Theatre Thu Feb 28 2013
Looking for something to do this weekend? Starting Friday, March 1, the Neo-Futurists will be debuting their newest production, Analog.
Created by Kurt Chiang and directed by Tif Harrison, this experimental play leads the audience through a writer's process. Based on Chiang's personal experience: his self-proscribed task of transcribing the entire 1954 novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding. Chiang explains the intricate details of the self-prescribed task- how long it took, where he performed the task, what color ink was used, the notebook he wrote in -- but as he delves further into the description of the transcription, the more the pressing question of "Why does this thing exist?" comes forth.
This play strives to theatrically display the solitude and darkness a writer must inhabit before he is able to find his voice. Twisting through a writer's process, it maps where we go when we write and how a work is created from this.
As the play continues the rest of the ensemble contribute their own voices to Chiang's work -- supporting or rejecting the thoughts Chiang has laid out. Following the writer's process, after Chiang's voice has been established in the piece, the outside world is invited to interpret and make the newly created piece of art their own.
Playing at The Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland Ave.
7:30pm Thurs-Sat.
March 1 - April 6, 2013
Order Tickets: $20 ($10 for students/ seniors with ID)
— Lauren Haberman
Review Thu Feb 28 2013
It seems that opera has always stood on ceremony. Chicago Opera Theater's performance of Philip Glass's The Fall of the House of Usher left me wondering why. This opera -- one of such macabre and erotic beauty -- had its audience in a riotous and soulful frenzy.
Every heart in the audience felt that frenzy after the first baritone notes rang out through the piercing silence of the theater. We met William (Lee Gregory), a modern man bathed in a square of nearly blinding white light, characteristic of the lighting design of the opera as a whole -- reminiscent of Caravaggio's chiaroscuro, the dramatic, high-contrast style made famous in paintings of old.
This modern man receives a message from his childhood friend, Roderick Usher (Ryan MacPherson), the namesake of the 1839 Edgar Allan Poe story on which the opera is based. Roderick has become ill with a madness imparted by the very house he lives in and the death of his twin sister Madeline (Suzan Hanson), and he begs William to save him from his insanity.
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— Sarah Shuel
Theater Wed Feb 27 2013
Shavac Prakash (top) & Scott Baity, Jr. (bottom); Photo by Cesario Moza
Collaboractions' new and original production, Crime Scene: A Chicago Anthology creates a bridge between entertainment, social justice and public service -- there is sophisticated lighting and choreography, touching musical interludes, comic relief and captivating, hyper-dramatic moments that we expect from theater, but to call this play entertainment is almost blasphemy. Luckily for us, it is still entertaining. Crime Scene has a clear agenda, though -- to call attention to Chicago's serious and escalating crime problem by re-enacting three key homicides that took place in the city over the past few years.
"The inspiration from Crime Scene came from a need to create work connected to important issues in our community", explained director Anthony Moseley. "I believe theater can serve a critical role in addressing the issue of violence by offering Chicagoans a transcendent artistic experience that forces us to confront and question the core elements of senseless violence."
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— Kelly Reaves
Review Wed Feb 27 2013
As is the case with most of Jackie Taylor's productions, audiences are taken on a musical ride; in her latest offering, From Doo Wop to Hip Hop, now playing at The Black Ensemble Theater, the music once again takes center stage. Whether you like crooning along with The Coasters or rhyming with Run DMC, this show has something for the old school--the new school--and everyone in between.
Cast of From Doo Wop to Hip Hop; from l to r: Brandon Holmes, Lawrence Williams, Kelvin Roston, Jr. & Corey Wright. Photo: Danny Nicholas
Written and directed by Taylor and associate director Rueben Echoles, From Doo Wop to Hip Hop, part of the Black Ensemble's "Treasures and Tributes" series, is the story of Unison Hills, a family-oriented, multi-ethnic, multi-generational community whose residents all have one thing in common: music.
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— LaShawn Williams /
Brass Chuckles is a playful, monthly comedy show at The Playground Theater that values genuine comedic expression over perfection. This makes sense given it was created by one Chicago's most exploratory artists, Tamale Sepp. Hanging out with Tamale at a tea lounge is just like watching her produce a show. She oozes positivity and acceptance, and she notices everything. Are you standing in the doorway and making everyone cold? She will politely ask you to move. Did you leave your mug at your table when you left? Tamale's got it. It is exactly these superpowers of perception and caring that make Tamale a fantastic producer.
