Elgin Symphony Orchestra presents Kidz Konzerts & Music in the Middle, at Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin on April 13-15. (Photo courtesy Elgin Symphony Orchestra)

ONGOING

Cast Off: Michael Dinges Exhibit and Companion Exhibits: Arctic Stories in Ivory and Arctic Artistry, Schingoethe Center, Aurora University, 1315 Prairie St., Aurora. In his scrimshaw and trench art series, Dinges addresses issues of globalization, consumerism and object permanence through the exploration of mankind’s relationship with the objects we create. Information: (630) 844-7843 or email: museum@aurora.edu.

Symbolism in Chinese Jade, through Aug. 21, Lizzadro Musuem of Lapidary Art, 220 Cottage Hill, Elmhurst. The Museum’s permanent collection of jade carvings is filled with auspicious Chinese symbolism. This exhibit focuses on a selection of carvings from the Qing Dynasty and translates the hidden meanings in their visual motifs. Admission: $5. Information: (630) 833-1616.

Childhood Memories, through Sept. 25, DuPage County Historical Museum, 102 E. Wesley Street, Wheaton. Rekindle fond memories of childhood glory. Enjoy the simplicity of a time where play and learning were stimulated without electronics. Become absorbed in the delightful innocence of DuPage County’s past as you learn about the various toys and games of the 19th and 20th century. Information: (630) 510-4941.

Patios, Pools, & the Invention of the American Backyard, through May 29, Elmhurst Historical Museum, 120 E. Park Ave., Elmhurst. The suburban backyard is an American original—an invention so familiar it hardly seems invented at all. Filled with vintage photographs, historic drawings, and fun period advertisements, the exhibition reveals how these spaces became such an integral part of American popular culture.

THROUGH APRIL 24

“West Side Story,” Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. It’s quite possibly one of the greatest love stories ever to be told in a musical. Set in the blue-collar neighborhood of New York’s Upper West Side, racial tensions run high as residents try to grind out a daily living. Based on a conception by Jerome Robbins, book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Directed by Paramount Artistic Director Jim Corti. Information and tickets: (630) 896-6666.

THROUGH APRIL 25

Annual Conservation District plant sale. The Kane-DuPage Soil and Water Conservation District is taking orders for prairie plants as part of its annual Conservation Plant Sale. Orders for prairie plants must be placed by April 25. To receive a catalog, call the Soil and Water Conservation District at (630) 584-7960 or go to www.kanedupageswcd.org.

THROUGH MAY 21

Annual Juried Student Art Exhibit, Cleve Carney Art Gallery, McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday.  The art show opens April 7 and continues through May 21. The opening will be held 5:30 – 8 p.m.; awards will be announced at 6 p.m. Neysa Page-Lieberman, director and curator of the Department of Exhibitions, Performance and Student Spaces at Columbia College Chicago, has juried this year’s exhibition. Awards will be given in the following categories: Best of Show and gold, silver and bronze awards in 2-D and 3-D works. Information: (630) 942-2321.

APRIL 13, 15

Elgin Symphony Orchestra presents Kidz Konzerts & Music in the Middle, Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin, 9:45-10:45 a.m. Imagination is a springboard to creativity, stimulating new thoughts and images. This year’s presentations will cultivate thinking that there are connections in music to other areas of core curriculum and will examine the fundamentals that bring the music to life. Information: (847) 888-4000.

APRIL 13

Booker T. Jones, well known as the front man of the band Booker T. & the M.G.’s, 7:30 p.m., Elgin Community College Arts Center, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. Tickets: $38-$52. Three-course pre-show dinner for $29 extra. A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Musicians Hall of Fame inductee, and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Booker T. rose to fame in the 1960. He has played with musicians such as Otis Redding, Albert King, Stephen Stills, Willie Nelson, Ray Charles, Elton John, and Questlove. Information and tickets: tickets.elgin.edu , call 847-622-0300 or visit the ECC Arts Center box office.

APRIL 13-14

Technology Expo, Benedictine University will host its free annual Technology Expo from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13 and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 14 in the Goodwin Hall of Business on the university’s main campus at 5700 College Road, Lisle. Representatives from Sharp, Sony, Apple, LG, Xfinity and a host of other companies will showcase their products and services.

APRIL 14

Career Trends: Planning for the Future, Glenbard South High School, 23W200 Butterfield Road, Glen Ellyn, 7 p.m., free. Students and their parents are invited to learn about occupations in high demand and job prospects for tomorrow at Career Trends: Planning for the Future with Lynn Burks. The program is presented by the African American Parent Committee: Families United For Students’ Excellence (FUSE) and Glenbard Parent Series: (GPS) Navigating Healthy Families.

Jeff Corwin, Hammerschmidt Chapel on the Elmhurst College campus, 190 Prospect, Elmhurst, 7 p.m., $10; free for students and faculty of Elmhurst College. The Emmy Award-winning television host, author and biologist will present “100 Heartbeats,” part of the Roland Quest Lecture Series at Elmhurst College.  Tickets and information: www.elmhurst.edu/tix. Information: (630) 617-5186.

Spring Bird Count Study, Faith Lutheran Church, 41 N. Park Blvd., Glen Ellyn, 7:30 p.m., free. Speaker Bob Fisher will present and report on the Bird Conservation Network results of a 14-year study concluded last year. This study will be compared to the 42 years of the spring bird count. He will have updated numbers and, more importantly, a comparison of what these numbers reveal plus some new questions on where individual species are headed.

