More top stories

• 'Shear Genius' auditions at McCormick Place

• Botswana the real star of 'No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency'

Television

• Better off skipping 'Ted'

• 'Cold Case' episode to spotlight Pearl Jam

• Ian McShane rules over 'Kings'

• Demon hunters to get dose of comedy

• 'Ashes to Ashes' revisits the '80s

Movies

• 'Monsters vs. Aliens': Monsters? Check. Aliens? Check. Jokes? Oops.

• 'Goodbye Solo': Ramin Bahrani's latest adds to his American mosaic

• '12,' a Russian remake of '12 Angry Men' puts a Chechen on trial

• 'Valentino: The Last Emperor' features Valentino Garavani, Giancarlo Giammetti

• 'The Cross': Mississippi-born evangelist Arthur Blessitt wanders the globe carrying a 12-foot cross

Music

• Students learn about music industry from the pros

• Organ whiz Wil Blades shows huge promise

• 'Darknet' frontier ushers in new questions about how you'll listen to music

• Fabulosos Cadillacs reunite, happily

• Yeah Yeah Yeahs' 'It's Blitz!' drills beyond the surface

Theater

• 'Curtains' is more at ease at Drury Lane

• Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces 2009-10 season

• 'Pangs of the Messiah' at Silk Road; strife and human revelation on the West Bank

• Focused director, thoughtful writer in a match that made 'Magnolia'

Art & Architecture

• Tower comes up short on skyline but is a boon to river

• Steve Chapman: AIG and our embarrassing Congress

• Others join city's appeal of landmark decision

• Barbara Brotman: A Tree Army tour

• Art Institute of Chicago: Filling out the admission fee picture

Dining

• 7 new brunches

• Cheap eats: Cafe Orchid

• Food & Whine: Communal tables

• A few Easter brunches

• Sunday brunch, reconsidered