Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni. ✶ Thank you for your readership and contributions. ✶
Did you rally to restore sanity? Are you looking for something to distract you as the poll numbers come in on election night? If you answered "yes" to either of those questions, then this show might be for you. Lizz Winstead, co-creator of "The Daily Show," is performing at Mayne Stage (1328 W. Morse) for an election night show on Tuesday, November 2. In addition to her work on "The Daily Show," she has spent the past decade working on various political satire projects. Her show "Dumb-ocracy at Work!" begins at 7:30pm. Tickets are $25 at www.maynestage.com.
"Unsung," TV One's popular "docu-series" that showcases singers who were in the prime of their careers and who, for different reasons, became unsung, will feature Chicago's own Miki Howard.
Howard, whose parents were both gospel singers, was a popular R&B/jazz artist who rose to prominence in the late 80s through the early 90s. She enjoyed a solid stream of hits including "Come Share My Love" and "Love Under New Management," and was also nominated for an American Music Award and a Grammy Award.
With powerhouse vocals like Howard's, why did she suddenly disappear from the music scene altogether? While several rumors persisted, no one ever really knew what happened to her--until now.
"Unsung: Miki Howard" airs Monday, November 1 at 9pm on TV One.
It is often said that music is the universal language; for Mark "Stew" Stewart, this most certainly rings true. Here, the Tony Award-winning artist and front man for the band Stew and the Negro Problem, discusses the "problem" when people, African-Americans particularly, are deemed a monolith when it comes to music.
Stew and the Negro Problem with Heidi Rodewald. Photograph:Jeff Fasano
You won a Tony Award in 2008 for Passing Strange, a story that deals with the freedom of musical and artistic expression. Was the concept a result of your experience growing up in Los Angeles? Is Los Angeles not as culturally diverse as it might seem?
Exactly. Maybe it was just my experience, especially as a black artist, but I kind of felt during my young life that people were always surprised when a big brother played lead guitar and wrote songs. It was like, "Oh you're in a band--you must be the bass player." And I'd always think, "No, and now there's one less stereotype for you to carry around!"
Martin Mull's show entitled Witness opened yesterday at the Carl Hammer Gallery. I would like to start by saying Martin's work isn't the easiest to talk about while trying to be concise, or I just don't have a wide enough vocabulary. Martin Mull has build an entire career examining Americana ideas, ideals, and mistakes. He has regularly challenged and questioned white privilege as well as the American Dream. I think if you were to investigate any part of Mr. Mull's career you would find traces of these challenges and questions. Having said that Witness is no exception.
Martine Syms and Marco Kane Braunchweiler of the West Loop art shop/community space Golden Age once again demonstrate a potent knack for exhibiting up-and-coming artists primed for success. The shop's latest project features Jon Rafman in his first solo exhibition, The Age Demanded. In the exhibition, Rafman mixes a variety of different media (video, photography, and painting) in celebration and critique of technology and the "consciousness" it reflects. The Age Demanded opens tonight and included an "existential tour" through Second Life, the still-popular virtual environment that eerily promotes and masks different facets of contemporary life.
The opening lasts from 6pm to 9pm, and the exhibition runs through December 10. Golden Age is locate at 119 N Peoria, #2D.
After watching the third and final installment of the Swedish adaptation of Stieg Larsson's wildly popular Millennium trilogy (following The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played With Fire, which was just released on DVD this week), I realized that as three separate films viewed months apart, the story seems strangely and unnecessarily stretched out. Watched in a single day, one after the other, I think these three movies would feel like exactly what they are--a single, layered story that takes place in both the present and the past, in which the two time frames merge in a fairly unique and imaginative manner. Still, to get this trilogy in a single calendar year feels pretty special, especially when you consider the powerhouse performance we get from actress Noomi Rapace, who played the beyond-damage (but not beyond-rapair) Lisbeth Salander.
The WGN Evening News has added some regular segments with Garry Meier called "In the Line of Meier" twice a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays, during the 5:00 hour.
Below is the segment from yesterday, and there will be another one tomorrow. This week's theme is Halloween.
Jackie Taylor's The Other Cinderella takes the classic fairytale "Cinderella" and gives it a serious serving of soul.
The Other Cinderella, a long-time staple of Taylor's Black Ensemble Theater repertoire (the show was originally performed in 1976), is the story of Cinderella, of course, but with a completely different twist: This Cinderella (Candace Edwards) grew up in public housing, bravely sasses her stepmother and stepsisters, and is in no way passive or timid as the original.
In The Other Cinderella, the core elements of the original story remain intact; the only difference is the kingdom dwellers are from "the 'hood."
On October 28 and 29, Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba will light up Roosevelt University's Auditorium Theatre with flamenco, ballet and contemporary dance set to Spanish and Afro-Cuban rhythms. The company, made up of eighteen female dancers, celebrates the uniqueness of Cuban culture in this lively two-night engagement.
Performances take place October 28 at 7:30 pm and October 29 at 8 pm, at Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress Pkwy. Tickets run $30-69 and may be purchased by phone at 800.982.ARTS (2787), online at Ticketmaster.com, or at the Auditorium Theatre Box Office, 50 E. Congress Parkway.
Looking for a little spooky theatre this Halloween weekend? Cock & Bull Theatre presents the final weekend of splatter fest Axe Lizzie & The Possession of Alice Von Truskin, written and directed by Chris Garcia Peak. In these horror plays, audiiences will view the tale of Lizzie Borden who is stuck caring for a part-human sister, serpentine parents, and a morbid man with a bloody hatchet. Plus, the story of fifteen-year-old Alice Von Truskin who was said to have been possessed by the devil in 1890--but was it possession or just puberty?