APRIL 14-15

The Jungle Book, North Central College’s Pfeiffer Hall, 310 E. Benton Ave., Naperville, 10:30 a.m. AlphaBet Soup Productions presents two performances of the Rudyard Kipling classic. Information and tickets: (630) 932-1555 or visit www.absproductions.com.

APRIL 15

Broadway on Brookdale, St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 1500 Brookdale Road., Naperville, 7:30 p.m. Soloists, choirs and band members of the St. Thomas Music Makers will entertain the audience with well-known songs from musicals such as “Carousel, “Wicked,” “Mamma Mia” and “The Phantom of the Opera” at a cabaret of music, food and fun Information and tickets: Scott Knisley at (630) 355-8980, ext. 111 or email sknisley@stapostle.org.

Faith and Reason Symposium: Perspectives on Aging, Goodwin Hall, Benedictine University, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., The ninth annual symposium brings together Benedictine faculty and other scholars from the sciences, theology, political science, and anthropology to discuss the ethical and practical issues surrounding aging among America’s rapidly-growing elderly population. Dr. Debra Dobbs, associate professor at the University of South Florida in Tampa, will deliver the keynote presentation, “United States Exceptionalism and End of Life Care.” Information: (630) 829-6250, email ldransoff@ben.edu or visit www.ben.edu/faith

APRIL 15-17

Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Steel Beam Theatre, 111 W. Main Street, St. Charles. PerformancesFriday-Saturday at . 8 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m. Information:(630) 587-8521 or visit www.steelbeamtheatre.com

APRIL 17

St. Charles Singers Presents Choral Eclectic, Baker Memorial Church, 307 Cedar Avenue, St. Charles, 3 p.m. The group’s spring concert will present seven centuries of song in 90 minutes. Concert features rarely heard composition “Sperm in allium,” a Renaissance motet with 40 voices singing 40 different parts, considered by some to be the greatest piece of English early music. Information: (630) 513-5272 or visit www.stcharlessingers.com

APRIL 20

Dinner Theatre Tribute Series: June’s Got the Cash, Orchard Valley Restaurant, 2411 W. Illinois Ave., Aurora, 1:30 p.m.. The show pays tribute to the late and great Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. Bits of comedy, vintage costumes, stage props and all of Johnny and June’s favorite hits from the 50s, 60s and 70s, “June’s Got the Cash” relives the love story of a lifetime! Watch as America’s Sweethearts perform the ultimate “Johnny & June” Show with hits like “I Walk The Line”, “Folsom Prison Blues” and “Ring of Fire”. Audiences will enjoy a catered meal before the show and dessert during intermission, which is included in the ticket price. Adult beverages and gratuity are not included. Information: (630) 859-8606.

APRIL 21

Coffee with a Cop, Elgin ArtSpace, 51 S Spring St., Elgin, 6:30-7:30 p.m. The mission of Coffee with a Cop is to break down the barriers between police officers and the citizens they serve. This is achieved by removing agendas and allowing opportunities to ask questions, voice concerns, and getting to know the officers in neighborhoods.

APRIL 22

Earth Day Celebration, Hawthorne Hill Nature Center, 28 Brookside Drive, Elgin, 7 p.m., Bring out the family for live music, kids activities, education, photo booth, arts and crafts. Kids can take a home an Earth Day tote filled with activities and information on how they can help make our planet a better place to live.

APRIL 22-24

Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Steel Beam Theatre, 111 W. Main Street, St. Charles. PerformancesFriday-Saturday at . 8 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m. Information:(630) 587-8521 or visit www.steelbeamtheatre.com

APRIL 23

Stars of Dance Chicago, Fermilab’s Ramsey Auditorium, S. Kirk Road at Pine St., Batavia, 8 p.m. Curator John Schmitz always pulls together an extraordinary variety to bring The Best of Dance Chicago to Fermilab. With a slate of usually more than 10 dance companies involved, there is always something for everyone. Information:(630) 840-3351 or visit fermilab@fnal.gov.

APRIL 27

Charlotte’s Web, Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora, 9:30 a.m. and noon. Based on E.B. White’s treasured story, TheatreWorks USA’s production of Charlotte’s Web will teach your students the importance of bravery, compassion and the true meaning of friendship. Information: (630) 896-6666.

APRIL 29

Relay for Life, North Central College hosts its annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life fundraising event at the College’s Residence Hall/Recreation Center, 440 S. Brainard St. Check-in begins at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 29 with opening ceremonies at 6 p.m. Information: relayforlife.org/northcentralcollegeil.

APRIL 30

Elgin Symphony Orchestra presents Season Finale: Bernstein & Mahler, Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin, 7:30 p.m. This season closes with works by two titans. Bernstein’s Symphony No. 1 retells the story of Jeremiah the Prophet with musical anguish and ancient Hebrew text. The Mahler ends with the vision of a child’s description of Heaven – leaving you with a feeling of peace and tranquility. ESO welcomes Lyric Opera rising star Laura Wilde for her debut on the Hemmens stage. Information: (847) 888-4000.

MAY 1

Meet this old house: Martin Mitchell Mansion, Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville, 6 p.m. Journey beyond the velvet ropes to enjoy guided, privileged access to areas not open to the general public. Tour each level of the 12-room Martin Mitchell Mansion, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Information: www.napersettlement.org.

— Kane County area events calendar —