Don’t-miss picks for October 18 through October 24, 2017

1 Lit & Luz Festival

Festival:This festival showcasing art and literature from Chicago and Mexico City kicked off earlier in the week, but the bulk of the festivities take place over the next few days—namely, a series of events with famous Mexican author Cristina Rivera Garza. Read more here.
10/18–21. Free, except for closing party. See full schedule at litluz.org

2 Joffrey Ballet

Dance:Adolphe Adam’s beloved score gets reimagined in Lola de Ávila’s Giselle, a Joffrey premiere serving as the company’s official season opener. De Ávila’s version heightens the subtle differences between the romantic Giselle and other visionary 19th-century ballets. (The title character is considered a ballerina’s most challenging theatrical role.)
10/18–29. $34–$174. Auditorium Theatre. joffrey.org

3 June Jordan

Literature:Poetry Foundation library coordinator Maggie Queeney leads a discussion on the work of poet and activist June Jordan. Audiences can also take part in a creative writing workshop, where they’ll craft poems in response to Jordan’s work.
FREE 10/19 at 7 p.m. DuSable Museum. dusablemuseum.org

4 Trevor Noah

Comedy:The Daily Show host begins his six-show run at the Chicago Theatre (briefly interrupted by a detour to Champaign) this Friday. Expect plenty of wry (and slightly detached) observations about race and politics in America.
10/20–28. Sold out; see resellers. Chicago Theatre.

5 Daniel Johnston and Jeff Tweedy

Folk:Johnston, 56, a cult-beloved outsider artist whose struggles with schizophrenia have kept him largely off the road throughout his career, embarks on a final set of tour dates, appearing with a different opener in each city. Here, that’s Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, and fans of the indie legends ought not to miss the once-in-a-lifetime billing.
10/20 at 7:30 p.m. Sold out; see resellers. Vic Theatre.

6 Yasmina’s Necklace

Theater:In Rohina Malik’s tale of forbidden love, Iraqi American Abdul Samee is so dedicated to assimilating that he tells his coworkers he’s Italian and insists they call him Sam. Complications ensue when he falls for an Iraqi refugee deeply committed to her ethnic and cultural roots.
10/20–11/19 at 8 p.m. $10–$39. Goodman Theatre. goodmantheatre.org

7 20×2 Chicago

Other:In the first Chicago edition of this popular SXSW event, twenty local creatives take two minutes each to answer the same question: “How does it work?” Among Friday’s contestants: Steve “The Hungry Hound” Dolinsky.
10/20 at 6:30 p.m. $10. The Hideout. 20×2.org/chicago

8 In the Next Room, or The Vibrator Play

Theater:Sarah Ruhl’s Pulitzer Prize finalist is as smart as it is sexy. In the story of an 1880s doctor who invents an electronic device for treating “female hysteria,” Ruhl delivers a wildly entertaining take on sexual healing, female empowerment, and the joy of sex—with and without a partner.
10/20–12/16. $28–$57. TimeLine Theatre at Stage 773. timelinetheatre.com

9 Spooky Pooch Parade

Seasonal:Dogs are typically forbidden in the Chicago Botanic Garden, but for two hours every October the institution makes an exception. Dozens of costumed canines embark on a Halloween parade, their doggy disguises eligible for prizes.
10/21 at 11 a.m. $15–$25. Chicago Botanic Garden. chicagobotanic.org

10 Pilsen Open Studios

Art:This year marks the 15th edition of Pilsen’s annual art walk, in which more than 40 studios in the neighborhood open their doors to curious visitors. Also included: free tours of the area’s beautiful murals.
10/21–22 at 12 p.m. $5 suggested donation. pilsenopenstudios.net