Things to Do in Evanston

Theatre Seven of Chicago, called "continually impressive" by Nina Metz of the Chicago Tribune, presents live events that echo the diverse fabric of Chicago society. Led by artistic director Brian Golden, the 10-person company premieres new plays and revives existing classics to engage the audience with comedies, tragedies, and teen-scream-romantic-dramady sing-alongs.

An ornate relic of Chicago's 1920s movie houses, The Music Box Theatre floods its screens with a rotating lineup of cult classics and the latest indie and foreign art films. Occasionally punctuated by live organ music, the main auditorium evokes an Italian courtyard beneath a cloudy midnight sky. The theater's original manager, Whitey, is said to haunt its aisles, watching over his legacy and hoping to finally catch Rocky's ending.

The sleuthing gourmands at The Murder Mystery Co. liven up three-course dinners with interactive intrigue. During the two-hour show, one member of the party will meet a comical end, leaving the other guests to solve the crime and finish the recently departed's leftovers. Set amongst the Mafioso families of the 1920s, the mystery gets guests to connect with their inner mobsters as they attend an exclusive party at Plunkett's, a speakeasy owned by notorious gangster Ed Malone. In between gasps and accusatory monologues, guests dine from a menu of buffet-style fare. Salad and garlic bread accompany meat or vegetarian pasta entrees, an array of sides, and humble pie served to self-righteous detectives. Although not included with this Groupon, alcoholic drinks and libations will be available for purchase at Club 162 during the show.

Before becoming a health coach, Jessica Marie was in the same boat as most office workers—plagued by exhaustion, persistent aches, and a poor diet. After studying at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and transitioning to holistic living, she and athletic husband Joe founded CHEW, short for Complete Health Education and Wellness. The duo transforms lifestyles without asking clients to count calories or burn their stock of Twinkies in a backyard bonfire. Instead, they expound moderation and balance of two food groups: primary—the actual food you consume—and secondary—other forms of nourishment, including relationships, spirituality, career, and physical activity.

Using this unique approach, Jessica Marie designs three-month programs that begin with reworking diets to achieve individual goals. Her plans often incorporate in-home coaching, healthy-food walking tours, or extra services, such as one-on-one grocery shopping and revamping favorite entree and Play-Doh recipes with nutritious ingredients. She transitions health from home to workplace with workshops that teach coworkers how to eat for energy or craft nutritious appetizers.

Bikram yoga consists of 26 poses and two breathing exercises that center, strengthen, and lengthen every muscle with the muscle-melting powers of a 100-plus-degree room. The trained instructors at this Andersonville studio, including owner Jessica Rask, are ready and willing to guide both newcomers as stiff as stale graham crackers and yoga veterans as malleable as a handful of Gak through the exercise routine. Be prepared to sweat profusely, dumping both calories and toxins in the process. As the high temperatures seep into your muscles and ligaments, you'll warm like candle wax in a car engine, stretching and flexing accordingly. Afterward, you'll leave focused, with a cleansed, centered, and worry-free glow. A flexible schedule makes taking numerous classes achievable for busy bees, swamped swans, and Brian Dennehy alike.