Displaying items by tag: Aurora events

You know him from “The Neighborhood,” “The Last O.G.,” “The Proud Family” and much more.

Don’t miss your chance to catch Cedric the Entertainer live on tour, one-night-only, in his only Chicago-area stop, Saturday, August 8 at 8 p.m. at Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. Tickets are $41-$161*. 

For tickets, visit ParamountAurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount box office Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., or until show time on show days. For group discounts, contact Melissa Striedl, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (630) 723-2461. *Prices are for in-person purchases. Additional fees apply for phone and online orders.

Of course, Cedric is a veteran stand-up icon known for warm, story‑driven humor, sharp observations about family, work, and everyday life, and the playful crowd interaction that made him a household name. A star of The Neighborhood on CBS, the Barbershop films, and the Original Kings of Comedy, Cedric blends old‑school showmanship with modern timing, moving from quick one‑liners to vivid storytelling and characters. 

Audiences can expect clean but grown‑folks language, improvisation with the crowd, topical bits and call‑backs that reward attention. This show includes some adult language and content. Recommended for 18+

More about Cedric the Entertainer

American actor, comedian, and game show host Cedric The Entertainer is one of the world’s premier performers on stage, film and television, with a career spanning 30 years.

Currently, Cedric is starring in and executive producing the CBS Television hit comedy The Neighborhood, hosting and executive producing The Greatest #AtHome Videos, executive producing the dramedy Johnson for Bounce TV, and recently executive produced and hosted the 73rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. He also appears co-starring in The Last O.G., opposite Tracy Morgan and Tiffany Haddish, and is reprising his role as Uncle Bobby in Disney+’s The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder – the long-anticipated revival of the groundbreaking animated series The Proud Family. Cedric also won a 2023 and 2026 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for The Neighborhood.

He was recently seen in a dramatic role portraying legendary civil rights activist and leader, Ralph Abernathy, in the feature film, Son Of The South, executive produced by Spike Lee and directed by Lee’s long-time editor, Barry Alexander Brown; The Opening Act, about a group of comedians trying to breakthrough in the stand-up comedy world; and will soon begin production of the sequel to his hit Johnson Family Vacation, that he will again star in and produce.

Cedric’s other noteworthy television credits include the comedy series The Soul Man, which he co-created and executive produced through A Bird And A Bear Entertainment; The Steve Harvey Show, which he won four NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy; the sketch comedy series Cedric The Entertainer Presents, which he starred in and executive produced and was honored the AFTRA Award of Excellence for; served as host of season 12 of the hit game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire; and was featured as the voice of Bobby Proud in the Disney animated series The Proud Family, that he also received an NAACP Image Award for.

His versatile film work spans genres from memorable performances in comedies such as the hit Barbershop franchise, Johnson Family Vacation, The Original Kings of Comedy concert film which chronicled his record breaking Kings of Comedy Tour with fellow comedians Steve Harvey, D.L Hughley and the late Bernie Mac; to dramas like Paul Schrader’s critically acclaimed Oscar nominated drama First Reformed, co-starring Ethan Hawke and Amanda Seyfried; and his signature baritone voice in animated hits such as Disney’s Madagascar and Planes franchises, Ice Age 2 and Dr. Dolittle 2, among many others.

In addition to his achievements in television and film, Cedric is also an accomplished author. His first book, “Flipping Boxcars,” was released in 2023. Cedric has also ventured into entrepreneurship, launching a wine brand named Setta in honor of his late mother, Rosetta B. Kyles. Furthermore, he introduced a premium barbecue brand called AC Barbeque in collaboration with his longtime friend, Anthony Anderson. For more, visit iamcedric.com.

Immerse yourself in the enchanting wonder, vibrant magic and joyous celebration that is Mexican folkloric dance when Ballet Folklorico Quetzalcoatl presents its 43rd Anniversary Concert, Thursday, July 30 at 7:30 p.m. at Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. 

Experience the charming, diverse folkloric dance styles of Mexican culture, cultivated right here in the Fox Valley. Tickets are $27-$32. For tickets and information, visit ParamountAurora.com call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount Theatre box office, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and until show time on show days. Children two and under are admitted free. *Prices are for in-person purchases. Additional fees apply for phone and online orders.

Based in Aurora, Ballet Folklorico Quetzalcoatl is an internationally celebrated Mexican folk dance troupe that has delighted audiences for over 40 years around Illinois and as far as Mexico with its colorful costumes, wonderful music and electrifying choreography. The group originally formed to meet the need to preserve one of the most important aspects of Mexican culture, the folkloric dance. Juan Manuel “Nery” Cruz, originally from San Luis Potosi, Mexico, is the group’s director and choreographer. 

The name "Quetzalcoatl" originates from the ancient Mexican and northern Central American civilizations. It means “snake or serpent with feathers of quetzal,” which implies something divine or precious in the Nahuatl language. Quetzalcoatl was also the god of wisdom of the primitive Mexicans, a god of the air, or sun-god, who instructed them in the use of agriculture and metals.

Don’t miss this magnificent community celebration of Mexico’s rich culture, an amazing pageant of dazzling costumes, infectious music and high-energy traditional folklore dance numbers still performed in the villages of Mexico’s different regions. For more, visit bfquetzalcoatl.org.