Fun While It Lasted: A Farewell Tour

Live Bait Theater presents Edward Thomas-Herrera's latest solo show, "Fun While It Lasted: A Farewell Tour". The play talks about Edward's relationship with his late mother, and the material that was previewed in a recent appearance at The Partly Dave Show was witty and humorous. Tonight's show starts at 9:00 PM. The show is also playing August 14 at 9:00 PM. Tickets are $10. Live Bait Theater: 3914 N. Clark. (773) 871-1212.

The Hunting of the President @ Music Box

Opening at the Music Box tonight: The Hunting of the President, the documentary that details the smear campaign that has dogged Bill and Hilary Clinton, from his days as Arkansas governor to his impeachment trial. Kenneth Starr will probably not be in attendance. Music Box Theatre: 3733 N. Southport. (773) 871-6604.

May Or May Not @ Hideout

Pop/rock quintet May Or May Not and avant-pop band The Bitter Tears take over the back room of the Hideout for an evening of awesomeness. 9pm. Suggested donation of $5, 21 and over.

Cherish @ Chicago Artists' Collective

Local burlesque performer Cherish (Flirt, Chicago Burlesque) will perform her famous snake act (with a very large boa constrictor) at the Chicago Artists' Collective "Second Fridays Art Crawl". The show goes from 6-10, Cherish and her slitherin pal go on at 9:00. Chicago Arts District Warehouse, 1826 S. Halsted. Admission is free.

Mud Queens of Chicago

"Mud Queens of Chicago: Reawakening the lost art of mud wrestling. Sleeperholds, tough titties, and rock n roll!" Yes, exactly what you think it is (or maybe not) -- ladies mud wrestling. Tonight at 10pm at Transmission Gallery, 840 W. Washington. The Billy Carter Band performs as well. $5 at the door, BYOB. Email Meg at speedylobotomycomcastnet for more information or if you're a woman interested in mud wrestling.

Opening Night: Foolin' Around with Infinity @ The Athenaeum

Opening Night! The Phalanx Theater presents its first production: Foolin' Around with Infinity by Steven Dietz, directed by Luke Hatton. At the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport. August 13 - 29. Tickets $15.

Silent Summer 2004 Film Festival

Does the usual slew of big budget summer films leave you cold? Then this is the event for you as The Silent Film Society of Chicago presents the Silent Summer 2004 Film Festival at the Gateway Theatre. You can buy your tickets at the theatre on the day of the performance for $11. Tickets for the August 6th film, which will be accompanied by a full orchestra, are $17.

This year's schedule includes:


August 6: The Iron Horse (1924)

August 13: It (1927)

August 20: Lilac Time (1928)

August 27: Blood and Sand (1922)


Check out the festival website for more information. The Gateway Theatre is located at 5216 W. Lawrence Avenue in Chicago.

ChicagoNewYork Fundraiser @ Funky Buddha

If you’d like to help out some folks heading in September to the Republican National Convention in New York, come out tonight at 7 p.m. to the Funky Buddha Lounge located at 728 W. Grand Avenue. They’ll be fundraising there, suggested donation, $7. You must be 21 and over to attend.

Wizard World Chicago

Comic/sci-fi conventions are gaining mainstream notice lately, as every last small-press graphic novel and bottom-of-the-barrel superhero property are scraped up by Hollywood in the wake of the Spider-Man and X-Men successes. The panels and Q&A's at conventions like the San Diego Comic-Con are increasingly important venues for the Halle Berrys and Keanu Reeveses of the world to plug their upcoming projects. Wizard World Chicago manages to keep the PR machine and the star wattage down and the programming focused more on the creators. Still, we get Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy and current writer of Astonishing X-Men, plus Kevin Smith, Amber Benson and Kelly Hu, in addition to comic rock stars like Brian Michael Bendis, Chris Claremont, John Romita Jr., and Chicago's own Alex Ross. And it's always a good time just checking out the freaks, the geeks, and the lesser lights of decades past—Gil Gerard, I'm looking at you. At the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. $45 for a Friday-Sunday pass, $25 for one-day. Kids 10 & under are free with a paid adult. See here for a full schedule and additional info.

"Takeout to the Ballgame" Opens

Stir-Friday Night! (SFN!) opens their newest work "Takeout to the Ballgame" tonight at the Studio Theater of the Chicago Cultural Center, located at 77 E. Randolph Street. "'Takeout to the Ballgame' is a sketch comedy show, comprised of short scenes and musical numbers designed to be both thought provoking and entertaining. The diverse cast of Korean, Japanese/Chinese, Indian, Indian/Polish, Filipina, and Vietnamese performers showcases its talents by using comedy as a tool to shed light on the Asian American and human experience." The production runs Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with a Sunday matinee at 3 p.m., through Sept. 19. Previews are Aug. 6-8. There is no performance Sunday, Sept. 12. Tickets are $15, $12 for students. Reservations can be made by calling (847) 663-9257.

"8 Ball" Artists' Reception

Tonight's the opening night for a new show at 4 Art Inc. The show features the varied work of eight Chicago artists: Thomas Masters, Lee Tracy, Tim Anderson, Ned Broderick, Janine Clevenger, Peter Hurley, Matt Hagemann, Brenda Barnum, and Don Copper. The reception runs from 6–10 p.m. at the gallery, located at 1932 S. Halsted #100. The show runs through September 18th. For more information, call 312.850.1816, or check out their website. The show is being presented in coordination with the Thomas Masters Gallery.

Garage sale @ Old Town School of Folk Music

In the market for some cheap musical equipments? Check out the annual garage sale at the Different Strummer, the music store at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Guitars, banjos, djembes, mandolins, ukuleles, books and CDs, instrument cases, it's all here. The sale runs through Sunday, August 15th, and new items are added each day. The hours each day: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Old Town School of Folk Music: 4544 N. Lincoln. (773) 751-3398.

Fast Forward Film Festival begins

The 15th Fast Forward Film Festival begins tonight, when 24 teams assemble at Atomix to receive topics and 21 hours to make a three-minute movie. Enrollment is $20, and teams of any size can participate. Screenings are viewed and prizes are awarded on August 14th at Wesley Kimler's Gallery at 8pm, 2046 W. Carroll, $5 donation, BYOB.