With Time Out Chicago raving, “The most entertaining dances seem to come from Giordano Dance Chicago,” this exhilarating Windy City ensemble brings its high energy, enthusiastic choreography, and half-century of history to the Galvin Fine Arts Center as the latest guests in the Quad City Arts Visiting Artists Series.

“He came back from the dead?!”

“It wouldn't be the first time.”

In two lines of dialogue, that might be all you need to know about Jigsaw, the eighth – and quite possibly least-offensive – entry in the Saw franchise, and the first since 2010's now laughably titled Saw 3D: The Final Chapter.

Called “hilarious and heartwarming” by the Chicago Tribune and praised for its “bright comic zest” and “swinging music” by the New York Times, the musical adaptation of Elf – based on the 2003 screen comedy starring Will Ferrell – will make its area debut and jump-start the holidays as Circa '21's 2017-18 season opener.

Appearing locally on a fall tour that finds them visiting 11 states in November alone, the indie-folk musicians of The Ballroom Thieves play Davenport's Redstone Room in a concert boasting new songs as well as singles from their albums Deadeye and A Wolf in the Doorway, the latter of which inspired SoundOfBoston.com to state, “Don’t let the album’s title scare you away from entering the magical world The Ballroom Thieves have constructed with their harmonies, expert playing, and unyielding passion.”

Held in conjunction with the museum's exhibit Power & Piety: Spanish Colonial Art from the Patricia Phelps De Cisneros Collection, the Figge will host a special lecture with Dr. Monica Dominguez Torres, an associate professor and director of Undergraduate Studies, and the director of Latin American and Iberian Studies, at the University of Delaware.

It's been said that laughter is the best medicine, and during the Circa '21 Speakeasy’s Friday-night production of The Rocky Horror Show, I got a really good dose of it. Bret and Erin Churchill, who co-directed and choreographed the show, have put together a fast-paced, high-energy production full of terrific singing and hilarious fun.

Democrat JB Pritzker spent $21 million on his gubernatorial campaign through the end of September and recently opened his 10th campaign field office. The billionaire spent more money on staff and consultants last quarter ($1.5 million) than any of his primary opponents raised.

The spending appears to be paying off. A new Capitol Fax/We Ask America poll of 1,154 likely Democratic primary voters has Pritzker with 39 percent of the vote, far ahead of the rest of the pack

Presented in conjunction with its current exhibition Celebrating Day of the Dead, on display through December 17, the Figge will treat visitors to October 29's Day of the Dead Family Fiesta, an all-ages celebration of the Mexican holiday boasting live performances and hands-on art activities.