CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Happy 2022, Chicago! I hope the new year brings you happiness and good health -- and for this month, some warmth! This weekend's forecast is going to be cold, with Friday's highs in the mid to upper teens and lows in the single digits; and Saturday and Sunday's highs in the mid 30s with lows between single digits and 11 degrees.
With the omicron COVID-19 variant causing a surge in cases and hospitalizations nationwide, many events are getting postponed or canceled, so if you are planning on checking out a new show or exhibition, be sure to check with the venue before leaving the house. With that being said, if you are looking for something to do this weekend, you should be safe in going to check out The Office Experience at The Shops at North Bridge or Immersive Van Gogh, at Lighthouse ArtSpace, which has reintroduced social distancing circles! And if temperatures do end up reaching the mid 30s, you can venture outside and go ice skating at Maggie Daley Park or Millennium Park.
For sports fans, the Chicago Bears travel to Minnesota on Sunday to take on the Vikings at noon for the final game of the season. The Chicago Bulls host the Washington Wizards on Friday at 7 p.m. and then the team travels to Dallas on Sunday to take on the Mavericks at 6:30 p.m. Meanwhile, the Chicago Blackhawks travel to Las Vegas on Saturday to take on the Golden Knights at 9 p.m.
Here's a look at things to do this weekend in Chicago and the suburbs:
The Office Experience
Fans of The Office will be transported to the world of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, as The Office Experience is set to make its debut in Chicago on Friday, Oct. 15. The interactive two-story experience features 17 rooms filled with original props and costumes, set re-creations, and more as fans visit Scranton Business Park and other sites associated with the beloved series. Guests will be able to take pictures throughout the Dunder Mifflin office including Pam’s desk, Michael’s office, and Ryan’s closet, as well as Schrute Farms. Fans will also relive iconic episodes and memorable moments, such as Kevin’s Chili Spill and Beach Day, in the largest official interactive fan experience based on The Office. MORE INFO.
Where: The Shops at North Bridge on the Magnificent Mile, 540 N. Michigan Ave.
When: Now through Jan. 17
Cost: $37.50 plus taxes and fees
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Disney's Frozen
From the producer of The Lion King and Aladdin, Disney’s Frozen, the Tony®-nominated Best Musical, is currently playing an exclusive 10-week premiere engagement at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, with performances through Jan. 22, 2022, only.
Frozen stars Caroline Bowman as “Elsa” and Caroline Innerbichler as “Anna,” the sisters at the heart of the joy-filled musical. Joining them are principal cast members Austin Colby as “Hans,” F. Michael Haynie as “Olaf,” Mason Reeves as “Kristoff,” Jeremy Morse as “Weselton,” Collin Baja and Evan Strand alternating as “Sven,” as well as Natalia Artigas (“Young Elsa”), Olivia Jones (“Young Anna”), Arwen Monzon-Sanders (“Young Elsa”) and real-life sisters Natalie Grace Chan (“Young Elsa”) and Victoria Hope Chan (“Young Anna”).
Individual tickets for Disney’s Frozen are on sale now. Ticket prices range from $33 - $179 plus a select number of premium tickets are available. MORE INFO.
Where: Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph St.
When: Now through Jan. 22
Cost: $33-$179
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Immersive Van Gogh
Step inside of Starry Night and The Bedroom in Arles with the help of more than 75 digital projectors in this high-tech exhibition that explores the work of Vincent Van Gogh. Designed by the Italian creative team that worked on the "Atelier des Lumières" exhibitions in Paris, "Immersive Van Gogh" covers 35-foot walls with animated versions of the Dutch painters work, accompanied by a score that blends electronic and classical compositions. MORE INFO.
Where: Lighthouse ArtSpace, 108 W. Germania Pl.
When: Now through Feb. 6
Cost: $39.99+
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Blue Man Group
Blue Man Group will welcome colder temperatures this fall and holiday season with an expanded performance schedule at Chicago’s Briar Street Theatre. The added performances include Blue Man Group Chicago’s first-ever shows on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, bringing louder drummer boys and not so silent nights to Chicago locals and visitors alike this holiday season.
Blue Man Group originally debuted at the Briar Street Theatre in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood in 1997. A dynamic combination of art, music, comedy and technology, Blue Man Group encourages audiences to reconnect with their inner (and outer) child in order to see the world through a new perspective. Three bald and blue men explore today’s cultural norms with wonder, poking fun at the audience’s collective quirks and reminding them how much they all have in common. The show is continually refreshed with new music, stories, custom instruments and state-of-the-art technology. MORE INFO.