Axe Lizzie & The Possession of Alice Von Truskin is for ages over 18 only, and runs Oct. 28-31 at 8 pm, with an additional 10 pm performance on Oct. 30. Performances take place at Prop Theatre, 3502 N Elston. Tickets are $20 -$25 (student discount available), and may be purchased at cockandbulltheatre.org, theatremania.com, or 866-811-4111.
Photo: Jake Carr & Sarah Jackson in Axe Lizzie. Puppet design by Sarah Bendix. Photo by Heinrick Haley.
Alright, people. If this doesn't sound like fun to you, you're absolutely hopeless: this Saturday Oct. 30, artists Mike Bancroft and Evan Plummer of Garage Spaces team up with The Hyde Park Art Center to bring you S***, Shower, and Shave. Part of HPAC's fabulous-sounding "Mischief Weekend" festival, S***, Shower, and Shave will begin with a tutorial on how to create your own arsenal out of a modified shaving cream can, then visitors will be released into a 60-foot soft sculpture tunnel to engage in shaving cream combat. What's better than that?
S***, Shower, and Shave is only one of several events/exhibitions the HPAC has organized for "Mischief Night," which takes place at the museum this Saturday from 1 to 10pm, and is described by the HPAC as "celebrating the subversive, the weird, the illusive nature of art and artists." I highly recommend checking them all out here.
Though the Congress Theater is mostly known as a local concert venue, they're about to expand their offerings with a monthly comedy show. Featuring comedians from film and television, the first show kicks off this Thursday night at 7pm Comics performing include Neal Brennan (creator of "The Chapelle Show," co-writer of Half Baked), Bryan Callen ("Mad TV", The Hangover), and Dov Davidoff (Comedy Central, "Chelsea Lately").
The Congress Theater is located at 2135 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Tickets can be purchased online for $18, though by visiting here you can print out a pass for free entry for two.
The work of glass Maestro Lino Tagliapietra in Holsten Galleries booth at SOFA CHICAGO last year, photo courtesy of SOFA
For those of you who are planning on going to the SOFA/Intuit Outsider Art fairs next weekend (November 5 - 7 at Navy Pier), we have good news: you can get half off your tickets if you use the code "ARTFAIR" when visiting the Tickets & Showtimes link at www.sofaexpo.com.
Better yet, you can register with Intuit here for a FREE ticket, plus they'll get a donation for every complementary ticket that is turned in.
Before the discount, general admission is $15 per ticket-- this admits visitors to both fairs and their related lecture series, special exhibits and events. Both fairs kick-off with a joint Opening Night Preview in Festival Hall on Thursday, Nov. 4. The public is invited to attend from 7 to 9pm for $50.
Audiophiles, listen up: On Thursday the 10th annual Third Coast International Audio Festival will unite radio producers, writers, reporters and designers from around the world to share skills and swap tales for one eclectic, sonic Chicago weekend.
The bright, shiny slate of presenters includes Ira Glass, Scott Carrier, Gwen Macsai, Amy O'Leary, Claire Schoen, Gregory Warner and many more award-winning radio creators. Plus Andrew Bird and Jay Ryan close out the conference with a special collaboration.
Advance ticket sales have closed; tickets available at the door for the "super late rate" of $450. More info.
Everyone knows the story of gentrification. Artists and other progressive people move to low-income neighborhoods looking for a good deal on a big space in the city. This attracts investors and developers, and the next thing you know, the original occupants of the neighborhood — including small businesses, families and even the artists themselves — are priced out of their homes to make room for culturally bankrupt replacements. The charm of the neighborhood is beaten out of it.
Because of the housing market crash, along with foreclosures, the gentrification process has pretty much come to a halt in many parts of the city. A classic case of this in Chicago, for better of worse, is Garfield Park. Real estate in the neighborhood was highly sought after during the real estate boom because of its proximity to downtown and to the CTA and Metra trains, as well as the beloved Garfield Park Conservatory and the sprawling park itself, but has since been given up on by many developers. Now it is home to clusters of vacant lots and buildings, but what a lot of people don't realize is that a surprising number of the buildings that are occupied are occupied by artists. Not just any artists, either. Artists who aren't afraid to take risks, who dance to the beat of their own drums, who make some of the most engaging work and eclectic work around.
I was a kid when "Image Union" premiered, so I sort of "grew up" on it. The opening and closing of the show freaked me out, though I loved Bob. He's the cartoon guy who turns on his TV after driving on the expressway to get home. It's hard to find decent images of Bob--I found this one at the "Image Union" Facebook page.
I know shows have to evolve, but I miss that old opening and closing. You can see what the show used to look like at the excellent Chicago TV archive Mediaburn.
For instance, check out this episode from the mid-80's (I can't embed it here): see the opening with Bob, and then go to the 24:08 mark to see how it used to end. That footage of a car crashing into TVs is from a video called "Media Burn".
The joint effort of Chris Busse, 26, and Paige Bailey, 25, Penguin Foot Pottery wants to bring ceramic arts to Logan Square. Offering a variety of classes appropriate for all ages and skill levels, there's no shortage of experience on either side: Chris is a long-time ceramics artist and teacher, having worked in the Chicago Public Schools and Oak Park Park District. Currently a project manager at a Chicago-based media company, Paige handles the business and marketing end of the operation. Talking to them before their grand opening this Saturday, they explained the personal context behind their mission, plans for classes, and why they believe working with clay, wheel, and tile shouldn't be intimidating, but practical, beautiful, and fun.
Penguin Foot Pottery is located at 2514 W. Armitage (entrance on Bingham St.). You can pre-register for classes through their website.
How did you get into ceramics and pottery?
Chris Busse: I started in high school, and then I went to college for ceramics and art education at the School of the Art Institute. I've been doing ceramics, and teaching in Oak Park, and I did a residency at the Chicago Park District. I've been teaching art for the Chicago Public Schools' on the south side for the last three years.
Paige Bailey: He just got laid off -- one of the many Chicago Public School teachers.
