1. Former first lady of Chicago, Maggie Daley, died on Thanksgiving. She was renowned for her tireless support of the arts and in honor of her legacy, theaters across Chicago honored her Sunday by turning off their lights for two minutes at noon. They then kept their lights on throughout the city for the duration of her wake, which ended at 10 pm. The event, which was organized by the League of Chicago Theatres, was primarily applicable to the larger, marquee theaters downtown, but other participants, including theaters on the North Side like Steppenwolf and Second City, did the same. Both Deb Clapp, Executive Director of the League and Eileen LaCario, Chair and VP of Broadway in Chicago, released statements expressing their sadness on behalf of the Chicago theater community.

2. Ebenezer Scrooge is back on Twitter — that is, the Ebenezer in residence at the Goodman. Reread Kelly Kleiman’s comments from last holiday season on whether A Christmas Carol is even culturally relvevant in today’s modern times. She wrote about the Scrooge Twitter account and the positive and negative responses to it, but said, “For those of us a bit less serious about our encounters with comic promotional efforts, Scrooge’s comments bring tidings of great joy to all people.” No matter what your opinion, you can’t say he’s not topical; Scrooge’s latest touches on the Occupy movement.

3. There’s a Groupon for Second City’s UP. What are the odds that a Grouponer who works or takes classes there actually wrote it? Come forward if it was you, uncredited copy slave! Anyway, the deal is half off on two tickets, and isn’t valid for the New Years show. Also: “Every show is rated for appropriate audiences, letting parents know when to bring the kids to fine-tune their funny bones, and when to bring pet parrots to update their repertoire.”

4. More best bets of holiday theater, this set from Bob Bullen via Chicago Like A Local. He vouches for A Klingon Christmas Carol at Greenhouse, dubbing it “Klingon Kabuki theatre.”

5. The RedEye lists their comedy acts to watch for the coming new year. Some older faces (Cameron Esposito, Brian Babylon) with some new ones (Ever Mainard, Seth and Kellen). Vote your least favorite off the island, it’s a contest (no, it’s really not, support everyone). 

Questions? Tips? Email kdries@wbez.org.