theatre White Noise
File under “Biggest Audience Anxiety Producer That Will Draw Crowds Nonetheless.” Inspired by the white-supremacist pop of the blond-haired, blue-eyed sisters of the real-life preteen duo Prussian Blue—who looked like Disney princesses and sounded like Klansmen—this musical comes courtesy of producer Whoopi Goldberg and Broadway choreographer–turned-director Sergio Trujillo (The Addams Family, Jersey Boys).
GO: Previews through 4/8; $49.50–$64.50. Run continues through 6/5; $54.50­–$74.50. Royal George Theatre, 1641 N Halsted. whitenoisemusical.com

ALSO THIS WEEK: From the Pulitzer-short-listed playwright Adam Rapp, a story—of book banning, school libraries, and a hard-drinking author whose best work may be behind him—that’s as current as the latest censorship debate. The Metal Children opens 4/13 at Next.

jazz Joe Lovano Us Five
Even without the singular bassist and Grammy-appointed Best New Artist Esperanza Spalding sitting in (she’ll be playing solo gigs in London, Girona, and Barcelona while her fellow Four play Chicago), this is one booking not to be missed. With the imposing visage of Charlie Parker looming overhead—figuratively and, on Joe Segal’s stage, quite literally—the veteran tenor sax player Lovano and his now-quartet tackle the Bird oeuvre, as documented on the recent tip-top Blue Note release Bird Songs.
GO: 4/7–9 at 8 and 10; 4/10 at 4, 8, and 10. $25–$30. Jazz Showcase, 806 S Plymouth. jazzshowcase.com

farrago CHIRP Record Fair & Other Delights
The Chicago Independent Radio Project—aka CHIRP, which celebrated its first year of community-supported radio in January—continues its quest to graduate from webcast to broadcast. Shopping this vinylpalooza, with aisles of records for browsing and guest DJs spinning, supports the indie effort. No hipster beard required for entry.
GO: 4/9 preview from 8 to 10 am; $25. Sale continues 4/9–10 from 10 to 5; $5–$7. Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Union, Local 130 UA, 1340 W Washington. chicagoindieradio.org

museums After Hours at Robie House
When it comes to drinking beer in the name of education, you snooze, you lose: April’s Chicago History Museum–organized pub crawl is sold out (you might want to sign up for May’s outing—a meander through bars associated with L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz—like, yesterday). You can, however, sip cocktails while admiring Prairie School architecture at an After Hours soiree every Friday in April, when the Frank Lloyd Wright–designed home plays host to live music, drinks, appetizers, and you.
GO: 4/8, 15, 22, 29 from 5 to 8. $35. Robie House, 5757 S Woodlawn. gowright.org

museums Chornobyl +25
In the wake of the ongoing crisis in Japan comes this exhibition, a look at Chernobyl (also spelled “Chornobyl”) 25 years after a reactor exploded at the Ukrainian power plant, resulting in the worst nuclear accident in history. While the ensuing evacuation displaced more than 400,000 from the Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia, an estimated 5.5 million people still live on contaminated land. This exhibition—largely composed of photos but also featuring traditional costumes from the region and medals given to the accident’s first responders—offers a window onto the area before and immediately after the disaster, plus photos taken last summer of residents who still live in the decimated town.
GO: Opening reception 4/8 at 7; exhibition continues through 5/25. Museum open Thu–Sun 11–4. Free (kids under 12) to $5. Ukrainian National Museum, 2249 W Superior. ukrainiannationalmuseum.org