Did getting laid off affect your decision to open the studio?
CB: I wanted to do this for awhile anyways. And they cut half of my position towards the end of last year, and then they cut the rest of it in August.
PB: But we were going to go ahead and do this...
CB: I was still going to go ahead and do this, when I had a half-time position there. But then, that fell through, so that kind of bumped this up.
What do you like about teaching?
CB: I think it's watching people learn things, it's interesting just see them, the a-ha moment, you know, watching them progress -- it encourages your own work. Even when I was teaching at CPS and not doing my own work, because I was busy, it was still encouraging to see kids progressing and learning stuff and affecting how your own work is done.
Despite what the somewhat sappy trailers for Clint Eastwood's latest directorial effort might lead you to believe, this is not a film about what happens after you die, nor is it about what you may or may not see when you die for a time and are brought back to life (in a non-zombie manner). In fact, Hereafter spends all of about 10 minutes dealing directly with these subjects at all, and that's a choice made by Eastwood and the great screenwriter Peter Morgan (The Queen, The Last King of Scotland, Frost/Nixon) that makes the film something very special indeed. Rather than deal with his subject as something precious and new-agey, Eastwood makes Hereafter a work about three very isolated people who are not only seeking answers but also looking for connection with others that understand their specific plight.
Alma Weiser, the self-described "mother" of Heaven Gallery in Wicker Park, is also a local fashion designer whose inspirations range from Japanese anti-fashion designers of the 80s to the aesthetics of futurism. Her latest collection, Irregular a fashion homage by Renovar, premieres this Saturday at Heaven Gallery (1550 N Milwaukee, 2nd floor). Below, Weiser discusses her background, inspiration, goals for the future, and why a cute vintage dress dress is beneficial for more people than one would assume.
What were your inspirations?
I'm really inspired by Japanese designers. They're incredible. The work that they do is art. When I decided what I was going to do my next collection on, I just thought, "Japanese!" In the early 1980s, Japanese designers Rei Kawakubo and Yamamoto, they basically took Paris by storm. It was this whole movement that was anti-fashion. It wasn't this beautiful, form-fitting clothing anymore, showing the natural silhouette of the woman. It was more about the clothes being a second skin. It was just incredible. They came at the perfect moment. That's how movements are made. Somebody's doing something, and then that movement comes, and they're doing it simultaneously. I always admire when that happens. It's also about re-thinking your clothes, being as creative as possible as you can with the clothes. The image of Comme de Garcons is wearable art for the most thought-provoking, interesting, clothing you can think of.
Despite the autumnal chill in the air Tuesday night at the opening show of this year's Fashion Focus Chicago, spring was swirling on stage. The Chicago Fashion Incubator Designers Past and Present, presented by Macy's, in conjunction with CS Magazine, showcased thirteen, up and coming Chicago designers. The collections were rife with preppy yacht-wear and flowery dresses, bouncing down the runway to dance tunes.
Although some predictability took hold at the start of the show, Agga B.'s first piece changed the tempo of the whole room and was the first to incite applause at the offset. The jagged mini dresses possessed origami inspired shapes and playful cutouts, and managed to make black a suddenly refreshing color.
Miriam Cecilia wrapped up the show with two stunning ball gowns. The soft pastels and cloud-like skirts had the audience ooo-ing and aaa-ing like a princess was entering the room.
This introduction of fresh faces and growing designers was a fitting way to kick off the sixth annual Fashion Focus Chicago, which runs until October 24th . So bundle up in your finest fall coat and enjoy this weeklong taste of spring fashion before Chicago freezes over.
Gallery 400 recently tweeted that on the last day of Stephanie Syjuco's exhibition, Particulate Matter (Things, Thingys, Thingies), viewers can walk away with one of the sculptures, no strings attached. Syjuco's handmade sculptures were designed by users of Google's SketchUp, a free 3-D modeling program. We can't say for certain whether or not this is true, but it is certainly a good excuse to catch the show before it closes this Saturday.
Gallery 400 is located at 400 South Peoria, and is open this Thursday and Friday from 10am to 6pm, and Saturday, from 12pm to 6pm.
On an eclectic strip of North Broadway St. in East Lakeview sits a new(ish) store called Inkling, where Stephanie Keller sells her wares-- from hand-printed wrapping paper and greeting cards made by local artists to wacky porcelain knickknacks she's collected at antique stores and estate sales over the years. It's like Etsy, but you get to touch stuff.
The store oozes cozy creativity and smells really good, too. There are so many interesting objects packed into the space that a fair viewing will probably require a good half hour, at least. Take your time. I would recommend bringing a coffee to aid with digestion and a few bucks, because you're going to want to buy something. Luckily, though, a few bucks are all you'll need because the prices are surprisingly low, especially considering that many of the items are hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind pieces. $5-$10 will get you a quirky, thoughtful little birthday/housewarming/baby shower gift for someone and $20 will get you an original screenprint.
Your friendly Bucktown comic emporium (and according to Chicago Magazine, Best New Comic Book Store), Challengers Comics, is trying to open a gallery -- and they need your help.
A scene from Yasuko Yokoshi's "Tyler Tyler." Photo by Shimpei Takeda
The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago presents the Chicago debut of Hiroshima-born choreographer Yasuko Yokoshi, October 28-30. Yokoshi's work "Tyler Tyler," offers a contemporary perspective on Kabuki Su-odori dance, a stripped-down form of Kabuki that has been reverred for its purity and simplicity. Yokoshi's inspiration for the piece was The Tale of the Heike, a classic 12th-century Japanese epic of warring clans that documents desire for dominatin and the inevitable fall from power.
The cast consists of two U.S. dancers, a U.S. musician, and three Japanese dancers/actors who trained with Masumi Seyama, revered master teacher of Kabuki Su-odori dance. Yokoshi has deconstructed and rearranged Fujima's classic repertory with postmodern techniques and has created original choreography that examins the nature of a cultural identity.