Tamale, who has a background in fire dancing, burlesque, drag, sketch, improv and stand-up, created Brass Chuckles to foster comedy in Chicago that is as interdisciplinary as she is. Brass Chuckles performances range from drag to videos to performance art, with comedic expression as the through-line, and Tamale hosts the whole thing with an upbeat charm. The show aims to bring different artistic communities together to play and to learn from each other. A stand-up who watches fire dancing, for example, can learn a new meaning of silence from a crowd. "When I'm fire dancing, my audience does not talk," says Tamale. "People are hypnotized, so they don't have a lot of response. This does not equate to them not being invested or completely involved in that experience. It's the opposite. And that can be true during tension-filled moments of stand-up."
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— Caitlin Bergh
Theater Sat Feb 23 2013
Of course it's complicated; it always is. It's the thing that no one really understands, no matter how much poetry they write, drunk karaoke songs they sing, or first dates they go on. It's a thing that most everyone wants but doesn't know how to get and is even more in the dark on how to hold on to. It's about chances and taking them. It is what it is.
It, of course, is love, and it is what Theater Wit's impressive new show Completeness serves up on a biologist's table for us to dissect. Written by Itamar Moses, Completeness is a modern take on the state of romantic relationships, more specifically, the rationalizations people make about their love lives. It's about smart people in love and lust and having sex and breaking up.
The show centers on Elliot played by Matt Holzfeind -- who does an excellent job of making the audience fall in love with him (then kinda disliking him). Elliot is a brilliant and neurotic graduate student in computer science. He is both charmingly open and brazenly self-centered. We love him, we hate him. We want him to be happy, we don't care.
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— Tyler Gillespie
Review Fri Feb 22 2013
I went into Lookingglass Theater Company's production of Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo with high hopes. After all, I've heard great things about the company and Bengal Tiger was a 2011 Tony Award Recipient. I figured they don't just give those awards away to anyone. Robin Williams was also in the play at one point, and he's a pretty darn good actor. However, I came out of the production thoroughly offended and with a sour taste in my mouth.
It wasn't the acting, the lighting, or the set that did it for me -- all of these were incredible. It was the script itself. Maybe I missed something somewhere along the way.
I understand that theater has many purposes, some of which are expressing things that aren't so popular or attempting to reach a kind of conclusion about uncomfortable topics. Still, there is a certain amount of care that should come along with pushing the boundaries, and this play did not show it.
The issues brought up by the play do need to be discussed, but there's a thin line between raising questions and drawing conclusions. The latter is presumptuous, especially in a situation as delicate as the one in the show.
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— Sarah Shuel /
Column Fri Feb 22 2013
Snitch
I'm not going to lie: I happen to be a committed fan of Dwayne Johnson as an actor, whether he's doing action work, comedy, or even a somewhat serious drama. Believe me, I know the man has starred in some true stinkers, but if one of his movies tanks, it's not because he isn't trying. More importantly, I'm impressed at the way he's managed to career and role choices. Lately, he seems to have the attitude that he'll do one for his fans that have been loyal to him since his wrestling days as The Rock, and one to help round him out as a performer. The improvements in his acting have been noticeable, and he's even done a couple of films where he's able to combine somewhat serious dramatic work with a bit of action thrown in.
A couple of years ago, Johnson did a really interesting revenge b-movie called Faster (which also starred Billy Bob Thornton and Maggie Grace), and I loved that film for the way Johnson played his character with a quiet rage. There was a lot more acting going on than the marketing would have led you to believe, and now Johnson has another film, Snitch, that features just a couple of action-oriented sequences and a whole lot of impressive inner torment from Johnson as John Matthews, owner of a fairly successful construction materials company in Missouri whose son Jason (from his first marriage to Melina Kanakaredes) has been arrested for dealing drugs after a friend of his mailed him a package loaded with pills.
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— Steve Prokopy
Jeremy Solomon and Jeff Phillips kicked off their new reading series, Pungent Parlour, at the Black Rock Pub (3614 N Damen Ave) this week. The series, happening every third Tuesday of the month at 8:30pm, features six or seven writers presenting pieces of fiction or essay for audiences gathered on fireside couches in the Black Rock's back room. Solomon and Phillips host a show that they hope will feel more like a salon and will add to the live lit scene by bringing fiction and essay together in one place.
