Shaggs musical @ Lookingglass

The final play of the Lookingglass Theatre's 2003-04 season is a production of the musical Philosophy of the World, a dramatization of the history of The Shaggs, which some of you may recognize as being one of the most unusual-sounding bands in the musical history of the 20th century. The Wiggin sisters had little musical training, but were pushed by their father in the late 1960s to record two albums of incredibly strange-sounding music. Rediscovered and championed in the 1980s by a music community fed up with the artificiality of pop music of the time, the albums were re-released to moderate acclaim, and The Shaggs have since become recognized as one of the true stars in the world of Outsider Music. The play was written by Lookingglass ensemble member Joy Gregory, and features music by Gunnar Madsen (and by The Shaggs, I'm guessing). The show opens tonight and runs through June 13th. Lookingglass Theatre: 821 N. Michigan. (312) 337-0665.

Neil Innes @ Martyrs

Neil Innes, seasoned British musician and familiar name to Beatles and Monty Python fans alike, will be playing Martyrs tonight at 8:00. Go see this concert. Martyrs: 3855 N. Lincoln. (773) 404-9494.

Overlooked Film Festival

The 6th Annual Overlooked Film Festival, an annual event started by Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert, starts tonight with a screening of a restored print of Lawrence of Arabia at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign, IL. See the Website for a complete schedule of events. Sure to be a high point of the festival: Jack Valenti, outgoing head of the MPAA, will speak on April 22nd at the Illini Union at UIUC. For tickets and more info, see the festival's Website.

Arianna Huffington @ Borders

Arianna Huffington is a co-host of the public-radio program Left, Right & Center and was one of the many candidates for California governor a few months ago. In Fanatics & Fools, she points out what she sees as the flaws in our political leaders and what she thinks Americans can do to make a change. She'll visit the Borders State Street store to sign copies of her new book on Wednesday, April 21 at 12:30 PM.

Cursive/Denali/Pelican @ Metro

In a triple killer bill, Cursive, Denali and Pelican bring their various musical prowess to the Metro for one night of the Plea for Peace 2004 benefit. $16, 6pm doors with $1 of your ticket going to charity.

Holocaust Remembrance Day

Hosted by Mayor Richard M. Daley, this annual ceremony encourages Chicagoans, especially the younger generation, to hear first-hand accounts from Holocaust survivors. This year's keynote speaker is Felicia Brenner who will relate her remarkable story as the only member of her family to survive the Holocaust. The event will take place at noon, in the Winter Garden at the Harold Washington Library Center.

Stuart Dybek Reads at Harold Washington Library

Literary superstar, and local boy made good Stuart Dybek reads from his latest work The Coast of Chicago at the Harold Washington Library, 400 S. State Street, Chicago at 6 p.m. Dybek's stories detail the ethnic neighborhoods, parishes, and wards of Chicago, the special pastimes, patterns of speech and local myths of our grandmothers, our town drunks, our next door neighbors. This event is sponsored by the Chicago Public Library. For more information, try here.