Chicagoans can take advantage of the rare opportunity to view Kabuki Su-odori through a contemporary lens during one of three performances October 28-30 at 8 pm each evening. Performances take place at The Dance Center, 1306 S. Michigan Ave. Tickets are $26-30, and may be purchased via The Dance Center website. There will be a post-performance discussion with the artists following the October 28 performance.
On Friday, October 22 from 3 to 4pm, Jiang Jun, editor-in-chief of Urban China magazine, takes over the MCA Chicago facebook page and will be answering questions. In anticipation of this online open forum, audiences can also post questions to the MCA Chicago facebook page throughout the week. The three most "vocal fans" will be chosen to meet Jun, take a private tour of the the museum's latest exhibition, Urban China: Informal Cities, and get prime seating at the Informal Cities Colloquium, taking place this Sunday.
Urban China: Informal Cities explores the repercussions of urbanism in global cities. The exhibition arrives at a particularly rapt moment, when half of the world's population lives in these continuously evolving environments (either out of necessity or pleasure).
During Sunday's colloquium, audience members are invited to join a discussion about global informal urban development and led by four architecture practitioners or writers. More information about the colloquium is available in Slowdown.
Catch Chicago native Craig Harris Tuesday, October 19, in the new ABC homicide police drama, "Detroit 1-8-7." Harris, also an award-winning screenwriter, stunt performer and voiceover artist, will appear as Rev. James Boon, a "slightly unorthodox and tattooed pastor" in the episode entitled, "Murder in GreekTown/High School Confidential." He has also appeared in a number of feature films including The Unborn (2009), Eagle Eye (2008) and Pleading Guilty (2010), a made-for-TV movie filmed in Chicago.
South Shore Opera Company of Chicago in Porgy and Bess
George Gershwin's opera Porgy and Bess, a story set in rural South Carolina in the early 1900s, has been described by many as perhaps the composer's greatest work. Despite being mired in controversy (many felt it depicted African-Americans in an unfavorable light), the opera still claims legendary status in the American cultural landscape. Here, Cornelius Johnson, Music Director for the South Shore Opera Company of Chicago and Music Instructor at Olive Harvey College, talks about the musical impact of the opera and its importance in American arts and culture.
Gershwin's Porgy and Bess is deemed by many as the "Great American Opera"--why do you think this work has made such an impact on our culture?
For one, it is one of the only pieces of its time that allowed African-American artists the opportunity to perform. There have been debates about whether it showed positive images; however, it was so much more positive than other things were during that time. Musically speaking though, the music in it is really beautiful and has memorable melodies that people have held on to.
I went to a radio get-together and ended up meeting someone from TV: Duffy Atkins, who's a meteorologist on CLTV from 4pm through the evening newscasts. I think she's the only female meteorologist working there, which is a big deal, for sure.
She grew up in Schaumburg, and is really glad to be working in Chicago. She's not full of herself and is very friendly and down-to-earth, and is really enthusiastic, too. So what you see on TV isn't an act -- she's the real deal.
What's funny is that I was trying to take a candid photograph of her while she was talking to someone, but in true TV style, she managed to smile for the camera.
Wendy White can't be contained. Her large scale works - part painting, part sculpture, part literary word play - are so enigmatic that the Andrew Rafacz gallery space, the location of her latest Chicago solo exhibition, seems small, downright tiny in comparison. This is not a reflection of the gallery itself, but rather a testament to White's vision. Even her newest work, recognizably smaller in scale and shown for the first time in gallery two, are constructed and manipulated in the same vein as the showstopping first four works that one encounters upon entering the gallery, take up space and demand a more active participation from the viewer.
FRENCH CUTS is not only an examination into the practice (and purpose) of painting in the contemporary art world. It also serves a more direct purpose, throwing various areas of artistic practice (the literary, the visual) together to formulate a more visceral and tangible experience for the viewer. White's works are immediate.
FRENCH CUTS closes Saturday, October 23 at the Andrew Rafacz Gallery (835 W Washington). The gallery is open Tuesday - Friday, 11am to 6pm, and Saturday, from 11am to 5pm.
This is the weekend of the Bridgeport Art Walk, and a great place to start is at the Bridgeport Art Center, where you will find all sorts of good stuff. I don't spend a lot of time looking at a whole lot of quantity at an art walk, but I did get a chance to spend some time with Fred Camper's photo collages. He combines photos taken from different perspectives, which sometimes works out beautifully. Other times it looks like a real estate ad, which is a pretty huge comment in itself.
The more I think about it, the more I truly dislike RED (which we're cleverly told stand for "Retired Extremely Dangerous"; ooooooh). I actually got into arguments with people about this movie at Fantastic Fest, a festival that is populated largely by folks who admire creativity and edgy works by remarkable filmmakers, both established and brand spanking new. Those who claimed to like RED seemed to come at me with this: "For what it is, it's pretty good." Okay, that's true... if what the film is boils down to unoriginal action sequences, unfunny jokes, and a paint-by-numbers plot, then yes, for what it is (shit), RED is pretty good (shit). Of course it's fun to see Helen Mirren holding a gun, John Malkovich playing monkey-shit crazy, and a great series of extended cameos from the likes of Ernest Borgnine, Richard Dreyfuss, and Brian Cox, but the film consistently fails to bring anything to life with these touches, and the resulting work is almost entirely devoid of sustained fun.
Dan Gunn's work is multi-faceted and multi-layered, something that continues to evolve for the viewer. It is not work built on first impressions but rather, idealized with the past in mind. In his first solo exhibition, Multistable Picture Fable, Gunn employs a variety of material to playfully challenge ideas about sculpture and painting. New surprises abound in the tiny crevices or behind the face of each work so that the viewer feels compelled to break down their own viewing experience, and then piece together the parts for a whole.