Judging from their debut, Solomon and Phillips are certainly accomplishing their goals. The Pungent Parlour producers host the show with an unassuming, supportive tone, and the audience is there as much for the readings as they are for the fireside chatting over beer at intermission. Pungent Parlour evades the ostentatious, insincere aspects inherent to many shows, presenting instead a gathering of people invested in supporting Chicago writers. The lack of admission fee or competition of any kind, and even the lack of a microphone, brings a relaxing vibe to the space that would inspire just about any writer or listener. The Pungent Parlour urges us to slow down and just enjoy good readings and conversation, making it a refreshing addition to the hustle and bustle of the live lit scene. Pull on your best cardigan and mosey down to the next Pungent Parlour on March 19th.
Follow me on twitter: @caitlinebergh
— Caitlin Bergh
Art Wed Feb 20 2013
Coming this September, come on out for EXPO Chicago's EXPO Art Week 2013 (Sept. 16-22) in conjunction with Choose Chicago and Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. This four-day event will be held in Navy Pier's Festival Hall and will host over 120 leading international galleries providing visitors with a mix of contemporary/modern art and design. Meanwhile, art and cultural festivities will take place all over the city.
During the Expo, keep and eye out and partake in citywide exhibits, gallery openings, installations, public art projects, music, theater and dance performances, and special dining experiences for residents and visiting international cultural tourists.
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— Lauren Haberman
Charles Dutton knows acting; the three-time Emmy Award winner, who is also a successful director, is one of the most accomplished and versatile actors today. Best known for his critically-acclaimed 90s sitcom, "Roc," and for Tony Award-nominated roles in The Piano Lesson and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Dutton has enjoyed a successful career as a star of stage, screen and television.
With two performances to benefit the Chicago Youth Leadership Academy, a joint program of the Chicago Police Department and the University of Chicago for at-risk youth, Dutton returns to town tonight with From Jail to Yale: Serving Time on Stage, his honest, autobiographical, one-man stage play that details his journey from Maryland's prisons to playhouses at Yale School of Drama and beyond. Here, he talks about how he became an actor, why he brought the show to Chicago, and the pandemic of youth violence in America.
When you were incarcerated, you became interested in theater after reading a book on black playwrights--was there a particular play or playwright that grabbed your attention?
It was Douglas Turner Ward's play, Day of Absence. It is a political satire that I thought was hilarious. Once, I was in "the hole" for six days and was allowed to take one book with me. I reached for a revolutionary book but I accidentally picked up this anthology of black playwrights. I read it and I said that when I got out of isolation, I was going to get the craziest guys I knew in the prison and start a drama group.
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— LaShawn Williams /
Review Tue Feb 19 2013
Signal Ensemble Theater's tenth season kicks off the new year with the production of Jon Steignhagen's Successors -- the quintessential Chicago play complete with Chicago humor, Chicago politics, and the intermittent rumbling of the Brown Line going by in the background.
The dialogue-laden play tells the story of the family behind the DeKoven political dynasty. When Kenton DeKoven, the third generation patriarch of the political machine, decides to step down, three of his obsessively office-hungry children fight tooth and nail for the position, threatening to tear the family apart for good, and exposing deeper emotional issues between its members. Successors offers a good amount of laughs with far-fetched ideas of how to continue the DeKoven political line.
The play's writer, Jon Steinhagen, also stars in the show as Lou Tedesco, the hilariously offensive cousin of the DeKovens. His snappy, quick, and over-the-line bickering with his mother, Mae DeKoven Tedesco (Barbara Roeder Harris) is one of the highlights of the play.
Successors plays through March 2 at Signal Ensemble Theater, 1802 W. Berenice Ave. Tickets are available for $20 ($15 for industry members, students, seniors and large groups).
— Sarah Shuel
Review Mon Feb 18 2013
Shakespeare's classic Julius Caesar is a tale so romanticized by time that few realize its modern relevance. The Chicago Shakespeare Theater's contemporary retelling of the tragedy shows it to be more than just pretty prose and togas, but an ancient allegory for current events.
