Yale Club's Gershwin Songbook Celebration

Ava logan and Charles Thomas help celebrate the life and music of American songwriters George and Ira Gershwin during the Yale Club's presentation"Gershwin in Blue: A George and Ira Gershwin Songbook Celebration," 8 p.m. Feb. 26 at the Jazz Showcase, 806 S. Plymouth Ct; $20. yalechicago

Thodos Dance Chicago at NSC

Thodos Dance Chicago performs 8 p.m. Feb. 22 at North Shore Center for the Performing Atrs, 9501 Skokie, Skokie, The troupe performs "A Light in the Dark," a dance number dedicated to the life of Helen Keller. Tickets are $26-$46. northshorecenter

Morissey Tickets on Sale

 Morrisey performs 8 p.m. June 13 at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker, $49.50-$79.50. Tickets on sale 11 a.m. Feb. 21 through ticketmaster and the Civic Opera House box office.

James Franco and Frank Bidart "Off the Shelf"

Chicago Humanities Festival and The Poetry Foundation partner for a poetry, film discussion 8 p.m. Feb. 19 in the Thorne Auditorium, at the Northwestern University School of Law, 375 E. Circle, Evanston. The presentation "James Franco and Frank Bidart: Off the Shelf" brings the award-winning poet Bidart together for the first time with director Franco (pictured), whose film "Herbert White" was based on Bidart's 1973 same-titled d poem. A discussion on Franco's April 2014 poetry collection release, "Directing Herbert White," will also be a topic of discussion.Tickets are $25-$30. chicagohumanities

Northwestern's Black History Month Events

Catch a screening of "The Trials of Muhammad Ali," 6:30 p.m. Jan. 30 at the Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art, 40 Arts Circle, Evanston, part of the university's six-week celebration of Black History Month events. northwestern

Bar Novo's Early NYE Kickoff

Bar Novo at the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel, 1 W. Wacker, gets the celebration started early Dec. 31with a special sport-driven menu that includes pulled pork nachos, dry aged beef sliders and Buffalo chicken wings. The cocktail of the day is the Red Asinthe Champagne cocktail (lucid Absinthe, Absolut vodka, lemon and strawberry purée and a hint of Champagne).  The day begins at noon and continues through 2 a.m. Jan. 1. barnovo

Iconic Chef Charlie Trotter Found Dead In Lincoln Park Home

Chicago chef Charlie Trotter was pronounced dead in his home earlier today. The self-taught North Shore kid rose in status to be one of the city's most affluent chefs and mentor to many who followed in his culinary footsteps. A James Beard Award winner and the inaugural inductee into the Chicago Culinary Hall of Fame (2006) Chef Trotter has received numerous honors including being honored under the Bush administration for his philanthropic endeavors through his Charlie Trotter Culinary Education Foundation along with being the He also 2005 recipient of the International Association of Culinary Professionals' Humanitarian of the Year Award. Chef Trotter turned 54 in September.