There is a physicality to Gunn's work. Observing the titular piece as it covers most of the floor space in the gallery requires two things sometimes lacking in contemporary endeavors: time and patience. One must - literally - bend and twist and circle around the work, multiple times, forcing the viewer to more actively engage with it.
Multistable Picture Fable closes October 16 at the Lloyd Dobler Gallery, 1545 W Division, 2nd floor. The gallery is open Thursdays, from 6-9pm, and on Saturdays, from 12-5pm.
Bridgeport is home to a surprisingly bustling artistic community, from Co-Prosperity Sphere, run by the Public Media Institute to the Zhou B. Art Center. In an effort to raise awareness of that fact, the cultural spaces down there have teamed together for a "Bridgeport Art Walk" this weekend. At least seven (but probably more) exhibition/production spaces will open up to the public for us to meander around and gawk at their wares. The CAR website says that the walk will kick off each day (Friday, Oct. 15, Saturday and Sunday) at the Bridgeport Art Center at 1200 W 35th Street with the artists of Eastbank studios and then scatter throughout the neighborhood.
"So You Think You Can Dance" is more than just the name of a popular television show--it is can also be used to describe the dancers who will compete in Dance Slam.
Dance Slam, part of Dance Chicago 2010, is an interactive dance competition featuring dancers from the Chicagoland area and beyond, who perform various styles of dance including modern, tap, jazz, ballet and hip hop.
The award-winning competition, now in its 14th year, will showcase dancers who will strut their stuff in five-minute (or less) routines, where the audience gets to pick the winner.
Dance Slam will be held Friday, Oct. 22 at University of Chicago's Mandel Hall, 1131 E. 57th St; the competition begins at 7:30pm. Tickets are $25 and are available online or at the door (cash only). Contact 773-989-0698 for more information.
It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so WGN and CLTV are airing a half-hour special called "Stories of Hope: Facing Breast Cancer", hosted by medical reporter Dina Bair and entertainment reporter Dean Richards. Here are the times and channels where the special will air:
Thursday, October 14 at 9:30pm - WGN America
Saturday, October 30 at 6:30pm - WGN-TV Chicago
Tuesday, October 19 at 8pm and Sunday, October 24 at 2pm - CLTV
Sadly, I know someone whose father recently died of breast cancer, so it's been a hard month for some. In honor of those who are struggling with breast cancer, I donated blood last week. If you want to help in non-monetary ways, you should consider donating blood to save a person's life.
We need your help solving a mystery. A Gapers Block reader emailed us today about the installation pictured above, which is under the Metra overpass on Ogden near Kinzie.
Does anybody know who the artist is? Email me at kr@gapersblock.com if you have any ideas and/or would prefer to remain anonymous.
October is my favorite time of year. Not only is fall in full swing but every theater comes alive with bloody, disgusting horror films. Chicago's film houses are no exception. Facets has been screening some of the horror canon as a part of their Night School midnight series throughout October. If you've never attended a Night School screening definitely try and catch one this month. What makes the Night School screenings so unique is that it screens cult films, everything from horror, animation, to music docs, and follows them up with an in-depth look into the magic behind them. It's like taking a film class in three hours! This week's screening is The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and is not to be missed. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was one of the films that started the "family dynamic" we often see in horror films today - the family that eats together, kills and maims together. There have been many sequels and even reboots of this franchise but none of them can even touch what director Tobe Hooper did in the original. He took people's fears and put them in broad daylight, armed with a chainsaw and a mask made out of human flesh. Leading the discussion on the film will be Dominick Mayer, who currently volunteers at Facets and studies cinema at DePaul University.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre will be screening at the Facets Cinémathèque (1517 W. Fullerton Ave.) on Saturday, October 16 at midnight. Tickets are $5 for general admission or free if you are a Facets member. Advanced tickets can be purchased here.
It is time you had a say in which artists, art groups or galleries should be getting publicity coverage. ChicagoArts is now accepting suggestions via Google Moderator, and the first suggestions to get 100 votes will get interviewed as part of the ChicagoArts video interview series. The only stipulation is that the artists are located within Chicago or the nearby suburbs.
Bring on your suggestions and be sure to include links and brief descriptions so we can see the work and learn more about the artists.
In case you hadn't heard, the Joffrey Ballet's lovely Victoria Jaiani appears on the cover of this month's Dance Magazine. The Chicago Sun-Times dance critic Hedy Weiss provides a glimpse into the exquisite dancer's life and career in a four-page feature story. You can read the full article (minus the decadent photos) at dancemagazine.com.
Sometimes lame shows don't go away, such as "Still Standing", which lasted from 2002-2006. It's in syndication on ABC Family, if you want to see a Hollywood set with fake Chicago snow outside and a screwed-up family inside.
I don't know why the trend in television sitcoms is stupid dads, but this show is yet another one that adds that junk to the pile. The father has no problem showing his ignorance, and is pleased with himself because he's an unattractive, overweight slob who was able to manipulate his attractive wife into marrying him. He also openly lusts after teenage girls and gives sleazy advice to his kids, who he doesn't seem to care about anyway.
If Chicago has such stupid people in it, why does Hollywood have to broadcast it to the world? Thanks, again, for churning out lame shows and reminding us of them even when they officially die.
Join the Joffrey Ballet October 13-24 for All Stars, its opening production of the 2010-2011 Season. Featuring works from some of ballet's most-beloved choreographers, the program is sure to continue the momentum of the Joffrey's highly successful 2009-2010 season, which brought Chicagoans the unforgettable production "Othello." All Stars features three Joffrey Premieres created by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, and Christopher Wheeldon.