At first, it's odd to hear tangled Shakespearean language coming from the mouths of senators in suits and traffic police, but with the seasoned cast's appropriate inflections and gestures, the Bard's script comes to life. The audience finds themselves in an ambiguous Rome, stranded somewhere in limbo between the past and the present, hearing the hushed beginnings of a revolution spoken by Marcus Brutus (John Light) and Caius Cassius (Jason Kolotouros). Election time nears, and an aged leader, Julius Caesar (David Darlow), is the popular incumbent. Caesar meets his senate on the marble steps of the curiam, the broad columns rising up on either side of him casting a tone of fascism and dictatorship into the air, and the bold red and gold banners giving a strength to the leader that his own bones no longer possess.
Dialogue permeates the entire first act, laying the ground work for the dramatic death of Caesar and the action-packed aftermath. The ghostly soothsayer utters her famous premonition to "beware the Ides of March," which triggers dreams and unrest on the part of Caesar's wife, Calpurnia. Cassius' cunning is revealed to the audience as he manages to convince the entire senate, with the exception of Brutus, of their duty to free their people from the despot that Caesar may become -- to "strike the serpent in the egg" before it has a chance to bite.
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— Sarah Shuel
Art Fri Feb 15 2013
Oasis, 2013, fiber and paper, Kate Arford and Kristin Abhalter" photo by Nathan Smith
By Troy Pieper
What may be the city's smallest commercial art gallery has taken up residence in a mixed use building near the Loyola Red Line stop. The 200-square foot space has an unfamiliar shape. Its floor is sunk several feet below street-level, the gallery's six walls of various lengths join at odd angles, the bathroom door is three steps above everything. "It's perfect," says founder and director Kristin Abhalter. Named for her grandparents, "a creative force that was incredibly supportive of me," the Roman Susan gallery has a mission to be a similar force in the Rogers Park neighborhood and in the arts in Chicago.
On the Day of the Dead last year, Roman Susan opened its door to what Abhalter describes as a bustling Rogers Park art community. When she noticed the for-rent sign, she had already been thinking about establishing a public destination in her neighborhood to show art and simply connect to residents and local artists. In the age of social media, physical spaces open to everyone are essential to engaging residents in their community and warding off the degradation of networks that provide personal contact with like-minded individuals.
And already, the gallery seems to be building a name for itself doing just that. Artists from Rogers Park and around Chicago have exhibited work at Roman Susan, and the number of visitors to the gallery continues to increase. The building at 1224 W. Loyola Ave., also home to a hodgepodge of eccentric specialty shops, sees considerable foot traffic. Residents like 70-year-old Kate Walsh, a practicing dancer, stop on the way to the train and chat with Abhalter about art or Rogers Park history, and some have shown their work at Roman Susan.
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— A/C
Column Fri Feb 15 2013
Before we dive into the reviews, I want to alert you to a very special film festival that will be happening at the Music Box Theatre for the next two weeks. The 70mm Film Festival features a collection of nine films being screening multiple times beginning tonight until February 28, including the return of Paul Thomas Anderson's Oscar-nominated The Master, which must be seen in this format for you to fully appreciate its glory (of course, the same could be said for all of these films).
Take a look at this list: Vertigo, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Lifeforce, Lord Jim, West Side Story, Hamlet (Kenneth Brannagh's version), Playtime and The Master. The Music Box if offering a $70 pass to see all nine movies. A full screening schedule and details on the films and purchasing tickets can be found on the Music Box Theatre's website. I'm attending just about all of these films at some point — starting with Vertigo and 2011 on opening night. Hope to see you there.
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— Steve Prokopy
Event Thu Feb 14 2013
This Valentine's Day marks the 15th anniversary for Gilda's Club in Chicago. For 15 years Gilda's Club Chicago has been standing by cancer patients and their families through thick and thin.
The Club was founded in memory of the famed "Saturday Night Live" and former Second City Cast member, Gilda Radner.
Radner was diagnosed with cancer in 1985. Once commenting on her diagnosis she said, "Having cancer gave me membership in an elite club I'd rather not belong to." After her death in 1989, Gilda's Club was opened as a support community for families and patients affected by Cancer. Gilda's Club Chicago is a community with no membership dues. Through health seminars, classes in yoga, and special events, Gilda's club provides an escape from the stresses of diagnosis and treatment.
