlers of the Extreme Midget Wrestling Federation are going to show you a good time. During Cinco de Lucha, you get to see these stars in a mysterious new light, as the masks come out in honor of the Mexican “luchadors.” Bringing you all the larger-than-life personalities, explosive acrobatics and punishing moves you expect from professional wrestling, these athletes might be smaller in scale than their WWE counterparts, but the action they deliver is just as intense. You’ll see crazy stunts, amazing pins and high-flying attacks that’ll have you on your feet.

Travel back to a time of big hair, shoulder pads and leg warmers with Hey! Dancin’! Hey! Musical!, the ’80s musical based on Factory Theater’s hit comedy, which Time Out Chicagonamed one of the best plays in the city. Set in Chicago in 1986, this hilarious musical is packed with original songs that evoke everything from the power ballads of Heart to the feel-good synth-pop of The Pointer Sisters and Glenn Frey. The story follows teenagers Halle and Trisha as they finagle their way into the final taping of the hippest cable-access dance show in the Chicagoland area in the hopes of finding true love.

Get tickets from Goldstar ranging from COMP all the way up to *gasp* $10!!! for performances through May 18th.  Tickets always have service fees (just like Ticketmaster and all the others), but still huge savings.

Two bitter enemies renew their acquaintance in the post-Civil War wilderness of the Wyoming Territory in 1882. A quiet rancher and raucous gunfighter are both at a turning point in their lives, and in the drama The Unscathed, you’ll also discover whether they are at their breaking point. This two-act play, filled with the true history of the times, features suspense, humor, romance and even a surprise, whodunit? ending.  Get comp and $5 tickets through Goldstar for weekend performances in May – – I did not even know there was an Irish American Heritage Center…much less that they would put on a western drama…

Ordinarily, a brothel wouldn’t be considered a sanctuary, especially for women. But, as a civil war shreds the Congo into bloody tatters, Mama Nadi’s brothel looks downright cozy to those who seek refuge there. Such is the mixed-up world of Ruined, Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama. Partly inspired by the equally opportunistic Mother Courage, Mama Nadi keeps the peace between customers on both sides of the war, serving everything from cold beers to a warm touch. Shrewd and fierce, this memorable matriarch protects women who have been “ruined” by the brutality of the conflict … even as she profits from them. Eclipse Theatre Company kick-starts their 2014 Lynn Nottage-themed season with this remarkable work at the Athenaeum Theatre Studio Three.  LOTS of comp performances available through the end of May for the preview performances of Ruined (service fees for COMP tickets are $7.50, slightly less for paying customers).

Goldstar has discount tickets starting at $25 for May performances of Jack Lemmon Returns at the Royal George Theatre.  From uproarious comedies like The Odd Couple to hard-hitting dramas like The China Syndrome, Jack Lemmon was one of the most versatile actors of his generation. Now, his distinctive voice returns to the stage as son Chris Lemmon portrays his father in a new solo show exploring his unlikely journey from Newton, Mass. to becoming the first actor ever to win the Oscar for both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor. Trained in classical piano, Chris Lemmon’s music-filled performance is a celebration of one of Hollywood’s greatest legends, and an exploration of a fascinating relationship between father and son.

Tickets start at $7 for the April 26th 7:30 pm performance at Lund Auditorium of Chicago Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble.  Featuring founding members Darwin Noguera on piano and Victor Garcia on trumpet, the Chicago Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble fuses Afro-Latin American music with jazz. The group uses Latin rhythms as the core of its hybrid sound, and the basis for its innovative and exciting explorations of jazz boundaries. Founded in 2006, CALJE boasts a bevy of acclaimed Chicago jazz musicians in its lineup, and strives to follow in the footsteps of such pioneering groups as Arturo O’Farrill’s Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra and Dizzy Gillespie’s United Nation Orchestra.

Very easy to get to Dominican University in River Forest and plenty of parking; attended a show there last month.