Balanchine's dramatic "Stravinsky Violin Concerto" remembers the choreographer's friend igor with an energetic tribute. Robbins' "The Concert (or, the Perils of Everybody)," provides a comedic exploration of an audience's fantasies at a Chopin piano recital, infused with social commentary. Wheeldon's stark, spiritual, and sensual "After the Rain," showcases a series of three emotional duets. Additionally, the Joffrey will reprise Balanchine's explosive "Tarantella" showcases a pas de deux of quick and complex movement.
This past weekend marked the first anniversary of the Chicago South Asian Film Festival. The brand new festival seeks to bring films from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka to the Midwest as well as featuring filmmakers of South Asian decent. Before this Chicago didn't have a film festival that represented only the South Asian community. Considering Illinois has one of the highest populations of South Asian families this festival seemed like a long time coming. The films offered spanned everything from shorts, features, and documentaries all with an Asian twist. We review the documentary Warrior Boyz and Sunday's closing film 7 Days In Slow Motion after the jump.
The new gallery I co-run, Peanut Gallery, has a new show opening tonight-- a vacation-themed group show with paintings, drawings and photographs by twelve local artists:
BONUS: A performance by the majestic Brandon Howe during the opening reception, tonight from 7 to 10 at Peanut Gallery: 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave. Rm. 345.
This is a great show with a lot of unpredictable art by enthusiastic local artists. I'd love to see you at the opening, but if you can't make it the show will be up for a month by appointment.
By the time you read this, the 46th Chicago International Film Festival will have just kicked off with the star-studded premiere of Stone, starring Edward Norton, who was scheduled to attend the Opening Night screening. My review of the film is below. I have to admit, I'm impressed more than I usually am with some of the offerings the festival has this year, including the Closing Night film, director John Madden's The Debt, starring Helen Mirren and Sam Worthington; the Festival Centerpiece, Danny (Slumdog Millionaire) Boyle's latest 127 Hours, starring James Franco, about a mountain climber who must cut his own arm off to escape certain death after having a boulder fall on the appendage; Darren Aronofsky's already-celebrated Black Swan; director Tony Goldwyn's well-constructed Conviction, starring Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell (expect my review next week); Doug Liman's Fair Game, starring Naomi Watts in the story of former CIA operative Valerie Plame; the creepy and exquisite South Korean film The Housemaid; and the lovely story of bored teens on a Friday night, The Myth of the American Sleepover.
Oh Fridays, the traditional day for a gallery opening or some cultural experience or another. Well of course we can't go out every Friday but if you happen to be calling it an early evening on the 8th make sure you don't miss that art and culture so much of us dedicate to this day. Fear No Art Chicago is airing its second show at 8pm on WTTW. Elysabeth Alfano hosts this interview series, engaging with artists of all sorts in their creative spaces. Watch as she cooks with Frank Orrall of Poi Dog Pondering, and Tangos with Jorge Niedas; the original Chicago Tango instructor.
Fear No ART Chicago airs on WTTW on
October 8 @ 8:30pm
October 18 @ 10:30pm
October 24 @ 5:30pm
October 31 @ 12:30pm
In many cases, arts programs in schools, especially in the inner-city and underserved communities, are basically non-existent; for many students, this hinders their opportunity when it comes to exposure to more diverse culture, including classical music. For the Sphinx Organization, a non-profit musical organization, all youth deserve a chance to broaden their cultural base, from a musical standpoint, and unleash potential talent within.
"For many whites, a street sign that says Martin Luther King tells them they are lost. For many blacks, a street sign that says Martin Luther King tells them they are found." So writes Jonathan Tilove in his book Along Martin Luther King: Travels on Black America's Main Street, about his two-year project to document many of the more than 650 streets across the country named after the civil rights hero.
Our town played an important role in Dr. King's career. In 1965 he joined the battle to integrate Chicago's public schools and in 1966 he moved his family into a run-down apartment at 1550 S. Hamlin in Lawndale to draw attention to the city's segregated slums. That summer King led marches through all-white Chicago neighborhoods to demonstrate for open-housing laws.
During an August 5th march through Marquette Park, whites showered the marchers with rocks, bottles and fireworks. A rock struck the reverend on the neck and he stumbled to the ground, but got up and kept walking. He later commented, "The people from Mississippi ought to come to Chicago to learn how to hate." By the end of the month Mayor Richard J. Daley announced that the city leaders would support fair-housing laws in exchange for an end to the marches.
Chicago's King Drive, renamed from South Park Way less than four months after the reverend's assassination, was probably the first roadway in the nation to be dedicated to the martyred leader. But when Daley and City Council voted for the name change, many people noticed an irony: the street they picked to honor the champion of racial integration ran only through the South Side, almost exclusively in African-American neighborhoods, as it still does today.
This history's in the back of my mind as I ride the Red Line south from the North Side to start my walk down the length of King Drive on a crisp September morning. It's the latest in my series of strolls down entire Chicago streets, including Milwaukee, Western, Halsted, Archer, Grand, 63rd, Kedzie, Belmont and 79th in search of memorable sights and experiences.
Gapers Block has been following the progress of Scrappers, a feature-length documentary film about laborers who collect scrap metal on the streets of Chicago, since it was filming in 2008. Since then, the film wrapped up production and premiered at well-attended sessions at the Chicago Underground Film Festival, where it won the Best Documentary Feature and Audience Awards.
The Scrappers premiere at the Chicago Underground Film Festival. Photograph by David Schalliol.
Following that success, the Gene Siskel Film Center invited Scrappersfor an upcoming theatrical run from October 8-14. Co-directors Brian Ashby, Ben Kolak and Courtney Prokopas will participate in a question and answer session following the October 8 and October 14 screenings, while Editor Aaron Wickenden and Composer Frank Rosaly will join the three during the former session.
GB's David Schalliol conducted an interview with the co-directors in advance of the theatrical screenings to get a better sense of their approach, process and what they learned from the film.
