Better-ISH Family Entertainment

By Justin Sondak in Arts & Entertainment on Jan 25, 2007 2:13AM

Last week you tried to get tickets to High School Musical for your pre-teen, teen, or tween child. And of course you failed, along with thousands of other parents. Craigslist hints at only a fraction of the carnage. Next to that game in Miami, the HSM one-night stand is the most sought after ticket in Chicago. But even if you sold your soul or ransacked your nest egg for the chance to see glossy American Idolesque entertainment from the Allstate Arena’s rafters, what would you take away from it? Temporary deafness from thousands of squealing tykes? Undying gratitude from your offspring for… maybe a day or two?

Meanwhile, Chicago Children’s Theatre and Amsterdam’s ISH Institute have been uncorking a bottle of adrenaline on the Harris Theatre stage throughout January. This weekend is your last chance to see 4-ISH, a cannon blast of acrobatics, dance and inline skate trickery that’s been scoring rave reviews all over the place. A refreshing change from the Pavlovian arena-style entertainment, on ice or otherwise, trotted out to the future consumers of America, 4-ISH is being promoted as remarkable theater that respects the chaperone as much as the target audience. It's closing this weekend, so if you wait too long you might be stuck back on Craigslist.

4-ISH continues at The Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E Randolph, through January 28. Tickets are $15-25. Catch a preview here or find more information at www.chicagochildrenstheatre.org