>>Center Stage

Landscapes of Retrospection, through March 25. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution and the Napoleonic wars in the early 19th century came a renewed patriotism in Britain. This display from Vassar College's Magoon Collection of British drawings and prints features the work of the period's leading artists and architects and includes landscapes, architectural and garden studies, images of historic buildings, and scenes of everyday life in London and the countryside. Smart Museum; call 773/702-0200.

Borromeo String Quartet with Leon Fleisher, February 23. Considered by critics one of the most exceptional ensembles of its generation, this young quartet has played the world over. On this stop of its current tour, the ensemble will be joined by pianist Leon Fleisher, a former teacher at the Peabody Conservatory and master of the left-handed piano technique. Mandel Hall; call 773/702-8068.

Hay Fever, through March 4. Court Theatre presents Noel Coward's sharp and witty play about the Blisses, an abnormal, eccentric, dysfunctional family of four who are separated from the real world by the mother's inability to let go of her celebrity as a stage actress. When four unexpected guests arrive at their home for a weekend visit, the family learns that performance is the key to survival after all. Court Theatre; call 773/753-4472.