Second City has remained close to Gilda's Club since the first red door opened to the public, raising funds and performing at many of the Center's functions. See Second City perform tomorrow, and join Gilda's Club Chicago at 5pm in celebrating their 15-year milestone with an open house at 537 N. Wells St. and comedy performance.
Finally, if you're still in a last minute pinch to find your loved one a great Valentine's Day gift, check out Chocolate Inspirations, Inc. and their Chocolate for Charity program. This year, 10% of the proceeds will go directly towards Gilda's Club Chicago and help support another 15 years to come.
Photo courtesy of Gilda's Club Chicago
— Lauren Haberman
Culture Thu Feb 14 2013
In celebration of Black History Month, and in conjunction with The Gordon Parks Foundation and the American Black Film Festival, Macy's will host special events at its stores across the country. Here in Chicago, Macy's on State Street will feature several free exhibits and events that cover film, dance, art and more.
Tonight, at 5:30pm, it's all about the love of cinema for film fans with "In Conversation," a discussion on the cultural impact and legacy of late, legendary director and photojournalist, Gordon Parks, who is credited with helping to shape and popularize the "blaxpoitation" movie genre, having directed cult classics such as Shaft and Shaft's Big Score. Held on the store's 7th floor and led by Emmy Award-winning actor Eriq LaSalle ("ER") and Lamman Rucker ("Meet the Browns"), the conversation will center on Parks' influence on black film and filmmakers as well as the current state and future of African-American cinema. In addition, photo installations of Parks iconic Life magazine images will be a featured exhibit.
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— LaShawn Williams
Dance Wed Feb 13 2013
This Valentine's Day, Chicagoans going about their daily lives will be pleasantly surprised to find that Feb. 14 is much more than a cheesy holiday this year. It is a historic, global protest of violence against women. At noon, Chicagoans wearing red scarves and dancing in synchrony will overflow onto Daley Plaza for the once in a lifetime event, One Billion Rising.
A worldwide strike happening this Valentine's Day only, One Billion Rising is orchestrated by V-Day, a non-profit founded by Eve Ensler 15 years ago. V-Day is producing over 7,000 events this year that demand an end to violence against women, including hundreds of productions of The Vagina Monologues, screenings of documentaries, and workshops for men called V-Men. The name "One Billion Rising" comes from the UN estimate that one in three women will be beaten, raped or violated in her lifetime. This adds up, roughly, to one billion women. Today, those one billion victims will be represented by one billion dancers, joining hands in cities all over the world.
According to V-Day College and Community Campaigns Manager Laura Waleryszak, this event, which may look like a typical flash mob at first, will soon reveal itself to be "the largest synchronized global action in history for violence against women."
Starting at noon at Daley Plaza, Chicago will "rise," kicking off the day with "booty shaking, body loving fun" from Chicago artists Cheerobix, BeMoved, Psalm One, DJ All the Way Kay, the Fabulous Ladies of Fitness (FLOF), KOKUMO, and Book of Mormon cast member and Broadway star Patrice Compton. The work of these artists, in its own way, is already about rising. Take FLOF, for example, whose monthly dance parties are "focused on wellness and women's power," Waleryszak says. After the noon kick off, those who are rising will march, or take a free trolley, from Daley Plaza to The River East Arts Center, 435 E. Illinois St., for a free dance party from 1 to 6pm.
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— Caitlin Bergh
Preview Wed Feb 13 2013
"Friends, Romans, Countrymen" -- words familiar to each of us, although we may not know why. Marc Antony's famous speech begins this way in William Shakespeare's classic tragedy Julius Caesar. After years of studying English and literature, some have learned to decode Shakespeare's eloquent but sometimes seemingly archaic style of writing. The Chicago Shakespeare Theater is offering a contemporary retelling of the play, directed by Jonathan Munby, to satisfy both the classical scholar and that part in all of us that seeks something relatable in a drama.
The play tells the story of Julius Caesar, consul of ancient Rome, who denies the warnings of a soothsayer to "beware the Ides of March." Caesar's fellow senators are the ones who do him in, and his death sparks the beginning of a new Rome.
The show plays through March 24 at CST's Jentes Family Auditorium, 800 E. Grand Ave., on Navy Pier. Tickets ($48-$78 with discounts for groups, students, and young professionals) can be purchased by calling the theater's box office at 312-595-5600 or by visiting the theater's website.
