Friday/ February 23

The psychotherapeutic treatment of Beau Willie Brown, a black Vietnam War veteran, serves as the dramatic foundation of UT’s production of but i cd only whisper. The play, written by third-year Kristiana Colón and directed by TAPS lecturer Tiffany Trent, interprets Brown’s experiences through multiple perspectives—bringing to life the events of the war, Brown’s take on those events, and the views of the others who also experienced them. The buzz for this show is that its intense vision has been realized as one of the best UT shows of the year. (Francis X. Kinahan Third Floor Theater, Reynolds Club, 8 p.m., $6)

Chicago may have a reputation for being cold and windy, but it’s also one of America’s most bike-friendly cities. Chicago Critical Mass is a monthly ride for bicycle enthusiasts that attracts thousands of riders from all over the Chicago area. The ride has spawned an art exhibit at the Mercury Café featuring pro-bike and anti-car photographs, paintings, and sculptures. Yet all good things must come to an end, and the Critical Mass Art Show is going out with a bang, taking to the streets for an evening ride departing from Daley Plaza at 5:30 p.m. and leading to the show’s closing festivities. (Mercury Café, 1505 West Chicago Avenue, 8 p.m., free)

Chinese rock star Wu Tong will ditch his heavy-metal sensibilities for traditional folk music in Silk Road Chicago, a concert that teams Wu Tong’s China Magpie group with the Yo-Yo Ma–founded Silk Road Ensemble. This music will certainly pay tribute to the Chinese musical tradition, but with diverse musical sensibilities at play, it could have a very unpredictable course. A workshop with several musicians from the Silk Road Ensemble will precede the concert. (International House Assembly Hall, 1414 East 59th Street, 4 p.m. workshop, 7:30 p.m. concert, free)

The Smart Museum Activities Committee presents the Winter Art Show, a collection of student work that will be displayed in the Smart Museum’s fine galleries. Dessert and coffee will be served up alongside the art. (Smart Museum, 5550 South Greenwood Avenue, 6 p.m., free)

Saturday/ February 24

Christopher Guest’s film Best in Show brought renewed and comical awareness to the mad American spectacle of the dog show. Now you can see it firsthand at the International Kennel Club of Chicago Dog Show. The action starts on Friday, but the suspense and wackiness should pick up over the weekend. For a complete list of breeds and judging times, check out www.ikcdogshow.com. (McCormick Place, 2301 South Lake Shore Drive, 10 a.m., $16 general)

Photography’s rise from technological marvel to high art was one of the most dramatic changes in the art world over the 20th century. The Museum of Contemporary Art will track a part of that evolution in its new exhibition MCA Exposed: Defining Moments in Photography, 1967–2007, featuring works from famed photographers like Robert Mapplethorpe and Christian Boltanski. (Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 East Chicago Avenue, $6 student, $10 general)

Sunday/ February 25

Saxophonist Chris Potter has carved out one of the most ambitious careers in jazz. He leads his own bands (most recently, the electronic-tinged outfit Underground), guest stars with greats of many different eras, and plays sax in the Dave Holland Quintet, maybe the most revered group on the jazz scene today. Potter is in Chicago for one night only to show off the skills that led the Playboy Guide to Jazz to call him “the best saxophonist of his generation.” The singer Typhanie Monique will open. (Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 North Lincoln Avenue, 7 p.m., $20)

Monday/ February 26

The Chicago Society presents the third installment in its wildly popular Naked Economics lectures. This time, Naked Economics author Charles Wheelan and U of C economics lecturer Allen Sanderson will tackle the economic issues that affect today’s American. The talk “America Undressed: The ‘Naked Economics’ of Domestic Issues” will likely sell its insightful commentary with the charismatic (and controversial) bravado for which Sanderson is known. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. (Kent 107, 7 p.m., free)

Tuesday/ February 27

Director Billy Woodberry comes to Doc Films to present his 1984 film Bless Their Little Hearts, the tale of the economic struggle and family in South L.A. The film is part of Doc’s ongoing series “L.A. Plays Itself.” (Max Palevsky Cinema, 7 p.m., free)

Wednesday/ February 28

Is Richard Perle the Rasputin of Washington or a scholarly patriot? Everywhere he goes, controversy follows—even here, where the Oriental Institute refused to host the talk by this polarizing power broker. Now, the Chicago Friends of Israel will hold Perle’s lecture “Middle East Peace: Illusion or Reality” in Swift Hall. (Swift Hall Third Floor Lecture Room, noon, free)

Thursday/ March 1

The Kappa Alpha Theta sorority hosts Mr. University 2007, a male beauty pageant that measures the talents and looks of a group of U of C men. This very atypical U of C spectacle has taken its place alongside such events as Scav Hunt and the Polar Bear Run as one of the University’s annual traditions. Proceeds from the event go to the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), a charity that speaks for the rights of children in court. (Mandel Hall, 7 p.m., $5)