Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Negan on “The Walking Dead,” is one of the celebrities appearing at the dual Walker Stalker convention and Heroes & Villains Fan Fest at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. (Courtesy of Gene Page/AMC)

The Lyric Opera of Chicago presents Lawrence Brownlee in the Midwest premiere of “Charlie Parker’s Yardbird” at Millennium Park’s Harris Theater for Music and Dance. (Courtesy of Dominic M. Mercier/ Opera Philadelphia)

Pianist Sara Davis Buechner is the guest soloist with the Chicago Sinfonietta concerts “More Than a Letter: A Celebration of LGBTQ Artists and Classical Music” in Naperville and Chicago. (Courtesy of Yukiko Onley)

Comedian Brian Aldridge appears at the Comedy Shrine in Aurora on Friday and Saturday, March 24 and 25.

Banda MS de Sergio Lizarraga performs at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont on Saturday, March 25. (Associated Press, 2016)

Kirsti Manna and Jonathan Birchfield perform music of Carole King and James Taylor at the Prairie Center for the Arts in Schaumburg and at the Lumber Center for the Performing Arts in Grayslake.

Matthew Miszewski, 19, of Madison, Wisconsin, top, and Sara Rokosz, 15, of Valparaiso, Wisconsin, race in a heat during a previous All American Soap Box Derby in St. Charles. (Daily Herald File Photo)

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Jazz man

Tenor Lawrence Brownlee stars in the Lyric Opera of Chicago presentation of composer Daniel Schnyder and librettist Bridgette A. Wimberly’s “Charlie Parker’s Yardbird.” The 2015 jazz-inflected opera plays two performances only on Friday and Sunday at Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive, Chicago. $35-$125. (312) 827-5600 or lyricopera.org. 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 24; 2 p.m. Sunday, March 26

Working clean

Chicago native Brian Aldridge has built up a reputation for clean comedy. Catch him this weekend for three standup sets at the Comedy Shrine, 4034 Fox Valley Center Drive, Aurora. $20 plus a two-drink minimum. (630) 585-0300 or comedyshrine.com. 8 p.m. Friday, March 24; 8 and 10 p.m. Saturday, March 25

Motor muscle

Ride Truck and Megasaurus are two of the oversized and mighty vehicles coming to Monster Truck Nationals this weekend at the Sears Centre Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates. $18-$43; $10 parking. (888) 732-7784 or searscentre.com. 7 p.m. Saturday, March 25; 3 p.m. Sunday, March 26

Friendly tribute

Kirsti Manna and Jonathan Birchfield celebrate two great American singer-songwriters in “You’ve Got a Friend — The Music of James Taylor and Carole King.” The tribute concert plays this weekend at two locations: first at the Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg, $45, $43 seniors/students, (847) 895-3600 or prairiecenter.org ; then at College of Lake County’s Lumber Center for the Performing Arts, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake, $40, $39 seniors, $15 students, (847) 543-2300 or jlcenter.clcillinois.edu. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 25, in Schaumburg; 4 p.m. Sunday, March 26, in Grayslake

LGBTQ classical

Pianist Sara Davis Buechner and guest choirs Allegrezza Singers and Musicality team with conductor Michael Morgan who leads the Chicago Sinfonietta in concerts of “More Than a Letter: A Celebration of LGBTQ Artists and Classical Music” this weekend at two locations: first at North Central College’s Wentz Concert Hall, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville, $10-$60; then at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, $10-$99. (312) 284-1554 or chicagosinfonietta.org. 8 p.m. Saturday, March 25, in Naperville; 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 27, in Chicago

Music of Mexico

Get your fill of popular Mexican music this Saturday when Banda MS de Sergio Lizarraga performs in concert at the Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont. $79-$129; $15-$20 parking. (800) 745-3000 or allstatearena.com. 8 p.m. Saturday, March 25

Derby time

Boys and girls between the ages of 7 to 20 will be racing each other at the Greater Chicago Soap Box Derby Race this weekend at the Charlestowne Mall, 3800 E. Main St., St. Charles. No charge for spectators, but there is a fee and registration required to race. (630) 841-8832 or soapboxderby.org/greater/chicago. 7:30 a.m. registration; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 25 and 26

Top pick

Zombie gathering

Fans of TV shows like “The Walking Dead,” “Sons of Anarchy,” “Arrow” and more won’t want to miss seeing many of those series’ stars at the dual Walker Stalker convention and Heroes and Villains Fan Fest this weekend at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. Rosemont. $90 for two-day admission; $45-$55 for daily admission; premium packages are also available. (847) 692-2220 or rosemont.com/desconvention. 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 25; 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 26