Luna Negra Dance Theater opens its 2010-2011 Chicago Season on October 16. Fans won't want to miss this performance, the company's first production under the direction of new Artistic Director Gustavo Ramirez Sansano. Luna Negra will perform the world premiere of Sansano's "Toda una Vida," the North American Premiere of "Bate" by Frenando Melo, and a revival of "Deshár Alhát," by Luna Negra's founder Eduardo Vilaro. Follwoing the perfromance the company presents the Noche Luna Gala including festive cocktails, savory Latin cuisine, and dancing to the sounds of Latin band Son de la Habana.
The fall performance takes place Saturday, October 16, at 6:30 pm, at Harris Theater in Millennium Park, 205 E. Randolph St. Tickets are $25-$55, and may be purchased by calling 312-334-7777 or visiting www.harristheater.org. Reservations for the Nocha Luna Gala may be made by calling 312-337-6882.
The commercials for Go Daddy (godaddy.com) certainly have their fair share of "eye candy" for the guys, but what about women? For Chicago comic/improv actor and writer Jamie Black, it's high time the online giant added some sexy men to its roster of commercials.
Black, a graduate of Second City's Writing Program, is a contestant in Go Daddy's Commercial Contest, where the winners walk away with fabulous cash prizes up to $250,000.
Click here for Black's Go Daddy contest entry. Online voting is still open; click on "rate this video" at the bottom to vote for the hometown guy.
Need to score some major "cool" points with that special kid in your life? You can this weekend--Yo Gabba Gabba! Live!: There's A Party In My City! is coming to town!
Yo Gabba Gabba!, the popular Nick Jr. children's series, is coming to the stage in an action-packed extravaganza featuring DJ Lance Rock (Lance Robertson) and the rest of the Gabba Gang, Muno, Brobee, Toodee, Foofa, and Plex. The fun-filled show will be interactive for all audience members and will feature singing, dancing, and a variety of entertainment to keep the crowd on its feet. For both the young and old hip hop fans alike, the show will contain a special treat; legendary rapper Biz Markie, a Yo Gabba Gabba! regular, will be on hand to teach the art of beatboxing. Other show segments will include the "Super Music Friends Show" and "Dancey Dance."
Cast of Yo Gabba Gabba!
The show will also benefit Chicago's Habitat for Humanity: For every ticket sold, $1 will go to the organization to assist with the city's homebuilding efforts.
Yo Gabba Gabba! Live!: There's A Party In My City! will play Saturday, Oct. 9 at 2pm and 5pm and Sunday, Oct. 10 at 11am and 2pm at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St. Tickets are $22-$55 and are available at the theatre box office, online, or charge by phone, 800-745-3000. For more information, visit www.yogabbagabbalive.com. Note: Children under age one will be admitted free to sit on a parent's lap.
Some art makes you think. Some art is beautiful or terrible or transcendent and lofty. Every once in a while, art really makes a difference in the world. The Nairobi Project does none of these things, but I'll bet it'll make you laugh your ass off.
The premise of this play is that it was written by a twenty-two year old Kenyan named Victor Gido, who, after what we can assume were several attempts to sell other plays to American producers via spam emails, was finally discovered by Steve Gadlin. After a series of slightly nonsensical emails between the two, Gadlin paid Gido $50 to write a play about "a millionaire named Quack Quack Quimby who has forgotten the true meaning of the Jewish holiday Tu Bishvat. His daughter goes to great lengths to remind him of its meaning, and make him happy once again. We'd like the play to end with him on his deathbed, reciting a monologue about his regained love for Tu Bishvat, and also admitting a lifelong homosexual affair with his trusted assistant, The Wizard Dumbeldore."
Wow, I just sat through an episode of "Mike and Molly," which takes place in Chicago. Mike is a Chicago cop and Molly is a teacher. They both live in the city, and occasionally you can see images of Chicago, but it's too bad they don't actually film here. If Chicago is such a popular locale, then why can't it be a production location as well?
Anyway, the show is awful, but I'm sure there are a lot of people out there who like it. I hope they do, because I have nothing against the actors. They're doing the best they can with horrible writing. Cliches, one-liners, just dumb lines. I remember watching Melissa McCarthy in "Gilmore Girls," which I loved, even though a couple of seasons weren't so good (you can see reruns on ABC Family), and she was great in that. And she seems to be good in this show, but it's too bad it's so bad.
This past weekend marked the first anniversary of the Chicago South Asian Film Festival. The brand new festival seeks to bring films from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka to the Midwest as well as featuring filmmakers of South Asian decent. Before this Chicago didn't have a film festival that represented only the South Asian community. Considering Illinois has one of the highest populations of South Asian families this festival seemed like a long time coming. The films offered spanned everything from shorts, features, and documentaries all with an Asian twist. We review Friday's opening piece Do Paise Ki Dhoop Chaar Aane Ki Baarish and two Saturday films Raspberry Magic and Babies Made in India after the jump.
Artemis (Stephanie Anderson) and Orion (Brian Humpherys)
Fans of Greek mythology, theatre, and/or dance might just want to check out a new production by Innervation Dance Cooperative entitled "Gods, Monsters, and Heroes." The company has reinvented the colorful tales of Zeus and Hera, Demeter and Persephone, Odysseus, Medusa, Athena, the Amazons, and more through a variety of dance styles, set to contemporary rock music. The evening-long production illustrates these popular stories with a mix of tap, modern, and ballet influences. In this production, IDC adheres to the company's foundation as a blend of theatre and dance, through their expressive movement, all put together collaboratively between ten choreographers and 28 dancers.
Watching IDC rehearse Act I and portions of Act II, it is clear that the dancers are having a blast, and their energy translates to the viewer. The company does a great job of communicating comedy in the show, particularly in Apollo and Marsyas, and The Sirens. The "Tap Warriors" in Birth of Zeus nail some fancy footwork, and the interaction between Demeter (Rachel Doucet) and Persephone (Stephanie Unger) showcases some particularly lovely choreography. The music selection complements the storylines, including selections from artists such as Pink, Feist, Coldplay, and Beck.