— Sarah Shuel
Dance Wed Feb 13 2013
"Son of Chamber Symphony" - Derrick Agnoletti; Photo by Christopher Duggan
The Joffrey Ballet always delivers. This is not just accounting for taste or the level of expertise and refinement in their dancing. All of those things may be true, but one fundamental difference with the company is that they are always a little surprising. They deliver on performing challenging, modern, creative, and entertaining works. When one thinks of the ballet, one often thinks of something stuffy or inaccessible, but the Joffrey has consistently produced shows that look and feel differently. This same aesthetic will be evident during the premiere of the company's "American Legends" series tonight at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University (50 E. Congress Parkway).
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— Britt Julious
For a great example of longevity in the world of entertainment, look no further than the legendary Sinbad; the veteran comedian, named one of "Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time," has enjoyed a solid, decades-long career that includes movies, television, stand-up specials and more. Whether he's talking about politics or pop culture, relationships or reality shows, Sinbad's "straight, no chaser" style has kept audiences laughing for years. I spoke with him in advance of his show this Friday night at The Chicago Theatre, as he discussed his career's early days, his love of funk music and why he rejects the "clean comedian" label.
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— LaShawn Williams
Column Fri Feb 08 2013
Side Effects
Director Steven Soderbergh is a man of many talents who likes nothing more than to defy expectations by treading in many different genre pools, sometimes in the same film. It seems only fitting that what he claims will be his last feature film (his Liberace biography, Behind the Candelabra, airs on HBO later this year) incorporates different styles, tones and storylines that come together rather beautifully, if not perfectly. Side Effects is a relationship drama, psychological thriller, social commentary, mystery, and a sleazy film noir all in one messy and wholly entertaining package.
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— Steve Prokopy
Feature Thu Feb 07 2013
On April 20, 1999, when I was 9 years old, I arrived at my elementary school in Lakewood, CO early like I always did. I liked to play outside on the blacktop with my friends before class began. It was such a normal morning. By the end of the day, all of the doors to the school would be locked and none of us would be allowed to leave the building until our parents came in to get us.
On April 20, 1999, Colorado changed forever. At 11:19am, 10.3 miles south of my elementary school, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris began the massacre that claimed the lives of 12 students and one teacher, and injured countless others at Columbine High School. Before Columbine, a school shooting had never been heard of in Colorado. Since 1999, there have been many.
The shooting happened 13 years ago, but I woke up this morning feeling as though it was yesterday. Last night, I was a guest at the American Theater Company's performance of Stephen Karam and PJ Paparelli's Columbinus, a three-act "theatrical discussion" of the tragedy based on old and new interviews with survivors and their parents, and one of the best productions I have ever seen.
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— Sarah Shuel /
Film Tue Feb 05 2013
The Chicago Urban League celebrates the black experience through cinema, with its second annual Black History Month Film Festival, a film festival designed to "educate, empower and inspire Chicago's African American community."
Beginning tomorrow, and throughout the month of February, films with subject matter that includes youth violence (Benji, directed by south side native Coodie Simmons) health and nutrition (Soul Food Junkies) and life for a troubled teen in inner-city Chicago (India of K-Town), will be screened for the community. Produced and directed by Chicago's own the Beverly Price Company, India is the story of "India," a girl whose life is changed by a chance meeting with Chicago fashion designer, Barbara Bates.
All film showings are free and open to the public, and will be screened at the Chicago Urban League's headquarters, 4510 S. Michigan Ave.; for reservations, please email RSVP@thechicagourbanleague.org. Q&A sessions follow each viewing. For more information and a complete film schedule, visit the website for call 773-285-5800.
View a clip of India of K-Town here:
— LaShawn Williams /
Comics Mon Feb 04 2013
Here's a new one from local comic Alex Nall, who we interviewed last summer:
— Kelly Reaves
Culture Sat Feb 02 2013
Through its "Celebrating Diversity" program, the Chicago Public Library will honor black history with "African American History Month," a series of exhibits, workshops and performances that highlight the culture and historical achievements of African-Americans. In February, a variety of special events including panel discussions, film screenings, literary events and more, will be held at various branches across the city.