Where: Briar Street Theatre, 3133 N. Halsted St.
When: Tickets available for select dates now through February 2022
Cost: Ticket prices range from $49 – $89
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Ice Skating at Maggie Daley Park Ice Skating Ribbon
The Maggie Daley ice skating ribbon, located at 337 E. Randolph St., is slated to open Nov. 19, weather permitting, with Van Gogh-inspired visuals on the ice provided by Immersive Van Gogh Chicago, the blockbuster immersive experience seen by more than 3.5 million visitors since its North American debut last year.
This year, skaters will be able to glide across sunflowers and 'Starry Night' brush strokes, as they take part in a unique and exciting winter experience for all ages.
Reservations for the opening skate are now available online. The ice will be open seven days a week with four sessions a day; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. MORE INFO.
Where: Maggie Daley Park Ice Skating Ribbon, 337 E. Randolph St.
When: Now through March, weather dependent
Cost: Prices begin at $16 for skate times Monday through Thursday and $20 for holidays and skate sessions Friday through Sunday. This price includes a skate rental. If you are bringing your own skates, admission is $5, excluding the 11 a.m. session, which is free for anyone with their own skates.
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The Infinite Wrench
At The Infinite Wrench, you’ll see 30 original plays in 60 minutes; written and performed by The Neo-Futurist Ensemble. Each play offers something different, be it funny, profound, elegant, disgusting, topical, irreverent, terrifying, or a song; all are truthful and tackle the here-and-now, inspired by the lived experiences of the performers. With new plays every week, The Infinite Wrench is The Neo-Futurists’ ongoing and ever-changing attempt to shift the conventions of live performance and speak to those unreached or unmoved by traditional theater.
The Infinite Wrench is recommended for audience members 14 and older. Performances are weekly on Saturdays at 10:30 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m., at The Neo-Futurist Theater, located at 5153 N. Ashland. Performances of The Infinite Wrench are priced at $10. Note: walkup tickets are available with cash or card. MORE INFO.
Where: The Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland
When: Now through 2022
Cost: $10
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Teatro ZinZanni
Teatro ZinZanni is pleased to announce its grand reopening with a brand-new show starring veteran performer, Frank Ferrante. An experience unlike any other, Teatro ZinZanni is a whirlwind of international cirque, comedy and cabaret served with a multi-course gourmet feast. Teatro ZinZanni takes place on the 14th floor of the Cambria Hotel Chicago Loop, 32 W. Randolph St. in the heart of Chicago’s Theatre District.
Described as a “feast for the senses” by The New York Times, the fast-paced action unfolds around, above and alongside guests. World-class acrobats, musicians, divas, illusionists, madmen, and aerialists fill the intimate Spiegeltent ZaZou, a unique jewel box mirror tent located in the heart of Chicago’s Downtown Theater District. MORE INFO.
Where: Cambria Hotel Chicago, 32 W. Randolph St. (14th Floor)
When: Tickets available for select dates now through August 2022
Cost: Individual tickets, which include a four-course meal, range in price from $119 - $189. Limited à la carte “show-only” tickets will also be available for $69.
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Human+Nature
The Morton Arboretum’s next outdoor art exhibition, Human+Nature, will inspire awe and wonder as it connects people and trees. Internationally renowned artist Daniel Popper created five 15- to 26-foot-tall sculptures exclusively for the Arboretum that will be featured in various locations across its 1,700 acres, leading guests to areas they may not have explored before. It will be his largest exhibition to date anywhere in the world.
On the East Side, a short walk from the Visitor Center, guests will be able to step within a huge female figure, as if into the heart of nature. Continuing along a less than mile-long walk, they will encounter a majestic maternal figure as tall as a tree, and a sculpture of diverse human facial traits interwoven with root structures. On the West Side, two hands joined by intertwining roots will extend near a grove of old oaks, and a towering face will evoke the interconnectedness of humans and trees. Made of concrete, fiberglass, and steel, each sculpture will weigh several metric tons. The largest ground footprint will be 28 feet wide and 37 feet long.
Human+Nature will be included with timed-entry admission to the Arboretum. The exhibition is planned to run for at least one year. MORE INFO.
Where: Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle
When: Now through next year
Cost: Included with timed-entry Arboretum admission
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