Yesterday, Kanye West made his second appearance on "Saturday Night Live," and performed two of his songs, "Power" and "Runaway."
For "Power," he did something a bit different; instead of using the traditional "SNL" Grand Central Station terminal backdrop for his performance, he used an all-white background. What is especially worth noting though, was West's use of performance art--he employed modern dancers to accompany him onstage, which brought more visual and artistic effect to the performance.
Francesco Milioto certainly knows opera--and he knows hip hop, too. Here, the co-founder and conductor of the New Millennium Orchestra talks about Hip Hopera, the fusion of two musical genres, the importance of musical education, and his dream to work with a certain Grammy-award winning hip hop artist.
When did you realize rap and opera could be fused--was it a particular song you heard or a hip hop artist you were already a fan of?
I'm a big fan of hip hop and I paid close attention when Beyonce did Carmen: A Hip Hopera. The rhythm in some of the music we play in a standard operatic repertoire, especially the things that we were sort of infusing the "hip hopera" in, really work very well. We've been doing this a little while with the New Millennium Orchestra. It's been a few years now that the idea has been jumping around in our heads. It's not brand new. It works.
Most Chicagoans who work in the Loop have some familiarity with the Pedway, Chicago's network of (mostly) underground passages and tunnels that transports pedestrians from the E,l to shopping, to work, without having to step foot out into the snow or rain. Many of us, however, use it purely to get to work and back, without ever bothering to find out just where the mysterious bends can actually take us. Let's face it--the Pedway can be downright intimidating. So, both locals and tourists will be interested in local improviser and tour guide, Margaret Hicks', reprisal of her Pedway Tour. The intriguing, 90-minute tour begins again this month, and features some of Chicago's most famous buildings, without stepping outside.
"The Pedway is such a weird and wonderful place," says Hicks. "It's like a whole other world down there. Parts of it are scary, parts of it are beautiful but all [of] it is pretty warm - and that's a big plus," says Hicks.
CBS-2's Harry Porterfield's "Someone You Should Know" segments spotlight everyday Chicagoans who do amazing things. The people featured are always fascinating, and this time was no different.
On a recent segment, Porterfield featured Chet Mayes, owner of Finess Ladies Apparel, Boutique and Salon, a salon and art gallery located at 1951 E. 71st St. in the South Shore neighborhood.
Mayes, aka "Finess," does unique sculptures, portraits and other works of art with shards of glass from mirrors. Some of the mirror glass portraits he has created include President Obama, Elvis Presley and Oprah Winfrey. He is a hairstylist and a designer, too, and considers both a form of artistry as well.
To read more about Finess and see some of his artwork, watch the segment here.
HSDC dancers Penny Saunders and Jesse Bechard in Arcangelo. Photo by Todd Rosenberg.
September 30, 2010--Hubbard Street Dance Chicago always surprises with their repertoire. Each of their performances is so different from the one prior, unified by the unwavering talent of the HSDC dancers. The company stretches the bounds of contemporary dance--which are expansive to begin with--consistently transforming movement in ways that can reach even the most reluctant performance-goer. Their performances present such a variety that there's sure to be something that impacts each segment of their audience.
HDSC's Fall Series, performed September 30-October 3 at Harris Theater, includes four pieces that not only exhibit this variety, but showcase the unfailing athleticism and grace of the dancers. The first piece, Alejandro Cerrudo's Blanco, leaves the viewer with a calm sense of satisfaction. An abstract work featuring four women--Laura Halm, Jesssica Tong, Meredith Dincolo, and Robyn Mineko Williams in the opening performance--the piece emphasizes extensions and liquid movement. Despite the demanding choreography, the movements seem gentle and organic, with limbs gliding like silk.
It sometimes feels like Chicago is becoming the new hub for the film festival. From small one room screenings to large, expansive festivals film covers every subject and is shown in every part of the city. The Chicago South Asian Film Festival starts this weekend and is the first time this festival, let alone the South Asian community, is being represented in the film community. Illinois has a large Indian and Pakistani population and a definite market for a festival representing South Asian culture. There are film festivals in New York and LA for the South Asian community, why not one for the Midwest?
Whereas films about drugs, violence, and sex may be common fodder in the US market these things are often taboo in India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The Chicago South Asian Film Festival gives films and filmmakers from those countries the chance to exhibit their work without prejudice or social censorship. There are many exciting films being shown this weekend. We offer some suggestions of films to see this weekend.
I saw the Aaron Sorkin-written, David Fincher-directed The Social Network two days in a row, and I've held off writing about it because I wanted to get my thoughts exactly right. I'm not sure I did, but this is what I've got. With three months left in the year, The Social Network is the best film I've seen so far in 2010. Is that clear enough for you? If it's at all possible, don't go into The Social Network thinking you're going to discover "the truth" about the founding and possible idea stealing being Facebook, the online phenom that has introduced a slew of new lingo to the English language and has made it possible for every single friend I had in high school to find me within one month of me joining a couple years back. Thanks, Mark Zuckerberg.
I went to a radio get-together and ended up meeting someone from TV: 
During an August 5th march through Marquette Park, whites showered the marchers with rocks, bottles and fireworks. A rock struck the reverend on the neck and he stumbled to the ground, but got up and kept walking. He later commented, "The people from Mississippi ought to come to Chicago to learn how to hate." By the end of the month Mayor Richard J. Daley announced that the city leaders would support fair-housing laws in exchange for an end to the marches. 
![PedwayDown[1] (2).jpg](http://gapersblock.com/ac/PedwayDown%5B1%5D%20%282%29.jpg)