The month-long celebration kicks off today at 1pm with the opening program at the Carter G. Woodson Regional Library, 9525 S. Halsted, with a panel discussion on the history of African-Americans in Chicago, followed by performances from spoken word artist Ken'te Kizer and dance by M.A.D.D. Rhythms. Other highlights during the month include "Author Discussion with Myiti Sengstacke Rice," who will discuss her book, Chicago Defender, and author and radio host, Lowell Thompson, who will read from his latest work, African Americans in Chicago.
For a full schedule of the library's "African American History Month" activities, visit the website or call 312-747-4300.
— LaShawn Williams
Preview Fri Feb 01 2013
The romance of the Industrial Age will sweep through Chicago for one night only -- this Saturday, Feb. 2 -- when the Museum of Contemporary Art hosts its annual fundraising benefit, artEdge.
MCA's Warehouse location will be transformed into a work of functional and live art reminiscent of days past and of the building's own history as a bakery. The benefit will include a meal and a concert, but is much more than the sum of its parts. Guests will be treated to a complete experience from beginning to end, and with the proceeds going back to the museum, the event is not to be missed.
Attendees will enter through the back alleys of the warehouse, a throwback to Chicago as a city of bricks, and then make their way up a winding, wrought-iron staircase to the first course of their meal, hors d'oeuvres strung from chain-linked walls. Next, guests will find themselves in an industrial-chic wonderland of light and metal created by Heffernan Morgan Designs and Event Creative.
The event guarantees not only a treat for the tastebuds, but also a symphony for the other four senses. As the party-goers make their way through the Chain Link Room, Automation Room, Corrugated Room and Chain Room, they'll experience dinner served on moving conveyor belts, whirling ceiling fans, state-of-the-art manufacturing presentations, and special live performances curated by Peter Taub, the MCA's Director of Performance Programs.
The soiree will conclude with a dessert bar, a VIP Rubber Bar, and a concert by indie pop group Fitz and the Tantrums.
The event takes place on Saturday, Feb. 2, from 7pm to 11pm. Individual tickets are available for $1,000, which includes the cocktail reception, dinner, dessert reception and concert performance. Table packages begin at $15,000. Concert tickets are available for $150 and include the dessert reception, open bar and concert performance. To purchase tickets, table packages, make reservations, or to inquire about sponsorship, email hhanas@mcachicago.org or call (312) 397-3868.
— Sarah Shuel
Film Fri Feb 01 2013
Through directing, writing, acting and producing for the both television and the big screen, Chicago native Robert Townsend remains one of the hardest working men in Hollywood; the versatile, veteran director and filmmaker, behind hits such as Hollywood Shuffle and The Five Heartbeats, is back with his latest feature film, In the Hive, now in theaters.
Based on an actual school in North Carolina, In the Hive is the story of Xtra Keys (played by "That's So Raven's" Jonathan McDaniel), a troubled youth faced with personal challenges, among them, his relationship with his incarcerated father (Roger Guenveur Smith) and being a teenage father, to name a few. For Keys, becoming a student at "The Hive," an alternative school for boys, is perhaps his only chance to create a better life for himself and his infant son.
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— LaShawn Williams /
Column Fri Feb 01 2013
Warm Bodies
I firmly believe that if you give this zombie rom-com a shot, you'll really like it. I want to be perfectly clear about that up front, because I'm genuinely surprised how many people are inflexible when it comes to zombie films. There is no point in making zombie movie after zombie movie (or TV series) if you aren't going to mix things up within a certain framework established in George Romero's original Night of the Living Dead. That groundbreaking film is a perfect jumping off point, but there's room for variety and even improvement.
The makers of Warm Bodies are perfectly aware that the premise (from Isaac Marion's novel) of a zombie and human falling in love is preposterous, but writer-director Jonathan Levine (The Wackness, 50/50) doesn't let that keep him from taking the story and the romance seriously. He's committed to making us believe in this relationship — one that leads to a potential cure for being undead. Borrowing heavily from the plot of Romeo and Juliet (right down to the names of the lead characters — R played by Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer's Julie), Warm Bodies is told to us from R's point of view, complete with narration by Hoult (About a Boy, X-Men: First Class) that sets up just how much he remembers from his pre-zombie life (not much), how he communicates with his best zombie friend M (Rob Corddry), and how the world of zombies and humans is divided.
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— Steve Prokopy
