A+E briefs

Film, concert
Tivoli to host events

The Tivoli Theatre presents a benefit screening of “It’s A Wonderful Life” at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 6 and 7, at 5021 Highland Ave., Downers Grove. Donation is $5 and proceeds benefit the Sharing Connection Furniture Bank (www.sharingconnections.org). Pre-show entertainment on Saturday features the Chicagoland Festival Chorus. On Sunday, Tivoli organist Fred Arnish will perform on the restored Wurlitzer pipe organ. Visit www.classiccinemas.com.
The Tivoli Theatre will present West Towns Chorus’ 60th annual “Memories of Christmas” at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 12 and 13, and at  2 p.m. that Saturday. Tickets cost $22, $20 for groups of 10 or more. All seating is reserved.
The Christmas program features the West Towns Chorus, a premier men’s four-part harmony chorus, who earned 2008 Illinois District Champions honors. Also starring will be The Affinity String & Bass Ensemble, Chancel Bell Ringers, Scrambled Craigs Comedy Quartet, The Skinkers Mixed Quartet and flutist Martha Farahat.
For information on group tickets, call (630) 201-5544 or visit www.westtowns.org.


Arboretum
Holiday events to unfold

Among numerous holiday activities, The Morton Arboretum just opened its exclusive Supper with Santa to the general public, offered from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Dec. 4, 11 and 18, at Interstate 88 and Route 53 in Lisle,  All children age 2 and older will receive a small gift as a memento of their experience with Santa.
Adults can dine on carved roast beef with wine reduction sauce, roast turkey with sage gravy, herb stuffing, mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables and salad. Children are offered cheese pizza, chicken fingers, macaroni and cheese, and mozzarella sticks.
Also featured is the newly designed Holiday Railroad, an intricate, multilevel, G-gauge indoor railroad twisting and turning through the crystalline landscape of the Snow Queen’s pristine forest. The life-sized queen overlooks guests and the trains, ushering them around her magical land. The exhibit runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Jan. 4 (closed Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year’s). It is located in the Visitor Center Events Room, and guests can receive free time tickets to view the exhibit at the center, which also features an indoor holiday tree display.
Passengers on the “Evergreen Express” trolley ride will hear storytellers share rituals and festivals that were the precursors of many contemporary holiday celebrations and traditions. For details on times and to purchase tickets, select the “Events and Activities” tab at www.mortonarb.org or call (630) 725-2066.


LEGO trains
Cantigny to display event

The Northern Illinois LEGO Train Club will bring its huge LEGO train display to Cantigny Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 6 and 7, for its seventh annual Christmas Train Show.
New is an expanded display taking up two rooms. Trains will zoom past a 9.5-foot LEGO Sears Tower, through cities and villages made out of LEGO, and past creations from the Indiana Jones movies and “Jurassic Park.”
The club will have its popular Kids’ Table filled with LEGO brick for youngsters to build their own creations. Club members said the event drew 3,500 guests last year.
Cantigny Park is at 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton. For details, call Cantigny at (630)-668-5161. A $5 parking fee is charged.


DuPage Chorale
‘Messiah’ part of concert

DuPage Chorale, a large community chorus based at College of DuPage, will open its season with the first part of Handel’s “Messiah” and Haydn’s “Creation Mass” at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, in the McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn.
Lee Kesselman directs. Joining the Chorale will be four guest soloists: soprano Lindsay Kesselman, alto Jenn Johnson, tenor Peter Sovitzky and bass Peter Van de Graaf.
The season’s second concert will be “Duke Ellington: The Sacred Concerts” with the Arts Center Jazz Ensemble and director Tom Tallman at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 26.
For tickets, call (630) 942-4000.
 

scrooge to host
Music, feast at church

“Uncle Scrooge’s Christmas Feast” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, in the Springbrook Community Church Auditorium, 29W771 79th St., Naperville.
Scrooge will be the host of an evening complete with hot wassail and a feast including roast turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes and all the trimmings. Limited reserved table seating, including dinner and musical program, is available for $22.50 per person. For more information, visit www.springbrookchurch.org.


Medved appears
Author to visit Wheaton

Author and talk-radio host Michael Medved will discuss and sign his book “The 10 Big Lies About America: Combating Destructive Distortions About Our Nation” at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16, at Borders Books and Music, 101 Rice Lake Square, Wheaton.
The book touches on economy, race, religion in politics, the Iraq war and other contentious issues. For more information, call the store at (630) 871-9595.


