WFMT is the proud sponsor of the following concerts and events; click on each organization's name to visit individual web sites for additional information:

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER: Richard III

Artistic Director Barbara Gaines opens Chicago Shakespeare Theater's season with Richard III, Shakespeare's tale of a brilliant, scheming hunchback who seduces and murders his way to the English throne. Three generations and almost 100 years have passed since the Lancastrian Henry of Bolingbroke usurped the throne of the Yorkist king, Richard II. A long and bloody dynastic struggle between the powerful houses of York and Lancaster tore at the fabric of fifteenth-century England. King Edward IV of York has reclaimed the throne, and England prospers in a rare moment of peace. Richard, Duke of Gloucester, the king's younger and misshapen brother, now embarks upon an elaborate crime spree to secure the crown. Once secured, however, the crown sits uneasily on the new king, who builds his brutal reign upon the murders of his closest associates, the young princes, and his wife. A rebellion against Richard's tyranny gathers around Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, the last heir of the Lancastrian line. As the two armies meet, the ghosts of Richard's victims rise to torment him. A victorious Richmond is crowned King Henry VII, and the bloody Wars of the Roses come to an end, ushering in the reign of the Tudors. This captivating drama has thrilled audiences across the centuries, and now takes center stage at Chicago's home for Shakespeare.

• Sep. 23-Nov. 22 - Chicago Shakespeare Theater at Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Avenue, Chicago

Chicago a cappella: The Birds and the Bees

Revel in the coming of spring with a delightful program featuring music about birds, bees, and "the birds and the bees." Enjoy charming madrigals about birds, Daniel Pinkham's clever Bugs, and passionate standards like Fever and Let's Do It.

• April 16 @ 8 PM - Anne & Howard Gottlieb Hall, Merit School of Music, 38 S. Peoria St., Chicago
• April 18 @ 4 PM - Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Avenue, Evanston
• April 24 @ 8 PM - Wentz Concert Hall, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville
• April 25 @ 4 PM - Pilgrim Congregational Church, 460 Lake Street, Oak Park