Protective attire: 'Dress Up Against AIDS: An Exhibition of Condom Dresses' will be shown at Columbia College Chicago's Glass Curtain Gallery, 1104 S. Wabash, through Fri., Jan. 5. See www.colum.edu/criticalencounters.
Now fear this: SONiA and disappear fear bring their wide-ranging music to Red Line Tap, 7006 N. Glenwood, on Sat., Jan. 6, at 9 p.m. The cover is $10. See www.heartlandcafe.com and www.disappearfear.com .
Peak performance: The Chicago Gay Ski and Snowboard Club is holding a Granite Peak ( Wausau, Wis. ) pre-trip social on Jan. 10, 7-9 p.m., at Crew Bar and Grill, 4804 N. Broadway. For more information on the Chicago Gay Ski and Snowboarding Club, contact Patrick Ross at Patrick@chicagogayskiers.org .
Bears, oh my!: Brown Couch Theatre Company will present the U.S. premiere of Matéi Visniec's The Story of the Panda Bears Told By a Saxophonist Who Has a Girlfriend in Frankfurt on Thurs.-Sun., Jan. 11-Feb. 4, at the Steep Theatre, 3902 N. Sheridan. Tickets are $13-$15. Leave a voicemail at 312-409-2010 or visit www.browncouchtheatre.org .
It's the cheesiest!: The Second Annual Metropolis Melt Down—a combination wine-and-cheese tasting and disco-dance party—is set for Fri., Jan. 12, 7-11 p.m. at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell, Arlington Heights. Tickets are $38 each. Call 847-577-2121 or see www.MetropolisArts.com .
Second-chance laughs: Snubfest, the comedy festival that gives the second chance to overlooked performers, will take place Thurs.-Sun., Jan. 11-14, at the Cornservatory Theater, 4210 N. Lincoln. The event will be broadcast on the new Online Comedy Network, www.comedynet.com . Call 312-409-6435 or see www.cornservatory.org .
Twistin' the night away: Prepare to dance, twist and 'doo-wop' when the Coasters, Drifters and Platters perform at Centre East's stage at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, on Sat., Jan. 13 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $50 each. Call 847-673-6300.
Handel this!: 'Too Hot to Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Messiah' is returning to Chicago's National Historic Landmark Auditorium Theatre. There will be two performances—on Sat., Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Sun., Jan. 14 at 3 p.m.—at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress. Tickets are $29-$59. Visit the box office; call 312-902-1500; or see www.ticketmaster.com or www.auditoriumtheatre.org .
All around the world: 'Ethnic Dress: Art & Culture'—an exhibition that showcases 22 garments from such places as Afghanistan, Sumatra, Nigeria and North America—will run Mon., Jan. 15-Wed., Feb. 21 at C33 Gallery, 33 S. Wabash. Contact Nancy Julson at 312-344-6856 or see cspaces.colum.edu .
It's just physical: Tickets have gone on sale for Gunther von Hagens' Body Worlds 2: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies, which will open at the Museum of Science and Industry, 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive, on Wed., Jan. 17. See www.msichicago.org or call 773-684-1414.
And isles to go before I sleep: 'Steppin' Razor: Voices of Caribbean Poets'—which will feature Caribbean poets Roger Bonair-Agard, Rohan Preston and Staceyann Chin with their different views of island life—will take place Wed., Jan. 17, at 6:30 p.m. at the School of the Art Institute Ballroom, 112 S. Michigan. Admission is $10 for the general public, $8 for students and nothing for SAIC students faculty and staff. Call 312 899-1229.
Bringing smiles: The Citadel Theatre is working with United Cerebral Palsy in bringing together theater and education with the play, A Nervous Smile, which runs Thurs.-Sun., Jan. 18-Feb. 11 at the Citadel Theatre, 400 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest. ( The New York Times called it ' [ p ] rovocative…honest, funny, and compassionate.' ) Tickets are $20-$25. Call the box office at 847-735-8554 or see www.citadeltheatre.org .
World in my eyes: The University of Chicago's Section of Family Planning and Contraceptive Research will present 'Exporting Homeland Morality: U.S. Policy and Global Reproductive Health' on Thurs., Jan. 18, at The University of Chicago's International House, 1414 E. 59th, 4-7 p.m. Admission is $10 for the general public, but free for students. E-mail fpinfo@babies.bsd.uchicago.edu .
Political pun-dits: The political satire group Capitol Steps—which consists entirely of former Congressional staffers—will perform at the Centre East Theatre of The North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, on Thurs.-Sun., Jan. 18-21. Tickets are $40-$45, depending on the day. Call 847-673-6300.