Batavia Artists
Shop, gallery open

Art lovers and their families can celebrate the holiday season at Water Street Studios in Batavia, whose new Holiday Retail Shop/Art Gallery is at 160 W. Wilson St., next to Panera Bread.
Featured at the store are signed/framed art prints of the recently completed mural by Francis Joseph Gagnepain, depicting a vibrant downtown Batavia. The mural is on the south facade of 122 W. Wilson St., in the same plaza as the store/gallery. Water Street Studios, also known as the Batavia Artists Association, has been working with Batavia Enterprises Inc. to convert the location, formerly the All Dressed Up costume shop, into a community art center fully equipped with studio work space for local artists, gallery display and classrooms for teaching workshops.
The temporary holiday retail shop is designed to encourage support of the arts in Batavia. The original works range in price from $5 to $5,000. Classes and workshops will be offered at the retail location, which will host various projects to help individuals make personalized holiday gifts for family and friends.
More than two dozen artists are confirmed to take space at the art center. Anyone interested in finding out how to be part of the new group may visit www.waterstreetstudios.com.


O’Hara heads home
Trumpeter at Bensenville

Chris O’Hara, a professional trumpet player living in Boston, grew up in Bensenville and attended Blackhawk Middle School. He will return to perform as a soloist with the BMS band at its winter concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 250 S. Church Road.
O’Hara, who will work with students that Monday, has appeared on National Public Radio, NBC, WGN and the Hallmark Channel. At age 17, he was accepted to The Boston Conservatory and formed the Synergy Brass Quintet, which has performed 1,500 concerts covering 47 states and four countries at such festivals as Ravinia and Tanglewood.
Outside the quintet, he has performed extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Russia. He can be heard on the premiere recording of Samuel Adler’s “Transfiguration: An Ecumenical Mass” on the album “A Prophecy of Peace.” In addition to performing, he is an avid arranger, having arranged 100 works for brass quintet, brass and organ, trumpet ensemble and solo trumpet. Also an educator, he has presented master classes and clinics around the country.


Author to speak
Manderino recalls Riverside

Author John Manderino of Maine, a humor writer who grew up in Riverside, will be in the area for a reading and signing at The Book Stall at Chestnut Court, 811 Elm St., Winnetka, at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4. Visit www.thebookstall.com for details on his appearance.
In Manderino’s critically acclaimed new memoir, “Crying at Movies,” each chapter bears the title of a film, exploring how moments of his life mirrored each movie.
Many of the incidents occurred during his years in Riverside and the surrounding suburbs. When Hitchcock’s “The Birds” began showing in the summer of 1963 at the Dolton Theater, the starlings of Riverside launched their attacks. They were “black, freckled, oily-looking things” with “tiny black buttons for eyes.” They carried off Skippy Whalen’s baseball cap, pooped on Father Rowley’s finger and attacked a feisty little dog named Tuffy who fought them off.
“I blamed Alfred Hitchcock,” said the author, a grammar student at the time.
The comic memoir is described as a love letter to an art form and a humorous appreciation of the distinctions between movie scenes and life’s realities.
Manderino has written three other books: “Sam and His Brother Len,” “The Man Who Once Played Catch With Nellie Fox” and “Reason for Leaving: Job Stories,” all available from Academy Chicago Publishers.


Lilacia lights
Holiday Walk to launch

Everyone knows Lilacia Park for its spectacular floral displays in the spring, but its Holiday Walk provides an equally impressive exhibit of lights, kicking off at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6.
After the 6 p.m. illumination, a celebration of the season offers free train rides through the park and refreshments. Kids can pay a visit to Santa to pose for a photo and share their wishes. The Holiday Walk continues from 6 to 8 p.m. Sundays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays through December.
In addition, the Lombard Park District offers a variety of festivities. Children can enjoy the daddy/daughter holiday dance Dec. 5; holiday cookie decorating party Dec. 6 and 9; amazing ornaments Dec. 6, 8 and 12; holiday candy workshop Dec. 10; Rockin’ with Rudolph Dec. 11; Make a Mini-Gingerbread House Dec. 12; Snacks with Santa and Polar Express in the Park Dec. 13; and Santa’s Workshop Dec. 17. Registration is required for some events.
For more information or to register, call (630) 620-7322 or visit www.lombardparks.com.

 
Swedish traditions
Children’s Choir to sing   

The Swedish American Children’s Choir of St. Charles will perform holiday songs in English and Swedish at its 10th annual Swedish Christmas and St. Lucia Festival at 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, in Fox Valley Presbyterian Church, 227 Eastside Drive, Geneva. A portion of concert proceeds will benefit Lazarus House, a homeless shelter in St. Charles.
Linnea Scherer of Elburn, the 2008 Lucia Queen, will dress in a flowing white robe, red sash and head wreath of candles to symbolize the coming of light into a darkened world, an annual Swedish Christmas tradition.
Swedish accordionist Ernie Sandquist of Rockford also will be featured, and Swedish Santa, Jul Tomte, will visit with a treat for every child. A bake sale and Scandinavian themed gifts will be offered.
In addition, a Swedish sweet table will follow the concert and is included in the ticket price. Admission is by reservation only. Tickets cost $13.50, $8 for ages 6 to 12. For reservations, call (630) 414-9700.
 

Memorabilia
Movie show nears

Movie buffs can attend a Movie Memorabilia Show and Film Festival from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, in the banquet room of P.J. Klems Restaurant, 8000 Ogden Ave., Lyons, at Joliet Road and Ogden Avenue (Route 34).
Sci-fi/fantasy, foreign films, horror, classics, B-movies, anime, children’s, indies, cartoons and studio blockbusters will all be available. Dealers from around the country will buy, sell and trade hard-to-find and out-of-print digital video discs, VHS tapes, movie soundtracks, posters, lobby cards, stills, press books, magazines, animation cels, books, postcards, scripts, autographs and old-time radio shows.
Sofiya Smirnova is scheduled to meet and greet fans and talk about her latest film, “Fast Zombies with Guns,” and what it was like to work on the Batman film “The Dark Knight.”
Admission costs $5, and is free to children younger than 12. Dealers, who would like to purchase tables, or fans looking for more information including celebrity updates and discount tickets, may call Frank Slabinak at (708) 257-8205 or visit www.moviememorabiliashow.com or www.moviesandrecords.com.


Holiday images
Artist to visit Strawflower

Artist Marla Shega of Marla’s Palette will be Artist in Residence during Geneva’s Christmas Walk festivities, displaying her work at The Strawflower Shop, 210 W. State St. She will be on hand from 2 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, sharing her new print titled “Holidays at Old Water Tower.”
It is the fourth in a series of her “Holidays in Chicago” print collection, featuring the Art Institute lion, the Marshall Field’s clock and the Chicago Theatre. More of Shega’s artwork can be seen on her Web site at www.marlaspalette.com.


FitzGerald’s
Lennon tribute nears

Instant Karma will take listeners on a magical mystery tour through the life and music of John Lennon at 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, at FitzGerald’s Night Club, 6615 W. Roosevelt Road, Berwyn.
The band covers his career from his “Teddy Boy” roots and 1950s rock and roll influences to his signature Beatles era, all the way through his solo career, from The Plastic Ono Band to his “Double Fantasy/Milk and Honey” albums. The concert will include his hits and more obscure songs. Band members say they play the songs “with lots of love and affection and with great respect to our musical hero.” For more on the band, visit www.instantkarmaband.com.
For more information on the show, call the club at (708) 788-2118 or visit www.FitzGeraldsNightclub.com.


Chicago Gardening
Author digs into history

Cathy Jean Maloney, author and senior editor of Chicagoland Gardening, will share her experiences writing “Chicago Gardens: The Early History” (University of Chicago Press) at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at Borders Books and Music, 1 N. La Grange Road, La Grange.
Called “delightful” and “beautiful” by the Chicago History Examiner, “Chicago Gardens” reveals the remarkable story of Chicago’s first gardeners. As Maloney relates, local pioneers — challenged by the region’s clay soil and harsh winters — were forced to find imaginative uses for prairie plants. Innovative nurserymen and florists would develop a market for local fruit and flowers, making Chicago the nation’s produce hub. And early landscape architects, such as Frederick Law Olmsted, would be inspired by Chicago’s potential to create major innovations in gardening.
Autographed copies of Maloney’s book will be available.


Reception, market
Garfield events to unfold

Garfield Farm Museum will present its annual Candlelight Reception from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 6 and 7.
Interpreters wearing period clothing will share what life was like in the 1840s. Scantlin’ Reunion will play dulcimers in the second-floor ballroom, while spiced tea and tea breads are served in the dining room. The event is free, but donations are welcome.
The Homespun Holiday Market will be set in the adjacent Atwell Burr House. Crafts by local artisans include knitted ware, pottery and household items. The market runs from noon to 7 p.m. both days, and a bake sale is featured.
The farm is five miles west of Geneva, just north of Route 38 on Garfield Road. For information, call (630) 584-8485 or e-mail info@garfieldfarm.org. Visit www.garfieldfarm.org.


Heartland Voices
Holiday concerts near

Featuring professional and professionally trained singers, Heartland Voices will present its “Home Is Where the Heart Is” concert series, mixing traditional carols with classical, religious and humorous holiday pieces. The program includes an audience sing-along and ends with Donald Fraser’s “This Christmastide.” A family matinee also is offered.
The candlelight concert will be performed in Schaumburg at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, followed at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, in the First United Methodist Church, 216 E. Highland Ave., Elgin.
A family concert is offered at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, in the Elgin church, featuring the Elgin Children’s Chorus Intermezzo Choir and the Clare Woods Academy Choir. Children who bring toys in original packaging will be admitted to the family concert for free; the charity drive will benefit Community Crisis Center of Elgin.
The choir is directed by John Slawson, and is accompanied by Paul Satre, principal organist at Moody Church of Chicago.
For tickets or to schedule an audition, call (847) 429-9486 or visit www.heartlandvoices.org. Tickets also are available at the door.